Science Graduate, Naaz Fatima to Be the First Muslim Female UPSRTC Driver
New
Age Islam News Bureau
09
March 2021
•
Malala Teams Up With Apple to Produce Dramas Aimed At Women, Children
•
Dubai's Sheikha Latifa is 'Arab Lady of the Year' for Her Works in Cultural and
Creative Sector
•
Hundreds of Women Hit the Streets of Algerian Capital Demanding Equal Rights
•
In Saudi Arabia Women’s Participation In Technology Sector Jumps To 25% In 3
Years
•
Christian Legal Group of Pakistan Highlights Forced Marriages, Conversions on
International Women’s Day
•
Ambassador Princess Reema: Saudi Arabia Committed To Championing Women
•
Inclusion Progress Unaffected By COVID-19: Saudi Female Business Leaders
•
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture achieves workplace gender balance
•
Around 1,000 Women Gather In Istanbul to Protest against Femicides
•
Israeli occupation exacerbating COVID-19 effects on Palestinian women: UN
•
Pakistani women protest 'patriarchy pandemic'
•
Islam Guarantees Women’s Rights: Egypt’s Mufti
•
Ayatollah Khamenei Acclaims Women for Spectacular Role in Iran
•
VFS Global Switches to an All-Female Staff on Women’s Day
•
UK Politicians Highlight Iran’s ‘Appalling’ Treatment Of Women
•
Vision 2030 Puts Saudi Women in the Driver’s Seat
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/science-graduate-naaz-fatima-be/d/124499
--------
Science
Graduate, Naaz Fatima to Be the First Muslim Female UPSRTC Driver
Naaz Fatima, UPSRTC
----
Mar
9, 2021
KANPUR:
A science graduate, 24-year-old Naaz Fatima is all set to breach a male bastion
as the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) started training her as a
bus driver on the occasion of International Women’s Day on Monday. Corporation
officials told TOI that once inducted, Naaz will be the first female Muslim
UPSRTC bus driver in the state.
Naaz,
who hails from Kamalganj town of Farrukhabad, has started training at Model
Driving Training and Research Institute in Kanpur’s Vikas Nagar.
A
science graduate, Naaz was selected with 26 other women candidates, who had
applied for the driver’s post in response to a SRTC advertisement.
Sharing
her story of grit, determination and struggle against odds, the newly-inducted
woman trainee driver told mediapersons that after sudden demise of her father,
and to support her family financially, she was in search of a job.
“Through
an advertisement, I came to know that SRTC is all set to start a heavy
commercial driving training course for women to help them get jobs. I applied
and after getting selected, I enrolled myself into their driving course,” she
said and added, “This is indeed going to be a challenging task for me. I will
try to become a responsible driver, and safety of passengers will be my top
priority while driving on roads.”
She
was born in Kamalganj in Farrukhabad to Tasveerul Hasan and Hadeesa Bano.
For
pursuing a male-bastion profession, she said that she also received full
support from her family besides friends and colleagues and has not experienced
any discrimination as a woman.
Busting
stereotypes, today Naaz is a role model to many on this International Women’s
Day.
SP
Singh, principal, Model Driving Training and Research Institute, Vikas Nagar,
congratulated Naaz for her bold decision of opting for the male-bastion
profession.
“As
far as I know, she would be the first woman driver who would encourage more
women to come forward and join the SRTC’s fleet of buses,” Singh said.
“It’s
the first batch of 27 women, who will undergo training at the institute, which
is the first of its kind in the region. We will soon make provision for
imparting training to more such women,” he said.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/naaz-fatima-begins-training-to-befirst-muslim-female-upsrtc-driver/articleshow/81398795.cms
--------
Malala
Teams Up With Apple to Produce Dramas Aimed At Women, Children
Malala
Yousafzai
------
9
Mar 2021
Pakistani
Nobel laureate and activist Malala Yousafzai, who survived a Taliban
assassination attempt, has signed a deal with Apple TV+ that will see her
produce dramas and documentaries focusing on women and children.
The
multi-year partnership would “draw on her ability to inspire people around the
world”, the company said in a statement on Monday, adding that content would
also include animation and children’s series.
“I’m
grateful for the opportunity to support women, young people, writers, and
artists in reflecting the world as they see it,” the 23-year-old was quoted as
saying.
Yousafzai
earned the wrath of the Taliban as a 10-year-old in rural northwestern Pakistan
when she began campaigning for girls’ education rights.
At
the time, the Pakistani Taliban had gained a significant foothold in the Swat
Valley and had, among other things, banned education for girls and employment
for women.
International
attention
Yousafzai
drew international attention with a series of blogs and articles she wrote
under a pen name for the BBC about everyday life and hopes for a better future,
but her fame incensed the Taliban, whose leadership ordered her murder.
