A host of MWOTY alumni came together on Saturday 23rd November to support Savera UK’s annual “March to End ‘Honour’-Based Abuse and Harmful Practices”.
Savera UK is a leading charity that works to HBA and other harmful practices, including forced marriage, FGM and conversion ‘therapy’, while also providing life-saving services for those at risk, regardless of age, culture, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender.
The charity’s founder and CEO, Afrah Qassim, is a twice-MWOTY category winner, being named ‘Humanitarian of the Year’ in 2012 and ‘Woman of Courage’ in 2022. She established the annual march in 2022 to shine a specific spotlight on HBA and harmful practices, which are often hidden or not well-understood.
The theme of the 2024 event was “break the silence”, something that was supported by two MWOTY alumni – Juliana Pinheiro Landim from Katumba Drumming and Movement and Hayli Kincade from Wavertree Community Gospel Choir.
Both delivered powerful performances, with Katumba opening the event with a unifying and thunderous march led by Savera UK, its partners Zonta UK and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside, Emily Spurrell – a former keynote speaker at the MWOTY awards.
Wavertree Community Gospel Choir performed a moving rendition of Something Inside So Strong at the event’s start and closed proceedings with a rousing performance of Put a Little Love in Your Heart and Shackles.
Afrah led speeches calling HBA and harmful practices violations of human rights and calling for them to end, and survivor testimonies were read by members of the Savera UK Direct Intervention team, including Merfat Musleh, who was runner up in this year’s “Women to Watch” category.
Volunteers supporting the event included GoodGym Liverpool, who are led by MWOTY 2024’s “Woman Making a Difference”, Ema Quinn, who is also the Choir Manager for the Choir with No Name Liverpool.
Speaking following the event, Savera UK PR manager and event organiser (and MWOTY’s PR manager), Nikki Croft-Girvan said: “It was only when the event was in full flow that we realised just how many MWOTY alumni were in attendance, giving their time and effort to raise awareness of issues that are rarely give the attention and focus that they need. It was an honour to come together to deliver something so powerful to help educate and inform people that HBA and harmful practices do happen here, and that we must work together to end them.”
Read the full event blog on Savera UK’s website here: https://www.saverauk.co.uk/march-to-end-hba-sends-powerful-message/
