Activist Amirah Sackett Urged Women and Girls to Feel Empowered Through Hip-Hop Dance, at Dubai Expo 2020
New
Age Islam News Bureau
05
November 2021
• Policies
of Openness in Saudi Arabia: Saudi Couples Flock to Pure Beach, North of
Jeddah's City Centre
• Two
21-Year-Old Emirati Female Pilots On Carrying Out Air Missions For Dubai Police
• Saudi
Women Enter Workforce In Changing Kingdom
• Entire
Group of Female US Senators Call On Biden to Protect Afghan Women's Rights
• Dates
Harvest Season Helps Gaza's Women Become Breadwinners
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Activist
Amirah Sackett Urged Women and Girls to Feel Empowered Through Hip-Hop Dance,
at Dubai Expo 2020
(Supplied:
Twitter)
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05
November, 2021
Muslim
American hip-hop dancer, choreographer and activist Amirah Sackett urged women
and girls to feel empowered through hip-hop dance, and explore the art form in
a way where they are not objectified, she said after a stage performance at the
USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Sackett
explores and embodies her Muslim American identity through hip-hop movement and
Islamic themes and is widely known for her creation of the choreography and
performance group known as, “We’re Muslim, Don’t Panic”, which reached viral
video fame.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Speaking
to the Expo media team, Sackett said: “I want girls to feel powerful and
strong.”
“To
express themselves in dance without being overly sexualised.”
"By
teaching a girl breaking, which is really an athletic endeavor, [or] teaching
her popping, which is theatrical and creative, she has a power that is not just
based on her looks – or how she can attract men … For young girls especially, I
think seeing me is a powerful reminder that dance can be something that is beautiful
and powerful – and you can be a woman doing it, but you can also do it without
being objectified.”
She
continued: “It’s all a choice. I’m not hating on anybody; you’re an adult, you
can do what you want. But when it comes to young people, I worry about the
images they’re being fed through social media versus what they’re being told
[such as]: ‘Love yourself, embrace yourself’.”
Trained
in classical ballet at a young age, and with a jazz musician father, Sackett
said she fell in love with hip-hop from an early age: “The first part of the
[hip-hop] culture I fell in love with was definitely rap. And then I got into
dancing a little bit later, but I was always dancing. I loved all kinds of
dance.”
Sackett,
who currently teaches breakdancing in a Chicago studio and uses her voice to
combat negative stereotypes about Muslim women, said her work also focuses on
addressing misconceptions around hip-hop culture, particularly within the
Islamic community.
“When
the average Muslim hears ‘female hip-hop dancer’, the idea that comes to their
mind is not what I’m doing. There is an educational aspect [in] letting people
understand hip-hop culture, letting them know the root dances of hip hop,
understanding [its] underground culture.
“There’s
a competitive part of our dance, too. I battle people and compete. It builds a
lot of self-confidence and has all these great outcomes, [especially] for young
people.”
Expo
2020 Dubai runs until March 31, 2022, inviting the world to join a celebration
of unity, opportunity, creativity and sustainability that will help to shape a
better, brighter future for everyone.
Expo
organizers have declared the first month of the world’s biggest cultural
gathering as a huge success, with more than 2.35 million visits recorded to
date.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Policies
of Openness in Saudi Arabia: Saudi Couples Flock to Pure Beach, North of
Jeddah's City Centre
Beachgoers
are seen at the floating water park at Pure Beach in King Abdullah Economic
City, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 17, 2021. - Fayez Nureldine/AFP via Getty Images
-----
Hussein
Nagah
November
1, 2021
News
reports over the last week cast doubts and sent contradicting signs about the
new policies of openness in Saudi Arabia, through which the kingdom seeks to
ease some of its conservative restrictions, aiming to attract investors and
help its private sector.
The
first was about the opening of a new beach in the Jeddah area, which is
considered the modern commercial and tourism hub in Saudi Arabia. Pure Beach is
located in King Abdullah Economic City, about 125 kilometres (78 miles) north
of Jeddah's city centre.
After
paying 300 Saudi riyals ($80), a visitor can enter Pure Beach, enjoy music,
dancing and a floating water park; no gender restrictions are in place and
marital status for couples is not checked. Women wear bikinis and both sexes
can smoke the hookah. For decades, these scenes were not allowed in the
kingdom, but since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman came to power in 2017,
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, has slowly opened up.
