Nahid Taghavi Is Being Held In Solitary Confinement In The Notorious Evin Prison In Iran
New
Age Islam News Bureau
08
December 2020
• Improved Afghan Law Still Fails Victims Of Sex Crimes: UN Report
•
First Lady of Pakistan, Dr Samina Alvi Urges Women To Play Their Active Role In
Society
•
Al Baraka’s Dr. Wajeeha First Bahraini Woman PhD In Fintech
•
Safa Al-Hashem, Kuwait’s Controversial and Only Female MP, Loses Seat
•
120% Rise in Female Employees in Saudi Industries
•
Over 73,000 women beneficiaries of REDF loans to own a home
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/nahid-taghavi-being-held-solitary/d/123697
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Nahid Taghavi Is Being Held In Solitary Confinement In The Notorious Evin Prison In Iran
December
07, 2020
German-Iranian Nahid Taghavi, 66, has been
detained in Evin for seven weeks with no outside access
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LONDON:
A German woman fighting to free her 66-year-old mother from an Iranian prison
has pleaded with Germany to “end the human rights abuse” and intervene in the
case.
In
an interview with the UK-based newspaper The Guardian, Mariam Claren said she
feared for the health of her mother, Nahid Taghavi.
Their
last communication included advice about wearing a sweater on holiday. However,
following that conversation, Claren’s life was thrown into turmoil and she is
now fighting to free her mother from Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where an
alarming number of dual-national citizens are detained.
Her
case resembles many others who have faced the same treatment at the hands of
Iranian authorities.
Taghavi,
a German-Iranian dual national, was suddenly arrested at her Tehran apartment
by police officers who claimed she was a “security threat.”
She
has been denied contact with lawyers, diplomats and family members from inside
the prison. The German foreign office said it has no consular access because of
her dual national status, which is not recognized by Iran.
“Germany
cannot ignore this human rights abuse and has to intervene,” Claren said. “I
know sometimes they keep people in solitary confinement for two or eight
months.
“Yes,
all her friends agree one thing about her — that she is strong. But she is 66,
and not a young girl.
“She
has high blood pressure and I do not know if she can withstand torture. I am
not even sure if she is alive now.
“I
knew as soon I had discovered what had happened to her that I had to go public.
Everything I am and can be, she taught me. So I will move heaven and earth to
free her.”
Claren
uses Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to post daily messages bringing attention
to her mother’s case, and worries that seeking publicity is her only choice.
“My
mother is fiercely intellectual, but she is political only in the sense that
she believes in freedom of speech, women’s rights and human rights,” she said.
“But
she is not into party politics, just interested as a citizen. I do not know
what Iran wants in return for her release, but she is innocent,” she added.
Taghavi
was born in Iran, but moved to Cologne in 1983 and became a German citizen in
2003. After becoming a widow and retiring several years later, she began to
spend more time in Iran to be with friends and family, rotating her time
between Tehran and Germany.
She
was due to return to Germany in the early spring, but decided as a precaution
to extend her stay in Iran as the coronavirus pandemic swept the region.
On
Oct. 14, Claren sent her mother some photos on social media, but did not get a
response.
“I
thought she might have passed out or was resting in her apartment because she
recently had a dental operation,” Claren said. “After two days I became really
worried.”
She
then asked family members in Tehran to visit her mother’s apartment.
“When
they got there they could not believe what they saw. The whole apartment had
been turned upside down, including the carpet ripped up. Her computer, her
laptop and passport were all missing. Neighbors confirmed that she had been
taken away.”
After
realizing that her mother was being held in Evin prison, Claren made urgent
enquiries. She was told that Taghavi was in solitary confinement and to await
further information.
However,
none of the family have heard anything since. “My relatives go to Evin several
times a week and try to get information, but they receive nothing,” Claren
said.
“Seven
weeks later, we know nothing, and it is still going on.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1773816/middle-east
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Improved
Afghan Law Still Fails Victims Of Sex Crimes: UN Report
December
7, 2020
UNAMA/Eric Kanalstein
Afghanistan’s justice system is continuing to fail
female victims of violence and sex crimes.
