How a Brooklyn Artist Is Making Black Women Her Focus
New Age Islam News Bureau
7
Jul 2020
• How
a Brooklyn Artist Is Making Black Women Her Focus
• Muslim
Woman Outraged After Barista Writes ‘ISIS’ On Her Coffee Cup in St. Paul. Target
Calls It A Mistake
• Arab
Institute for Women:Want to Help the Arab Region? Put It in The Hands of Women
• ‘Yazidi
Women Are Strong’: Kurdistan's Female Landmine Clearance Teams
• Igbo
Women Seek Biafra, Voice Nigeria’s Bleak Future
• Islamic
Women's Council: 'The New Zealand Government Had Failed the Muslim Community
• Hindu
Family in Haryana's JindGives Land for Burial Of 13-Year-Old Muslim Girl
• The
Coronavirus Lockdown Prevented 1.85 Million Indian Women from Getting An
Abortion
• Over
39,000 Complaints Received by Women Helpline in UP Sent for Action to District
Police
• UN
Human Rights Council 44: Statement on Discrimination Against Women
• Equipping
East African Women Digital Entrepreneurs with Skills to Thrive
Compiled ByNew Age Islam News Bureau
URL; https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/how-brooklyn-artist-making-black/d/122310
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How
a Brooklyn Artist Is Making Black Women Her Focus
By
Sandra E. Garcia
July
6, 2020
Aya
Brown, left, an artist in Brooklyn, with Brittany Robles, one of the subjects
of her Essential Workers series.Credit...Naima Green for The New York Times
------
The
faces of the women in her portraits are often partly covered by a mask tied
behind their heads, tugging at braids, low buns or tufts of curls. They are
dressed in uniforms that show their essential jobs, but their style and
charisma shine through their everyday armor.
They
are Black women who work in jobs that the coronavirus pandemic quickly revealed
as essential to the functioning of New York City. And they were all drawn by
Aya Brown, 24, a Brooklyn artist. They are women who took care of Ms. Brown
during a hospital or a supermarket visit. They include janitors, M.T.A.
workers, mail carriers and security guards.
The
drawings — made with color pencils on brown paper — comprise Ms. Brown’s
Essential Worker series, a collection drawn with an intimacy that makes the
viewers feel as if they too know the subject. It’s not just their jobs that are
depicted through the lines and colors, but their panache.
“My
goal is to uplift Black women who look like me and inspire me — to give them a
space to be seen and to bring awareness to them,” Ms. Brown said.
Women
have been the heroes of the pandemic. They are in the emergency rooms, on the
streets delivering packages, in nursing homes, on construction sites, and many
are still teaching their students who have been attending school from home.
One
in three of the jobs held by women is essential, according to a New York Times
analysis of census data crossed with the federal government’s essential worker
guidelines. Most of the women who have essential jobs are women of color.
“I
guess when you think about essential workers, you don’t really think of
yourself,” said Aja Brown, 26, Ms. Brown’s sister and a subject of one of her
portraits.
Aja
is a paraprofessional educator, a role similar to a teacher’s aide, and works
with fifth graders in Brooklyn. She has been working from home since the city
closed schools in March. She never considered herself an essential worker until
she saw her sister’s portrait of her on Instagram. The portrait made her cry,
she said.
“I
don’t know if I needed that space,” Aja said. “I just want my kids to get where
they need to be emotionally and academically. I kind of don’t really think
about myself.”
Ms.
Brown aims to change that thinking, to help Black women see themselves as
essential by putting them at the center of her artwork and bringing the viewer
into her universe.
“It’s
very clear how close she is to her mainstream, how unfiltered her perspective
is and how much she loves her people and her village,” said Tamara P. Carter, a
writer and director of the upcoming TV show “Freshwater.”
After
being furloughed by her employer, Gavin Brown Enterprises, where she organized
events, Ms. Brown has used her free time to delve into her art, which focuses
on showing Black queer women fully: their sexuality, strength, style, bodies, joy
and edge. Even the materials she uses are intentional: She draws on brown
paper, she said, because “Black bodies do not need to start from white.”
Occasionally,
she hosts parties that are meant to provide a safe space for Black lesbians,
like herself. It is the kind of support Ms. Brown was entrenched in growing up
in Brooklyn, and a foundation that was notably missing when she attended Cooper
Union, a private college in Manhattan. She said her experience there was
traumatic, that she did not feel as if her blackness was accepted. After three
years, she dropped out in 2017.
She
began her Essential Worker series in April, after a trip to the emergency room.
There she noticed that her nurse, a Black, West Indian woman, took care of her
while her doctor stopped by intermittently.
“I
noticed that nurses in the E.R. are usually Black women,” Ms. Brown said. “I am
thinking about these Black women on the front lines. It just bothered me
because no one is noticing this.”
“You
never knew you were essential until Covid hit,” Ms. Tabor said, “and it’s like,
I have to stand up for the community now. I didn’t realize all that we do.”
Like
countless Black women around the country, Ms. Tabor had to be a counselor for
her staff during the pandemic. When someone lost a family member or a neighbor,
she tried to put them at ease.
“I
needed them to know, ‘I am in it with you, and let’s get through this
together,’ ” Ms. Tabor said. “But I was freaking out, too. I was human with
everyone else. I was just able to put on a different hat.”
Black
women are also underrepresented in the worlds of art and media, and Black queer
women are nearly nonexistent in museums, according to ChaédriaLaBouvier, the
curator of “Basquiat’s “Defacement”: The Untold Story,” at the Guggenheim
Museum.
Ms.
LaBouvier said Ms. Brown’s work is not about being left out of the white,
heterosexual, patriarchal art world, but about the Black working class saying,
“I am already the center, and there is a lot of beauty here.”
