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Islam, Women and Feminism ( 5 Jan 2014, NewAgeIslam.Com)
Afghanistan Girl Wearing Suicide Vest Detained
New
Age Islam News Bureau
6
Jan 2014
• In Iran, Violence against Women Highest Among
Kurds
• Muslim Mothers Should Be Trained In Computing
‘To Help To Spot Radicalisation’
• Violence against Women, Kids: PTI Body to
Start Public Move
• Emirati Woman Makes Her Presence Felt
• IIUI Female Hostel Students Facing
Victimisation
• Tanzania: Thin Line between Poverty and Teen
Pregnancy Should Be Addressed Now
• Nigeria: Esuene Decries Low Percentage of
Women in Politics
• Saudi Survey Shows Men Blame Women for Rising
Cases Of Molestation
• Rwanda: Gashora Girls Win Top Us Scholarships
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Afghanistan
Girl Wearing Suicide Vest Detained
6
January 2014
Asma bint Tamim works as a systems engineer in the Transportation Systems Department at the RTA’s Public Transport Agency — Supplied photo
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A young Afghan girl has been detained wearing a suicide vest in southern Afghanistan, officials say.
She
was held on Sunday night in Helmand province, as she tried to carry out an
attack on border police, an interior ministry spokesman told the BBC.
The
girl, reported to be as young as eight and thought to be the sister of a
prominent Taliban commander, is said to be in a state of shock and confusion.
Police
told the BBC she was encouraged to carry out the attack by her brother.
According
to interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi, one of the Afghan soldiers spotted
the girl wearing a suicide jacket.
But
she could not operate the button to detonate the suicide vest or she was
arrested before she could carry the attack, the BBC's Bilal Sarwary reports
from the Afghan capital, Kabul.
The
girl has now been transferred to the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25620543
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In
Iran, Violence against Women Highest Among Kurds
Assyrian
Internationsl News Agency
6
January 2014
TORONTO,
Canada -- About 88 percent of women in Iran's Kurdistan Province reportedly
experience some form of abuse, among the highest in the country.
According
to the BBC's Persian service, 66.3 percent of Iranian women experience violence
in their lives, but Kurdistan Province and the city of Ahvaz are reported to be
the two most violent cities for females.
The
United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based
violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental
harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion, or
arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private
life."
Despite
the huge numbers of women living with abuse in Kurdistan Province, abusive men
enjoy impunity under the patriarchal laws of Iran's Islamic Republic.
The
children of battered women are also victims of domestic violence. Witnessing
spousal violence is regarded as a form of child abuse. Children who witness
violence in the home have twice the rate of psychiatric disorders as children
from non-violent homes.
Kajal,
a 33-year-old senior government clerk in Sanandaj and the mother of a
two-year-old, was repeatedly beaten by her unemployed husband. He demanded she
hand over ownership papers to the family home and the car she bought with her
earnings.
Azadeh,
21, a university student in Germany, told Rudaw she decided to leave Iran after
seeing her older sister burst into her parents' home with broken teeth,
following a severe beating by her husband.
"Nobody
has been able to stop him. My sister stays in that marriage to be with her
children. Men have custody in Iran," she explained.
Farah,
45, a physical education trainer in Sanandaj, set herself ablaze one year after
her marriage.
"It
was just a threat when I poured the gasoline on my body, but when he (the
husband) dismissed me with indifference, I ended up lighting the match. That
was 15 years ago. He divorced me and remarried. The burning marks are still
persistent on my body," she lamented.
It is
feared that violence against women in Kurdistan is inevitably creating a more
unhealthy society, since children are affected by domestic abuse. The children
of abused women are likely to become victims or perpetrators of violence later
in life.
An
increase in the rates of violence against women is seen as proof that this
behavior is condoned by society.
Jafar
Bolhari, a psychologist and expert in violence against women, believes that
many women are "unaware of the crime committed against them." Many
consider receiving a slap by the husband or a verbal harassment as parts of
life and not a form of oppression, he explained.
According
to the Kurdpa news agency, in the Fall of 2013, 33 Kurdish women were reported
to have experienced violence. Fifteen women committed suicide, eight were
imprisoned (three of them activists) and seven were executed by the Iranian
government.
