Karama’s work with adolescent girls has developed a broad and detailed picture of how girls see their situation and the challenges they face.

Putting together an unflinching account of the realities that girls live in our region has often been as painful as it has been illuminating.

Adolescent girls are subject to exploitation. They face significant restrictions on their rights. They are vulnerable  to domestic violence, forced, early and child marriage, sexual harassment, and bullying. They experience family control that limits their movement and participation in the public sphere - including access to education. Many feel they cannot dream of a better future.

Girls in the region experience persistent inequities, and live in societies governed by customs, traditions, and patriarchal norms that control resources, decisions, laws and legislation. At the same time, many girls in the region live in countries directly and indirectly affected by armed conflict, post-conflict militarization, occupation, and unequal and exploitative economies. Girls live in their homes with constant fear of experiencing direct violence, subject to restricted freedom of movement, unemployment and poverty, internal displacement, and difficulties in accessing clean water, education, and healthcare. All the girls we work with want to claim their basic right to safety and security.

In the face of all these challenges, adolescent girls in the region demonstrate resilience, creativity, bravery, and leadership