Ms.
Brown’s work “looks at what liberation actually could be,” Ms. LaBouvier said.
“You’re in a moment where queer women are saying, ‘It is so much bigger than
fitting into the system; let’s abolish the system.’”
According
to Ms. Carter, when we look back on this moment in history and wonder who saved
New York City from the coronavirus pandemic, Ms. Brown’s portraits will provide
the answer.
“Who
she’s making the art for seems to be just as important as the art itself,” Ms.
Carter said. “Art made with that kind of love and rigor is self-evident and
can’t be co-opted.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/nyregion/black-women-essential-workers.html
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Muslim
Woman Outraged After Barista Writes ‘ISIS’ On Her Coffee Cup In St. Paul.
Target Calls It A Mistake.
July
6, 2020
By
MARA H. GOTTFRIED
Aishah,
a 19-year-old college student studying to be a teacher, found "Isis"
written on her frozen Starbucks beverage. Credit: Jaida Grey Eagle | Sahan
Journal
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While
ordering a drink Wednesday in St. Paul, a 19-year-old Muslim woman gave the
barista her name — Aishah — and repeated it for clarity.
Aishah
says a barista asked for her name and wrote “ISIS” on her coffee cup. Civil
rights attorney Alec Shaw, right, said he is filing a complaint with the
Minnesota Department of Human Rights. (Mara H. Gottfried / Pioneer Press)
The
word that was written on the drink is a word that shatters the Muslim
reputation all around the world,” said Aishah, whom the Council on American-Islamic
Relations’ Minnesota chapter identified only by her first name for safety
reasons.
Target,
which runs and operates the Starbucks in St. Paul’s Midway store, says it has
apologized and “believe that it was not a deliberate act but an unfortunate
mistake,” according to a statement Monday.
Aishah
and CAIR-MN on Monday called on the University Avenue Target to fire the
employees who were involved, and an attorney submitted a charge of
discrimination to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.
“Unfortunately,
with Islamophobia, the No. 1 thing Muslims are … discriminatorily identified
(as) is terrorists,” said Jaylani Hussein, CAIR-MN executive director. “… Using
this word for us would be the same as a Black man today being … (called) the
N-word.”
When
Aishah asked the employee why “ISIS” was written on her cup, the worker
“claimed that she had not heard her name correctly,” according to a statement
from CAIR-MN.
The
Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Minnesota chapter says a worker at a
Starbucks, run by a St. Paul Target, wrote “ISIS” on her cup. (Courtesy of
CAIR-MN)
When
Aishah asked to speak with a manager, Hussein said the manager responded with:
“What is the issue? People get their names wrong all the time.”
Aishah
filed a formal complaint with Target. A corporate representative reached out to
her the next day to apologize, according to a Target spokesman, but Aishah said
Monday morning she still had not received an apology.
Target
said in a statement they are “taking appropriate actions with the team member,
including additional training, to ensure this does not occur again.”
The
Minneapolis-based retailer added: “At Target, we want everyone who shops with
us to feel welcomed, valued and respected and we strictly prohibit
discrimination and harassment in any form. We are very sorry for this guest’s
experience at our store and immediately apologized to her when she made our
store leaders aware of the situation. We have investigated the matter and
believe that it was not a deliberate act but an unfortunate mistake that could
have been avoided with a simple clarification.”
Target
CEO Brian Cornell announced a month ago that the corporation was committed to
standing against racism, and pledged $10 million to advance social justice and
support rebuilding and recovery efforts in local communities.
“This
unfortunate incident is particularly appalling in light of the local and
national appeals for racial justice and the ongoing calls for meaningful steps
towards lasting equity in the United States of America,” said Alec Shaw, a
civil rights attorney for CAIR-MN, who called on Cornell to “make the same
commitment to stand against Islamophobia and all forms of discrimination and
hate.”
https://www.twincities.com/2020/07/06/cair-mn-st-paul-target-starbucks-worker-put-isis-on-muslim-womans-cup/
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Arab
Institute for Women: Want to Help the Arab Region? Put It in The Hands of Women
July
07, 2020
NEW
YORK, NY – In preparation for the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Arab
Institute for Women (AiW) in 2023, the Institute welcomes partners, supporters,
and sponsors who desire to scale a strong regional voice for Arab women. The
Institute is a legend, a pioneer, and the force for our feminist future.
The
AiW at the Lebanese American University is the first of its kind in the region
– and a center of power for Arab women. Founded in 1973, the AiW operates at
the intersection of academia and activism to amplify women’s voices in the
region and around the world. The Institute is a bridge connecting women in the
region to global platforms - because representation matters.
“No
country in the world has achieved full gender equality, but the Arab region
ranks lowest in the world. Empowering women is not just a human rights
principle. It is a precondition to sustainable development and the strongest
vehicle for peace, prosperity, and progress,” said Lina AbiRafeh, Executive
Director of the AiW in New York.
Lack
of funding due to the coronavirus pandemic has compromised the survival of
women’s rights organizations. If women are once again left out of leadership
and activism, the patriarchal consolidation of power will have devastating
effects on women's rights, equality, and autonomy. This requires a robust
feminist response, ensuring that women's organizations and feminist activists
have the tools and resources they need to advocate and act on behalf of women
and girls.
“The
AiW is a fueling station and a hub for support, resources, and inspiration for
women changemakers with a history of support for women’s rights activists. Throughout decades of insecurity and now
during the COVID-19 pandemic, AiW continues to provide opportunities to enhance
their leadership and give them the skills they need to strengthen their force on
the frontlines,” said AbiRafeh. “The pandemic has resulted in massive job
losses for women and has pushed them even further into the informal economy and
toward riskier sources of income – such as trafficking and transactional sex -
for survival.”
