Sunni Ulema Council Proposed Nikahnama Calls For Right to Divorce for Women and Bars Triple Talaq
New
Age Islam News Bureau
17
March 2021
•
UK School Drops Lawsuit over Muslim Girl’s ‘Too Long’ Skirt
•
Across Africa, Hijab in Schools Divides Christians and Muslims
•
Burqa Ban Just a 'Proposal', Sri Lanka Says After Criticism From Allies
•
Saudi Female Fighters Take Aim at another Stereotype
•
AP, WSF Launch First Scouting Units for Women in Saudi Universities
•
Women Must Be ‘Front and Centre’ Of Pandemic Recovery, UN Chief Says
•
Gender Equality Means Business, Guterres Tells Corporate Leaders
•
HRW: Targeted Killings Aimed at Keeping Afghan Women from Public Life
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sunni-ulema-council-proposed-nikahnama/d/124557
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Sunni
Ulema Council Proposed Nikahnama Calls For Right to Divorce for Women and Bars
Triple Talaq in One Sitting
The nikahnama gives the woman the right to divorce
and binds the clerics and witnesses to give their testimony in case the issue
reaches a court.(Kunal Patil/ Hindustan Times)
-----
By
Haider Naqvi
MAR
17, 2021
The
Sunni Ulema Council, a prominent body of Sunni Muslims, has proposed a new
Nikahnama (marriage contract) that bars triple Talaq in one sitting and
provides safeguards to women, including the right to divorce.
In
a first, the document will be made available in both Urdu and Hindi.
“We
are giving them (new Nikahnama) to the clergy to build a consensus on it and
also promote it in place of the old one that had none of the conditions
mentioned in this one,” said Haji Mohammad Salees, convener of the Sunni Ulema
Council.
According
to the draft, seen by HT, the nikahnama gives the woman the right to divorce
and binds the clerics and witnesses to give their testimony in case the issue
reaches a court. The name and address of the cleric who solemnises the marriage
would also be mentioned in the contract, the draft states.
The
draft of the Nikahnama states that a husband will not be able to give triple
talaq in one sitting and the method of divorce would be in accordance with the
Quran, Salees said. The old version was only available in Urdu and did not have
any instructions on divorce which is why triple talaq happened, he said.
“The
new Nikahnama has detailed that divorce can only take place as per the method
outlined in the Quran -- the husband cannot give triple talaq in one sitting,”
he said. Getting it in Hindi would make it easier to understand for everyone
who are not well-versed in Urdu, he said.
Salees
said that the old version of the Nikahnama needed to be changed to with respect
to the change in time. He said that old version was just an announcement of
marriage declaring that the woman would get a mutually agreed amount, meher, in
lieu of the marriage. Unlike the old version, Aadhar numbers of the man and
woman, along with those of the witnesses, would be mentioned in the marriage
contract, he added.
“The
new Nikahnama is being discussed among clerics, who are likely to reach a
decision before Ramzan,” he said.
The
All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) has given its consent to
the new Nikahnama, which is likely to be effective from Eid this year,
president of the board Syeda Tabassum said. “The Nikahnama will formally be in
use from Eid this year; the draft is ready and it will be an effective
instrument in checking cases of triple talaq,” said Tabassum.
The
AIMWPLB, on its part, would organise pre- and post-marriage counselling and
distribute books on rights of the husband and wife.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sunni-body-s-proposed-nikahnama-calls-for-right-to-divorce-for-women-101615917542051.html
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UK
School Drops Lawsuit over Muslim Girl’s ‘Too Long’ Skirt
Under the UK's Department for Education
guidelines, uniform policy is a matter for individual head-teachers and their
governing bodies. (AP)
-----
March
16, 2021
LONDON:
A UK school that threatened a lawsuit over a Muslim schoolgirl whose skirt was
“too long” has backed down from taking legal action and apologized, The
Guardian reported on Tuesday.
Siham
Hamud, 12, of Uxbridge High School in London, said she was bullied over her
religion after being sent home every day in December and told she could only
return when wearing a shorter skirt.
The
school subsequently threatened her family with legal action after her
consecutive absences. Her parents argued that short skirts violate Islamic
religious beliefs.
But
three months after first threatening legal action, Uxbridge High School has
reversed its decision.
Siham’s
father Idris Hamud said the period has been “difficult” for the family, and he
felt relief upon hearing the news.
