Houthi Moral Policewomen Crack Down On Women Who Walk Without Mahram
01 May 2022
• Houthi Moral Policewomen Crack Down On Women Who
Walk Without Mahram
• ‘Dressing Up For Eid Is The Oldest Tradition’: Why
Fashion & Makeup Is A Celebration For Muslim Women
• The Brummie Muslim Women's Football Team With The
Goal Of Changing Attitudes And Reducing Violence
• Climate Leadership Is In Urgent Need Of More Women
• ‘Women Workers Are Pride Of Pakistan’: International
Lawyers Forum
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/houthi-moral-policewomen-mahram/d/126909
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Houthi Moral Policewomen Crack Down On Women Who Walk
Without Mahram
The Houthis have banned
women from shopping without a mahram. (AFP)
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Saeed Al-Batati
April 30, 2022
AL-MUKALLA: Houthi moral policewomen have removed
dozens of women from the streets of the northern city of Saada, the movement’s
heartland, for shopping without a male guardian, also known as a mahram,
residents and local media reports said.
The Iran-backed Houthis have banned women from
shopping without a mahram, asking women to stick to the Islamic dress codes and
only allowing women to shop in limited places in the city.
To enforce the ban, residents told Arab News, dozens
of all-female morality police officers were seen roaming Saada during Ramadan,
when streets are teeming with shoppers, searching for violators.
Al-Masdar Online, a Yemeni news site, reported that
the Houthis broadcast the ban through loudspeakers fixed on cars that
circulated the streets, asking women not to go out with mahram and naming
markets where women could shop for Ramadan and Eid.
The ban on women walking about without a mahram comes
as the Yemeni militia intensifies its morality campaigns in areas under its
control.
The Houthis have arrested dozens of women for
violating Islamic dress codes, banned singing at weddings and arrested singers
and artists who challenged the ban.
Since earlier last year, the Houthis have been holding
Entesar Al-Hammadi, a Yemeni actress and model, after removing her from a
street in Sanaa for allegedly “trading in drugs and ... prostitution.”
The latest report by the UN Panel of Experts accused
the Houthis of sexually assaulting women, subjecting them to different forms of
physical and psychological torture and denying them birth control.
“The Houthis simply want women to be annexed to men
and to serve as baby-making machines to produce fighters,” Nadwa Al-Dawsari, a
Yemeni conflict analyst, told Arab News.
Ali Al-Fakih, editor of Al-Masdar Online, said the
Houthis have turned Saada into a testing site for their harsh rules, as they
see the city as completely loyal to them. “They consider Saada as a pure place
for their doctrine and followers. Thus, they can implement any decision
easily,” Al-Fakih said.
Unlike other Yemeni areas under their control, the
Houthis have turned Saada into the most secretive place in Yemen, where even
visitors to the city must inform the militia at checkpoints about their reasons
for visiting and how long they would be staying there.
“People cannot breathe in Saada. I think we will later
see the Houthi ban on women from going about without a mahram imposed in other
areas,” Al-Fakih said.
Source: Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2073851/middle-east
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‘Dressing Up For Eid Is The Oldest Tradition’: Why
Fashion & Makeup Is A Celebration For Muslim Women
Alicia Vrajlal
1 May 2022
The past month has been one of the busiest for Mawluda
Momin, the co-founder of Sydney modest fashion boutique, TWIICE. With extended
Ramadan trading hours and high demand for a festive collection launched two
weeks ago, the booming business is testament to the important role fashion
plays, for many Muslim women, in the lead up to and on Eid.
“Our Eid 22 collection has been a huge success so far,
only two weeks post its release,” the 28-year-old tells Refinery29 Australia.
“Our customers are buying everything from casual dresses to more elevated satin
dresses.”
Momin — who moved to South Australia from East
Turkestan when she was eight — launched TWIICE in December 2018 with her sister
and close friend after struggling to find modesty fashion that was comfortable
and stylish.
