Submitted by: Management Committee, NCW

The National Council of Women, concerned by reports of forced marriages and aware of the report on Forced Marriage by the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee (Home Affairs Committee – Eighth Report on Forced marriage – Published May 17th 2011), aware, too, that the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 does not make forced marriage a criminal offence, and that evidence provided to the Home Affairs Committee indicates that this is a growing and serious problem, urgesher Majesty’s Government:
(a) to initiate legislation to make forced marriage a criminal offence, as recommended in the Home Affairs Committee report (May 2011); and
(b) to give support to organisations which work to assist victims of forced marriage.