Sheila Al-Rowaily, First Female on Saudi Central Bank’s Board
New Age Islam News Bureau
09 June 2022
• Afghan Woman Dies Of Leukaemia While In Hiding From
The Taliban Due To Her Past Work As A Judge
• MCU’s First Muslim Superhero Iman Vellani Opens up
about Her Role in Ms Marvel: ‘This Is Definitely a Good Start’
• Post Hijab Row, More Muslim Students Seek Admission
In Udupi Govt College For Girls
• Pak President Calls for Accelerating Efforts for
Economic Empowerment of Women
• Women in Mena Workforce Could Increase GDP by $2t
• Iranian Women Are Relentless Despite Four Decades Of
Suppression
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sheila-rowaily-saudi-bank/d/127207
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Sheila Al-Rowaily, First Female on Saudi Central
Bank’s Board
Sheila Al-Rowaily
----
June 09, 2022
RIYADH: Sheila Al-Rowaily, who worked as a financier
with Saudi Aramco, has become the first woman to join the board of directors of
Saudi Central Bank.
The bank, also known as SAMA, confirmed the
appointment in a statement, citing a royal decree.
Al-Rowaily is the CEO of Wisayah Investment Co. since
2019, and is also a board member of Saudi Aramco Power Co. and Hassana
Investment Co.
She led many innovative projects for Saudi Aramco, including
the creation of Wisayah, which invests Saudi Aramco Group Companies’ pension
funds, defined contribution funds and other long-term investment portfolios.
According to London based economist Mohamed Ramady,
Al-Rowaily's appointment to the SAMA Board should not come as a surprise to all
those who knew and worked with her.
“She has a polite and unassuming character that belied
her quick grasp of key issues and
long-term implications for Aramco investment decisions demonstrated many times
during meetings with her to discuss investment and treasury products, and one
came away having learned from her,” he said.
Al-Rowaily joined Saudi Aramco in 1998 as a money
market trader, and from July 2005 to June 2006 she worked as a financial
analyst in Dhahran. Al-Rowaily moved to Houston, Texas in July 2006 and worked
there until December 2007 as treasurer.
She returned to Dhahran in January 2008 and worked as
head of portfolio management at Aramco until January 2009.
From February 2009 to January 2019, Al-Rowaily worked
as director of the investment management department at Aramco.
Al-Rowaily earned a Sloan Fellowship for MBA in
business from MIT Sloan School of Management in 2017-2018.
She obtained a bachelor’s degree in interior
architecture from King Faisal University and then earned an MBA in finance from
American University of Beirut in 1997.
The other members of the SAMA board of directors are
Hamad Al Sayari, Khaled Juffali, Rashed Al Humaid, and Abdullah Hasan
Al-Abdulqader.
Source: Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2100031/business-economy
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Afghan Woman Dies Of Leukaemia While In Hiding From
The Taliban Due To Her Past Work As A Judge
Women walk through the old
market as a Taliban fighter stands guard in Kabul
(AP)
----
Maya Oppenheim
June 9, 2022
A young woman in Afghanistan died of leukemia because
she was forced into hiding from the Taliban, The Independent can reveal.
The 21-year-old passed away last month because her
mother could not take her for treatment, fearing for their safety due to her
past work as a judge.
It comes after this newspaper revealed more than 200
female former judges were stuck hiding from the Taliban in Afghanistan last
September, with campaigners warning they were at risk of being killed by the
Taliban after being removed from their jobs.
Taliban officials also freed thousands of prisoners,
including terrorists and senior al-Qaeda operatives, after seizing power in
mid-August as US and British forces withdrew, a move that left judges terrified
of revenge attacks by former inmates.
Before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan had roughly
250 female judges. While many have since fled, campaigners say around 80 remain
trapped in the country.
Nasima*, whose daughter died from leukaemia on 4 May,
said: “I lost one of my children – my third girl. She had blood cancer –
leukaemia. She was so young with a lot of hopes and dreams for the future.
“I requested many times for us to be evacuated from
Afghanistan to save her life. But no one helped me. I lost her. I have lost my
whole life. Nobody can bring back my daughter. She didn’t want to die.”
Nasima explained that her daughter thought they may be
able to flee Afghanistan to receive healthcare in a foreign country.
