Protect Jasmine from FGM and allow her to stay in the UK

To: The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, The Secretary of State for the Home Department

We, the undersigned, write as concerned citizens in support of Jasmine (real name changed) and her family being granted refugee status to stay in the UK. Jasmine is age 11 and is at high risk of female genital mutilation (“FGM”) if she is returned to Bahrain or Sudan. Her story was featured in the Guardian on 3 July 2020 and it has roused significant public support.

Jasmine and her family are of Sudanese origin and hold only Bahraini citizenship. They have lived in the UK for almost 8 years. Jasmine’s mother applied for asylum in 2012 due to concerns that Jasmine would be cut if she was returned to Sudan or Bahrain. Her asylum claim was refused. The Immigration Courts are often unfriendly environments for vulnerable mothers and especially children who do not have the benefit of independent representation, for example, through a children’s guardian.

Jasmine is commended for her bravery in telling her teacher that she was worried about being removed from the UK. Jasmine’s school contacted Suffolk County Council who then applied for an FGM Protection Order in the Family Courts to protect Jasmine from FGM abroad. Suffolk County Council should be commended for their preventative actions in taking the case to Court.

After a court case that spanned over 12 months, Mr Justice Newton assessed the risk of FGM to Jasmine and found that “It is difficult to think of a clearer or more serious case where the risk to A [Jasmine] of FGM is so high. I find without hesitation overwhelmingly that there is a high risk of FGM to A [Jasmine]” (§52). The experts in the case gave their consistent opinion that Jasmine would suffer gravely if she was removed from the UK. Those experts included: a psychiatrist, a Professor in anthropology, the child’s social worker, an independent social worker and the children’s guardian who represented the child.

There is overwhelming evidence to support Jasmine being granted refugee status. In the case of Fornah in 2006, it was established that risk of FGM is a sufficient ground to grant refugee status. If this at-risk child is not granted refugee status, then what child would meet such a high test?

FGM can have serious physical and mental health consequences which can be life changing. Long term risks include infections, paralysis of the bladder and infertility. This form of abuse also carries a risk of severe bleeding and even death. The family have first-hand experience of this after two of the mother’s sisters died as a result of being cut in Sudan. Jasmine’s three cousins were also cut. Jasmine’s mother was subject to Type III FGM, which is considered the most serious and physically invasive form of FGM. The mother does not support FGM but as a single mother she would not be able to protect Jasmine from FGM if they were removed from the UK. The mother would be financially reliant on her family members who want Jasmine to be cut. The mother is highly vulnerable; she has a “diagnosis of recurrent depression, anxiety and PTSD” and she suffered “adverse physical consequences of FGM”.

Jasmine’s case has been going on since August 2012. In the Family Court there have been around seven Court hearings. We would respectfully suggest that the public money spent on those seven hearings would be better spent on granting Jasmine and her family refugee status in the UK.

There is no need to use further public resources on this case. We call on you to grant Jasmine and her family refugee status without asking them to make another asylum claim. Jasmine’s mother has PTSD and has been in and out of courts for 8 years, she should not be put through the gruelling process of making a further application for asylum on behalf of her daughter. And Jasmine, at the age of 11, should not be compelled to make her own asylum claim, a daunting prospect for any child.

We call upon you, as Home Secretary, to show compassion and grant Jasmine and her family refugee status so that Jasmine can live safely in the UK without the risk of FGM.

To date, the open letter has been signed by over 300 MPs, Peers, campaigners, and lawyers. The list of signatories includes:

1. Hoda Ali, Community Outreach Project Manager for Safeguarding
2. Amanda Keane MP
3. Andrew Gywnne MP
4. Chris Stephens MP
5. Clive Lewis MP
6. Daisy Cooper MP
7. Debbie Abrahams MP
8. Stella Creasy MP
9. Ian Mearns MP
10. Jeremy Corbyn MP
11. Joanna Cherry QC, MP
12. Julie Elliott MP
13. Karl Turner MP
14. Layla Moran MP
15. Liz Saville Roberts MP
16. Marion Fellows MP
17. Neil Gray MP
18. Owen Thompson MP
19. Paula Barker MP
20. Dr Philippa Whitford MP
21. Richard Thomson MP
22. Rosie Duffield MP
    
