Aysha Hussan, Kiwi Teen Bolts into Muslim Sportswomen’s Global Power List for 2020
New Age Islam
News Bureau
02 September
2020
• Iranian Women Decide to Speak Out on Sexual Violence, A Subject That Continues to Be A Taboo
• How to Build
Inclusive Sports Communities for New Zealand Muslim Women
• Three Thousand
Women Have Been Given Jobs in Agriculture in Balkh Province of Afghanistan
• Dubai Business
Women Council Launches Programme to Assist Women Entrepreneurs
• Dr. Chan Yoke
Fun Has Won the ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women 2020 From COSTI
• Malala
Yousafzai's S Book Club Is Starting In October And We Really Want To Join
• 7
History-Making Moments That Occurred for Saudi Women in The Last Few Months
• Many Stranded
Nigerian Women Living in Crowded Homes in Saudi Arabia Seek Help To Return Home
• Egypt: Suspected
Mass Sex Abuser To Go On Trial
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/aysha-hussan-kiwi-teen-bolts/d/122776
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Aysha Hussan, Kiwi Teen Bolts into Muslim Sportswomen’s Global Power List for 2020
Suzanne McFadden
Sep 02 2020
Aysha Hussan has just begun
a full scholarship at Botany Downs Secondary College, and hopes to become a
doctor and a history-making Olympic track athlete for New Zealand.
------
At just 14,
Aysha Hussan has already achieved so much, as the New Zealand face on the
global Muslim women’s sports powerlist for 2020.
A promising
track athlete and netballer, Hussan says she knows it’s “a big achievement” to
be on the list with 34 other Muslim women involved in sport around the world.
The teenager
sits proudly alongside 400m hurdles Olympic champion American Dalilah Muhammad,
and Indonesian climber Aries Susanti, the first woman in the world to climb a
speed wall in under seven seconds.
Then there’s
Emirati Zahra Lari, the first international figure skater to compete wearing a
hijab, and her fellow countrywoman Amna Al Qubaisi, 'The Flying Girl', who was
the first Middle Eastern woman to test drive in Formula E (that session in
Saudi Arabia in 2018 was just months after the country lifted its ban
prohibiting all women from driving).
Although she’s
yet to rush onto the world athletics stage, Hussan has set herself lofty goals.
As well as wanting to be a doctor, it’s her dream to become the first Muslim
woman to represent New Zealand at an Olympic Games.
“I want to run
the 400m,” says the Year 9 student at Botany Downs Secondary College in
Auckland. “I have to work hard and keep on striving, then I can get there one
day.”
The people
closest to Hussan – her parents and her coach – say the young woman may not yet
fully realise the magnitude of being recognised by the international Muslim
Women in Sport Network, who are behind the powerlist.
Dr Nida Ahmad, a
researcher at the University of Waikato who’s on the global network's executive
committee, says making the list at such a young age is a “huge accomplishment”
for Hussan, and should inspire other young girls to also follow their passion.
“I think she is
slowly realising what it means to be a young brown Muslim woman in sports and
the importance of her visibility to others,” Ahmad says. “There is great power
in her visibility.
“She’s going to
have an impact on young girls and women when they see someone who looks like
them or comes from a similar background and a love for sports.
“Also, for
Muslim parents or families who may be hesitant for daughters taking up sport,
seeing someone like Aysha may help shift those perceptions.”
Hussan's Fijian
Indian parents, Susan and Immran, say they have always encouraged their
athletic daughter to play sport – even if it means she has to wear uniforms
with short skirts or shorts, considered immodest in Islam.
“We’re not going
to stop her competing because of the dress code,” says Susan Hussan. “I know
there are other Muslim girls who want to come out and compete, they have the
talent, but their parents won’t let them because of the dress code.
“I know she’s a
Muslim girl, but I don’t want to restrict her from doing the things she’s good
at. Her father and I are both on the same wavelength – she needs to go ahead
and live her life and do what she’s enjoying.”
Aysha says she
would rather have her arms and legs covered beneath her netball dress – “the
dresses are really short” – and wear tights instead of track shorts. But that
hasn’t deterred her from competing.
Hussan started
playing netball at seven, and two years later, a coach who recognised her speed
encouraged her to try athletics. At an open day at Mt Smart Stadium, the
Hussans met track coach Pawan Marhas.