“Growing up, there was absolutely nothing, especially
in South Australia where there isn’t a huge Muslim shopping strip — not even a
small boutique,” she explains. “Modest fashion in my teens was either really
mature looking maxi dresses or awkwardly-layered mainstream styles, such as
under tops with sleeveless dresses and tights under shorter dresses.”
Through opening a shop in Greenacre in Sydney’s
southwest, having an online boutique and also selling through The Iconic, Momin’s
followed her dream to “bridge the gap between mainstream fashion and modest
fashion” while staying “consistent with Australian designers in terms of
quality, aesthetic, and fabrication.”
This year, Eid, an Islamic celebration at the end of
the month of Ramadan, begins on 2nd May. Momin says, there are diverse ways
that it’s celebrated by different people, but presenting one’s best self is
often a big part of it.
“Eid Al fitr, the upcoming one, which is celebrated at
the end of Ramadan, gives me a sense of unity and celebration of everything
good because of the teaching and trials we face in Ramadan,” says Momin.
“Dressing up for Eid is the oldest tradition and we
have been fortunate to be able to do that. On Eid morning, you might go to the
mosque where you face hundreds of people, so you want to look your best. And
even if you don’t go, it’s a time that you feel excited to celebrate in style.
“Personally, I feel like I have wasted Eid if I don’t
dress up for the occasion. I find honour in dressing up for Eid. It’s is a
celebration bestowed by God, so I feel honoured in showing up as my best self.”
Sydney-based digital creator Nawal Sari says it is
customary for her and her family to buy new outfits come Eid time, and she has
fond memories of experimenting with her style over the years and seeing it
evolve.
“It’s Sunnah (meaning Islamic tradition) to buy new
clothes or put on your best clothes to see and celebrate with the community,
family, and friends,” says Sari.
“Some of my iconic Eid outfits growing up were
definitely bold… the first year I put the hijab on, I wore a Burberry-inspired
hijab with red lipstick. Although cringey now, I love the memories associated
with it, and going Eid shopping with my mum and sisters each year.”
Sari is yet to decide on exactly what she’s wearing
this year when she visits restaurants and unites with family for prayer in a
community park or mosque. But regardless of her outfit, her makeup will be
practical yet glowy for the occasion.
“I usually opt for something I can easily retouch,
that’s not too heavy,” she explains. “Due to praying and having to do Wudu
(ablution) before prayer, I have to reapply my makeup often. This year I might
do my classic cat-eye-lash look and keep it very warm looking.”
For Adelaide-based mother-of-two, Hafifa Khelwaty,
preparations for Eid begin in the week leading up to it, as she continues
observing the month-long period of fasting during Ramadan.
“I will prepare for Eid days in advance by heading to
the shops and splurging on myself by purchasing new clothes, getting a haircut,
nails done, and picking up all kinds of diet-killing, calorie-dense ingredients
and baking sweets until my heart’s content,” she says. “Of course, all this
extravagance never sways from the boundaries and true meaning of Eid itself.”
After buying several options and then waiting until
the day to pick a winner, Khelwaty’s Eid outfit is always a traditional Afghan
dress. The vibrant, intricate designs are as dazzling to look at as they are
representative of the rich culture, which she wants her two young daughters to
learn about.
“This year I have a deep, emerald green dress made of
velvet with gold embroidery around the edges, and a low V-neck line dress that
I’m looking forward to wearing,” she says.
“In truth, clothing, food, family and that sense of
community is all that remains of our cultural heritage, and keeping that alive
and passing that on means so much to me. I think that’s the true reason why
wearing an Afghan dress on Eid day always wins out. I don’t want to give up an
opportunity to share my culture with my children, as I don’t always know when
the next opportunity will come by.”
“For as long as I can remember, the perfect makeup for
Eid was just as important to me as the perfect clothes or desserts,” she says,
adding she’s opting for a “bold red lip” this year.
“Eid makeup is very special, it’s the ritual of
getting glammed up for the day itself that marks it as significant. The
preparation, precision, and care taken in each carefully-planned stroke of the
brush cements in the back of my mind that today is special and something to get
excited about,” she says.
