Sammi Deen Baloch, Pakistani Human Rights Activist, Honoured with Human Rights Awardin Dublin
New Age Islam News Bureau
01 Jun 2024
·
Sammi Deen Baloch, Pakistani Human Rights
Activist, Honoured with Human Rights Awardin Dublin
·
Catholic Nun, Sr. Paulina Chioma Ogbonnaya, In
Nigeria Urges Women Religious to Speak Out Against Abuses
·
'I Wish I Were Shoulder to Shoulder with The
Men and Women in Rafah'": Naledi
Pandor, South African Minister
·
Seattle Asian Art Museum: The Red Chador And
'The Fabulousness of Being a Muslim Woman'
·
Selangor Launches Women’s Policy and Action
Plan 2024-2026
·
Gaza War Protester Ties Himself to Goalpost
Ahead OfScotland-Israel Women’s Football Match
·
Egyptian Women in Golf Leadership Foundation
Program
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
Sammi
Deen Baloch, Pakistani Human Rights Activist, Honoured With Human Rights
AwardIn Dublin
May 31,
2024
Pakistani human rights activist Sammi Deen Baloch. — X/@SammiBaluch
----------
Sammi
Deen Baloch, a Pakistani human rights activist, has been honoured with the
Front-Line Defenders Award 2024 in Dublin, Ireland.
Front
Line Defenders announced the five winners of its top distinction, the 2024
Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk, at a special ceremony in Dublin on
Friday.
"It
is an honour for me that my struggle has been recognised at the global level.
It is very difficult to fight for human rights in Pakistan, but it is
vital," Baloch told Geo News from Dublin, as she vowed to continue her
struggle.
The
annual Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk was
established in 2005 to honour the work of HRDs who are courageously making
outstanding contributions to the promotion and protection of the human rights
of others, often at great personal risk to themselves.
The
Award focuses international attention on the work and struggles of HRDs,
providing a greater national and international platform to speak about and
advocate for the human rights issues they are defending.
Laureates
are selected from among scores of candidates which are put forward in a secure,
public nomination process carried out towards the end of each year and Award
winners are announced on the day of the Award Ceremony in Dublin usually in May
the following year.
Baloch,
hailing from Balochistan's Awaran and the General Secretary of the Voice for
Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), was selected from Asia and the Pacific.
Four
other award receivers include — Africa: Gamito dos Santos Carlos of AJOPAZ, the
Youth Association for Peace (Mozambique); Americas: The Trans women collective
Muñecas de Arcoíris (Honduras), represented by Jennifer Bexara Córdova; Europe
and Central Asia: Doros Polykarpou of KISA (Cyprus); Middle East and North
Africa: We Are Not Numbers (Gaza, Palestine), represented by Ahmed Alnaouq.
In a
post on X, Baloch said she dedicates the award to Baloch women. "I hold
the utmost respect for their tireless struggle. I also share this award with
human rights activists across the world who are fighting for human rights and
dignity, truth and justice."
She
added, "I will continue to fight for the safe release of all the missing
persons including my father."
Baloch
further said: "Alongside my fellow human rights defenders, Baloch women,
and the families of missing persons, I will continue to demand justice for the
victims and their families. I will persist in my peaceful struggle against
enforced disappearances and fight for the release of all missing persons."
Source: thenews.com.pk
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1195462-sammi-deen-baloch-honoured-with-human-rights-award
--------
Catholic
Nun, Sr. Paulina Chioma Ogbonnaya,In Nigeria Urges Women Religious ToSpeak Out
Against Abuses
31 May,
2024
Sr.
Paulina Chioma Ogbonnaya, National Coordinator Safeguarding Commission Nigeria.
Credit: ACI Africa
------------
A
Catholic Nun in Nigeria has urged women religious in the West African nation to
speak out against any form of abuse against them or other vulnerable groups in
the society.
In an
interview with ACI Africa Wednesday May 29 on the sidelines of a three-day
safeguarding workshop in Nigeria, Sr. Paulina Chioma Ogbonnaya blamed the high
rate of abuse targeting women religious and other vulnerable groups in the
country on fear and ignorance.
