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London concert-goers to hear inspiring stories of women’s empowerment
The story of Asma, a woman from Bangladesh, is just one of the inspiring stories that an audience at VSO’s London carol concert will hear this week. Asma was disfigured in an acid attack by a man she refused to marry at 13.
VSO has supported her through access to healthcare, education and training. The international development charity, which works through volunteers placed with local partners in the world’s poorest countries, has invited Monira Rahman, CEO of its Bangladesh partner the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), to speak at the event on Thursday 6 December at St Martin’s In the Fields church.
All over the world, women not only suffer the most from poverty, but have the least say in what needs to be done to tackle it. As well as advocating for women to have greater participation and influence in decision-making at national and community level, VSO works to improve basic services such as education for girls and maternal healthcare.
In Bangladesh, VSO volunteers have helped the ASF by training national medical professionals in treating burns, setting up counselling services and training acid attack survivors to produce garments to reduce scaring. These can then be sold, giving many women a livelihood.
VSO Chief Executive, Marg Mayne, said:
“Women suffer most from poverty but have least influence over what is done about it. We need to ensure that women to have more of a say in the decision making that affects their lives. This is why VSO volunteers are working with local partners like the Acid Survivors Foundation and helping the women it supports to receive treatment, get an education and most importantly exercise their rights.”
Monira Rahman, CEO, of the ASF, said:
“Violence against women is a major obstacle for women’s empowerment. It is important we tackle the problem from all corners, and create an environment where women feel safe enough to contribute to their social and economic development.
“Women’s contribution to society is not currently acknowledged in many countries and until we value women and treat them with dignity, violence will not be reduced. As long as women are treated as commodities, there will be men who believe they are justified in destroying them and violating their rights.”
The concert will be held from 8-10pm and visitors will hear readings from a range of VSO supporters including actor Russell Tovey, writer and broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, and president of teaching union NASUWT Paula Roe in addition to traditional Christmas carols and music from the City of London Choir.
To find out more about VSO, including how to volunteer, go to www.vso.org.uk
About VSO:
VSO is different from most organisations that fight poverty. Instead of sending money or food, we bring people together to share skills and knowledge. In doing so, we create lasting change. VSO volunteers work in whatever fields are necessary to address the forces that keep people in poverty – from education and health through helping people learn the skills they need to make a living. In doing so they invest in local people, so the impact they have endures long after their placement ends.
Professional pictures of acid attack survivors are available from VSO. For more information or to request interviews contact:
Susannah Taw
Media Officer
VSO UK
Telephone: +44 0 20 8780 7621
24 Hours Media Response: +44 0 750 091 8478
susannah.taw@vso.org.uk
www.vso.org.uk
