On Monday and Tuesday we were in Perth at the 85th STUC Women’s Conference raising awareness about the issues refugee and asylum seeking women in Scotland face.
Inspiring trade union women, organisations fighting for women’s rights and politicians like Johann Lamont MSP, leader of the Scottish Labour Party, all stopped by our stall for a chat.
Don’t accept. Speak up, out and even sing
There were many highlights over the course of the two days. Nazerin Wardrop, Chair of the STUC Black Workers Committee, spurred us all into action to combat racism and the misrepresentation of refugees and asylum seekers in the media. And listening to Mariela Kohon of Justice for Colombia speak passionately about the violence and imprisonment faced by hundreds of women in Colombia fighting for their rights was both moving and motivating.
Perhaps the most poignant moment for me, though, was when Hoorina Khalsa, an inspiring young refugee woman from Hillpark Secondary School in Glasgow, confidently took the stage to tell us all her very personal story of courage and resilience.
Hoorina survived not only a brutal attack on her family by the Taliban, in which her uncle was killed in front of her, but also the threat of her own enslavement in Afghanistan. We were enraptured by her story and by her beautiful voice as she sang ‘a capella’ her composition for the Songs for Social Justice Festival 2013.
Motion raised to help destitute women seeking asylum
And there could be no better ending to an absolutely energising two days than the emergency motion (one of three) moved by Unite the Union, seconded by the Communication Workers Union and carried unanimously by delegates.
The motion called on the STUC Women’s Conference to use its branches, workplaces and networks to offer assistance to destitute asylum seeking women. And it also identified that their active role in raising awareness about the plight of women and children seeking safety in Scotland must continue – a huge boost for our stop destitution campaign!
So, why not join these strong women standing up for asylum seekers and refugees and sign our petition to stop refugee destitution in Scotland.