In
a statement released by lawyers, Hamud said he is “pleased” that the school has
listened to their concerns.
“We
are very happy that Siham has been able to resume her schooling, with her right
to practice her faith by wearing an ankle-length skirt in the same style as the
school uniform skirt now accommodated by the school,” he added.
The
school has also sent a letter of apology, the statement said. “We thank the
school for its willingness to work towards a fair and positive outcome,” Hamud
said.
“This
has been a difficult period and we are relieved to now have the matter
concluded. We are grateful for the support we have received from the wider
community.”
Hamud
had previously warned that his daughter was “being denied an education because
of her religious beliefs.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1826591/world
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Across
Africa, Hijab in Schools Divides Christians and Muslims
Students listen to a lecture during class at
Oregun Junior and Senior High School, in Lagos Nigeria, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021.
(AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
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16
March 2021
In
its traditional form, religious veils worn by Muslim women signify modesty and
privacy. Fashions range from simple scarves known as "khimaars" to
head-to-toe cloaks known as abayas or burqas.
But
in any form, wearing hijab is regarded as an act of worship or a statement of
Muslim faith, and recently, the religious garments have triggered bitter fights
between Christians and Muslims. One such fight is unfolding in the western
Nigerian state of Kwara, forcing a temporary closure of at least 10 Christian
schools.
The
dispute began in February, when the head of the schools sent Muslim students
with head coverings away, in apparent violation of Nigeria's constitutional
right to wear a head covering. The school official claimed that veils were
against the original Christian heritage of the school's founding missionaries.
“We
assert that in principle and practice our schools are mission [government]
grant-aided schools and not general public schools and cannot be technically
Islamized starting with the use of Hijab,” said Rev Reuben Idowu Ibitoye, a
Baptist minister who is the secretary-general of the Christian Association of
Nigeria in Kwara, in a statement.
Earlier
in the month, the state government approved the use of the hijab in school, but
the Christian association said it rejected and condemned the approval.
“This
will cause discrimination in schools and also allow terrorists to easily
identify our children and ward,” said Ibitoye, while also calling for the
government to return mission school oversight to churches.
But
Nigeria’s hijab dispute is similar to those in some other African countries.
In
2015, the countries of Congo, with a population that is 1.3 per cent Muslim;
Chad, with 51 per cent; Guinea, with 85 per cent; and Cameroon, with about 30
per cent, banned modesty garments to counter Boko Haram, the Nigerian terrorist
group that is increasingly active in the region. The bans were part of the
measure to curb terrorist activities. Tunisia, Gabon and Morocco are African
countries with large populations of Muslims that have banned the burqa.
In
East Africa, similar disputes have also occurred. In Kenya in 2019, the supreme
court overturned a lower court ruling that had allowed female students to wear
the head coverings in school. The ruling was decided as Muslim leaders made a
spirited push for allowing religious garments in church-owned schools.
Christian
leaders and educators had been resisting the move, maintaining that dress codes
and school uniforms not only provided discipline and equality, but also were
part of church and school traditions.
“We
have been successful in most of the schools, but there are others where we had
to allow the hijab due to the large numbers of Muslim students. We are still
pushing to maintain the Catholic Church traditions, ethos and values in the
schools we sponsor,” said Rev Henry Ndune, a Roman Catholic priest in the
Archdiocese of Mombasa, a region with many Muslims.
In
Uganda, the controversy around the hijab in schools is bigger than in Nigeria,
said Hadija Kibira, the chairperson of the Uganda Muslim Women Vision.
“The
biggest problem is in public schools. Many of them have been Christianised and
therefore do not allow the wearing of the hijab,” Kibira told Religion News
Service. “They admit very few Muslims, who usually have less say and cannot
demand their rights.”
According
to Kibira, students sitting for national examinations are often stripped of
their hijab in accordance with a ban by the examination board, and some at
Uganda’s main university in Makerere have been stopped from sitting for their
examinations altogether.
“In
Uganda, Muslim women are not allowed to have hijab in their passport
photographs. At the airport, many times, we have been told to unveil for
identification with the photo on the Passport,” said Kibira, adding that her
organisation has petitioned the court and the parliament over hijab on the
passport.
Abdallah
Kheri, a Muslim religious scholar who chairs the Islamic Research and Education
Trust in Kenya, said the disagreements are caused by the faiths' failure to
reason and dialogue.
