Virginity Does Not Define Me

IKWRO launches new Virginity Does Not Define Me campaign to challenge the false and harmful notion that virginity is in any way a measure of a girl’s or woman’s worth. The campaign tackles dangerous myths around virginity and calls for a ban of the harmful practices of virginity testing and hymenoplasty, which; perpetuate patriarchal and misogynistic norms, cause trauma and can trigger so-called “honour” based abuse. Read our full report here
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True honour awards 2020-21

IKWRO are delighted to announce the nominees and winners of the True Honour Awards 2020-21. On behalf of IKWRO and all of the judges, we would like to congratulate every nominee for their crucial work to end “honour” based abuse and support survivors. Every single one deserves recognition and praise. Bentley Wood High School Central to Bentley Wood High School’s approach are its core values; Communication, Achievement, Respect, and Empathy. Students become confident, inspiring role models for future...
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Simin Azimi (d. 2021)

It is with great sadness and sorrow that we write that IKWRO-Women’s Rights Organisation’s long-standing Trustee and Board member, Simin Azimi, passed away in January 2021. Alongside her work at IKWRO, Simin was the Director of Refugee Women’s Association (RWA) and worked with refugees and migrants for the past 37 years. I first met Simin at RWA in 2002, when I sought advice regarding my education. I shared with her my passion to establish an organisation to help women and...
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Black lives matter

At IKWRO we are and have always been committed to ending injustice in all forms. The murder of George Floyd by four police officers in the US has sparked a global movement against institutional racism. In a moment of reckoning across society, each and every one of us is being called upon to reflect on our role in reinforcing inequalities that all too often lead to fatal violence against Black men, women and children. While such reflection is...
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Jennie Buckman

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Jennie Buckman, a dear friend and champion of IKWRO. Jennie was a brilliant woman, who cared deeply about injustice and women’s rights. Jennie was a successful playwright and had been head of acting at RADA for 20 years. She was the Founder and Artistic Director of Giants Theatre Company, which puts collaboration with community groups at the centre of all of its productions. Profoundly impacted...
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‘Inside the Foreign Office’ gives insights into “honour” based violence and forced marriage

The final episode of the documentary joins the Forced Marriage Unit in a race against time to prevent a 17 year-old British girl from being forced to marry in Iraq. In the final episode of a three part BBC series which aired last week, viewers were given insight into the work of the joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU), which leads on the Government’s efforts to combat forced marriage in the UK...
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Sharia Laws are part of the extremist threat. They are not a solution

Letter to Amber Rudd, Secretary of State The Independent Review on Sharia: Sharia Laws are part of the extremist threat and not a solution As black and minority women and human rights campaigners, we voice our dismay at the outcome of the independent review on Sharia laws commissioned by the government in 2016. Although the government has rejected formal recognition (through regulation), the way has been left open for the Sharia courts to continue to exist in a...
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Sharia Laws are part of the extremist threat. They are not a solution

Letter to Amber Rudd, Secretary of State The Independent Review on Sharia: Sharia Laws are part of the extremist threat and not a solution As black and minority women and human rights campaigners, we voice our dismay at the outcome of the independent review on Sharia laws commissioned by the government in 2016. Although the government has rejected formal recognition (through regulation), the way has been left open for the Sharia courts to continue to exist in a...
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Sharia ‘Courts’: Why regulation is not the answer

‘Sharia’ and other religious systems of arbitration are back in the news once again. There appears to be growing recognition of the profoundly discriminatory nature of religious arbitration systems which relegate Muslim and other minority women to second rate systems of justice. But is regulation the answer? A close examination of the workings of ‘Sharia’ Councils and the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal reveal serious failings that flout principles of the rule of law and undermine the rights of women...
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53% rise in “honour” based violence cases reported to the police

The number of cases of “honour” based violence, forced marriage and FGM reported to the police in the UK has increased by 53% since 2014, IKWRO’s new research shows. The research involved sending Freedom of Information requests to every police force in the country. The number of cases of “honour” based violence recorded by the police increased from 3335 in 2014 to 5595 in 2015, meaning a spike of 68% in cases in the first year following the...
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