Wearing Hijab: Dressing Modestly Is Not Just For Muslim Women
New
Age Islam News Bureau
06
February 2021
•
Iran’s Khosrowyar among Women Football Stars Changing the Game
•
UAE Leads Countries Advocating Women's Rights At Global Level
•
Hopes and Fears of Mother-To-Be in Afghanistan
•
Pakistani Jirga Stops Bajaur Women From Visiting World Bank Centres,
Saying It Was Against Local Customs And
Traditions
•
Egypt’s Listed Companies Still Poor In Female Representation At Highest Levels:
Board Diversity Index 2020
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/wearing-hijab-dressing-modestly-just/d/124243
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Wearing
Hijab: Dressing Modestly Is Not Just For Muslim Women
February
06, 2021
"The
hijab is a part of me where I feel powerful and confident because I am 100 per
cent myself," Ms Awamleh told the ABC.
"It
allows me to be who I am and the freedom to dress as I want."
A
professional fashion designer in Melbourne, Ms Awamleh has been working to
normalize the wearing of hijabs and "modest" fashion.
She
said dressing modestly was not just for Muslim women.
"I
have this vision where I want to empower women to dress elegantly and
powerfully, and it doesn't matter whether you wear a hijab or not," Ms
Awamleh said.
"I
think women are beautiful, with hijab, and without hijab, there's no
difference."
Ms
Awamleh's work has featured at various fashion shows, including Melbourne
Fashion Week, and she said she was often the only designer who specialized in
hijab and modest fashion.
She
said there needed "to be more conversations" in the fashion industry
addressing Islamophobia and tackling misconceptions.
"I
see no difference with a woman who chooses to dress modestly and another woman
who doesn't want to dress modestly," Ms Awamleh said.
She
said once people knew how "special" the hijab was for Muslim women,
it would help to end the stigma surrounding it.
Ms
Awamleh added a rise in Islamophobia shouldn't prevent a woman from wanting to
wear a hijab.
"You
shouldn't let anything stop you," she said.
But
in a week celebrating World Hijab Day, Sarah, who only wanted her first name
used, said she had a different experience of wearing a hijab in Australia.
The
first day she arrived in Australia as an international student was the start of
her experiences of "hijabophobia".
At
the airport, Sarah said authorities started to follow and question her after
passing through immigration.
"More
than one person kept asking for my passport over and over again," she said.
Sarah
said she felt "targeted" and didn't notice it happen to anyone else.
She
said she continued to face discrimination after nearly two months of living in
Australia and eventually decided to take her hijab off.
"It
didn't make sense to me, it was sad," she said.
"I
guess some people are brought up in a way that they're not familiar with Islam.
"I
understand it can be strange, it's normal to be scared of strange things."
Many
Muslim women around the world are working to challenge the notion that the hijab
is a sign of oppression.
"For
me, it is a religious obligation, but it also represents my identity as a
Muslim woman and a symbol of empowerment for women," said Laura Abdul
Fattah, an ambassador for World Hijab Day in Australia.
The
day aims to show solidarity with women in hijab by giving people from all
faiths and backgrounds the opportunity to have a first-hand experience of
wearing a hijab.
According
to World Hijab Day research carried out in Europe, the US and Australia, 71 per
cent of women who wear hijabs have experienced discrimination.
"It's
about creating awareness and the meaning of hijab, while providing a chance for
people to listen to the experiences of Muslim women," Ms Abdul Fattah
said.
Rania
Shafiq, 48, converted to Islam when she was 16.
After
travelling to Indonesia and Malaysia when she was younger, she said she
realized that Islam was a "beautiful" religion she wanted to be a
part of.
"I
just absolutely loved their way of life and their way of thinking and the kind
of commitment and responsibility to each other," Ms Shafiq said.
But
Ms Shafiq was "wary" about what other people might think of her, and
took her time deciding whether she would wear the hijab.
"I
just got to a point where I thought 'look this is me', and I don't feel comfortable
not doing this, this is who I want to be," Ms Shafiq said.
"I
just decided one day to go to work wearing the hijab and it was amazing.
"I
can't imagine not wearing my hijab now."
Her
family was initially hesitant but soon realized Ms Shafiq was the "same
person", who was "more comfortable" in herself.
Ms
Shafiq lives in Alice Springs where there isn't a very large Muslim community.
After
the Christchurch attacks in New Zealand, her husband said it might be worth her
considering taking off her hijab so she wouldn't stand out.
