Bahrain Prosecutes Woman for Destroying Ganesha Idol Inside A Souvenir Store
New Age Islam News Bureau
19 August 2020
• Pakistan’s Parliamentary Body Hears Complaints of Women Journalists
• Under-Armour
Sport Reveals First Hijab for Muslim Athletes
• UAE Boxing
Gym’s Female Founder In Fight To Tackle Bullying, Mental Health Issues
• Femicide In Turkey
on The Rise Amid Debate Over Law Protecting Women
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
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Bahrain Prosecutes Woman for Destroying Ganesha Idol Inside A Souvenir Store
August 16, 2020
Ramadan Al
Sherbini
Bahrain Police arrested and
prosecuted a 54-year-old woman who argued with a shopkeeper, and damaged Lord
Ganesha Idol Kept on display
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Cairo: Bahraini
police said Sunday they had taken legal steps against a woman who destroyed
Hindu religious statues inside a shop. The woman appeared in a viral video
destroying Ganesha idol inside a souvenir store in Manama’s area of Juffair,
saying Bahrain is a Muslim country.
“The Capital
Police took legal steps against a woman, 54, for damaging a shop in Juffair and
defaming a sect and its rituals, in order to refer her to the Public Prosecution,”
the police said on its Twitter account.
A senior
Bahraini official condemned the act, calling it a “hate crime”.
“Destroying
religious symbols is not part of nature of the Bahraini people,” royal adviser
Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said. “It’s a crime that exposes alien and rejected
hate,” he added in a tweet.
Foreigners
account for over half of Bahrain’s total population of 1.7 million.
https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/bahrain/bahrain-prosecutes-woman-for-destroying-hindu-statues-1.73226545
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Pakistan’s
Parliamentary Body Hears Complaints of Women Journalists
19 Aug 2020
The meeting was informed
that the government was addressing the issue - Photo courtesy Twitter
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ISLAMABAD: A
parliamentary body on Tuesday was perturbed to hear about women journalists
being harassed on social media.
Pakistan
People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari chaired the National Assembly
meeting of the Standing Committee on Human Rights, where he was informed about
the harassment of women journalists through video link.
“Women
journalists are being harassed for dissent,” said Asma Shirazi, talk show host
of a private television channel.
“Twice, people
broke into my house to harass me. Attempts are being made to socially isolate
Pakistani women journalists. Many women journalists have stopped tweeting for
fear of harassment on social media. We will not allow our daughters to stay at
home for fear of abuse,” she said.
Women
journalists speak out against harassment on social media to protect the future
generation, said another host Amber Shamsi.
“I have brought
my daughter with me so that she has the courage to fight against harassment.
Our families are suffering because of harassment against us on social media,”
Ms Shamsi said, adding a controversy was triggered after a tweet.
While the
meeting was informed that the government was addressing the issue, PTI MNA
Attaullah, who is also a new member of the committee said that harassment was
nothing new.
“There is no
justification for rape or death threats,” the PPP chairman said, adding it was
everyone’s responsibility to stand with women journalists who were facing
harassment. He said the committee will send the harassment case against Gharida
Farooqi back to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
“Women’s rights
in Pakistan are strongly linked to democracy,” said Munizae Jahangir, who hosts
a current affairs programme on a private TV channel.
“Don’t let
restrictions be imposed on us in our harassment case. We will not accept
restrictions on social media under the pretext of harassment,” she said.
“I was tortured
in terms of expression, I fought this war alone,” Tanzeela Mazhar said. “When I
fought against harassment, I was accused of blasphemy,” Ms Mazhar said, adding
that no one hired her for three years after her struggle against harassment.
“If there is
disagreement with male journalists, they are ignored, while female journalists
are labeled miscreants when there is a disagreement with them,” she said.
“Now before we
tweet, we have to think about the abuses that follow in response,” Ms Mazhar
added.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1575116/parliamentary-body-hears-complaints-of-women-journalists
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Under-Armour
Sport Reveals First Hijab for Muslim Athletes
By Holden Wilen
August 17, 2020
Saman Munir, a personal
trainer and fitness influencer in Toronto, helped Under Armour develop its
hijab.
UNDER ARMOUR INC.
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Under Armour
Inc. unveiled its first hijab for female Muslim athletes Monday as the
sportswear maker looks to make inroads as a brand that stands for social
justice.
The Under-Armour
Sport Hijab has been in development for several years, the company said.
Several athletes helped with development of the product including Saman Munir,
a certified personal trainer and fitness influencer in Toronto. Baltimore-based
Under Armour revealed its hijab, a headscarf worn by some Muslim women, three
years after Nike Inc. first revealed its Pro Hijab in 2017.
