Saudi Women’s Football Teams Ready to Return After Months Of Lockdown
New Age Islam News Bureau
13
Jul 2020
• 391 Saudi
Women Given Leadership Training
• Pak Women’s
Netball Team to Have A Foreign Coach
• Free
Hospital Services for Stranded Pregnant Women In UAE
• Qatari Women
at The Forefront Of Fighting Covid-19 Pandemic
• Accusations of
Serial Assault Spark New #Metoo Wave in Egypt
• Saudi Arabia
Tribes: Perpetrators of Domestic Violence Not Being Held Accountable
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-womens-football-teams-ready/d/122358
--------
Saudi Women’s
Football Teams Ready To Return After Months Of Lockdown
July 13, 2020
Photo/Supplied/
Saudi women’s football teams ready to return
-----
JEDDAH: Saudi
Arabia’s female football players are gearing up for a return to the pitch after
months of lockdown.
The
coronavirus curfew had a massive impact on the sports industry, from gym
closures to teams stopped from group training. But the growth project in the
Kingdom’s sports sector, women’s football clubs, have found generous support
from the Saudi Football Federation that enabled teams to gain more knowledge
until they were ready to return to action.
A financial
analyst by day and coach and manager by afternoon, Maram Al-Butairi said that
football had always been a special sport for women in the Kingdom. The Eastern
Flames’ manager helped establish one of the Eastern Province’s top teams and
found great interest from many women around her.
“I was
surprised to hear my friend’s mother telling a story of how she and her friends
and cousins used to play football in one of the fields and having a league,”
she told Arab News. “I am not sure when exactly women’s football was
established in the Kingdom, but definitely before the 1980s. Not knowing about
it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”
Women’s
football clubs began emerging around 2012 and 2013, gaining momentum over time
as well as the support of senior members in leadership and society.
“We started
inviting teams to our league and tournaments. Before that, we used to only
invite footballers from Bahrain because it’s closer to the Eastern Province. In
2012-2013, we decided to invite people from all over the country and we had two
teams coming from Riyadh and staying in the province for three days.
“It was the
first time seeing that football was becoming something you would travel for,
because a normal team would usually have at least 12 players (including the
coach), and we had eight teams. It was a huge event. All those women asked
their families to go and be part of this tournament. I would say that was the
emergence of women’s football for us.”
A growing
number of female players have honed their skills, allowing them to not just get
better at the game but being able to share their knowledge and more.
2020 was going
to be the year for female football players to shine but the coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) hit the Kingdom and, as a precautionary measure, everything was put
on hold. But the lockdown did not bring the sport to a standstill.
“The Kingdom
has transformed massively in every way when it comes to female sports in
general,” Al-Butairi said. “In football, during the lockdown, they realized
that it was an opportunity to take advantage of since everyone was at home.
They were eager to know more about football and they introduced many courses.”
One of the
most highly anticipated virtual courses set to go live this week will be with
former German player and Germany’s women’s national team assistant coach,
Britta Carlson, who will be giving a lecture on the German methodology of
physical fitness and technical preparation for women’s football.
“I’m very
excited about Britta Carlson’s course. The US women’s football team is the best
— they won the World Cup for years in a row — and Germany, Holland and France
come pretty close. It is good to learn from the top teams and apply the
knowledge to become like them or even better. Why not?”
Another course
that was given during the lockdown was by UAE Women’s national team head coach
Houriya Taheri.
“She taught us
the introduction of coaching. It was a five-day intensive course during
Ramadan. We learned all the basics and strategies, and for me, that was amazing
because we need to grow the seeds. These are the people that will help women’s
football evolve.”
Jeddah Eagle
center forward Johara Al-Sudairi viewed the online courses given during
lockdown as a “great step forward” as they helped to develop women’s football
in the Kingdom.
“There is now
more awareness and competition on a higher level,” she told Arab News. “The
Jeddah Women’s League has changed things here in Jeddah, and the Women’s
Football League will soon change things in the country. Overall things are
moving forward in the right direction and the future for female football is
bright. I think football was a secret passion for a lot of girls growing up in
the past, and those girls paved the way for the next generation to be able to
practice the sport we all love. We owe it all to them.”
