Oct 24, 2007, 12:18 GMT
London - A two-day international conference to discuss the sensitive problem of so-called forced marriages opened in London Wednesday, presenting such arranged relationships as a 'human rights issue' and aiming to give guidance and practical help to victims.
The British government, which has set up a special Forced Marriage Unit (FMU), is to share its experience with other participants at the conference, organized by the Foreign Office in partnership with the European Commission's Daphne Fund.
The conference will be told about the guidance given to social workers, health professionals, police and teachers by the FMU to help them respond to complaints of forced marriage - and to spot cases where women may be afraid to seek help from the authorities.
It will also hear the personal testimony of victims who have fled marital relationships entered against their will.
FMU head Peter Abbott revealed that his unit has dealt with several cases linked to predominantly Catholic countries such as Italy, Ireland and France, since its establishment in 2005.
Although popular opinion regarded forced marriage as a problem mainly in Muslim communities, Abbott said that cases were seen in many cultures where family and village ties exert a strong influence.
While 65 per cent of the approximately 300 cases which the FMU deals with each year involve Pakistan, and 25 per cent Bangladesh, others were linked to countries such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
A handful of European countries, including Italy, Ireland and France, were also affected, said Abbott.
According to FMU figures, some 15 per cent of the cases involve men and 33 per cent young people aged under 18, many of whom have been promised for marriage at ages as low as eight.
'The overwhelming common denominator is those cultures and societies where the family is incredibly strong, where family and the village is the centre of life and really plays a large part,' Abbott said.
Foreign Office minister Meg Munn said in a an opening statement: 'These cases happen across the world. It's not a religious issue, it's not a cultural issue. This is a human rights issue. It happens in all sorts of places, not because of people's religion.'
FMU guidance states that forced marriage is against the teachings of all major religions, and the Unit is planning to produce a pamphlet by a Muslim scholar explaining the position of Islam on the issue.
British nationals who have been sent abroad for a forced marriage frequently go to British diplomatic representations for help, and in many cases are offered shelter in a refuge, replacement passports, transport back to Britain and support at home if their families disown them, Abbott said.
Worldwide, some 200 people are assisted, rescued and repatriated each year, often with the assistance of authorities in the country involved.
Britain has developed good relations with the Pakistani authorities - particularly in the rural Mirpur district, with which the majority of cases are linked.
In one recent case, the Mirpur police provided British officials with a truckload of officers armed with AK47 machine guns to help a woman escape from her husband's home.
The exact extent of the problem inside Britain remains unknown, though the FMU says it receives 5,000 contacts a year.
Four pilot projects in West Yorkshire, Lancashire, London and the West Midlands, all areas with a large Muslim population, are seeking to gain more precise data on its prevalence, as FMU officials regularly take part in workshops with community leaders around Britain.
Further pilot schemes of civil action to protect those threatened by forced marriage will be launched when the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act, passed by the British parliament in July, comes into effect, according to Home Office minister Vernon Coaker.
'This is an issue we have made progress on, but we know we need to make more progress,' he said.
Your Talkback on this Story