Marhas runs the
AMMI Athletics Club in south Auckland, a club he says embraces “the athlete
minority... athletes who have a talent but who don’t have a proper platform
where they feel welcome. They take time to settle in, and then hopefully
compete in the mainstream."
Hussan has
thrived as a runner. Her sprint relay team broke records, then won gold in the
4 x 100m at the 2018 North Island Colgate Games; last year she was the 800m
champion across Year 8 girls in Counties. At 13, she was the youngest female
athlete running at last year’s Fiji Coca Cola Games – dubbed the biggest
schools athletics event in the world.
Hussan is now in
her first year of a full sports scholarship at Botany Downs College. She’s been
trying to train towards the school’s cross country championships, but at level
3 lockdown, she could only run around the block outside her home.
Her school
netball season has been fitful, and the annual Muslim netball tournament has
been called off. But that hasn’t put her off her goals.
“Aysha is really
dedicated and focused,” Marhas says. “According to how she’s moving now and how
focused she is on achieving, I’m 100 percent sure she will make the Olympics if
she carries on. She just needs to keep working and she will become an
international athlete.”
The importance
of safe space
Marhas sees many
barriers for young athletes, especially from Muslim and Sikh communities. “At
grassroots level, the reality is they face some discrimination on the basis of
their colour, ethnicity or the way they dress. It’s a common problem around the
world,” he says.
“I always push
for flexibility and inclusion. I try to involve the parents and make sure they
are on the field when the kids are working… so they feel like they’re part of
the journey. Involve the parents, so they are an arm’s distance away, and the
kids feel confident.”
One of the main
discussion points in the recently released Building Cultural Inclusion in Sport
report – led by Dr Ahmad and Professor Holly Thorpe about the experiences of
New Zealand Muslim girls and women in sport and recreation – was the importance
of ‘safe space’.
Most of the
Muslim women in the study referred to safe space as women-only environments,
but others spoke of the importance of finding sports facilities where they
experienced culture respect, understanding and belonging.
A few of the
women have even set up their own women-only programmes, like boxing classes, to
help other Muslim women find safe and supportive spaces to be active.
Some of the
women also described encountering discouragement from family or community
members.
Immran Hussan
says he has only ever supported his daughter playing sport.
“It gets very
complicated putting [Muslim] girls into sports, because of the clothing
requirements and the way they mix and mingle with the rest of society. But it’s
a good thing for girls of Aysha’s age,” he says.
“Many Muslim
people are waiting for change, but to be part of the change, you have to be out
there. When participation numbers go up, surely change will come.
“I want Aysha to
go out and do what she’s good at and what she enjoys, and maybe promote
awareness in the Muslim community to come out and take part, and represent New
Zealand.”
As far as sports
clothing restrictions go, LockerRoom checked with Netball New Zealand and
Athletics New Zealand on their uniform policies.
In Netball NZ’s
regulations, exemptions can be made for clothing or adornments that have “a
particular medical, religious or cultural significance” – as long as they are
safe for the athlete and others in the competition. Athletes are encouraged to
get an exemption from their netball centre.
Athletics NZ,
who are trying to be leaders in diversity and inclusion, says all athletes must
“wear clothing which is clean, and designed and worn so as not to be
objectionable”, and it must not impede the view of the sport’s judges. Some
Muslim women already wear the hijab when competing in New Zealand, says Hamish
Meacheam, the sport’s community manager, and they're working with clubs and
centres to "accommodate any individual needs".
One to watch
Hussan wasn’t
the only New Zealander recognised by the Muslim Women in Sport Network this
year.
Mazlinah binte
Haji Mohamad Noor, who has made the ‘Ones to Watch’ list, is on course to
becoming New Zealand’s first female Muslim karate teacher. She began learning
karate in 2013, at the age of 47.
As a senior
student (senpai) she now teaches others and helps run classes; some of the
training sessions take place in the basement of the main mosque in Wellington,
attended by children and adults, males and females, Muslims and non-Muslims.
Hoping to be
graded for her black belt this year, she has also offered to establish a
‘sisters-only’ class.
American-born
Ahmad, who moved to Hamilton to complete her PhD, is included in the 2020
emeritus list.
These lists,
Ahmad says, are to make people more aware of the positions Muslim women and
girls hold in sports, and to highlight the successes of Muslim sportswomen.