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GENEVA
— Afghanistan’s justice system is continuing to fail female victims of violence
and sex crimes, despite a 2009 law that was hailed as a significant step
forward in legal efforts to protect them, according to a UN report published
jointly on Monday by the UN human rights office (OHCHR) and the UN Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA).
“I
acknowledge the efforts made by the Afghan authorities over the years to ensure
the justice system is fair, equal and does not discriminate against anyone,
including women. However, it is clearly not enough,” High Commissioner for
Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.
The
report, In search of justice for crimes of violence against women and girls,
examined 303 reports of crimes between September 2018 and February 2020, and
found that only half of them reached a court, and impunity remained prevalent.
Out of 16 cases of child marriage studied by the authors, only one ended in a
conviction.
‘Heart-breaking’
burden
In
40 cases, victims of violence had resorted to self-immolation or committed
suicide, suggesting they did not have faith in the justice system. “It is both
heart-breaking and appalling that girls and women don’t see any other option to
escape violence but to end their lives,” Bachelet said.
Afghanistan
should amend the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) Law, passed in
2009, to ensure that authorities can continue to investigate and prosecute
offences even if the victim withdraws her complaint, the report said.
Currently,
a prosecution stops if the victim withdraws her complaint. That places a huge
burden on the shoulders of the victim, especially if reporting a crime places
her at odds with her family and community, and even puts her in danger.
“In
far too many cases, the EVAW Law re-victimizes women and girls who have already
suffered enormously. It is appalling that survivors who have been beaten or
married against their will are left to fend for themselves and that the State
does not protect them unless they bring and pursue their complaints,” Bachelet
said.
So-called
‘honor’
The
vast majority of child marriages are arranged or condoned by the girls’
families, so it is unrealistic to expect girls to pursue their legal cases, the
report said.
One
case concerned two men arrested for exchanging their 13- and 14-year old
daughters as wives. The men were released because the girls and their mothers
withdrew the complaint.
Afghanistan
also needed to do much more to protect women and girls in other ways, the
report states. It documented 22 cases of murder perpetrated for reasons of
so-called “honor”, which was banned as a mitigating factor for murder in 2018,
and said that documented “honor killings” resulted in a much lower rate of
conviction (22.7 percent) than other murders (51 percent).
Women
and girls were prosecuted for having extramarital sex after being raped or
simply leaving home without a male guardian, the report highlights.
Rape
victims were unlikely to report the crime if they faced prosecution. Some rape
victims were subjected to “virginity testing”, which was both entirely
unscientific and a serious human rights violation, and the results were
sometimes used as evidence in criminal proceedings, according to the report’s
findings. — UN News
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/601146
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First
Lady of Pakistan, Dr Samina Alvi Urges Women To Play Their Active Role In
Society
December
8, 2020
Dr Samina Alvi
-------
Islamabad:
The First Lady of Pakistan, Dr Samina Alvi Monday said that the women of the
country should build up themselves in a way that they should be capable of
being empowered to serve the country and its nation as it would help set an
example for coming generations also.
In
an exclusive talk on a private news channel, she said women were leading a
vital role in the society and their empowerment was the foremost priority of
the incumbent government so they should not waste their time and utilize it
effectively for their bright future.
She
said the government has enacted necessary laws with a view to protecting women
and children from all types of violence, keeping the provision for stringent
punishment. Talking about rape incidents, she said that there is dire need to
raise public awareness, the men also need to step forward regarding this
matter.
The
whole society has to take steps against them, she said, adding, speedy justice
must be ensured without any delay. "Awareness and accountability are
necessary to implement in order to combat with rape culture, she said. Action
needs to be taken in this regard.”
It
is the duty of each and every individual to have a ‘zero tolerance policy’
towards sexual harassment and assault,” she emphasised. She mentioned that the
federal government was working tirelessly and inshAllah soon we will introduced
an ordinance to award strict punishments to rape convicts.
Replying
another question, she said that improving education in the country is a
collective responsibility, where teachers, parents, students and school
administrators play their key roles.
She
stressed for imparting the higher education and uniform opportunities in the
basic education, implementation of merit and provision of facilities to
teachers and students must be ensured.