Iran's
Kurdish regions are economically among the country's most neglected areas.
Soraya
Falah, a Kurdish women's rights activist from Baneh who resides in Los Angeles,
believes that the Iranian government promotes violence in the Kurdish regions
by deliberately letting them flounder socially and economically.
Recent
global prevalence figures indicate that 35 percent of women worldwide have
experienced either intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in
their lifetime.
Activists
say that Kurdish men and women need to receive education about the definition
of violence and its effects on women, children and society. They complain that
the Iranian government does not seem to have any intention of raising awareness
in this regard and only Kurds themselves can make a difference.
http://www.aina.org/news/20140105162745.htm
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Muslim
Mothers Should Be Trained In Computing ‘To Help To Spot Radicalisation’
6
January 2014
The
mothers of Muslims should be trained in basic computing skills so they can spot
online radicalisation of their children, a report says.
The
study of 350 Muslim women, conducted between last June and October, found that
92 per cent did not understand the term “online radicalisation”, nor that their
children could be radicalised online. It said three-quarters of all mothers
surveyed had seen or heard their children accessing Islamic lectures, yet 90
per cent were unaware of their content.
“We
believe that mothers are trusted anchors within many homes which means, if
equipped with the right skills, they have a unique capacity to safeguard their
children against internet radicalisation,” the report from women’s charity JAN
Trust concluded.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/muslim-mothers-should-be-trained-in-computing-to-help-to-spot-radicalisation-9040289.html
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Violence
against women, kids: PTI body to start public move
6
January 2014
LAHORE
- PTI’s Insaf Action Forum is compiling data regarding cases involving violence
against women and children in Punjab in an effort to set in motion a public
move against the gruesome issue.
The
forum will present its findings in a seminar scheduled for January 10 in the provincial
capital. The forum met at PTI office on
Saturday to ponder the growing cases of violence against women.
With
Ijaz Chaudhry in the chair, PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Andleeb Abbas,
Nosheen Hamid Meraj, Shanila Rout, Aliya Hamza Malik and Bushra Khalid Bhatti
attended the meeting. The forum decided it would gather all possible data
regarding crimes against women and children in Punjab till January 9, and make
the same public in a seminar on January 10 in a bid to raise a public voice
against the serious issue. PTI leaders
said the recent case of violence involving a maid was a barbaric act against
which, they added, society should take a stand. They maintained the sorry state
of women security and safety indicated provincial authorities’ indifferent
attitude to the issue.
They
said the failure of the provincial rulers to apprehend the culprits of the
Sumbal incident had encouraged criminals, and put young children and women at a
greater risk.
They
said PTI’s seminar would bring the issue to the fore, and would present
proposals to the government to deal with it.
http://www.nation.com.pk/lahore/05-Jan-2014/violence-against-women-kids-pti-body-to-start-public-move
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Emirati
Woman Makes Her Presence Felt
Lily
B. Libo-on / 6 January 2014
A
young Emirati engineer is leaving her mark at the Roads and Transport Authority
(RTA), where 50 ideas presented by her have either been adopted or are under
study. What makes this Emirati woman’s achievement remarkable is that she has
been employed with the RTA for just about two years.
An
enthusiastic learner, Asma bint Tamim works as a systems engineer in the
Transportation Systems Department at the RTA’s Public Transport Agency. Several
ideas have been nominated for awards as a result of her contributions. She
participated in compiling the Sipta System — the first-of-its-kind cost and
revenue calculation system in the Middle East.
“The
system calculates elements such as cost and revenue of bus operations and
indicates performance indicators associated with these elements, in addition to
linking various technical systems to a unified centralised system, and issuing
fiwnancial reports automatically,” she explains.
Bint
Tamim obtained a Bachelor of Administrative Engineering from Sharjah College of
Technology in 2011, in addition to the Higher Diploma in Electronic Engineering
from the same college. Her graduation project earned her an excellent rating.
“My
graduation project was about installing underground radars capable of sending
text messages to speeding motorists stating the speed recorded, location and
time of the offence, and the due fine. I have worked on the project’s software
and scored an excellent rating, which helped me in my current job at the RTA,”
she says.
She
started work at the RTA in April 2012 — her first job after graduation.
