In commemorating this year’s International Women’s Day, Ghar se Ghar (Hindi/Urdu Words meaning ‘Home to Home’) – a Luton based women’s group, with the support from Near Neighbours, GRASSROOTS and Luton Council of Faiths, held its annual “Precious Pearls” event online.
Concerned with women’s safety & wellbeing, this year’s event theme was “Women Keeping Safe”. Women contributed from different religious and professional perspectives, but some personal survival stories shared were tremendously powerful and inspirational.
Women’s safety is an ongoing issue. To educate women about identifying the signs and threats and for signposting women to the right places, numerous organisations such as Women’s Aid in Luton, Luton All Women’s Centre, Luton Against Sex Trafficking (LAST), Luton Samartians shared valuable information.
Women also held in their thoughts, hearts and prayers, all the Ukranian women & girls whose safety is so much in jeopardy at this time. Some words from a poem by Lesia Ukrainka – one of Ukraine’s foremost writers and a political, civil and feminist activist (1871 – 1913), were used as a sign of hope & perseverance to appropriately conclude the event.
“On this poor, indigent ground, I shall sow flowers of flowing colours; I shall sow flowers even amidst the frost, and water them with my bitter tears. And from those burning tears will melt the frozen crust, so hard and strong, perhaps the flowers will bloom and bring about for me a joyous spring.”
Caption for Pic: Women speakers and contributors at the annual Precious Pearls Event 2022