AHA Foundation 2024 Accomplishments: A Year of Illuminating Truth
Published: 12/19/2024
From the tragic events in Israel that still reverberate throughout our culture to the rise in antisemitism and illiberal ideologies, the fight for liberty has intensified throughout 2024. Yet, AHA Foundation has continued to champion freedom and human rights. Below, we celebrate the achievements our supporters helped make possible. Together, we will nurture the flame of truth, letting its brilliance shape a freer tomorrow.
Here is the amazing impact we made in 2024:
Defending Liberal Ideals: Ayaan Hirsi Ali and AHA Speak Out
Throughout 2024, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, our founder, continues to be at the forefront of defending liberal values and freedoms. Ayaan shared her perspectives on Islamist extremism, antisemitism, and moral relativism through op-eds in UnHerd, The Free Press, and The Wall Street Journal. She also provided critical commentary on Fox News, addressing the tragic attacks on October 7 in Israel and calling for global accountability, particularly regarding the conspicuous silence on the use of sexual violence on Israeli women in the attack.
In addition to her media engagements, Ayaan launched Restoration, her Substack, and Courage.Media; both platforms are dedicated to promoting liberal values, resilience, and free speech. Her appearances on podcasts such as Triggernometry and The Brendan O’Neill Show allowed her to further spread her message about the growing influence of Islamism and the need for moral clarity. Her Restoration Podcast featured thought-provoking discussions, including a conversation with Douglas Murray on the importance of leadership and courage in today’s world. Ayaan also appeared on The Ben Shapiro Show and The Dr. Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, where she continued to warn against the rise of illiberalism in the face of growing threats. You can find all of Ayaan’s other appearances and articles, plus media coverage of her, here.
In the article “Minors Can Get Married in Missouri. Some State Lawmakers Want That to Change,” Michele Hanash, Director of Policy and Women’s Programs at the AHA Foundation, emphasized the urgent need to reform marriage laws to protect minors from the harmful effects of child marriage and to ensure their well-being and rights are safeguarded.
Leading the Charge: AHA Drives Passage of 3 Critical Child Marriage Bills to Defend Women’s Rights
AHA Foundation’s advocacy work in 2024 led to several key legislative victories against child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). We played a critical role in banning child marriage in Washington, Virginia, and New Hampshire, bringing the total number of states with bans to 13. Our efforts in Missouri included impactful press conferences with child marriage survivors and bill sponsors, and we remain committed to advancing this legislation until there is a victory.
Susanna McIntyre (second row, left), AHA’s Development Associate, and Michele Hanash (second row, right), AHA’s Director of Policy and Women’s Programs, attend a Chain-In protest in Washington to advocate for change.
In California, we advocated alongside survivors and lawmakers to push forward legislation banning child marriage. At the federal level, we took a stand against Senator Dick Durbin’s proposed S. 4990, which includes dangerous immigration loopholes that could perpetuate child marriage under the guise of “humanitarian” exceptions. On FGM, we led efforts in Washington, D.C., working with the Councilmember Pinto, the bill sponsor, and her staff that resulted in the advancement of an anti-FGM bill to protect the estimated 2,000 girls at risk of FGM in D.C. Your support has been instrumental in protecting thousands of women and girls!
We have already started efforts for next year, including meeting with legislators in Oregon to discuss proposed legislation to end child marriage that will be introduced next session with bipartisan support.
Confronting Islamism: CLARITy Coalition Expands its Reach and Advocacy
In 2024, the AHA-convened CLARITy Coalition welcomed 19 new members from countries including Israel, Canada, and Germany, bringing the total membership to over 50. Our 2nd annual CLARITy Coalition conference, held at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C., shed light on funding sources for Islamist organizations and the dangerous alliance between the far left and Islamists, exposing their influence on U.S. education and Western society.
Throughout the year, the coalition, with support from the AHA team, conducted advocacy for the DETERRENT Act and TRACE Act, which aim to promote transparency regarding foreign funding in U.S. education, as well as S.4136, which seeks to strip 501(c)(3) status from terrorist-supporting nonprofits. Monthly town halls featured prominent speakers, including Charlie Weimers, a Swedish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2019 and Vice-Chair of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group. Weimers, known for his strong stance on free speech and opposition to Islamism, addressed the critical need for free speech in Europe amid rising authoritarianism. Find all CLARITy videos here.
Empowering Professionals on the Ground: AHA Training Programs Reach New Heights
Dami Alabi hosting a training on Chicago’s North Side as part of our 3-year DOJ grant to educate frontline professionals about FGM.
This year, we continued to lead the nation in training service providers on FGM, child marriage, and honor violence. AHA provided specialized training to over 2,235 professionals, including nurses, doctors, and lawyers, through partnerships with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the American Medical Association, and the American Bar Association.
Additionally, 149 advocates received targeted live training as part of the successfully completed “WE STOP FGM/C” program in Chicago, which also engaged the community through awareness campaigns and local partnerships. This program has since become a national blueprint for other cities to emulate, demonstrating how targeted training, cultural sensitivity, and community engagement can effectively address FGM. Through our model, we not only achieved the program’s sustainability but also ensured its long-term impact by embedding prevention strategies into local organizations and fostering a lasting network of advocates.
Thanks to a new 3-year federal grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, in 2025 we will expand our FGM training in Chicago’s Northside into schools and the local community! Working alongside partners White & Case LLP and Reed Smith LLP, we have published 8 new state guides on the rights of FGM survivors. Since 2007, AHA has trained 6,512 frontline professionals, making an invaluable impact nationwide.
Fostering Free Thought on Campus: Advancing Efforts Against Illiberalism and Antisemitism
Sara Tasneem (top) shares her powerful story of surviving child marriage with high school students at Byram Hills High School, inspiring awareness and action.
In 2024, we expanded our Critical Thinking Fellowship to reach high school students through a new partnership with the Dissident Project. This collaboration enabled students to connect with and learn from advocates who have firsthand experience with authoritarian regimes, raising awareness about the dangers of extremism and advocating for the protection of Liberal freedoms. The Dissident Project’s storytelling approach has proven especially effective in teaching students how authoritarianism erodes human rights and freedoms.
One event highlight was an emotional virtual discussion with Sara Tasneem, a child marriage survivor, held with students at Byram Hills High School in New York. The feedback we received underscored the importance of these conversations, inspiring students to become advocates for freedom and change.
This year alone, we reached 100,000 people through our blogs, events, and videos online. As we continue our mission, we hope to increase this number next year, hosting even more events in this new era of fighting antisemitism and indoctrination on campuses.
Find more Critical Thinking Fellowship content here.
Increased Direct Aid for Women and Girls at Risk
Thanks to your support, AHA Foundation’s helplines provided assistance to 937 individuals in crisis to date. This direct aid has been a lifeline to women and girls in vulnerable situations, offering them a pathway to safety and support.
Breaking the Silence: Amplifying Voices of Survivors and Activists
Throughout the year, we elevated the voices of survivors, advocates, and activists with first-hand experience with child marriage, Islamism, and Islamist-fueled antisemitism. These brave individuals shared their personal stories and activism efforts as they work towards building a future free from the oppression they endured. See all our 2024 interviews in our blog here.
Thank you for everything that you do—without you, none of our work in 2024 would have been possible. From everyone at AHA Foundation, we wish you a prosperous and happy 2025.