Women
in Arab countries are an underutilized economic force, with only 24% working
outside the home – the lowest female employment rate in the world. When
employed, women are more often relegated to traditionally feminized work, in
addition to their disproportionate share of unpaid care.
Academic
institutes like the AiW have a huge role to play in galvanizing and supporting
women’s movements. Across the Arab region, women, particularly young women, are
leading calls for change. The AiW brings 47 years of data, community
engagement, and lived experience at the frontlines of Arab feminist movements.
The
AiW seeks a visionary champion interested in offering an endowment and leaving
a lasting legacy for Arab women for generations to come.
“We
seek prime movers who believe in the impact of their gifts and who are
committed to building a philanthropic legacy for themselves, their families,
and for ALL women and girls in the region,” said AbiRafeh.
An
endowment gift of $7 million will entitle the donor to naming rights for the
Institute – a legacy in your own name, or to honor a loved one who believed in
this cause. This endowment will, over time, generate sufficient interest to
enable the Arab Institute for Women to establish a stronger regional presence
in order to continue its critical work for Arab women’s rights through
scholarship, training, and advocacy.
Most
Arab countries have signed and ratified universal conventions supporting human
rights (with reservations), but these have not brought meaningful change for
women, and gender inequality remains the greatest impediment to regional
progress. This must change.
Arab
women are significantly behind in terms of women’s participation and
representation in politics. Even when women are present in politics, they are
still kept from exerting power to influence change. This lack of political
participation is largely due to cultural barriers, little access to economic
and financial resources, and the absence of female role models in political and
public life.
Rights,
freedoms, and opportunities cannot be named and claimed as long as women are
unsafe in public and private space. Globally, one in three women worldwide has
experienced some form of gender-based violence in their lifetime. The Arab
region is no different. Intimate partner violence is the most common and the
least reported. Sexual violence and harmful practices – like honor killing,
female genital mutilation, and child marriage - also continue to be prevalent
and show no signs of abating. As the region continues to face insecurities,
these forms of violence will only increase. The AiW seeks to create a future
where all women are free from violence and have access to meaningful
opportunities.
For
many Arab countries, instability and insecurity are the norm. The region’s
multiple protracted humanitarian crises - Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Iraq - have
destroyed systems of social protection, reduced access to safe services and
support, displaced communities, and increased vulnerabilities.
In
these settings, women’s rights are the first to be stripped and the hardest to
revive. Conflicts and insecurities magnify pre-existing vulnerabilities, and
women are the first to suffer, the last to recover, and the hardest hit by
these insecurities. From the revolution in Beirut to more violent conflicts in
Gaza, Sanaa, and Baghdad, women continue to demand rights, equality, and
justice.
“Women
are the face – and the force – of revolutions across the Arab world. They
deserve our support,” said AbiRafeh. “The Arab region’s diverse collection of
22 countries have one thing in common: women continue to experience a backlash
against their own long-overdue rights and fundamental freedoms.”
These
challenges are overlapping, meaning progress – or regress – in any of these
areas has an impact on all aspects of women’s lives. Insecurities don’t stay
neatly confined within their borders.
“Fostering
gender equality in the Arab region is a non-negotiable imperative. And this is
a historic moment to provide full support for Arab women to organize, train,
inspire and ignite to bring equality, rights, and justice to the region.
Centering women will enable the region to better withstand future shocks. In
short, when women lead, we all benefit,” said AbiRafeh.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/07/07/2058325/0/en/want-to-help-the-arab-region-put-it-in-the-hands-of-women.html
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‘Yazidi
women are strong’: Kurdistan's female landmine clearance teams
7
Jul 2020
Hana
Khider: ‘People are killed or injured on a daily basis south of the mountain.’
Photograph: Sean Sutton/MAG
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Behind
Hana Khider is a large grey wall map, with the minefields her team have been
clearing marked in green. “This is the place where Yazidis lived together,” she
says. “It’s where I lived in my childhood; I have so many memories here, it’s
very important to me.”
The
place is Sinjar, or Shingal as Yazidis know it, on Iraq’s north-western border
with Syria. Khider, 28, is speaking via video call from her office in the
region.
“This
job is so important to me because I feel like I’m doing something good for my
family, my community and the people who were displaced from Sinjar. By removing
the mines, I’m helping them to maybe one day come back.”
In
August 2014, Isis invaded and occupied this region. The group murdered about
5,000 Yazidis, kidnapped and enslaved 6,000 women and children and displaced a
community that had been living in towns and villages nestled around Sinjar
mountain, sacred to Yazidis, for centuries.
“Before
we had a normal life. Everything was good, people were living their life
happily. But after the genocide in 2014, everything changed. We’re no longer
secure,” Khider says.
By
the time Isis was pushed out of Sinjar in 2017, it had planted hundreds of
thousands of landmines and other explosive devices in homes, buildings and
fields. The group manufactured them on an industrial scale, but also used
household items including pots, pans and even video game controllers – whatever
it could get its hands on – to build improvised devices.
“People
are killed or injured on a daily basis south of the mountain,” Khider explains.
An important part of her work is educating the community and children in
particular, who are at greatest risk. In one area, a man told her an explosion
had killed his 15-year-old nephew as he was out in the fields looking after a
herd. His other nephew sustained life-altering injuries.
A
new film, Into the Fire, follows Khider and her team of Yazidi women at Mines
Advisory Group (MAG), an international charity which removes unexploded bombs
in former war zones across the world, as they clear Sinjar.
The
high level of mine contamination is one reason why, three years on from
Sinjar’s liberation from Isis, only about a quarter of the population have
returned.
Almost
300,000 Yazidi people still live in tented camps and makeshift shelters in the
nearby Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Conditions are poor and the community has
inadequate access to services, including treatment for high rates of mental
illness. Over 2,000 women and children are still missing.