Jeddah Eagles
have resumed physical practice since the lifting of the lockdown and applied
all the necessary health precautions, such as checking people’s temperature
before they enter the training facility.
Saudi sports
journalist Riyan Al-Jidani said the Saudi Football Federation was trying to set
a strong foundation for women’s football, just like other Arab countries had
done.
“Many people
thought that because of the pandemic, everything would stop,” he said. “It was
evident that this is wrong because the federation is working hard to develop
women’s football despite the difficult circumstances such as COVID-19. These
coaching courses are fundamental to develop coaches in the Kingdom. Britta
Carlson to teach coaching skills is a wonderful step to establish a strong
Saudi women’s teams in the future.
“We want to
have uniquely skilled Saudi coaches that even make it abroad. Just like how we
use the help of coaches from abroad, we hope to hear that European or American
teams, for example, use the help of Saudi coaches in the future. This is
not
impossible.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1703831/saudi-arabia
--------
391 Saudi
Women Given Leadership Training
July 10, 2020
The Ministry
of Human Resources and Social Development has narrowed the gap between the
workforce of both sexes in the labor market. In this regard, the ministry
revealed a high indicator of women’s share in the labor market from the
workforce, for Q1 2020.
-------
RIYADH — The
Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has made big strides in
their Saudization drive and is continuing to localize several sectors and raise
the percentage of participation of Saudi men and women in the private sector and
the labor market, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said Thursday.
Meanwhile, the
ministry has narrowed the gap between the workforce of both sexes in the labor
market. In this regard, the ministry revealed a high indicator of women’s share
in the labor market from the workforce, for Q1 2020.
The target in
this quarter was 24 percent, while the index for increasing women's economic
participation in the labor market achieved an increase to reach 27.5 percent.
This is with
the objective of achieving the goals of the National Transformation Program
2020 (NTP 2020) and the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which emphasize the status and
role of the Saudi workforce — both men and women — in raising the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).
The objective
also calls for contributing to further enhancing the Saudi economy and plans
for comprehensive and sustainable development, in addition to attaching great
importance to empowering women to work and take up leadership posts and reduce
unemployment among them.
Among the
positive indicators achieved by the Agency’s goals is the decrease in
unemployment rates during this quarter to the lowest levels since the second
half of 2016.
Another is the
rise in Saudization indicators in general, whether regional localization that
includes a number of sectors and commercial activities according to the nature
of each region, or general Saudization that includes commercial activities,
public sectors, and specific and specialized occupations.
This is in
addition to the clear impact of government agreements and partnerships with the
private sector that the ministry worked on during the previous two years, 2018
and 2019.
This
contributed to reducing the unemployment rate, from its peak of 12.9 percent in
2018 and drop to 11.8 percent during Q1 of 2020, in addition to the noticeable
increase in employment and Saudization rates.
One of the
goals of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, on which the
ministry was based, is to empower women and decrease unemployment.
In this
regard, the ministry revealed that it exceeded some indicators in its goals in
terms of achievement, as the index of increasing women's economic participation
in the labor market achieved 25.9 percent, as mentioned in the Q1 2020 report.
The target
exceeded the required percentage for this year, as the target for this
indicator was 25 percent for the year 2020. Meanwhile, the ministry narrowed
the gap between the workforce of both sexes in the labor market.
In this
regard, the ministry revealed a high indicator for women’s share in the labor
market for Q1 2020, where the target was 24 percent, while the index achieved
an increase to reach 27.5 percent.
This reflects
the success of the Saudization and empowerment plans and the high awareness on
the importance of women's participation in the labor market and the role that
empowerment plays in economic indicators, in addition to reducing unemployment
rates among them.
With regard to
the Leadership Training and Mentoring Initiative through qualification and
training for women, the Ministry introduced the initiative, and trained 391
Saudi female trainees working in the private and government sectors, via
specialized training and mentoring programs, aimed at improving leadership
skills
This leads to
empowering women to take up leadership positions in the upper and middle levels
of management.