“Historically
the two faiths have been rivals, since they are calling people to join. They
are always looking for customers, and they shall forever be rivals, but they
have to reason and co-exist,” said Kheri, who said colonization exacerbated
these divisions.
“In
Nigeria, some of the disputes trigger because Christians and Muslims cannot
agree on who is the majority. In Kenya, the problems are due to lack of
knowledge and growing religious extremism,” he said.
https://www.sightmagazine.com.au/news/19413-across-africa-hijab-in-schools-divides-christians-and-muslims
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Burqa
Ban Just A 'Proposal', Sri Lanka Says After Criticism From Allies
Mar
16, 2021
Sri
Lanka said on Tuesday a call to ban the wearing of the burqa was 'merely a
proposal', following criticism from regional allies ahead of a crucial United
Nations vote on human rights in the island nation.
Sri
Lanka's minister for public security, Sarath Weerasekera, said on Saturday it
would 'definitely' ban the full-face covering worn by some Muslim women on
national security grounds, pending cabinet approval.
But
the foreign ministry said on Tuesday, a decision had not yet been taken on what
it described as 'merely a proposal... under discussion'.
"The
government will initiate a broader dialogue with all parties concerned and
sufficient time will be taken for necessary consultations to be held and for
consensus to be reached," it said in a statement.
Muslims
make up around a tenth of the population in majority-Buddhist Sri Lanka.
The
statement follows criticism from Pakistan's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Saad
Kattak, who said in a tweet on Monday a ban 'will only serve as injury to the
feelings of ordinary Sri Lankan Muslims and Muslims across the globe'.
Ahmed
Shaheed, a Maldivian diplomat currently serving as the UN Special Rapporteur on
Freedom of Religion or Belief, said a ban was incompatible with international
laws that protect religious belief and freedom of expression.
Several
Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, are among the 47
nations that will vote on Sri Lanka's human rights record at a United Nations
session in Geneva next week.
A
UN resolution passed against Sri Lanka could allow for prosecutions of
government and military officials involved in ending a decades-long civil war
in 2009, and Colombo is sensitive to anything that may impact voting there,
according to a person familiar with the developments.
Almost
a third of the 47 nations are members of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation, which last year criticised a Sri Lankan policy to forcibly cremate
coronavirus victims in the country, in violation of the Islamic tradition of
burial. The policy was repealed last month.
https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/burqa-ban-just-a-proposal-sri-lanka-says-after-criticism-from-allies-370968
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Saudi
Female Fighters Take Aim at another Stereotype
DEEMA
AL-KHUDAIR
March
16, 2021
JEDDAH:
Saudi female participation across the sporting landscape may be blossoming
these days, but in many cases the seeds for the current success were sown
decades ago.
Boxing
and other martial arts have always been male-dominated sports globally, and
across the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia.
But
women in the Kingdom are becoming increasingly adept at breaking stereotypes
and celebrating their own achievements in sports, and beyond.
Halah
Al-Hamrani has been teaching boxing for 20 years and, in 2016, opened her first
gym, Flagboxing, in Jeddah. Before the 2020 lockdown following the outbreak of
the COVID-19 pandemic, she followed that up with a second center.
However,
her journey as a boxing trainer began at her family home, as public gyms for
women were rare.
Things
have changed rapidly, according to Al-Hamrani, who has seen women’s participation
in the sport rise by up to 70 percent in the last two decades.
But
more recently, thanks to social media as well as social and cultural changes in
the Kingdom, that there has been an explosion in the number of women lacing up
their gloves.
“When
I first started training people, it was apparent that women were very much
interested in combat sports,” Al-Hamrani told Arab News. “I started getting on
social media in 2014, and that’s when I started to realize just how many women
were interested.”
She
said that one reasons women sign up for boxing, beyond the fitness benefits, is
that they find it therapeutic.
“You
get a lot of different reasons why people join, but most of the time it’s just
that they have a lot of internal struggles that they want to let out when they
come to the gym,” said Al-Hamrani.
“It’s
a way of letting out annoyances that have been going on in their life, punching
it out.”
From
a health perspective, the trainer said that boxing’s physical benefits are
holistic.
“In
general, boxing is a full body workout, you’re targeting a lot of the (upper
body) muscles, but the legs are involved as well,” she added. “You can reach
your optimum shape and fitness levels, but you have to be very patient with the
skill aspect of the sport in order to reach your goals.”
