INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2018 AND RECOGNITION OF ENSAF HAIDAR

That this House celebrates International Women's Day which is marked on 8 March 2018; acknowledges that this day helps celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women across the world; recognises the role of the Saudi Arabian-Canadian human rights activist Ensaf Haidar, president of the Raif Badawi Foundation for Freedom, who campaigns for freedom of speech and human rights awareness in the Arab world; notes the work of Ensaf in fighting to free her husband, the jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi and raising awareness of Raif’s story across the world; commends Ensaf for her role in championing free speech and women's rights across the Arab world; and calls on the Government to recognise efforts of Ensaf Haidar and work with the Raif Badawi Foundation for Freedom to ensure Raif, and other journalists and writers across the Middle East, gain their freedom.