This
initiative has had many positive effects, like improving leadership skills to
match the job requirements for Saudi women managers and executives, and
increasing confidence in the ability of women to manage and lead the work teams
and their departments.
https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/595328/SAUDI-ARABIA/Women-form-275-of-the-labor-market-391-Saudi-women-given-leadership-training
--------
Pak Women’s
Netball Team to Have A Foreign Coach
July 13, 2020
Pakistan
Federal Minister for IPC Fehmida Mirza said that she will ensure that netball
and boxing are included in the upcoming National Games
----
LAHORE:
Pakistan Netball Federation (PNF) confirmed on Sunday that it is going to hire
a foreign female coach to groom the Pakistan team for next year’s Netball World
Cup.
PNF chief
Mudassar Arain while talking to the media on Sunday said they were in touch
with some foreign coaches and hopefully would hire the services of an
experienced coach.
He avoided
giving any names but said the decision would be taken in national interest.
He added that
PNF has also to consider financial obligations before hiring a foreign coach.
Arain said
that Pakistan’s men’s team had already gained a spot in the World Cup, having
won silver medal in 2018 Asian Netball Tournament.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/685824-pak-women-s-netball-team-to-have-a-foreign-coach
--------
Free Hospital
Services for Stranded Pregnant Women In UAE
Ashwani Kumar
July 11, 2020
Free Hospital
Services for Stranded Pregnant Women In UAE/ Expecting mothers may find
themselves under pressure in such helpless situations
-----
The group has
reached out to community organisations to help refer deserving cases for its
three-month 'Janani' programme.
Pregnancy can
be emotionally challenging if you are stranded due to the current pandemic
travel restrictions. A hospital group in Abu Dhabi is doing its bit to ease
pressure on such expecting mothers.
Ahalia Medical
Group in Abu Dhabi is offering free of cost delivery for women stuck in the
country. The group has reached out to community organisations to help refer
deserving cases for its three-month 'Janani' programme.
"We
understand the situation is difficult for everyone. This is a demanding time
for our pregnant sisters. We are offering helping hands to those sisters who
are unable to return to their home countries. They may be facing financial
constraints due to unplanned stay here and getting anxious," said Dr V.S.
Gopal, founder and managing director, Ahalia Medical Group.
"We have
been here in the UAE healthcare sector for the last four decades and this is
the right time to extend our helping hands to the needy in the community. As a
trusted and responsible healthcare organisation, we want to reach out to them,
and ensure a safe and stress-free delivery."
Ahalia
Hospital in Hamdan Street and Mussafah, and Phoenix Hospital (formerly Al
Bustan) in Shabiya -10 has collectively got 16 gynaecologists. The programme as
of now is open till the end of September.
The hospital
has engaged all major Indian and Sri Lankan associations functioning in the
Capital in this service. "Needy people may not usually come to hospital
seeking help but surely depend on community associations. So we have sought
their guidance and cooperation," Dr Gopal added.
Nilanga
Jayakody, president, Sri Lanka Cultural Foundation, praised the humanitarian
gesture which will support those affected by the impact of the pandemic.
"Many people have lost jobs and their lives have been turned upside down.
Such jobless people and their families don't have health insurance cover.
Purchasing medicine on their own is expensive for such families. Expecting
mothers may find themselves under pressure in such helpless situations worrying
about their delivery cost. Also, they may not be able to fly out because of
financial and other reasons. This initiative has come at the right time."
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/abu-dhabi/free-hospital-services-for-stranded-pregnant-women-in-uae
--------
Qatari Women at
The Forefront Of Fighting Covid-19 Pandemic
7/3/2020
(MENAFN - Gulf
Times) Qatari women have always proven their worth in all fields, and that they
are worthy of the confidence placed by the wise leadership of the State of
Qatar to contribute significantly to the path of development and the overall
renaissance in the country and to stand alongside men in the front rows
exerting all efforts to achieve the state's accomplishments in all fields.
There is no
doubt that the contribution of Qatari women in many vital areas in the state is
no longer a little or negligible, but in Qatar, women have been able to have a
prominent effect in all vital positions, whether they are employees, leaders,
or officials, to provide a qualitative addition to all tasks.
