October 13th, 2008
Today I met with the Afghan MP Malalai Joya, one of the most remarkable women I have had the good fortune to meet. She was the youngest elected member of the Wolesa Jirga in 2005, but was then suspended from her seat for speaking out against the warlords who still control much of the country. Dressed in a simple black suit, and speaking softly but firmly, she explained her frustration with the lack of progress towards a fully democratic state. “Some of the current government are the Taliban in democratic clothes. Until we have security, we cannot have the democracy the Afghan people want.” She told me many stories of injustice and corruption, saying that the situation is particularly bad for women and children in the country. Known as the bravest woman in Afghanistan, she has survived several assassination attempts and moves regularly for her safety. I asked what we could do to help in the UK. “Please raise your voices to support your fellow democrat parliamentarians against those who want to expel democrats. Please raise your voices against corruption and violence, because until they are gone, we cannot rebuild Afghanistan,” she said.
June 26th, 2008
Today Sayeeda was a guest at the Annual Business Lunch hosted by the Conservative Friends of Israel. Guest speakers included the Rt Hon William Hague MP and Rt Hon George Osborne MP. The Lunch was hosted at the Dorchester Hotel in London.
June 24th, 2008
In a House of Lords debate today, Baroness Warsi called on the government to ban the drug Khat. Khat is having a profound effect on certain communities in the UK. The drug can be bought in Britain with no restrictions at all and recent surveys have shown that up to 59% of young people in Sheffield chew Khat. Sayeeda has been campaigning to outlaw this drug and is adament that this can be acheived.
June 20th, 2008
Sayeeda Warsi today lent her support to Adeela Shafi, the Conservative Party’s candidate for Bristol East. Visiting a community centre, Baroness Warsi said ‘Adeela is a local candidate who knows the area well. She is the best person to represent the citizens of Bristol East and I look forward to welcoming her to the Conservative benches after the next general election’.
June 9th, 2008
Baroness Warsi spoke alongside Sir Gulam Noon and Lord Ahmed on a debate titled ‘Radicals v. moderates: does Islam in Britain face a ‘war within’?’
June 5th, 2008
Baroness Warsi met with members of the Somali community to discuss the destructive effects of the drug Khat. Calling for its banning, Baroness Warsi said ‘Khat has an extremely damaging effect on its users. It is time we treated all sections of society equally - just because Khat affects only certain communities in the UK doesn’t mean the issue should be ignored. It is time for this drug to be banned’.
June 3rd, 2008
Baroness Warsi co-hosted a press conference and discussion welcoming Imran Khan to the Houses of Parliament. Mr Khan talked about recent developments in Pakistan and outlined his hopes for the future.
May 13th, 2008
Sayeeda met with the directors of Innovate Arts, a successful social enterprise established to promote and guide emerging writers and authors across the UK.
Commenting on the achievements of the winners Baroness Warsi said: ‘the award winning literature represented here today is truly inspiring. Many of the winners lead busy professional lives, including in medicine and law, and to achieve success in the demanding world of literature is a remarkable achievement. Programmes like this are important because a common appreciation of literature has the power to unite communities and break down traditional barriers’.
May 7th, 2008
Sayeeda Warsi was guest speaker at the Harrow Heroes Awards 2008. Hosted by the BBC’s Asad Ahmed, the awards recognise the outstanding contribution made by volunteers and voluntary organisations in contributing to community development across Harrow. Speaking at the awards Baroness Warsi, Shadow Minister for Social Action and Community Cohesion, said: ‘these awards recognise the tireless contribution made by the voluntary sector in Harrow. I am leading a team that is looking at how we can replicate the success of the voluntary sector in places like Harrow across the UK’.
April 21st, 2008
Baroness Warsi was guest speaker at a House of Common’s reception to mark the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi. Vaisakhi mars the beginning of the harvest season in the Punjab and it is especially important for the Sikh community because it marks the founding of Khalsa (Servants of God) by Guru Gobind Singh.