More than 200 women around the world were put forward this year.
“Muslim women
are often ignored in conversations around sports or are painted in a
stereotypical or one-dimensional light,” Ahmad says. “There are exceptions but
still more work needs to be done.”
She’s now
helping to plan a ‘virtual summit’, which will be led by the younger generation
of Muslim sportswomen around the world. Young women like Aysha Hussan.
“Often we look
to someone older as a role model,” Ahmad says. "But for younger girls, or
even girls Aysha's age, it allows them to see a fellow peer as a role model, or
potentially inspire others to follow their passion."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/300097197/kiwi-teen-bolts-into-muslim-sportswomens-global-powerlist
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Iranian Women
Decide to Speak Out on Sexual Violence, A Subject That Continues to Be A Taboo
September 2,
2020
A school teacher, an
academic, a novelist, a renowned painter, a prominent singer, an actor and a
tech executive are among those who have faced accusations of rape and sexual
assault. — File photo
------
TEHRAN — Iranian
women have decided to speak out on sexual violence, raising awareness about a
subject that continues to be a taboo in the republic. Taking a cue from #MeToo
movement that began three years ago, many mostly anonymous Internet users in
Iran have come forward during the last week with allegations of falling
unconscious and being raped after having their drinks spiked, all by the same
man.
The method used
by the alleged rapist has provoked outrage on social media, encouraging others
to reveal cases of sexual assault experienced when they were still youths. They
have taken to Twitter to air their allegations, although they have done so
without using the #MeToo hashtag. Other Iranians, including a school teacher,
an academic, a novelist, a renowned painter, a prominent singer, an actor and a
tech executive are among the others to have faced accusations of rape and
sexual assault.
A majority of
testimonies date back more than a decade. This has caused some to deplore the
lack of support in the face of such sexual violence that has been ignored for
many years. They have pointed the finger at society, the Iranian intelligentsia
and even families as accomplices of the perpetrators of violence against women.
“This movement should have started much earlier,” said Hana Jalali, a
25-year-old accountant in Tehran. “I believe talking about these issues, them
being publicized, is a great thing,” she said.
Somayeh Qodussi,
a journalist with the monthly magazine Zanan (“Women” in Persian), said the
issue is highly sensitive in Iran. “Rape is a taboo subject in Iran’s society
and it is difficult to talk about it even in one’s own family,” she said. But
“now we are seeing girls who seem willing to stand in the central square of the
city” and make such allegations, she said.
At least 20
women have come forward with accusations of having had their drinks spiked in
the case that sparked Iran’s #MeToo movement. The anonymous Twitter users in
Iran have adapted the #Rape hashtag to draw attention to their cause. The
police have called on the accusers to file a complaint against the alleged
offender, Keyvan Emamverdi, a former bookshop owner who studied archaeology.
They have sought to assure women that they can do so anonymously and without
fear of being accused of drinking alcohol or having extramarital affairs, both
of which are illegal in Iran.
“They expose the
suffering they have endured for years by expressing themselves in order to
remedy a long-hidden trauma,” said Azar Tashakor, a sociologist. The scope of
the controversy was unexpected, and even the government has reacted. One of
Iran’s vice presidents praised women for speaking out and called on the judiciary
to “confront” sex offenders.
“In the absence
of a legal structure in Iran to systematically prosecute rapes, victims use
disclosure as a weapon to obtain justice,” Tashakor said.
But she
expressed concerns that such disclosures “will not lead to profound social
change”.
On social media,
Internet users have raised many concerns of their own, including over the
tendency to blame and mistreat victims. “It’s hard to know if people are
telling the truth or not,” said Samaneh Rostami, a graphic designer in the
Iranian capital. “But talking about this issue is still a good thing, to be
able to focus the public on what’s happening, what’s been happening for years,”
she said.
For the
journalist Qodussi, it is crucial that the polemical issue has been brought to
the public’s attention. “Many people have gained knowledge of the subject” for
the first time, she said, adding that that was a “great achievement for Iranian
women”. — Agencies
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/597401
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How to Build
Inclusive Sports Communities for New Zealand Muslim Women
By Eleanor
Wenman and Kirsty Sharp
02 Sep 2020
A young girl playing
football. Photo: Supplied / Asia Media Centre
----
In a
cross-sector, cross-cultural collaboration, Waikato University's Professor
Holly Thorpe and Dr Nida Ahmad undertook a research project examining cultural
inclusion in New Zealand sport and how Muslim women do - or don't - take part.