The role of
Qatari women throughout history has been prominent, whether in the family or
practical life.
Dr Muna
al-Maslamani
Dr Jameela
al-Ajmi
Dr
Hanadial-Hamad
In the pre-oil
era, the economic situation of many families required the participation of women
in a lot of work, especially during the diving season, and they are continuing
their efforts as a housewife or in various developmental areas.
There is no
doubt that the enhancement of the role of women in the Qatari society has been
greatly contributed by Her Highness SheikhaMoza bint Nasser, Chairperson of
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development, as Her
Highness launched over the past years many initiatives and programmes that
motivated and encouraged Qatari women through a qualitative shift in the level
of education and qualification of a new generation to meet the requirement for
development.
Her Highness
SheikhaMoza is a role model for Qatari women, where she played multiple and
varied roles that extend beyond the borders of Qatar, as Her Highness is a
social activist who represents the driving force behind a group of innovative
and creative programmes in Qatar and the world.
The promotion
of active citizenship has also been at the heart of the work of SheikhaMoza, as
it encourages initiatives that develop skills, teamwork, self-reliance, and
social participation.
Her Highness
SheikhaMoza has launched many initiatives, programmes, and institutions aimed
at enhancing the role of women in society, including the establishment of Sidra
Medicine, affiliated to Qatar Foundation, which is a state-of-the-art facility
committed to providing high-quality healthcare to women and children in Qatar,
provided by many Qatari women cadres.
The
coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has swept the world and Qatar was not immune
from it, however, it showcased a good example of the ability of Qatari women to
lead national efforts to tackle the virus from various positions, whether
minister, doctor or nurse.
Qatar has many
Qatari women cadres working in the health field, whether as doctors or nurses
and leaders in important medical specialisations, where they all formed a
qualitative addition to the efforts made to combat the virus.
These efforts
are led ably by HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan al-Kuwari, who
assumed her position in 2016 and previously held the position of Director
General of HMC.
Besides the
health minister's efforts to tackle the coronavirus, Qatari women are at the
forefront to overcome the pandemic crisis, whether in the health sector through
working in the hospitals and health centres or through the Supreme Committee
for Crisis Management, as HE Lolwah Rashid AlKhater is the Committee's Official
Spokesperson, or as volunteers, and through her social responsibilities in her
family. The role played by Qatari women in tackling the coronavirus pandemic
was well known and was appreciated and praised by UN and internationally.
HE the
Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari reviewed in a high-level
international meeting held through video conference recently, the important
role played by women in Qatar in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
At that event,
she pointed out that women constitute a high percentage of healthcare workers
at the frontline fighting against the pandemic and protecting the society.
The minister
also underlined the significant role carried out by Her Highness SheikhaMoza
bint Nasser at the local and international levels, noting that she has joined
the global initiative "Rise for All" which includes a group of women
leaders, launched in support of the UN Secretary-General's call for solidarity
and collective action to address the social and economic impacts of the
pandemic.
The
contribution of women and their effective participation in the efforts to
combat the coronavirus was not by chance or the result of a temporary need, but
rather it was due to the strategic planning undertaken by Qatar which believes
in the ability of Qatari women and placed full confidence in them.
This was
reflected in the great educational capabilities provided by the State to them
either by attracting Qatari females to study medicine at Qatar University and
Weill Cornell College in Qatar in Education City or the nursing and pharmacy
specialties at Qatar University and also nursing at Carnegie Mellon University
in Qatar.
Interest in
the education, training and empowerment of Qatari women could be a direct
reason for their excellence in the positions and tasks they currently assume
within the health sector in the country and have had a direct impact on their
practical and professional success.
Figures
highlight this trend, as the distinguished educational system in Qatar has been
credited with building the capabilities of Qatari women.
Contemporary
educational infrastructure and international competition have contributed to
pushing the role of Qatari women forward on the path of development and
modernisation.
Qatar has
achieved unprecedented success in the region after it managed to bridge the
gender gap with regard to enrollment in the various educational stages, as
indicated in the World Economic Forum (Davos) report.