Under Armour's
hijab will sell for $35, the same price as Nike's product. The hijab features a
"super soft, smooth fabric...made with a unique hex-shaped mesh pattern
designed for maximum breathability, sweat-wicking capability and an extra fast
drying time," according to a news release.
”The hijab also
features built-in headphone access and a contoured band around the face to
prevent slippage, ensuring the hijab does not come untucked or fall off.
“We spent
several years developing the UA Sports Hijab, because we wanted to ensure that
when the product launched it was the best it could be," said Jennifer
Smith, senior designer of women's and girl's accessories at Under Armour, said
in a statement. "Our team worked diligently to launch a quality sport
hijab that will meet the performance needs of its user and ensure all female
athletes are covered from head to toe no matter their size, level of
performance or religion.”
For Under Armour
(NYSE: UAA), the reveal of its newest product comes as the brand is making a
concerted effort to be a part of the social justice movement happening across
the U.S. and the world. In light of George Floyd's death at the hands of police
in Minneapolis, Under Armour announced in July a series of goals and
initiatives "to support a more diverse and inclusive future."
CEO Patrik Frisk
tweeted about the new product saying, "Every athlete should have the gear
she needs to be the best."
Ibtihaj
Muhammad, a fencer from New York, became the first Muslim-American woman to
compete for the United States wearing a hijab at the Olympics in 2016. Nike
unveiled its line of hijabs a year later and they have become increasingly more
common at sporting events.
Under Armour's
latest product launch also comes as the brand continues its international
expansion, including in the Middle East. The brand has stores in the United Arab
Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, among others.
The company will
be hoping its latest product receives the same excitement that its
perfomance-focused face mask received earlier this year. Under Armour's masks
sold out within an hour of launching.
https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2020/08/17/under-armour-reveals-first-hijab.html
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UAE Boxing Gym’s
Female Founder In Fight To Tackle Bullying, Mental Health Issues
ALI KHALED
August 18, 2020
DUBAI: In 1954,
a seething 12-year-old by the name of Cassius Clay walked into a gym after
having his bike stolen. This was not going to happen to him again. In his
words, he wanted to “whup” that thief.
What followed
remains arguably the greatest sporting story of all time. In and out of the
ring, Muhammad Ali would stare down bullies for the rest of his life.
More than six
decades on and boxing still provides a sanctuary for bullying victims which is
why Michelle Kuehn, who founded Dubai’s Real Boxing Only (RBO) gym three years
ago, has launched an anti-bullying campaign in the wake of the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) pandemic and resulting lockdown.
“During
quarantine, I noticed that online got really loud,” she said from her office at
RBO in Al-Quoz. “Everyone took to going online, and the energy was really high.
I know that a lot of teenagers were really struggling, they weren’t seeing
their friends, and there was a lot of cyberbullying.
“I know that
many teens were struggling with depression and mental health was such an issue
during lockdown for a lot of people who were not used to being alone, not used
to not being able to go out and see friends.”
Just over four
years ago, Kuehn took up boxing because she was disillusioned with her career
in the media and her lifestyle in general. It changed her life and has made her
increasingly sensitive to other people’s mental health problems.
“I started
thinking that now schools are coming up, kids must be facing a lot of anxiety
about seeing their friends, seeing their bullies, just being made fun of,” said
the American, who has lived in the UAE since the mid-1990s.
“Weight has been
a massive issue online. People talking about gaining weight or making fun of
people putting on quarantine weight. It’s so negative, we just survived a
pandemic, and the only thing that’s come out of it is they’re talking about how
fat you are,” she added.
By calling on
the help of friends, colleagues, and professional boxers, Kuehn hopes to raise
awareness through a new anti-bullying campaign, #BeBrave, not a bully.
“Boxers are
powerful, they have responsibility to stand up for young people who look up to
them, and to say, ‘we’re brave, we’re not bullies,’ and to impart that message
to everyone,” she said.
“Be brave, not a
bully. I’ve gone with that, and every boxer that I’ve messaged, who either
trains at our gym or in the UK, such as Jordan Gill, Shakan Pitters, and the
coaches at Eastside Boxing Gym. Also, David Coldwell, Hopey Price, Hamzah
Sheeraz, Anthony Fowler, Waleed Din, Ryan Kelly, Mohammad Ali Bayat, and Hannah
Rankin. They are all behind it.
“Some of them
had been bullied themselves when they were younger, and went into boxing to
give themselves self-respect, self-confidence, to feel strong,” she added.
Kuehn pointed
out that boxing also helped bullies to change their ways.
“They are just
insecure and scared, lashing out and hurting others because of the pain they
feel themselves,” she said. “Boxing helps both sides because it teaches you to
respect others and gives you self-discipline and confidence.”
Kuehn had been
pushing for women’s participation and empowerment long before the launch of the
latest campaign.