“Abuse has been going on for quite a long time
among vulnerable groups and some of the reasons why this trend continues is the
culture of fear and sometimes ignorance,” Sr. Ogbonnaya told ACI Africa.
“Victims are afraid to speak out against abuse and this has always emboldened
the perpetrators of this crime,” she said.
The
member of the Dominican Sister of St. Catherine of Siena clarified that abuse
is not only sexual in nature, and explained, “There are other forms of abuses
and the main issue about abuse comes from exercising power over others
especially on the vulnerable ones.”
“My
general advice is to eliminate fear and speak out. Most of the time this goes
on in different strata of human living, but people are so scared to even talk
about it,” she said.
The
Nigerian Catholic Nun noted that money is often involved in abuse, and adding
that people with information on abuse are usually afraid to let the money go.
“That is why they are not always willing and ready to talk about it,” Sr.
Ogbonnaya said.
Reflecting
on the objectives of the training for only Provincial and area presidents of
women religious in Nigeria, the Catholic Nun who is presently serving at the
Dominican General Council in Rome stated that participants are to share the
knowledge acquired to their various provinces especially the rural areas.
This
way, she said, participants in the training will reach out to more sisters in
the West African country.
Source: aciafrica.org
https://www.aciafrica.org/news/11049/catholic-nun-in-nigeria-urges-women-religious-to-speak-out-against-abuses
--------
'I Wish
I Were Shoulder To Shoulder With The Men And Women In Rafah'": Naledi Pandor, South African Minister
May 31,
2024
"I
Feel That You Are Saying... 'I Wish I Were Shoulder To Shoulder With The Men
And Women In Rafah'"; "The World Has A Standing Institution Whose
Mandate Is To Protect People... It Is Vital, As People Of The South, That We
Test These Institutions"
Minister
Naledi Pandor: "I feel that despite all, you are saying, 'I am doing what
I am doing from too safe a position.' I would wish I were shoulder to shoulder
with the men and women in Rafah. That is where I feel I should be. Say, 'Allah
Akbar!'"
Pandor:
"We have been denied that opportunity by the circumstances of our
geography, and thus we must do what we can, which I shall speak about today.
Many people write to me; I get lots of emails. Sometimes from some of you here.
You write to me and say: 'Minister Pandor, you are not radical enough. You are
not doing enough, when are you going to lead a Jihad?' I can't! So I say to
them, the world has a standing institution whose mandate is to protect people,
whose mandate is peace and security, whose mandate is to judge on issues of
international law, and it is vital, as people of the south, that we test these
institutions.
"Countries
And Officials Who Continue To Arm And Fund Israel's War Machine Will Be Liable
For Prosecution... There Is A Planned Class Action [Suit] On All Foreigners Who
Have Been Serving In The IDF – Including South Africans"
"Those
countries and officials who continue to arm and fund Israel's war machine will
be liable for prosecution as well. And civil society organizations will
certainly take up such cases, and hold those who have facilitated this genocide
accountable by taking them to court. Already there is a planned class action
[suit] on all foreigners who have been serving in the IDF. A group of 140
international lawyers are working on this case and are very carefully
identifying each of these non-citizens of Israel – including South Africans –
who have been fighting in Israel, and a class action [suit] will soon be
underway."
Crowd:
"Allah Akbar!"
Pandor:
"It is very disturbing that the U.S. Speaker of the House of Congress,
Mike Johnson, has responded to the ICC prosecutor's decision by saying that
America should punish the ICC and put Karim Khan back in his place. This is
what I have also received... He said that if the ICC is allowed to threaten
Israel's leaders, then we know that America will be next. Our response is: Of
course!"
Source: memri.org
https://www.memri.org/reports/south-african-minister-international-relations-and-cooperation-naledi-pandor-cape-town
--------
Seattle
Asian Art Museum: The Red Chador and 'the fabulousness of being a Muslim
woman'
May 31,
2024
There's
an exhibit at the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park called
"Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence." It's a retrospective of the work of
Tacoma-based, Cambodian American performance artist Anida Yoeu Ali.