Al-Hamrani’s
classes benefit from the years of experience she has had tailoring specific
routines and exercises for her female students.
“I
do a 100 percent work skill and footwork right off the bat,” she said. “If you
go to any other gym, they’re going to put you in front of a bag, have you punch
the bag without understanding anything about the sport itself. It’s just to
release whatever pressure you have, which is great.
“From
a fitness aspect, that’s fine, but at the same time, you have to develop better
(technical) ability standing in front of the bag,” Al-Hamrani added. “If you
want to burn more calories or you want to stay injury free, you cannot neglect
the skill part of the sport.”
More
than 90 percent of the women who join her classes may not be looking to fight
competitively, but she highlights the importance of body form and footwork
nevertheless.
“The
better your skill, the better you’ll be able to work, the more calories you’re
going to shed and the fewer injuries you will develop,” Al-Hamrani said.
With
those good, long-term habits in the bag, it won’t be long before we see young
female Saudi fighters making their mark competitively in the ring.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1826586/sport
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AP,
WSF Launch First Scouting Units for Women in Saudi Universities
March
16, 2021
RIYADH
— Alwaleed Philanthropies, chaired by Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, signed two
memorandums of cooperation (MoC), in collaboration with the World Scout
Foundation to support women and youth involvement in scouting locally and
internationally, and encourage greater participation in community volunteering
within the higher education sector.
The
collaboration will support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goal of rallying one
million individuals to volunteer per year.
The
partnership agreements aim to align volunteering programs in the Saudi
universities with the framework of the World Scout Foundation as well as
prepare students to participate in non-profit development projects.
Furthermore,
the programs will work to improve community engagement by forging partnerships
with third-party institutions within the community to achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The
newly launched initiative is the first in the Kingdom to build structured women
and youth scout groups in Saudi universities.
As
part of the pilot phase, five universities are expected to be onboard in 2021,
while further agreements will include more universities in Saudi Arabia as part
of a broader scheme after this year.
The
first two agreements have been signed with Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman
University (PNU) and Prince Sultan University (PSU).
Emphasizing
the importance of encouraging youth to participate in volunteering programs,
Princess Sama Bint Faisal, board member of the World Scout Foundation and head
of the Saudi Girl Scouts Committee, said: “Our countries need to empower and
encourage women and youth to contribute positively to the continuous growth and
development of our societies.
“Scouting
is one of the most effective ways to develop the required skills, knowledge,
and sense of responsibility to improve well-being of our local and global
communities.”
Princess
Sama Bint Faisal is the first head of the Saudi Girl Scouts Committee, and has
supported young women to participate in community engagement programs
throughout the Kingdom.
Commenting
on the announcement, Princess Lamia Bint Majed Saud, secretary general of
Alwaleed Philanthropies, added: “Saudi women have a crucial role to play in the
development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the wider region.
“I
strongly believe that empowering women and youth through volunteer programs has
a ripple effect on families, communities, and countries, and can achieve
long-lasting benefits and inspire other women, particularly young girls to
participate in the society and drive environmental and economic progress in the
Kingdom.
“We
are proud to work with our partners to support the Kingdom in reaching 1
million volunteers per year, while simultaneously achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals.”
For
four decades, Alwaleed Philanthropies has supported and spent more than $4
billion on social welfare and initiated more than 1000 projects in over +189
countries, managed by 10 Saudi female members, reaching more than 1 billion
beneficiaries around the world, regardless of gender, race, or religion.
Alwaleed
Philanthropies collaborates with a range of philanthropic, governmental, and
educational organizations to combat poverty, empower women and youth, develop
communities, provide disaster relief, and create cultural understanding through
education. — SG
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/604485
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Women
Must Be ‘Front and Centre’ Of Pandemic Recovery, UN Chief Says
March
17, 2021
GENEVA
— Women need to be “front and center” of the pandemic recovery as a matter of
economics, efficiency, effectiveness and social resilience, the UN chief told
the women’s commission on Tuesday.
“Male-dominated
teams will come up with male-dominated solutions,” Secretary-General António
Guterres warned a virtual town hall with women civil society during the 65th session of
the Commission on the Status of Women (CWS).
“We
cannot go back to the failed man-made policies that have resulted in the
fragility we see around us — in healthcare systems, in social protection, in
access to justice, and in the wellbeing of our planet,” he added.