In
October 2012, a Taliban assassin shot Malala, then 15 years old, in a school
van. The bullet struck near her left eye, went through her neck and lodged in
her shoulder.
She
recovered after months of treatment at home and abroad before co-writing a
bestselling memoir titled, I am Malala, which drew even more international
attention.
Yousafzai
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as a 17-year-old in 2014, sharing the award
with Kailash Satyarthi, a children’s rights activist from India.
Apple
produced a documentary about Malala in 2015 and teamed up with her Malala Fund
in 2018 to promote secondary education for girls across the globe.
She
graduated from Oxford University last year and has since created Assembly, a
digital publication for girls and women, that is available on Apple News and
formed her own TV production company, Extracurricular.
“I
believe in the power of stories to bring families together, forge friendships,
build movements, and inspire children to dream,” she was quoted as saying in
Monday’s statement.
In
an interview with Reuters news agency, Malala said: “I hope that through this
partnership, I will be able to bring new voices to this platform, to this
stage. I hope that through me, more young people and girls will watch these
shows, get inspired.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/9/pakistani-nobel-laureate-malala-yousafzai-signs-apple-tv-deal
--------
Dubai's
Sheikha Latifa is 'Arab Lady of the Year' for Her Works in Cultural and
Creative Sector
Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority
------
March
9, 2021
The
award recognises the role played by Sheikha Latifa in the resurgence of Dubai’s
cultural and creative sector.
Sheikha
Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and
Arts Authority, has been named the First Arab Lady of the Year by the Arab
Women Authority.
The
award recognises the role she has played in the resurgence of Dubai’s cultural
and creative sector and her support for innovative cultural initiatives that
have enriched the local and regional cultural landscape.
Mohammed
Al Dulaimi, Secretary-General of the Arab Women Authority, said that the Board
of Trustees of the Arab Women Authority unanimously approved the award for
Sheikha Latifa in appreciation of her contributions to the development of
cultural and creative products, her leadership in launching initiatives aimed
at strengthening the region’s cultural sector and her support for the creative
arts, which has enriched Arab societies by promoting aesthetic and human
values.
“We
are proud that an Arab woman has devoted herself to enhancing the stature of
art and culture and highlighting the vital role this sector plays in promoting
engagement between the Arab world and other civilisations throughout history,”
Al Dulaimi said. "In her capacity as the chairperson of the Dubai Culture
and Arts Authority and a member of the Dubai Council, Her Highness Sheikha
Latifa bint Mohammed is currently leading the implementation of a visionary
strategy to transform Dubai into a global cultural centre and a vibrant hub for
artistic and creative activity," he added.
Sheikha
Latifa bint Mohammed is currently leading the implementation of a visionary
strategy to transform Dubai into a global cultural centre and a vibrant hub for
artistic and creative activity.
The
First Arab Lady Award, launched by the Arab League in 2004, is presented every
four years to an Arab woman who has made exceptional contributions to
humanitarian and creative development that has advanced Arab societies.
Sheikha
Latifa will be honoured at a ceremony which will be announced by the Arab Women
Authority later.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/dubais-sheikha-latifa-is-arab-lady-of-the-year
--------
Hundreds
of Women Hit the Streets of Algerian Capital Demanding Equal Rights
09
March ,2021
Hundreds
of women marched Monday in the Algerian capital to protest against a family
code many consider demeaning, as they marked International Women’s Day in the
conservative country.
The
family code is the general law that governs family and property relations in
Algeria.
Adopted
in 1984 and revised in 2005, it is inspired from Islamic sharia law and seen by
many rights groups as anti-constitutional, because it does not respect equality
between citizens.
Women
held up banners calling on authorities to abrogate the “infamous” code and
other signs saying they were marching “for change,” AFP reporters said.
Feminists
say that under the code women’s rights are limited and they are subject to
rules set out by men, rendering women “minors for life,” despite the
modifications made in 2005.
The
marchers also denounced violence against murder including femicide in Algeria,
where according to campaigners 75 such killings took place in 2019, and more
than 40 last year.
The
protesters also slammed a controversial draft law that calls for stripping
Algerians of their citizenship if they carry out activities abroad that could
undermine the “interests of the nation.”
Chanting
“women are committed” and “equality between men and women,” the protesters
marched toward the central post office, an emblematic rallying point for the
pro-democracy “Hirak” movement.
At
the end of the peaceful protest some demonstrators were jostled by policemen
who sought to push them out of the city center, witnesses said.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/north-africa/2021/03/09/Hundreds-of-women-hit-the-streets-of-Algerian-capital-d
--------
In
Saudi Arabia Women’s Participation In Technology Sector Jumps To 25% In 3 Years
March
08, 2021
RIYADH
— Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Haytham
Al-Ohali said that the rate of Saudi women’s participation in the
telecommunications and technology sector has increased from 7 percent to 25
percent during the past three years.
