One step closer to making forced marriages a thing of the past...

Everyone has the right to choose when they get married and to whom...yet, so many young people, especially girls, do not get that freedom. 

More needs to be done to make this a thing of past. Almost 600 people have come forward in the past five months to raise the alarm over fears that they are about to be forced to marry against their will. 


Mr Cameron and Theresa May, the Home Secretary, announced today that forced marriage is a crime, after rejecting claims that banning the practice would simply drive it underground. 


The strongest sanctions available at the moment are “Forced Marriage Orders”, a form of civil court order which operate like a restraining order against the girl’s family but do not carry criminal punishments for those who breach them. 


Which is nothing really right. To be honest, I think it's generally not taken as seriously as it should be as it's seen as 'cultural practice' -but it isn't at all. I mean nobody should have to go through that.


IT IS A CRIME!!! 

After visiting the cross-departmental Forced Marriage Unit, Mr Cameron said: "It is necessary to make this a crime because it is an absolutely abhorrent practice. It is, frankly, little short of slavery. 


"You are taking 15, 16-year-old British citizens, taking them off to another country against their will, marrying them with someone against their will. That is a crime and it should be a crime.


"For too long in this country we have thought 'well, it's a cultural practice and we just have to run with it'. We don't. It's a crime. 


"Listen to the stories of these women and what they've been through and how painful and difficult it was to be rescued and you know this should be a crime and treated as such by this country." He added: "I think there should be tough punishments. 


"Think what we are considering here: this is a 15-year-old girl, whipped out of school, flown to the other side of the world, introduced to the person they are going to be forced into marrying and their whole life being ruined. 


"That's what we are talking about and as far as I'm concerned if you commit that sort of offence you get a very, very tough punishment." [The Independent]


It is a step closer to making forced marriages a thing of the past, however, more will need to be done. The thing with this however, is that there is a risk that it will deter victims from coming forward. 


The new law will distinguish between forced marriages, where there is no consent, and arranged marriages where "both parties have consented to the union but can still refuse to marry if they choose to". 

• Every year hundreds of young people are at risk of being taken abroad by their parents and forced to marry against their will. 
• The majority of cases involve families from South Asia, particularly Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

Forced marriage is a crime - nobody should feel like they can't speak up - cultural concerns is NOT an excuse. . .  


Much love, 
Anokhi

Syria: 108 massacred, including 50 children... Enough is Enough!!!

‘How much blood must we pay before the world helps?’ - Abu Suhaib, a Syrian hospitalised in Jordan.

The village of Taldou, near the town of Houla in Syria's Homs province was the scene of one of the worst massacres in the country's 14-month-long uprising on Friday.

United Nations observers on the ground have confirmed that at least 108 people were killed, including 49 children and 34 women. Some were killed by shell fire, but the majority appear to have been shot or stabbed at close range.

Syria Massacre - photo from The Telegraph: AP

But at whose hands they died remains a matter of contention...

Anti-government activists, eyewitnesses and human rights groups - including the UN's high commissioner for human rights - point the finger at the Syrian army and the shabiha, a sectarian civilian militia that supports the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

The government however denies all responsibility, saying its soldiers were attacked and armed terrorists went on to shoot and knife civilians.

This latest atrocity has shocked many, and brought condemnation from the UN Security Council. 

Is condemnation enough though? Urgent action needs to be taken to stop the killing of innocent men, women and children.

Amnesty International reports that they have the names of over 9,750 people killed since the crackdown on largely peaceful protests began in March 2011. Many more have been injured. 

On 27 March 2012 the Syrian government accepted a ‘six-point plan’ by Kofi Annan and a ceasefire was agreed on 12 April. A UN observer mission entered the country two days later but the violence continues to rage - more than 1,300 people have been killed since. 

Amnesty was one of the first organisations to recognise the actions of the Syrian authorities in response to the peaceful protests that began in March 2011 as what they were: crimes against humanity.

Call on Russia to support Syria’s referral to the International Criminal Court

And yet as the UN Security Council fails to take decisive action, blocked from action by veto wielding member Russia, more family homes have been bombed and more civilians massacred. 

The bloodshed must be stopped and the people responsible for killing civilians must be held to account. 

Tell Russia to stop obstructing UN Security Council action!!

It is time for Russia to stand up against this brutality and call on the Syrian government to stop the bloodshed and fulfill its obligations under the ‘six-point plan’.

Let's all #prayforsyria

Much love,

Anokhi

UTALA: Making a difference with style...

