Yasmin Javed
Yasmin is the mother of Fawziyah Javed who, along with her unborn child died, when she was pushed by her husband from Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh in September 2021. Yasmin now wants to see greater protections in place to prevent further “honour-based” violence, including female genital mutilation, forced and child marriages, and so-called “honour’ crimes”.
Content warning:
Honour-based abuse. Femicide.
About Igniting Inspiration
Igniting Inspiration is a digital campaign to showcase the work of changemakers, with an annual memorial award named after our Founder’s late business partner. The digital campaign enables us to feature the work of women changemakers all around the world. One of these entries will be awarded the Bernadette Mary Speight Award each year. The assessment of the award is based on the following areas: innovation, impact, collaboration, consistency, and personal growth.
Tell us about the ‘why’. What or who is it about? Is there a mission, vision, or purpose?
Yasmin Javed’s only child, Fawziyah Javed, was a 31 year old aspiring lawyer. Fawziyah was 17 weeks pregnant with her first child and had only been married for eight months. On 2nd February 2021, her husband pushed her off Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. Fawziyah was in the process of leaving her husband. This was an honour abuse murder with elements of controlling and coercive behaviour in the relationship. Yasmin bravely gave full permission for television cameras to follow her through the court trial in Scotland in 2023. The two part documentary called THE PUSH was televised on Channel 4 in 2024.
Who will it help/who has it helped already?
Survivors of HBA and DA. Victims have come forward to say they recognised the traits of the perpetrator from the documentary and feared for their lives and have ended their relationship.
What’s worked?
The documentary has raised awareness of HBA and controlling and coercive behaviour. On 26th August 2025, the UK Government pledged six new measures to tackle honour-based abuse in the UK, including a statutory definition. These measures were unveiled by Jess Phillips MP. Yasmin has been instrumental in achieving this outcome, campaigning in partnership with Karma Nirvana’s Push4Change campaign.
What has she learnt? Any challenges?
To persevere no matter what. Survivors are more inclined to listen to people with lived experiences and policy can change with campaigning.
What’s next?
To continue campaigning and raising awareness, and to ensure policy is changed to reduce the number of victims of abuse and homicide.
What advice, contacts or resources would help you?
To be able to reach a further wide range of audiences and spread awareness of these practices.
Inspiring Women Changemakers membership was launched in 2018 with a £35 annual fee to enable changemakers to become part of a space where the intersectional, structural and sometimes uncomfortable work of advancing women’s rights is taken seriously, and where they do not have to do it alone. We bring together people who see the issues, understand why change is necessary, and are committed to doing something about it.
Membership contributes directly to our Changemaker Bursary Fund, which provides subsidised and fully-funded places for people experiencing financial hardship on IWC training, coaching and programmes – change making should not be a privilege of the financially secure.