“This
reflected positively on the growth of the sector’s participation rate in the
non-oil gross domestic product (GDP),” he said while addressing the opening
session of the 3rd edition of the Women’s Empowerment Forum, organized here on
Monday virtually by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
on the occasion of the International Women’s Day.
The
event was held under the auspices of Minister of Communications and Information
Technology Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha, and the presence of a number of speakers from
the government and private sectors.
Al-Ohali
stressed that the Kingdom ranked third among G20 countries in the
entrepreneurship index as women outperformed men for the first time in the
Kingdom in 2020.
Al-Ohali
said that the ministry has trained and qualified as many as 50 women to take up
jobs in key positions during the past nine months, while it aims to qualify 150
female leaders for the labor market over the coming three years.
In
her speech, Princess Haifa Al-Muqrin, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative
to UNESCO, said that 60 percent of the staff in the Kingdom’s mission at UNESCO
are women while the representation of women in international organizations is
still below the required level, whether at the Arab or Global levels.
“Only
42 of UNESCO’S 193 countries are represented by women ambassadors, and the rest
are men,” she said while emphasizing that diplomacy is an art in which Saudi
women are mastering.
Women
constitute 54% of
Saudi
technology graduates
For
her part, Dr. Inas Al-Issa, rector of Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman
University, said that 54 percent of technology graduates in the Kingdom are
women, saying that this reflects the large investment in the women’s
educational sector in the Kingdom.
“Around
47 percent of the technical teaching members of Princess Nourah University are
women,” she said while calling for increasing women’s empowerment in the field
of technology, as 27 percent of technology graduates get job opportunities in
the first year of their graduation, compared to 63 percent of men.
Women
represent 87% of
new
labor market entrants
Addressing
the event, Deputy Minister of Human Resources for Saudization Majed Al-Dahwi
said that women represent 87 percent of new entrants to the labor market during
2020.
“There
has been a decrease in the unemployment rate from 34.5 percent to 30.2 percent
in the same year while the share of women in the labor market during the last
two years reached 31.3 percent from 23 percent in 2018.
“The
women’s economic participation increased from 20.5 percent to 31.4 percent, as
more than 600,000 female employees are currently employed in the private
sector,” he said.
The
minister revealed that 3,000 accountants, 1,300 pharmacists, and more than 400
dentists have entered the labor market. “The decision to Saudize information
technology from coming June will provide 15,000 jobs for women,” he pointed
out.
According
to Al-Dahwi, 270,000 women have obtained documents for practicing
self-employment during the year 2020 while 42,000 entered the labor market remotely.
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/604234
--------
Christian
Legal Group of Pakistan Highlights Forced Marriages, Conversions on
International Women’s Day
Mar
09, 2021
LAHORE:
A Christian group marked International Women’s Day 2021 by highlighting forced
marriages and conversions - an ongoing problem for millions of girls in the
developing world.
Maira
Shabaz, a 14-year-old Christian girl from Pakistan, was kidnapped in April 2020
by Mohamad Nakash, allegedly at gunpoint. She escaped, but not before he forced
her to convert to Islam and marry him. ADF International, a Christian legal
group, highlighted Shabaz’s case on International Women’s Day, March 8.
According
to ADF, the Lahore High Court ruled that the teen had willingly converted and
been married, and ordered that she be returned to her abductor. Shabaz has been in hiding for several months
with her family, and ADF International is working with a local lawyer to annul
her marriage certificate. The family has said they will appeal the Lahore High
Court’s decision to the country’s Supreme Court. “We hope the international
community will open its eyes to what is happening in Pakistan and help protect
Christians and other minorities who belong to some of the most vulnerable
groups in the country,” said Tehmina Arora, Director of Advocacy, Asia for ADF
International.Abduction and forced conversion remain a problem in Pakistan and
across much of the world. A 2014 study by the Movement for Solidarity and Peace
Pakistan found that an estimated 1,000 Christian and Hindu women are abducted,
forcefully married, and forcefully converted in Pakistan every year.Child
marriage is technically illegal in Pakistan under the Child Marriage Restraint
Act, but courts typically do not enforce these laws. Sharia law, which is used
in some judicial decisions in Pakistan, permits a child to be married after her
first menstrual period.