It has been a long time since I lasted posted...but this is definitely worth blogging about. When a friend of mine told me that her friend was launching a website that will sell fair trade and eco friendly gifts, I just had to spread the word.

UTALA, the new online shop offering fair trade and eco-friendly gifts is to launch on November 8th 2011.

This inspiring idea was thought up by Uta Hesterberg, whilst meditating on the beach in Vietnam.

Uta has worked in more than ten countries around the world and wanted to do more to help make a direct change to the world - in a more creative way. With her large network of artistic friends situated all over the world, her years of travelling to some of the most remote areas, and her admiration of the skills of Asian and African crafts, Uta was inspired and decided to create a business to sell beautiful things that would also make a positive difference. 

Uta quit her job to make the idea a reality. She wanted to be able to make a change by combining her passion for well-made things with the ability to make a direct impact to people’s lives. Uta wanted to do something different and this was the perfect opportunity to get in touch with her creative side. 

What Uta also told me was that another reason for the start of this business – a reason which makes this business that much more closer to her heart is the fact that her previous job involved working closely with people facing hardships – she felt she needed a little break from working in such an environment. She said that when you are constantly confronted with issues such as climate change, over-population, environmental destruction and animal cruelty, it can eventually take its toll on you and you start to feel like you have to tackle it all – which of course is not possible. 

She wanted to start with little changes – changes that are positive – changes that you can feel – the aim of UTALA is to make that little difference to the person who has made the product whilst also putting a smile on the person who has bought the product. 

What a touching thought...We can all learn something from Uta and I completely agree with her views – I have always believed that everyone can make a little difference – whatever you do – however small – change is change. . .

How the gifts are made:

UTALA was set-up to make a positive contribution to this world. Anything that is bought for the production of UTALA gifts are either recycled, fair trade certified, proven to be ethically sourced, or come from local young designers. 

Many of their products fit more than one of these criteria and what is even more exciting is that they are always looking for people who make things that are meant to make a difference to the environment and in turn a positive contribution to people’s lives. So if this sounds like you – get in touch now! info@utala.co.uk / www.utala.co.uk 

What makes UTALA extra special is that all their market stalls are transported by bicycle and they recycle all their packaging material. All deliveries in central London are made by bicycle rather than post – saving the cost of packaging and fuel – amazing!! 

What I find extremely touching is the fact that many of UTALA’s products come from small family cooperatives or NGOs. It means that they are providing income for artists and artisans – many of which are struggling financially – it really is truly remarkable and I really admire what Uta and her friends have set up!

It is most definitely reassuring that these products are not being produced unethically as a result of slave labour or anything along those lines but are the fruit of collaborations with European designers and artists in developing countries. 

You can find out more about the hard-working team who work alongside Uta on their website here.

Currently UTALA sells around 40 gifts and home accessories in four lines and has even bigger plans for UTALA:

1) Funky - Berlin Berlin: This features urban cool products made from recycled materials. 

2) Rustic charm: This selection features natural, refined items. 

3) Forever young: This colourful vibrant selection is for people that defy growing old and love colour and playfulness in their house.

4) Wooden toys: These fantastically finished toys are produced by an artisan’s cooperative in India and are made with entirely natural materials: sustainable hale wood, spice colours and lacquer from natural resin.  

  

Preview of some of the products – visit www.utala.co.uk to see the entire range.

Launching just in time for Christmas...


If you are struggling with Christmas presents this year, here is the perfect opportunity for you to purchase gifts that are not only unique, but also contribute to making the world a better place – what more can you ask for?


Spread the word everyone – the UTALA launch party will be taking place on Tuesday 8th November (see below for details) and make sure you visit www.utala.co.uk to see the beautiful range of products on sale.

Thank you for reading.

Much love,

Anokhi

Justice is what love looks like in public: The battle against human trafficking !

Human Trafficking is the movement of individuals with the primary purpose of forced servitude or sexual slavery.

In Greece, prostitution is very much legal. So sex trafficking is very difficult to prosecute. 

It is the fear that leaves girls with no hope and no way out. . .

The A21 Campaign stands for "abolishing injustice in the 21st century" and focuses on sex trafficking in Southeastern Europe. 

In Thessaloniki, Greece, brothels are marked with white lights. Girls are taken, stolen, brutally raped and then often sold into brothels and forced to service up to 35 or 40 men a day!

