Helen Grant MP Fights Forced Marriage

Survivors of early and forced marriage have got backing from a local MP – who took their cause to Westminster.

Helen Grant, Conservative Member of Parliament for Maidstone and the Weald, stood up during Prime Minister's Questions this week to urge action.

"I asked what the government is planning to do to tackle the appalling issue of forced marriage, both in the UK and globally," says Ms Grant, who is working with the children's charity Plan UK on their campaign to end early and forced marriage.

"The Prime Minister assured me he is cracking down on the practice and is currently examining whether it should be made a criminal offence in England and Wales. He said that he believes the government should be taking every available step to say that is simply unacceptable that in 2012, in a civilised country such as ours, such a barbaric practice should exist."

"I will be making a formal response to the Home Office's consultation on the matter." adds Mrs Grant.

In 2010, the Government's Forced Marriage Unit dealt with 1,735 cases of forced marriage in the UK.

The Home Affairs select committee stated last May that they were "extremely worried" that schools were not doing enough preventative work on the issue.

Plan UK is running the "Take the Vow" petition, calling on the UK government to take urgent action to end the practice

"The UK is linked to a global crisis, with at least ten million girls worldwide forced or coerced into marriage every year," says Marie Staunton, Chief Executive of Plan UK.

"Globally there are many causes for child marriage – such as gender inequality, poverty and the impact of natural disasters."

Plan UK has launched 'The Right to Say No' - the first national education resource for schools on early and forced marriage.

"We have produced a video and lesson plans for key stage 3 and above, based on the real-life experience of a young British girl whose family tried to force her into marriage," explains Marie Staunton.

"We want to support young people's understanding of the issue and the role they can play in taking action."

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