One
in every three girls in developing countries is married before reaching the age
of 18 and one in nine is married under age 15, ADF said, citing data from the
United Nations. In another high-profile case from last year, Arzoo Raja, a
13-year-old Catholic girl from Pakistan, was kidnapped in broad daylight by
44-year-old Ali Azhar, who forced her to convert to Islam and marry him. Two weeks
after her abduction, on Oct. 27, 2020, the Sindh High Court, based on
statements the girl gave saying she was 18, ruled the marriage was valid and
that Azhar would not be arrested.By November, the High Court had reversed
itself and ruled that police should find the teenager. Raja has since been
recovered and Azhar has subsequently been charged with rape.––CNA
http://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/legal-group-highlights-forced-marriages-conversions-on-international-womens-day/58431/2
--------
Ambassador
Princess Reema: Saudi Arabia Committed To Championing Women
09
March ,2021
Saudi
Arabia is committed to championing and advancing women “in a way that ensures
everyone can contribute equally to the development of our nation, irrespective
of their gender,” the Kingdom’s Ambassador to the United States Princess Reema
bint Bandar said on International Women’s Day.
Princess
Reema bint Bandar became the Kingdom’s first female ambassador when she was
appointed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2019.
“On
the occasion of International Women’s Day, let us recognize the extraordinary
strength and resilience of women everywhere this past year during the pandemic,
as well as the remarkable work and accomplishments of women leaders all over
the world,” the ambassador said in a tweet on Monday.
“As
we overcome this pandemic, we will come to realize that COVID’s impact has not
been gender neutral – women have disproportionately suffered the social and
economic consequences of this pandemic,” she added.
Princess
Reema also said as we emerge better and stronger from this crisis, “it is
essential that we create space for women at the table if we are to build a more
sustainable, equitable, and tolerant society for all people.”
The
ambassador said in the Kingdom, “women’s advancement continues to move forward
and expand under our leadership,” adding that “a series of legal reforms,
championed as part of Vision 2030, demonstrate the country’s commitment to
breaking down the institutional barriers to women’s success.”
The
princess concluded that “as we continue to make further progress toward greater
gender equality, Saudi Arabia remains committed to championing and advancing
women.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/03/09/Saudi-women-Ambassador-Princess-Reema-Saudi-Arabia-committed-to-championing-women
--------
Inclusion
Progress Unaffected By COVID-19: Saudi Female Business Leaders
Peter
Donnelly
08
March ,2021
Forty-seven
percent of Saudi female leaders do not expect COVID-19 to slow down progress on
diversity and inclusion, a new survey revealed, while around one-in-three are
still unsure about the pandemic’s impact on progress.
Conducted
last year, KPMG’s Female Leaders Outlook 2020, surveyed 675 female leaders from
52 countries around the world, including 25 from Saudi Arabia. The report
explored corporate gender equality and inclusive leadership.
In
the survey, female leaders cited several key steps that can be taken to turn
the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity for women. Using remote work to bring
more women into the work force was noted as a key area of opportunity, and 23
percent of Saudi female leaders, double the global figure, saw quotas for
female leadership as a factor for future success.
The
report found 66 percent of female leaders in the Kingdom, and more than half
(58 percent) of global respondents, remain confident about their companies’
growth prospects over the next three years.
Eighty-one
percent of female leaders in Saudi Arabia stated that their company’s digital
transformation projects had accelerated during the COVID-19 crisis.
“New
technology and innovation will be the driver for growth. Hence, it is a good
time for female leaders to become involved and shape the future,” said Kholoud
Mousa, a partner and head of inclusion and diversity at KPMG.
The
survey also revealed that 73 percent of respondents believe that females are
likely to be their successor in the Kingdom, versus 53 percent internationally.
A fact that could indicate the positive future for gender equality in the Saudi
workforce.
“Looking
ahead, the survey shows that Saudi female leaders have clearly defined
objectives for their companies and are keenly aware of the present and future
challenges.” Mousa concluded.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/03/08/Inclusion-progress-unaffected-by-COVID-19-Saudi-female-business-lead
--------
Saudi
Arabia’s Ministry of Culture achieves workplace gender balance
09
March ,2021
Ismaeel
Naar
Saudi
Arabia’s Ministry of Culture said it has achieved a gender balance of 50
percent in the workplace with many women holding key roles.
According
to an interview given to Asharq al-Awsat, Dur Kattan, the General Director of
Communication and Media at the Ministry of Culture, said the ministry’s mission
of women empowerment is in tandem with the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030
program.
Vision
2030 seeks to “empower everyone; men and women. I am lucky to live in these
supportive, inspiring and motivational circumstances, with men and women of my
generation,” Kattan was quoted as saying by Asharq al-Aswat’s sister English
flagship newspaper Arab News.
In
a statement, the Ministry of Culture said that the latest figures showed that
women make up 35 percent of the workforce in the Kingdom, with 38 percent of
women making up the public sector and 32 percent of the private one.