The
emerging story about Pure Beach sends the message that Saudi borders are open
for visitors, tourists and even businesses to explore investment opportunities
in the kingdom.
Saudi
analyst Ahmed Alibrahim told Al-Monitor that the kingdom’s leadership started
these measures a few years ago, but the coronavirus pandemic has caused a
delay. He said that Saudi Arabia aims also to use these developments to promote
its soft power abroad and to tell the world that the kingdom is changing.
“Hosting
international events, launching entertainment activities and easing some social
restrictions in some places are tools to help Saudi Arabia improve its image in
the United States and Europe, instead of using lobbying campaigns,” he told
Al-Monitor.
Just
a few days later, reports claimed that the Saudi government imposed a dress
code for visitors to the first Saudi Grand Prix that will be held in Jeddah in
December.
According
to the Spanish platform Marca, Formula 1 event organizers received a list of
rules from the Saudi Ministry of Sports on what is acceptable attire and what
isn't for the event.
Pure
Beach and the racetrack are located in the same area of Jeddah — at the beach
resort women can wear bikinis, while at the racetrack women can’t wear
transparent clothing, skirts or shorts above the knee, backless dresses or
tight clothes.
Men
can't wear shorts, tank tops or tight pants to the racetrack.
Neither
the Saudi Ministry of Sports nor the Formula 1 media office replied to a
request sent by Al-Monitor for a comment on the Marca report.
However,
a representative who is working for Experiences, the exclusive sales agent for
the Formula 1 in Dubai, who asked not to be named, confirmed the dress code
requirements, noting that it is a gender rule applied in the kingdom in all
public places.
Alibrahim
said, “There are no contradiction here. … What is acceptable in places such as
private beaches might not be acceptable in public places.”
He
noted, “It’s normal for the Saudi authorities to impose a dress code as the
Formula 1 will be held in a public place … in line with the culture and
traditions in Saudi Arabia.”
Alibrahim
added, “In many countries around the world public places have rules. Visitors
to the kingdom are aware of those rules and many of them come and respect it.
The United Arab Emirates is a role model for Saudi Arabia in this regard as
there is freedom but at the same time there is respect for the country's traditions."
Abdullah
al-Ulomi, a young Saudi man studying aviation abroad, told Al-Monitor that the
majority of Saudis under the age of 30 crave a different living environment,
and the country's leadership seems to have realized this.
Saudi
Arabia has a population of around 35 million, two-thirds of whom are under the
age of 35, according to the Saudi General Authority of Statistics.
“We
can all see how happy young people are when they participate in social events
such as the opening of Riyadh Season 2021.”
Riyadh
Season 2021, which started Oct. 20 and will run until March 2022, is part of an
initiative that aims to promote diversity in the kingdom and to attract
audiences from all over the country and abroad.
The
initiative, which is held for the second time, includes more than 7,000 events
at 14 entertainment zones, ranging from music concerts, art exhibitions and
auctions to food and local and international sports games.
More
than 750,000 people in Boulevard Riyadh City zone attended the opening ceremony
Oct. 20, according to the General Entertainment Authority.
Videos
on social media showed thousands of young people flooded into the festival
arena, dancing to Western music with fireworks in the background.
Ulomi
said, “I travel and study abroad and I want to have some freedom in my country.
My family also travels every year for vacation, but when we have things like
this in Saudi Arabia it is better for us to spend a vacation in our own
country.”
In
2016, Saudis spent 97.3 billion Saudi riyals ($26 billion) on tourism overseas,
but this amount declined by 20% the
following year to around 78 billion riyals ($21 billion), according to a report
by the Saudi Gazette, coinciding with the coming to power of Prince Mohammed and
the start of his new policy to modernize the kingdom.
However,
some Saudis are not happy with the changes that are taking place in their
country. On social media they criticize the country’s transformation,
considering it a waste of money and a violation of religion and Saudi
traditions.
Ola,
who preferred not to disclose her last name, is a media professional who
believes that the pace at which Saudi society is opening up is very fast and
does not commensurate the long-standing conservative system. She told
Al-Monitor that these new policies may be associated with social problems.
“There
were incidents of harassment [in September] during the kingdom's National Day
celebrations and Riyadh Season 2021, which confirms the need for measures to be
taken in accordance with these changes [openness that the kingdom is
witnessing], such as increasing awareness among the youth through education,
the media and special arrangements to protect women during these events,” Ola
said.