Their research
grew out of discussions they had with each other after the March 15 attacks in
Christchurch.
"We were
all asking ourselves what we could do to help in the situation or to improve
New Zealand, recognising that we had a lot of work to do," Thorpe said.
She had been
working on a Marsden Fast-Start project looking at youth engagement with
informal sports in sites of war, conflict and disaster, while Ahmad was nearing
the end of her PhD.
With support and
funding from the university and Sport New Zealand, they embarked on a mission
to capture Muslim women's experiences in New Zealand sport and how they
participate.
Thorpe and Ahamd
began looking across the Waikato, Wellington and Auckland, talking to 38 Muslim
women and 12 sports facilitators across all levels of sport, from high school
to regional up to national.
A similar
research project was underway in Christchurch, run by Sport Canterbury and the
Christchurch City Council. Together, researchers on the two projects worked
with Sport New Zealand to produce the Building cultural inclusion in sports
report, which had its soft launch in late July.
For Ahmad and
Thorpe, one of the illuminating themes to come out of their research was how
Muslim women were perceived by others in the sports sector.
"The
biggest thing was this one-dimensional understanding of Muslim women, which is
often problematic, especially within the sports sector. I think it ends up
fusing religion and culture together, which shouldn't be the case. Muslim women
are diverse," Ahmad said.
"Their
culture varies, their identity varies, their race, ethnicity, education, all of
that varies."
The women they
spoke to were racially and ethnically diverse: Ethiopian, Egyptian,
Indian-Fijian, Indian, Jordan, Kurdish, Māori, Malaysian, Pakistani,
Palestinian, Persian, Sri Lankan, Somali, and Syrian. Of the participants, 18
were born in Aotearoa New Zealand and 32 had migrated.
Muslim women
interviewed often reported sport was important for their wellbeing and
relationships but found there were several barriers that could prevent them
from taking part.
These barriers
ranged from location, cost, or family concerns, but the main barrier was
feeling excluded.
In interviews,
sports facilitators often suggested families and cultural restrictions were the
main barriers for Muslim women.
But in stark
contrast, the women Ahmad interviewed often pointed to exclusion as the biggest
barrier - a feeling of not being welcomed by staff and patrons at sports
facilities. This feeling could play out through a lack of cultural
understanding, or a lack of safe spaces including facilities like prayer rooms.
Uniforms could
form a large part of the issue too: all of the Muslim women identified dressing
modestly as important when it came to sports. But this meant certain sports,
such as netball and gymnastics became harder to take part in, due to uniform
restrictions.
These themes
came out in focus group discussions, led by Ahmad, a Muslim woman herself. Once
she started these discussions with Muslim women, word of what they were doing
"spread like fire", she said.
"A lot of
the women wanted other women to take part, so they spread it through their
networks and that's kind of how it arose."
At the same
time, Thorpe and Ahmad found a relative silence coming from the sports sector.
"We did
send invitations to the leaders of all the sports organisations in New Zealand,
whether it's netball, football, etcetera. And we didn't hear anything back,
which is striking to us when we see policy documents around building inclusion
and cultural diversity in sport," Thorpe said.
The people from
the sports sector that opted to take part were those at the grassroots level -
the ones already working through issues of diversity and inclusion.
"A lot of
it was happening through [the grassroots facilitators] trying to educate
themselves and they were really calling out 'we need help here. We need
cultural education programs. We need support from the top down to help us'."
From the report
came eight key recommendations, including cultural training within the sector
and the importance of creating safe spaces for Muslim women.
For Thorpe and
Ahman, they felt a responsibility to ensure their report had a tangible impact
and wasn't just an academic article that disappeared into the pages of a
journal.
They've already
taken steps down this path, with a workshop they recently hosted in Hamilton,
with Muslim women and the sports sector showing up to discuss diversity issues.
One thing Thorpe
and Ahmad immediately noticed was that the Muslim women's voices got louder and
louder throughout the discussion - partly due to safe space they could talk in.
"So, we had
a private prayer room, little things like that, and when they looked around the
room, they saw women that looked like them. They weren't sitting there
nervously as the only Muslim woman in the room," Thorpe said.