23. Rushanara Ali MP
    
24. Sarah Champion MP
25. Siobhain Mcdonagh MP
26. Stephen Timms MP
27. Stuart Mcdonald MP
28. Wera Hobhouse MP
29. Ed Davey, Acting leader of the Liberal Democrat Party
30. Christine Jardine, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson
31. Munira Wilson, Lib Dem MP for Twickenham
32. Sarah Olney, Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park
33. Layla Moran, Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon
34. Baroness Butler-Sloss GBE
35. Baroness Cox
36. Baroness Helena Kennedy QC
37. Baroness Jan Royall
38. Professor Dr Tobe Levin Freifrau (Baroness) Von Gleichen
39. Alaine Holland, Director, Creating Equalz Annie Gibbs, Founder Amour Destinè CIC
40. Amaal Ali, Project Manager, Integrate UK
41. Anna Fisher, Chair, Nordic Model Now
42. Aneeta Prem Founder Freedom Charity, Author Human Rights Ambassador
43. Dr Annemarie Middelburg, Founder & Director Middelburg Human Rights Law Consultancy
44. Dr Annette Lawson OBE, Chair Of The Trust, Judith Trust
45. Angelina Kohli-Mckenzie, Project Worker, Integrate UK
46. Caroline Hattersley, Director, Women@Thewell
47. Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation
48. Diana Nammi, Executive Director, IKWRO – Women’s Rights Organisation
49. Dot Pritchard, Senior Project Coordinator, Oxford Against Cutting
50. Farah Ahmed, Chair, Waltham Forest Women’s Network
51. Flavia Mwangovya, Equality Now
52. Grethe Petersen, CEO, Orchid Project
53. Dr Hannana Siddiqui, Project Advisor, Southall Black Sisters
54. Hibo Wardere, Activist and Survivor
55. Ipswich And Suffolk Council for Racial Equality
56. Janet Chapman, Trustee, Tanzania Development Trust
57. Dr Jasvinder Sanghera CBE, Founder of Karma Nirvana
58. The Judith Trust
59. Julie Bindel, Journalist and Co-Founder of Justice for Women
60. Karen Wint, Chief Executive, Women’s Health and Family Services
61. Legal Feminist Collective
62. Lisa Zimmermann, Director of The Youth Led Charity Integrate UK
63. Sister Lynda Dearlove MBE, CEO, Women@Thewell
64. Maherush Khan, Integrate UK
65. Mary Mcguckian, Faobo Ifrah Foundation Board Members
66. Meena Kumari, H.O.P.E Training & Consultancy
67. Naana Otoo- Oyortey, Executive Director, FORWARD
68. Nasra Ayub, Lead Outreach Worker and Trustee, Integrate UK
69. Natasha Rattu, Director of Karma Nirvana
70. Neelam Sarkaria, Gender-Based Violence and Rule of Law Expert
71. Nicki Norman, Acting Chief Executive, Women’s Aid Federation of England
72. Pat Black, Chair of The National Alliance of Women’s Organisations
73. Payzee Malika, IKWRO Ambassador and Campaigner
74. Pragna Patel, Director, Southall Black Sisters
75. Polly Harrar, Founder, The Sharan Project
76. Rachel Williams, Founder of Stand Up to Domestic Abuse
77. Richard Garside, Director, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (Personal Capacity)
    
78. Dr Roxanne Khan, Director At HARM, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology
79. Dr Sasha Rakoff, CEO, Notbuyingit, You My Sister
80. Suffolk Law Centre
81. Susannah Oldham, Nordic Model Now
82. Tamar Nwafor, Advocate for Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence Survivors
83. Toks Okeniyi, Head of UK Programmes & Operations at FORWARD UK
84. Tom Farr, Human Rights Law Researcher, CEASE UK (Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation)
85. Vanessa Morse, CEO, CEASE UK (Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation)
86. Vivienne Hayes MBE, CEO, Women’s Resource Centre
87. Amy Wareham, Co-Chair of Trustees Bromley and Croydon Women’s Aid
88. Dr Ann Olivarius, Senior Partner, Mcallister Olivarius
89. Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE QC (Hon)
    