She
concluded, “The decision to impose a dress code during the Formula 1 might have
been taken due to these incidents.”
Source:
Al Monitor
--------
Two
21-year-old Emirati female pilots on carrying out air missions for Dubai Police
Photos
by Neeraj Murali
-----
By
Somya Mehta
4
Nov 2021
According
to a recent survey for Women, Peace and Security Index by Georgetown
University, women feel safer in the UAE than any other country. This research
comes amidst the nation’s rapid progress in fostering a gender-inclusive space
— one that allows women of the country to thrive.
With
several such breakthroughs in the last year, where women have been at the
forefront of battling gender stereotypes, leaving their mark in male-dominated
industries, a particular feat that stood out was an image of two young Emirati
women walking through the passageways of the Dubai Police Air Wing. Defying
gender roles and making news ahead of Emirati Women’s Day on August 28, two
21-year-old female pilots, Mahra bin Hammad and Dana Al Mazmi, officially began
their air missions with the Dubai Police with the one and only dream — to fly.
In
a conversation with wknd., we caught up with the two lieutenant pilots at the
place that gave wings to their dreams. Catching them in action in the early
hours of mid-operations at the bustling Al Maktoum International Airport, one
cannot help but wonder when the seed of these fearless ambitions had been
planted in the young pilots’ lives.
For
Mahra, this had been the only dream she’s ever had. “For as long as I can
remember, I’ve wanted to pursue and join the aviation industry. It contributes
directly to my passion and interests,” she says. On the other hand, Dana, who
now cannot imagine her life without flying, admits it wasn’t really a childhood
dream. “It was something that I discovered late, in my teenage years, which led
me to pursue aviation for higher studies,” says Dana. “This was a turning point
in my life. The idea of becoming a part of such a diverse field, where women
can fly, literally, was very appealing. It made me realise that my place was in
the aviation field,” she adds.
It
was in 2019 that the Dubai Police made an announcement for the very first time,
requesting female pilots to join the Police Air Wing. “I considered it a golden
opportunity to join a distinguished government. I’ve always wanted to be a part
of the Dubai Police’s achievements and history,” says Mahra. And it all started
with a social media call to action. “There was a post on Instagram that
mentioned the Dubai Police was looking to recruit cadet female pilots. It felt
like a golden ticket for us to apply right away and show them what we’ve got —
a dream come true,” adds Dana.
Undergoing
intensive training over the course of two years to now carrying out critical
air missions for the Dubai Police, Mahra and Dana have been trained in
undertaking search and rescue missions for people who may have lost their way
in the desert or the mountainous regions. Recounting the hands-on journey of
training with the Air Wing, Mahra mentions, “We have received the highest level
of training associated with the highest standards of safety and quality in the
region. It not only improved my knowledge and skills but also made me confident
in my abilities to carry out air missions efficiently.”
Other
domains of the Emirati pilots’ responsibilities include transmitting live
images from scenes of accidents to the Dubai Police control rooms. “We learned
from the best academic facilities in the region, with high-ranking instructors
from the UAE and abroad, making our training journey a delightful one,” says
Dana. “One we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives.”
The
two pilots who’ve dedicated their lives to show unwavering support for the
safety and protection of their nation, being at the forefront of important
missions, also acknowledge how fear plays a pivotal role in furthering their
ambitions. “Fear pushes me to my limits and shows me my strength. And at the
end of the day, it’s an honour to serve my country despite what the risks might
be,” says Mahra. Especially so, in an environment that demands undeterred
resilience and commitment. “Fear is a very powerful driving force in my life.
Fearing to be in a male-dominated environment made me realise this is what I
want to do and this is where I want to be,” says Dana who aspires to become a
captain in the coming years.
“I
get my strength from my government. Our leaders have shown tremendous trust in
us and this is our chance to give our best for them,” says the Emirati pilot,
adding that there’s no such word as “risk” in her dictionary. “They’ve given us
all the opportunities to show the world, not just the UAE, that women are
capable of being in male-dominated industries. This is what gives me my
strength,” she adds further.
Amidst
the support of the UAE government and colleagues at the Dubai Police Air Wing,
the young Emiratis mention that the encouragement from their parents has been
an unparalleled catalyst for their accomplishments. “They were my first source
of inspiration and motivation in this journey,” mentions Mahra. “Despite it
being a male-dominated industry, my parents were the first people to believe in
me, encouraging me to push myself to my limits,” adds Dana.