As the women
talked, she saw the sports sector people lean in and listen. Thorpe and Ahmad
were able to see the impact their work - and their report - was having.
Coming away from
their workshop, they already saw facilitators and Muslim women collaborating to
sew sporting hijabs, and a sports facilitator working at swimming pools
throughout Auckland starting discussions with women about what they needed.
Steps like these
are the start of a longer journey to building inclusive sports communities, but
what's the best thing the sports sector can do to keep this going?
"Show up.
Show up, show up," Ahmad said.
"When conversations
involve marginalised communities, there's heavy work that gets done by us. So,
it's nice when people show up, listen, learn, and be open."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/425078/show-up-how-to-build-inclusive-sports-communities-for-nz-s-muslim-women
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Three Thousand
Women Have Been Given Jobs in Agriculture in Balkh Province of Afghanistan
By Mohammad
Haroon Alim
02 Sep 2020
The provincial
department for Agriculture and Livestock has said that 3,000 women are involved
in agriculture in the northern Balkh province of Afghanistan.
The Agriculture
and Livestock Ministry through National Horticulture and Livestock project has
provided these women farm opportunities in the center and 12 other districts,
the provincial office for Balkh said.
The women
pictured are working in gardens built by the Ministry of Agriculture, through
the ministry’s gardening projects.
The Ministry of
Agriculture said in a statement that these women have been trained in all
methods of cultivating, growing, and harvesting different types of vegetables
and are familiar with its processing instructions.
The ministry
added, that 16 kinds of vegetable seeds have been distributed to these women,
and greenhouses of various sizes, as well as vegetable and fruit processing
centers, have been set up.
A number of
women have urged the ministry to expand such projects in other districts.
Women so far
have been able to bring positive change in their lives alongside men in the
family by involving in such gardening projects.
https://www.khaama.com/balkh-3000-women-occupied-in-agriculture-876876/
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Dubai Business
Women Council launches programme to assist women entrepreneurs
September 02,
2020
Dubai: Business
setup advisory firm Creative Zone and the Dubai Business Women Council have
launched ‘She Leads’ to accelerate and incubate 100 women-led startups from
UAE.
The ten-week
program will train, support and nurture the country’s brightest women
entrepreneurs. Women above the age of 21, residing in the country with an
existing business or a concrete business plan are eligible to apply for
coaching, networking and learning opportunities.
Two of the most
promising applicants will receive a set of free business solutions such as
trade license, tax and legal services, co-working spaces amongst many others.
“Business
incubators and accelerators play an important role in the entrepreneurial
ecosystem by not only offering training and services but also connecting
business owners to opportunities and resources,” said Lorenzo Jooris, CEO of
Creative Zone in a statement.
All training
modules and workshops will be taught online by renowned industry experts,
coaches and business leaders based in the UAE and abroad, focusing on business
launch strategy, funding and scaling, impactful leadership, marketing, finance
and distribution.
The programme,
which is the first of its kind to be launched in Dubai, helps women build
successful businesses by assisting them in developing “critical capacities”
such as getting access to capital, networking and technical assistance.
“Despite the
rapid increase in the number of women-owned firms in recent years, women still
face significant barriers to growth,” said Nadine Halabi, Business Development
Manager of the Dubai Business Women Council.
Once the programme
is completed, some of the most capable participants will get an opportunity to
participate in ‘X Scale’ - the accelerator’s second phase - where they will get
a chance to pitch their business plan to investors, business moguls, and
successful entrepreneurs.
https://gulfnews.com/business/company-releases/dubai-business-women-council-launches-programme-to-assist-women-entrepreneurs-1.73581516
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Dr. Chan Yoke
Fun Has Won the ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women 2020 From COSTI
01 Sep 2020
BY R. LOHESWAR
KUALA LUMPUR,
Sept 1 ― Universiti Malaya’s Dr. Chan Yoke Fun has won the Asean-US Science
Prize for Women 2020 from the Asean Committee on Science, Technology, and
Innovation (COSTI), the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and
Underwriters Laboratories.
Dr Chan, the
head of UM’s Medical Microbiology department from its Faculty of Medicine, was
credited for her research on the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) that
resulted in a vaccine to combat the virus and brain infection disease in
children.