She
suggest we should bring more qualified teachers in the country and disable
children should also be teach in same schools like other kids under
professional teaching staff.
Another
Question about lack of breast cancer awareness among women, she emphasized that
almost half of the country’s population of Pakistan comprises of women,
therefore, it is imperative to support them with specialized services.
She
stressed the important role of parliamentarians in highlighting of the issue of
breast cancer at national and constituency levels to spread awareness. We all
should work together to ensure that women are aware of the risks and feel
empowered to seek timely treatment, she added.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/755222-first-lady-urges-women-to-play-their-active-role-in-society
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Al
Baraka’s Dr. Wajeeha first Bahraini woman PhD in FinTech
December
7, 2020
MANAMA
— Al Baraka Banking Group (ABG) Sunday proudly announced that Dr. Wajeeha
Awadh, section head of Digital Banking and FinTech at the group headquarters,
has become the first Bahraini woman to have been awarded a PhD in the FinTech domain.
Dr.
Awadh, whose studies were sponsored by Al Baraka Banking Group, received her
PhD in management with a research focus on FinTech from Asia Pacific University
of Technology and Innovation in Malaysia.
Her
in depth research work and study has established her as one of the group’s and
the kingdom’s leading FinTech and digital banking experts. Numerous awards
underscores her experience and contributions to the field. In 2019, she was
named among the Top 300 Most Influential Women in Islamic Business and Finance
by Cambridge IFA as well as ranking 29th worldwide and the first in Bahrain.
Having
joined ABG in 2015, Dr. Awadh currently looks after the group’s comprehensive
and pioneering digital transformation strategies and is presently engaged with
several digital banking and FinTech projects group-wide focusing on leveraging
the power of technology to better serve and meet the fast evolving demands of
customers and ensuring greater efficiency and productivity internally.
Adnan
Ahmed Yousif, president & chief executive at ABG, said, “We’re delighted to
support top talent in this ever important area of our business. Digital
transformation is at the heart of what we do and we’re extremely proud to have
dedicated experts like Dr. Wajeeha Awadh helping to drive and further
accelerate our digital journey.
“Investing
in our people and supporting their growth is a critical part of the Innovation
First culture we embrace across the Group. We congratulate Dr. Wajeeha and look
forward to her further advancement in the sector and to the contributions she
will continue to make on behalf of the Group and our stakeholders.”
The
Head of IT & Senior Vice President Ahmed Albalooshi, stated, “Wajeeha is a
young and highly motivated individual with a thirst for knowledge and has set
the bar high for all young members in the group. She is a valuable resource and
contributor in our Digital Transformation Team and we have very high
expectations of her.”
In
addition to her role at ABG, Dr. Awadh also lends her digital expertise, acting
as an external expert to a number of universities advising on their FinTech
courses. Previously, she also served as head of the Bahrain TechAwards in 2019,
which took place in Dubai, and was a member of Women in FinTech Bahrain
(WIFBH), an initiative of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, aimed at
promoting the sector and the role of women within it.
Dr.
Awadh’s work has also been published in a number of international academic
publications and non-academic sources in London and Kuala Lumpur and she has
spoken at some of the industry’s most prestigious conferences and seminars both
locally and internationally. — SG
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/601126/BUSINESS/Al-Barakas-Dr-Wajeeha-first-Bahraini-woman-PhD-in-FinTech
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Safa
al-Hashem, Kuwait’s controversial and only female MP, loses seat
Ismaeel
Naar
December
8, 2020
Safa
al-Hashem, Kuwait’s only female MP who has courted controversy over her
anti-expat stance, lost her seat in the latest election that saw opposition
candidates make gains.
Kuwait’s
local elections, held last Saturday amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, saw
opposition candidates make gains in the parliamentary vote in which two-thirds
of incumbent MPs lost their seats and no women were elected.
The
final count of the votes showed 31 new candidates had been elected to the
50-seat assembly as members of parliament.
This
election saw 29 female candidates campaigning for seats, with none of them
succeeding.
Al-Hashem,
an MP who was elected to the 2012 and 2016 legislative terms of Kuwait’s
National Assembly, made history in the 2016 election when she became the first
woman to win in three parliamentary elections. She had previously been a part
of the 2009 parliament before it was dissolved.
