The AHA Foundation is American

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

founded by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, its namesake. The organizations stated goal is to protect Western Freedoms and Ideals, especially from the threat of, what it considers, Islamic extremism. It was founded by Ayaan Hirsi Ali in 2007 and is based in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Originally formed to support ex-Muslims who had suffered for their

religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...

political Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...

beliefs, the organization's scope was broadened September 2008 to focus on women's rights. The goal of the AHA Foundation is to combat crimes against women and girls such as

child marriage Child marriage is a practice involving a marriage or domestic partnership, formal or informal, that includes an individual under 18 and an adult or other child.* * * * Research has found that child marriages have many long-term negative co ...

forced marriage Forced marriage is a marriage in which one or more of the parties is married without their consent or against their will. A marriage can also become a forced marriage even if both parties enter with full consent if one or both are later force ...

female genital mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM) (also known as female genital cutting, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision) is the cutting or removal of some or all of the vulva for non-medical reasons. Prevalence of female ge ...

and honor killings. Its key activities include education, outreach and legislative advocacy.

Criticism

The Council of American Islamic Relations supports AHA's goal of defending women's rights, but says that its founder unfairly maligns all Muslims. For example, it points out that Ayaan Hirsi Ali has called Islam a "nihilistic cult of death".

References

External links

* Charities based in New York City Women's rights organizations {{Nonprofit-org-stub