Episode 2

Episode 2: 12th February

Debate: Female Genital Mutation:

Baronness Jenny Tongue
TONGE-Baroness2
Baroness Tonge (Dr Jenny Tonge) worked as a doctor in the National Health Service in the UK for over 30 years, before entering the House of Commons as MP for Richmond Park in Surrey in 1997. Her speciality in the NHS was women’s health. She was the Liberal Democrat Spokesman for International Development for 7 years and has been a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Population, Development and Reproductive Health since 1997.

She now chairs the Group and was President of the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development 2013-2016. In recent years important papers have been produced by the APPG on PDRH to help influence the UK Government’s thinking on priorities in international development, including ‘The Return of the Population Factor’, on population growth, in 2007; ‘Better off Dead?’, on maternal morbidities, in 2009, ‘A Childhood lost’, on child marriage, in 2012 and Population Dynamics and the SDGs, in 2015. She was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for services to women’s health in the UK and developing countries in 2016.

 

Alimatu Dimonekene: Community Activist and Founder of ProjectACEi

fullsizeoutput_3404

 

Alimatu Dimonekene is a Community Activist and founder of ProjectACEi, an action group in Enfield, London, that helps facilitate greater working relationships between professionals and communities to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She is also a FGM Prevention Caseworker and Trainer for Manor Gardens. Winner of the True Hero Award 2015 for her work in tackling FGM, Alimatu has used experiences as a FGM survivor in working extensively with agencies such as UN Women (UK), the Home Office, Met Police, NHS, NSPCC and other authorities in safeguarding girls and women at risk from the practice. She hopes to extend her work internationally to Sierra Leone to support communities with strategies for eliminating violence against women and girls.

 

 

 

Jacqui Hunt: Director Equality Now Europe Office

jacqui_hunt

Jacqui launched the Europe office in 2004. She has spearheaded several of Equality Now’s successful campaigns, including for creation of a United Nations Working Group to focus on ending discrimination against women in law and in practice. While working for Equality Now, Jacqui was seconded to UNIFEM on a part-time basis for two years to support the International Women’s Commission for a Just and Sustainable Middle East Peace. She started her professional career with Amnesty International, working in campaigning and research; at Amnesty’s United Nations’ office; and in press and special projects at AIUSA. Jacqui holds an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics. Jacqui has always felt strongly that justice and fairness are something we should all work together to fight for and believes that the law is a powerful objective tool to hold people accountable to achieve this. Jacqui’s sheros are people who are thoughtful, kind, generous, engaged and quietly go about being wonderful.

 

Business Feature:

XSandy’s: Sandra Brown-Pinnock:

IMG_20161029_220553-1Sandra Brown-Pinnock is a serial entrepreneur and owner of Xsandy’s – the UK’s premium hair extensions brand and retail stores.  As the only African-Caribbean hair & beauty retailer in South East London, Sandra uses business as tool to empower and motivate others withn the community to embrace entrepreneurship. In 2008 Sandra set her eyes on the lucrative hair industry, and embarked on a new journey manufacturing a successful line of hair extensions. Motivated by the lack of product knowledge and customer service provided in hair stores, the former psychiatric nurse-turned business woman opened her first retail store in Lewisham last June. Named after Sandra, Xsandy’s (pronounced “Zhan-dees”) represents a new and improved standard in the (Afro) hair and beauty retail experience. Xsandy’s stands out from its competitors within the billion dollar afro hair industry as a brand focused on delivering premium quality service and products to its customers.

Music:

 Skripture:

skripture“Skripture” formerly a member of the trans-atlantic super group: “THE SCORE” is a rapper/singer/songwriter who writes, produces, records, mixes & performs all of his music. Many would pigeon hole Skripture as a Hip Hop artist with a lot of soul but he would just say it’s his interpretation of music with no boundaries.

His musical career has seen him work with some of the worlds greats from BASEMENT JAXX, BIZ MARKIE, CHARLOTTE CHURCH & LA ROUX to WILL.I.AM, DAPPY, WRETCH 32, LABRINTH & ANGEL, whilst also sharing the stage with stars like THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS, LEMAR & JLS to STYLES P, N DUBZ & DONAEO to name a few.

He’s also performed on stages from THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL, INIDGO2 to THE JAZZ CAFE to name a few alongside being a support act for various high profile tours. Skripture is also part of a duo called “SAY NOTHING” with his brother “Nathan Allen”.