90. Anya Palmer, Barrister
91. Audrey Ludwig, Solicitor
92. Bronwen Jones, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
93. Carol Ward, Solicitor
94. Cris Mccurley, Solicitor
95. Deeba Syed
96. Daniel Foster, Barrister, Bank House Chambers
97. Eva Magerdichian, Solicitor
98. Professor Felicity Gerry QC Carmelite Chambers, London, Crockett Chambers Melbourne And Deakin University.
99. Georgina Calvert-Lee, Senior Counsel, Mcallister Olivarius
100. Gul Nawaz Hussain QC
101. Harriet Wistrich, Director and Solicitor, Centre for Women’s Justice
102. Jane Heybroek, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers Jenny Beck, Solicitor
103. Jolyon Maugham QC, Barrister and Founder and Director of The Good Law Project
104. Ksenia Angelova, Senior Legal Analyst, Mcallister Olivarius
105. Kim Harrison, Solicitor
106. Lynne Townley, Chair of The Association of Women Barristers
107. Maureen O’Hara, Solicitor and Senior Lecturer in Law, Coventry University
108. Michael Sternberg QC
109. Mitchell Woolf, Solicitor, Scott-Moncrieff & Associates Ltd
110. Naima Sakande, Women’s Justice Advocate At APPEAL
111. Richard Hinton, Solicitor
112. Richard Scorer, Solicitor
113. Sarah Vine , Doughty Street Chambers
114. Saskia Lux, Lawyer
115. Shannon Moore, Trainee Solicitor, Mcallister Olivarius
116. Abdul-Bari Awad, British Professional Boxer
117. Dr Anwar Khan, GP
118. Andrea Levy, Registered Midwife, Head Midwife at North York General Hospital, Toronto
119. Ashiedu Joel, Ashioma Consultancy
120. Billy Joe Saunders, British Professional Boxer
121. Brittany Francine Ashworth, Actor
122. Claire Waxman, London Victims’ Commissioner
123. Debbie Ariyo OBE, CEO AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children
124. Deeqo Shire, Freelance Singer/Songwriter
125. Elizabeth Carola
126. Elizabeth Gray, Legal Analyst, Mcallister Olivarius
127. Emilia Gaca, Legal Assistant To The Senior Partner, Mcallister Olivarius
128. Dr Emily Simon GP
129. Gerry Campbell MBE, Consultant & HTP SME (Former Deputy NPCC Lead For HBA, FM & FGM)
130. Grace Nartey, Named Midwife for Safeguarding & FGM Trust Lead
131. Graeme Ludwig
132. Professor Hilary Burrage FRSA
133. Dr Joseph Home, Junior Doctor
134. Kell Brook, British Professional Boxer
135. Professor Kathleen Stock
136. Jackie Mcloughlin MBE, Member Social Responsibility Committee, National Board of Catholic Women
137. Dr Jacqueline Marshall
138. Jessica Van Meir, Senior Legal Analyst, Mcallister Olivarius
139. Julie Baker (LLB, LLM)
140. Juliet Albert RM, IBCLC, Msc, Specialist FGM Midwife
141. Joanne Roche, Finance Administrator, Mcallister Olivarius
142. Jonathan Bartley, Co-Leader, Green Party of England And Wales
143. Kimberley Walton Staff Nurse
144. Leethen Bartholomew, Social Worker
145. Dr Leyla Hussein OBE
146. Loleitha Evelyn
147. Martha Halford-Fumagalli, PR Consultant
148. Mary Rouncefield M.A. M.Sc., Artist
149. Maureen Meatcher, Chair of Trustees, Crossroads Care Wokingham
150. Muna Hassan, Co-Founder of Integrate UK And A Specialist Community Public Health Nurse
151. Nazir Afzal OBE, Former Chief Prosecutor & Chief Executive of The Country’s Police & Crime Commissioners
152. Nicole Ackie, Specialist FGM Midwife
153. Olivia Walton, Senior Legal Analyst, Mcallister Olivarius
154. Penelope Watson, Public Health Professional
155. Philip Davis, Chief of Staff, Mcallister Olivarius
156. Sam Darr, DTM in Barnet
157. Sarah Wigley, Domestic Abuse Training and Consultancy
158. Siobhan Jess
159. Dr Soo Kim Wong, GP
160. Dr Tamsin Robinson, GP
161. Umme Imam DCL (Hon) Exec Director of The Angelou Centre
162. Dr Victoria Bowler, Bristol Community Rose Clinic
163. Deborah Russell, Commissioner, Children and Young People, Waltham Forest CCG
164. Laura Boyd, Deputy director uclpartners