“When the day starts with such precision and care, the
rest of the day follows. Equally is the effect makeup has on the mindset. The
sparkle and glow of makeup has a tendency to help us feel like we are our best
selves, it helps posing in all the pictures with an extra big smile knowing
your skin, lips and eyes are well-groomed and prepared for this lasting
memorable moment amongst family and friends.”
Oromo Australian software consultant, Ikram Boru, says
upholding a certain style standard hasn’t always been the biggest priority on
Eid, but rather, carefully selecting an outfit that’s comfortable and makes her
feel good, as she does prayers followed by a big breakfast with family.
“I wouldn’t say that style has been important, it’s
more looking for pieces that I can be comfortable in and not wear too many
layers to keep it modest,” she explains.
“This year, I’m sticking to a classic three-piece
abaya from a boutique retailer in Melbourne called Niyyah Boutique. Her pieces
are designed in Dubai, and I’m opting for a sage-green palette, as I feel like
that’s the colour of the season,” she continues, adding she’s also bought the
same set in brown.
In addition to some makeup essentials, such as filling
in her brows, applying mascara, and a slick of lip gloss, Boru always tries to
get henna done just before Eid.
Also known as mehndi, henna is a temporary body art
that’s particularly popular among South Asian communities, most often applied
for weddings, religious occasions and important festivities.
It’s becoming increasingly popular in Australia in
recent years, with local henna artists facing higher demand for their services
before and during Eid. Sydney-based henna artist, Payal Sharma is taking up to
10 bookings a day this weekend, ahead of Eid, and has also created special Eid
packs for interstate clients that include several cones of henna paste, along
with a guide on how to apply different designs.
Applying henna is a special Eid ritual for Bengali
Australian Sophia Chowdhury, providing a beautiful bonding opportunity for her
and her female relatives, while accentuating their entire Eid looks that
consist of traditional South Asian attire.
“I love that you get to get ready with your family,”
says the Melbourne-based marketer and stylist. “Whether it’s your cousins or
aunties applying henna, helping each other match a makeup look to our colourful
fits, a mother helping to pin your saree, thread through string on the pants of
your salwar kameez, or making sure jewellery and your bindi is sitting centre
on your face.”
Given her profession, style has always been incredibly
personal and important to Chowdhury, and she likes to experiment by combining
eastern and western influences. That could be wearing sneakers with her salwar
kameez, or making a statement with her makeup.
“I usually create a look depending on my outfit, which
usually incorporates gold or silver used in our traditional garments,” she
says.
“Eid is known as the Muslim Met Gala, and this year
the actual Met Gala falls on the same day, so I know the looks are going to be
extra this year. I will probably try a Met Gala-inspired, Euphoria, or
Bridgerton-inspired look.”
Source: Style.yahoo
https://uk.style.yahoo.com/dressing-eid-oldest-tradition-why-082142062.html
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The Brummie Muslim women's football team with the goal
of changing attitudes and reducing violence
By Richard Guttridge
1 MAY 2022
The star striker wearing a headscarf is certainly an
unusual sight on the football pitch - but it's something one inspirational
group of women hope will only become more common as they continue to break down
barriers and dispel stereotypes. Muslim football team Saltley Women's launched
three years ago when four players took part in a training session - and has
since exploded with 200 players now signed up.
The team aims to give young Muslim girls and women an
opportunity to play sport and access support, which some might not feel is
available to them elsewhere. And it has now got the backing of police chiefs,
who believe the team is empowering young Muslim women, allowing them to prove
outdated attitudes wrong, could make players less likely become victims of
violence.
Saltley Women's is thought to be the only all-Muslim
women's football team in the region, which in itself shows how girls from the
community face obstacles to getting involved in sport. A key principle of the
side is allowing players to wear whatever they feel comfortable in while
playing.
It means some players take to the pitch in traditional
headscarves like the hijab, and it's all about making women feel they are
welcomed for who they are and that they shouldn't have to change in order to
play sport. Aside from the obvious benefits of playing sport, being part of the
team helps in other ways.
