Women Together 2007
Women Together: Challenges & Achievements
350 women and children attended DAAP's Celebration
of the International Women's Day on Wednesday 7th March 2007.
Key note speaker Gurinder Chadha spoke about her mother who inspired her to be where she is today.
Perminder Dhillon, DAAP CEO talked about the biggest challenge that face women - the ego.
The DAAP Woman of the Year Award 2007 sponsored by The TR Suterwalla Group of Companies, Southall, was presented to Ms. Harbhajan Ghatore and Ms. Madeline Muir for their dedication in supporting people to overcome their addiction.
"I am absolutely thrilled and surprised with the award" said an emotional Madeline " I want to say a big thank you for the commendation"
Harbhajan said, "I am totally shocked to get this award.... However I really feel honoured. It is a confirmation for me that I am part of creating change in the community. My resolve is strengthened. 'Think only the best, work only for the best and expect only the best'. No one deserves anything less.
"We should be proud of the achievements made by women in our community. Highlighting the evils of Drug Abuse and making people aware of the help and support by organisations such as the DAAP is to be commended" said Mr. Fakhruddin Suterwalla, Chairman.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC and Sapnara Khatun, family lawyer, spoke about Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Bill.
Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Bill [HL]
Jasvinder Sanghera from Karma Nirvana spoke spoke about her book Shame; Sue Smith about Oxfam's work on poverty and Bhupinder Iffat about gun crime in the Asian community.
Feedback from Women... see comments (30KB .doc)
Evening Programme (38KB .doc), Press Release (31KB .doc) and Perminder Dhillon's (CEO, DAAP) Poem (22KB .doc).
Women challenge the local paper's bias
350 women signed a petition condemning the local paper for not covering this annual event which has been taking place since 2003!
The petition reads:
We the undersigned women present at the Women Together Event today deplore the Ealing/Southall Gazette for ignoring the annual Women Against Drugs event. For the past three years, the paper has provided no coverage for this important event which over 200 women have attended. We cannot believe that women’s issues are not news worthy and that neither is the DAAP Woman of the Year Award that commends women for giving up addiction. This systematic exclusion leads us to believe that institutionalised discrimination of the highest is taking place. The paper should hang its head in shame!
This was presented to the editor Mr. Azam on 14th March.
See Press Release (66KB .doc), Perminder Dhillon's response to editor's blog (26KB .doc)