Amerat of the Desert

Amerat of the Desert is an indigenous Bedouin women's organization based in the Bedouin township Rahat in Israel's Negev Desert. Our mission: • Improve the personal, cultural, social, and legal rights of Arab Bedouin women in the Negev region of Israel. • Advance the participation of Bedouin women in local, regional and national decision-making and leadership. • Improve their capacity to reach important health, educational, institutional, legal and social resources to improve marriages, health, and legal rights • Advocate for women’s rights-based legislation in the local community and national government. • Raise awareness about the need to stop harmful gender abuse, domestic abuse, polygamy, forced early marriage, female circumcision, and ‘honor-killing.’ • Implementing projects according to the needs of women and their families, and with their full participation in shaping projects. • Support long term, sustainable, transformative impact on women’s rights