Breaking Barriers: Empowering Girls Through Martial Arts
"Rights Now:" A Podcast by ACHRS

Listen to the episode here.
SCRIPT
INTRO, FRANCESCA MARIA LORENZINI. Martial arts are gaining popularity among Jordanian women and becoming more accepted by society. Traditionally male-dominated, these sports are particularly empowering for girls in marginalized communities.
This is “Rights Now”, let’s get started.
[“RIGHTS NOW” INTRO JINGLE]
[SOUNDBYTE LAITH, GIRLS TRAINING]
LORENZINI. In a Taekwondo studio in Hashemi, a group of girls, all dressed in white, move as one—delivering sharp, precise kicks and punches. At the front, their trainer, Laith, stands tall, guiding them with a firm voice.
[SOUNDBYTE LAITH, GIRLS TRAINING]
LORENZINI. Layan is 15 and has been training in the Korean discipline for nearly three years. A blue belt, her passion for the sport began in childhood, inspired by action-packed martial arts movies. While her family has always supported her passion, some of her peers haven’t been as encouraging.
LAYAN. All of my friends think that I’m a really weird girl. And they said ‘it’s not good for you. The girl would always be in her house, and she’ll go to her school and after that to her house.’ But when they say that, I really don’t care about that.
LORENZINI. But Layan’s story is not unique. It reflects a growing trend among young women in Jordan, who are increasingly embracing martial arts in a society that is gradually becoming more accepting of it.
LAYAN. They will say that it’s really great for the girl. And the girl… she must have her own future.
LORENZINI. Taekwondo fighter Rama Abu Al-Rab became the only woman in the Jordanian team to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. And back in 2021, Lina Fayyad made history as the first Jordanian female MMA fighter to win the UAE Warriors Arabia championship.
[CROWD APPLAUDING]
[SOUNDS FROM THE STREET]
LORENZINI. In the Jabal Al Hussein refugee camp, the Orphan Child Welfare Association offers Jiu-Jitsu classes to girls with limited parental support.
[GIRLS TRAINING IN JIU JITSU]
LORENZINI. Jiu Jitsu is a Brazilian ground-based martial art. Their instructor, Rama Hussain, sees the discipline as a powerful way to build confidence in girls and works to inspire this through her training.
RAMA HUSSAIN [ENGLISH: JOLI DEITZ]. It’s great that every girl has a strong personality, whether it’s an internal one that she builds on her own, or an external one that she works on.
LORENZINI. Coming from a sporty family, with her sister Razan as a runner, Hussain was always supported in pursuing her passion. But she acknowledges that there’s still some resistance in the country.
HUSSAIN [ENGLISH: DEITZ]. Society has a role to play.
LORENZINI. Similarly to her, the center’s director Beisan Al-Sharif found her path into self-defense sports by taking kickboxing classes to channel her energy.
[PUNCHES ON THE BAGS]
BEISAN AL-SHARIF. The sound of punches on the bags, and the rhythm of it all, was therapeutic in a way.
LORENZINI. Six years ago, she introduced Jiu-Jitsu in the center to provide safe spaces for refugee girls to grow. Despite initial resistance by the community, her initiative has since gained momentum, with a waiting list now in place.
She mentioned student Kareena Abo Rama, who participated in a 10-day training camp in Alexandria to prepare for the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championship for women under 15. Although she initially faced resistance from her family, who saw these kinds of activities as meant for boys, she eventually proved the value of self-defense sports to them.
KAREENA ABO RAMA [ENGLISH: KLARA BAUTERS]. A girl has the right to learn how to defend herself, to fight if necessary. She should be prepared to face any challenges, whether on the street, at school, or anywhere she may go.
LORENZINI. These disciplines have not only helped her build physical strength but also provided the opportunity to work on mental resilience.
ABO RAMA [ENGLISH: BAUTERS]. I love it because it requires concentration. It requires calmness. Strength is not the most important thing.
LORENZINI. Al-Sharif takes great pride in her girls, and when people say self-defense sports are unconventional for women, her response is simple and direct.
AL-SHARIF. Women are capable of doing anything and everything if they put their mind to it.
[“RIGHTS NOW” OUTRO JINGLE]
OUTRO, LORENZINI. This was “Rights Now” by the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies. I’m your host, Francesca Maria Lorenzini. Until next time, take care!