Born
in 1964, the lone female MP holds degrees in English literature and in business
administration. She is also a successful businesswoman, founding and managing
Advantage Consulting Company (ACC), a Kuwait-based company that provides
management and business advisory services.
Al-Hashem,
known for her anti-migrant stance, has courted controversy in the past year for
calling on the government to send expatriates back to their home countries. She
has also made negative comments toward the Egyptian expatriate community, which
resulted in her receiving at least nine death threats.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/12/08/Safa-al-Hashem-Kuwait-s-controversial-and-only-female-MP-loses-seat
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120%
rise in female employees in Saudi industries
December
08, 2020
RIYADH:
Saudi women are finding more employment as private and government bodies strive
to reach qualified women across the Kingdom’s economic sectors.
The
Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technical Zones (MODON) revealed that
the number of Saudi women working in the industrial cities it oversees
increased by nearly 120 percent, reaching 17,000 female workers by the end of
March this year.
Khalid
Al-Salem, director general of MODON, said that the authority “has come a long
way” and is still striving toward women’s empowerment in the industrial sector.
He
added that MODON has made the industrial sector more attractive to women
through innovative financing products, services and solutions that suit their
important role in the national economy. Incentives for working women include
the launch of industrial oases, which are characterized by the availability of
nurseries, parking spaces and medical and recreational centers.
“These
oases host clean industries such as medical and food industries, rubber and
high-tech industries, as well as prefabricated factories supporting women
entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises,” he said.
Al-Salem
added that 2021 will see the launch of small prefabricated factories to enable
women’s investments in the industrial city of Dammam, a first for the Kingdom.
“MODON
continues to empower women both as an employee and as an investor by creating a
model environment in partnership with the public and private sectors,” said
MODON’s director general.
He
added that an agreement was signed with an insurance company to provide
comprehensive services for investors in industrial cities.
He
said: “MODON seeks to support the productivity of women by providing an optimal
environment for their work. Therefore, it signed a memorandum of understanding
with a building development company to implement nursery and kindergarten
programs in industrial cities and oases under the Ministry of Education’s
guidance.”
Al-Salem
said that the strategy to empower industry and increase local talent aims to
activate the role of women in industrial development in accordance with the
Saudi Vision 2030 aimed at enhancing their role in the national economy.
“MODON
succeeded in increasing the number of Saudi women in industrial cities,
reaching 17,000 female employees by the end of the first quarter of 2020,
compared to 7,860 by the end of 2018,” he added.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1773986/saudi-arabia
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Over
73,000 women beneficiaries of REDF loans to own a home
December
6, 2020
RIYADH
— The number of Saudi women beneficiaries of real estate loans to own a home,
provided by the Real Estate Development Fund (REDF), has reached more than
73,000 until the end of last October.
This
was part of the Fund’s efforts to continue empowering Saudi women to own their
first home, according to Mansour Bin Madi, general supervisor of REDF.
He
said, empowering Saudi women to own a home comes within the policy of REDF
since its inception, as women are half of the society and the main pillar to
advance the development and construction wheel in the society.
“The
Fund has worked to facilitate and simplify real estate financing procedures to
empower all citizens obtaining subsidized real estate loans through electronic
and instant procedures,” he said.
According
to Madi, the total number of Saudi women beneficiaries of real estate loans,
programs and initiatives exceeded 73,800 throughout the Kingdom until the end
of October.
“The
current programs allow women to own property according to the conditions of the
subsidized mortgage program to benefit from its advantages, in order to achieve
the objectives of the housing program, one of the programs of the Vision 2030,
which includes raising the percentage of citizens’ ownership of housing to 60
percent by the end of 2020 and 70 percent by the end of 2030,” he said.
Madi
indicated that empowering Saudi women to have housing and making them benefit
from the available programs serves the interest of the nation and achieves the
goals of the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision.
“The
subsidized mortgage enables women to own housing units within various
initiatives and programs to facilitate the choice of the beneficiary citizens
registered with the Sakani program of the Ministry of Housing and REDF,” he
added.
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/601097
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