As the Executive Director of the Women's Leadership Institute in Baghdad, she has worked to improve women's rights. <ref>http://2001-2009.state.gov/g/wi/iwoc/c21757.htm</ref> <ref>http://www.academia.edu/411589/Iraqi_Women_and_UNSCR_1325_An_Interview_with_Sundus_Abbas_Director_of_the_Iraqi_Womens_Leadership_Institute_Baghdad_January_2011</ref> Abbas was trained as a political scientist, and she has worked to improve Iraqi women's involvement in their political parties, in the constitutional drafting and amending process, and in national reconciliation and conflict resolution efforts. <reF>http://www.awiu.org/2011/06/10/2007-woc-iraq-sundus/</ref> She has also written for Iraq's main daily newspapers on the topic of women's rights, and held press conferences to address issues of concern to women. <ref>http://www.awiu.org/2011/06/10/2007-woc-iraq-sundus/</ref> In 2007 she received an [[International Women of Courage Award]]. <ref>http://2001-2009.state.gov/g/wi/iwoc/c21757.htm</ref>