Sky’s The Limit for Saudi Arabia’s First All-Female Team of Professional Skydivers
New
Age Islam News Bureau
30
September 2021
•
Pak Must Ensure Women's Rights Protected In Afghanistan: Malala Yousafzai
•
Expo 2020 Dubai to Showcase Women's Achievements and Highlight Women
Empowerment
•
Taliban Disperse Women Protesters with Gunfire in Kabul
•
Israel Officers Kill Woman In Jerusalem After Alleged Stabbing Attempt
•
Muslim Women More Likely Than Men to Experience Islamophobia in the United
States, Survey Finds
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-arabia-skydivers-female-/d/125478
--------
Sky’s
The Limit for Saudi Arabia’s First All-Female Team of Professional Skydivers
September
29, 2021
Three women trained at King Abdullah Economic City
and were granted pro licenses by US Parachute Association. (Supplied)
------
JEDDAH:
The sky’s the limit for three Saudi female thrill-seekers after qualifying as
professional skydivers.
Spectators
recently watched Alaa Dhafer, Maram Al-Eid, and Razan Al-Ghufaili make their
official debut as the Saudi Arabian Extreme Sports Federation’s first
all-female team of skydivers by jumping from a Black Hawk helicopter at 12,000
feet.
The
trio took part in the third skydiving camp to be held at King Abdullah Economic
City and SAESF executive director, Abdulmajeed Al-Mutairi, told Arab News: “The
introduction of the female component of this sport is a message to all that
Saudi women are present in this extreme sport in the Kingdom as partners for
men in all sports.
“We
were delighted with the graduation of the first batch of women who have
received their training here at home (in Saudi Arabia). They completed the
training program well and eventually obtained skydiving licenses as the first
Saudi female parachutists to be trained inside the Kingdom,” he said.
The
women were granted their pro licenses by the US Parachute Association, one of
the world’s leading bodies for the discipline.
Al-Eid,
a freelance personal trainer and skating coach in Riyadh, told Arab News: “I’m
not sure if I can call myself an adventurist, but I’m a person that loves to
face her fears and push her limits.
“Of
course, safety measures have to be taken into consideration. I chose this sport
because I’ve always had a thing for wings and flying and being able to
literally freely fly is something I would never miss out on.
“I’m
not going to lie, I was so excited but so scared at the same time, however
after the third jump I became less fearful, and the feeling was like no other.
I don’t think I’ll be able to stop.”
The
27-year-old hopes to perform with the skydiving formation team at next year’s
Saudi National Day. “I didn’t participate in the show this year because I have
only just passed my course but our goal as ladies is to have a skydiving team
to participate next year.”
Dhafer,
from Makkah, said: “Skydiving is an experience that cannot be replaced by any
other. It is special and close to my heart. I have dreamed of flying ever since
I was a child, and now my dream has come true, and I still can’t believe it.
“Being
one of the first female skydivers in the Kingdom is considered as an
achievement for our great country, and my teammates and I feel very proud. My
mother is my biggest fan and was very supportive while I was trying to pass the
necessary stages.”
And
she urged other women to have a try. “Skydiving is so much fun, and if it’s
something you’re attracted to and something you’d like to do, go for it.”
Al-Ghufaili
said skydiving had changed her whole outlook on life. “Jumping from the sky is
all I want to do, and I am going to improve my skills. It is a very nice
feeling and a new experience that has changed many things in me. Skydiving has
given me the motivation to fly more, and train better until I reach the highest
level.”
She
noted that being an adventurous person was great but not easy. “There is a
constant inner struggle and challenge facing your fears,” she added.
Al-Mutairi
said he had been impressed by the determination and courage of the three women.
“Their
passion for jumping led them to where they are now, and I hope they become an
inspiration for youngsters and girls.
“There
is no doubt that the introduction of parachute jumping as a sporting activity
in the Kingdom was not accessible because it’s linked to several military and
civil bodies.
“We
have noticed that requests to take part have increased after each event
organized by the federation. But it is worth noting that the training of
parachutists requires the presence of clubs that work on that basis, and this
is what the federation seeks to find.
“The
federation’s work is currently limited to developing the skills of paratroopers
and enacting regulations and mechanisms that in turn allow for clubs to work
and train,” Al-Mutairi added.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1938226/saudi-arabia
--------
Pak
Must Ensure Women's Rights Protected In Afghanistan: Malala Yousafzai
September
24, 2021
New
Delhi: Nobel laureate and Pakistani rights activist Malala Yousafzai today
asked Pakistan to show "bold and strong commitment" to protect
women's rights in Afghanistan. Ms Yousafzai, who is also the UN Messenger of
Peace, made the remarks during a virtual session on "Supporting a future
for girls' education in Afghanistan" as part of the UN General Assembly.