A
litany of setbacks
The
UN chief painted a devastating picture of the social and economic impact the
COVID-19 pandemic has had on women’s rights, particularly the most vulnerable,
marginalized and poorest.
He
spoke about gender-based violence, both inside the home and online, as well as
the repercussions of school closures and elder care in perpetuating
inequalities, along with the inability of 12 million women to access sexual and
reproductive health services.
“UNICEF
reported last week that up to ten million more girls are at risk of becoming
child brides as a result of the pandemic,” he said.
Moreover,
there is a huge gender gap in the task forces and panels that are supposed to
be building the recovery.
Turning
it around
To
ensure that everyone enjoys life, dignity and security on a healthy planet, he
said there was a need to “reset” policies on the basis of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.
The
UN chief stressed that “gender equality is a question of power”, and as such,
“women’s full representation and leadership are a prerequisite” in moving
forward.
“We
need a more inclusive, networked multilateralism that recognizes the strength
that comes through diversity. We cannot talk about inclusive multilateralism
without including half the world’s population,” he spelled out.
Seize
the moment
In
an effort to “reignite” the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), and chart a path to more equal, just, inclusive, sustainable
societies and economies, the secretary-general advocated for five
“transformative actions” to build women’s representation, participation and
leadership.
Specifically,
he called for repealing discriminatory laws, taking concrete steps to ensure
women’s equal representation; advancing economic inclusion with equal pay;
addressing violence against women through increased funding, more effective
policies and political will; and support for young women leaders.
‘Signs
of hope’
Crediting
vaccines that “have been developed in record time”, Guterres said, “there are
now signs of hope”.
But
rather than going back to the previous “normal”, often discriminatory, unjust
and unsustainable, he underscored the importance of moving towards a “safer,
fairer, more inclusive and equal world”.
Women’s
insights needed
Hosting
the event, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka echoed the UN
chief in saying that COVID-19 “cannot be solved by men alone without the
insights of women” and called for an “agreed conclusion that highlight the
agency of engaging and involving women.”
She
introduced Tumie Komanyane of Frontline AIDS, who zeroed-in on the issue of
justice, which for many women living in sub-Saharan Africa, “remains a
far-fetched reality”.
Komanyane
asserted that reparations for violence against women and girls be a “key part
of the COVID-19 response”.
“Although
many of the countries have progressive legislation, implementation remains
fraught with challenges, including poor resource allocation to response,” she
said.
Nandini
Tanya Lallmon, a social activist leader from Mauritius who spoke on behalf
Women’s Rights and the LGBTI Caucus, detailed that “the near absence of
lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming, women,
girls and people from local councils, political parties, trade unions...have
resulted in them facing barriers to access and exercise their rights”.
Lallmon
underscored that “full and inclusive participation in public life” is a
prerequisite for ensuring that the interests of every group are adequately
represented. — UN News
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/604500/World/Women-must-be-front-and-center-of-pandemic-recovery-UN-chief-says
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Gender
Equality Means Business, Guterres Tells Corporate Leaders
March
17, 2021
NEW
YORK — The UN Secretary-General has urged corporate leaders to achieve gender
equality, highlighting the benefits for the private sector and society at
large.
António
Guterres made the appeal in a video message to the ‘Target Gender Equality
LIVE’ event, held on Tuesday during the latest session of the UN Commission on
the Status of Women (CSW).
Target
Gender Equality is an initiative by the UN Global Compact, which supports
businesses in adopting sustainable and socially responsible policies.
“The
world needs the talents and perspectives of all women to solve our biggest
challenges, from rebuilding the global economy to fighting systemic racism to
tackling climate change,” the UN chief said.
“That
is why gender equality is a strategic priority for the UN Global Compact and
for the UN system itself. Gender equality means business. Let us unite to make
it a reality.”
A
moral duty
As
the secretary-general pointed out, gender equality is essentially “a question
of power”. Whether in the public or private sector, men dominate.
“For
the private sector, women’s equal participation and leadership is both a moral
duty and a business imperative,” he said.
“When
women have income and resources — including access to digital technology — they
are more likely to invest in ways that benefit their families and communities.
Experience also shows that businesses with women well represented on their
corporate boards are more stable and profitable.”
Guterres
noted that hundreds of companies are now implementing the Women’s Empowerment
Principles launched by the UN Global Compact and UN Women in 2010. He hoped
thousands more would join them.