LIFE FOR A SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIM

After a trafficking journey that typically involves deception, rape, beatings, and constant threats, victims are often forced to live in confining and unsanitary conditions. 

Malnutrition, sleep deprivation, as well as emotional and physical abuse become day-to-day normalities. In addition, forced abortions and the contraction of STI's, Hepatitis B & C, and AIDS are ever looming probabilities. Life for a victim of sex trafficking is hell on earth. This injustice is the reason The A21 Campaign exists.

Whilst human trafficking is a global issue, the growth of trafficking of women from Eastern and Southern Europe (the former Soviet Bloc) into Western Europe over the past 20 years has been unparalleled anywhere else on the globe23. This trend has developed due to a specific combination of factors:

--Fall of Communism:

--Impact of Poverty on Women:

--EU Immigration Restrictions:

--International Organized Crime:

--Demand for Prostitutes

Human Trafficking is an organised criminal industry that affects every nation. 

Whilst the statistics can seem overwhelming, it is important to remember that every number represents the life of a victim. The A21 Campaign has recognised a significant need in the region of Europe, and is committed to combating this injustice through rescuing one life at a time. 

"When confronted with the horrific statistics surrounding human trafficking, it is easy to agree on the fact that "someone should do something." The A21 Campaign was born when the decision was made to put our hand up and be that "someone". It was a decision of ordinary people who decided to take responsibility regarding the issue of human trafficking. So with little knowledge, and a lot of passion, in 2007 we set out to make a difference.
After extensive research, planning, fundraising, more research, relationship building, a lot of learning, and a great leap of faith, we opened our first shelter for victims of human trafficking at the end of 2008."

'Nepal's Stolen Children'

NEPAL’S STOLEN CHILDREN: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary

Actress Demi Moore partners with CNN Freedom Project for a compelling documentary. A passionate advocate for victims of human trafficking herself, Moore travels to Nepal to meet 2010 CNN Hero of the Year Anuradha Koirala and some of the thousands of women and girls Koirala’s organisation has rescued from forced prostitution. How were they taken and where were they sent? Hear the emotional, first-hand experiences of these young survivors. And follow along with Moore as she searches for answers in the fight to end this form of modern-day slavery !

  

 WORLD PREMIERE: Sunday, June 26 

Hong Kong 20:00

London 20:00

Berlin/Johannesburg 20:00

Abu Dhabi 22:00

New York/Miami 8 PM

Mexico City 7 PM

Los Angeles 8 PM

The CNN Freedom Project: http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/

The battle against human trafficking cannot be fought by one person, but requires all of us to come together as one and stand for justice. Together, we can make a difference.

Anokhi 

A lifeline for hundreds of thousands of carers across the UK: The BBC Lifeline Appeal

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers will be featured on the BBC Lifeline Appeal BBC One on Sunday 19th June. Tune in at 4:45 pm in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and at 5:15 pm in Scotland.

For over twenty years, BBC Lifeline has helped raise money and increase the profile of hundreds of charities across the UK and abroad.

The appeal will be a unique opportunity to tell people about the work of The Trust and why they need more support for the UK's unpaid Carers. www.carers.org / www.youngcarers.net

Marking Carers Week 2011, actress Pam Ferris (Matilda, Rosemary and Thyme) makes an impassioned appeal to raise funds for The Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Speaking from personal experience, Pam Ferris describes the isolation and lack of support carers can face, having been one herself for the last years of her mother's life. The film features an exclusive interview with The Trust's president, HRH Princess Anne.

One in 10 people in the UK are carers - looking after a loved-one who is sick, disabled, suffering from a mental health problem or an addiction - some carers are as young as five years old. What carers have in common is the selflessness to put their family members' needs before their own, but they face an on-going life of isolation, ill-health and poverty.

A lifeline for hundreds of thousands of carers across the UK.




For 20 years, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers has been fighting to provide carers with the support they so desperately need. The Trust understands that few of us plan to become carers, so when a caring role starts, every carer needs an expert to guide them through the maze of services, rules and entitlements. For a carer, this can make the difference between keeping and losing their job, or between staying healthy and collapsing under the stress.

At the heart of The Trust is a unique network of 144 independently-managed Carers' Centres, 89 young carers' services and interactive websites (www.carers.org and www.youngcarers.net) which deliver around the clock support to over 424,000 carers and approximately 25,000 young carers. Today we are the largest provider of carer support in the UK offering unique and innovative services.

How you can care for the carers?

