Sultana Tafadar Is First Hijabi Barrister to Be Appointed Counselor to Queen of England
New
Age Islam News Bureau
02
June 2022
• Dr.
Anne Azza Aly Is Australia’s First Female Muslim Minister
• Islamophobic
and Racist: French Restaurant Denies Entry to Muslim Woman Wearing Hijab
• 2
Women Journalists Win Shaheed Selina Parvin Award
• First
Starbucks Drive-Thru Run By Saudi Women Opens in Eastern Province of Saudi
Arabia
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sultana-tafadar-queen-england/d/127157
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Sultana
Tafadar is first hijabi barrister to be appointed counselor to Queen of England
Sultana
Tafadar, the first hijab-wearing criminal barrister, was appointed as counselor
to Queen Elizabeth II of England.
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June
01, 2022
LONDON
— Sultana Tafadar, the first hijab-wearing criminal barrister, was appointed as
counselor to Queen Elizabeth II of England, one of the highest positions a
lawyer can hold in England, for those who showed “excellence in advocacy.”
During
a ceremony conducted at Westminster Palace near the Buckingham Palace to
commemorate her "taking the silk" — an euphemism for her designation
in the Quality Control Center in English courts.
The
high-ranking lawyer was born in Luton, England, according to the British Daily
Mail website, and her roots are from Bangladesh.
Tafadar
confirmed that she could not believe what she had achieved, and that everything
was a surreal experience. “I'm absolutely delighted, especially as the first
hijab-wearing barrister to have been admitted at the criminal bar.”
She
said, “Representation is really important.” She added to her wish for
hijab-wearing girls to realize their dreams after her dream has become a
reality.
She
described the challenge faced by other veiled women across Europe as sad.
“There are women across Europe and particularly in France who are facing
discrimination because they wear the hijab,” she added.
“France
wants to impose various forms of hijab bans and that amounts to sex
discrimination, race discrimination and religious discrimination.”
She
further explains, “It's sad on a day like this and I'm celebrating taking the
silk wearing the hijab that others across Europe are denied those opportunities
that I've had.”
A
London General Council report on race found that prior to Tafadar’s
appointment, only 31 women of black, Asian or mixed ethnicity out of nearly
2,000 received quality control.
“In
terms of hijab-wearing barristers that are Queen's Counsel, there's only ever
been two and I'm the first at the criminal bar,” she added.
Shaheed
Fatima of Blackstone Chambers in London, who was promoted to the title in 2016,
was the first hijab-wearing lawyer to take the silk.
Tafadar
earned a Master of Law in human rights from University College London. She used
to be asked if she was the interpreter while at court when she started.
She
also holds an Oxford University master's degree in international human rights.
“Unfortunately,
it is layers and layers of challenges that I face, as a woman, as somebody from
an ethnic minority background and as somebody who's visibly hijab-wearing.”
“There
have been challenges in court, there have been challenges in the workplace in
my previous chambers, but I'm glad to say that it is possible to overcome those
challenges and it is possible — having the opportunities — it is possible to
shine.”
Currently
Tafadar is trying legally to end France's headscarf ban, and this year she will
argue before the United Nations that the French government is breaking
international law.
“Diversity
that embraces lawyers from different racial, ethnic and gender backgrounds, is
to be welcomed and championed if the criminal bar is to continue to better
reflect the public we serve as prosecutors and defenders,” said Jo Sidhu QC,
chair of the Criminal Bar Association.
In
May 2020, Raffia Arshad became the first hijabi woman to be appointed as a
judge. — Agencies
Source:
Saudi Gazette
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/621269
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Dr.
Anne Azza Aly Is Australia’s First Female Muslim Minister
Anne
Aly.
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2
June, 2022
Australian
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday appointed a record number of women
to a diverse ministerial team that includes religious minorities and indigenous
peoples.
Albanese's
cabinet has 23 ministers, including 10 women, compared to seven in former Prime
Minister Scott Morrison's liberal government.
The
Minister of Youth in Albanese's cabinet is Dr. Anne Azza Aly (born Azza Mahmoud
Fawzi Hosseini Ali el Serougi) and her colleague, Industry Minister Ed Husic,
are the first two Muslim ministers in the Australian Federal Government.
Anne
Aly is the first woman of Arab and Muslim origin to hold a high position in
Australian history.
She
is of Egyptian origin and was born in Alexandria on March 29, 1967.
Although
she is a newcomer to the Australian Labor Party, but within a few years she has
proven her worth and statesmanship, and she has been a member of the House of
Representatives since the 2016 elections for the Labor party, which won the
elections on Saturday, May 21, 2022, with 77 seats out of 150 seats is the
number of seats in the Australian House of Representatives.
Ann
Aly represents the voters of the Cowan region in Western Australia. She is a
graduate of Edith Cowan University. She also studied at the American University
in Cairo and is married.
She
has two children, Adam, Reda and Karim.
Anne
Aly represents the left-wing in the Australian Labor party, and her victory in
the ministerial position in the Albanese government, of Italian origin, means
that racial, religious and cultural diversity has become a tangible reality in
Australia.
Anne
Aly is considered one of the best politicians who can respond correctly to the
challenges brought about by the reality of diversity in Australian society, especially
in the last fifty years.