“When I cried, she said ‘Do not be sad mum, I am still
alive’,” she recalled. “She lost the hair on her eyebrows because of cancer but
she still had a smile on her face.
“I didn’t want my daughter to die because of my job as
a female judge. That is why I could not take the risk of taking my daughter for
treatment in hospital. I can’t put all my family at risk if the Taliban
recognise me.”
Before the Taliban seized power, Nasima sent members
of the Taliban and Isis to jail in her role as a judge.
“We sent kidnaping groups to prison,” she said. “All
the criminals whose cases I gave a verdict on were released from jail. They can
easily find me which would be very dangerous for me and my family.”
Nasima said she is recognisable among some Afghans for
her role in supporting women’s rights. When the Taliban captured Kabul, she was
forced to flee her home, she said.
“I was displaced from my own house which I had
memories in with my family, especially with my daughter who is no longer
alive.”
She explained she moved into her relatives’ home but
they treated her badly due to being scared the Taliban would arrest them.
“The world must know what Afghan women are suffering
with the Taliban in government,” Nasima added. “They closed schools for girls.
They have eliminated us from politics, and they stop our salaries. Why is the
world silent about our situation?”
She said some fellow female judges who applied to be
resettled in the UK have received reference numbers for the Afghan Relocations
and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme.
“The website for refuge clearly mentioned this visa is
for those who were judges or worked in past government roles,” she said. “When
we get this number, what should we do with this? We want to process our cases.
“Do you want to see our dead bodies which have been
killed by the Taliban. If no, why don’t you process our documents? I tell this
sad story as a mother to all who have feeling.”
The Taliban has tightened restrictions on women since
regaining power from the western-backed democratic government, blocking them
from the workplace and secondary education and barring them from all sports.
Last month, women and older girls were ordered to cover their faces while out
in public and to remain at home where possible.
Marzia Babakarkhail, who previously worked as a family
court judge in Afghanistan but now lives in Manchester, said imprisoned
terrorists and divorced husbands were now “free, powerful and have guns”.
She added: “In these cases, if any of them find their
address, what will they do with them? It is clear they could kill you in order
to seek revenge and more importantly, stop future women from taking part in
activism.
“Unfortunately, we hear sad stories from those 80
Afghan women judges who are left in Afghanistan every day. Because the Taliban
can do anything with their enemies.”
Ms Babakarkhail has accused the Taliban of trying to
kill her in Afghanistan in 1997 and again in Pakistan in 2007.
She said female judges with reference numbers for the
ARAP scheme had seen no progress with their visa applications.
“They are in such a bad situation [and] in dire need
of help,” she said. “Why do their lives not matter to anyone? Please do not
count us just as numbers. We are human beings. We are a part of your world and
we fought for equality. I ask for action, not sympathy.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said it was
not able to comment “on individual ARAP applications”.
“We have relocated over 9,400 individuals and their
dependents to the UK since the ARAP scheme began,” they added.
“We continue to progress applications as quickly as
possible, recognising processing time can vary given the complexities of
individual circumstances such as location, access to IT, employment history,
security checks or family circumstances.”
Source: Independent UK
https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/woman-afghanistan-taliban-judges-arap-b2095895.html
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MCU’s First Muslim Superhero Iman Vellani Opens up
about Her Role in Ms Marvel: ‘This Is Definitely a Good Start’
Peony Hirwani
08.06.2022
Iman Vellani has opened up about starring in the
titular role of Kamala Khan, who becomes Pakistani-American teen superhero Ms
Marvel in the new coming-of-age show of the same name.
The 19-year-old actor revealed that she feels “privileged”
Marvel “trusted” her with bringing a character like Kamala to life.
“There’s so much weight that comes with being the
first of anything,” she told Variety.
Speaking of the advice the Marvel heads gave her,
Vellani said: “They’re like, ‘You don’t go to work thinking that you’re the
first Muslim superhero; you just go to work and have fun.’
“That’s what I keep telling myself: I don’t really
have to go out of my way and advocate for Muslim and Pakistani representation,”
she said. “This is one story of one girl. We cannot represent all two billion
Muslims and South Asians, but this is definitely a good start.”
In the series, 16-year-old protagonist Kamala
discovers her shape shifting and self-healing powers, thanks to her magical
bangle.