Women
also hold the top and key roles at the Ministry of Culture, with the likes of
Dr. Sumaya Al-Sulaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission; Noha
Qattan, Executive Director of National Partnerships and Development at Ministry
of Culture; Dina Amin, CEO of the Visual Arts Commission; Dur Kattan, General
Director of Communication and Media at the Ministry of Culture; and Mayada
Badr, CEO of the Culinary Arts Authority.
“I
think that women empowerment is very important,” Al-Sulaiman was quoted as
saying by Arab News. “Women must have their space and voice and disseminate
their own culture, as individuals or as members of the female community, and
women have an influential presence in the Saudi cultural scene.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/features/2021/03/09/Saudi-women-Saudi-Arabia-s-Ministry-of-Culture-achieves-workplace-gender-balance
--------
Around
1,000 Women Gather In Istanbul to Protest against Femicides
09
March 2021
Around
1,000 women gathered near Istanbul's Taksim Square on Monday (March 8)
protesting what they see as a lack of action by authorities to prevent and
punish violence against women.
The
protesters, mostly women, carried purple flags with female signs and wore
purple masks reading "we will win our freedom".
The
women gathered on a main street after police closed off the entrances to Taksim
Square on International Women's Day.
Police
stood with their arms linked at the end of the street, blocking entry to the
square while behind them stood fences, police in riot gear and water cannon
trucks.
The
femicide rate roughly doubled between 2011 and 2019, according to a group that
monitors murders of women, which also said that so far in 2021, 51 women have
been murdered and another 26 have died under suspicious circumstances.
Turkey
does not keep official statistics on femicide.
The
protester around Taksim chanted "femicide is political" and "the
life is ours, the choice is ours, the streets are ours, you can keep your
family."
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/09/646866/Around-1,000-women-gather-in-Istanbul-to-protest-against-femicides
--------
Israeli
occupation exacerbating COVID-19 effects on Palestinian women: UN
08
March 2021
UN
Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory Lynn Hastings
says the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the Palestinian women have worsened
amid Israeli violence across the occupied lands.
On
the occasion of the International Women’s Day on Monday, Hastings in a
statement censured rights violations against Palestinians, women in particular,
the official Wafa news agency reported.
“While
this year’s focus is on Women in Leadership, our commitment must be to all
Palestinian women, including those with disabilities, in marginalized and rural
communities, refugee camps, Area C, Hebron-H2, and in Gaza,” the statement
read.
“The
United Nations affirms its commitment to continue to work with the Palestinian
people and government, and our partners, to combat discrimination and violence,
advance human rights, and accelerate progress for girls and women everywhere.”
In
February, Hastings urged Israel to allow humanitarian agencies to provide
shelter, food and water to the vulnerable Palestinian communities living in
Area C, which accounts for more than 60 percent of the occupied West Bank, and
forms a significant part of a future Palestine state under the so-called
two-state solution.
She
also called on the regime to immediately halt its razing of Palestinian homes
in the West Bank.
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan for grabbing a huge swathe of the West
Bank has left numerous Palestinian women and children homeless.
In
addition to that, there has been a surge in cases of violence against the
Palestinian women by Israeli forces since the pandemic broke out last year.
Several
Palestinian women and minors were among those either killed or imprisoned by
Israeli forces over the past few months. Human rights organizations have time
and again censured the Tel Aviv regime for killing Palestinians with
intentional lethal force and without justification in the West Bank.
Elsewhere
in the statement, the UN official called on the Ramallah-based Palestinian
Authority to increase participation of female candidates in the upcoming
Palestinian elections.
"Gender
equality remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time as it is only
with gender equality that we all thrive."
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/03/08/646853/UN-Palestinian-women
--------
Pakistani
women protest 'patriarchy pandemic'
08.03.2021
Farah
Bahgat
Mask-wearing
protesters marched in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi on the International
Women's Day
to
demand equal rights for women, Pakistani media reported on Monday. The
organizers made it mandatory for protesters to maintain social distance during
the coronavirus pandemic. They also encouraged protesters to take their demands
to social media, according to the Pakistani newspaper DAWN.
The
rallies come after a 2020 march was attacked.
'A
feminist celebration'
Some
women marched wearing the traditional Pakistani outfit Salwar Kameez, and
others hung dresses on clothing lines across the street to symbolize domestic
abuse.
A
Twitter user posted a video of the clothing.
The
women marching also held colorful banners to demonstrate their demands. The
organizers of the rally in Islamabad shared images of the banners, with the
post reading: "We are reclaiming our city."
The
Women Democratic Front, a coalition of women's rights groups, shared a video
showing women dancing during the rallies, describing the event as "a feminist celebration that no one will
ever forget."
Battling
the 'patriarchy pandemic'
Women
in Pakistan report sexual harassment and injustice. The Aurat March (Women's March) in Lahore has
described the 2021 rallies' as a protest against the "patriarchy pandemic."