165. Professor Maggie Rae President Faculty of Public Health
166. Anna Pickford, Principal Intelligence Lead
167. Dr Tripurdaman Singh, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London
168. Kezia Tobin, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
169. Marcia Persaud, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
170. Amanda Walker, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
171. Pierre Georget, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
172. Sarah Lubrano Stein, Doctoral Researcher, Somerville College, Oxford
173. Matthew Davies, Activist
174. Imaan Nazir, law graduate
175. Camilla Penney, Junior Research Fellow, Queens’ College, Cambridge
176. Kirsty Brimelow QC Head of International Human Rights Doughty Street Chambers
177. Siddick Gokhool, Solicitor Advocate, SG Law
178. Reeba Oliver consultant, Urogynaecologist
179. Vania Collins, Senior Resp/Sleep Physiologist, Isle of Wight NHS Trust.
180. Dr Naveed Mustfa. Consultant Respiratory Physician, Stoke-on-Trent
181. Dr Dina Kaufman, GP
182. Dr Choulamite Soudry, GP Registrar
183. Dr Nicola Renton, GP
184. Jane Briers , Clinical Development Coordinator British Heart Foundation
185. Professor Ahmet Fuat Darlington, GP/Professor of Primary Care Cardiology
186. Morven Dunn, clinical development coordinator, British Heart Foundation
187. Dr Karen Marshall, Nurse Consultant
188. Dominic Morgan, Director of Operations, Inspiral Health
189. Dr Melissa Holz, GP
190. Dr Saima Chaudary, medical practitioner
191. Dr Mashhood Syed MBChB MRCGP DRCOG
192. Dr Musa Sami, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham
193. Christos Orfanidis, law student
194. Oscar Minto, law student
195. Olivia Thirkettle, law student
196. Mr Shahnawaz Rasheed, Consultant Surgeon
197. Dr Christine Nallet, GP
198. Mr Mark Robinson, solicitor
199. Dr Shafia Hakeem, GP trainee
200. Dr Noor Mohubally, Director, Scientist
201. Feizal Mohubally, Director
202. Marilia Tsarkou, law student
203. Professor Liz Lightstone
204. Catherine McArthur, Founder & CEO, ThirdShift
205. Dr Hayder Majeed, GP
206. Safia Pheerunggee, pharmacist
207. Dr B . Agrawal, GP PARTNER
208. Abi Barinski, Open Labour National Committee Member
209. Dr Fiona Sim, Public Health Consultant
210. Lucy Burke, Open Labour Disability Officer
211. Safiya Mohamud, Midwife
212. Dr Fiona Sim, Public Health Consultant
213. Anisha Faruk, Open Labour National Committee Member
214. Tess Milligan, Open Labour National Committee Member
215. Anya Metzer, NGO worker
216. Professor Amanda Millmore, Associate Law Professor at Reading University & Barrister
217. Dr Steve Doyle, GP, Rochdale
218. Deborah Russell, Commissioner, Children and Young People, Waltham Forest CCG
219. Laura Boyd, Deputy director uclpartners
220. Professor Maggie Rae President Faculty of Public Health
221. Anna Pickford, Principal Intelligence Lead
222. Dr Tripurdaman Singh, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London
223. Kezia Tobin, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
224. Marcia Persaud, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
225. Amanda Walker, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
226. Pierre Georget, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
227. Sarah Lubrano Stein, Doctoral Researcher, Somerville College, Oxford
228. Matthew Davies, Activist
229. Imaan Nazir, law graduate
230. Camilla Penney, Junior Research Fellow, Queens’ College, Cambridge
231. Kirsty Brimelow QC Head of International Human Rights Doughty Street Chambers
232. Siddick Gokhool, Solicitor Advocate, SG Law
233. Reeba Oliver consultant, Urogynaecologist
234. Vania Collins, Senior Resp/Sleep Physiologist, Isle of Wight NHS Trust.
235. Dr Naveed Mustfa. Consultant Respiratory Physician, Stoke-on-Trent