The rates of
female enrollment in higher education in Qatar are proceeding at a steady pace
in favour of females significantly, according to various official statistics.
The percentage
of female graduates from Qatar University, for example, constitutes about 70%
of all graduates from various colleges, and enrollment rates in Education City
universities affiliated with Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community
Development tend to favor females.
As a result of
this turnout on higher education and according to different statistics, the
percentage of Qatari women in the workforce has increased, reaching about 37%
for women aged 25-29 years, and approaching 49% for the age group 30-34 years,
where Qatari women represent the largest proportion in the sectors of
education, health and social work.
In terms of
empowering women from leadership positions, official statistical reports
indicate that the representation of Qatari women in decision-making positions
amounts to 30%. The Qatar National Vision 2030 and Population Policy 2017-2022
seek to raise this percentage while increasing the political representation of
Qatari women.
In fact, Qatar
is the first Gulf country where women hold ministerial positions.
In 2003, HE
Sheikha al-Mahmoud was appointed as Minister of Education, followed by the
appointment of the Minister of Health in 2008.
There are many
examples of Qataris women leaders' efforts in tackling the coronavirus and
their contribution to combating it, as this role has been clearly demonstrated
through the contribution of Qatari female doctors, nurses, volunteers and
administrators in the fight against the pandemic by using their knowledge and
working hard as a national shield that protects all members of society.
In remarks to
Qatar News Agency (QNA), Qatari women leaders working in the frontline to
combat the coronavirus pandemic affirmed their great role in the current
situation, whether they were as housewives or in the frontline to confront the
pandemic.
Communicable
Diseases Center (CDC) Medical Director at HMC Dr Muna al-Maslamani said that
the Qatari woman has always demonstrated her ability to do the best and
overcome all challenges thanks to the social and educational training she
received.
She also
affirmed that the State's interest in female staff and their training had a
profound impact on women's occupation of a prominent position in the Qatari
society, and the Qatari woman works alongside man to give more and to excel in
her field of work.
Al-Maslamani
pointed out that the pandemic highlighted the important role that Qatari women
play and their ability to provide qualitative addition within the health cadres
working in providing treatment for infected patients.
She explained
that the CDC is full of many Qatari energies, including female doctors, nurses,
laboratory technicians, and administrators, all of them have contributed to the
efforts to tackle the coronavirus.
She
underscored that the support and encouragement Qatari women receive from the
wise leadership were behind their brilliance and excellence in all posts they
held.
For her part,
Medical Director of Rumailah Hospital and the Qatar Rehabilitation Institute at
HMC Dr Hanadial-Hamad said that the pandemic highlighted many new solutions to
provide medical care to patients, especially the elderly, as health cadres
worked on creating new models to provide care for community members in their
homes without the need to visit medical facilities to protect against the risk
of transmission.
Dr Hanadi, who
is also National Health Strategy Lead for Healthy Ageing, explained that the
health teams that work in providing healthcare include a large number of Qatari
female cadres who work tirelessly to provide the best medical care for
patients.
The medical
teams include Qatari female doctors, nurses and specialists in various fields,
and they provide high-quality specialised care to community members during this
pandemic thanks to the training and continuing education they have received,
she said.
Dr Hanadi
stressed that the Qatari woman was able in this period to prove a great ability
to work hard in such crises, and was even able to find innovative solutions to
new ways in providing medical care to society despite the pandemic.
Since the
beginning of the pandemic, the heroes have formed a strong line to protect
society from the virus, and Qatari women have always been in the front ranks
with men in doing everything possible to confront it.
In this context,
Executive Director of Corporate Infection Prevention and Control at HMC Dr
Jameela al-Ajmi said that over the years, Qatari women have proven their
ability to withstand, sacrifice and do all that possible in order to advance
their country.
She explained
that the coronavirus pandemic crisis posed a challenge for the Qatari women,
who was able to prove her scientific and practical capabilities as she stood
firmly and was in the front ranks in the health sector to combat this virus,
pointing out that the health system in Qatar is full of Qatari female youth and
women who work in several medical, technical and nursing fields and do
everything in their power to protect society from the risks of the virus.