In
their two-year-long training journey, there were no obstacles big enough to
throw them off course, the pilots reveal. “There were no challenges that could
make me feel like I can’t go through with this. If anything, I got more courage
to push forward and turn the challenges into my strengths. I wanted to show
people that women are capable of being in any field they want, not just
aviation,” says Dana, adding that the thrill of flying amid Dubai skyscrapers
and giving the leaders of the country a reason to trust young women superseded
all temporary pit stops that came their way.
Having
no apprehensions setting foot in a male-dominated environment, Mahra adds, “The
UAE has always empowered and supported women in various fields, which is why
we’ve seen so many different women shine in a variety of industries.”
Recently,
several Emirati women have been making headlines for achieving various “firsts”
in many fields. However, it was Mahra’s mother who inspired her to embark on
this journey.
“My
mother Dr. Amal Buharoun has always inspired me to be selfless in my
aspirations because most of her projects have been dedicated to giving back to
her community, all throughout her leadership at Dubai Healthcare Authority,”
says Mahra. “It’s from her that I’ve learned how to believe in myself and
transform my goals into reality,” she adds.
“Growing
up, my role model was Mariam al-Mansouri, who was a military air force pilot
and the first female fighter pilot of the UAE,” says Dana. “When I came across
her in the headlines and saw her accomplishments, I knew that I wanted to
become like her.”
There
was never a feeling of being a misfit for the female pilots at the Dubai Police
Air Wing. “The men here in the Dubai Police have welcomed us as though it’s a
female-dominated environment. They gave us their trust, time and effort to make
us reach where we are today,” add the Emirati pilots.
Hoping
to see more young women participate actively in the aviation field in the
coming years, Dana mentions, “It’s such a diverse field. We need more and more
women to be a part of it — you can never have enough! And I think women are
more than capable of becoming pilots, aviation maintenance staff and so much
more,” she adds.
As
a message to all the young girls who dream of flying, Mahra says, “Take
advantage of every possible opportunity without any hesitation. The best
investment you can make is in yourself,” she adds.
“I
want to tell all the young girls that even when no one believes in you, believe
in yourself. Push yourself to your limits and you will shine in any field you
choose,” adds Dana. “Everything is achievable. Any young girl who wants to be
an astronaut can be an astronaut, or wants to be a pilot can be a pilot. There
are no limits,” the young pilot signs off. And with a journey that is testament
to this very notion, the pilots continue to embody this spirit, of there being
no limits (not even the sky).
Source:
Khaleej Times
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Saudi
women enter workforce in changing kingdom
Nov
05, 2021
Stepping
out of a shared taxi in central Riyadh, Reham Al-Ahmed walked into the shopping
mall where she works four days a week selling cosmetics.
Al-Ahmed,
a high school graduate, is the first woman in her family to have a job. Her
parents had never wanted her to work but they eventually relented as life in
the capital became too expensive. With steep new taxes and cuts to government
subsidies, many families are increasingly relying on women to work. In so
doing, women are negotiating a new place for themselves in their country's
delicate social fabric – a trend celebrated by some and watched suspiciously by
others in a country still tethered to its conservative traditions.
Al-Ahmed,
who lives at home with her parents and five younger siblings, chose a shop with
mostly female clients to allay her parents' concerns about mixing with men.
"I used to feel guilty asking my father for anything," the
24-year-old said. "But since I started working, I'm proud I can help out
my family."
Showing
up to work across the country every day are thousands of women like Al-Ahmed –
unimaginable just a few years ago but now increasingly the norm under reforms
led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to modernise the kingdom. Saudi Arabia
is highlighting its progress on women at a time of scrutiny in the West over
its human rights record, including a crackdown on dissent that ensnared dozens
of women's rights activists and the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
An absolute monarchy, it permits no political parties or elections.
Men
still have a tight grip on power. There are currently no women in King Salman's
cabinet or in senior advisory roles, and the advisory Shura Council has only 30
women members out of 150. But women now make up 33% of Saudi's labour force –
nearly double what it was five years ago. Across age brackets and education
levels, they are taking up jobs previously restricted to Saudi men and migrant
workers in restaurants, supermarkets, accounting and graphic design firms.
As
part of the reforms, women have been allowed to drive since 2018. But Al-Ahmed,
who earns 4,500 riyals ($1,200) a month, cannot afford driving lessons, let
alone a car. "I spend nearly a third of my salary on taxis," she
said, and is saving up for a car. "But I'm really happy to have a job, to
earn my own money finally. I never thought this would be possible for me."