Those
who have gone back are living mainly north of the mountain that divides Sinjar,
according to Portia Stratton, Iraq country director for MAG.
“The
north of the mountain, although badly affected, was less contaminated than the
south, as Isis held it for a much shorter period. Also with populations moving
back more to the north, we have historically had more information about the
contamination in those areas.
The
charity cleared Khider’s village in 2016, enabling her and her family to move
back, although not to their old house. It had sustained too much damage for
that.
A
high proportion of homes across the district have been similarly affected, with
many completely destroyed. Shrines, schools and public buildings lie in ruins.
“There’s
also a lack of services, like medical care and education, especially in the
villages,” Khider says. Two of her children are in school, but they have to
walk miles everyday through war damage to attend. “What I want more than
anything is for them to be safe and free.”
Part
of the problem is that Sinjar falls within Iraq’s “disputed territories”, areas
claimed by both the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan regional
government.
Political
tussling has fuelled conflict, fragmented authority and left Yazidis and other
minorities, including Assyrians, Turkmen and Shabaks, in Sinjar and the nearby
Nineveh Plains, particularly vulnerable.
A
high proportion of homes across the Sinjar district have been affected, with
many completely destroyed. Photograph: Sean Sutton/MAG
There
is “a lack of functioning government”, according to Abid Shamdeen, the executive
director of Nadia’s Iniative, a charity working in Sinjar set up by Nobel peace
prize laureate Nadia Murad.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jul/07/yazidi-women-are-strong-kurdistans-female-landmine-clearance-teams
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Igbo
Women Seek Biafra, Voice Nigeria’s Bleak Future
July
5, 2020
By
Kester Kenn Klomegah
Nigeria
is one of the largest by territory with population (estimated currently at 206
million) and huge economy in Africa. Situated on the southern coast on the Gulf
of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean, this country most often referred to as the
“Giant of Africa” has never-ending multiple and complicated internal problems
ranging from politics (system of federal governance) to widening economic
disparity to cultural differences. The country has 36 states and it is
officially called the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Early
July, Kester Kenn Klomegah had the chance and interviewed Chief (Mrs) Marie
Okwo, President of the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA), about the impact of the civil
war, the current politics and the role of the church in Nigeria. She is one of
the remaining few Nigerians who have seen Nigeria from the struggle for
independence through the development of its democracy. MrsOkwor, who is an
associate of the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, is now the leader of the Igbo Women
Assembly and one-time member of Advisory Council of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP).
Established
as an NGO in 2006, the Igbo Women Assembly focuses on women empowerment and the
youth, it consistently encourages moral values particularly among young
graduates. Headquarters in Enugu, Enugu State of Nigeria.
The
Nigerian civil war (1967-70) was a bitter experience, and has also affected
expected development in the Biafra State. What are your views about this, especially
from women’s perspectives?
The
war of 1967-1070 war was a pogrom; a war of attrition meant to wipe out a whole
race for no just cause. It reminded me of the Holocaust against the Jews. Those
who died of hunger starvation, bombings were numerous in number. Malnutrition
killed many children who developed a disease called “kwashiokor” – medical
experts explain as lack of protein in the body and the belly fills up with
fluid. I feel very emotional as I speak about this.
Suffice
it to say, that the war could have been avoided, had Nigeria kept her end of
the agreement at Aburi, in the Republic of Ghana, which came to be called “the
Aburi Accord” that was reached in 1967. This venue offered the delegates
security guarantee and that meeting was billed to be the last chance of
preventing all-out war. The accord finally broke down because of differences of
interpretation on both sides. This led to the outbreak of the war. Markets and
places of worship were not spared from bombings and strafing. As a matter of facts,
one of my domestic staffs lost her mother in one of the market bombings had
been hurt by a shrapnel; she bled to death since medical facilities were
scarce.
The
effect of the war on the State of Biafra was deplorable: So much
destabilization as the seat of government had to move from place to place and
so could not settle down to the business of governing the people effectively.
There were so many things to worry about, such how to get arms and ammunition.
There was also the issues food insufficiency. Lack of concentration on the part
of the Administrators and the Biafran military officers and soldiers had
adverse effects on the Biafrans. As each area fell to the Nigerian military and
their superior military weapons, civilians also had to relocate to safer areas.
It was really rough and tough especially for nursing mothers most of who lost
their babies. So so sad an experience.
Assessing
the effects of the civil war today, especially from gender perspectives, what
else can you say in this regard, will women play a more critical role in the
administration of a Biafran state?
Before
I comment on the role women can play in the administration of a Biafran state,
let me mention the important roles they played during the war. It will be
recalled that most men were in war fronts fighting to defend Biafraland. Others
had lost their jobs and were forced to stay idle at home. The duties of
catering for the needs of the rest of the families, therefore, fell on the
women/ wives. In short, they became the
bread winners.
On
the roles women can play in a Biafran state, let me say, without fear of
equivocation that without the contributions of women in governance, success
will be difficult to achieve. Women have
great potentials that should be harnessed in order to move the state forward.
The
government of Nigeria is vehemently aversed to the name Biafra. Mere mention of
that name makes them chilly.This government would rather have Biafrans remain
under servitude of the Caliphate North. The slogan after the was “No victor, no
vanquished.” That was the greatest deceit of the century. Biafrans have never
been re-integrated.
The
basis for unity no longer exists. Biafrans struggle for their survival without
depending on any one. Since Nigerian government has refused absolutely to
accept Biafrans as a component part of Nigeria, it stands to reason that they
should be allowed to go and develop on their own at their own pace. It is
pertinent to mention that the North contributes little or nothing to the
development of the country. Rather resources from Southern Nigeria are
controlled and squandered by Northern Elements.