In his review, The Independent’s Nick Hilton gave Ms
Marvel three out of five stars.
“Ms Marvel is another tolerable entry in the studio’s
ever-expanding roster of TV spin-offs,” he wrote. “While there are elements of
the show’s visual kinetics that call to mind The Green Hornet and Scott Pilgrim
vs the World, Ms Marvel is clearly targeted at a younger audience than any of
Marvel’s extant properties.”
After this series, Vellani will subsequently reprise
her role as Ms Marvel in the 2023 Marvel Studios film The Marvels, which will
serve as a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel.
Source: Independent UK
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Post hijab row, more Muslim students seek admission in
Udupi govt college for girls
Jun 09 2022
Udupi, Jun 9: In a surprise move, the number of Muslim
girl students seeking admission in government women PU college of the city,
where the hijab row erupted, has increased.
Six girl students of the college had approached court
seeking permission to wear Hijab while attending classes. They were adamant to
wear hijab in spite of high court order of not allowing the same. They did not
even write the final examinations citing the same reason.
It was thought that the number of Muslim girl students
seeking admission in this college will reduce after the hijab row. Already 40
Muslim girl students have got admitted to first PU of the college according to
the college administrative board. The board also confirmed that they have
agreed to remove the Hijab while hearing lessons inside classroom.
President of development committee of the college,
local MLA Raghupati Bhat said that 253 students are promoted to second PU and
335 students are admitted to first PU. Another 100 applications are received.
The remaining seats will be filled after the supplementary examinations of
SSLC.
Government college for women has recorded good results
last academic year, in spite of hijab related disturbances. The school and
college were closed for some days on account of the same issue. Gayathri, one
of the students has scored 625 out of 625 marks in SSLC. More than 50 percent
students scored 85% marks in SSLC.
Source: Daiji World
https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=967033
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Pak President Calls For Accelerating Efforts For
Economic Empowerment Of Women
Jun 9, 2022
ISLAMABAD – President Dr Arif Alvi has urged the need
to accelerate efforts for the economic empowerment of women and to bring them
into the mainstream of the national economy, adding that the latest Information
and Communication Technology tools could help in paving the way for women’s
financial inclusion.
He expressed these views while addressing the 1st
Business Women Excellence Awards, organized by the Islamabad Women Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (IWCCI) to acknowledge and appreciate Pakistan’s
successful women entrepreneurs, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, yesterday. The event was
attended by the Founder-President of IWCCI, Ms Samina Fazal, President IWCCI,
Ms Naima Ansari, members of IWCCI, women entrepreneurs, members of the
diplomatic community and senior officials of the government. Addressing the
ceremony, the president urged the need to economically empower women by
encouraging them to participate in economic activities, improving their access
to credit and finance to start their own businesses, and improving their access
to branchless banking services. He said that he was a great proponent of
utilizing Pakistan’s huge youth bulge by providing them with quality and
skill-based education to enable them to contribute to national development. He
said that women, along with youth, remained the largest untapped resource,
which needed to be fully harnessed for Pakistan’s socio-economic development.
The president highlighted that steps had been taken to
enhance women’s access to financial services and the State Bank of Pakistan
(SBP) was providing business loans to women entrepreneurs, however, the number
of women availing these loans was low. He said that the digital inclusion of
women in the financial sector could help bring financial empowerment of women
as they can market their products locally and internationally using the latest
technology tools. He called upon the members of the chambers of commerce across
the country to make their chambers gender-balanced with the proportional
representation of women. He said that as they were the custodians of trade,
business and investment, therefore, they should encourage their daughters and
sisters and other relatives to come out of their homes and play an active role
in running the business enterprises.
The President said that Hazrat Khadija (RA) was a
working woman who had employed many men including our beloved Prophet (PBUH) to
carry forward her trade. This, he added, should be a role model for all Muslim
women. He further added that the mother of Moulana Mohammad Ali and Moulana
Shoukat Ali was an active political figure whereas the wife and sister of Quaid
Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah remained side by side with Quaid-i-Azam during his
entire political struggle to win a separate homeland for the Muslims of India.
He regretted that women stopped working after marriages and it was the
collective responsibility of the society to encourage women to continue to work
by providing them with a conducive and women-friendly environment at the
workplace.