It aims to reduce social isolation and anxiety among
women who may not ordinarily mix with many other people in their daily lives.
Leaders are also on hand to provide support with mental health and other
issues, should players require it, while they host regular workshops on issues
such as empowerment. It's almost as much a support bubble as it is a football
team.
Women's football is finally getting greater
recognition at a professional level in the UK but access for Muslim women is
even more difficult. Co-founder Yasmin Nessa, 26, said: "As a child I was
sporty and active but there were barriers I experienced to participating in
sport.
"There was not much provision for young girls in
my neighbourhood and school. For years on end I didn't pursue any sport or
physical activity, I thought that was the state of things and didn't question
it too much."
But in 2019 Yasmin, a city council worker from
Lozells, decided it was time for that to change. She helped launched the team
and took advantage of a contact at Aston Villa to use their training pitches
until the team found its own base in Bordesley Green, where around 30 regular
players now play 5-a-side matches and are planning to expand to 11-a-side from
September.
While many women will have experienced difficulties
accessing sport, she explained it is even harder for young Muslim women who
sometimes face unique challenges. "There are definitely more pressures.
There are different needs, family responsibilities or family members being
hesitant to them participating. There are cultural stereotypes about what women
are like."
She added: "Sport is something that should be
empowering. What we try to do is open that and allow them to access a level
playing field. White women are just about seeing more recognition in the
professional women's game. It is much worse at grassroots level, especially in
the Muslim community.
"The traditional idea of football is that it is
predominantly a male sport and you have to wear certain clothing, that can be a
barrier. There might be some reluctance (among Muslim women) about what they
might have to do or what kit they are expected to wear.
"We are challenging that and saying 'come in what
you are comfortable in, we won't dictate what you wear'."
Source: Birmingham Mail
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/brummie-muslim-womens-football-team-23801138
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Climate leadership is in urgent need of more women
YVONNE AKI-SAWYERR
April 30, 2022
The observation by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and
environmental trailblazer Wangari Maathai that — “the higher you go, the fewer
women there are” — reflects a reality familiar to all women who have aspired to
leadership positions, and it has gained a new meaning for me as the climate
crisis has intensified.
Though it is already clear that women and girls will
face higher risks and greater burdens because of climate change, they remain
significantly underrepresented in climate and environmental negotiations.
In 2019, the UN’s Gender Composition Report noted that
the number of women represented in UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
bodies was not in line with efforts to create gender balance. In response,
member states adopted a gender action plan at that year’s UN Climate Change
Conference, COP25. The plan recognized that “full, meaningful and equal
participation and leadership of women in all aspects of the UN framework
process and in national- and local-level climate policy and action is vital for
achieving long-term climate goals.”
And yet, by the time COP26 rolled around two years
later, little had changed. The UK’s COP26 presidency was predominantly
male-led, and only 11 of the 74 African national representatives were women.
Moreover, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
appears to be exhibiting a similar tendency, with male negotiators outnumbering
female negotiators by about 60.
The failure to ensure equal representation and women’s
participation in efforts to tackle climate change and the loss of biodiversity
is short-sighted, at best, and potentially reckless. The problem is also
increasingly urgent.
Last month, delegates from around the world gathered
in Geneva for one of the final rounds of negotiations to conclude the
development of the new UN Global Biodiversity Framework. These gatherings,
which aim to accelerate action to halt further species loss and tackle climate
change, will shape the global response to both crises for years to come.
The latest reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change illustrate the scale of these crises. The IPCC has documented
unequivocally the fact that human activities are warming our planet’s surface,
leading to rapidly changing weather systems, biodiversity loss, and increased
resource insecurity.
By 2100, 50 percent of Africa’s bird and mammal
species could disappear. We are potentially entering a sixth mass extinction
and if the problem is left unchecked, our sources of food, water and medicine
will increasingly be at risk.
Women comprise the majority of the world’s poor and
are disproportionately affected by these crises. In the developing world, they
are overwhelmingly responsible for sourcing food and water for their families
and they often take the lead in fuel collection and household management. Women
also make up nearly half of the world’s smallholder farmers, producing 70
percent of Africa’s food.