Protesters
are demanding an increase in the health care allocation in next year's fiscal
budget and transparency on how this increase will reach women and transgender
communities.
They
also call for access to vaccination regardless of gender or ethnic background
and putting an end to privatizing the health care system.
Other
demands include recognizing denial of contraception by family members as
domestic violence and subsidizing menstrual products.
Protesters
accused of being 'un-Islamic'
Conservative
and right-wing groups have spoke out against the rallies.
A
few days before the march, the hashtag #ForeignFundedAuratMarch was trending on
Twitter as thousands of users took to the social networking platform to bash
the protests.
Some
users claimed that the activists organizing the protests were receiving funding
from foreign nations to "corrupt Pakistani women." Others said Islam
already respected women and rallies would "spread immortality."
Pakistan
is one of the world's most dangerous countries for women. Women experience
various types of violence including sexual assault, murder and abduction. The
first Aurat March was held in Karachi in 2018, but the rallies have since
spread to all major cities, according to the DPA news agency.
Islamists
oppose feminist slogans, including "my body, my choice," as such
attitudes contradict a fundamentalist belief that humans do not have autonomy
over their bodies.
Despite
online insults, the situation did not escalate the way it did last year when
Islamists launched counter protests and stoned the women's march, injuring
three.
https://www.dw.com/en/pakistani-women-protest-patriarchy-pandemic/a-56808462
--------
Islam
Guarantees Women’s Rights: Egypt’s Mufti
March
08, 2021
Allam
said that Islam considers women a basic partner in construction and development
as they represent half of the society.
Allam's
remarks came in a speech on the occasion of International Women's Day.
Islam
guaranteed the women's rights in inheritance, he said, adding that it also
honored the mother three times more than the father.
https://iqna.ir/en/news/3474194/islam-guarantees-women%E2%80%99s-rights-egypt%E2%80%99s-mufti-%C2%A0
--------
Ayatollah
Khamenei Acclaims Women for Spectacular Role in Iran
March,
09, 2021
TEHRAN
(Tasnim) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei
applauded Iranian women for their stellar presence in various fields since the
victory of the Islamic Revolution, saying women martyred, injured or imprisoned
in the war are at the “summit of glory”.
In
a message to a national congress held in commemoration of female martyrs,
Ayatollah Khamenei praised the Iranian women who have been martyred,
handicapped or imprisoned during the Sacred Defense for displaying one of the
major pinnacles of of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic’s glory.
The
Leader also highlighted the faith, devotion and courage that Iranian women have
presented in various difficult arenas, including their enthusiastic presence in
the demonstrations leading to the 1979 Revolution, the Sacred Defense in the
1980s, and their active presence in the fields of science, technology,
research, literature and arts.
Highlighting
the strong performance of Iranian women in the social and political arenas and
in managerial posts, Ayatollah Khamenei said their devotion to the healthcare
programs and their services amid the treacherous conditions after the
coronavirus pandemic signify the promotion of Iranian women, which has been
achieved thanks to the Islamic establishment and Islamic values.
In
remarks at a videoconference in February, Ayatollah Khamenei denounced the
Western lifestyle and viewpoint on women and highlighting Islam’s respect for
women’s dignity and their key role in the families.
From
the viewpoint of Islam, women and men are equal when it comes to divine and
humanitarian values, the Leader added, stressing, “We are proud of Islam’s
view, and are diametrically opposed to the West’s view on women and lifestyle.”
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2021/03/09/2466980/ayatollah-khamenei-acclaims-women-for-spectacular-role-in-iran
--------
VFS
Global switches to an all-female staff on Women’s Day
March
09, 2021
To
commemorate women for their resilience and their contribution in building a
sustainable world, VFS Global operations at the Al-Hada Visa Application Center
in Riyadh were managed by an all-female staff on International Women’s Day.
As
part of the initiative, a women-only team handled visa applications for 28
countries including Canada, the UK and countries falling under the Schengen
zone. In addition, female team members took control of security, operated
control rooms as well as transported passports to respective embassies or
missions.
Sumanth
Kapoor, business head — Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, VFS Global, said: “VFS Global
is proud to support International Women’s Day.
We
are having an all-female work day at Al-Hada center to honor the social,
economic and cultural achievements of women in Saudi Arabia and across the
world.
The
day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality, so we are
committing to empowering our teams with actionable steps for personal,
professional and organizational success in the Kingdom and beyond.”
In
line with Saudi Vision 2030 goals for women’s empowerment, VFS Global has enhanced
its inclusion and diversity framework.
Its
efforts have culminated in 40 percent of its existing workforce in Saudi Arabia
being female, 90 percent of which are Saudi nationals.
Other
female staff members belong to the Philippines, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Palestine and Yemen.
Worldwide,
VFS Global has a ratio of 58 percent women across all its operations in more
than 140 countries.