Bint
Tamim’s recent accomplishments here includes her participation in compiling the
Wojhati application, which won the Hamdan bin Mohammed Award for Smart
Government as the best smart phone service. The application is the first of its
kind journey planner worldwide to use the Arabic language.
She
also participated in the project to offer Wi-Fi services on inter-city bus
routes — a service that enables passengers to use the Internet during their
trips. She was also part of the team which developed Hala Taxi and the Nol
smart card technology for buses. Bint Tamim also participated in augmenting the
RTA’s revenues, and sent text messages daily to the agency’s officials about the
number of bus passengers and revenues generated, which helped them take
appropriate decisions quickly.
“I
have been keen on learning since my appointment. I developed the habit of
participating in any project or idea such as the AVM system, which automatically
manages bus operations in terms of the number of kilometres done, performance
and arrival times among others. I have also learned to work on the AFC system,
which collects fare automatically. Later, I participated in issuing reports
using both systems.”
lily@khaleejtimes.com
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?section=newsmakers&xfile=data/newsmakers/2014/January/newsmakers_January10.xml
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IIUI
Female Hostel Students Facing Victimisation
6
January 2014
ISLAMABAD:
Female students of Islamic International University Islamabad (IIUI) residing
in hostel are being victimized by university administration for staging protest
against increase in hostel charges.
Details
said, hostel provost Nighat Shakoor taking action against girls have started
rusticating the students from hostel by using force ignoring the intensity of
cold weather.
Few
days before female students had staged the protest against increase in hostel
charges and had suspended all academic activities in university. Resultantly
administration assured girls that their concerns will be taken seriously.
But,
now university has established a discipline committee to take action against
students who led the protest and in this regard hostel provost has launched
action against girls.
Sources
said, hostel students have decided to seek the court against this action, while
spokesperson of university has not given any version of university on new
action.
http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?newsid=249030&catname=Pakistan
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Tanzania:
Thin Line Between Poverty and Teen Pregnancy Should Be Addressed Now
6th
January 2014
AS one
searcher for the 2013 One Africa Award winner, it is true that the region is
celebrating the incredible and ingenious organisations that have been finalists
in the past.
Let's
look at Supporting Orphans and Vulnerable for Better Health, Education and
Nutrition (SOVHEN), a finalist in 2012. Richard Bbaale is one of the founders
of SOVHEN. He grew up as an orphan. He was lucky to have his grandparents, who
took care of him and put him through school.
As
Bbaale grew up, he observed his sister miss school regularly, for they could
not afford sanitary pads. "How can I change this?" lingered in
Bbaale's mind throughout his childhood. This may be the kind of questions that
gives all great innovators the ability to create the unknown.
SOVHEN
was created from a dream, a dream to answer Richards question "How?"
Bbaale started SOVHEN as a university club, where university students took time
to volunteer and focused on supporting orphans and other vulnerable groups in
rural communities with encouragement, tutoring and more.
He
says higher levels of education are significantly associated with decreased
chances of very early sex, decreased chances of marrying early and increased
chances of using contraception during the teen years. Finding ways of keeping
pregnant teenagers in education would therefore seem to be a priority.
This
is the message in many areas of the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment
programme (GEWEII) being implemented by Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA
) in partnership with four other organisations that defend the rights of women
and children.
Influencing
teenage pregnancy cannot, however, be the result of a single intervention.
There is good evidence that providing parents with the skills and knowledge to
become active partners in sex and relationships education is effective in
preventing teenage pregnancy - young people whose parents are able to discuss
issues around sexual health with them are more likely to use contraception at
first intercourse.
Strategies
to involve boys and men seem also to be missing in a lot of work around teenage
pregnancy. Reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy is closely connected to the
goal of promoting responsible fatherhood. Rates of sexual activity are higher
for teen boys than for teen girls.
It is
also true that teen boys have had more sexual partners than teen girls.
Consequently, education and community leaders clearly need to focus their
efforts carefully on boys as well as girls. For young men who are not yet
fathers, activities should focus on the full responsibilities of fatherhood and
how to avoid becoming a father too soon.
Policymakers
should intensify their focus on the responsibilities of young men in preventing
teen and unplanned pregnancy by: addressing pregnancy planning and prevention
in programmes serving significant numbers of young men and, reaching young men
more effectively in family planning programmes.
