Category: Press Releases

The freedom to express oneself and impart information and ideas through any media are fundamental human rights. Freedom of the press is – alongside a strong civil society – an essential means of holding power to account and giving voice to the community. It is unacceptable that journalists in Tunisia report being subjected to harassment, intimidation and […]

Women human rights defenders have welcomed the Dutch government’s demand for an investigation into the murder of Libyan human rights activist Salwa Bugaighis. At a meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, the Netherlands demanded that Salwa’s murder be investigated and prosecuted. This is a remarkable step as such calls are usually reserved for […]

The decision of the US government to move its embassy and recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is a shattering blow to the peace process and to the dignity of Palestinians. We support our Palestinian partners and condemn the US administration’s decision unreservedly. This announcement represents a serious and deeply harmful break from international […]

Karama stands with our Tunisian colleagues protesting the economic amnesty law. It is impossible to divorce accountability from democracy. Leaders who cannot be held to account for their actions, who do not have the confidence of their people, hold power unjustly.    When leaders lose the confidence of the people they answer for it at […]

We are appalled that the United States has objected to the appointment of a UN special envoy based purely on the candidate’s nationality. The UN Secretary-General’s is right in his pledge to “recruit qualified individuals, respecting regional diversity”, to which we would add the need to reflect gender, ethnic and cultural diversity. There are many […]

Women from across Syrian society met in Beirut this week to discuss the role women must play in building a peaceful future for Syria. The event was organised by the Syrian Women’s Forum for Peace, which brought the group of 22 women from different political, religious and social backgrounds together for the two-day workshop. The […]

Leading Middle East and North Africa women’s rights NGO Karama has announced the launch of their European branch. Based in Cairo, the Karama network is the main platform for women’s rights organisations in the Arab region, from Libya, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Sudan to Morocco, it operates across thirteen countries. Karama Europe will be headed by Elisabeth van der Steenhoven, […]

The first ministerial meeting of the League of Arab States on women, peace and security represents an important step, women leaders from the Arab region have said. Government ministers, representatives of international institutions and activists met in Cairo between 4-5 September to discuss how women could play a greater role in bringing peace to the […]

Arab women leaders told a conference in The Hague that militarization is a serious threat to peace in the Middle East and North Africa. Hibaaq Osman, founder and chief executive of Karama, used her keynote speech at the Women on the Frontlines conference to say that easy access to weapons in conflict-affected states puts at […]

October 28 – Women leaders from the Arab Regional Network on Women, Peace, and Security (ARNWPS) lobbied for women’s participation, inclusion and protection at high-level discussions on the impact of conflict of women worldwide at the United Nations in New York. They concluded that fifteen years after adopting Security Council Resolution 1325 (SCR1325) on women, […]

14 Oct 2015 – Organized by the League of Arab States jointly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Arab States and Karama.

New York, 14 October 2015 – Participants in the Gender and Conflict Forum emphasized the importance of addressing, with great resolve, systematic violations committed against women and girls in conflict areas across the Arab region, which they highlighted has intensified in an unprecedented pace and in varying forms, from physical to sexual violence—including murder and […]

October 13, 2015 Speakers: Dr. Mouna Ghanem, Founder and coordinator of the Syrian Women’s Forum for Peace (Syria); Fatima Outaleb, Director of Union de l’Action Feminine’s women’s shelter and a member of its Board of Directors (Morocco);  Amal Bugaighis, Attorney and Co-founder of the Libyan Human Rights Association and the Committee of Women Support to […]

Cairo, Egypt (August 28, 2015) – Arab women leaders from ten countries issued a joint statement highlighting lack of action on critical issues for women in conflict and post-conflict situations in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, set to be adopted in September. While the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are more responsive and comprehensive than the Millennium […]

Cairo, Egypt (July 16, 2015) – Arab States and the United Nations have a long way to go in order to meet their international obligations for the protection of women in conflict, a consultation with leading women activists and experts has concluded. Women from across the Arab region met in Cairo earlier this month as […]

Cairo, Egypt (June 25, 2015) – Activists, diplomats and politicians from across the world joined events to remember Libyan human rights activist Salwa Bugaighis on the anniversary of her murder. Representatives from the Libyan government, diplomats from the Netherlands, Norway and the League of Arab States, the Arab Women’s Organization and Egyptian dignitaries, amongst others, […]

25 June 2015 Human rights activists from across North Africa, the Arab region and the world will attend events in Cairo and the Netherlands today to remember the life of Salwa Bugaighis, on the anniversary of her murder in Benghazi.  Salwa Bugaighis was a human rights lawyer who had defended political prisoners arrested by the […]

Cairo, Egypt (June 23, 2015) – Arab States and the United Nations have a long way to go in order to meet their international obligations for the protection of women in conflict, a consultation with leading women activists and experts has concluded. Women from across the Arab region met in Cairo earlier this month as […]

Dearest Friends, It is with deep and intense sorrow and shock that I share with you the news of Dr. Afaf Marei’s passing on Saturday, April 25th, 2015. Dr. Afaf was a beloved sister and partner in the Karama family, who had strong convictions and devotion to the issues of women. She was a true […]

