— Reflections and Rants: Random Thoughts on the UK...

In advance of the launch of the next VAWG strategy, we are calling on government to take a number of steps to address this:

1. A specific central fund for local specialist,  BME women led ending VAWG services. The fund would need also be administered centrally, in recognition that local commissioning is largely failing specialist BME women’s organisations.

2. Working towards a grants based model, while strengthening the messaging to local commissioners in order to ensure that they comply with the relevant legislation

3. Establishing an independent body / structure to strengthen the accountability pathways e.g. a VAWG Ombuds.

On 21st November, women from Apna Haq in Rotherham, the latest BME VAWG service to be threatened with closure, will be marching on Downing Street to demand Immediate central government action to support BME services to continue delivering life saving vital services to address and stop VAWG in Rotherham and in our communities across the UK.

Imkaan welcomes the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Professor Rashida Manjoo, on her mission to the UK. We wish to express gratitude to the Special Rapporteur for her expertise, robust analysis and sensitivity.

As Imkaan’s work is primarily focussed on black and minority ethnic (BME) women, we appreciate the care and attention given by Professor Manjoo to these issues. We recognise that the UK has made progress around addressing violence against women and girls. We also note that the government has taken measures to address issues such as forced marriage and female genital mutilation.  However, BME women and girl’s experiences of violence are not limited to these issues.  Imkaan’s own work, including recent research focussed on sexual violence, continues to highlight significant policy and programming gaps, which affect BME women and girl’s access to safety, support and justice.

“We urge the Westminster government and the leaders of the devolved administrations to take Professor Manjoo’s recommendations on board and to use this as an opportunity to address the issues that her report has highlighted. We hope to see urgent action to ensure the sustainability of specialist BME women’s services, which are a lifeline for many BME women and children.”  Marai Larasi, Executive Director, Imkaan

“The report matches the gaps we are aware of in practice, in terms of the women’s sector’s relationship with the ways that young women and girls are affected by violence by virtue of being young.  We urge both the government and the women’s sector to take action around the protection of girls and young women as victims and survivors of violence in their own right.” Imkaan Young Women’s Team

Imkaan facilitated dialogue between the Special Rapporteur and specialist BME women’s organisations during her mission to the UK. Imkaan’s submission can be read  here 

Imkaan is working with UN Women to support the establishment of a Regional Expert Working Group (REWG) on intersectional discrimination and violence against women. The REWG will offer a unique opportunity for women’s organisation to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including the UN and the Council of Europe (CoE) on issues of law reform and policy development.

As part of this process Imkaan would like to connect with organisations using an intersectional approach in their work to address violence against women (VAW). This is within a broader mandate of identifying organisations who would be interested in contributing to a wider process of research and advocacy into the opportunities and challenges in the area of VAW in the Western Balkan countries and Turkey.  Over the next few months Imkaan would like to arrange visits to your organisations where we can discuss the nature of your work, the types of issues you deal with and the population groups being supported by you, as well as barriers that you face in your work.

At the end of this consultation Imkaan along with UN Women will identify potential participants for the REWG. The REWG will be responsible for:

• Identifying opportunities and challenges for implementing an intersectional approach to ending VAWG in the implementation and monitoring of the Istanbul Convention, CEDAW national reports and the EU accession process.

• It will also contribute towards regional research and recommendations on law reform, policy development, and provision of support services for women and girls from the most vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Please do get in touch with us

• If you are an organisation that works in the area of violence against women and girls, particularly with minoritised groups,

• If you lead initiatives which are innovative and intersectional in their approach and have minoritised women as part of your core leadership.

• We are particularly interested in programmes/organisations that are led by minoritised women for minoritised women. We would love to hear more about you and your work.

Please email neha@imkaan.org.uk and leah@imkaan.org.uk no later than 30th October stating:
- the name of your organisation
- the country (and city/town/village) in which you work
- the population group (s) you work with
- your organisational aims and how you use an intersectional approach in your work on VAWG

We will then get in touch with you, arrange a Skype conversation followed by a potential visit to your organisation. We look forward to hearing from you!