For her part,
Chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at HMC Dr Enas
al-Kuwari emphasised that the Qatari woman has always excelled in all the posts
she occupies, and that the pandemic highlighted the great role played by Qatari
women in the health field, pointing out that HMC laboratories include many
Qatari women who are physicians and lab specialists and who are working around
the clock in efforts to tackle the pandemic through many tests conducted or
being conducted by laboratories to detect the virus.
She stressed
that the wise leadership has relied on Qatari women from the beginning and the
government provided all support to them."Today, we are reaping the fruits
of this investment in the Qatari female component and we find Qatari women
working alongside their male brothers in the frontline in efforts to tackle the
coronavirus pandemic."
They take the
lead in dealing with the coronavirus, despite overworking with a smile. They
are working hard to provide nursing care for patients with Covid-19 at
designated medical facilities.
Assistant
Executive Director of Nursing at the HMC Dr Asma Mousa said that over the past
years the HMC has attracted many nurses who specialise in the health sector and
who have been able to demonstrate their great capabilities in providing
compassionate care to all patients.
She stressed
that nurses stand today in the frontline to provide high-quality medical care
for all patients, based on the values of the noble profession that they occupy,
as they have proven a high ability to adapt to all circumstances.
For their
part, Qatari volunteers have contributed greatly to efforts aimed at
confronting the coronavirus pandemic, as they volunteered in order to protect
society from the dangers of infection in multiple locations and different
tasks.
In this
regard, the Qatari woman did not hesitate to participate alongside her brother
man when the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) launched the "Volunteer
with us for Qatar" initiative, which was a great success and attracted a
large number of young men and women of different ages and experiences.
The tasks of
the Qatari volunteers range from providing psychological support, health
education and services in quarantine sites, to health inspection of restaurants
and commercial establishments in co-operation with the Ministry of Municipality
and Environment, in addition to supervising community awareness operations and
distributing medical supplies in cooperation with the community police.
CEO of the
Volunteer and Local Development Sector at QRCS Mona Fadel al-Sulaiti said that
emanating from humanitarian principles and the general orientation of the State
to empower women and enhance their role in society, the QRCS pays great
attention to women, as it is at the heart of all its activities, both as
beneficiaries of development programs and social assistance, or as a primary
contributor to the implementation of these programs and aid.
She added that
QRCS's young and ambitious women volunteers continue the journey of giving and
excellence, as they stand shoulder to shoulder with young volunteers in all the
work of the QRCS that needs their effort and giving.
She emphasised
that the female volunteers demonstrated their high efficiency in carrying out
all the tasks assigned to them, especially in light of the coronavirus
pandemic, in terms of participation in distributing food and social assistance
to families affected by the closure of shops and workshops, and being in
consumer complexes to organise the operations of entering and leaving these
complexes, measuring temperature, distributing health protection means to
consumers, and providing specialised training courses for volunteers and new
female volunteers on how to deal psychologically with different individuals and
support them morally in light of the spread of the virus.
In Mekaines
quarantine facility, which is managed by the QRCS and commissioned by the
Ministry of Public Health to receive and care for infected workers, the female
volunteers made active contribution in the aspects that commensurate with the
experiences and specialties on which they were trained since joining the QRCS.
A team of
volunteers who specialise in the field of psychosocial support was formed and
they communicate with occupants to raise their morale and provide them with a
set of positive ideas and suggestions useful to spend the period of isolation.
The team is
also concerned with supporting the teams in the Mekaines quarantine facility in
order to reduce the pressure of work on them, and renew their energies and
motivations to continue their efforts with enthusiasm and positivity.
https://menafn.com/1100430848/Qatari-women-at-the-forefront-of-fighting-Covid-19-pandemic
--------
Accusations of
Serial Assault Spark New #Metoo Wave in Egypt
July 13, 2020
CAIRO: Their
accounts are similar. The girls and women describe meeting the young man — a
former student at Egypt’s most elite university — in person and online,
followed by deceit, then escalating sexual harassment, assault, blackmail or
rape.
Some were
minors when the alleged crimes took place. In all, more than 100 accusers have
emerged online in the past two weeks.