With an ageing population, the UK will need more care from families and friends in the future. This is an issue that will touch everyone’s life at some point and The Trust aims to be there for every carer.

The Trust relies almost exclusively on voluntary donations to sustain their work. This is why your support is vital. They need you to help them to provide services like www.youngcarers.net, support their local Carers' Centres and develop new services, so that they continue to reach many more of the UK’s unpaid, unsupported and often unidentified carers.

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers

Please tune in tomorrow (Sunday 19th June, 2011) at 4.45pm (England) - BBC One. 

Thousands of carers out there need your support. . .

Thank you.

CarersBlog

Channel 4 lead the way to “Positive Journalism": Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields. THE TRUTH REVEALED!

Sri Lanka's civil war ended in 2009, as the Colombo government claimed victory over the insurgents after a bloody military operation that killed thousands of people and displaced many more.

Last night, UK broadcaster Channel 4 aired ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, a traumatic documentary exposing shocking new evidence of war crimes committed during the closing days of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009.

The footage screened ranks among the most horrific yet shown on British television. 

Sri Lanka Killing Field

Britain has renewed calls for Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of war crimes after video footage apparently showing the summary execution of naked and bound prisoners was broadcast on UK television.

A fantastic editorial in today’s Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/15/sri-lanka-evidence-that-wont-be-buried

“Naked prisoners shot in the head; the dead bodies of women who had been raped, dumped on a truck; the immediate aftermath of a shell landing on a hospital – images caught on mobile phones of the atrocities committed by government soldiers in the final months of Sri Lanka's brutal civil war. The story of what happened two years ago when government forces corralled hundreds of thousands of Tamils in horrific conditions into an ever-shrinking space, as they closed in the defeated Tigers, is well known. A UN panel last month found credible allegations of war crimes committed both by the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE. But the pictures of the shootings are new and Channel 4 has done what human rights organisations should have been doing in compiling and sifting through it.”

Absolutely disturbing...! The cowardice, the lies, the brutality, the hate, the absolute disregard for the life of fellow human beings is hard to accept (no matter how many times we watch this).

Captured on mobile phones, both by Tamils under attack and government soldiers as war trophies, the disturbing footage shows: the extra-judicial executions of prisoners; the aftermath of targeted shelling of civilian camps; and dead female Tamil fighters who appear to have been raped or sexually assaulted, abused and murdered.

How can people inflict this amount of suffering on other people??

Just a bunch of extremely dangerous and powerful psychopaths!

The common definition of a “psychopath” - formally referred to a personality disorder characterised by the inability to form human attachment and an abnormal lack of empathy, masked by an ability to appear outwardly normal.

Could we really define these people?!

A complete exposé... thanks to Channel 4 and John Snow. Yet, the all-mighty UN remains silent and the influence of the International Community powerless.

Who will bring peace to all the innocent civilians killed? We can only hope that one day this can be achieved.

According to Amnesty International, the importance of a film like this in terms of pushing the human rights agenda is great. The film reinforces the findings of the UN panel – namely that both sides committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

It contains very graphic footage in a long format documentary that lasts one hour and therefore has more impact on the public than a written report.
The film has been hugely important; making it impossible for diplomats to ignore that gross human rights violations took place.
Amnesty International calls for an independent international investigation into the extent of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

Amnesty International has repeatedly called for the Secretary General to launch such an independent inquiry and has urged UN member states to support it.

Q&A: SRI LANKA’S KILLING FIELDS

Justice can only be served and healing delivered if the international community launches an international, independent investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sri Lanka. This historic opportunity must be seized, or the price for us all will be intolerably high.

“Channel 4 is lifting its normal commercial access restrictions to allow the film to be freely seen by anyone anywhere in the world. Additionally, it is bound to go viral via Youtube."

"This is not my normal kind of Snowblog. I end by asking you to watch this film. It could well prove a kind of a watershed, a moment when humanity, confronted with the evidence, cries ‘no more’. In our century of war – as the 21st Century is already beginning to feel – this could provide a moment when the perpetrators of war crimes meet the law courtesy of global disgust and pressure."

"You will see that the film had to be, as it is, horrifically true to the facts of what happened. I hope you will spare 50 minutes, it could be that it will make a difference.”

John Snow, Presenter
SnowBlog: http://blogs.channel4.com/snowblog/sri-lankas-killing-fields-project-affect-history/15457


Sri Lanka is trying to pretend these events are history. . .


They are not. . . 

