Jan Trust charity launches forced marriages campaign in Luton

A LONDON-based group has launched an awareness campaign for forced marriages in Luton.

The JAN Trust, a women’s charity dealing with issues concerning minority communities and migrants, has started the ‘Against Forced Marriages’ initiative in the town.

The charity said forced marriage was an issue that is widespread across all communities but more so among people with a South Asian, Middle Eastern, or North African background.

As part of the campaign, the charity will be holding a series of workshops and seminars in schools, colleges, and in organisations catering for ethnic minority communities.

It is hoped the workshops will increase awareness among young people and highlight the support available to them.

Sajda Mughal, who is the director at JAN Trust and also part of the Foreign Commonwealth Office’s Forced Marriage Unit Partnership Board, said: “We want to raise awareness on this inhumane act and educate women and girls about their rights.

“At the same time we want mothers to be able to support their daughters by giving them correct information which clearly states that a forced marriage is not an act permitted by Islam.

“Changing behaviours and attitudes that lead to the abuse must be done at a local level and it is a project such as ‘Against Forced Marriages’ that will make a difference.”

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