Karamatuna

"It's easier to be ignorant and say I don't know about the problem. But once you know, once you've seen it in their eyes, then you have a responsibility to do something. There is strength in numbers, and if we all work together as a team, we can be unstoppable”. Craig Kielburger

This programme works to combat the sex-trafficking of women and children in the Middle East, whilst protecting them from gender based violence.

The Karamatuna programme addresses human rights abuses of women and girls and supports their voices to be heard. In particular, this programme focuses on the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation, particularly those from Iraq. The programme was launched in response to the severe lack of domestic and international exposure on this issue, which has become a serious problem within some Middle Eastern countries, as It is across the world. The Karamatuna programme involves the production of a preliminary research paper which analyses the sex-trafficking of Iraqi women and girls, primarily into Syria, but also across the MENA region in countries including the UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan. Following the release of the preliminary research in November 2011, SCEME is embarking upon a programme of extensive field work to further increase international awareness of the realities of the situation, and to facilitate the development of grassroots projects to respond to this abuse of human rights and protect its victims.

To learn more about sex-trafficking across the Middle East, please feel free to download the following documents:

Factsheet – Launched on International Women’s Day 2011, this factsheet outlines some of the key statistics relating to the sex-trafficking of Iraqi women and girls

‘An Investigation into the Sex-Trafficking of Iraqi Women and Girls in Syria and Jordan’ Conference Paper –This conference paper was delivered at the Women Solidarity for an Independent and Unified Iraq conference of 9th April 2011.; and follows the 8th March 2011 release of a Fact Sheet, published as a Call to Action in support of Iraqi victims of trafficking in the Middle East

Karamatuna – An Investigation into the Sex Trafficking of Iraqi Women and Girls. This paper is the preliminary research paper presented by SCEME as part of the Karamatuna programme. Complied during 2011, it investigates the sex-trafficking of Iraqi women and girls both within Iraq, as well as transnationally to countries including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia; also providing a snapshot into the legal mechanisms which are, or should be, in place in each of these states to prevent this abuse and protect victims.

Get Involved

We need your help to bring awareness to the suffering of so many women and children who have become victims of sex trafficking in the Middle East. If you would like to support us, please get involved by:

Donating to the Karamatuna Campaign. Your money can help us conduct the vital field work necessary to shine a light on the sex-trafficking of women and girls. With your support we can begin to understand the enormity of the situation and work with grassroots organisations, civil society, and the authorities to develop programmes to prevent its occurrence, and protect its victims.

Joining the Karamatuna Campaign. To take action, please join us and put your name to the campaign to help us tell the world to put a stop to the sex-trafficking of women and girls.

For more information about sex-trafficking in the Middle East, or to find out more ways that you can get involved in fighting it, please contact the Team at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it