Karama: Uniting to be each other's voice

After three years of constant debate, the Karama movement is finding a common language with which to speak, and a ‘voice' on international platforms. Jane Gabriel spoke to Hibaaq Osman, Karama's founder. Listen now.

After three years of constant debate, the Karama movement is finding a common language with which to speak and a ‘voice' on international platforms. Working to end violence against women across the Arab region, Karama is based in nine countries and has grown to collaborate with more than ninety different women's groups. Finding a way to make grassroots issues and priorities link to the agendas set by international organisations such as the United Nations and the World Bank remains a key challenge.

Jane Gabriel met up with Karama's founder, Hibaaq Osman, at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York where Hibaaq told her, "We've almost arrived, at least we know the way....our business now is making as many friends as we can". Listen now.

For an earlier podcast with Hibaaq Osman, see also  Empowering women in the Middle East

About the author

Jane Gabriel is the founder and editor of openDemocracy 50.50. Jane directed more than thirty documentaries for Channel Four Television and the BBC international current affairs series "Correspondent" before joining openDemocracy. Jane won the Royal Television Society award for the film ' Island of Outcasts' filmed in Greece, and the One World Media award for the film 'Whose Life is it Anyway?' filmed in India. Jane was a member of Britain's first all women television production company, Broadside.

As well as producing podcasts and articles (see below), Jane has reported on the Commission on the Status of Women (2009, 2008, and 2007) the Nobel Women's Initiative conferences in 2007  and 2009, the Global Safe Abortion conference 2007, and 16 Days against Gender Violence 2007 and 2008 .