(13 March 2015) In light of the recent terrorist attacks in Libya and the deteriorating security situation, including the heinous beheading of 21 Coptic Egyptians and the bombing in Gubba, leaving 40 dead in Eastern Libya, urgent action is needed.  As highlighted in the final report of the UN Panel of Experts established pursuant to […]

November 30, 2014 – Marrakesh, Morocco – Karama, in partnership with the Moroccan Association for Women Judges, launched a network of women judges in the Arab region and Africa at the conclusion of the World Forum for Human Rights in Marrakesh, Morocco, held from November 27-29, 2014. The network will aim to collectively promote the […]

Cairo, Egypt (November 25, 2014) – International women’s rights organisations, human rights activists, lawyers and politicians will today join together to commemorate the victims of violence against women. Hibaaq Osman, Founder and CEO of women’s rights organisation, Karama said International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women provides a platform for women, victims of […]

Yemen (October 2014) – The Yemen Organization for Defending Rights and Democratic Freedoms, in partnership with Karama and the Yemeni Women’s Network for Peace and Security and with the support of the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality, held the first three of a series of roundtables in an effort to build awareness on and […]

New York (October 30, 2014) – The Arab Women Organization (AWO) of Jordan, in partnership with Karama, highlighted key recommendations on women, peace, and security in meetings with the international community on the occasion of the 14th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in New York. The delegation, which consisted of AWO representatives Layla […]

Cairo, EGYPT (October 13, 2014) – In response to the deterioration of women’s rights in Egypt, particularly the dramatic decrease in women’s political participation and role in decision-making, Appropriate Communication Techniques for Development (ACT), in cooperation with Karama and with the support of the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality, launched  Entakhebo El Setat (“Vote for […]

New York, NY (September 8, 2014) – Just days before the 69th General Assembly commences, Arab women leaders convened high-level policy makers in New York to issue key recommendations on women, peace, and security and call upon the international community for their urgent support in ensuring women’s participation at all levels of the peace and […]

Karama’s delegation held a luncheon event convening British MPs, activists, and others on June 9th at the House of Commons. The delegation, which included activists from Egypt, Syria, and Libya, was in the U.K. as participants of the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict taking place in London from June 10th-13th.

The last words of Salwa Bugaighis on June 25, 2014 – the day she was cowardly assassinated. 1.Please wait and have patience until eight o’clock. They will not beat us and they will not thwart Benghazi’s electoral process. Be on time. Greetings to those who oversee the polling centers. Tell people…call your friends and your […]

                         * PLEASE NOTE THE EVENT WILL ALSO LIVE STREAM AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS STARTING AT 10PM CAIRO TIME: http://livecam.kdgp.net/ The Libyan Embassy, the Arab Woman’s Organization, and Karama will hold a memorial tribute to honor and celebrate the life and achievements of:                                                                                                 […]

International women’s rights NGO Karama has welcomed the vision to end sexual violence in conflict launched at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in London this week. Karama brought a delegation of leading women activists from Egypt, Libya, Syria and Yemen to the four-day summit that was jointly hosted by UK Foreign Secretary William […]

London, England (June 9, 2014) – Today women’s rights group Karama launched in a parliamentary reception its manifesto for a stable and democratic future in the Middle East and North Africa to UK politicians ahead of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict this week. In a House of […]

Monday (9 June) in the House of Commons, leading women’s rights activists launched their manifesto for a stable and democratic future in the Middle East and North Africa. London, England – At a Parliamentary Reception held on women in conflict, female civic leaders from Egypt, Libya and Syria addressed MPs to provide an overview of […]

Palestine ( May 2014) – Karama partners in Palestine, including TAM (Women Media Development), MIFTAH, and the Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development (PWWSD), held four workshops from April to May 2014 to address national implementation of UN SCR 1325 and priority issues for women, peace, and security. The action plan, implemented in partnership with […]

10–Point Manifesto on Women’s Rights and Security Date: 3 April 2014 The Arab Regional Network on Women, Peace, and Security, which was launched in October 2013 and is composed of women from 13 countries from the Arab region, met in Amman, Jordan, during 1-3 April 2014 to deepen understanding of causes and consequences of issues […]

            Amman, 1 April 2014 – Women activists from 11 countries across the Arab region convened today to identify means to support women’s participation in peace making and ensure women’s protection from all forms of violence during times of conflict and emergency. The regional seminar on Gender in Conflict and […]

Thirty-five women’s rights activists representing eight countries in the region, including Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen participated at the 58th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York from March 10th-14th, promoting women’s inclusion and equal role at all levels of decision making, and at […]

21 March 2014 – On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Karama partners in Egypt, including the Appropriate Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) and Al Shehab Institution for Comprehensive Development raised awareness on women’s rights and celebrated the achievement of the women’s movement in Egypt. On March 8th, Karama partners Association for the Appropriate Communication […]

Geneva, Switzerland – (January 31, 2014) A delegation of three Yemeni activist leaders, in partnership with Karama, shared recommendations on women’s rights and ending violence against women at Yemen’s Universal Periodic Review in Geneva from January 27th – 30th. These recommendations come at a crucial time for Yemen, following the conclusion of the ten-month-long National […]

