Eva B In Hijab, What It Means To Be A Woman Rapper In Pakistan
New Age Islam News Bureau
04 May 2022
A veil falling below her eyes, Pakistan rapper Eva B
evades the attention of fans and detractors.
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• Saudi Media Start-up Connects Women Across Kingdom
• Indian Muslim Woman, Benazeer Heena, Seeks Uniform
Divorce Rules, End To ‘Unilateral’ Talaq
• Khyber Women Councillors Vow To Resolve Female
Population’s Issues
• Canadian Arab Institute: Why Too Many Arab Women Are
Struggling ProfessionallyIn Canada’s Workforce
• Balochs Are Sacrificing Their Lives Due To Pakistani
Oppression: Baloch Woman Activist
• Iran: Does Wearing The Hijab Help Women's Careers?
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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Eva B In Hijab, What It Means To Be A Woman Rapper In
Pakistan
May 04, 2022
A veil falling below her eyes, Pakistan rapper Eva B
evades the attention of fans and detractors.
----------
Karachi: Pakistan's breakthrough rapper Eva B has
racked up millions of views online, but walking through the labyrinthine
streets of her Karachi neighbourhood, she is anonymous.
Her hair covered with a hijab and a veil falling below
her eyes, she evades the attention of fans and detractors.
"It's funny that people don't recognise me, they
play my songs but when I'm in front of them they don't know it's me," the
22-year-old told AFP from a rooftop overlooking the mega port city of Karachi.
Inspired by American rappers Eminem and Queen Latifah,
she started writing lyrics from her bedroom and posting her raps to Facebook
where she built up a following.
Afraid of angering her family, she would sneak to
music studios to record full tracks with the help of other emerging artists in
her neighbourhood, under the pretext of studying.
But when word reached her brother, she received a
backlash from her family who considered the genre indecent for a young girl and
who feared she would struggle to marry in deeply conservative Pakistan.
"Later they realized that I was quite persistent,
so they surrendered. They realised I couldn't be stopped," she laughed,
adding that her mother now supports her in the studio and on set.
Eva B's rise to fame was accelerated this year when
Coca-Cola's international music franchise Coke Studios- one of the most popular
television programmes in Pakistan- invited her collaborate for its 2022 series.
The music video for "Kana Yaari", which
features Eva B rapping in a bright orange hijab about the betrayal of a love
interest, has more than 16 million views on YouTube.
But unlike other artists in the series, she has
shunned a celebrity status.
"It is strange to live two lives. People know me,
but at the same time they don't really know me," she said.
She finds it amusing to nod along to conversations in
cafes or at friends' weddings when people talk about the latest track from Eva
B.
On rare occasions, she says people recognise her from
her eyes, but she always denies her stage identity.
"I'm ok with what I am. I can't handle
everybody," she says of the attention from media and fans she would
otherwise attract.
Industry 'astonished' by hijab
Most women wear some form of hijab covering in
Muslim-majority Pakistan but there are very few music artists in local pop
culture who are veiled.
Turning up to studios for the first time, industry
producers and managers were often left "astonished", she said.
"They reacted like 'what is this?'," she
said. "But then everything soon became normal."
For Eva B, the hijab has always been a proud part of
her Muslim identity -- but it has also defined her image as a rapper.
"These days I wear more stylish clothes for the
music videos so I stand out. But even then I always wear my hijab," she
said, adding that she sometimes swaps the face veil for a pandemic-era mask.
She has, however, grown weary of the conversation
around how she dresses.
"The media has focused on my hijab rather than
me... they do it for hype," she said. "It's normal in my society.
Don't let it be breaking news."
What she does delight her are the stream of Instagram
messages from girls and women thrilled to see a woman in a hijab represented in
mainstream media.
"I feel happy that I inspire them... that they
feel proud of me," she said.
But as a woman rapper in a hijab, disapproval for not
being "a good girl" is never far away, she says.
"There is nothing harmful in what I am doing, I
openly sing songs and there is nothing bad in that."
Straight outta Karachi
Eva B grew up in Lyari, a Karachi neighbourhood
haunted by gang violence and poverty for decades and once considered one of
Pakistan's most dangerous areas, but which inspired a generation of artists and
spawned a burgeoning hip hop scene.