On
being asked at the session about whether Pakistan could put pressure on the
Taliban about girls' right to continue education, Ms Yousafzai said,
"Pakistan is the neighbouring country of Afghanistan and we know that
terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan reaches to the border of Pakistan as
well and it impacts girls and women and communities in Pakistan and women's
rights there as well."
"Pakistan
should see the situation in Afghanistan not just has an issue of peace and
security there alone, but as a peace and security issue for the whole region
including Pakistan, peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan," she
said.
In
2012, Ms Yousafzai was shot at by Taliban terrorists in Pakistan in an
assassination attempt, in retaliation for her activism on girls' right to
education. Nine months after being shot, on her 16th birthday, she delivered a
speech at the UN headquarters on women's right to education.
"So
far we have heard some statements from the Prime Minister of Pakistan that
women's rights must be protected and girls' education must be protected, but I
hope that Pakistan can show a bold and strong commitment towards the protection
of human rights in Afghanistan because we know that such ideologies can harm
the whole region," Ms Yousafzai said.
She
expressed hope that the Prime Minister of Pakistan will open the borders to the
"people of Afghanistan who need to seek safety for their protection and
for their families".
"So
far Pakistan has welcomed thousands of people but we need to be more open to
welcoming people who are under risk. Pakistan needs to ensure that it gets into
a conversation and negotiation with Taliban to ensure protection of human
rights," she said.
Source:
ND TV
--------
Expo
2020 Dubai To Showcase Women's Achievements and Highlight Women Empowerment
Sep
29, 2021
The
mega show of the world – Expo 2020 – would take off to a colorful start in a
couple of days. The greatest show on earth happening in Dubai would see the
participation of over 190 countries including India and the world is curious to
see the latest in technology that the show would feature.
That
aside, what would make EXPO 2020 special is the first pavilion solely dedicated
to women entrepreneurs. No world expo, since 1900, had this ingredient that
turns the spotlight on issues relating to gender parity and women empowerment.
So,
Dubai can take the credit for this because it has shown its determination to
smash stereotypes related to women. And, it has begun well by putting women at
the driver seat of Expo 2020.
This
was recently confirmed by Ms. Maha Al Gergawi, Senior Vice President, Political
Affairs, Expo 2020 who said the expo is literally run by women under the
dynamic leadership of Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE Minister of State
for International Affairs and Expo 2020 Managing Director.
“Over
50 per cent of the workforce at Expo 2020 is women and over 60 per cent Emirati
women are in leadership positions,” Ms. Al Gergawi noted. She was confident
that Expo 2020 would be an opportunity to clear the misconceptions about
women’s competencies and capabilities.
Interestingly,
the UAE Gender Balance Council and Expo 2020 Dubai have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the engagement on gender balance and women
empowerment at the upcoming show.
The
idea, according to HE Reem Al Hashimy, is to show the world and participating
countries, the UAE’s achievements and future goals in promoting gender balance
worldwide using Expo 2020 as a solid launch-pad.
Meanwhile,
Ms. Hind Alowais, Vice President, Expo 2020 Participant Management opines, Expo
2020 cannot be imagined without paying tribute to women who have played a key
role in nation-building. “No country has achieved the goal of addressing the
issue of inequality,” she said.
Ms.
Alowais agrees that women’s equality is still very much at the centre of
development issues. Expo 2020, she feels, would create a space and bring in
countries, thought leaders, NGOs, public and private entities to further the
agenda.
Expo
2020, it is learnt, will also have a huge exhibition titled ‘New Perspectives:
When Woman Thrives Humanity Thrives’ besides Women’s Majlis where the role of
women in Arabia, Islam, Sustainability and Sports among other areas would be
discussed.
Ms.
Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare says women
entrepreneurs from the UAE are already leading global brands. “They are
changing the global perception about Arab women,” Alisha said.
EXPO
2020, she said, would showcase this to a great extent, and also open up new
opportunities for them to promote their businesses, collaborate and grow. Ms.
Alisha believes that women entrepreneurs from India can make the most in Dubai.
“We
already have Indian women entrepreneurs who are at the helm of the most trusted
brands in the UAE and they are leading in healthcare, retail and lifestyle,”
she said adding, “there are opportunities for more women in areas like
hospitality, fashion, F&B and education among others.