A
small number of women had long worked in Saudi Arabia but typically held public
sector jobs as teachers or medical workers, in keeping with once-strict gender
segregation rules. But with looser restrictions on mixing, driving and some
aspects of the male guardianship system, firms are hiring more women than ever.
This
is particularly true in retail and hospitality, sectors in which the government
launched a scheme in 2011 to replace cheaper foreign workers with citizens to
tackle Saudi unemployment, currently at 11%. "A lot of jobs that are going
to women were traditionally occupied by non-Saudis," said economist
Jennifer Peck. New laws have made it easier for women to work in client-facing
jobs.
According
to her research, the number of Saudi women in the private sector jumped to
935,508 in 2021 from 56,000 in 2010, and continues to climb.
SOCIAL
MORES
The
changes are not just happening in Riyadh. In Unaizah, a city in the
conservative heartland of Qassim, attitudes are shifting and more women are
working despite wariness among some about upending decades of tradition.
After
graduating from university, Ghada al-Salman, 33, struggled to find a job in Qassim,
where women's unemployment still hovers at 18%, more than three times the rate
for men. She turned to baking, eventually opening three stores that employ 45
people. At a recent date festival, she promoted her Rose Ribbon Bakery, one of
few women-owned businesses in Qassim.
"Without
my parents, I wouldn't have been able to do any of this," she said,
serving customers slices of date cake. "Most fathers here would still not
be okay with their daughters working all day alongside men; even if they're the
boss, even if they're wearing the niqab."
Salman,
like most women in public spaces in Unaizah, wears a full-face covering and
long black abaya. But she still faces admonishment from older conservatives.
Happily eating one of her cupcakes, a man in his 60s complained about the fast
pace of social change.
"(The
government) is telling us women must work – but that goes against our
traditions. In Islam, men take care of women," he said, requesting
anonymity.
GENDER
PAY GAP
For
others, the changes are overdue. Rana Alturki, 45, who joined her father's oil
and gas firm in 2000 as one of its first female hires, worked for years in a
gender-segregated office. "Back then, the men were not even polite: no one
would say good morning or get in the elevator with me, they wouldn't even stand
in the same room as me," said Alturki, now an owner and manager at Rawabi
Holding Co.
"Thankfully,
things have changed," said Alturki. "In my day, we were too scared to
even ask for a salary. But girls these days – they come in and negotiate hard.
They know their worth." Despite this, the gender pay gap in Saudi Arabia
stands at 49%, according to research by NGO Al Nahda.
"Social
attitudes still govern women's access to the labour market," said Hala
al-Dosari, a U.S.-based Saudi women's rights expert, who notes the bulk of new
jobs for women are low-paying. Although laws were introduced against harassment
and discrimination, they are not systematic and women are still being harassed
and denied their rights, Dosari said.
Some
employers still ask women for their male guardian's approval during hiring, the
economist Peck said, despite recent reforms giving women greater control over
their lives. One employer at a large company told Reuters he prefers to hire
women because "they work twice as hard, for half the pay". Nearly all
400 firms interviewed by Peck's research group said Saudi women's wages were
lower, while a third said women were more productive.
But
for many Saudi women, these are just growing pains. "Young women ask me
all the time how they can do what I do," said bakery owner Salman. "I
tell them: 10 years ago, it would have been impossible. But now, the future is
yours."
Source:
Business Today
--------
Entire
group of female US senators call on Biden to protect Afghan women's rights
Michael
Hernandez
04.11.2021
WASHINGTON
The
entire contingent of US female senators called on President Joe Biden on
Thursday to "preserve the political, economic, social, and basic human
rights" of Afghanistan's women and girls as the country grapples with
hardline Taliban rule.
The
bipartisan group of two-dozen lawmakers urged the president to "develop an
interagency plan to preserve the political, economic, social, and basic human
rights of Afghan women and girls."
"American
disengagement from Afghanistan puts at risk hard-won gains for Afghan women and
girls," they wrote in a letter to Biden. "Lacking a legitimate Afghan
government and military forces to protect them, women and girls are now
suffering the predations of a Taliban regime with a track record of brutalizing,
isolating, and denying them life and liberty."
The
letter was led by Republican Senators Joni Ernst and her Democratic colleague,
Dianne Feinstein.