With its close proximity to the sea and history of
smuggling, the largely ethnic Balochi neighbourhood in Karachi stands apart for
its history of violence and lawlessness- even by Pakistan's standards.
But the worst of the violence has abated, and an
increase in security has led to flowering creativity.
The embattled neighbourhood now clings fiercely to its
reputation for producing top footballers, iron-chinned boxers, and most
recently socially conscious rappers.
"We didn't attend any prestigious music schools,
we learned everything ourselves, driven by our passion. So I keep highlighting
Lyari and I'm proud of it," she said.
The rise of hip hop in Lyari mirrors the genre's birth
decades ago in New York's Bronx borough, where it largely centred around street
performances and featured lyrics that addressed social ills and life in urban
ghettos.
Eva B also speaks straightforwardly about the
difficulties women face and the disparity in wealth in Pakistan, and even the
sensitive issue of local corruption.
Her favourite song, "Bayani Rog", in her
native Balochi language, tells the story of her evolution from shy, nervous
teenager to the self-assured, frank woman she is today.
"I realized that keeping silent won't work, so I
better speak up," she said.
Source: ND TV
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Saudi
Media Start-up Connects Women Across Kingdom
May
03, 2022
The
platform provides content creation and self-development training. (Supplied)
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JEDDAH:
Saudi women have a new platform for advancement, thanks to an independent media
startup highlighting aspects of Saudi women’s lives rarely shown in the past, while
also challenging stereotypes about their experiences in the Kingdom.
Saudi
Women’s Stories, established in 2019, aims to encourage and develop Saudi women
storytellers and motivate youth across the Kingdom in line with the Kingdom’s
Vision 2030 reforms and the country’s commitment to female empowerment.
It
is not only a storytelling platform but also an educational platform providing
content creation and self-development training in order to boost women’s
confidence.
Monthly
community events organized under the title “Coffee Talk” also focus on topics
affecting and involving women.
Sheikha
Aldosary, CEO and founder of Saudi Women’s Stories, has been working in media
locally and internationally for over 12 years, and has encountered many false
perceptions about Saudi Arabia in general and Saudi women in particular.
Creating
the platform was one way to counter misconceptions and provide an accurate
image, she said.
“I
always believe that storytelling/stories bring order to the chaos of life. The
region is experiencing unprecedented momentum when it comes to women’s
empowerment. As Saudi women, we have so much to be proud of in terms of our
achievements,” Aldosary said.
“Through
this platform, we seek to create opportunities for women who have less confidence
and to encourage women who believe their stories are not good enough to share,
and help them inspire others. We also support them to enhance their leadership
and participation in every field and sector.”
The
platform — a partner with the UN and a contributor to the Sustainable
Development Goals, with a primary focus on SDG 5: Gender equality — organizes
campaigns and events to showcase women’s stories and promote youth empowerment,
while connecting them with opportunities.
Aldosary
recently won the entrepreneur-woman of the year award from Arabian Business as
part of its KSA excellence awards for offering unbiased news, information and
stories about women and social development in Saudi Arabia in both Arabic and
English.
The
award honors Saudi women working to achieve success in their respective fields.
Aldosary
believes the award carries with it a responsibility to establish a strong
support network for women to collaborate and network, inspiring everyone with
Saudi women’s empowerment stories.
“We
invite young people and women to share their stories and support other people
going through a similar journey or situation. The platform is looking to
publish creative stories and welcome anyone to join our community event that
focuses on advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment,” she added.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2075241/media
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Indian
Muslim Woman, Benazeer Heena, Seeks Uniform Divorce Rules, End To ‘Unilateral’
Talaq
May
4, 2022
NEW
DELHI: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking to declare
‘Talaq-e-Hasan’ and all other forms of “unilateral extra-judicial Talaq” as
void and unconstitutional, claiming they were arbitrary, irrational, and
violated fundamental rights.
The
petition, filed by Ghaziabad resident Benazeer Heena, who claimed to be a
survivor of “unilateral extra-judicial Talaq-e-Hasan”, also sought a direction
to the Centre to frame guidelines for neutral and uniform grounds of divorce
and procedure for all citizens.
In
Talaq-e-Hasan, Talaq is pronounced once a month, over a period of three months.
