2008 International Women's Day
For over 90 years, International Women's Day has overcome cultural, linguistic and political barriers to unify people in the fight for human rights, equality, development and peace.
Endorsed by the United Nations, International Women's Day marks a day for communities around the world to reflect on the social, political and legislative successes which have significantly improved the lives for millions of women around the world. But, there are still many battles to be won.
In his latest report, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Nowak called on states to fully recognise, punish and prevent violence against women. He referred to the lasting physical and psychological consequences for women victims of violence who are often powerless to escape the suffering imposed upon them.
In 2007, 667 women and 54 girls were referred to the Medical Foundation, comprising 37% of a total of 1,933 referrals. Clients came from almost 100 different countries, which reveals how torture knows no borders and how unsafe the world can be.
Rape and sexual violence were prevalent forms of persecution reported by clients of the MF. Although the resulting trauma experienced differs from woman to woman, panic attacks and nightmares are common. In addition, many of our clients contend with the practical as well as psychological difficulties of bringing up children with relatively little support and for some, an uncertain future given their insecure legal status.
While some women are able to speak about their experiences in individual counselling sessions at the MF, verbalising deep-seated feelings is not always appropriate or easy for others.
In the weekly sessions of the mother and toddler group, many women benefit from the relaxed social environment, which enables them to discuss concerns and share advice about health, parenting and adjusting to life in the UK.
A mother of two who fled from Sierra Leone said she is grateful for the group's exclusivity, which never asks any questions nor expects explanations: "At other baby groups, there are ‘normal' people without our problems, they are not like us. We come here and it's safe - we all have similar experiences and everyone knows that."
Isla Clough, a health visitor who manages the group, said: "It's taken as read by all the mothers that everybody in the group has been through some awful experience, so for them to see each other coping is important. They also like to see their babies playing with each other."
A core function of the group is education and each week a topic is presented, usually by Isla or an expert visitor, offering practical tips, answering questions and fostering discussions. The interactive nature of the group is as important as the expert advice Isla and her colleagues provide.
"I'm very keen that the mothers get involved and are partly responsible for each meeting," she says. "This helps to build their confidence and gives them a bit of control in their lives where it is otherwise lacking."
Established as an information forum for torture surviving mothers, the social dynamic of the group has seen it develop into a support network, where mothers are encouraged to share stories of discrimination, cultural barriers and feelings of isolation, and provide advice to one another about how to get by.
"My GP advised me to come to the Medical Foundation because of my past," an Iranian mother said. "When I'm alone, I can have very bad feelings but every week I come here and it's very good for me and my baby. We can talk about our problems and hear about other problems, it helps me."
Isla says the group's therapeutic disposition is key to its success and drives the regularity of the meetings: "Its very hard for many single mothers to access services, but when a person can't speak English it is even more daunting. For mothers who find themselves in the UK as a result of circumstance rather than choice it's worse, especially as they will often have come from very family-orientated societies."
A 28-year-old mother from Darfur agreed that due to their common experiences - both the traumas in their home countries and the difficulties they face in the UK - the women naturally develop a strong bond: "This group is very special. There is a similarity between the mothers; we are all sharing the same difficulties. We can ask each other questions about anything, and because Isla knows everyone individually, she helps us all with whatever advice or information we need.
"This group gives us an idea about different cultures. We talk about our different backgrounds and how they affect our lives here.
"We come to this group and we make friends. We've had singing and dancing classes, and a musician comes from time to time. The children really enjoy coming here, and every two to three months photos are taken of them so that we can see them growing. Everyone is happy here."