January 23, 2014 – While calling on delegates to the Geneva II talks on Syria to bring a swift end to the conflict, the Syrian Women’s Forum for Peace has questioned whether the groups involved can legitimately build the foundations of a democratic Syria. Delegates from the Syrian government and the Syrian National Coalition started […]

Marrakech, Morocco – Karama, in collaboration with the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality, yesterday concluded a regional consultation convening leading women’s rights experts and activists from Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon to actualize national action plans on women, peace, and security. Together participants discussed shared opportunities and challenges and exchanged strategies and […]

Damascus, Syria – More than sixty Syrian women from a number of Syrian districts and governorates met in Damascus on January 6th and issued the Syrian Women’s Charter outlining their shared vision for Syrian women, for the future Syrian state, and for peace. The meeting was a collaboration between the Syrian Women’s Forum for Peace, […]

Marrakech, Morocco – Yesterday, Karama, in collaboration with the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality, commenced a three-day regional training bringing together over forty partners from Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon. The training aims to bolster the capacity of civil society members to utilize and address key international human rights mechanisms for advocacy […]

Parliamentarians, armed Revolutionaries, lawmakers and political activists gathered in Benghazi while Libyan political forces met in Tripoli to discuss the constitution and transition processes. Benghazi, LIBYA (December 19, 2013) – As key Libyan political forces met in a UNSIML-facilitated gathering in Tripoli, the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace (LWPP), in partnership with Karama and the […]

Amman, JORDAN (December 17, 2013)  – On occasion of the 16 Days of Activism against Violence Against Women, Karama partners in Jordan led campaigns and programs to raise awareness on women’s rights and inclusion, and to stop violence against women. From distribution of posters to a conference convening experts, activists and community leaders, Karama partners […]

Amman, JORDAN (December 12, 2013) –  The Arab Women Organization (AWO), in partnership with Karama, issued urgent recommendations at the official sessions for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva from October 24th-25th, calling upon the Jordanian government to honor commitments and enhance the situation for women in Jordan.  On October 24th, the four-member delegation, listened to […]

Sana’a, YEMEN (December 9, 2013) – The Yemen Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms, in collaboration with Karama and the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality, held a national seminar focusing on women, peace, and security on December 1st – 2nd.  Over thirty-two Yemeni human rights activists, experts and leaders participated in the seminar, which culminated […]

GENEVA, Switzerland (November 14, 2013) – Members of the Syrian Women’s Forum for Peace (SWFP), with support from Karama, presented the urgent priorities for Syrian women at the Pre-Session Working Group on CEDAW on October 21st in Geneva. Syrian activists and leaders emphasized Syria’s lack of consideration of 2011 recommendations shared by the CEDAW Committee […]

Cairo, Egypt (November 26, 2013) – Appropriate Communication Techniques for Development (ACT), with support from Karama, launched their campaign“Knock the Doors” at event held on Monday night. The event kicks-off the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, which is an international campaign uniting individuals and groups around the world in a call to eliminate […]

AMMAN (Jordan) – On October 29th, following a landmark regional training, participants from fourteen countries unanimously called for the establishment of an Arab Regional Network on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). Together, over 80 Arab leaders and activists identified participation, protection, prevention, and peace building as their four key areas of strategic focus. This network marks a […]

Amman, Jordan (29 Oct 2013) – Days after the Syrian government met its first crucial deadline toward chemical weapons disarmament, Syrian activists and leaders gathered alongside over eighty others in Amman, Jordan for Arab Regional Training on Women, Peace and Security. The training, organized by women’s rights organization Karama, in partnership with the UN Women […]

Amman, Jordan (29 Oct 2013) – Karama, a regional organization working to end violence against women, held a landmark regional training on women, peace and security, in partnership with the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality and the UNDP, in order to identify priorities in transitional processes and ensure women’s inclusion in building peace and […]

نظمت كرامة بالتعاون مع صندوق الأمم المتحدة للمرأة من أجل المساواة بين الجنسين  وبرنامج الأمم المتحدة الإنمائي دورة تدريبية إقليمية حول المرأة والسلام والأمن من أجل تحديد الأولويات الخاصة بالفترات الانتقالية التى تمر بها المنطقة العربية وضمان مشاركة المرأة في  بناء السلام والحفاظ على الأمن فى شتى انحاء  المنطقه العربيه. وقد   انعقدت تلك  الدورة فى […]

الاردن – عمان– اعتبارا من 26-29 تشرين أول، ستلتقي 100 امرأة عربية من القائدات والناشطات في عمان، الأردن للمشاركة في التدريب والمناقشات الإقليمية حول المرأة والسلام والأمن.ة أة عربية مأة وهذا المؤتمر الذي تستضيفه كرامة، شراكة مع صندوق المرأة للمساواة بين الجنسين وبرنامج الأمم المتحدة الإنمائي، يعقد استجابة للحاجة الملحة والحاسمة للتعامل مع حقوق وأدوار […]

Cairo, EGYPT (October 25, 2013) – From October 26-29, over 100 Arab women leaders and activists will meet in Amman, Jordan, to participate in a regional training and discussion event on women, peace and security. The event, hosted by Karama in partnership with the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality and the UNDP, is being […]

