Ahlam Akram is a British citizen of Palestinian origin. She is Founder and Director of a non-profit titled ‘BASIRA’ – British Arabs Supporting Universal Women’s Rights’ - based in London but with global outreach. Basira campaigns for : ending honour killings; no female genital mutilation; no underage marriage; no unjust divorce; no domestic violence; yes to promoting justice and equality as key values that protect women’s dignity. (Basira is an Arabic word meaning ‘vision combining wisdom, reason and intellect’. Ahlam Akram is a dynamic, active and fearless champion of Gender Diversity and equality in support of SDG 5.

 

She is a gender equality and human rights campaigner, writer, and broadcaster. Her advocacy includes lobbying politicians, community talks, organising film screenings and discussions which spread awareness of the values of justice & equality. She sees education and job creation as a key to building just societies with opportunities for all, regardless of faith, gender or race. Her advocacy challenges legislative systems that support the oppression of Moslem women. She has spoken widely and courageously in the UK and internationally about underage marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), and honour killings perpetrated against women due to a complex combination of patriarchal religious interpretations, and social and cultural norms including the family status law widely implemented in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA region). Ahlam Akram is also an active member of Women Without Borders and on the executive committee of Women Against Fundamentalism. She is a London Member of the UN Women National Committee UK.