“We have given dignity to the children of Adam.”
-The Noble Qur’an, 17:70

KARAMAH, Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights, is a U.S.-based non profit organization that derives its name from the Arabic term “karamah”, which means dignity. KARAMAH’s vision and mission are informed by the view that a just society values the informed participation of its members through the pursuit of knowledge, access to opportunities, and equity among all “children of Adam”, regardless of gender or other differences.  Through education, legal outreach, and advocacy, KARAMAH contributes to the understanding and promotion of human rights worldwide, particularly the rights of Muslim women under Islamic and civil law.

VISION
Dignity for All
KARAMAH envisions a world in which all human beings, regardless of gender or other differences, enjoy their God-given right of dignity.  We believe that through education, women will be empowered to transform archaic, culture-based interpretations of women’s status in Islam, to the betterment of themselves and their communities.

MISSION
Empowerment through Education
KARAMAH empowers Muslim women and the broader community through programs, legal outreach, and dialogue, all emanating from an educational core.  Our central mission is to continue to develop thoughtful and comprehensive scholarship in Islamic jurisprudence, through our research and publication functions.   We provide educational opportunities to Muslim women from the United States and overseas, through our law and leadership programming, research opportunities, and membership in our unparalleled network of Muslim women jurists.   We facilitate diversity in Islamic scholarship by mobilizing Muslim women jurists and raising voices that are few and seldom heard in the realm of serious Islamic scholarship.  Through legal advocacy and dialogue in the United States and abroad, we bridge gaps within and between faiths, cultures, and communities by contributing an important and often underrepresented view.