“This award is
timely in demonstrating the active role of women in preventive healthcare. It
is a recognition for work well done, and signifies the opportunity for my team
to do more.
“It has also
empowered all Asean women scientists. Passion, perseverance and positive
thinking help us to achieve greater heights,” Dr Chan was quoted saying on the
US Mission to Asean online portal.
Asean COSTI
chairman Professor Andy Hor congratulated Dr Chan as well as Dr Shefaly Shorey,
who received an honourable mention, for their scientific achievements and
contributions.
“Since its
inception in 2014, the Asean-US Science Prize for Women has continued to
showcase the many talented scientists in Asean.
“We offer our
best wishes to all the national finalists and trust that they will inspire the
next generation of women scientists to scale new heights in their scientific
journey,” he said on the same portal.
Dr Chan will
receive US$20,000 (RM86,900) as part of the award while Dr Shefaly was awarded
US$5,000.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/09/01/malaysian-scientist-wins-prestigious-asean-us-science-prize-for-women-2020/1899168
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Malala
Yousafzai's S Book Club Is Starting In October And We Really Want To Join
02 Sep 2020
Malala
Yousafzai's keeping herself busy ever since she graduated college in the middle
of a pandemic.
The Nobel Peace
Prize winner is joining forces with a subscription book club, Literati to start
her very own book club!
The startup,
that had previously only focused on children's books, has enlisted Stephen
Curry, Susan Orlean, Richard Branson, the Joseph Campbell Foundation, and of
course Yousafzai to head up their own curated book clubs.
Malala has named
hers Fearless and has vowed to choose underrated books by marginalised voices.
"Sign up to
join me and together we'll explore books from new voices and prominent writers
— women with bold ideas and storytellers who show the world from their unique
perspective," she wrote on Instagram.
And she's got
great taste; in a recent interview with Glamour, Yousafzai revealed what she
was currently reading.
"I started
the book Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni
Eddo-Lodge, and I finished Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas," she
had shared.
"Malala has
always been a perfect choice for us obviously just because she is so
aspirational," Literati's CEO and founder Jessica Ewi told Forbes. "
She's just
admired by so many people. And she's just a fanatic reader. Fanatic reader, in
love with books, she feels at home with education. We just knew this is someone
who cares deeply about books and deeply about reading. For our brand she is the
perfect mind in the middle between our kids' brand our luminary brand. So she's
been really wonderful to work with."
The book club
platform, which launches next month, will cost $24.95 per month; members are
posted a print copy of whichever book the head of the club has picked. They'll
also get limited release access to Literati's iOS app, a social platform for
members to discuss each book, which is currently in beta.
https://images.dawn.com/news/1185720/malalas-book-club-is-starting-in-october-and-we-really-want-to-join
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7 history-making
moments that occurred for Saudi women in the last few months
OLIVIA MORRIS
In the last few
years, things have changed drastically for women in Saudi Arabia when it comes
to their rights and female empowerment.
The changes are
part of the many initiatives under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision
2030 scheme, an ambitious post-oil economic plan, which has a major focus on
women’s rights in the Kingdom.
Just three
months after he stepped into the role in 2017, the Crown Prince unveiled in a
royal decree, women would be able to secure driving licenses from June 2018 and
he has gone on to do much more.
Then, in March
2018, it was announced by the Ministry of Justice that women who are divorced
in the country would be able to instantly retain custody of their children.
Under his plans,
women are now also able to attend sports events in stadiums in three cities,
female students in the Kingdom are now allowed to carry their phones while on
campus and as of August 2019, women aged over 21 are now allowed to travel
independently.
In the last few
months alone, there have been many notable history-making moments and
appointments in Saudi Arabia paving the way for women.
Here’s seven
history-making moments which have occurred for women in the Kingdom just
recently.
A female member
of the Saudi Royal Guard performing her duties
Back in June,
Moaid Mahjoub, Director of Government Affairs, External Relations and Protocol
at Princess Jawahar Al Saud’s Private Office, posted a photo on Twitter of a
female member of the Saudi Royal Guard performing her duties.
“Historical
moment at Saudi Royal Guard Regiment. Thanks to The Crown Prince, His Royal
Highness Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,” Mahjoub captioned the
photo.