“It’s not just
locally, women’s boxing wasn’t even allowed in the UK until 1998. So, women
haven’t really been allowed to box because of the social pressures that are put
on them. Which is all about appearances, and when people say hit like a girl,
it’s not a compliment. I turn it into a compliment because I can hit, and yes,
I am a girl, so bring it.
“But all of
these stereotypes that have been impressed upon women for generations, still
exist. And that is the same with online bullying. There are a few big female
influencers talking about it now as well, about positive body image, about how all
bodies are lovable. Who says cellulite isn’t lovable or being overweight isn’t
the way it’s supposed to be? Overweight is a term that they use for a person
that doesn’t fit what? Who made those measurements?”
With RBO, Kuehn
above all wanted to provide an environment where females felt at home, whether
they were uncomfortable around males for cultural reasons, because they wore a
hijab, or simply because they lacked confidence.
“I got asked
once if there was a reason why I intentionally didn’t create a girly gym,” she
said. “I shouldn’t have to create a girly gym to create a safe space. Boxing is
for everyone.
“Ask any female
client that comes in here and they will say that the moment they walk in the
energy is good. They feel safe, even though there’s a giant boxing ring at the
entrance. It’s intimidating but it’s glorious at the same time.
“They feel safe
in here because there’s no judgement. They feel safe because they are being
taught a skill. That is why I wanted to have ladies-only classes because I
understand as someone who has lived here for so long that everyone has the
right to a sport, whether their cultural background is different to mine or
not,” she added.
That was also
one of the reasons why Kuehn decided to hire Fahima Falaknaz, the first female
UAE boxer, as part of the training staff; a specific plan to target more
Emirati and conservative females.
“Her story is
one that she still struggles daily with family obligations and family
expectations. She has chosen the less-travelled path because she knows that is
what she was meant to do. Her story is so in line with what I believe in, that
I couldn’t think of anyone else more suited for the job.”
Kuehn proudly
noted the story of a member whose life had been transformed by boxing.
“When he started
coming here, I remember thinking he was so grumpy looking. Did he even want to
be here? This was about a year ago. Now he has lost 32 kg. He is not the same
man who walked in here. He didn’t come in here to lose weight, he came in
because he was searching, he wanted to find happiness. And he found it,” she
said.
The change was
not just physical. His whole outlook on life altered and his mental health
improved beyond recognition, Kuehn added.
“Since he has
been here, he also started taking English lessons. I remember he could barely
speak any English and that frustrated him. So, he fixed it. His whole dynamic
changed, and now he is starting his own company, and he has had a couple of
fights with us.
“He told me that
when he moves back home to Egypt, he wants to open his own boxing gym to give
the gift we gave him to others in his hometown. When he told me that, I sat
there thinking, I can’t believe that is a result of what we did here. That
makes everything worth it.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1721351/sport
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Femicide in
Turkey on the rise amid debate over law protecting women
Nicholas Frakes
19 August 2020
As Turkey’s
government debates withdrawing from an agreement meant to protect women from
gender-based violence, femicide continues to rise, and protests have cropped up
against a possible withdrawal from the agreement, known as the Istanbul
Convention.
Over the last
decade, violence against women has risen in Turkey, and 474 women were killed
in 2019 alone.
However, the
government has yet to announce whether they will pull out of the Istanbul
Convention, which is designed to protect women, and the decision has been
postponed multiple times. A decision was pushed back once again on August 18.
For all the
latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Following the
announcement of the government’s possible withdrawal, protests have sprung up
in defense of the agreement, with advocates calling for the convention to be
fully implemented, rather than torn up. Some argue that a withdrawal would
signal Ankara’s complicity in violence against women.
One of the
loudest advocates for the agreement has been the We Will Stop Femicide Platform
(KCDP) that monitors gender-based violence as well as the number of women
killed under suspicious circumstances.
Femicide is
defined when women are killed intentionally because they are women, according
to the World Health Organization.
According to
KCDP data, only one year in the last decade has seen a decrease in femicides in
Turkey – when the Istanbul Convention was signed in 2011. Since then, the
number of deaths has steadily increased.
In 2011, as part
of an effort to prevent and combat violence against women, Turkey entered into
the Istanbul Convention along with 45 other countries, including the European
Union.
New Turkish
legislation, law number 6284, designed to protect families and prevent violence
against women was also passed after Ankara joined the convention.
Talks of pulling
out
Now, nine years
later, the Turkish government has floated the idea of pulling out of the
agreement after the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Chair
Numan Kurtulmush said that the signing of the convention was “wrong.”
“I am saying as
a person,” he said during a televised interview, “who has read the Istanbul
Convention repeatedly, has also read this in English and worked on it. The
signing of the Istanbul Convention was really wrong.”
Supporters of
the agreement say that the convention is currently Turkey’s best tool for
combating gender-based violence and that it is important for it to remain in
place.
