The "Future Career Project," run by the Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) since 2016, has been awarded by the U.K.-based international civil society organization "Girls Human Rights Hub (GHRH)."
In honor of the "International Day of the Girl Child," the "Girls' Human Rights Awards 2024" ceremony was held in London, the capital of England, by GHRH, an organization that protects girls' rights and supports their access to equal opportunities.
The ceremony was attended by numerous international human rights lawyers, as well as representatives from civil society organizations and human rights groups.
At the ceremony, KADEM won first prize in the "Champion for Equality and Equity for Girls" category with its "Future Career Project."
KADEM was awarded this prize for its active efforts to ensure that girls have equal opportunities in education, health, leadership and other areas of life.
Zeynep Kevser Şerefoğlu Danış, a member of the KADEM board of directors who attended the award ceremony, stated to Anadolu Agency (AA) that the Future Career Project was developed to help the employment of 16- to 18-year-old girls living in Children's Support Centers who do not have access to formal education. She noted that this social responsibility project is being carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Ministry of National Education and other public institutions in Türkiye.
Danış explained that the project was designed to help young girls who have been neglected by their families and are at risk of exploitation in society dream of a better future, adding: "We believed that these young girls could dream and change their lives if they received the necessary education and skills, as well as psychosocial support, and could turn their education into production. For change to occur, security must first be established, skills must be developed and then belief in oneself must be nurtured."
"For this reason, at KADEM, we started a comprehensive initiative that includes both vocational training and psychosocial support by meeting the girls in person at our center. In the 'Future Career' project, we provided 165 girls with training in fields such as computer operations, diction, fast typing and general accounting," she added.
Danış, who received the award on behalf of the foundation, stated that 118 young girls successfully completed their education within the project, and 80 of them have started working in partner institutions. She noted that KADEM has been by their side during their orientation and has followed their progress for two years.
KADEM official Danış added, "It is very important for us to contribute to developing talented, entrepreneurial, and qualified women who shape their future with hope without giving up on their dreams or falling into despair."
At the end of her speech, Danış expressed her thanks to KADEM's Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, KADEM President associate professor Dr. Saliha Okur Gümrükçüoğlu, and the KADEM team.
Sultana Tafadar, the founder of GHRH and the first "King's Counsel" (KC) in the U.K. to wear a hijab, said in her speech at the ceremony that global change is needed to empower girls.
Tafadar highlighted that there are 129 million girls worldwide who cannot attend school, and one in three girls or women has experienced some form of sexual or domestic violence.
Sultana Tafadar added, "Today, 650 million women around the world were married before the age of 18. We established GHRH to address these issues at an early stage, ensuring that no girl is left behind and that everyone’s human rights are recognized."
During the ceremony, awards were also presented to winners in categories such as "Best Activist," "Best Digital Changemaker," "Global Impact Award," "Best Legal Counsel" and "Champion for Ending Violence Against Girls."
GHRH, founded 18 months ago by Tafadar, who comes from a Bangladeshi immigrant family, and her 12-year-old daughter Safiya, runs international projects to empower girls around the world.
Through initiatives involving research, advocacy, and community engagement, GHRH operates as a global platform for protecting girls, it advocates for international efforts aimed at protecting girls' rights and ensuring access to equal opportunities, while also supporting prestigious projects and individuals making a difference in this field.