It’s resulted
in a new #MeToo firestorm on social media, and the arrest of the suspect last
week from his home in a gated community outside Cairo.
Activists say
the case shows that misogyny cuts across the country’s stark class lines; many
in Egypt have previously portrayed harassment as a problem of poor urban youth.
Women’s rights
champions hope the authorities’ swift response signals change in how Egyptian
society handles accusations of sexual assault.
“What’s before
this case is totally different from what’s after,” said NihadAbuel-Komsan, head
of the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights and a lawyer representing some of the
alleged victims.
Sexual assault
and harassment are deep-seated problems in Egypt, where victims must also fight
the undercurrent of a conservative culture that typically ties female chastity
to a family’s reputation. In courts, the burden of proof lies heavily on the
victim of such crimes.
In a
statement, the public prosecutor’s officer said the accused man acknowledged he
blackmailed at least six girls, saying he would send sensitive photos of them
to their families if they cut ties. Several attempts by The Associated Press to
contact him or his lawyer were unsuccessful.
Amr Adib,
Egypt’s most prominent TV host, said in a recent episode that he’d spoken with
the young man’s father, who occupies a high-ranking position at a
telecommunication company. He said his son dismissed the allegations.
At least 10
women have officially reported their claims, according to Abuel-Komsan, of the
women’s rights center. Activists also set up the Instagram account
@assaultpolice to collect allegations, said Sabah Khodir, a US-based writer who
helps run the account. She said there are more than 100 accounts.
“We are
demanding to be listened to … We are just using what we have, lending our
voices to hopefully create some kind of change,” she said.
A court has
ordered the accused to remain in custody pending an investigation into an array
of accusations that include attempted rape, blackmail and indecent assault,
according to a five-page statement by the public prosecutor. In the same
statement, the prosecutor urged more alleged victims to come forward.
Last week, the
government of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi moved to amend the country’s
criminal law to increase protections for the identities of sexual assault
victims, which activists have welcomed. The amendment still needs parliamentary
approval and El-Sisi’s signature to be made law.
The allegations
against the student cover a period of at least three years.
Many of the
anonymous accounts appear to be from fellow students at the American
International School, one of the country’s most expensive private high schools,
and the American University in Cairo, which school officials said the accused
left in 2018. It would appear that he then enrolled at the European Union
Business School in Spain, in an online program last year.
In February,
he spent three weeks at its Barcelona campus, but the school expelled him after
an accusation of online harassment that was subsequently proved false, said
Claire Basterfield, a spokesperson for the EUBS. The school has filed a 54-page
criminal complaint with the Spanish police, seeking further investigation into
his actions.
The head of
the American University in Cairo, Francis Ricciardone, said the university has
a zero-tolerance policy concerning sexual harassment, but that he would not
comment on an ongoing case.
According to
accusations posted on social media in the past two weeks, the former student
would mine the pool of mutual friends on Facebook, online groups or school
clubs. He would start with flattery, then pressure the women and girls to share
intimate photos that he later used to blackmail them to have sex with him. If
they did not, he would threaten to send the pictures to their family.
In some cases,
he “attracted their sympathy by claiming he was going through a crisis,” then
lured them to his home in an upscale compound where he sexually assaulted them,
the prosecutor’s statement alleged.
In Egypt,
sexual assault complaints have typically involved street harassment. During and
after the 2011 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak, women were
frequently harassed, groped — and in some cases, beaten and sexually assaulted
— during mass protests.
This time,
there are signs of wider ripples throughout the society. The current series of
complaints has prompted Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the Sunni Muslim world’s foremost
religious institution, to speak out on sexual harassment and assault, even
challenging the widely held belief that a woman is at fault if her clothing is
less than modest. It’s a departure from the norm for the conservative Muslim
majority country where most women wear headscarves.
There are also
other corners where accusations of sexual harassment are emerging, such as in
civil society groups and businesses.
Two rights
groups said they fired one employee and suspended another, and opened
investigations after allegations of sexual misconduct against them were made
public. Authorities also detained a prominent publisher over the weekend after
a poet filed a complaint with the Cairo police, accusing him of sexually
harassing her, the state-run Al-Ahram reported. The publisher denied the allegations
in a Facebook posting. He was released late Sunday on 5,000 Egyptian pounds
($313) in bail, pending an investigation.
