Women’s rights advocate returns to University to head up forced marriage discussion

Graduate and honorand Jasvinder Sanghera will return to the University of Derby as head of a panel discussion on forced marriages.

The evening will open with a screening of The Honor Diaries, an inspiring documentary featuring Jasvinder and other women’s rights advocates, tackling gender inequality and other issues facing Muslim-majority societies, hosted by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Rod Dubrow-Marshall.

Jasvinder will give an exclusive lecture to Education students at the University during the day which will be followed by a public panel discussion in the evening, introduced by Vice-Chancellor Professor John Coyne.

The evening panel will consist of:

• Jasvinder Sanghera CBE
• Alan Charles – Police and Crime Commissioner of Derbyshire 
• Alison Scott-Baumann – Professor of Society, Religion and Belief 
• Julia Giaramita – Senior Lecturer in Criminology (used to be under LHSS)

Jasvinder’s keynote talk will be rooted in this important history, and in the creation of her UK charity, Karma Nirvana, which supports victims of honour crimes and forced marriages. More recently Jasvinder’s charity worked in partnership with well-known women's magazine Cosmopolitan to devise a powerful cover, conveying the horror of honour killing for the February 2015 edition. The cover displays a woman looking, trapped, unsettled and in despair.

Jasvinder said: “I am delighted to be attending a screening of Honor Diaries followed by a discussion in my home town and as a proud honorary member of the University of Derby. This will be an opportunity to discuss and debate issues that affect many people across the world and it is only by raising awareness can we break the silences of this often hidden abuse.”

Jasvinder is well known as a Sunday Times Bestselling author for her ‘Shame’ biographies.
She was also awarded a:

• CBE in 2013 for services to victims of forced marriages and honour-based violence 
• Guardian Inspirational Woman of Year
• Pride of Britain Award
• Woman of the Year Award
• Asian Woman's Achievement Award 
• Ambassador for Peace Award.

Kulsoom Rehman, Programme Leader Children’s and Young People’s Services at the University of Derby added: “We’re pleased to welcome back Jasvinder to share her history and working knowledge on the issue of honour violence. The panellists are all going to bring a different perspective to the debate, which I expect will be a very powerful evening for everyone involved.”

The event will be open for all to attend from 6pm-9pm, on Wednesday 11 February 2015, at the University’s Kedleston Road site in Derby.