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Caritas Bakhita House wins major award


Mother and child at Caritas Bakhita House

Mother and child at Caritas Bakhita House

Source: Caritas Westminster

Caritas Bakhita House was among the winners of the IKWRO True Honour Awards announced on 5 May.

IKWRO (Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation) has a mission to protect Middle Eastern and Afghan women and girls who are at risk of 'honour' based violence, forced marriage, child marriage, female genital mutilation and domestic violence and to promote their rights.

Caritas Bakhita House is Caritas Westminster's safe house providing women escaping human trafficking with the safety and support to allow them to begin the recovery process. It has been open for nearly 6 years and has provided vital shelter and support to 135 women from 42 countries aged 15-70 years of age.

A number of these women have been sold by their families and some have been told they would be married to men they did not even know. As such they would be at risk from "honour" based harm. It is on this basis that Caritas Bakhita House was nominated for a True Honour Award.

Karen Anstiss, the manager of Bakhita House says she was honoured that the service was chosen as winner of Special Recognition as Outstanding Organisation Tackling "Honour" Based Abuse.

In announcing the award, IKWRO also noted that Bakhita House takes in women that other refuges may not, including women without recourse to public funds, and praised Karen and her team for creating a family-like environment where the women are safe and secure and learn many skills.

Karen said: "The IKWRO Honour Awards show that partnerships are vital in helping the most vulnerable. Everyone needs to play their part to enable people to live safely with dignity"

IKWRO is a leading charity in the campaign to ban child marriage in the UK, a campaign which has the support of Caritas Bakhita House.

LINK

Caritas Bakhita House: www.caritaswestminster.org.uk/bakhita-house.php


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