Although
there has been growing recognition that responsible fatherhood is an important
part of promoting child well-being and healthy families, there is still
relatively little policy focus on delaying early or unplanned fatherhood in the
first place. More must be done to help young men wait to become fathers until
they are ready to shoulder the long-term responsibilities of raising a child.
Those
who are already young fathers also need help to delay having more children
until they are emotionally, financially, and otherwise ready to take on
additional responsibilities of fatherhood (such as being in a stable, healthy
relationship, including marriage).
Doing
so will improve prospects for this generation of young men, their partners, and
their children. Pregnancy planning and prevention should be included as a
component of such programmes in schools and further education as responsible
fatherhood, healthy relationships and marriage, in workplace education and
workforce development.
This
can be accomplished through language stressing how early and unplanned
pregnancy affects the goals of these programmes, accompanied by a modest
investment of resources to develop and disseminate materials, support training
and technical assistance, and encourage partnerships with relevant
organizations.
Parents
should be cautious about perpetuating a doublestandard of expectations for sons
and daughters -- one that clearly discourages sexual activity among teen girls
but too often offers a "wink and a nod" to adolescent male sexual
activity. Parents -- perhaps fathers, in particular -- are ideally suited to
talk with their sons about responsible sexual behaviour.
For
those who already are fathers, programmes should help participants think about
how an unplanned pregnancy may affect their goals, their relationships, and the
consequences for their children. They should also equip men with skills to
communicate with their partners on these topics in order to avoid unplanned
pregnancy.
In
addition, programmes can help educate fathers to change their attitudes about
early marriage for their children and to talk to their sons and daughters about
avoiding early pregnancy and teaching responsible parenting.
When
we consider young women in extremely poor and remote villages where there is no
hope of a better life or education, we might understand the cultural norm in
such places that explains why young girls in abject poverty have a higher
tendency to get pregnant than their counterparts who are aiming at being
educated and becoming influential.
Some
researchers are of the opinion that these poor little girls have made some
cost- benefit analysis amongst other logical economic assessments of themselves
and their futures.
They
must have envisaged and concluded that there's no tangible economic success or
impact that they can possibly make, hence they opt for childbearing to make up
for the void in their lives.
Economists
who examined teen sexual behaviours and its consequences in relation to
socio-economic class also concluded that teens from lowincome areas with abject
poverty are more likely to become teen parents.
In
developed nations with financial crisis' poverty plays a big role in teen
pregnancy when teenagers feel that they can only get help or receive food
stamps and welfare packages when they get pregnant and have children.
Going
by the report that says by 2040 Africa will house half of the world's youth
population, Africa must avert the economic hopelessness that might result from
this.
I
think the emphasis shouldn't be merely changing pregnancy rate, rather emphasis
should be placed on education and programmes that would boost the self esteem
and overall wellbeing of teenagers. It's also important to continue to
encourage and make contraceptives readily available.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201401060178.html?viewall=1
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Nigeria:
Esuene Decries Low Percentage of Women in Politics
6th
January 2014
In
order to achieve a reasonable percentage of women's participation in politics,
Senator Helen Esuene representing Akwa Ibom South senatorial district in the
National Assembly has called for collaborative efforts by the menfolk,
government and political parties in this direction.
Esuene,
who made the call in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, at the weekend,
expressed regret that men were not doing enough to encourage women,
participation in politics.
"The
men are not doing enough to encourage women participation in politics. Our men
still have that antagonistic altitude that the public sector should be for the
men. Men still feel that women should not be publicly engaged," she said.
Consequently,
she noted that women were trying to show that they could participate in public
activities, business and governance without comprising their duties at home.
She
argued that female participation in politics in Nigeria had not reached a stage
or level where women could declare that they have arrived, saying Nigeria was
really lacking in governance compared to other African countries.
"Nigeria
has just about six per cent of women participation in politics whereas other
countries in Africa have up 30 and 40 per cent. We need to work harder in this
area. And our menfolk, government and political parties have to assist us the
women," she stressed.
Esuene,
who clarified that her interest in contesting the 2015 governorship election in
the state was not because of gender consideration, said: "I am interested
in the position (governorship) because I have gathered a lot of experience in
public administration, governance at various levels and I have a good track
record of achievements goodwill, integrity and very reliable."