Read more:
Police in Istanbul fire tear gas, clash with protesters at women’s day march
“The Istanbul
Convention cannot be canceled,” Melike Hanim, a spokesperson for the KCDP, told
Al Arabiya English. “We won’t give up on the Istanbul Convention. We are
struggling for the effective implementation of these achievements, the Istanbul
Convention. When the Istanbul Convention is implemented, it prevents violence
and keeps women alive.”
Hanim argued
that because of the talk about withdrawing from the agreement, it has caused a
spike in killings, citing her organization’s data as well as the deaths of
Pinar Gultekin in July 2020 and Emine Bulut in August 2019 as proof.
Bulut was
stabbed in front of her daughter by her ex-husband on August 18, 2019 and was
taken to a hospital following the attack where she subsequently died from her
injuries. Her ex-husband was sentenced to life in prison following his arrest
and, during the trial, said that he stabbed her because she had insulted him
when she was talking about custody of their child.
Gultekin was a
university student who disappeared on July 16, 2020 after leaving her house.
Her body was found several days later. The man alleged to have killed her
claims that he did it “in a moment of anger” after she rejected his advances
for a relationship.
“It is not a
coincidence that the number of femicides are increasing and the brutal killing
of Pinar [Gultekin] [happened] while discussing the withdrawal from the
Istanbul Convention,” she stated. “Last year there was a discussion about the
convention and the law numbered 6284. Immediately after that we lost Emine
Bulut.”
While
politicians have posted condolence messages on social media following the death
of Pinar Gultekin, these messages are “not enough” for many.
For those who
support the agreement, they are concerned about the message that a government
withdrawal might have for Turkish society. Activists believe that a withdrawal
would signal that the government condones violence against women.
“It is clear
that a withdrawal will weaken women’s position within society and give power to
the patriarchy,” Hanim argued. “By withdrawing from a convention that aims to protect
women’s lives, men who use violence against women will think that the
government stands behind them. In other words, the patriarchy is being
endorsed.”
Femicide rising
In July alone,
36 women were killed, and another 11 deaths being deemed suspicious. In June,
there were 27 deaths and another 23 suspicious deaths. In May, 21 women were
killed, and there were 18 suspicious deaths.
The global
COVID-19 pandemic has also played a role in the increase in gender-based
violence in Turkey. With women being forced to stay indoors for long periods of
time, Hanim said that there has been an increase in women reaching out for
help.
“We were in a
state of emergency as a whole world and country due to the recent coronavirus
pandemic,” she explained. “Along with practices such as quarantine, isolation
and working from home, women particularly faced more threats of domestic
violence.”
The recent spike
in deaths has been a major driving factor in women protesting.
One of those
calling for Turkey to remain a part of the Istanbul Convention is activist
Zeynep Duygu Agbayir who expressed concern because “domestic violence and
inequality are on the rise.”
“The Istanbul
Convention cannot leave,” Agbayir stressed to Al-Arabiya English. “We will not
allow it. Women are organized everywhere. Everything will be worse if they
withdraw from the convention.”
She added that
she wants to see “the state to enforce laws” in order to better protect women.
Hanim agreed
with this sentiment, saying that “right now, our fight is what is forcing the
government to implement the Istanbul Convention.”
Criticism of the
convention
The convention
is criticized as some say it is contrary to Turkish values and traditions.
However, Hanim argues that this rings false and that it serves to empower women.
“The convention
does not disrupt the social structure as it is said,” Hanim argued. “It
strengthens women and protects women’s rights and [it is] based on gender
equality. It exists to protect the victim of violence and to purify the woman
from violence.”
According to the
AKP’s Kurtulmush, two of the biggest problems that opponents of the convention
have are how it addresses gender as well as sexual orientation. He argues that
the LGBT community and other “marginal elements” have used the convention for
their own benefits.
Despite this
argument, proponents of the convention say that this is actually one of its
strengths and that it is just conservative arms of Turkish society who believe
this.
“The convention
reminds [us] that discrimination cannot be made on the basis of gender, race,
color, religion, language, political view, marital status, immigrant, refugee
or any identity characteristics,” Hanim said.
Needed solutions
To best protect
women, Hanim says that not only does Turkey need to remain a part of the
Istanbul Convention, but it and Law 6284 need to be fully implemented by the
government. In addition to that, there needs to be widespread condemnation of
violence against women by Turkish politicians.
“The main
solution is to achieve gender equality and the political will is necessary for
achieving the gender equality,” she stated, “The President, and the leaders of
all political parties should condemn violence against women. The Istanbul
Convention and the protection Law 6284 should be efficiently implemented.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/08/19/Femicide-in-Turkey-on-the-rise-amid-debate-over-law-protecting-women.html
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