Karma Nirvana – Launched in 2008 and is the Charity of the Year
Jasvinder was born in England; she has seven sisters and one brother.
Founder of Karma Nirvana, a charity supporting victims of violence, particularly forced marriages and honour killings.
As always. Jasvinder spoke from the heart giving delegates a brief overview of her own experience and how it has shaped her future. She lives with the knowledge that her family have still not acknowledged her as daughter, sister and now mother of three children herself.
She had the vision to start a helpline so that her experience would not be in vain, and that other women would be listened to, believed and kept safe. She was instrumental, with the support of SI Bilston and Soroptimists nationally in petitioning and achieving constitutional change that makes forced marriage a criminal offence.
The message to conference was, this issue is still as important as ever. Soroptimists are urged to speak to local services to ensure that every girl that voices concern about being forced into marriage, or suggests that she will be killed, is listened to very seriously.
Report by Dishi Attwood – SI Midland Chase Region