London (Special Correspondent) - The participants of a seminar called upon the government to take effective measures to check Honour killings and forced marriages. The seminar, held here the other day to mark the International Women's day, was organized jointly by APLAW, OXFAM and Garden Court Chambers.
Baroness Pola Uddin addressing the seminar said that despite myriad changes occurring elsewhere in the society the status of the women continued to remain in jeopardy. Incidents of honour killing and forced marriage are very common providing ample testimony to their miserable position. She said violence against women is quite uncalled for and intolerable.
She said it is very much deplorable that two thousand women are subjected to rape every day and five thousand of honour killings in the Great Britain. She acknowledged that the Labour government has adopted various measures and enacted laws to protect the women’s rights. However much is still to be done in this behalf. She appreciated that professional bodies are doing very good job to bring about cultural changes in the attitude towards forced marriages and honour killing.
She noted that women have also been given protection under the Forced Marriage and Child Protection Laws but much is still needed as incidents of honour killings and forced marriages still occur in the name of religion and culture. She pointed out that Forced Marriage and Child Protection laws could not be implemented in real sense due to certain cultural reasons. She said that the concerned agencies and organizations should think to take effective measures as the victims of forced marriages and their relatives also do not report the matter to these bodies.
Baroness Uddin further stressed on girl education and empowerment of the women. She said some victims of forced marriage complained that the Forced Marriage Unit demands payment of fare from them for return journey that is amounting to sprinkling salt to injuries while what is actually needed is to make arrangements for safe return of such women.
Birinder Kang of Garden Court Chambers and Trustee of Imkaan, said that she has reservations on full implementation of the Forced Marriage Act. She expressed serious concern that despite laws there is no let up in the cases of forced marriage and honour killing.
Joint Head of Forced Marriage Unit Suzelle Dickson said the unit received 1600 telephone class last year of which 375 were dealt with. 15% of the calls were from men. She said the unit is considering revising its strategy to check forced marriages and make it more effective.
Hully Wolderufael of Changing Lives Projest said lives of 24 thousand girls are at stake due to forced marriage and nobody should be allowed to play in the name of religion and culture. ‘What is needed is to create awareness among the girls about the issue and the relevant laws. The government should sponsor such NGOs as are working on the subject’, she added.
DS Sharon Stratton of MET Police Violent Crimes Directorate while speaking of the occasion said last the police received 13 thousand calls for domestic violence and around 300 on forced marriage. The police officials have been given special training to deal with domestic violence and forced marriage cases.
Diana Nammi working on Iranian and Kurd women said that the culprits in such cases go scot free under the cover of culture and legal complications. She asked the government to extend legal and financial help to the victim women.
Hannana Siddiqui of Southhall Black Sisters pointed out that after the 9/11 the government focused on combating terrorism instead of other social problems and stopped funding of the NGOs working against forced marriage and honour killings. She demanded of the government to review its policy toward honour killing and forced marriage to make it more effective.
A documentary film was also shown on honour killing. Deepti Patel of AP Law introduced the guests while members of women asylum seeker together group highlighted the aims and objectives of their organization. A large number of women attended the seminar.