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt – Karama in collaboration with the Women and Development Association and Alternative Parliament in Alexandria, held a focus group Sunday, September 15th to urgently priorities for women in the new Egyptian constitution. The discussion, “Egyptian Women in the Constitution,” was held in Alexandria, Egypt and convened sixty-eight women leaders and politicians, men and […]

August 21, 2013 – The latest events in Egypt have continued to polarize opinions as both Egyptians and the international community struggle to establish exactly what is taking place in Um al Donya (“mother of the world”). Specifically, commentators argue over the legitimacy of the military – are the Armed Forces carrying out a coup […]

July 22, 2013 – The General National Congress’s (GNC) recent passing of the electoral law for the Constitutional Assembly is a serious setback to progress in achieving an inclusive constitutional drafting process in Libya. Most significantly, the new law allocates only six seats for women, which forebodes they will be drastically underrepresented in the new […]

July 12, 2013 – Seventeen Syrian women activists and gender experts convened from May 9th – 10th in Lebanon to participate in “Gender Challenges in the Transitional Period of Syria,” a workshop organized by the Syrian Women’s Forum for Peace, in partnership with Karama and Hivos. The workshop aimed to define the gender challenges faced […]

June 28, 2013 – On 26th June 2013, Karama presented at this year’s IQPC conference on Information Operations (IO). The conference in London gathered experts from various governments and international organizations in order to discuss IO best practice, with particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa. Alexis Everington, Senior Advisor to Karama, provided […]

In partnership with Karama, the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace (LWPP) organized an urgent two-day consultation starting 6 June to address the recently-issued electoral law which will govern the selection process for the Constitutional Assembly in charge of writing Libya’s new constitution and has been deemed an obstacle to inclusive representation. The consultation brought together […]

  Arab Regional Training of Trainers for Women, Peace, and Security ***Update: The date for the Training of Trainers has moved to early September.  Notifications of decisions on applications will be sent the week of June 16. Leveraging the Engagement of Arab Women’s Rights Activists and Leaders with Relevant UN Security Council Resolutions to Advance […]

Statement by Arab Women’s Organizations Participating in the Preparatory Meeting for the 57th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York in 2013 Women from the Arab region participated and continue to contribute as equal partners to men in popular movements demanding democratic change. The effects and impact of these movements, […]

Delegates from Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Yemen, Tunisia and Somalia to attend events at United Nations calling for an end to violence against women Cairo, EGYPT – The Karama organization announced today it would be marking International Women’s Day on March 8th, 2013 by leading a 20 member team of Arab women to New […]

Leading women activists from Syria, Libya, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen and Egypt among those attending UN Women sponsored two-day event calling for tolerance and solidarityFebruary 10, 2013 Amman, JORDAN – The Karama organization announced today it has chosen Amman, Jordan to hold its first regional dialogue of 2013 titled, “The Arab Regional Consultation […]

In view of the leading role of Libyan women in the February 15th revolution, and in recognition of the great sacrifices made by the Libyan people in their quest for freedom, dignity and rights for both men and women, we regret to have noted systematic cases of human rights violations especially against women. Generally speaking, […]

Remarks on National Reconciliation, Security and the Constitution to be delivered same day as Benghazi hearings on Capitol Hill (Tripoli, Libya) As key law makers in Washington DC gather on Capitol Hill Thursday for hearings on the attack in Benghazi that killed US Ambassador Chris Stevens, the Karama organization announced today that the president-elect of […]

The Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace, along with a coalition of other civil society groups, call on all Libyans to reject the recently-issued draft electoral law, which promises only a 10 percent quota for women in the key legislative body that will create a new Libyan constitution. To voice our strong objection, the Libyan Women’s […]

In a first of its kind initiative, more than forty Syrian women from all walks of social and political life, convened a working seminar in Cairo to form the “Syrian Women’s Forum for Peace” between October 30 and November 1 2012. The working seminar was an opportunity to forge a united vision and shared efforts […]

As unrest and bloodshed continue in Syria, and women continue to be the targets of violence of the conflict,  44 Syrian civil society leaders from Damascus, rural Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Tartous, Lattakia, Sweda, Daraa, Hasekeh and from outside the country are coming together to unify their vision for the country and to launch a new […]

Thousands of men and women protested in Tunisia’s capital on August 13th in response to constitutional changes proposed by the Islamist-led government and seen as a threat to women’s rights and advancements won over fifty years ago.  With signs bearing slogans such as “”Rise up women for your rights to be enshrined in the constitution” […]

Several months after Moroccans elected an Islamist majority into parliament for the first time in its history—the Justice and Development Party (PJD), which won 40 percent or the majority of seats in Morocco’s legislative body—the situation in Morocco, just like in much of the region, remains unclear for women and youth.  When the spirit of […]

The uprising in Syria has taken on an even more urgent character in recent days.  In late July, what is thought to be a suicide bomber killed Syria’s top military officials, including Daoud Rajha, the defense minister and Asef Shawkat, Bashar al-Assad’s brother-in-law.   This daring attack marked the beginning of the Free Syrian Army’s […]