For more background on Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, please visit, http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/articles/background-information

Help and Support: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/articles/help-support


Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields is available to watch on 4oD

This evidence cannot be buried !!!

Much love,

Anokhi 

International Day of the Midwife

Many people consider the day their child was born the happiest day in their life. In the world's wealthier countries, that is. In poorer countries, the day a child is born is all too often the day its mother dies. The lifetime risk of dying in pregnancy and childbirth in Africa is 1 in 22, while it is 1 in 120 in Asia and 1 in 7,300 in developed countries. 

Today, 5th May, is International Day of the Midwife and one of the most appropriate days to highlight that over 340,000 women and over 5 million infants around the world die each year as a result of preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications.

The world needs midwives now more than ever. 

The World Health Organisation, UN agencies and other global partners have identified that midwives are the key to achieving reductions in maternal and newborn deaths and disabilities globally. 

A global shortage of midwives is reducing the chances of countries hitting millennium development goal 5 (MDG 5) to reduce by three-quarters the maternal mortality rate.

What is the MDG 5?

Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG 5) aims to reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio by 2015 and to universalise the access to sexual and reproductive health.

• Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio. 
• Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health. 

Quick Facts:

1. Every year, 536,000 women and girls die as a result of complications during pregnancy, childbirth or the six weeks following delivery. 
2. 99% of these deaths occur in developing countries, half of them in sub-Saharan Africa and one third in South Asia. 
3. A further nine million women suffer complications that can result in life long pain, disability and socio-economic exclusion.
4. Around 215 millions couples per year do not have access to modern contraception methods. 

http://www.actionforglobalhealth.eu/index.php?id=101

The direct causes of maternal deaths are haemorrhage, infection, obstructed labour, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, and complications of unsafe abortion. A majority of these deaths and disabilities are preventable, being mainly due to insufficient care during pregnancy and delivery. Around 20 million women have unsafe abortions each year, and 3 million of the estimated 8.5 million who need care for subsequent health complications do not receive it. About 15 % of pregnancies and childbirths need emergency obstetric care because of complications that are difficult to predict.

Investing in maternal and sexual health can have a great impact on the other Development Goals. Greater use of condoms for contraception would reduce the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Reducing unplanned births and family size would result in savings on public-sector spending for health, water, sanitation and social services and reduce pressure on scarce natural resources, making social and economic development goals easier to achieve. Amongst other benefits, reducing unplanned pregnancies, particularly among adolescents, would improve educational and employment opportunities for women, which would in turn contribute to improving the status of women, increasing family savings, reducing poverty and spurring economic growth.

The real question is – Can the MDG 5 be achieved by 2015?

A global shortage of midwives means many women around the world are giving birth without a trained professional, increasing the risk to women's health and reducing the chances of countries hitting millennium development goal 5 to cut maternal mortality rates.

Today is the International Day Of The Midwife, and is used to bring awareness of the importance of midwives' work, and recognise the care they provide to child bearing families.

Happy healthy babies are the best reason of all to celebrate International Day of the Midwife today.

Who says fairy-tale endings don’t exist?!

Well, it sure has been one hell of a fairy tale week.

On Friday 29th April 2011, one of the biggest days in British history, Prince William and Miss Catherine “Kate” Middleton were declared man and wife at London's Westminster Abbey, in front of a congregation of around 1,900 and a worldwide television audience estimated at as many as 2 billion.

Wearing an ivory and white satin dress designed by Sarah Burton, a closely guarded secret until minutes before the service began; Kate accepted a wedding ring of Welsh gold, given to William by the Queen soon after the couple were engaged. The bride also wore a diamond-studded halo tiara which was loaned to her by the Queen.

In a marriage ceremony led by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Kate promised William that she would "love him, comfort him, honour him, and keep him," and he offered the same pledge. Like William's mother Princess Diana at her own 1981 wedding to Prince Charles, Kate struck a modern note by omitting the traditional vow to "obey" her husband.

Kate, 29, the daughter of creators of a successful party-planning business, becomes the first commoner in line to be queen in modern times. She'll now be known officially as Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, though the public will know her as Princess Catherine. William becomes the Duke of Cambridge.

AWW! And what a wedding it was. Proud moment for the British and everyone had a fabulous day overall as millions joined in with the Royal celebrations worldwide.


So, the Prince gets married and lives happily ever after. . .

This morning, I woke up to the news that the most wanted man...leader of the al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden was dead!! 

I was almost shocked as I didn't think I would ever hear those words and the first thing I thought was, finally, some closure. Extremely curious as to how it all went down, I turned on BBC News and I was glued to the TV for a good few hours.