One of
the stars of the show, in addition to “The Buddhist Bug,” is the
internationally known “Red Chador,” a being completely covered from head to
toe. We'll have a chance to see her as she walks the streets of Seattle this
weekend. KUOW’s Kim Malcolm met with Ali at SAAM to discuss her work.
This
interview has been edited for clarity.
Kim
Malcolm: Tell me about The Red Chador and how she came to be.
Anida
Yoeu Ali: I was given a commission to be in Paris in 2015. A lot of that
informed me conceiving The Red Chador. It's the rise of Islamophobia, the rise
of misogyny, It's also being in Paris and knowing that the burqa was banned. I
wanted to occupy that space and confront the French public with that image.
The
other thing I was thinking about is really joy, the celebration of joy and the
vibrancy of women, Muslim women in particular, that I knew, that I grew up
with, and that I'm surrounded with, that are not oppressed, that are not
treated with fearful stereotypes. I was thinking about the question of, if an
orthodox Muslim woman wanted to go to her prom, could she wear a fabulous
outfit like a red sequined chador?
It's
fully sequined. I just want to say you are completely leaning into the
fabulousness there, and clearly that was a choice you made.
That was
definitely a choice because when you think about evening gowns, and when you
think about prom outfits, you clearly think of sequined garments. That was why
I selected the red sequins, for the representation of red being life, and love,
and blood, and lust, all these things that red reminds us of. But also it's the
sparklingness, it's the shininess. How could you not smile when you're coming
across this beautiful garment as the sunlight hits it in a certain way? She is
sparkling, she is shiny, she is not somebody to fear. Let her have her moment.
Let her have her dance.
As a
Muslim woman, I am most definitely claiming joy. But I'm also claiming
complexities, like complexity of being, complexity of existing. There are many
people who don't even think of me as an Asian person as being from a Muslim
country, or being Muslim for generations and generations. That's also a problem
that I come across, which is whether or not I'm “Muslim enough.” I think that's
a dangerous way of looking at identity and not seeing and not allowing Muslim
people and Muslim women to have a complexity, almost pigeonholing us in a
certain way. I'm resisting that.
You go
to any congregational prayer, especially during Ramadan, and for Eid, and you
see the most fabulous fashion show unfold in front of your eyes. Women go into
the women's section of prayer to see all of those dazzling, fabulous, highly
embroidered, ostentatious gowns that other Muslim women wear, specifically
during Ramadan. And so, I am reminding all of us that we have this in all of
our specific cultures. Even with the layers of Islam, we are always celebrating
the colors and the textiles of our cultural specificity, through the garments
and through the act of covering, and it is by choice, and we should celebrate
in that moment of rejoicing in all of the colors and the splendidness and what
I like to call the fabulousness of being a Muslim woman.
Source: kuow.org
https://www.kuow.org/stories/the-red-chador-and-the-fabulousness-of-being-a-muslim-woman
--------
Selangor
Launches Women’s Policy and Action Plan 2024-2026
31-05-
2024
SHAH
ALAM: The state government today launched the Selangor Women’s Policy and
Action Plan 2024-2026 in a bid to increase the capability and contribution of
women in the state to realise its aspirations of becoming a smart, livable and
prosperous state.
Menteri
Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the action plan, which has seven main
objectives, was drafted to empower the role of women as decision-makers, in
addition to focusing on their well-being in Selangor.
“In the
previous term, we looked at the bigger framework so that justice and rights for
women are not mere programmes or activities to fill up space.
“Instead,
we want to see the roles and functions of more skilled women and their
involvement in society, where currently the composition of women and men in
Selangor is almost the same,” he said at the launching of the Selangor Women’s
Policy and Action Plan 2024-2026 here today.
Among
the objectives outlined through this action plan are promoting a
gender-sensitive framework; improving the socio-economic status and autonomy of
marginalised women; accelerating the participation, representation and
decision-making in the public and political lives among women; and fostering
creative talent, culture, digitalisation and innovation.
