The Tees Valley Inclusion Project has been established by a group of women to engage and assist people from a diverse range of communities especially women and members of the BME community across Tees Valley.
Responding to Needs across Tees Valley
January 4th, 2013Happy New Year from Tees Valley Inclusion Project
January 1st, 2013We hope you all have a great new year, thank you for all your support in 2012.
2013 brings new challenges, look out for new projects and events throughout the year.
Barry Coppinger – The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland and Yasmin Khan talk about Honour Based Violence & Forced Marriages
November 29th, 2012Listen to Barry Coppinger – The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland and Yasmin Khan talk on BBC Radio Tees about Honour Based Violence and Forced Marriages in our Region.
The Launch of the Halo Project
November 29th, 2012The partners launch was held at the Thistle Hotel Middlesbrough on the 28th November 2012. The event was a great success for the Region with some major steps and commitment pledged by key partners.
Supporting the Halo Project (From left to right)
Barry Coppinger – The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland
Yasmin Khan – Vela Group
Chaz Akoshile – The Forced Marriage Unit
Jacqui Cheer – Chief Constable Cleveland Police
Nazir Afzal – Chief Crown Prosecutor North West
Nazir Afzal: how the CPS plans to bring more child abusers to justice
November 21st, 2012Nazir Afsal talks about child sex rings in Rochdale, article published 21st November 2012.
Halo Project
November 18th, 2012A new programme of work supported by strategic partners in Tees Valley is set to launch on the 28th November 2012. The HALO Project provides supports to victims of honour based violence and forced marriages, the launch will bring together national and local partners to introduce the work of the project and raise the awareness of the issues of honour based violence. This innovative project is the first in the region to provide steer for agencies in making improvements in their services ahead of the criminalisation of forced marriages.
Today in Teesside
March 20th, 2012Listen to a local BBC interview in Middlesbrough which describes views held by a fifth of British Asians who feel dishonour within their families should be dealt with by violence. Local residents give their view. Listen Now
Morocco protest against rape-marriage law – BBC News
March 18th, 2012Several hundred women’s rights activists have demonstrated outside Morocco’s parliament to demand the repeal of a law on sexual violence.
Morocco’s penal code allows a rapist to marry his victim if she is a minor as a way of avoiding prosecution.
A 16-year-old girl, Amina Filali, killed herself a week ago after being severely beaten during a forced marriage to her rapist.
The protesters held signs saying, “The law has killed Amina”.
The parents of Amina Filali were at the protest, says the BBC’s Nora Fakim, in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.
They say their daughter was pressured by a local court into marrying her rapist, who then abused her.
She died after swallowing rat poison on 10 March.
‘Special circumstances’
Her case has shocked many in Morocco. Women’s rights groups have started an online campaign to have the law – article 475 – repealed. A Facebook page called “We are all Amina Filali” has been set up.
“What we have witnessed is scandalous. We have had enough. We must change this law, we must change the penal code,” said Fouzia Assouli, the president of the Democratic League for Women’s Rights.
Ms Filali came from the small northern town of Larache, near Tangiers.
In poor, conservative rural areas such as this, it is unacceptable for a woman to lose her virginity before marriage – and the dishonour is hers and her family’s even if she is raped, our correspondent says.
The legal age of marriage in Morocco is 18, unless there are “special circumstances” – which is the reason why Ms Filali was married despite being under-age.
A judge can only recommend marriage if all parties involved agree – but activists say pressure is often applied to the victim’s family to avoid a scandal.
Ms Filali’s father said that when he reported the rape of his daughter, he was advised of the option to marry by court officials.
“The prosecutor advised my daughter to marry. He said, ‘Go and make the marriage contract’,” Lahcen Filali told an online newspaper, goud.ma.
Campaigners are also calling for the judge who allowed the marriage and the rapist to be jailed
BBC News – http://bbc.in/FPznlL
Call to end violence againist womens and girls.
March 17th, 2012Taking Action – the next chapter – Home Office
Type 2 Diabetes
March 14th, 2012TVIP launch new campaign to raise awareness and help BME women in Tees Valley to test themselves and look out for the danger signs.
BME communities are more prone to developing Type 2 diabetes that their white counterparts, it is important to prevent people developing diabetes, this can be avoided by adopting a healthier lifestyle, our programmes will enable women to participate in gender specific sports programme which will also provide healthy lifestyle workshops.