Osama became known to the world as the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks in 2001, but intelligence services had been concerned about him since the early 1990s.

He was found and killed at a fortified compound on the outskirts of Abbottabad in north-west Pakistan.The compound is a few hundred metres from the Pakistan Military Academy, an elite military training centre, which is being described as Pakistan's equivalent to Britain's Sandhurst or the West Point academny in the US.

US President Barack Obama has hailed the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden as a "good day for America," saying the world is now a safer and a better place.

He is believed to have ordered the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001, as well as a number of other deadly bombings.

He topped the US "most wanted" list.

But his details on the list have now been updated with a simple banner indicating his current status: "Deceased".

DNA tests carried out after the operation indicated with "99.9%" certainty that the man shot dead was Osama Bin Laden, US officials said.

He was buried at sea after a Muslim funeral on board an aircraft carrier in the north Arabian Sea, Pentagon officials said. 

According to an article I read on the Metro website, "American authorities said that Osama bin Laden's body had been buried at sea, without giving further details. After Bin Laden was killed in the raid by US forces, officials insisted the body would be handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition. This practice requires the body to be buried within 24 hours.
A US official said that a country would find it difficult to accept the remains of the world's most wanted terrorist, so it was decided to bury him at an undisclosed location in the sea.
Burying Bin Laden's body at sea could also prevent his final resting place from becoming a shrine and a place of pilgrimage for his followers."

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/862130-osama-bin-laden-buried-at-sea-after-being-killed-in-us-raid-in-pakistan#ixzz1LDd4lz7m

From Times Square to Ground Zero to the White House, the familiar chant of "USA , USA" resonated as citizens learned that the Osama bin Laden was dead.
The announcement sparked immediate jubilation. In Time Square, people gathered around giant news tickers to see the latest updates. 

It is indeed a day of celebration around the world, however, we have all been warned...this is most certainly not the end. 

Ed Miliband MP, UK opposition leader, says: "Osama Bin Laden committed one of history's most appalling acts of terrorism and the world is a safer place because he will no longer be able to command or encourage acts of terror. For the victims of 9/11 and their families, nothing can take away the pain of what happened but this will provide an important sense of justice. Despite the death of Osama Bin Laden, our vigilance against the perpetrators of terrorism must and will continue."

The BBC's Matt Frei, at Ground Zero in New York, says: "The atmosphere which was jubilant in the middle of the night has become somewhat more restrained... there is no real sense of closure, because people are expecting the threats to continue. There is a fine balance between relief and holding your guard."

Regardless, it is a start, a victory, and President Barack Obama and US Officials have done a great job! 

US President Barack Obama, speaking from the White House, in Washington, says: "Our country has kept its commitment that justice is done. Today, we are reminded that, as a nation, there is nothing we can't do when we remember the sense of unity that defines us."

So there we have it...a fairy tale ending...a prince gets married and lives happily ever after...and a terrorist, the bad guy/villan, gets killed. . .

. . .just the way it should be . . .    :-)

Much love,

Anokhi 

Imagine being thrown in prison because you had the courage to leave a man who beats you. Imagine being jailed because you refuse to marry a man who raped you...


If you live in Afghanistan, these scenarios are not imaginary at all...


Today, the US State Department confirms 920 women, 760 girls between the age of 12 and 17, and 291 children are currently behind bars in Afghanistan. 95% are convicted of moral crimes. 


I have come across a few articles on the topic of ‘honour killing’ and have somewhat been aware of this ‘issue’, but it has always been something I could not quite understand. 

‘Honour killing’ is the killing of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators (and potentially the wider community) that the victim has brought dishonour upon the family or community. Honour killings are directed mostly against women and girls.

The perceived dishonour is normally the result of one of the following behaviours, or the suspicion of such behaviours:

(a) Dressing in a manner unacceptable to the family or community

(b) Wanting to terminate or prevent an arranged marriage or desiring to marry by own choice

(c) Engaging in heterosexual sexual acts outside marriage, or even due to a non-sexual relationship perceived as inappropriate

(d) Engaging in homosexual acts.

Women and girls are killed at a much higher rate than men.

In Afghanistan, an ancient code of Islamic honour called Shuria, proclaims any two men can accuse a woman of a crime. Case closed. No burden of proof or defence. A group of male elders, the local jirga, serves as jury and judge. The accused and her children are unquestionably shamed by the entire community and sentenced to prison—or death.