It was announced
in October last year women would be able to start joining the military and land
forces in the Kingdom in a wide range of positions including corporals and
sergeants. This could be across any of the armed forces in Saudi Arabia
including the Strategic Missile Forces, Armed Forces Medical Services, Saudi
Arabian Navy and the Air Force.
Princess Reema’s
new official appointment
HRH Princess
Reema bint Bandar Al Saud has officially been elected as a member of the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday.
It’s a
history-making moment, as she becomes the first Saudi female ambassador to be
appointed as a member of the IOC.
Upon her
official appointment, the princess took to Twitter to share how “honoured” she
was to be elected onto the committee.
“Thank you to
the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, HRH Crown Prince, and Prince
Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal [President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic
Committee] for their support,” she added. “It has been an honour to serve my
community through the universal language of sports.”
A groundbreaking
court ruling
In a court
ruling that occurred in the Kingdom in July, it was stated: “An adult, rational
woman living independently is not a crime”.
Prior to this
ruling, the parents of a woman who had disappeared or was living along without
gaining permission from their guardians would be able to file a report with the
police, according to Gulf News. It was known as the ‘absenteeism’ law.
However, the
latest ruling that women can live independently could drastically improve
gender equality in Saudi Arabia, was hailed as “historical” by lawyer Abdul
Rahman Al Lahim.
“A historic
ruling was issued on Wednesday, affirming that independence of a sane, adult
woman in a separate house is not a crime worthy of punishment,” the lawyer said
on Twitter at the time. “I am very happy with this ruling that ends tragic
stories for women.”
Saudi Arabia
appoints its first female cultural attaches
Last month,
three female cultural attaches were appointed, which is a first for the nation.
The appointment
was made by the Education Minister for the Kingdom, Dr. Hamad bin Mohammed
Al-Asheikh, who determined the new positions of the three Saudi women, all of
whom are educators, according to the nation’s state news agency.
Fahda bint Abdul
Aziz Al-Asheikh has been appointed as cultural attache in Ireland; Dr. Amal
bint Jameel Fatani has been appointed cultural attache in the UK; and Dr. Yusra
bint Hussain Al-Jazairi has been appointed as acting cultural attache in
Morocco.
Female
Secretary-General of Tabuk’s regional council appointed
Last month Dr.
Khulood Mohammed al-Khamis was appointed Secretary-General of Tabuk’s regional
council, it made her the first woman to hold this role across the entire
Kingdom.
Having worked as
an associate professor in the science department at the University of Tabuk,
Dr. al-Khamis knows the area well.
To solidify her
new role, the new secretary-general met with the Governor of Tabuk Region
Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz on Monday after her new appointment was announced.
The governor
expressed how confident he was in Dr. al-Khamis being the first woman to hold
such a position.
“His Highness
congratulated Dr. Khulood al-Khamis on this confidence as the first woman to
hold the position of Secretary-General of the regional council at the level of
the Kingdom, wishing her continued success in her new work,” a statement said
about the pair’s meeting which was obtained by the Saudi Press Agency.
10 women in
senior positions at Two Holy Mosques
In mid-August,
Saudi Arabia’s General Presidency for the Affairs appointed 10 women into
senior roles at the Two Holy Mosques.
Per a statement
issued to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the latest appointments are “empowering
women to assume leadership positions is an important subject that will reflect
on the development and the economy”.
The statement
also added that the new appointments are set to “support the process of
creativity and achieving the principles of quality and the highest standards of
excellence in order to achieve the generous aspirations of the wise
leadership”.
First female
director-general appointed in the Foreign Ministry
In late August,
another historical appointment was made with the announcement from the Saudi
Foreign Ministry that Ahlam Bint Abdulrahman Yanksar would take on the role of
director-general of the ministry’s department of cultural affairs. This makes
her the first female figure to hold such a senior post in the Kingdom, per Gulf
News.
Having obtained
a master’s degree in international business administration from the University
of London, Ahlam has had a successful career working in both the Ministry’s
undersecretary for political and economic affairs. She has also worked in the
Saudi embassy in London, where she studied, in the economic and cultural
section.
It’s clear
things are changing rapidly for women in the Kingdom, which is very exciting to
see.
https://emirateswoman.com/7-history-making-moments-occurred-saudi-women-last-months/
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Many Stranded
Nigerian Women Living In Crowded Homes In Saudi Arabia Seek Help To Return Home
AUG 31, 2020
Scores of
Nigerian women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, are seeking assistance to return home.