If cohabitation is not resumed during this period, divorce gets formalised
after the third utterance in the third month. However, if cohabitation resumes
after the first or second utterance of Talaq, the parties are assumed to have
reconciled. The first/second utterances of Talaq are deemed invalid.
The
petitioner, who claimed to have been given such a divorce, contended that
police and authorities told her that Talaq-e-Hasan is permitted under Sharia.
“The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, conveys a wrong
impression that the law sanctions Talaq-E-Hasan and all other forms of
unilateral extra-judicial Talaq, which is grossly injurious to the fundamental
rights of married Muslim women and offends Articles 14, 15, 21 and 25 of the
Constitution of India and the international conventions on civil and human
rights,” the petition, filed by advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, submitted.
Source: Times Of India
Khyber
women councillors vow to resolve female population’s issues
Ibrahim
Shinwari
May
3, 2022
KHYBER:
With the local government system yet to become functional in tribal districts,
women councillors in Khyber tribal district have expressed their resolve to
strenuously work for the resolution of problems facing the local female
population and provision of education and healthcare to them.
Almost
all women councillors had contested the LG election for the first time with
some begging more votes than male contestants showing their growing
acceptability to voters.
They
told Dawn that the provision of education and healthcare to women in their
respective areas was their top priority as it would help them raise voice for
their rights.
Somaiya
Afridi, a postgraduate from the University of Peshawar, said literacy rate was
very low among tribal women, while the quality of education was not up to the
mark, so her main focus would be on the provision of quality education to
women.
Say
LG system should become functional without delay
“Tribal
girls are generally not allowed to step out in the name of so-called tribal
customs and traditions even if it is for receiving education, so it is
extremely important to educate parents on the importance of education and
ensure that they send female members to school,” she said.
She
also said she would ensure that women teachers regularly do duty.
Karishma
Kanwal, a woman councillor from Jamrud area and a student of MA Political
Science, said she lived in Ghundi area and would work for getting the number of
classrooms in a local girls school increased for higher enrolments.
“Education
is essential for tribal girls, especially those, who can’t go to school due to
financial constraints,” she said.
Ms
Karishma and MsSomiya also vowed to ensure provision of quality healthcare to
the women of their areas.
Affiliated
with the Awami National Party, Ms Kanwal also expressed the desire for the
establishment of a skills development centre for women in Jamrud to make them
financially independent.
MsRakhmiya
Bibi, an elderly woman councillor from the far-flung LoeShalman area in
LandiKotal, criticised tribal parliamentarians over ‘poor performance’ and
accused them of resorting to nepotism during the distribution and spending of
development funds.
“I
will give them [current MNAs and MPAs] a tough time by contesting next
elections,” she said.
MsRakhmiya
complained that most of the critically ill as well as many pregnant women lost
life due to the unavailability of good healthcare on their doorstep.
“There
is no hospital in LoeShalman area, so we shift most women patients to the
LandiKotal district headquarter hospital or Peshawar,” she said.
MsZakira
Bibi, a councillor from LandiKotal, said her daughter abandoned studies as
there was no girls college in her locality.
She
said she always wanted to see her daughter get education like her sons, but
that dream couldn’t be fulfilled as most districts were without colleges for
girls.
The
councillor said she wanted to get hold of funds for arranging marriages of poor
and needy girls, especially orphans.
MsZahrunNissa
of Kamarkhel area in Bara called water shortage the main issue for local women
and said she would strive for winning water schemes for all localities.
She
said the fetching of water on head from far-off areas badly affected the
women’s health and wasted their time.
The
women councillors said they would work for the development of female population
only after the LG system became functional and adequate funds were given to
them.
Source:
Dawn
https://www.dawn.com/news/1687947/khyber-women-councillors-vow-to-resolve-female-populations-issues
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Canadian
Arab Institute: Why Too Many Arab Women Are Struggling Professionally In
Canada’s Workforce
By
Amira Elghawaby
May
3, 2022
The
Canadian Arab Institute released a report last week that attempts to explain
why some Arab women aren’t succeeding in Canada’s workforce. It’s compelling
reading for anyone invested in the nation’s overall prosperity and success.