The fall of the Taliban initiated new political, legal and educational freedoms for women in Afghanistan, but centuries of patrilineal tradition cannot be eradicated by bombs or in one decade.

Billions of dollars have been spent on military efforts and infrastructure building, yet Afghan women lack the most basic equal rights. Last year, President Karzai signed the "Shia Personal Status Law", requiring women to ask permission before leaving their homes. 

Women are considered the property of fathers, husbands and brothers—often abused, traded and enslaved to repay family debt and even forced to commit self-immolation – or setting themselves on fire.

One of the most notorious "honour" killings of recent years occurred in April 1999, when Samia Imran, a young married woman, "was shot in the office of a lawyer helping her to seek a divorce which her family could never countenance." According to Suzanne Goldenberg,

Samia, 28, arrived at the Lahore law offices of Hina Jilani and Asma Jahangir, who are sisters, on April 6. She had engaged Jilani a few days earlier, because she wanted a divorce from her violent husband. Samia settled on a chair across the desk from the lawyer. Sultana, Samia's mother, entered five minutes later with a male companion. Samia half-rose in greeting. The man, Habib-ur-Rhemna, grabbed Samia and put a pistol to her head. The first bullet entered near Samia's eye and she fell. "There was no scream. There was dead silence. I don't even think she knew what was happening," Jilani said. The killer stood over Samia's body, and fired again. Jilani reached for the alarm button as the gunman and Sultana left. "She never even bothered to look whether the girl was dead."

The aftermath of the murder was equally revealing: "Members of Pakistan's upper house demanded punishment for the two women [lawyers] and none of Pakistan's political leaders condemned the attack. ... The clergy in Peshawar want the lawyers to be put to death" for trying to help Imran. (Suzanne Goldenberg, "A Question of Honor," The Guardian (UK), May 27, 1999.)

Lately, we've all seen the breaking news about the gorgeous young Harry Potter star Afshan Azad, whose father and brother are accused of an attempted honour killing. All because the young girl's family is Muslim, but she is in love with a Hindu boy. The men accused beat her with closed fists, dragged around her home, and tossed her about like a rag doll. It is reported that as Afshan was struggling to breathe, they threatened her with death.

All for what - loving a boy of a different religion?? I have always found such attitudes within families preposterous and to this day I still have discussions about these types of situations with my parents and still question how any family could put their darling daughters through any of it, let alone such extremes. 

I quote Sophia Bush here because I agree with her 100% and she has literally expressed everything I believe in and what my parents have taught me:

“Love is love. No matter your faith, race, sexual orientation, size, shape, or socioeconomic background. Maybe I feel that so strongly because I grew up on classic fairy tales. But I also grew up in karate classes, riding horses, and on the general notion that women kick ass; we can be our own knights in our own shining armor; we can ride our own damn horse. If the man of your dreams wants to ride along side you, fabulous! If he wants to stay home with the babies while you bring home the bacon, fabulous! And if you want to stay home with the babies and let him "Hi Ho!" off to work every day ... you guessed it ... fabulous! We are independent, strong, and capable of living with or without a man. Or a woman for that matter. If you yearn to get married then do it. If you want to be single forever, do it. If you and your girlfriend choose to get married (hopefully in any state soon) and have babies, do it! Ladies, we have options. We get to be whomever we choose, and we have the right to make new versions of those choices whenever we so desire.” (Sophia Bush, www.sophiabush.com).


Here are a few more articles worth reading on the subject:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-l-esposito/violence-against-women-a_b_705797.html

http://www.gendercide.org/case_honour.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-g-yerman/quest-for-honor-stop-the_b_696207.html


Imagine being thrown in prison because you had the courage to leave a man who beats you. Imagine being jailed because you refuse to marry a man who raped you...


Ladies, just think for one minute about how you are lucky enough to be empowered, yet these women go to jail for merely standing up for themselves. It is just appalling that such practices still exist in the world.

WOMEN ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE THE SOLUTION...ALONG WITH MEN!

The best way to fight poverty and extremism is to educate and empower women and girls.
http://www.halftheskymovement.org/

Life is Life...Fight for it!

Do we determine each moment of our life based on the decisions we make, the actions we take and the choices we face?

Do you sometimes wonder whether or not things would be different if we had done something differently?

I don't have any regrets and I believe that no-one should...however, sometimes I can't help but ponder over what could have been or where I'd be if a particular thing didn't happen or if something had gone differently. 