Egypt’s new Prime Minister, Hesham Qandil, recently announced the long-awaited names of thirty-three ministers who will make up Mohammed Mursi’s cabinet. The appointments included five ministers affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, four of whom were given the key ministerial posts of information, higher education, housing, and labor. The fifth was named Minister of State for […]

Karama has launched a new initiative to share interviews with women who took part in Egypt’s revolution. Our first in this series is with Samar Saad Abdelrahman, who is a 23 year old intern at Care International in Egypt. Karama caught up with her in the wake of Egypt’s March 19 constitutional referendum.Can you explain […]

Libya’s first post-Gaddafi parliamentary elections took place July 7th 2012, reviving a national spirit that brought fireworks to the sky and people to the streets in celebration. Sixty-two percent of Libyans turned out for the elections, with over 1.7 million ballots cast and 3,700 candidates, including 624 women, running for seats. It was the first […]

Leza Haidarah Mohammed Salem, a 35-year old Yemeni human rights and media activist from Aden, who participated in Karama’s strategic communication training in June 2012, was selected as part of the preparatory commission for the reconciliation dialogue. The commission – which consists of 25 representatives from all Yemeni political forces – aims at settling disputes […]

Dear Friends and Colleagues, On January 25 of last year, the Egyptian people sparked an unexpected series of protests against the decades-long rule by the Mubarak regime. According to Gallup, Egyptian women made up almost a third of the protesters during the revolution. Women were on the front lines and at every stage, caring for […]

Karama Founder and Chair Hibaaq Osman participated at the third annual DLDwomen conference from July 11th to 12th, providing an update on her address during last year’s session and illuminating the implications of the Arab uprisings for women over a year later. Ms. Osman spoke on the second day as part of a panel featuring […]

Cairo, EGYPT – From July 2nd to 4th, Karama and the Swedish Institute in Alexandria hosted a delegation of 15 women academics, activist leaders and experts from the Arab region for the Fifth Session of the Think Tank for Arab Women (TTfAW) in Sweden, where they also participated at the Almedalen Week, an annual political […]

From the 4-6th June, Karama and the Swedish Institute, Alexandria held a three-day training program in Cairo with some of the key leaders from civil society in Yemen. The program’s objectives were to provide an opportunity for 25 women and youth leaders from all areas of Yemen a thorough and tailored understanding of communication as […]

The Swedish Institute in Alexandria and Karama are hosting a training workshop on strategic communications for Yemeni women and youth. Around 25 men and women, youth activists, political and civil society leaders and academics from Yemen will meet in Cairo from 4 to 6 June 2012. “This is all about bringing Yemeni women and youth […]

The first round of Egypt’s landmark presidential elections were held last week and today it was confirmed that there will be a run-off between the top two candidates, Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party and Ahmed Shafiq, ousted leader Hosni Mubarak’s last Prime Minister. Morsi received just about 26% of votes […]

17 May 2012 Tripoli, Libya The Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace, in conjunction with Karama, is kicking off a series of local trainings and networking sessions in three Libyan cities to strengthen the link between women and youth groups with political parties, and to train women and youth campaigners in strategic communications skills. “Libya is […]

A delegation of six youth leaders and women activists from Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Kurdistan, and Syria participated at the 2012 International Forum of the Association for Women’s Rights in Development, held in Istanbul, Turkey from the 19-22 of April to share voices and perspectives on women’s advancement and priorities for gender equality. The delegation, sponsored […]

Karama’s one-day conference on “The Challenges and Prospects of Gender Equality” in New York in early March set forth concrete and strategic recommendations for future action. The final report and recommendations were released this month, sharing perspectives and recommendations from high-level regional and international activists, experts, policymakers, and diplomats and establishing advocacy priorities for women’s […]

The Economic Cost of Violence survey—the result of a collaboration between Karama and its economic realm in Egypt, which is led by the Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement (EACPE)—was released last month, sharing that the total national cost of women’s exposure to violence exceeds 785 million Egyptian Pounds (LE) a year, over three billion […]

Alexandria, EGYPT – Karama and the Women and Development Association in Alexandria commemorated Egyptian Women’s Day by convening a one-day seminar to identify priorities for women’s rights in the constitution, build connections between members of the movement, and strengthen the lobby to promote adoption of key articles in the new Egyptian constitution. The seminar entitled […]

Tripoli, LibyaThe Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace (LWPP) welcomes the passage of a new electoral law, which guarantees women at least 40 seats on the 200-member Constituent Assembly that will draft the country’s new constitution. Libya’s National Transitional Council adopted the law at 11PM on Wednesday February 8th after a month-long campaign led by the […]

25 January 2012 – Members of the legal team who drafted the alternative electoral law proposed by the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace (LWPP) are in negotiations with members of the National Transitional Council (NTC) today to resolve disagreements over the Libyan electoral law. “Our legal team has emerged from discussions with NTC representatives aimed […]

24 January 2012 Officials from Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) have approached the legal experts who drafted the alternative electoral law proposed by the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace (LWPP), and requested their assistance in preparing revisions to the law currently slated for release on 28 January 2012. The draft law was drafted by a […]

