- Conference
- 2013 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 17 October 2012
- Decision
- Carried
This Conference notes:
Domestic Abuse takes many forms. However, the issue of Forced Marriage and Honour Based Violence places women, children and vulnerable adults at risk of rape, physical and mental harm and can end in murder.
There is a huge difference between Arranged Marriages and Forced Marriages and we must be able to ensure that those women and young girls who may be subjected to such a marriage are sure of their rights and what help is available to them to allow them to make informed choices.
In 2011 the Forced Marriage unit of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office gave advice and support to 1,468 people on this matter. They work with embassy staff across the world to rescue those who have been lured or forced abroad to be forcibly married.
This National Women’s Conference calls upon the National Women’s Committee to;
1) Produce information for branches and for the wider union on the impact that forced marriages have on individuals and what interventions can be used to protect women and young girls who find themselves in such situations.
2) Invite speakers from the Foreign Office unit which deals with Forced Marriages to address
National Women’s Conference 2014.
3) Encourage branches to work with local domestic violence groups to support the work they are doing in relation to Forced Marriages.
4) Promote the 3 short films ‘The Right to Choose’ which have been produced by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office which are designed to show the signs of what may happen prior to the Forced Marriage taking place.