#imkaan

[carolinehunterrock-blog]

#Repost @emmawatson ・・・ “There is a wall of silence against women and violence, and every time a woman speaks out it breaks a crack in that wall.” - @jusmarai #imkaan #timesup

[imkaan-blog]

Newsflash: Imkaan Safe Minimum Practice Standards are out today!

We are especially excited that through support from Trust for London, we are able to offer bursaries to 6 groups who wish to be accredited through the SMPS. BME women’s groups in London working around issues such as FGM, will be able to apply to have up to 85% of the costs covered by the bursary.

Sioned Churchill, Director of Special Initiatives and Evaluation at Trust for London, said of SMPS,

‘We felt it was important for community groups, who have developed knowledge and expertise in tackling issues such as female genital mutilation, to have this endorsed; and for commissioners of services to feel confident that these groups were working to an agreed set of safety standards.’

Marai Larasi, Executive Director of Imkaan, added,

‘We know that BME women and girls often prefer support  which is led and delivered by other BME women. These standards are designed to reflect the expertise and commitment that is held by the women and groups doing this vital work. In practice, the services provided by BME women’s groups are important, yet often undervalued spaces, and sometimes the only place a BME girl or woman feels able to approach for support.  We want to ensure that groups are able to work independently and  autonomously, while also reassuring girls,  women, partner agencies, and funders, that their work is both safe and empowering.’

Dorett Jones, Development and Training Manager at Imkaan, continued,

‘For us to create meaningful change in the fight to end violence against women and girls,  it is vital that black and minority ethnic community organisations are seen and related to as key Leaders in how we tackle forms of violence and support BME women and girls. BME women have the right to choose whom they seek provision from and we know that in the majority of cases this is from BME led by and for organisations. Imkaan's Safe Minimum Practice Standards provides a consistent, robust tool for organisations in their commitment to improvement and the continuous delivery of safe quality services for BME women and girls.’

The SMPS are available across the country. However, at this stage, the bursaries are only available in London. If you are a London-based BME women’s community group working around issues such as FGM, or if you are small specialist BME women’s ending violence against women and girls organisation, you may be able eligible for the bursary. If you have questions, are interested in the SMPS or wish to apply for the bursary, please email us at [email protected].

SMPS is available to download from our resources page.

[imkaan-blog]

“This is not my destiny” Reflecting on responses to forced marriage in England and Wales

A free 1 day conference hosted by Imkaan and Rights of Women in partnership with local specialist women’s organisations. The conference will explore the current prevention, protection and provision for survivors of forced marriage, the new law criminalising forced marriage, and other legal remedies available to protect victims, including Forced Marriage Protection Orders.

In partnership with BAWSO

Wednesday 18 March 2015, 10.00am – 4.30pm, Cardiff CF10

In partnership with Ashiana Network

Wednesday 15 April 2015, 10.00am – 4.30pm, London EC2

In partnership with Ashiana Sheffield

Wednesday 15 April 2015, 10.00am – 4.30pm, Sheffield S2

To book onto any of these events, please visit the Rights of Women website.

[columnsbestofpak]

Sadia Qureshi Urdu Columns Dunya News | 25-Apr-2014 | Columns.BestOfPak.com

سبز انقلاب آئے دہائیاں گزرگئیں مگر۔۔۔۔۔! – سعدیہ قریشی

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[columnsbestofpak]

Sadia Qureshi Urdu Columns Dunya News | 17-Apr-2014 | Columns.BestOfPak.com

آنسوؤں سے بھیگی اوڑھنیاں – سعدیہ قریشی

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[resistance765]

"Imkaan" - The Sketches

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Sadia Qureshi Urdu Columns Dunya News | 10-Apr-2014 | Columns.BestOfPak.com

مدرسوں میں ہنر بھی سکھائیں (2) – سعدیہ قریشی

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[rewindreframe]

Women's groups respond to Charlotte Church calling out sexism in the music industry

EVAW Coalition, Imkaan & Object

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUES 15 OCTOBER 2013 

Charlotte Church echoes what many young women feel about the sexualised representation of women in the music industry - said a group of women's organisations today (15 October) who are preparing to launch a new campaign to tackle such representations.

Lia Latchford of Imkaan, a network of black women's organisations, said:

"Many young women agree with Charlotte Church's comments that the music industry has a 'culture of demeaning women,' and support the call for age ratings on music videos.

"We are working with a diverse group of young women who tell us that the music industry widely represents women as sex objects and in particular reinforces racist stereotypes of black and minority ethnic women as the hypersexualised, exotic 'other'.

"These music videos are part of the cultural wallpaper of our daily lives that helps to normalise violence against women and girls - when they include confusing imagery and lyrics about sexual consent and what women want for example.

"As part of the campaign we are currently developing young women have come together to speak out against music videos which widely sexualise and racialise women’s bodies and make them feel uncomfortable and angry. They have told us: 'I feel angry about the dehumanisation of women and about how it has been normalised'.

"We cannot ignore the links between widespread media messages and the treatment of women and girls in our society.  Young women say: 'Some music videos reinforce the already widespread notion that women exist solely for male pleasure and thus justifies violence against us.'"

The young women and the women's organisations involved in the project are calling for:

Hosting platforms such as YouTube and Vevo to develop robust policies which prevent the hosting of racist and sexist music videos

The music industry, including artists and music companies, to pledge to stop making music videos which represent women as sex objects and push racist stereotypes.

Government to implement its recommendation on age ratings for music videos sold in shops and online, akin to those on films and video games

Respectful relationships and media literacy to be taught in schools

The project, funded by Rosa, is led by EVAW, Imkaan and OBJECT and supported by a group of young women concerned about the harmful impact of the music industry on women’s equality and safety.

There is a Tumblr site at www.rewindreframe.org including details of the project to date, and a new website including young women’s blogs on the issues will be launched soon.

For more information visit rewindreframe.org or follow us on Twitter @RewindReframe