The
new study titled, “Employment barriers facing Arab Women in Canada”, combines
surveys collected by Abacus Data, focus groups and interviews conducted in
Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta (provinces with the highest populations of
Arab-Canadians). The result is a helpful list of recommendations that would
help any newcomer or immigrant trying to navigate the job market.
“Overall,
social exclusion describes a state in which individuals are unable to
participate fully in economic, social, political and cultural life,” points out
the United Nations.
Some
Arab-Canadians are having a hard time participating economically, despite the
historic presence of these diverse communities in Canada dating as far back as
1882, as chronicled by academic HoudaAsal in her book, “Identifying as Arab in
Canada: a Century of Immigration History.”
As
one of the fastest growing immigrant communities in the country, with seven out
of 10 who are first generation immigrants, dreams of success are too often
stalled by systemic barriers threatening to “push Arab-Canadians further into
poverty and social isolation,” notes the report.
During
the fall of 2020, Arab-Canadians had one of the highest unemployment rates in
the country at 17.9 per cent, compared to a national unemployment rate of 9 per
cent. Fast forward to today, Arab-Canadians continue to be among those with the
highest unemployment rates, according to the March 2022 Labour Force Survey.
And
Arab women are among the worst off.
“
… why do Arab women have a higher unemployment rate than most non-Arab women?”
question the report’s authors. “Our main objective in this study is to
understand the knowledge gaps behind the ever-increasing employment barriers
facing Arab women and filling these gaps with evidence that inform policy
recommendations.”
Source:
TheStar
Balochs
are sacrificing their lives due to Pakistani oppression: Baloch woman activist
29
April, 2022
Toronto
[Canada], April 29 (ANI): Distressed by a recent incident of a 30-year-old
Baloch woman teacher blowing herself and killing four people, including three
Chinese at Karachi University, a Baloch woman activist calls it a consequence
of Pakistan’s oppressive policies and genocide in Balochistan province.
Shari
Baloch, who joined Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) two years ago volunteered herself
for a “self-sacrificing mission” and targeted the Chinese to take revenge
against Baloch genocide, occupation of Balochistan by Pakistan and now China’s
growing investment and interference in the region.
Prof.
NaelaQuadri Baloch, the President of the World Baloch Women’s Forum in Canada
said, “If a mother of two beautiful kids who is having a very decent and
well-educated family, Shari Baloch can decide to be a self-sacrificer then the
world can understand what Baloch people are going through and who is
responsible for that”.
Prof.
Naela added, “It is the state of Pakistan and the Communist government of China
who are responsible for pushing our daughters and sons to the level of
self-sacrifice because there is no political platform left and the United
Nations are also not listening to Baloch people”.
Balochistan
has long demanded independence from Pakistan, and the multi-billion-dollar
China-initiated One Belt One Road (OBOR) Project has further inflamed passions.
The Baloch, who are opposing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as part of
OBOR, are facing oppression and genocide by the Pakistan Army.
There
are uncounted incidents of enforced disappearances and killings of Baloch
political activists, intellectuals and students by the Pakistani security
forces and secret agencies.
Prof.
Naela said, “We are at the deepest level of pain. We are hurt that our highly
educated youth, if they were not Baloch, could have a bright future. But as
they are Baloch, which is their main crime, they have no future. They are
picked up during daylight from the University by the ISI people, the Pakistani
military, and then they disappear because the former knows that if they will be
educated, they will become doctors, engineers, teachers or journalists”.
“Being
Baloch as they have no future in Pakistan, they have decided to be
self-sacrificers. They have joined organizations like Majeed Brigade and Baloch
Liberation Army because they think it is the only way to survive”.
A
large number of Baloch youth and political activists have migrated abroad to
save their lives. They have been raising their concerns at international
platforms, but there is no ray of hope.
Prof.
Naela said, “Baloch people have raised their concerns in the United Nations and
other international forums in a very peaceful way but nobody listens and our
youth has been observing this thing. They see that there is no response from
any country so if the International community will remain silent and just keep
looking at the genocide of the Baloch people, this will be the reaction”.
“Our
sons and daughters, even highly educated ones have decided to go for
self-sacrifice because they don’t see any future or hope”, said the Baloch
political activist, who herself is living in exile due to life threats. (ANI)
Source:ThePrint
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Iran:
Does wearing the hijab help women's careers?