On
security in Nigeria, I wish to make it categorically clear that in Nigeria,
security is at its lowest ebb. The Fulani Herdsmen are the cause of the
unprecedented insecurity in Biafraland.
They move about freely with their cattle carrying sophisticated AK 47.
They destroy farmlands and crops, kill
farmers, gang-rape and kill female farmers in their farmlands. The resultant
effect of the destruction of farms and crops will be devastating as there will
be monumental scarcity of food soon, this will spell doom for the masses.
Government
and the security operatives are fully aware of the perilous situations but
prefer to look the other way. Sometimes the police offer to pay competitions. A
few days ago, a middle-aged woman was gang-raped by Fulani Herdsmen in a farm
till she went into a coma she was taken to a hospital and later pronounced
dead. The insult by these Fulani Herdsmen is a great insult to Biafrans. Why will
these Fulanis not allow us peace in our space? Enough is enough! When people
are pushed to the wall, they have no alternative than to fight back.
Igbo
Women Assembly call for a Referendum to settle the issue, once and for all. Our
children have no future in Nigeria. We feel like the Israelites while in
bondage under the Pharaohs of Egypt. We desire freedom to follow our own
designs and practice our Christian Religion without let or hindrance.
Nigeria
has never been so polarized or rancorous as it is now. There’s so much unrest
which stems from oppression, corruption wrong choices of appointees to
important governing bodies. Square pegs are placed in round holes indeed. The
bitterness existing in Nigeria, at the present time, is unequalled. Security is
non- existent. The reality is that there is unchecked anarchy. As things stand
now, Nigeria may just disintegrate without gunshots.
Almost
all of Nigeria’s intractable problems emanate from imposition of candidates
during elections; no free, fair or credible elections are conducted. The
situation gets worse with every election.
In
the first place, the Constitution under which elections are held is a fraud.
Far from being the “People’s Constitution.” We have faced these mistakes since
the inception of presidential system of governance in Nigeria. The system under
reference is wasteful, encourages corruption and dictatorial tendencies.
In
spite of the flaws in the Constitution, the ruling party has ignored most of
the clauses which might enhance the peaceful co- existence of the citizens.
Impunity is rife with this current Administration. There is therefore an urgent
need for intervention by concerned people of the entire world. Any adversity
that befalls a Nation will have adverse effects on other Nations if not nipped
in the bud.
This
is a clarion call by the Igbo Women Assembly for assistance by all who abhor
oppression and bad governance. No justice, no peace! No peace, no progress!
As
a highly devout Catholic, how would you argue that the church could be a tool
to fight against all injustices and state maladministration, most probably
corruption in the Federal Republic of Nigeria?
The
church in Nigeria, irrespective of denominations, has a vital role to play in
addressing the ills of Nigeria. It is the duty of the church to do all in her
power to restore the dignity and moral values of our societies.
All
of a sudden, acquisition of wealth has taken precedence over ìntegrity, justice
and fair play. The church has a duty to inculcate the congregations with a
sense of responsibility moral values and discipline. Most criminals and corrupt
members of the society are not pagans but Christians driven into such negative
behavioral tendencies by the system. It is interesting to say that wrong
leaderships beget wrong followers.
Unfortunately,
some pastors preach the gospel of prosperity instead of salvation, thereby
driving people into acquiring filthy lucre through any means whatsoever. People
quickly forget that greed and avarice lead to destruction. They do not remember
that whatever one has on earth cannot accompany him/her to the great beyond.
Others will enjoy the ill- gotten goods. Corruption has eaten deep into the
fabrics of the nation and the church must make concerted efforts to bring the
menace to the barest minimum.
And
the Biafra diaspora outside Nigeria, especially in the United States and
Europe…are they optimistic about break away of the Biafran State?
Biafrans
in the Diaspora are even more enthusiastic about an independent nation than
some Biafrans at home. Any sign that a Referendum is on hand will see a deluge
of Diaspora Biafrans flying back home. They will contribute in no small measure
to bring rapid development to the new nation-state. Surely, this new nation
will overtake Nigeria, which regards herself as the so- called largest country,
in Africa. Yes! Largest in all types of vices like kidnappings, rape, sleeze
oppression, abuse of human rights and so forth.
My
perspective on the future or the way forward for Nigeria, the country has
expired and cannot be revived, neither can it be reactivated.It is my
well-considered opinion that any group or ethnic nationality, which wants to
leave this contraption, should be granted their peace and freedom. Nigeria is
too large to be one country since there are too many differences in religion,
cultures and traditions, food and languages and other factors. Nigeria has
never and can never be one. Unity has eluded the country.
If,
however, Biafra becomes unattainable then we should go back to the
parliamentary system of governance. A weak center with regional autonomy. As
things are now, the country is rudderless and groping in the dark. If no
positive action is taken soonest, Nigeria will take a nosedive into a deep
precipice, in this case, the name will become irreversibly extinct.
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2020/07/05/igbo-women-seek-biafra-voice-nigerias-bleak-future/
------
Islamic
Women's Council: 'The New Zealand Government Had Failed the Muslim Community
July
7, 2020
The
Islamic Women's Council says the Christchurch mosque shootings might not have
happened, if it weren't for the failures of multiple government agencies -
particularly the security intelligence service and police.
Islamic
Women's Council of NZ releases its submission to the Royal Commission of
Inquiry into the Christchurch Mosque Attacks The Islamic Women's Council
releasing its submission to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the
Christchurch mosque attacks. Photo: RNZ / Simon Rogers
The
council has taken the unusual step of releasing its submission to the Royal
Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch mosque attacks - ahead of the
commission's final report-back date.