236. Dr Dina Kaufman, GP
237. Dr Choulamite Soudry, GP Registrar
238. Dr Nicola Renton, GP
239. Jane Briers , Clinical Development Coordinator British Heart Foundation
240. Professor Ahmet Fuat Darlington, GP/Professor of Primary Care Cardiology
241. Morven Dunn, clinical development coordinator, British Heart Foundation
242. Dr Karen Marshall, Nurse Consultant
243. Dominic Morgan, Director of Operations, Inspiral Health
244. Dr Melissa Holz, GP
245. Dr Saima Chaudary, medical practitioner
246. Dr Mashhood Syed MBChB MRCGP DRCOG
247. Dr Musa Sami, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham
248. Christos Orfanidis, law student
249. Oscar Minto, law student
250. Olivia Thirkettle, law student
251. Mr Shahnawaz Rasheed, Consultant Surgeon
252. Dr Christine Nallet, GP
253. Mr Mark Robinson, solicitor
254. Dr Shafia Hakeem, GP trainee
255. Dr Noor Mohubally, Director, Scientist
256. Feizal Mohubally, Director
257. Marilia Tsarkou, law student
258. Professor Liz Lightstone
259. Catherine McArthur, Founder & CEO, ThirdShift’
260. Dr Hayder Majeed, GP
261. Safia pheerunggee, pharmacist
262. Dr B . Agrawal, GP PARTNER
263. Abi Barinski, Open Labour National Committee Member
264. Dr Fiona Sim, Public Health Consultant
265. Lucy Burke, Open Labour Disability Officer
266. Safiya Mohamud, Midwife
267. Dr Fiona Sim, Public Health Consultant
268. Anisha Faruk, Open Labour National Committee Member
269. Tess Milligan, Open Labour National Committee Member
270. Anya Metzer, NGO worker
271. Professor Amanda Millmore, Associate Law Professor at Reading University & Barrister
272. Dr Steve Doyle, GP, Rochdale
273. Dr Freya Jephcott, Junior Research Fellow, Cambridge
274. Imogen Mellor, Barrister at law
275. Jocelyn Clarke, FGM specialist midwife
276. Alex Adams, Action:FGM chairperson
277. Dr Maarten Steenhagen, academic
278. Gunn Benjaminsen, Humanitarian Expert
279. Dr Olivia Jana Sigurdson Macleod, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge
280. Dr Sharon Raymond, GP
281. Adam Barnett, JournalistDr. Thomas Jeffrey Miley, Lecturer of Political Sociology, Fellow of Darwin College, The University of Cambridge
282. Rebecca Glover, research fellow, London school of hygiene and tropical medicine.
283. Dr Cecile Wabnitz, GP
284. Dr Ashwin Balabhadra, GP
285. Dr Halliki Voolma, gender-based violence expert
286. Charlotte Bayati, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
287. Charles Brooks, legal researcher
288. Dr Noor Ahmed, GP
289. Dr Samira Nikpour Valiseh, GP
290. Omar Salem, lawyer
291. Dr Jane Hoddes, Consultant Paediatrician
292. Dr Sabeena Pheerunggee, GP
293. Dr Kay Lawson, Consultant Histopathologist
294. Dr Charlotte Pratt Consultant Physician
295. Dr Manali Desai, Lecturer, University of Cambridge
296. Dr Debbie Dresler, Gp
297. Dr Saumya Jha, GPDr Sharon Taylor consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist
298. Dr Judith Tobin Macmillan GP (rtd)
299. Dr Esther Sabel, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
300. Dr Vanessa Eisman, Gp
301. Action: FGM, Network of Professionals committed to Ending FGM
302. Munachiso Oriaku, law student
303. Ioan Lewis, concerned, law student
304. Ion Klitorakis, law student
305. Malika Saidova, law student
306. Konstantina Nouka, law student
307. Dr Samah Boulis GP
308. Dr Emma Shaw, GP
309. Jo Shaw, Barrister
310. Reuben Soloman, Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
311. Sania Khan, leader in responsible business
312. Asher Desner, writerRebecca Metzer, activist
313. Maram Mohammed Shehab, law student
314. Dr Harish Mistry GP Harrow GP & appraiser
315. Dr Tamar Nisner GP
316. Dr Mathew Fay, GP Principal The Willows Medical Practice, Clinical Chair Affinity Care PCN
317. Dylan Levy, law student
318. Rachel Ward, law student