20 January 2012 The Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace, a movement of Libyan leaders working with women and youth from around the country and diaspora, has released a draft electoral law (click here for Arabic version) that seeks to address some of the limitations of the draft election law released in January by the National […]

Libya Women’s Platform for Peace: a movement of women organizations and leaders who aim at achieving freedom, equality, social justice, and promoting women rights to citizenship Karama and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in cooperation with Libyan women activists organized a meeting for civil society organizations and Libyan women leaders at the Kempinski hotel […]

Tripoli, LIBYA – The Libya Women’s Peace Platform (LWPP), a movement of over 50 Libyan women’s leaders from all walks of life and regions of the country and the Libyan diaspora will convene in Tripoli from November 26-28, 2011 to chart the course for increased women’s political participation and peace-building in the country. The meeting […]

Following Tunisia, which was the first country to hold elections following the Arab revolutions, Egypt has scheduled its initial set of parliamentary elections for the end of November. In the weeks leading up, complexities regarding the electoral system, which omits one national polling day for three separate elections culminating in January, and the new electoral […]

Last week, Tunisia made history, becoming the first country to hold elections to fill 217 seats of its new assembly following the series of revolutions sweeping the Arab region, and specifically, the early 2011 uprising that unseated long-reigning President Ben Ali from power. The results have had mixed results thus far in Tunisia and across […]

SYRIAContext: After over 7-months of protest against the Assad regime, and the death of an estimated 3,000 civilians, including 187 children, the situation in Syria remains uncertain. Earlier this month, news that members of the opposition united to form the Syrian National Council (SNC) marked the emergence of a new leadership challenging Assad’s authority. Yet […]

Over 40 Libyan women gathered in Cairo from October 7-9, 2011 to inaugurate the Libya Women’s Platform for Peace, a new national movement that will work together to increase all forms of female political participation in post-Gaddafi Libya. “I thought I was alone, but now I know I’m not,” said Amal Bugaighis, a lawyer and […]

The Think Tank for Arab Women (TTfAW), which is comprised of local, national and international experts in women’s rights, held its 4th meeting in Cairo from October 1-3 convening 30 academics, diplomats, policymakers, journalists and activists from Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Tunisia, Sweden, and the United States. The meeting prioritized discussion on the […]

We wish to congratulate the new winners of the Nobel Peace Prize—Tawakkul Karman of Yemen, and Leymah Gbowee and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia. Mabrouk, sisters. Your leadership by fearless example, your strength and moral dignity, the power of your convictions, and your daily acts of courage brought your nations to their feet in defiance of […]

From 7-9 October 2011, the first meeting of Libyan women from all walks of life took place in Cairo. This group included women from a broad range of ideological and professional backgrounds, including activists, house-wives, academics, entrepreneurs and young bloggers who all fought-literally and physically-for freedom. Libya’s uprising was first sparked on February 15th when […]

Karama was honored at the 7th Annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) on Wednesday for progress toward its 2009 Commitment to Action on Building Constituencies for Equality in the Middle East and North Africa. Founder and CEO Hibaaq Osman, in the presence of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Her Majesty Queen Rania […]

Cairo, 5 October 2011 A council of over 35 Libyan women will convene at the Kempinski Nile Hotel in Cairo from October 7-9, 2011 to set strategies for promoting women’s rights and female political participation in post-Gaddafi Libya. Organized by the regional Arab women’s NGO Karama, this is the first such meeting of the Libya […]

CAIRO – September 26, 2011, Over 30 politicians, experts and academics from the Arab world, Europe, and the U.S. will gather in Cairo at the end of the month for the fourth session of the Think Tank for Arab Women (TTfAW). Hosted by Karama and the Swedish Institute of Alexandria, the session, entitled From Electoral […]

After months of violence throughout Libya, there are signs that there has been a decisive turn in efforts to throw General Muammar Gaddafi from power after 42 years. Gaddafi’s Tripoli compound, Bab al-Aziziya, was captured by hundreds of rebels, as the ruler’s feared military units and intelligence agents melted away. However, the transition will not […]

Karama Chair Hibaaq Osman attended the 7th DLD Women conference in Munich from June 23 – 25 and participated in the panel “Violence against Women – the Mother of All Issues,” alongside Pat Mitchell of the Paley Center for Media, Somaly Mam of the Somaly Mam Foundation, and journalist and lawyer Lorea Canales. Speaking of […]

Cairo, May 18, 2011 Activists from over eleven Arab states met in Cairo from May 13-16 to design strategies for promoting women’s rights and advancing female political participation in the Arab region in response to the wave of protests and revolutions sweeping the Middle East. Convened by the Arab regional women’s rights organization Karama, the […]

By Rana Husseini AMMAN – Dozens of citizens demonstrated in front of the Prime Ministry on Wednesday, calling on the government to amend laws to allow Jordanian women married to foreigners to pass on their citizenship to their children. Under the slogan “We are full citizens and do not accept less than that”, the demonstrators […]

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Participants at Karama’s May 14-16 Working Seminar entitled “Leveraging Women’s Power in the Arab Revolutions” released the following statement: We the women from the Arab region who came together for three days to share our success in our revolutions, and to celebrate and confirm our demands to sustain what we have gained through years of […]