He said that it was unfortunate that in some parts of
the country, women were being denied their inheritance and property rights. He
appreciated the fact that Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against
Harassment was also working to safeguard women’s property and inheritance
rights and was helping women get justice in case of the illegal occupation of
their properties. President IWCCI, Ms Naima Ansari also addressed the occasion.
She said that IWWCI was playing an active role in facilitating and encouraging
women to start their own businesses besides helping them develop linkages with
the business community.
The Founder President of IWCCI, Ms Samina Fazil said
that women entrepreneurs were contributing to national development by creating
employment opportunities for others and paying taxes to the Government.
Earlier, women entrepreneurs from different sectors were handed over Business
Excellence Awards trophies by President Dr Arif Alvi.
Source: Nation Pakistan
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Women in Mena workforce could increase GDP by $2t
by Sandhya D'Mello
8 Jun 2022
Women in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena)
workforce are expected to increase their contribution to the region’s gross
domestic product (GDP) by 57 per cent, or $2 trillion provided they will get
level playing opportunities, says a latest report by PwC Middle East.
In its latest study — Mena women in work survey 2022:
Young women, powerful ambitions, PwC Middle East said women across the region
are striving forward to bolster the economy by contributing to its growth and
development if a conducive environment is offered to them.
Around 94 per cent of the surveyed women favoured
work-life balance and training and development opportunities as their most
valued employer characteristic. However, only 62 per cent of women agree that
their employer provides a satisfactory work-life balance and training and
development opportunities. The economic prize from getting this right could be
significant.
“Identifying, developing, promoting and retaining
women is essential for the success of our business and our region more broadly.
Key takeaways from our most recent research include encouraging employers to
create a strategy that includes investing in skills, reforming cultures,
embedding equitable workplace policies, respecting personal time and wellbeing
as well as developing metrics to actively track the progress in supporting
female employees,” Hani Ashkar, PwC Middle East senior partner, said.
The report further states that while 84 per cent of
women aspire to become leaders in their fields, female employees illustrated
that work is not their only priority, with 80 per cent agreeing that it is
important to play a leading role in looking after their families.
Unleash women’s potential
The survey highlights the career aspirations of young
women and the challenges they face in achieving their ambitions across the
Middle East and North Africa region and the key measures needed by Mena
employers to unleash women’s potential in workplaces.
The study was launched in conjunction with the Middle
East Action for Diversity Council, a council of CEOs from multinationals in the
region with a clear aim of leading by example as well as rallying like-minded
organisations to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace by working
together and committing to change.
“We welcome all initiatives in the Mena region that
aim in advancing women’s careers, which requires a multi-party approach in
order for any progress to be sustainable. Governments should continue to
support women on a policy-level, and companies should take a more proactive
approach in creating workplace environments conducive to women’s success,” said
Norma Taki, inclusion and diversity leader at PwC Middle East.
UAE is at the forefront
Endorsing a similar view, Dalia Kamel, regional
communications manager, Middle East, Turkey & Africa and Spain at Intel
Corporation, said a recent diversity, equity, and inclusion survey conducted in
the UAE by Intel indicates that a little under half of the respondents felt
their business focuses most on gender equality, and a massive 87 per cent said
their organisation has set long-term goals to achieve a diverse and inclusive
working environment. “Such findings show a commendable awareness among
employees and companies in the workplace on these important issues,” she said.
Embedding diversity strategies for the entire career
lifecycle, setting diversity KPIs to ensure fair assessments for women, and
reinforcing supportive workplace cultures are critical steps for Mena employers
to effectively attract, recruit and retain talented young women.
Neelam Verma, vice-president and head of investments,
The Continental Group, said the UAE has always been at the forefront to bolster
women empowerment in the region and this is evident as the nation has also
witnessed policy-level actions towards safeguarding women’s rights in
professional settings which include equal pay for equal work and extended
maternity leaves, among other noteworthy stipulations in the newly amended
labour laws.