VFS
Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist
for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. With 3,490 application
centers, operations in 143 countries across five continents and more than 227
million applications processed (since inception in 2001), VFS Global is the
trusted partner of 64 client governments.
The
company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications
for visa, passport and consular services for its client governments, enabling
them to focus entirely on the critical task of assessment.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1822181/corporate-news
--------
UK
politicians highlight Iran’s ‘appalling’ treatment of women
CHRISTOPHER
HAMILL-STEWART
March
08, 2021
LONDON:
British parliamentarians have denounced Iran’s “appalling” treatment of women
on International Women’s Day, and urged their government and European
counterparts to take a tougher stance against Tehran.
At
an online event on Monday hosted by the National Council of Resistance of Iran
(NCRI) and attended by Arab News, politicians from the UK’s House of Commons
and House of Lords — most of them members of the British Committee for Iran
Freedom — said women in Iran live as second-class citizens under a system of
gender apartheid.
“When
I look at what the women of Iran have had to endure in terms of their rights,
their health, their roles in society in general, I realize how limited their
rights are and how brave they are when they object,” said Amber Rudd, an MP and
former Cabinet minister.
“In
Iran, women have to endure a religious regime that gives them few rights. They
don’t have the freedom to choose how to live their life, to the law, or to
welfare benefits to survive.”
She
praised the tenacity and courage of Iranian women for the central role they
have played in overtly and covertly resisting the regime.
“In
Iran, it’s so much more difficult to challenge the regime — difficult, illegal
and above all dangerous. But it’s fascinating to see how the women of Iran do
fight back,” Rudd added.
Invoking
the motto of International Women’s Day 2021, she said Iranian women “choose to
challenge.”
Conservative
MP Matthew Offord said he believes “women in Iran deserve support and greater
international recognition as they take on and challenge the brutal theocracy.”
He
added: “This is a regime that treats half of its population, the women, in such
an appalling way by depriving them not only of their fundamental right to
freedom, but also their dignity. It’s not a regime that can be trusted.”
The
politicians had a clear message for the British government: Stand up to Tehran,
and do not tolerate the human rights abuses that have been rampant since the
Islamic Republic’s inception.
They
highlighted various egregious examples of abuses against women committed by
Tehran — but the case of Zahra Esmaili, they said, stood out for its cruelty.
Esmaili,
a mother of two, was sentenced to death after pleading guilty to murdering her
physically and sexually abusive husband — a senior intelligence member.
She
took the blame for her daughter, who it is widely believed shot him as he was
assaulting her.
Esmaili
died of a heart attack in February after witnessing 16 hangings before her own.
Security forces, her lawyer said, hung her body anyway.
Maryam
Rajavi, head of the NCRI, said Esmaili’s case is shocking but not surprising.
“The number of women executed during (President Hassan) Rouhani’s term has
reached 114, making Iran the world record holder in executing women,” she
added.
“The
regime wants to preserve its rule through repression. However, Iranian women
play critical roles in challenging the regime and pushing for its overthrow.
Women are Tehran’s prime victims, and they therefore have greater motivation to
end this regime.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1822131/world
--------
Vision
2030 Puts Saudi Women in the Driver’s Seat
NOOR
NUGALI & LAMA ALHAMAWI
March
08, 2021
RIYADH:
As we mark International Women’s Day, we see the new highs Saudi women have
soared to since the launch of Vision 2030 in the Kingdom.
Reforms
have changed the narrative surrounding women’s empowerment from inclusivity and
equality to notability and distinction. Women’s accomplishments as part of
Vision 2030 have set the stage for the further success and achievement of young
female leaders in the Kingdom.
The
goals of Saudi women are no longer equality or equal opportunity, but rather
surpassing their counterparts in ideology, accomplishments and innovation
across all sectors. In doing so, they have paved the way for a young and
determined generation of future female leaders. These innovative
accomplishments are all due to the stepping stones laid out by Vision 2030’s
extensive social reforms for women.
Now,
Saudi women are ambassadors, general managers, directors of private entities,
government spokespersons and more. Their voices are now heard wide and clear across
the world.
As
of February 2021, women are earning ranks in the Kingdom’s armed forces and
holding positions of leadership, including as sergeants commanding teams of
soldiers in the Saudi Arabian Army, Royal Saudi Air Defense, Royal Saudi Navy,
Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force and Armed Forces Medical Services.
It
is simply no longer the aim of Saudi women to hope for inclusivity in society
and the workplace. The new goals set on the horizon are leadership, direction
and making an impact on the future of the Kingdom, whether through financial
growth, social reform, or paving the way for new generations of women to
succeed.