That
puts in perspective the proactive role being played by women in holding the
grandest of all shows. In other words, it also forces one to take a fresh look
at women – the modern women who refuse to get stereo-typed. They have already
arrived, and you could see them at EXPO 2020!
Source:
Times of India
--------
Taliban
disperse women protesters with gunfire in Kabul
September
30, 2021
The
Taliban on Thursday violently cracked down on a small women's rights
demonstration, firing shots into the air and pushing back protesters, AFP
journalists witnessed.
A
group of six women gathered outside a high school in eastern Kabul, demanding
the right for girls to return to secondary school after the group excluded them
from classes earlier this month.
The
women unfurled a banner that read “Don't break our pens, don't burn our books,
don't close our schools”, before Taliban guards snatched it from them.
They
pushed back the women protesters as they tried to continue with the
demonstration, while a foreign journalist was hit with a rifle and blocked from
filming.
A
Taliban fighter also released a brief burst of gunfire into the air with his
automatic weapon, AFP journalists saw.
The
demonstrators — from a group called the “Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women
Activists” — took refuge inside the school.
Taliban
guard Mawlawi Nasratullah, who led the group and identified himself as the head
of special forces in Kabul, said the demonstrators “did not coordinate with
security authorities regarding their protest”.
“They
have the right to protest in our country like every other country. But they
must inform the security institutes before,” he said.
Isolated
rallies with women at the forefront were staged in cities around the country
after the Taliban seized power, including in the western city of Herat where
two people were shot dead.
But
protests have dwindled since the government issued an order that unsanctioned
demonstrations and warned of “severe legal action” for violators.
It
has been almost two weeks since girls were prevented from going to secondary
school.
The
Taliban follow a strict interpretation of sharia law that segregates men and
women and have also slashed women's access to work.
They
have said they need to establish the right conditions before girls can return
to the classroom, but many Afghans are sceptical.
Source:
Dawn
https://www.dawn.com/news/1649315/taliban-disperse-women-protesters-with-gunfire-in-kabul
--------
Israel
officers kill woman in Jerusalem after alleged stabbing attempt
September
30, 2021
Israeli
police fatally shot a Palestinian woman who allegedly tried to stab officers in
Jerusalem's Old City on Thursday, police said.
And
in the northern West Bank, Israeli forces shot dead a male who purportedly
opened fire on them during clashes prompted by an overnight arrest operation,
police said.
According
to a police statement, the woman in Jerusalem tried to stab police in one of
the streets leading to Al Aqsa mosque.
An
AFP journalist heard gunshots and saw the body of a woman on the ground, later
draped in a survival blanket.
Israeli
police “opened fire” at the assailant and “medical forces who arrived at the
scene determined her death,” police said, adding that the attempted attack did
not result in any casualties.
The
30-year-old deceased woman, from Qabatiya in the north of the occupied West
Bank, was leaving the Al Aqsa compound, Islam's third holiest site, when she
approached officers, police claimed.
In
the village of Burqin, also in the northern West Bank near Jenin, Israeli
troops and border police were conducting an operation “to arrest suspects and
locate weapons,” a police statement said.
“During
the operation an armed [male] fired at the forces who were operating in the
village during a riot,” police said.
“Border
police forces responded with gunfire ... and neutralised him,” police said,
with a spokesman confirming his death to AFP.
Palestinian
group Islamic Jihad said the man killed was a member of its military wing. No
Israeli forces were wounded in the incident, police said.
In
Jerusalem, Israeli security forces are stationed at each entrance to the Al
Aqsa compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism.
The
compound lies in east Jerusalem, the Palestinian sector of the city which
Israel occupied in 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the
international community.
Five
Palestinians were killed on Sunday after an Israeli raid in the occupied West
Bank sparked gunbattles with Hamas fighters, two of them in Burqin, officials
said.
Source:
Dawn
--------
Muslim
Women More Likely Than Men To Experience Islamophobia In The United States,
Survey Finds
September
29, 2021
By
Alejandra Molina
(RNS)
— A survey exploring the lives of Muslims in the United States found that
Muslim women were more likely than men to have personally experienced Islamophobia,
that younger Muslims were more likely to try to conceal their religious
identities and that many Muslims self-censor themselves out of fear of how
others may react to them.
The
report, “Islamophobia through the Eyes of Muslims,” was released Wednesday
(Sept. 29) by the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley. A total of
1,123 Muslims in the U.S. participated in the 2020 survey that was virtually
conducted between Oct. 14 and Nov. 2.
