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Jean Lambert London's Green MEP

Green MEP calls for EU hearing on ‘honour’ crimes

Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, hosted a strategy meeting with fellow MEPs and activists to discuss what needs to be done to raise awareness about ‘honour’ crimes at both an EU and Member State level yesterday.

Key speakers at the event included prominent women’s rights campaigner Jasvinder Sanghera from Karma Nirvana [1] in the UK and Ahmad Mansour, from Germany, who proposed setting up a UK branch of his charity Heroes [2].

Jean said: “Violence enacted in the name of ‘honour’ can take many forms, be it physical, psychological, sexual or emotional. It is not confined to one religion or one community and affects thousands of people every day.

“This meeting was about encouraging an open and frank discussion on a taboo subject. We heard from some truly inspiring people and must take their lead in raising awareness at both an EU and Member State level, which is why I am calling for a public hearing in the European Parliament.

“The EU can also add value through the sharing of best practice, as demonstrated by some of the organizations represented at this meeting. But funding for resources, education and support remains key, and this falls largely to individual Member States, who must not turn a blind eye to this often silent problem.

“We need to work together to challenge the attitudes that consider such heinous crimes to be acceptable. This is an issue of universal human rights and individual freedom people cannot hide behind culture, belief or practice: culture can change.”