Dear friend
Arbitration and Mediation (Equality) Bill
We recently wrote to you about the Arbitration and Mediation (Equality) Bill which has been introduced to the House of Lords by Baroness Caroline Cox. Baroness Cox has welcomed us on to her team and we will work together – with various other groups – to promote the passage of the Bill and to persuade members of Parliament to back it. Unfortunately, whilst the Government acknowledged our recent debate and having received numerous letters on this issue, it has already confirmed that it will not support the Bill. We are currently working on a response to this and will share it with you when we can. Baroness Cox has highly praised the work of One Law for All and regularly states that she was ‘inspired’ by us. Here is more information on the Bill.
New Resources
We have recently completed a detailed guide of the family law rights of women living in Britain with regard to divorce, domestic violence, child custody and other issues. In it, we make comparisons with sharia law and inform women that they are not obliged to attend or accept the rulings of any sharia tribunal or council. The book is accompanied by two guidance videos where the law is outlined both for women and lawyers advising them. You can see them here.
Upcoming Events
To see our upcoming events, including talks in Denmark and Lymington, UK, click here.
Children Act
Under sharia law, child custody is awarded to fathers regardless of the circumstances. Under the Children Act, judges and courts of British law are legally obliged to act only in the best interests of the child or children when making decisions on custody, contact etc. One Law for All will soon release our research on the effect that sharia councils and tribunals are having on the well being of children in Britain. On November 22nd, we will hold a seminar which will include legal experts and personal testimony.
Art Festival
Don’t forget our annual art festival, Passion for Freedom , which will run from October 29th to November 5th. More details here.
Previous events
To listen to Anne Marie’s speech at the National Secular Society conference on secularism, visit here. To see Maryam’s speech at the 17 September rally for a secular Europe, click here.
Support us!
Thanks to each and every one of you who has donated to our campaign. If you’d like to and can donate or become a 100Club member, please visit here. Every little does go a long way in the fight against Sharia and for secularism and rights.
Also a reminder that if you shop online, please do so via the Easy Fundraising website. It won’t cost you anything extra but can help raise much needed funds for One Law for All.
Finally, if you haven’t already signed up to the One Law for All campaign, please join the over 28,000 people and groups that have.
Thanks again
Warmest wishes
Anne Marie Waters
One Law for All Spokesperson
NOTES
To donate to the crucial work of One Law for All, please either send a cheque made payable to One Law for All to BM Box 2387, London WC1N 3XX, UK or pay via Paypal here.
We need regular support that we can rely on and are asking for supporters to commit to giving at least £5-10 a month via direct debit. You can find out more about how to join the 100 Club here.
The One Law for All Campaign was launched on 10 December 2008, International Human Rights Day, to call on the UK Government to recognise that Sharia and religious courts are arbitrary and discriminatory against women and children in particular and that citizenship and human rights are non-negotiable. To join the campaign, sign our petition here.
For further information contact:
Maryam Namazie and Anne Marie Waters
Spokespersons
One Law for All
BM Box 2387
London WC1N 3XX, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 7719166731
onelawforall@gmail.com
www.onelawforall.org.uk