“Kudos to the UAE leadership for breaking age-old
biases by giving key government roles to women and recognising and harnessing
their potential towards developing an equal society . The private sector too
has followed suit, giving women the opportunity to grow in any industry of
their choosing. As a result, the UAE corporate culture holds women in high
esteem today,” she said. — sandhya@khaleejtimes.com
Source: Khaleej Times
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/women-in-mena-workforce-could-increase-gdp-by-2t
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Iranian Women Are Relentless Despite Four Decades Of
Suppression
June 9, 2022
The 1979 anti-monarchy revolution in Iran created a
sense of participation among men and women from all classes. In the marches
that led to the revolution, there were professional Iranian women with no hijab
or scarves and women from traditional backgrounds wearing the traditional black
veil; there were women from lower and middle-class families, accompanied by
their spouses and children. All these women walked shoulder to shoulder
together, hoping that the revolution would bring them an improvement in their
economic and social status and political freedom.
The 1979 revolution brought out large masses of
Iranian women who were demonstrating for the abolition of the monarchy and for
an Islamic republic. They believed that an Islamic republic would give them
equality, removing all existing obstacles to the participation of women in the
affairs of their country. In the excitement of the revolution and hopes for
change, less attention was paid to what the founder and leader of the regime,
Khomeini was saying while staying in Paris. In Khomeini’s words, women would
have a role in society but within an “Islamic” framework. Trusting him as a man
of promises and hope, nobody bothered in those days to ask, “What does the
Islamic framework mean?” and “how is it implemented in the society?”
In the first years after the 1979 revolution, Khomeini’s
insistence on keeping women away from active participation in the political,
social, and economic aspects of society, eventually led to the imposition of
the hijab on Iranian women and forced many to become housewives. In fact, many
women were excluded from various fields of work. In the following decades,
various policies were pursued by the Islamic Republic imposing an array of
restrictions on the women of Iran.
One of the so-called “revolutionary” government’s
first acts was to suspend the Family Protection Law and dismantle Family
Courts. Men were once again free to divorce their wives by simple declaration;
they also gained exclusive custody of their children. Women could no longer
file for divorce unless the right was stipulated in marriage contracts, and
they lost the right to child custody. In 1981, Iran’s parliament approved the
Islamic Law of Retribution, introducing flogging, stoning, and payment of blood
money for crimes ranging from adultery to violation of the Islamic dress codes.
The marriage age for girls was reduced to puberty,
which is nine under Islamic law. By law, a girl as young as 13 years can marry,
while girls even younger can legally marry with judicial and paternal consent.
In the first half of 2021, over 16,000 girls aged between 10 and 14 years have
married, according to official government figures.
On November 16, 2021, UN human rights experts called
on Iran to repeal a wide-ranging new law that severely restricts access to
abortion, contraception, voluntary sterilization services, and related
information, in direct violation of women’s human rights under international
law.
Regime introduces two new organizations to impose
hijab on Iranian women
Now, in June 2022, the regime has announced the
establishment of two new repressive organizations to “control the lack of
hijab”. The mandate of these new entities of suppression is being completed and
its policies are going to be dictated to 120 government offices. Each office is
obliged to manifest ways to implement these restrictive policies on its female
employees.
In 2020, Fars News Agency named 25 government agencies
that are active in the field of imposing and propagating the hijab. Other media
outlets later named other institutions; So much so that this year, the Red
Crescent also announced its voluntary activities with the same goals. It was in
April 2022 that the Secretary-General of the Red Crescent Society announced his
entry into the field of “promoting hijab and chastity”. According to him, this
is in line with their humanitarian and relief services.
Iranian women as relentless as ever
The story of Iranian women is the story of heroism,
sacrifices, resistance, integrity, hope, and optimism. Today, tens of thousands
of courageous female political prisoners, human rights activists, and brave
Iranian girls have joined their fellow men to reject brutality and demand
freedom in Iran. Iranian women are at the forefront of most social
demonstrations and protests throughout Iran. The regime in Tehran is fearful of
the hidden potential of Iranian women, who are braver and more determined than
ever. They have become a weapon against the tyrannical regime in Tehran.
I end this piece with a poem by renowned Iranian poet,
Simin Behbahani, that I think best captures the sentiments of Iranian women.
“You want to erase my being, but in this land, I
remain
I will continue to dance as long as I sustain
I speak, as long as I am living: fury, roar, and
revolt
Your stones, and rocks, I fear not. I’m a flood, my
flow you cannot halt.”
Source: Eurasia Review
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sheila-rowaily-saudi-bank/d/127207