On May 13, 2011 Karama launched a working seminar on Leveraging Women’s Power in the Arab Revolutions with a keynote address by Egyptian doctor, scholar, women’s rights activist Nawa Saadawi. In her address, Dr. Saadawi said: “Women cannot be liberated in a country that is not liberated. So too we cannot be independent if the […]

The “Tunisian Exception” Long acclaimed for positive policies on gender equality, Tunisia has always taken the lead in the Arab world on women’s rights. The abolishment of polygamy and repudiation through the Code du Statut Personnel (Personal Status Code) promulgated in 1956, remains an exception in the Arab world. Tunisian women were among the first […]

Update (4.18.2011) President Assad addressed Syrians in a televised speech outlining steps to reform on Saturday, April 16. Most notable was a commitment to lift the 48-year-old State of Emergency by the end of the week, after which, he shared that no further protests would be necessary, implying that none would be tolerated. Assad mentioned […]

Update (4.18.2011): Misrata, the third-largest city in Libya, remains a central focus of the tension between the rebel and pro-government forces. If rebels sustain hold of Misrata, they will retain control of the major port in Western Libya, as well as be able to block the coastal highway connecting Tripoli with Qaddafi’s home region of […]

Dr. Hatton Ajwa’d Al-Fassy The Arab Revolutions broke out in early 2011. Two found success within a few weeks, a third is still groaning and moaning under the yoke of megalomania, and the fourth is impatiently waiting for the national leader to comprehend the demands of the oppressed people fighting the status quo. What typifies […]

March 28, 2011 Over the past 12 days, peaceful protests in Syria have been faced with violence. The blood of too many people was spilled and others were arrested and beaten by security forces. As long as this violence goes on, the Syrian government’s legitimacy will diminish by the day both in the eyes of […]

In the first vote following the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s long-standing president, an overwhelming 77 percent of voters, nearly 14 million out of 18.5 million who participated at the polls, voted “yes” on a package of nine proposed amendments. While there is continued debate on the results and their potential impact, one element is […]

Thanks to oil wealth, Bahrain has one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. This windfall is not distributed evenly, however, and unemployment and poverty rates are increasing sharply. A government decree allowing foreign investors to own land in Bahrain caused a spike in property prices after many Bahraini landowners were pressed in […]

By Leila HammarnehProjects Director, Arab Women Organization, Jordan This year, 2011, will go down in history as the year that brought widespread political change into the Arab countries. Fed up with the status quo and galvanized by frustration and fear resulting from widespread human rights abuses and dwindling economic prospects, citizens of several Arab countries, […]

Click here to read Amneh Halweh’s historic speech to the Jordanian Parliament On March 21, Mother’s Day in much of the Middle East, an initiative of Karama and the Arab Women Organization enabled nine Jordanian women to petition parliament about the effects the country’s discriminatory nationality laws have had on their families. This was the […]

On Saturday, March 19 Egyptians will go to the polls for the first time since the revolution to vote on a series of proposed amendments to the country’s constitution. First presented on February 26, the amendments were drafted by a committee, headed by Tarek El-Beshri, that was appointed by the Supreme Military Council. Egypt’s constitution […]

I am 35 years old and for the first time I admit that I love the ground of this country. I am proud to be an Egyptian. Before the 25th of January I was never interested in my country’s political issues, because I had gotten used to seeing the corruption and could only comment in […]

In the wave of uprisings that have ignited across the Middle East in 2011, women have stood shoulder to shoulder with men at the forefront of protests in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Algeria, Syria, Morocco, Oman, and Bahrain. The presence, leadership, and participation of women has been extensive. Essential to public demonstrations as activists, […]

Special Commentary on Egypt from Karama CEO Hibaaq Osman On March 8 — International Women’s Day — I joined hundreds of Egyptian women in Tahrir Square to honor the sacrifices of Sally Zahran, Mina Naggy, Mariam Nazier. These three martyrs of the January 25 revolution, whose blood stains still bless the square, gave their lives […]

Media Contact Name: Sarah VaillTelephone: +1 323 251-6521Email: sarah@el-karama.org AMMAN, JORDAN, 8 March 2011—A groundbreaking new research entity, the Think Tank for Arab Women, officially launched over a three-day conference starting 31 January 2011, aggregating the knowledge and expertise of 33 female academics, parliamentarians, and leaders of non-governmental women’s organizations from 14 countries, including conflict-affected […]

Today brought the first step toward sweeping reforms in the government and policies of Egypt with the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, who ruled for 30 years under emergency law. Participation of young, smart, internet-savvy people galvanized this movement. They have been dubbed the Facebook generation, and while the values of social networking media have […]

In February, a group of female leaders in the Arab world launched the Think Tank for Arab Women, with the goal of producing fresh knowledge of the issues of concern to women, sharing information and building alliances to enhance women’s efforts and promote their human rights, in collaboration with the National Council (NCFA) for Family […]

At the end of each year, Karama plans an event that commemorates the work of its partners, acknowledges the contributions of staff, activists, and community members, and celebrates the accomplishments of the past year. Karama Day 2010, held at the Swiss Club in Cairo, included presentation of the activities implemented by Karama’s Egyptian partners in […]

