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 York for a packed week of events coinciding with the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The delegation arrives on Monday, March 4th.

In making the announcement, Karama CEO Hibaaq Osman said, “Since the Arab uprisings we are seeing new momentum for women’s voices to be heard. We are engaging in groundbreaking dialogue, which is having an impact in the way governments in our region are viewing democracy, and ending discrimination against women. These meetings come at a critical time.”

Karama was launched in 2005 to provide a framework for coordination and cooperation among people working to stop violence against women. Karama aims to build upon and strengthen efforts to end violence against women by bringing together local women’s organizations and other civil society groups in collaboration, analysis, and advocacy at national, regional, and international levels. Karama’s mission is not only to widen the national constituencies working to end violence against women in the Middle East and North Africa, but also to widen the roles and contributions of Arab women in key civil society sectors.

Beginning on Monday March 4th, the 20 strong delegation will be attending high-level sessions at the United Nations specifically dealing on transforming social norms to prevent violence against women and girls; sharing the implementation for the Platform for Action; and exchanging on grassroots strategies and recommendations for securing access to justice. Members of the Karama delegation will also participate in a panel discussion at the esteemed Council on Foreign Relations titled, “Women’s Rights and the New Arab Constitutions.”

On Tuesday March 5th, Karama delegates will begin with an event being hosted by the New America Foundation at The Core Club in Manhattan. The panel discussion, “Breakfast Conversation with Women Leaders of the Arab Spring,” is already at full capacity and will include key voices from Egypt, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Jordan addressing the status of women in the region. Later that day, meetings will resume at the United Nations as part of the 57th session of CSW.

Karama has joined forces with Equality Now, an international women’s human rights organization, for a half-day conference on Wednesday, March 6th, which will address the state of women’s rights and security since the Arab Spring in the Arab Region. Yasmeen Hassan, Global Director of Equality Now, said, “Today across the Arab world, we’re seeing a backlash against women’s basic rights. Equality Now is committed to supporting the equal participation of Arab women at this time of political transition and we’re proud to partner with Karama in this. Together, we also stand behind a global implementation plan that will hold governments accountable to existing commitments they have made to end violence against women.” Equality Now works to protect and promote the rights of women and girls around the world through the areas of discrimination in law, sexual violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and trafficking.

The Karama delegation then travels to Washington, DC for meetings at the World Bank, Capitol Hill and an event at the Woodrow Wilson Center on March 7th.

For further information on any of these events please email: Nicolla Hewitt at NH(at)NicollaHewitt.com or visit http://www.el-karama.org