AFRUCA Summit on African families

On 12 October I was delighted to be asked to speak at the Africans Unite Against Child Abuse Summit on African families. AFRUCA is a charity promoting the rights and welfare of African children in the UK.

During the day there were a number of workshops to consider challenges confronting African families across London including why African children are disproportionately represented in the care system, in gun and knife crime and in the criminal justice system. The summit also considered mental health within the African community and issues around domestic violence.

I spoke about there being a real danger for politicians not to look at issues of abuse within communities due to cultural sensitivities and feeling awkward about crossing cultural boundaries. Ultimately abuse cuts across all cultures and religions and it is never culturally right or sensitive to abuse a child.

Also at the summit I had the honour of launching Dr Lydia Taiwo's book "A Broken Childhood II" in which Dr Taiwo reflects on her personal experience of abuse as a child and its impact on her. This is a must read for anyone who is concerned about these issues and for those who know nothing to be informed.

Dr Taiwo spoke movingly about the contribution she is trying to make in writing her two books and why she decided to become an AFRUCA ambassador to promote the welfare and rights of African children.

For more information about the important work that AFRUCA are doing please go here.