According
to her, "I see myself as somebody easily acceptable across board. I have
something to offer to the people of the state based on experience and knowledge
in governance. My experience in government and private sectors will enable me
to manage the government in term of civil service, political appointees
properly and put in place social administrative process that will encourage
transparency and service delivery.
I know
the areas of loopholes in government, areas to pay attention to, I have that
exposure and know who to bring or fix in a specific position. I believe in
government that will transparent and participatory, I mean real
democracy."
On the
area of her focus if elected as the governor of the state, the Senator said the
level of infrastructure so far achieve is a spring board to where the state
should really be in future in term self sufficiency and reliable, job creation
and empowerment of the people.
She
observed that tourism was one area not touched and neglected in the state.
"It is an area that will bring revenue to to any community and government
if properly harness. We have many tourist attractions, natural ones and others
we can create and develop," he said.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201401060727.html
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Saudi
Survey Shows Men Blame Women For Rising Cases Of Molestation
6
January 2014
Saudi
men believe women are to blame for the rising cases involving molestation of
females on the grounds they are seduced by women’s excessive make up.
The
findings were included in a survey conducted by the Riyadh-based King Abdul
Aziz Centre for National Dialogue and involved 992 males and females.
The
survey, carried by Saudi newspapers, found that 86.5 per cent of the men polled
believe that women’s exaggeration in wearing make-up is the main cause of the
rise in molestation cases in public places in the conservative Gulf Kingdom.
About
80 per cent of the total persons polled believe lack of deterrent penalties and
the absence of specific anti-molestation laws are also to blame for the
phenomenon.
The
report said 91 per cent of the respondents, all aged above 19, believe another
key factor is the “poor religious sentiment” while nearly 75 per cent said the
problem is caused by lack of awareness campaigns and warning notices at most
public places.
http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/saudi-survey-shows-men-blame-women-for-rising-cases-of-molestation-2014-01-06-1.533620
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Rwanda:
Gashora Girls Win Top Us Scholarships
6th
January 2014
Ten
students from Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology in Bugesera
District have been awarded scholarships to study their undergraduate programmes
at various universities in the US.
The
scholarship offer was announced last week to students who had submitted their
applications for 2014.
The
universities are Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Smith College,
Hamline University, Bucknell University, Lafayette University, Trinity College,
Goucher College, University of West Virginia, and Worcester Polytechnic
Institute.
The
students will benefit from a total of approximately $1.9 million toward the
cost of their four years of undergraduate study in such fields such as
chemical, civil and biomedical engineering, architecture, finance and
economics, computer/IT, according to the school's headmaster Peter Thorp.
"To
have 10 of our girls accepted from the most competitive pool of candidates from
all over the world affirms the quality of education the girls received during
their three years at Gashora Girls Academy. I am proud of the girls and their
teachers for their collaborative efforts that resulted in this stunning
achievement," Thorp added.
He
said the selection of her students is encouraging and a sign of the confidence
US universities have in Rwandan students.
"I
believe the almost $2 million investment in just these 10 girls is an
indication that American universities are eager to support the future
development of Rwanda. They believe that when these girls complete their
educations, they will return to their homeland to become key players in
achieving the goals of the country's development agenda," Thorp said.
Meanwhile,
Gashora, Bridge2 Rwanda organisation, and the other leading secondary schools
in the country, including Green Hills, Riviera, KICS, ISK, Sonrise and Agahozo
Shalom have formed the Rwanda International University Access Consortium
(RIUAC).
The
goal of RIUAC is to enable the schools to share ideas and expertise and teach
young Rwandans how to become competitive candidates for international universities
as well to improve their readiness to attend the newly-created University of
Rwanda.
Thorp
said the members of RIUAC believe the consortium's efforts have already paid
off, with visits from 15 American and Canadian universities between September
and November last year, including seven of the Master Card Foundation
Scholarship universities which offer full scholarships to the most highly
qualified Sub-Saharan African students. He appealed to other secondary schools
to join the consortium.
"These
efforts make this an especially encouraging time for Rwanda's secondary
students," Thorp said.
"By
ensuring that our students receive world-class 21st Century education, I am
confident many of our young scholars will be able to pursue disciplines that
will directly impact the future development of Rwanda.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201401060783.html
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