Home Office Reference: N1106364
Constance Nzeneu is an asset to the Cardiff community where she has lived for over 2 years; her son Andreas was born here. Andreas's father is of German nationality, he works in-between Germany and the UK, and they have an ongoing relationship.
In the two years and more that she has lived in Cardiff, Constance has actively participated in the community and has made many friends here. She is an active member of the Heath Evangelical Church, she has volunteered for Refugee Voice Wales, Displaced People In Action and Black African Women Stepping Out and all these organizations have valued her contribution highly.
Constance's arrived in the UK in April 2005, her asylum claim has been rejected and she is now facing imminent removal to Cameroon, the country from which she fled.
Constance left Cameroon because she was being forced into an arranged marriage that she did not want to engage in. Constance was living a happy life in Cameroon; she had completed her second degree in Law and was about to enroll for her PhD until the direction of her life was taken out of her hands.
Her father had made an arrangement with his friend for Constance to marry him in exchange for a large amount of money. Constance was not consulted in this matter, the man was from a different tribe, a Muslim where Constance is a Christian, and she would be his third wife.
The condition on which Constance would enter into this marriage is that she would undergo Female Genital Mutilation, which is widespread among Muslim communities in Cameroon.
Constance refused to enter into this marriage and the matter was taken to court by the 'fiancé.' Constance similarly refused to go to the court hearing because she knew, from her education within Law in Cameroon, that the outcome of the case would be in the man's favour.
Constance then left her family where she had been living and a search warrant was issued and the police became involved. Her Father also put an announcement out in a national newspaper offering a reward for anyone who returned her to the family because if the marriage didn't go ahead they would owe the 'fiancé' the dowry money and be shamed within the community.
If Constance is forced to return to Cameroon she faces an uncertain and unhappy future: there will be recriminations from the police, the court, the 'fiancé' and her family, all because she refused to engage in the arranged marriage and the consequences of this marriage.
We the undersigned call upon the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, MP Secretary of State for the Home Office to grant
Constance and Andreas the right to remain in the UK on compassionate grounds