Vision
2030’s initiatives and reforms have not only affected the careers of women, but
also their social lives — amplifying voices that were not always able to be
heard. Legal reforms have been amended by Vision 2030 to ensure the rights of
divorced women. An alimony fund was created to support women and their children
during court proceedings, and women are now able to enter judicial departments
independently without the past restriction of having a guardian present. In the
past, judgments meant women had to return back to their homes without any
objections, but since Vision 2030, these regulations are a literal thing of the
past — a historic blimp in the bright future ahead.
It
is no exaggeration to say that when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was
appointed in his position in 2017, promises were made and delivered.
Women
are involved in the workforce, driving on the roads and are more independent,
particularly with the relaxing of the guardianship law last year. Tools such as
the sexual harassment law were put in place to ensure their safety, and they
found complete support from the government in facilitating their ambitions, including
being appointed to high positions.
In
July 2020, under a royal decree by King Salman, 13 women were appointed to
serve on the Saudi Human Rights Commission, making half of the commission
female. This decision gave women a louder voice and a foundation through which
to make an impact in the Kingdom.
Women
are now a driving force in growing the Kingdom’s alternative economic
resources, and over the past decade there has been a surge in the number of
female entrepreneurs, business owners and CEOs.
Dr.
Maliha Hashmi, executive director for the health and wellbeing sector of the
NEOM megacity project, is a young female health leader in the region. She said
that Vision 2030 has created the opportunity for women to build new roles and
transform older expectations in a positive way.
“Through
Vision 2030, social acceptance, and most of all, the continuous support of the
government, we’ll see a balanced leadership, in both the private and public
sectors, represented by both men and women. Plus, I’m very optimistic that
we’ll witness in the near future more women in ministerial and international
representation,” she said.
“Under
the visionary leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has
taken a giant step forward in empowering its women. While the world knows and
talks about women drivers on Saudi roads, there’s more to this socio-economic
and cultural change than meets the eye,” Hashmi, a Harvard doctorate degree
holder, told Arab News.
“More
high-tech startups can now be owned by women. There are now female diplomats in
the GCC. I am super excited that this started in Saudi Arabia with Princess
Reema bint Bandar as the first Saudi female ambassador. I am also honored to
represent NEOM as one of its leading female executives. I hope this passion within
me for this amazing project is contagious and is an encouragement for other
young women to join, and that I can serve as a great role model for them.”
Vision
2030 has changed the dynamic of the Kingdom and not only opened it to the
world, but also to many Saudis.
Women
from the Kingdom are now seen traveling around the world and exploring new
cultures without the obligatory presence of a male guardian, due to a decree
allowing women to obtain their own passports and travel over the age of 21
without a male guardian.
Vision
2030 gave women the right to drive, planting the seeds that led to the
emergence of the first professional female racing driver, Reema Al-Juffali. The
reforms also created equal opportunity in science, and pushed women scientists
into the limelight, such as Nouf Al-Numair, a “DNA decoder” who researches the
early detection of emerging diseases through gene mutation. This is only a
glimpse into the world of achievements female leaders in Saudi Arabia have
created as a result of empowerment in the Kingdom.
It
is evident that the fast changes led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have
also had a global impact. For the second year in a row, the “Women, Business
and the Law 2021” report by the World Bank Group listed Saudi Arabia as one of
the top countries for economic inclusion and women’s reform.
One
woman who has benefited from the changes is Noura Al-Dossary. Orphaned at a
young age and divorced with one daughter, Al-Dossary was in a predicament. Her
sister and her brother-in-law helped her, but she soon realized she had to
support both herself and her daughter financially.
“Vision
2030 opened doors for me that I thought were bolted shut,” she told Arab News.
Coming from a conservative background, and with limited education, she ventured
into various workplaces, and soon found work at a small college. However, she
was unsatisfied with the pay, the work atmosphere and the lack of insurance and
benefits. But an opportunity soon presented itself in a laundry department at a
five-star hotel.
She
was attentive to detail, eager to learn and grateful for the opportunity. “I
was exposed to a different world. I met people from diverse nationalities,
mixed with the opposite gender and quickly learned English on the job —
something I never dreamed of.”
Al-Dossary’s
workplace enrolled her in courses to not only further her career, but also her
character. “I felt invested in it,” she said, a sentiment that many Saudi women
share. “People tell me: ‘Oh, but you work in laundry.’ But let me tell you something:
I’m proud of myself.”
There
are many women like Al-Dossary who have succeeded in their own right. They may
not appear in the headlines, but they are a vital part of Saudi society.
“I’m
able to financially support my family, have insurance and benefits, and I
bought a home,” said Al-Dossary. “None of this would have been possible without
Vision 2030. I am independent and I finally found the support I needed to
realize my dreams.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1821646/saudi-arabia
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/science-graduate-naaz-fatima-be/d/124499
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism