Birmingham: Forced Marriage and Honour Based Abuse National Conference was held at the Holiday Inn, IHG Hotel Chapel Lane, Birmingham. Organised by Roshni Birmingham and was hosted Dr Surwat Sohail Chief Executive Roshni Birmingham.
UK’s top celebrities and professionals came together to explore post pandemic/cost of living challenges about forced marriage and honour based abuse.
The keynote speakers were Rakhee Thakrar well known English actress and Patron Roshni Birmingham, Nicole Jacobs National Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP Member of Parliament for Romsey and Southampton North, Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee، Detective Inspector Wendy Bird Strategic Lead on Forced Marriages, Honour Based Abuse and Female Genital Mutilation at West Midlands Police، Dr Hannana Siddiqui Southall Black Sisters & Nour Norris – Murder of Khaola Saleem and Raneem Oudeh، Nazir Afzal OBE Chancellor of the University of Manchester, International Adviser on Rule of Law & Former Chief Prosecutor, Lucy Hadley Women’s Aid Head of Policy & Campaigns, Tom McNeil Assistant Police & Crime Commissioner for the West Midland and others.
Simon Foster West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner sent a message via video link، Victims spoke out about horrific abuse endured during the pandemic and how the situation has been exasperated by the cost-of-living crisis.
On this occasion, messages were also given to the participants through positive entertainment activities. Officials and workers of various social welfare organisations and institutions reiterated their commitment to ensure mutual cooperation against forced marriages and honor-based abuses.
Report by S M Irfan Tahir Photojournalist / Member National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Great Britain.