The recent
cases — reaching into the Egyptian elite — have “refuted all previous arguments
and justifications for harassment, from poverty to illiteracy and things like
that,” Abuel-Komsan said.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1703991/middle-east
--------
Saudi Arabia
Tribes: Perpetrators of Domestic Violence Not Being Held Accountable
July 06, 2020
Samir Salama
Abu Dhabi:
Ibtisam Mansour Al Qahtani, a columnist in Al Riyadh newspaper, has brought to
the fore a serious issue facing Saudi society: domestic violence. SHe believes
the tribe is an integral part of Saudi society. "Its position and the role
it plays in building and unifying society and promoting the concept of social
values cannot be ignored, but when it exceeds the limits of human and human
rights, it is necessary to draw a dividing line, which takes it from its tribal
framework into a civil law, that criminalizes any tribal attempt to end and
obliterate any issue of domestic violence”, she wrote.
“Perhaps the
increase in recent cases of domestic violence, and the ensuing tragic crimes,
was an extension of that tribal interference in those cases of domestic
violence,” Al Qahtani says.
'Family issue'
“As soon as
the police start their formalities after filing the complaint, it ends within
hours or perhaps two days when a sheikh, village deputy or one of the elders of
the tribe comes to the victim, and demands that the complaint be waived after a
nose kiss or throwing the headband and ghutra, because they believe that
domestic violence is just a family issue, and they sense fear of shame and
tribal defect when transmitting the family and tribe name in a case of violence
within the corridors of the police, and courts. Thus, the complaint or case is
settled without the perpetrator being held accountable for the crime of
taunting. Moreover, the victim remains under the influence of violence and
bullying against her,” Al Qahtani says.
Al Qahtani
argues the responsibility primarily to stop and prevent these interventions and
tribal reconciliation in cases of domestic violence is borne by several civil
bodies, in addition to human rights bodies that are only condemning domestic
violence and assaulting women and children in all its forms, without enacting
laws and regulations, suspending and criminalising these tribal interventions
in cases of domestic violence, because the human interest must be above all
tribal interests, ideas and practices.”
She continues,
“Tribal interventions are negative and destructive, because they strongly stand
in the way of all family concepts, human values, principles of justice, human
rights and equality between members of society.”
In 2013, Saudi
Arabia passed a landmark legislation aimed at protecting women, children and
domestic workers against domestic abuse, in a move aimed at reducing hidden
violence against women in the kingdom.
The
“Protection from Abuse” law is the first of its kind in the ultra-conservative
country.
Under the law,
those found guilty of committing psychological or physical abuse could face
prison sentences of up to one year and up to 50,000 riyals ($13,300) in fines.
'Not a
criminal issue'
“I know that
there are those who confirm the existence of special laws and regulations to
protect women and children from domestic violence, but unfortunately they
continue to suffer loopholes that have made them not applicable to the victim
or the criminal, because dealing with domestic violence cases is, in its
entirety, still a family and social issue, and not a criminal one,” Al Qahtani
says.
Al Qahtani
concludes, “Therefore, it is necessary to expedite the enactment of laws that
prevent tribal interference in cases of domestic violence, which is one of the
most fundamental guarantees to reduce cases of violence against women and
children in society.”
Eleven studies
have been conducted in six cities (Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina, Taif, Arar, and Al
Ahsa) found that the lifetime prevalence of domestic violence ranged between
39.3 and 44.5 per cent. The most frequently reported risk factors for domestic
violence were the level of education of both the victim and the spouse and
alcohol or drug addiction of the spouse.
One in every
three women in Saudi Arabia is a victim of domestic violence. Strategies to
reduce risk factors, prevent domestic violence, care for victims, and mitigate
the effects of domestic violence must be adopted by health care agencies in
Saudi Arabia, the studies concluded.
https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-tribes-perpetrators-of-domestic-violence-not-being-held-accountable-1.72437349
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-womens-football-teams-ready/d/122358