One Year Since Mahsa Amini's Death

On the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, MEWSo and many other charities, activists, politicians and human rights organisations will be holding a national demonstration in Trafalgar Square.

The rally is to help keep the 22 year-old’s name, and what happened to her at the hands of Iran’s ‘Morality Police’, in the public eye. 

Mahsa was so severely beaten for apparently not wearing her hijab properly that she fell into a coma and died. The event sparked months of civil unrest across Iran and protests around the world. ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ became the slogan of opposition and women cut off their hair as a mark of resistance and solidarity.

You, too, can commemorate Mahsa’s death and protest by joining MEWSo in Trafalgar Square on SATURDAY 16 SEPTEMBER, from 2-6pm. We need you to Raise Your Voice to encourage Government to do more to isolate Iran’s Islamic Regime, and send a message to women around the world, who continue to suffer staggering atrocities, that they are not forgotten and we stand with them and their cause.

Migrants & Refugees Suffering Hardship

If you live in the London Borough of HACKNEY, are an undocumented migrant, with no access to benefits and are suffering severe hardship, MEWSo may be able to help.

From Monday 4 September, we are helping administer Hackney’s No Recourse to Public Funds scheme and will be able to hand out small relief payments to people in serious difficulty.

People can refer themselves or community organisations based in Hackney can refer their clients who fit the criteria. Assessments will be made to identify people’s eligibility.

For more information or to fill out a referral form call: 07780 983 152 or email: Aman.Zanoon@mewso.org.

Training On Harmful Cultural Practices

Family Matters: Polygamy

Our last polygamy workshop at the end of July was a great success with 12 women and families talking about their experiences and traumas related to their family set up.

They each took part in multiple activities including art therapy where they were able to  draw images related to themselves and their families to help them better explain their emotions.

The next series of polygamy meetings will dig a little deeper, giving any woman who wants to take part a 1-2-1 session where they can be more private about their particular circumstances.

If you know of, or work with, women and children you think live with such a damaging family set up and can be helped by these sessions, please email: Aman.Zanoon@mewso.org. 

MEWSo's Flourishing LGBTQ+ Group

MEWSo's LGBTQ+ group is really going strong with a regular dozen or more service users coming together for a number of fun days out, events and protests.

Several people joined MEWSo to celebrate this year’s Pride march and also protest against the treatment of LGBTQ+ people in Iran and the Middle East. Many attended our Picnic in the Park event, though the venue was switched at the last minute to the National History Museum cafe when the weather deteriorated. And, they joined MEWSo to spend a day of history and culture at the British Museum.

All these get-togethers are helping LGBTQ+ service users find positive support and connections within their ethnic communities. If you need help and advice as a LGBTQ+ member from a minority ethnic community, take a look at our LGBTQ+ campaign page and email: Sodabeh.Gashtasebi@mewso.org. 

Kurdish-Speaker Wanted

We are looking for a Kurdish-Speaking volunteer to help with our new social group for Feyli women.

She will be working closely with vulnerable women to help reduce their isolation and create a safe space for them to share their experiences. 

The volunteer will not only speak Kurdish but have a good command of English, and be able to help organise workshops, do essential paperwork and collect feedback.

If you are interested, or know of someone who is, click to find out more information about this role.

Volunteer English Teacher in Islington

If you have a very good command of English and would like to help vulnerable women in the London Borough of Islington improve their conversational English, then this could be the role for you.

You don’t need to be a qualified teacher, you just need to be able to speak English well, have good communication skills, a genuine desire to volunteer and help vulnerable women, and want to help support a small charity.

Click for more details.