The women
currently live in four overcrowded homes in the city, SaharaReporters gathered.
Alade Abdulaziz,
a leader of the Nigerian community in the country, told SaharaReporters that
the Nigerian consulate in Jeddah botched a flight arrangement to bring the
women home.
He said he had
almost concluded a deal for a flight to evacuate the women on August 25 but
stopped when the Nigerian consulate office in Jeddah offered a purportedly
better arrangement.
“This all
started when the consulate said it was okay for me to organise some of the
girls for evacuation,” Abdulaziz said. “It is a process I hoped would take a
week, but it has stretched on for three weeks now, and not one flight has left.
Thankfully, they called me from the consulate today (Thursday). They said they
had better travel plans than ours. My concern is when their aircraft will take
off.”
Abdulaziz said
45 women in three houses, including those in his home, could face starvation if
they are not immediately repatriated.
“I have 18 of
them in my home, where I am staying with my wife, my son and my daughter. The
ladies are living on the little money they came with from their employers. Some
of them have been here for five months, even me and my family may go hungry if
these girls don’t leave soon… within the week.”
He said the
women were rescued from their abusive employers whom they worked for as
domestic workers.
According to
him, aside from the chance to be evacuated by the Nigerian government, the
other option for the women is to report to deportation camps where they would
stay much longer before being deported by the Saudi Arabian government.
“Since this
month started, I have made at least 400 calls, trying to get out ladies trapped
in their employer’s house,” Abdulaziz said. “Not all of them received ticket
money from their bosses. Some could not endure the two years and had to run
away.”
If the Nigerian
government fails to repatriate the women, Abdulaziz said they could either
return to the houses of the employers they ran away from and obtain a clearance
document stating that they committed no crime or pay money to get cleared at
any of the country’s immigration offices.
“I have the
names of more than 200 ‘runaways. We are appealing to the Nigerian government
to beg the Saudi government to wave the clearance fee so that they can be
cleared at immigration for free,” he said.
In a video sent
to SaharaReporters, some of the women begged the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi
and the chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike
Dabiri-Arewa, to help facilitate their repatriation to Nigeria.
“Abike Dabiri we
beg you. Ooni of Ife, we call on you. We do not want to return to Nigeria
through deportation,” they pleaded in Yoruba. “We hear Nigerian airports would
be open to international flights on August 29 – now September 5. Our luggage is
here with us. Please help us return.”
One of the women
said healthcare at the deportation camps was grossly inadequate, pleading that
she did not want to end up in those camps.
“I’ve heard
people die there, especially when they are sick,” she said. “One of my friends
was deported this month. I do not want to go there. I will be forced to if the
evacuation flight does not come through.”
Some of the
women told SaharaReporters that they had not received any forms of assistance
from Nigerian consulate in Jeddah.
http://saharareporters.com/2020/08/31/many-stranded-nigerian-women-living-crowded-homes-saudi-arabia-seek-help-return-home
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Egypt: Suspected
mass sex abuser to go on trial
September 02,
2020
Ramadan Al
Sherbini
Cairo: Egypt’s
chief prosecutor has ordered a criminal trial for a young man at the centre of
alleged mass sex assaults over the past three years.
The country’s
public prosecutor Hamada Al Sawi referred the Egyptian man, identified as Ahmed
Bassam Zaki, to the Criminal Court on charges of sexually assaulting three
underage girls and blackmailing them and another woman of dishonouring them to
coerce them into continuing sex relations with him.
Ahmed, believed
to be in his 20s, is also charged with violating the private life of one victim
and taking drugs. No specific date has been set for his trial.
The chief
prosecutor’s decision came after investigations with Ahmed, who was arrested in
July, and testimonies given by victims including screenshots of his text
messages and phone chats, legal sources said Wednesday.
In July, Ahmed
was at the heart of a high-profile online campaign that accused him of sexually
abusing and blackmailing dozens of Egyptian and foreign women, allegations that
have sent shockwaves across Egypt.
Scores of women
turned to social media, posting chilling testimonies claiming that Ahmed, a
former student at the American University in Cairo, had blackmailed them to
succumb to his sexual demands.
https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/egypt-suspected-mass-sex-abuser-to-go-on-trial-1.73583517
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