Mission Statement

Karama aims to end all types of violence against women in Africa and the Arab region, and to ensure that women are able to participate fully in the decision-making processes that affect them. We mobilize women’s influence and participation through political, legal and civil activism to address women’s advancement, security, protection, and participation. Karama works through partners in 13 countries in the Middle East and Africa through national and regional women's networks. Our work seeks to increase communities’ understanding of women’s rights, supporting them to secure the positive changes they want, based on international human rights mechanisms.

The Karama Approach

Karama’s approach to end violence against women distinguishes it from other initiatives, as Karama works from the ground up. We emphasize local expertise, elevating activists working at community level to inform national policies, regional dialogues, and international advocacy.

Karama takes a broader view in the belief that to bring an end to violence against women, it is necessary to identify the ways it affects and is affected by economics, law, health, media, education,  art and culture—the things that matter most in people’s daily lives—and to design strategies to combat it through each of these areas.

The roots of discrimination and violence against women are deep and intertwined. Karama works to end these problems in the Middle East and Africa by building coalitions that address the causes and consequences, whatever they might be. We try to enhance the capacity of our member organizations and activists to advocate their issues, and build awareness on women’s issues, priorities, and rights in the region.