So many things have happened for the best, yet some things haven't. What happened to having a plan and sticking to it? How do we know whether what we are doing is right? 

I know the answer is that we just can't. Life is for living, to learn, to pass, to fail, to laugh, cry and make mistakes. To make decisions and then live with the consequences of these actions, be it good or bad.

Is it really easy to lose yourself if you don't pay attention to what life throws your way?

Hansel said to Gretel, let us drop these breadcrumbs…so that together we can find our way home, because losing our way would be the most cruel of things.

Losing your way on a journey is unfortunate...but, losing your reason for the journey…is a fate more cruel. And once you lose yourself, you have two choices: either find the person you used to be, or lose that person completely.

Because, sometimes, you have to step outside of the person you’ve been.

And remember the person you were meant to be. The person you wanted to be. . . 

I just can't help thinking about what I have done, where I am right now and how I got here. What does the future hold for me? 

Over the past year, it has been one hell of a hurdle - graduating and entering the real world (work) and facing the pressure to figure out your life, your career and ambitions. 

I have undergone many changes and don't know whether it's purely because I didn't have the will power and strength to follow through, or maybe I didn't really know what I wanted and it was just what I thought I wanted. I am not even sure I have figured any of it out yet. . .

When I was in high-school, I loved science...I was passionate and I always wanted to be able to help people...(at least that hasn't changed) and I used to dream about being a doctor 'when I grew up' !

But then, I got to college and something changed - I came home with totally different subjects which had replaced Chemistry and Biology and I ended up taking Economics, Mathematics and Psychology. 

I did think about it carefully and although later on, for the teeniest amount of time, I did regret it...I never questioned my decisions. When I went to uni to study Economics, Finance and Management, I never once felt like I was making a mistake - I knew I loved the subject and I thoroughly enjoyed my degree, well, most of it. I am a strong believer of the saying "Everything happens for a reason" and I truly feel that it does.  

I just can't bring myself to understand it sometimes...and I have started wondering whether it is actually circumstances and opportunity that helps in changing our mind and influencing certain actions - or merely just assisting us in finding our path?! 

Throughout my degree, I thought it was a Finance career I wanted. I loved most of the finance modules at uni and I was actually good at them, so, it was finance graduate schemes I was applying to. I didn't have much luck with it - I am partly blaming the economy and the tough times we are facing - or at least it was worse when I was at uni last year, however, I also began to realise that maybe finance wasn't for me. I have always loved the theory and I still do, I love solving problems and when it comes to maths, I love that challenge!

Anyway, I still gave it a chance and was willing to find out whether it really was for me, in practice anyway. 

I went back to The Trust to continue volunteering with the Finance Team and the Director of Finance has always supported me, in fact she still does and I will always be grateful to her - an amazing woman and a true inspiration. 

One month in, and I was given the opportunity to try out within Communications. I took it, because I was looking for a job and all I wanted was to gain some experience. Soon after, I was asked to interview for a position that opened up and I was offered a fixed term contract. I can't say I ever saw myself within Communications and PR, but did I see myself within Finance? All I can say is, I can't thank The Trust and everyone I work with enough for the opportunity. During my time with The Trust, I have learnt a great deal and the people will always remain close to my heart. A perfect first job and I am most definitely a different person - I have developed skills I never thought I had and I have realised my potential. I have learnt to express my views and passions and more importantly, I have discovered a career path which I hope I will be good at. 

So, I can't help but wonder that if I wasn't given that opportunity 8 months ago, where would I be right now? Would I be working in Finance? Would I have ever discovered Public Relations/Communications? I can't guarantee that this is the way it will go, neither can I predict my future...

My contract with The Trust ends soon and although I am extremely saddened by the thought, I am trying really hard to see it all as a positive. A new chance, a new opportunity and a chance to discover myself. I think most people I know can agree with how competitive jobs are these days and how utterly depressing it is, but, I know that we can do it...because we are amazing and we just need to be patient. Somebody will discover us soon enough and we have the rest of our lives ahead of us!! ;-)

Whatever happens, it's all part of the fun. 

Life is a long long journey. There will be difficulties, there will be a lot of happiness as well as a lot of sadness, but we need to live it how we want to, and regardless of how we get to where we are, we should just embrace every opportunity. Live life to fullest and one day I hope that we all find our way and become who we truly wish to be. 

Albert Einstein once said: "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning."

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realise it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

(Mother Teresa)

Much Love,

Anokhi