In
the aftermath of the shootings at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques on March 15
last year, the Royal Commission was ordered to investigate what government
agencies knew about the attacker before the shootings.
The
commission will also look into what, if anything, they did with that information;
what measures agencies could have taken to prevent the attack; and what
measures agencies should take to prevent such attacks in the future.
Brenton
Tarrant has pleaded guilty to 51 charges of murder, 40 charges of attempted
murder and one charge under the Terrorism Suppression Act.
The
commissioners' final report is due at the end of this month, but the Islamic
Women's Council has decided to make its submission public ahead of that.
The
submission outlines the council's interactions with a host of government
agencies in recent years, including the Security Intelligence Service, the
Human Rights Commission and the Race Relations Commissioner, the Department of
Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Internal Affairs and the Office
of Ethnic Communities.
"In
the years prior to 15 March 2019 there were repeated major public service
delivery failures in relation to government dealings with and responsibilities
towards the Muslim community in Aotearoa New Zealand," the submission
said.
"It
is likely that, but for the failures (particularly of the security services and
police), the horrific events of 15 March, 2019, might not have occurred.
"It
is certain that but for the failures of the other public sector agencies there
would have been greater support and protection of the Muslim community before
2019 as the pressure on them grew and after, when the trauma and shock had to
be dealt with."
The
submission details a number of meetings council members had with various
representatives from the Security Intelligence Service, including its head
Rebecca Kitteridge.
The
council said at those meetings, its message was clear: "It was that the
government had failed and was failing the Muslim community. There was a lack of
support on the preventative side. There was a rise in hate and hate groups in
New Zealand".
The
council went on to say that from their interactions, there was no indication
that the alt-right was under any, let alone serious or similar scrutiny and
surveillance as the Muslim community before 15 March, despite the increasing
Islamophobia and hate speech directed as Muslims in New Zealand and the rise of
the alt-right in Europe and the United States and the many terrorist attacks by
the alt-right".
The
council said the Security Intelligence Service could not have been surprised by
what happened on 15 March, because the council had warned them about growing
anti-Muslim sentiment.
"If
[the council] had been taken seriously the SIS would have kept an eye out for
activity by white supremacists. They managed to catch young Muslim men sharing
ISIS videos in New Zealand and have had them prosecuted. To discover this, they
were spying on the young men online. Why was there no equivalent spying on
young white supremacist men?"
Among
the council's recommendations, it wants an apology for the failings of the SIS
and government agencies in relation to the attack.
It
also wants reparations paid to those who have suffered economic loss, that is
not covered by ACC or any other workplace scheme.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/420666/islamic-women-s-council-the-government-had-failed-the-muslim-community
-----
Hindu
family in Haryana's Jind gives land for burial of 13-year-old Muslim girl
Jul
7, 2020
JIND:
A Hindu family in a Jind village came to the rescue of its Muslim neighbours on
Monday by providing a plot of land for the burial of their daughter who died on
Monday morning.The family of the 13-year-old girl couldn’t bury her in the
graveyard as it was filled with water.
Several
Muslim families of Gulkani village alleged that they had been facing problems
in burying their kin for the past 10 years but all sarpanchs and the district
administration had done nothing to solve the problem.
After
the girl died, the hapless family was unable to find space to carry out her
last rites until noon despite approaching various quarters.
Finally,
a person from the Hindu community provided a answer to their prayers by giving
them a piece of land near the crematorium to carry out their daughter’s last
rites.
Talking
to TOI, the girl’s father Joginder said, "the district administration has
failed to meet our demands. We have been trying to get a clean ground but no
one is ready to address the issue. Today, a Hindu family came forward and
provided some land near the crematorium. The farmer has to irrigate his field
following his turn of getting canal water, nonetheless he offered his land.
While the authorities have failed to resolve this long standing issue, a
neighbour helped us this time. We want a permanent solution to the
problem."
Village
sarpanch Jaideep Singh said, "There are 16 castes staying in the village
and all live in harmony and fraternal spirit. The continuous rain has led to
waterlogging of the graveyard. I have deputed two persons to drain the water
into a nearby field through pipes and will make an arrangement soon so that our
Muslim families don’t face any trouble in the village in future."
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/hindu-family-gives-land-for-13-yr-old-muslim-girls-burial/articleshowprint/76822973.cms
-----
The
coronavirus lockdown prevented 1.85 million Indian women from getting an
abortion
July
6, 2020
Sadhika
Tiwari
In
the first three months of the Covid-19 lockdown, March 25 to June 24, 47% of
the estimated 3.9 million abortions that would have likely taken place in India
in this span under normal circumstances were possibly compromised. This means
that 1.85 million Indian women could not terminate an unwanted pregnancy,
concluded a May 2020 modelling study conducted by the Ipas Development
Foundation, India, a non-profit dedicated to preventing and managing unwanted
pregnancies. Of these 1.85 million women, 80% or 1.5 million compromised
abortions were due to the lack of availability of medical abortion drugs at
pharmacy stores, the study found.
The
estimation builds on data from telephone surveys of 509 public-sector
facilities across eight states, 52 private-sector providers, expert opinion of
members of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India,
sales data on medical abortion drugs, and trend estimation by pharmaceutical
industry experts.
Another
20%, or nearly 370,000 abortions, were compromised due to reduced access to
facilities – 16% due to reduced access to private health facilities and 4% to
public health facilities. Of the estimated 15.6 million abortions that happen
in India annually, 73% are through drugs accessed outside facilities, 16% in
private health facilities, 6% in public health facilities and 5% through
traditional unsafe methods, according to a 2015 study published in The Lancet.
Lack
of access to contraception is likely to result in millions of unintended
pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal deaths and the government’s family
planning programme is also likely to take an up-to-20% hit, IndiaSpend had
reported in May 2020.