The
US under Biden withdrew from Afghanistan at the end of August after the Taliban
led a lightning offensive against the internationally-recognized government,
taking the capital Kabul on Aug. 15 as former President Ashraf Ghani fled the
country.
Prior
to the Taliban's takeover, an estimated 3.5 million girls were attending
schools and 100,000 were enrolled in universities, the senators wrote. The
former Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry further reported
about 1,000 new female entrepreneurs in 2020.
The
Taliban promised to preserve the rights of women and girls, but their nascent
rule has been repeatedly criticized for failing to accomplish that pledge.
UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Oct. 11 that he was "particularly
alarmed to see promises made to Afghan women and girls by the Taliban being
broken."
"Broken
promises lead to broken dreams for the women and girls of Afghanistan," he
said, maintaining that Afghanistan's women and girls "need to be the
center of attention."
Guterres
said 80% of Afghanistan's economy is informal with women playing "a
preponderant role” there as the economy collapses without the robust
international aid seen during the US occupation.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
--------
Dates
Harvest Season Helps Gaza's Women Become Breadwinners
03
November, 2021
Amira
Ibrahim, from Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, gathers with six of her
neighbours in the early hours of the morning to pick a considerable amount of
dates that she then sells in the local markets.
The
women spend at least twelve hours a day sorting out the dates by cleaning them
and then preparing them for manufacturing.
The
45-year-old mother of eight told The New Arab that during the dates season most
non-educated women of the Strip become the only breadwinners of their families.
Each
woman produces about 900 kg of pressed dates. Two-thirds of that amount is sold
to local markets, the rest is usually used in traditional cake making. They are
also used to produce jam, juice and many other products.
"Personally,
I earn about $400 during the season. To put that in proportion, I earn about
$80 a month during the rest of the year," the woman said, adding that it
is enough to keep her family afloat amid the economic crisis.
Sara
Salama, Amira's neighbour and one of her workmates, joined her teamwork six
years ago when her husband passed away and left her with five children without
any breadwinner.
To
avoid sinking into poverty, the woman decided to take matters into her own
hands and pursue work in various agricultural projects, including picking
dates.
"It
is hard to become the only breadwinner of a family with children," the
36-year-old complained, saying what made matters worse was that she couldn't
find a job despite her business administration education.
Dates
season has solved that problem for her. "Whether they are educated or not,
women can adapt to the reality by finding alternatives that can prevent them
from poverty and deprivation. Most Palestinian women, especially in the coastal
enclave, can make and prepare hand-made dates' products. And this way, they can
turn their hobby into a profitable business," she explained as she flashed
a smile.
Apart
from making some money, Amira and Sara are also aiming to revive Palestinian
folkloric songs, which have become their source of strength and a way to cope
with Israel's occupation of their lands.
Israel
has been imposing a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas forcibly
seized control of the enclave in the summer of 2007 from the security forces of
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
As
a result, about 85 percent of Gazans have been pushed into poverty with an
individual income of only $2 per day. Currently, 300,000 people are unemployed
in the coastal enclave, according to data issued by the Palestinian Central
Bureau of Statistics (PCBS).
Helping
around 40 women from the Khan Younis city, the Maan Development Center has
funded a local project for the second year in a row encouraging those from poor
households to make products from dates and sell them in the local markets.
Each
woman earns about $30 a day, according to Hiba al-Falit, the supervisor of the
project. She said that because of the dire economic situation in the coastal
enclave, such sums of money could be enough for poor women who are struggling
to feed their children.
She
added that hundreds of women eagerly await the dates' season every year to earn
money and support their families even though they know that the profits would
be low and that they are only limited to several months.
Hasnah
Qudaih from the Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip started working in
hand-made agriculture products in 2008 when she lost all her family members in
the 2008 Israeli war.
The
60-year-old tells The New Arab that since then she has been forced to earn
money by herself and that has kept her alive, giving her an escape route to
forget all her personal catastrophe.
Meanwhile,
Samih Qudaih, a local coordinator from the Maan center, says his team came up
with the idea of launching the initiative after studying the local market
conditions.
"Our
markets depend on imports, including dates. In the past year, we have targeted
women based in remote areas, but currently, we are targeting more women even if
they live in cities," Samih explained.
Sally
Ibrahim is a Palestinian reporter with The New Arab based in the Gaza Strip
Source:
The New Arab
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/features/gazan-women-produce-dates-products-make-money
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