Sunday 9th November 6.30pm Faith & Violence Against Women & Girls

Vandana Aparanti This talk explores how religious beliefs and institutions can both perpetuate and help prevent abuse. It will show the importance of engaging with faith communities to challenge harmful practices, uphold human rights, and promote gender equality. Vandana was born in Mumbai (India) in 1961. She trained as a dentist there, and met her husband, Sanjay, whilst at university. Both Vandana and Sanjay come from an Oppressed Caste background, from a community often known as Dalits. Vandana rejects this term. Now in the UK, Vandana has dedicated her life to supporting women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence. She worked in domestic abuse services at Harrow Council for Racial Equality and the Asian Women’s Resource Centre, as well as founding the Empathy Foundation in India, an organization working to raise awareness of gender-based violence. Her experience as a Caste-Oppressed woman has impacted how she delivers these services, being acutely aware of the intersection between caste and gender in the South Asian community, both on the subcontinent and in the UK. Vandana believes that caste should be a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010, and is committed to campaigning for its inclusion. All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover speaker and other costs. Image generated by Gemini AI.