Source:
Gulf Today
https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2022/06/01/anne-aly-is-australia-first-female-muslim-minister
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Islamophobic
and Racist: French Restaurant Denies Entry to Muslim Woman Wearing Hijab
June
02, 2022
According
to media reports, the incident took place on Sunday when a resident of France's
Hendaye city, wanted to take his mother to a restaurant for a Mother's Day
dinner, which he had made a reservation a week in advance.
In
the footage, when the mother and son arrive at the restaurant door, the woman
who owns the business said she will not let the two customers into the
restaurant because her mother is wearing a "headscarf from the Dark
Ages."
The
restaurant owner, who is believed to be a Christian because she was wearing a
religious symbol – a cross around her neck – claimed that "the headscarf
is a tool to subdue women" to her Muslim client, whom she then refused to
let in.
The
customer, who stated that he was shocked by the words directed at him, went to
the police station and filed a complaint on the grounds that they were
discriminated against.
Images
of incident widely condemned
The
images, which went viral on social media, garnered reactions on the grounds
that Islamophobic and racist behavior was displayed.
With
the implementation of laws targeting Muslims in France, Islamophobic and
discriminatory attacks against headscarved women, Muslims and Islamic
establishments and places of worship have increased, which appear to have
emboldened anti-Muslim racist attacks.
Recently,
the decision of the municipality of Grenoble to allow veiled swimwear on public
beaches and swimming pools in the country was suspended by a court upon the
instructions of Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
Source:
IQNA
https://iqna.ir/en/news/3479153/french-restaurant-denies-entry-to-muslim-woman-wearing-hijab
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2
women journalists win Shaheed Selina Parvin award
Jun
2, 2022
Two
female journalists received the "Shaheed Journalist Selina Parvin
Journalism Award given by Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra (BNSK), a centre for
women journalists.
The
award ceremony was held at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka today (June 2, 2022).
Kaberi
Maitrya, senior reporter at Ekattor Television, was given the "Shaheed
journalist Selina Parvin Journalism Award" for the year 2020 while Rozina
Islam, special correspondent of Prothom Alo, was awarded the "Shaheed
journalist Selina Parvin Courageous Journalism Award-2021".
Writer
Selina Hossain, also president of Bangla Academy; Mahfuza Khanam, former
vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu); and Mofidul
Hoque, one of the Trustees of the Liberation War Museum; were present as
special guests at the programme.
Prof
Golam Rahman also attended the programme with BNSK president Nasimun Ara Huq in
the chair.
While
speaking Nasimun urged media houses to create more opportunities for women to
join journalism.
In
addition, the government instruction to form sexual harassment prevention body
at all media houses should be implemented soon, she added.
Selina
Parvin, born on March 31, 1931, was a Bangladeshi journalist and poet. She
worked for Weekly Begum, Weekly Lalana, Shilalipi, among others.
She
was one of the intellectual martyrs killed by Al-Badr on December 14, 1971.
Al-Badr members picked her up from her house in Dhaka on December 13.
Her
body was later recovered from Rayerbazar mass grave and later, she was buried
at Azimpur Graveyard on December 18, 1971.
Source:
The Daily Star
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First
Starbucks Drive-Thru Run By Saudi Women Opens in Eastern Province of Saudi
Arabia
June
01, 2022
Starbucks
KSA has launched its first all-Saudi female-operated Drive-Thru store in the
Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, as part of its ongoing commitment to creating
more work opportunities for Saudi women in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The new all-female Drive-Thru only store located on the Coast Road is a
significant step toward increasing its female workforce to 30 percent by the
end of 2022, with plans to launch many more Drive Thru stores over the coming
years in Saudi Arabia.
As
a long-term contributor to Saudi Arabia’s coffee culture through its
Saudization drive, Starbucks, operated by Alshaya Group in the region, has
focused its efforts on growing the representation of women in the workforce
while encouraging a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Alshaya and
Starbucks have a long history of creating and strengthening opportunities for
women and fostering diversity across the organization and the markets it
operates in.
Managed
by a team of all Saudi female partners, the Starbucks Drive-Thru only store
will continue to deliver the “Starbucks Experience” that brings customers great
coffee at their convenience. Partners will be responsible for all aspects of
store operations, customer service, day-to-day administration, and brewing
coffee for the customers.
“This
is an exciting time for our Saudi partners to lead our first all-female driven
operation in the country as they set new benchmarks and progress in their
career journey at Starbucks,” said Andy Holmes, president of Starbucks MENA at
Alshaya Group.
“Our
first all-female Saudi partners-operated Drive-Thru store in the Kingdom is a
significant step toward creating more opportunities for women as we continue to
build on the local female talent and empower them in the workplace. As we
continue to see a spike in more Saudi women joining the workforce in various
sectors, we demonstrate active support to the Kingdom’s focus on empowering
Saudi youth and highlighting the role of women by offering access to wider
employment and career opportunities.”
Today,
women make up 20 percent of Starbucks KSA’s workforce. With the first all-women
Starbucks Drive-Thru store launch, the company has further plans to expand its
network in Saudi Arabia with more Saudi female partners.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2094841/corporate-news
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sultana-tafadar-queen-england/d/127157