No
backtracking
He
stressed the need to act urgently, given the threat posed by the COVID-19
pandemic, whose impacts are affecting women worst of all.
“Backtracking
on the path to gender equality is not just bad for women. It will undermine the
resilience of entire economies and societies. And it will prevent the world
from fulfilling the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” he warned.
A
$13 trillion payoff
The
pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women also figured heavily in an address
by the UN’s deputy chief, to another event hosted on Tuesday by the UN Global
Compact.
Advancing
gender equality in response to the crisis could add $13 trillion to global
Gross Domestic Product by 2030, according to Deputy Secretary-General Amina
Mohammed.
She
said the UN’s road map out of the pandemic advocates for a just and inclusive
recovery, emphasizing the need for increased fiscal space and greater social
protections for women.
“With
targeted support, women-led businesses can play a major role in job creation
and economic recovery, keeping households and businesses afloat,” Mohammed
said, in a video message to the ‘Women Rise for All’ event.
“Given
this immense potential, I am inspired to see women leaders unite to identify,
support and finance women-led businesses and to protect vulnerable workers.” —
UN News
https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/604501/World/Europe/Gender-equality-means-business-Guterres-tells-corporate-leaders
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HRW:
Targeted Killings Aimed at Keeping Afghan Women from Public Life
By
Ayaz Gul
March
16, 2021
ISLAMABAD
- A global rights monitor is urging authorities in Afghanistan to launch
investigations into recent targeted killings of civilians in prominent
positions, and to prosecute those responsible.
The
latest incident of targeted attacks on civilians came Tuesday when gunmen
ambushed a bus carrying university staff in northeastern Baghlan province,
killing the driver and a student. Officials said the attack injured six
university lecturers. The Taliban insurgent group denied involvement and
instead condemned the bus attack.
In
a statement issued Tuesday, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted that
attacks in recent weeks have killed at least five women, mostly journalists and
media workers, and seven factory workers from the minority Shi’ite Hazara
community.
Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at
HRW, said the surge in targeted killings “appears intended to drive women from
public life and spread terror among minority communities.”
Gossman
said unidentified attackers also have gone after journalists, civil society
activists, and professionals, killing many, forcing some to flee the country
and leaving the rest to live in fear.
An
increasing number of Afghan women in journalism have left the profession
because of worsening security and threats, a trend that emerged after 2015 and
has accelerated, according to the HRW statement.
In
2020, 18 women journalists and media workers were threatened or violently
attacked.
The
Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, known as IS Khorasan Province (ISKP), has
claimed responsibility for many recent attacks, particularly those in and
around Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province.
“In
many cases, insurgents have accused the women of violating social norms by
taking on a public role,” said HRW.
“Because
many attacks on journalists go unclaimed and the Afghan government rarely investigates
threats or attacks on journalists, there has been a growing climate of fear
among the Afghan media,” the group stressed.
Afghan
authorities blame the Taliban for orchestrating the targeted killings, charges
the Islamist insurgent group rejects.
Gossman
said the Afghan government “finds it convenient” to blame every attack on the
Taliban rather than actually investigating it.
Afghan
authorities are reluctant to conduct an investigation, she alleged, because “to
do so would inevitably expose some cases where corruption, local power
struggles over land and resources, and abusive officials played a part.”
Targeted
killings of high-profile Afghans have swept through the country over the past
year. The United Nations, in a report published last month, said the violence
killed more than 700 civilians and injured nearly 550 others in 2020.
Human
Rights Watch noted it often is not clear whether the ISKP, the Taliban, or
other groups are responsible for the threats and attacks.
Critics
say the prolonged Afghan conflict and rampant corruption in the country’s
judicial system, along with security institutions, also are encouraging
influential people aligned with the government to settle traditional tribal
rivalries over land or resources, leading to some targeted assassinations.
The
spike in violence comes as the United States has accelerated diplomatic efforts
to push the Taliban and the Afghan government to urgently reach a political
settlement to end the conflict and pave the way for all American troops to
leave the country. However, Afghans and
independent critics are skeptical about an early resolution to the conflict and
fear the U.S.-led foreign troop drawdown will lead to more bloodshed and chaos
in Afghanistan.
https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/hrw-targeted-killings-aimed-keeping-afghan-women-public-life
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sunni-ulema-council-proposed-nikahnama/d/124557
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