As we turn to another year, we at Karama would like to celebrate accomplishments of the past year and share our inspirations for the future. In so many ways, 2010 has brought our vision of advocacy to fruition, from the implementation of local initiatives funded by Karama to regional and international consultations gathering experts, activists, […]

This week marked another groundbreaking moment for women, as 70 speakers and performers from across the globe gathered to share perspectives on women’s issues, their empowerment, and their potential as leaders as part of TEDWomen, TED’s first-ever conference focused solely on women. Co-hosted by the president and CEO of The Paley Center for Media, Pat […]

The Arab Women Organization (AWO), in conjunction with appointed researcher Lamis Nasser, completed a study on the implications of denying women the right to pass on their nationality to children resulting from partnerships with non-Jordanian men. At a ceremony attended by 59 women NGO representatives, seven focal points of the Mosawa coalition, AWO staff and […]

At the 6th Annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative in late September 2010, special NGO member Karama presented its 2010 Commitment to Action entitled “Capacity-Building for Women, Peace, and Security.” Specifically addressing conflict-areas within the Arab region including Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, this multi-year commitment will launch […]

In an initiative, the first of its kind in Jordan and neighboring Arab countries, the General Federation of the Young Women’s Christian Associations (YWCA) of Jordan, in cooperation with the Cultural Forum for the Blind, and supported by Karama, launched posters and brochures, printed in Braille, explaining the provisions of the Law on Protection against […]

New York 30 June 2010 The Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign celebrates the United Nations General Assembly resolution, agreed to on 30 June and to be formally adopted by the General Assembly on Friday, 2 July, to establish “UN Women”—the new gender equality entity at the UN. This move has been sought by women’s […]

The Karama movement in Jordan signed agreements with the working groups in charge of these realms to implement their proposed solutions to ending violence and discrimination against women at the national level. After initial disbursement of funds for action plans in Jordan, the implementing groups reported on their progress in achievement of project objectives in […]

Karama supports many national action plans promoted by our partners in the education, law, culture, media and economic realms in order to study the socio-economic dimensions of violence against women and analyze its manifestations in society in all fields, These initiatives are key in cultivating social forces to challenge violence against women and empower women […]

The following is the text of Karama’s oral statement, which was approved for a High Level Plenary at the 54th Commission on the Status of Women: On behalf of the Middle East Caucus, we commend and welcome the Commission’s call for the intensification of efforts by governments to fully implement the Beijing Platform for Action […]

NEW YORK, NY, March 4, 2010 – On March 3, Karama and UNIFEM convened a one-day conference attended by more than 100 people at the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to present a detailed review of progress towards the gender equality goals set fifteen years ago in the Beijing […]

This week, Karama’s delegation of 32 women from around the Arab world is headed to the UN in New York to participate in the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. During the session, Karama’s team will join women’s activists from around the world to present a detailed review of progress towards […]

CAIRO, EGYPT, February 16, 2010 – From January 15 to February 5 Karama sponsored a delegation of three representatives from Egyptian women’s rights groups to participate in the forty-fifth session on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) treaty held in Geneva. The CEDAW treaty, first adopted in 1979, […]

On December 13-14, in Cairo, Egypt, the Alliance for Arab Women, Karama and UNIFEM held a regional consultation meeting to evaluate the achievements and challenges faced in the Arab region since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995 by 185 states at the UN World Conference on Women. The regional meeting included […]

Sudanese journalist Lubna Hussein was honored by Karama and the Arab Women’s Fund with the 2009 ‘Mahfoutha’ Sindiyanat El-Karama Award for challenging a decency law in Sudan which forbids women from wearing pants. Standing trial in September 2009, Ms. Hussein faced a punishment of 40 lashes and one month in prison.

CAIRO, EGYPT, December 9, 2009 – On December 15-16, 2009, in celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Karama, together in partnership with UNIFEM and the League of Arab States, will host a Regional CEDAW Celebration for the NGOs in the Arab region to launch a […]

From May 25-27, 2009, a workshop on preparing and submitting parallel reports for the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was held at and sponsored by the Swedish Institute in Alexandria. Participants from Syria, Lebanon Tunisia, Sudan and Egypt gathered together to build […]

By October, 2009, Karama disbursed grants to support eight action plans proposed by local organizations in Egypt and Jordan. Ten complete action plans were proposed and approved by realms and joint coalitions in five of the nine countries to date. Looking forward, Karama will be providing funds for strategic initiatives in Lebanon, Syria and Sudan. […]

Honored with a special NGO membership, Karama participated in the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) from September 22-25 in New York City. In the past, CGI annual meetings have brought together more than 100 current and former heads of state, 14 Nobel Peace Prize winners, hundreds of leading global CEOs, major […]

On December 13-14, 2009, in Cairo, Egypt, Karama, UNIFEM Egypt, and the Alliance for Arab Women will convene a two-day 22-country consultation to issue the Regional NGO Shadow Report on the Arab States’ fulfillment of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA), fifteen years after it was adopted at the UN World Conference on […]