Millions
of women would have thereby been forced to either continue with an unwanted
pregnancy or undergo a late-term or unsafe abortion. It is hence crucial to
plan and ensure that sexual and reproductive health is embedded into the
country’s disaster management plan, Vinoj Manning, the chief executive officer
of Ipas Development Foundation of India, tells IndiaSpend in this interview.
Manning
is a member of numerous national task forces on contraception and abortion and
part of a World Health Organisation expert group tasked with sharing guidelines
for safe abortion. He has a post-graduate diploma in rural management and an
MBA-plus leadership certificate from the School of Business, Portland State
University, US.
Public
health facilities were converted to Covid-19 care centres, limiting the
availability of sexual and reproductive health [or SRH] services
Clinical
staff occupied with the Covid-19 response may not have had time to provide services
or may have lacked personal protective equipment to provide services safely
Private
health facilities were either closed or limited their service provision due to
provider unavailability, inadequate protective gear, or lack of mandatory
Covid-19 testing arrangements
Temporary
suspension of the provision of sterilisations and IUCDs in line with the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s advisory till about mid-May, when
revised guidelines were released. This meant that women were unable to use
their preferred method of contraception especially if they needed long-term
contraception.
attempting
an abortion during the lockdown through safe or unsafe methods [there are
chances she may attempt medical abortion pills from a chemist outlet or visit a
backstreet provider]; or
waiting
until the lockdown restrictions are relaxed and then undergo most probably a
second-trimester abortion in a health facility [since it is likely that due to
the lockdown she may have crossed the 12-week gestation limit of medical abortion].
Women
who are unable to access contraceptives are likely to make decisions that may
not be as per their preference – whether it be the continuation of their
unintended pregnancy or second trimester or unsafe abortion. All of these are
likely to have profound consequences for their overall health and well-being,
including physical health since the unintended pregnancy may not ensure
adequate spacing with the previous childbirth, as well as mental health [beyond
the lockdown’s own impact]. Unsafe abortion may lead to morbidities with
long-term consequences on health and in the worst case, result in mortality
among women.
There
would be financial implications as she [or] her family may have to spend
significantly more in seeking an abortion or in continuing with the pregnancy.
In an environment of job loss and economic instability due to Covid-19, this
could be detrimental to the well-being of the entire family, including young
children, as nutrition, family dynamics etc are likely to be impacted.
Safe
when they are done with a method recommended by WHO and if the person providing
or supporting the abortion is trained. Such abortions can be done using tablets
[medical abortion] or a simple outpatient procedure at a facility with required
infrastructure.
Unsafe
when a pregnancy is terminated either by persons lacking the necessary skills
or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards or
both. This includes abortions provided by untrained persons [backstreet
providers/ quacks/ dai] and that involve ingestion of traditional concoctions,
caustic substances or use of dangerous methods such as insertion of foreign
bodies etc.
Less
safe when done through medical abortion drugs outside a health facility bought
from a chemist with/without supervision. In India, it is estimated that about
73% of all abortions take place this way. It is important to note that the majority
of these abortions result in successful outcomes and therefore WHO classifies
these as “less safe”.
There
is no evidence of an increase in unsafe abortions during the lockdown though
some media reports share anecdotal stories. Women who undergo an unsafe
abortion may face complications such as incomplete abortion [failure to remove
or expel all of the pregnancy tissue from the uterus], haemorrhage [heavy
bleeding], infection, uterine perforation [caused when the uterus is pierced by
a sharp object) or damage to the genital tract and internal organs by inserting
dangerous objects such as sticks, knitting needles, or broken glass into the
vagina or anus. These could lead to morbidities or result in mortality.
Psychological impacts range from anger, anxiety or depression – further
compounded by economic burden.
Logistical
challenges: limited transport facilities; disrupted the supply chain and
cross-border restrictions leading to stock-outs in chemist shops and/or health
facilities
Health-system
related issues: reliance on community-level distribution by field health
workers [mainly ASHA workers] that got impacted due to Covid-19.
With
Covid-19 screenings made mandatory for procedures and an increase in demand for
abortions, will costs go up? If yes, what can be done to prevent unfair
practices from further keeping women away from accessing abortion services?
Given
that in usual times, 73% of abortions happen outside the facility using medical
abortion drugs, the increased need for facility-based abortions will
significantly increase the cost of abortions for women, particularly for
second-trimester abortions. This includes facility-level costs for additional
lab tests, admission in the hospital [second-trimester abortion typically
requires admission in contrast to first trimester ones that are day-care or OPD
procedures] in addition to Covid-19-related hospital costs. There will be
higher out-of-pocket expenditure including travel cost as well as opportunity
cost as women may be required to travel longer distances than they did earlier
to access abortion services.
To
improve women’s access, it is important to conduct a rapid mapping of
facilities [both public and private] to identify geographic distribution of
those offering first or second-trimester abortion, followed by assessing
facility preparedness and strengthening them to offer abortion services,
especially second-trimester abortions. Capping of costs in private facilities
as well as offering transport subsidies to women/families belonging to the poor
socio-economic background are additional measures.
What
should the government have done to ensure contraception/abortion access for
women during the lockdown? What can be done if situations like these arise
again?
We
need to understand that the adverse outcomes from medical complications that
resulted from lack of contraceptives and inadequate SRH services, including
abortion, are very significant. It is hence crucial to plan and ensure that
sexual and reproductive health should be embedded into the country’s disaster
management plan. This includes ensuring sustained availability of essential SRH
services during a crisis situation, as well as being an integral part of the
relief measures.
Comprehensive
SRH services should continue during the crisis. For relevant consultations and
follow-up, mobile clinics and telemedicine should be considered where feasible
Clear,
consistent, and updated public health information should reach the community.