As such, women and girls are often the first to
experience the harsh realities of climate change. But owing to pervasive
inequalities that limit their access to education and healthcare, unequal
employment rates, and low rates of representation in public office, they are
less likely than men to be able to participate in decision-making processes.
If the past two years have shown us anything, it is
that women’s leadership is critical during tumultuous times. According to a
recent study of 194 countries, the immediate responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
were systematically better in countries with female leaders. Similarly,
research has found that “female representation leads countries to adopt more
stringent climate-change policies,” and that a high degree of female
representation in parliament makes it more likely that a country will ratify
international environmental treaties.
Women bring not only ambition but also different
perspectives and experiences to the table. As a result, their contributions
ultimately lead to more nuanced and inclusive environmental policies.
In Africa, the importance of women’s leadership in the
face of climate change and biodiversity loss is evident to any observer. In
Nigeria, Minister of State for Environment Sharon Ikeazor has advocated for the
High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, and pushed for fossil-fuel
subsidies to be replaced with investments in sustainable, low-carbon
development.
In Rwanda, Minister of Environment Jeanne d’Arc
Mujawamariya has won praise for her inclusive rainforest conservation efforts.
In Chad, environmental activist Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim continues to champion
the cause of Africa’s local communities and indigenous peoples at the highest
levels of the UN. And in Freetown, Sierra Leone, we are planting 1 million
trees over three rainy seasons to promote climate resilience and green job
creation.
All of these women, including me, have championed
30x30, the global campaign to protect 30 percent of the world’s surface by
2030. Meeting this objective would prevent further destruction of ecosystems,
and the effort could lead to the first-ever global agreement to halt the
destruction of nature.
Many more women are tackling biodiversity loss and
climate change, including indigenous women who are using their unique knowledge
of the land to farm more sustainably and protect fragile ecosystems, and
aspiring politicians who are running on integrated policy platforms linking
reproductive health, education and environmental protection. Those who are already
in leadership positions must ensure that these women are given a chance to
contribute.
Much has changed since 2004, when Maathai won the
Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to sustainable development, democracy
and peace. Emissions have surged and extreme weather events have increased in
frequency and intensity. But much has also remained the same: Women continue to
be excluded from leadership positions and the world continues to pay the price
for it.
As the final negotiations for the new Global Biodiversity
Framework continue, and as we approach this year’s UN Convention on Biological
Diversity, CBD COP15, in Kunming, China, we have a duty to address these
failures. If we do not bring more women to the table, a climate disaster is
almost certainly guaranteed.
Source: Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2073781
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‘Women Workers Are Pride Of Pakistan’: International
Lawyers Forum
By Our Correspondent
May 01, 2022
International Lawyers Forum (ILF) Chairman advocate
Nasir Ahmed has said that the women workers are a matter of pride for Pakistan.
To mark International Labour Day, an ILF Awards
veremony was held for working women across the country.
On this occasion, 20 awards were given to polio worker
Aqsa Asghar, National Weightlifting Champion Arjumand Khan, sanitary worker
Camma, freelance journalist Erum Gulzar, cotton worker Ganga, patchwork maker
Hanifa, Sindh Police’s constable Kaneez Jamal, nurse Lubna Perveen, farmer
Mariam, executive secretary Nafeesa Mohammad Ali, Advocate High Court Roop Mala
Singh, Foodpanda rider Rubab Jumani, domestic worker Rubina, advocate and
consultant Sadia Maqbool, NICVD nurse Shabana Rasheed, pharmaceutical packaging
worker Shabana, IT consultant Mariyam, St Paul School principal Shakila George,
garments factory worker Sumaria Naz and dry fruit seller Usha.
A large number of dignitaries from various walks of
life, sisters of Christian missionaries, lawyers and many others participated
in the ceremony. Advocate Jamshed Ali Khowaja distributed gifts among the
participants.
Source: The News
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/954720-women-workers-are-pride-of-pakistan
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/houthi-moral-policewomen-mahram/d/126909