Kaukab
Shairani
03.05.2022
"Sometimes
I take my hijab off accidentally, but my bosses gave me a notice to put it
back. Men have the freedom to choose what they want, but women don't,"
Farzana (name changed) told DW.
The
22-year-old private sector employee in the Iranian city of Shiraz described it
as having a "double life" in the workplace.
In
Iran, mandatory hijab wearing was imposed several years after the 1979 Islamic
Revolution. Under the law, women must cover their hair and wear loose-fitting
clothes in all public places, including the workplace and at school and
university. The mandate is enforced by so-called morality guards.
But
there has been increasing resentment towards the hijab mandate, particularly
among the younger generation and in urban areas.
Those
opposed view it as a politically coercive tool that controls women's bodies.
Iran has seen a wave of protests against the hijab in recent years, such as the
White Wednesdays movement.
As
the backlash against veiling grows, so has a crackdown on those breaking the
rules.
In
a first, a university in the capital Tehran deployed so-called morality guards
on campus, to ensure that students comply with the hijab rules, a London-based
Iranian International broadcaster reported in April.
As
more women like Farzana flout the ban at work and elsewhere, some women have
said rebelling could be putting their career at a disadvantage.
Hijab
compliance helps women's careers
Complying
with hijab rules means that women evade a fine or arrest, but wearing one also
carries other benefits for women's careers.
"If
you are properly veiled, you can work in this industry and make money because
the government will put its weight [behind you] and allocate budgets,"
Anna Amir, an Iranian documentary filmmaker, told DW
Another
Iranian woman, 26, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, explained that
correct veiling was a top priority.
"In
Iran, all they care about is your hijab … You could be the top student in
university, but you could be banned over [not wearing] the hijab," she
said.
Working
under these conditions, for her, turned the workplace into "a
prison."
Claudia
Yaghoobi, Roshan Associate Professor and Director of Persian Studies at
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, agreed with these anecdotal
experiences.
Those
who are "properly" veiled could have employment opportunities with
great benefits, she told DW.
Renewed
interest in hijab mandate
Time
could play a role in how important it is to veil or not, including at work.
There
have always been politically motivated fluctuations in the extent of
clampdowns. In recent years, the compulsory hijab debate has seen a renewed
focus.
When
the government is focusing on other policies, morality guards become lax and
therefore overlook "improper" veiling, Yaghoobi said.
"At
other times, it [the clampdown] can be a stricter, militarized type of
treatment."
However,
the type of workplace is a factor too, with hijab compliance more tightly
patrolled in the public sector.
According
to KouroshZiabari, Iran Correspondent of Asia Times and the 2022 World Press
Institute fellow, the veil mandate "is more stringent in government
departments."
Veil
mandates harm diversity of opinions
While
veiling may help a career, filmmaker Amir said she rejects what she terms as a
maneuver to "license" women's bodies and continues to try and work
without government support.
Other
disadvantages of the veil mandate may be less immediate. Yaghoobi views the
exclusion of secular women from the workplace as having a negative impact as it
reduces the diversity of women's voices.
"Women's
voices are not being heard … and ideas aren't being implemented if they can't
enter [offices] as secular women, who are improperly veiled," she said.
"From
a year or two ago, elementary school children's books contained pictures of
either women who were fully veiled or [their photos] had been eliminated,"
she told DW.
It
also appears unlikely that the advantages experienced by women who veil would
overcome ingrained workplace and societal discrimination of women in Iran.
The
2021 Global Gender Gap report, produced by the World Economic Forum, ranks Iran
150 out of 156 for gender equality, including equality in economic
participation.
Are
all Iranian women against mandatory veiling?
A
2021 report published by the Iranian government showed an almost 50/50 split in
support for the law among the population.
Older
women are believed to be more supportive of the hijab mandate than the younger
generation.
"They
dress conservatively and consider that to be their Islamic principle … They
support these principles for the workplace and demand the government reinforce
hijab more severely because the debauchery is promoting immorality in
society," Ziabari said.
DW
reached out to Iran's pro-hijab factions, including a state-run broadcaster,
for comment, but did not receive a response.
Source:DW
https://www.dw.com/en/iran-does-wearing-the-hijab-help-womens-careers/a-61672238
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