We should reaffirm that medical complications outweigh the potential risk of
transmission at health facilities and that women should continue to seek and
receive care for all other essential SRH needs.
https://scroll.in/article/966566/the-coronavirus-lockdown-prevented-1-85-million-indian-women-from-getting-an-abortion
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Over
39,000 Complaints Received By Women Helpline In UP Sent For Action To District
Police
06
July, 2020
Lucknow
(Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 6 (ANI): Over 39,000 complaints received on Women
power line (1090) in Uttar Pradesh since the beginning of this year have been
sent to district police for action.
Information
and Public Relations Department said in a release on Monday that 39,344
complaints received till May 31, which were linked to crimes, have been sent
for action to police in various districts.
According
to the release, ADG, Women Power Line, Neera Rawat said that 15,000 power
agents have been appointed in the state under Power Agent Programme to create
awareness against eve-teasing of students in schools and colleges and to take
empower women.
http://www.businessworld.in/article/Over-39-000-complaints-received-by-women-helpline-in-UP-sent-for-action-to-district-police-/06-07-2020-294734/
------
UN
Human Rights Council 44: statement on discrimination against women
6
July 2020
The
United Kingdom commends the work of the Working Group on Discrimination Against
Women and Girls on protecting women’s human rights in the changing world of
work. Addressing this issue is critical as societies respond to, and recover
from, COVID-19.
When
women have access to opportunities for economic participation, the benefits
extend far beyond individual girls and women to societies and economies as a
whole. Therefore, we must make women’s economic empowerment and women’s rights,
including comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, central to
the global COVID-19 recovery.
Education
is the key to unlocking economic growth and sustainable development. That is
why we reaffirm our commitment to 12 years of quality education for every girl
everywhere.
We
welcome the Working Group’s report which identifies barriers to the right of
everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work such as the
persistent gender pay gap – the UK upholds our commitment to equal pay for
equal work. As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and
Platform for Action, we must accelerate action to tackle these obstacles.
We
would welcome advice from the Working Group on how Member States can best
support their work to counter a global roll-back on women’s rights.
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/un-human-rights-council-44-statement-for-interactive-dialogue-with-un-working-group-on-discrimination-against-women
-----
Equipping
East African women digital entrepreneurs with skills to thrive
06
July 2020
A
new UNCTAD eTrade for Women masterclass seeks to empower and build the skills
of women digital entrepreneurs in the region as well as explore opportunities
amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Advocates
from UNCTAD’s eTrade for Women initiative are working hard to ensure women
digital entrepreneurs in the developing world are building both the network and
resilience they need to thrive in the digital economy now and in a
post-coronavirus context.
The
first virtual masterclass for East African women digital entrepreneurs, to be
held from 8 to 10 July, is well timed to advance this cause.
It
brings together women founders of digital businesses from Kenya, Rwanda,
Tanzania and Uganda, reflecting the dynamism and variety of the digital
landscape in the region.
The
women share the drive to acquire new skills, make a positive impact in their
communities and help them recover better from the economic blow of COVID-19.
“We
need to use this moment to ensure women, especially those in the developing
world, have a seat at the table and are able to harness the digital gains,”
said Shamika N. Sirimanne, UNCTAD’s technology and logistics director.
Following
the first two in-person masterclass sessions in North Macedonia and Côte
d’Ivoire, the masterclass for East Africa seeks to tap into and build on the
digital momentum in the region.
Like
much of Africa, the region has low internet penetration. According to the
International Telecommunication Union, in 2019 only 28% of Africans used the
internet.
Online
shoppers are also relatively few. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, Kenya,
Mauritius, Namibia and South Africa are the only countries where the share of
online shoppers exceeds 8%. In most other countries, it is below 5%.
Internet
subscriptions and smartphones are relatively costly, contributing to the low
rates of e-commerce in the region. Other factors include weak and unsupportive
policy and regulatory frameworks.
However,
with the coronavirus pandemic accelerating digital transformation globally, the
window of opportunity offered by e-commerce is widening.
The
three-day event targets established women digital entrepreneurs from selected
East African countries and includes networking, learning and policy engagement
sessions.
It
will be hosted by eTrade for Women advocate for anglophone Africa, Clarisse
Iribagiza from Rwanda, CEO and co-founder of HeHe Limited, in conjunction with
eTrade for all partners, thanks to support from the Netherlands.
Emphasizing
the role of the digital economy in promoting development, Ms. Iribagiza said
small businesses need technology to level up.
“Small
businesses create lots of jobs and help solve local problems,” she said. “But
they face many challenges such as high cost of production, lack of access to
energy and poor infrastructure. Technology can help reduce their costs and
enable them to operate more efficiently.”
Ms.
Iribagiza said the masterclass would help women digital entrepreneurs better
harness the benefits of the digital transformation of their economies and
societies.
The
masterclass will tackle the entrepreneurs’ most urgent business needs, from
designing a value proposition canvas to rebooting business post-COVID-19 and
going from local to regional markets, offering them practical solutions for
their businesses.
Experienced
trainers will lead sessions tailored to help the entrepreneurs thrive in the
digital economy while operating more resilient businesses in times of crisis.
It
includes a high-level policy dialogue on creating a vibrant digital economy in
times of COVID-19, which will feature case studies and best practices from some
East African countries.
The
masterclass is one of the ways that UNCTAD is helping build communities of
female digital entrepreneurs in developing countries, while advocating for an
environment conducive to more inclusive digital policymaking.
The
eTrade for Women initiative is supported by the Netherlands and Sweden in
cooperation with eTrade for all partners.
https://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=2418
------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/how-brooklyn-artist-making-black/d/122310