She has worked as an adviser in 50 countries to governments and IGOs (United Nations, CoE, IOM, OSCE), NGOs and the European Commission.
[4] In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1990 Abdela was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire for "services to the advancement of Women in Politics and Local Government".
[5] In 2007, Abdela was reported by the BBC as having found the grave of Barbara Bodichon in the tiny churchyard of Brightling, East Sussex, about 50 miles (80 km) from London.
[6] The historian Dr Judith Rowbotham at Nottingham Trent University issued a further appeal for funds to restore the grave and its surroundings.
[citation needed] The money raised by the village was used to sand-blast the railings and repaint them, and to clean the granite tomb.