Source: thesun.my
https://thesun.my/local_news/selangor-launches-women-s-policy-and-action-plan-2024-2026-MH12518765
--------
Gaza war
protester ties himself to goalpost ahead of Scotland-Israel women’s football
match
June 01,
2024
GLASGOW,
Scotland: Kick-off in Scotland’s Women’s Euro 2025 qualifier with Israel in
Glasgow on Friday was delayed for over half an hour after a demonstrator
avoided security at Hampden Park and chained himself to a goalpost.Both
Friday’s fixture in Glasgow and the ‘return’ match in Hungary on June 4 are
meant to be taking place behind closed doors, without any spectators.
That
decision was taken against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
But on
Friday, as pro-Palestinian protests took place outside Scotland’s national
stadium, it emerged just before the scheduled kick-off time of 1805 GMT that
somebody had managed to access the arena and chain themselves to one of
Hampden’s goalpost.
The
protester, wearing a ‘Red Card For Israel’ T-shirt, was eventually removed
before the teams emerged for a second warm-up, with the game eventually
kicking-off at 1836 GMT.
The Gaza
war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel, which resulted
in the deaths of 1,189 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally
based on Israeli official figures.
Militants
also took 252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the army says
are dead.
Israel’s
retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,284 people in Gaza, mostly
civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2521106/sport
--------
Egyptian
Women in Golf Leadership Foundation Program
31 May
2024
CAIRO,
31 May 2024: The graduation of the Women in Golf Leadership Foundation
Programme (WIGLFP) was held last week on Tuesday May 21st via Google Meet,
featuring outstanding performances by exceptional women from around the world,
supported by their line managers. Participants delivered presentations to
showcase their learnings and experiences from the program.
This
opportunity positions the Egyptian women at the forefront of the golf field,
bringing new ideas and perspectives and demonstrating their capacity for
tremendous leadership success. This event also underscores the Egyptian
organizations' commitment to feminism, gender equality, and diversity in every
work sector.
From the
Egyptian experience of Miss Yara Abdelnasser, we state the following:
The event
began with an opening speech by Mrs. Jackie Davidson, the Golf Development
Director at The R&A. She highlighted The R&A's role in supporting women
in golf and creating new opportunities for them in leadership positions. Her
speech emphasized the importance of female engagement in golf and the
organization's efforts to showcase women's strong potential.
The
Women in Golf Leadership Foundation Programme, developed by The R&A, aims
to empower women in the golf industry by providing them with leadership skills.
The R&A, a prestigious organization governing the Rules of Golf and
organizing major championships, is dedicated to the global development of the
sport. This program aims to advance women's golf careers by offering a unique
educational and social experience.
The
programme spans seven months, from November 2023 to May 2024, with one session
held each month. Its foundation begins with defining the core principles of
leadership for each participant. The first step in this "Leadership
Pyramid" involves developing a growth mindset, which includes
understanding and enhancing one's emotional intelligence (EQ). This awareness
drives personal success by improving communication skills and gradually
building a powerful leader.
Coaching
sessions are a key component of the program. Each woman receives personalized,
one-on-one coaching sessions, providing a tailored experience that fosters
personal growth. “My two coaching sessions with Rebecca Hembrough were
particularly fruitful, helping me organize my thoughts through insightful
questions that opened my mind to new ideas and perspectives, thereby enhancing
my mindset and facilitating gradual growth.”, said Miss Yara
She
added: “This experience taught me to assert my voice in discussions, speak up
as a leader should, both for myself and others. I learned about myself and
identified changes needed to become a better version of who I aspire to be. The
program focuses on personal empowerment through increased mental health
awareness, emphasizing that we are not alone in our experiences. It encourages
self-reflection on our current feelings and teaches us to manage and articulate
them effectively.”
The
knowledge gained from this program positively impacts one's career, driving
success. Improved communication skills benefit both personal and professional
life, with each step representing progress in the journey of becoming a leader.
Finally,
she stated in her presentation on WIGLFP graduation day, “The first step to
becoming a leader is to lead yourself first to success by pursuing your goals
and dreams before leading others. Overcome your limits to become the person you
aspire to be.”
Source: egypttoday.com
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/8/132678/Egyptian-Women-in-Golf-Leadership-Foundation-Program
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sammi-deen-baloch-pakistani-human-rights/d/132425