The
goal of the survey, according to the report, “was to ask US Muslims to assess
the impacts of the othering and discrimination they face because of their
religious affiliation.”
The
report is described as groundbreaking in that it focuses “on the people living
with Islamophobia, documenting their collective experiences and registering
their voices,” instead of solely analyzing media coverage or documenting
negative statements about Muslims.
Basima
Sisemore, a researcher for the Global Justice Program at the Othering &
Belonging Institute, told Religion News Service that with this survey, they are
“centering and uplifting the voices of Muslim Americans.”
Sisemore
said the survey also highlights the diversity of the U.S. Muslim population.
Participants
identified as South Asian (35.6%), Arab (25.2%), African American/Black and
Afro-Arab heritage (8.8%), white or of European descent (7%), Central and East
Asian (6.9%), multiracial (1.2%), Hispanic or Latino (1.1%) and other (14.2%).
More
than two-thirds of respondents were under 50 years old — about half between the
ages of 30 and 49 (48.8%), and one-fifth between 18 and 29 (19.9%).
Most
(90.7%) are college graduates and 92.4% were either native English speakers or
speak English very well, according to the report, while 83.5% of respondents
spoke another language besides English at home. A majority of participants
(61.2%) were foreign-born, while 38.8% were born in the U.S.
Participants
were asked a range of questions, including who they believed was most at risk
of experiencing Islamophobia and if and how often they’ve experienced it,
whether they believed Islamic values were consistent with U.S. values, how
often they socialized with non-Muslim groups, how Islamophobia has affected
their mental well-being and if they’ve ever tried to hide their religious
identity.
Nearly
75% of the participants believe women are more at risk of experiencing
Islamophobia, according to the report. The survey found 60.6% of respondents
believe Islamophobia to be a “very big problem in the U.S.”
More
than two-thirds who participated in the survey (67.5%) have personally
experienced Islamophobia, and women (76.7%) were more likely than men (58.6%)
to have had a personal encounter with Islamophobia. Nearly all respondents
(93.7%) said Islamophobia affects their emotional and mental well-being, according
to the report.
“This
may suggest that even if a Muslim is not directly targeted by an Islamophobic
act, the ubiquity of Islamophobia in our media and culture after 9/11 has
created an atmosphere in which Muslims feel they are being monitored, judged,
or excluded in some form,” Elsadig Elsheikh, the director of the Institute’s
Global Justice program, said in a statement.
The
survey found that more than 32.9% of participants at some point in their lives
have hid or tried to hide their religious identity, with 88.2% saying they
censor their speech or actions due to fear of how people might react. Younger
people, ages 18-29 (44.6%), were more likely than any other age group to have
attempted to conceal their religious identity.
Meanwhile,
most respondents (79.4%) agreed Islamic values were consistent with U.S.
values. Nearly all participants (99.1%) agreed — with 91.9% strongly agreeing —
it is a good thing that U.S. society is made up of people from different
cultures.
To
Sisemore, one of the report’s authors, it’s important to quantify the impacts
of Islamophobia, especially since nearly all participants (97.8%) said they
believe Islamophobia exists in the U.S.
“That’s
significant,” Sisemore said. “It exists and it’s an issue.”
As
part of the survey, 62.7% of respondents said they personally, or family
members, friends or people in their community, have been affected by federal
and/or state policies that disproportionately discriminate against Muslims.
Only 12.5% of participants have reported
an
incident to authorities, according to the report.
And,
more than half (53.3%) said they have been treated unfairly by a law
enforcement officer because of their religious identity. Despite this, many
(85.6%) feel comfortable calling law enforcement for help or protection.
Sisemore
said these findings “spotlight the impacts of institutionalized Islamophobia.”
In
an online panel on Wednesday, Sisemore said it was also important to highlight
the study’s positive findings.
Many
Muslim Americans, she said, believe and support diversity in the U.S. She
highlighted the study’s findings showing that nearly all participants (99%)
agreed that all races and ethnicities of people should be treated equally.
More
than half of respondents (52%) identify themselves in everyday encounters as
Muslim American, Sisemore said. “It goes to speak to the sense of belonging
that Muslim Americans feel and have in being in the United States.”
“They
have a strong desire for their children to have a sense of belonging and to
feel part of U.S. society and that they have a place here,” she said.
Source:
Religion News
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-arabia-skydivers-female-/d/125478
New ge 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