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6FOCUS-SEPTEMBER2013workersandgovernmentagencies.Sheisthefounderofthreedifferentorga-nizationstohelpthevictimsofhonour-basedviolence.ThispastMarchArunatravelledfromPortPerrytoNewYorkCitytospeakattheUnitedNations.ThreewomenwerechosentorepresentCanadaandIwasoneofthemsaysAruna.Therewere6000womenfromaroundtheworlditwasthe57thsessionoftheUnitedNationsIwastheonlyonewhospokeonhonourkillingsandhonour-basedviolence.AfterherspeechWomenweregrabbingmeandsayingpleasedontstoppleasekeeptelling.InmanyofthecountriesitisrelatedtoreligionsspeakingaboutitthreatensculturesaysAruna.AsmuchasArunacanspeakinCanadaabouthonour-basedviolenceanddoesatafreneticpacethroughherseminarsandworkshopspeoplearestillsometimesslowtounderstandhermessage.ItisessentialArunasaystograspthedif-ferencebetweenhonour-basedviolenceanddomesticviolence.Honour-basedviolenceisspecictopar-ticularcommunities.TheUNreportsthereare57countriesintheworldwherehonour-basedviolenceisprevalent.InCanadanobodyistalkingaboutitwhengirlsdogotocounsel-linganditismishandled.Socialworkersdontknowhowtocounselthesepeople.ThatswhereArunarecipientof11awardsforhercommunityactivismstepsinandspeaksup.Myfocusisriskassessmentinmyfour-dayworkshopssaysAruna.Italkabouttheculturepatriarchyideologyvaluesandhowtheyaredifferent.Idenehonour-basedvio-lenceandkillingandthenspendtwodaysonriskassessment.IfsomeonewalksinforhelpwhatdoyouaskMediaclamouredforArunasinsightswhentheShaagirlsandtheirstepmotherwerediscoveredintheKingstoncanal.TwomastersdegreesandapainfuldivorcelaterArunalaunchedintohercallingofwritingandteaching.ArunaPapprightandBarbaraKaywithTheHonourableRonaAmbrosecentreatthelaunchoftheirbookUnworthyCreatureAPunjabiDaughtersMemoirofHonour.ThepicturewastakenattheCanadianParliamentBuild-ingsinMay162012.TheHonourableRonaAmbroseisMinisterofPublicWorksandGovernmentServicesandMinisterforStatusofWomen.EveryonewantedtoblameChildrensAidandIsaidIwouldnotblamethecounsellorsIwillblametheadministratorswhodidnotprovidethetrainingshesays.TheseareCana-diankids.ThesegirlsbelievethattheyareallowedtobesafeinCanadaandtheybelievethepoliceandChildrensAidwillpro-tectthem.Theyalsobelieveandarelearninginschooltothinktobecriticaltohaveachoiceandmakeadecisiontoplantheirlifeandpickamateallofthesethingsareconsideredunacceptableinhonour-basedcultures.Whattheyarelearningfromtheirpeersisexactlytheoppositeoftheirculture.Andthisisputtingthematrisk.Theytalktotheteacherswhosayitsyourlifeyoushouldbeabletodothis.TheyaregivingthemthecerticateofdeathsaysAruna.Withtrainingthoughfrontlinecontactsliketeachersandsocialworkerscansaveliveswhentheyknowthingslikewhichculturalgroupshaveissueswithhonourandwhentheylearntorecognizethelanguageofhonourshesays.ThesedaysthewomanwhoisperhapsPortPerrysleastknownactivistdealingwithoneofthebiggestissuespossiblehasfoundpeaceinherpersonallife.ArunasharesherwarmandwelcominghomewithhersecondhusbandDavidPappamanshecreditsforhelpingherbecomeevenmorefullyemancipatedmorefullytheArunashewascreat-edtobe.HeaccompaniedhertotheUnitedNationsinthespring.SheisalsocautiouslyoptimisticaboutthisissueinCanada.IwillsaythatRonaAmbrosein30yearsshehasbeenthebestTheUnitedNationsreportsthereare57countrieswherehonour-basedviolenceagainstwomenisprevalent.Continuedfrompage5