"I
said to him, I would never take it off, this is who I am, and I feel like it's
almost the opposite of being oppressed," she said.
"It's
very liberating to actually not have to hide and be able to say 'look, this is
who I am'."
https://iqna.ir/en/news/3473898/muslim-women-say-wearing-hijab-is-empowering
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Iran’s
Khosrowyar among Women Football Stars Changing the Game
February,
06, 2021
She
is the first female coach in the Iranian National Women’s League. The
33-year-old moved to Iran from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she was born, to join the
national football team at the age of 17. She went on to become a coach for
U-14, then eventually U-19 teams.
Khosrowyar
scouted girls from rural areas and pushed to put the team in international
competitions, globalvoices.org reported.
In
2011, her team was disqualified from a second-round Olympic qualifying match
because of the competition's ban on wearing the hijab.
After
three years of campaigning, women were allowed by FIFA to wear a “head covering
for religious reasons,” and so “Kat” and her team finally got permission to
compete internationally again.
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2021/02/06/2447567/iran-s-khosrowyar-among-women-football-stars-changing-the-game
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UAE
Leads Countries Advocating Women's Rights At Global Level
February
6, 2021
The
United Arab Emirates is at the forefront of the countries advocating women's
rights at the global level through a series of initiatives and programmes aimed
at supporting and empowering women in many societies and countries.
The
UAE tops advanced ranks on many global indicators related to supporting women's
rights and empowerment, as well as its unprecedented achievement globally in
achieving equality in parliamentary representation during the 16th legislative
chapter of the Federal National Council.
On
the UAE's efforts supporting women at the global level, the initiatives and
efforts of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General
Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and
Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF),
should be highlighted first as Sheikha Fatima is considered the first champion
of women worldwide thanks to her efforts in this field.
For
many years, Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, sponsored, presided over and supported
a group of specialised conferences in the Arab, international and Islamic
worlds to empower women and enhance their stature.
Under
the generous patronage of Her Highness, the UAE hosted in October 2019 a
ceremony and symposium for the launch of the 'Arab Document on Women's Rights
in the UAE', organised by the Federal National Council in cooperation with the
Arab Parliament, in appreciation of the pioneering role of the UAE and its
record of civilisational achievements in the process of empowering women.
Since
the establishment of the UAE federation in 1971, the UAE has been keen to join
international conventions on women's issues and protecting their rights,
including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women in 2004, the Convention on Working Hours in Industry in 1982, and
the Forced Labour Convention in 1982, the International Convention on Labour
Inspection in Industry and Trade in 1982, the Night Work (Women) Convention in
1982, the Convention concerning Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers
for Work of Equal Value in 1996, and the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
in 1996 And the Convention on Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, in 1996.
The
UAE has a strong and growing relationship with UN Women, as it was a member of
the UN Women Executive Board between 2013 and 2018, and assumed the presidency
of the Executive Council of UN Women in 2017.
The
UAE has provided the UN Women - since its inception in 2010 - with financial
support amounting to about US$26 million, to strengthen its efforts to empower
women worldwide, make the country ranked first in the Arab world and tenth in
the world.
The
UAE opened a liaison office for the UN Women in Abu Dhabi in 2016, under the
generous patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, and in
partnership with the General Women's Union.
Since
then, UN Women Liaison Office for the GCC has launched the "Women Peace
and Security Training Programme". The programme aims to prepare female
military officers for UN peacekeeping operations and increase the pool of
female military officers (both in terms of numbers as well as geographic
diversity), create peer-to-peer networks among female military officers to
provide support during future deployments and drive the strategic objectives of
UN Security Council resolution 1325, with particular attention to the
importance of capacity building and training.
Education
is considered essential for women's economic empowerment, and according to the
World Economic Forum 2014 report on the gender gap, the UAE has been able to
achieve equality between men and women in educational attainment, as 77% of
Emirati women enrol in higher education, representing 70% of university
graduates.
During
its membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council, the UAE highlighted
its fundamental belief that women and men are equal partners in society,
promoting the equal right to education by every girl. In June 2017, the UN
Human Rights Council unanimously passed a draft resolution put forth by the UAE
during the 35th session of the Council in Geneva on the right of girls to
receive an education. The resolution called upon states to eliminate obstacles
to girls’ education, including discriminatory policies, poverty, tradition,
religious considerations, or financial hardship. It also called for additional
action to ensure the safety of girls outside the school perimeter against
sexual violence and threats posed by terrorist groups.
The
UAE also initiated a joint statement by 75 countries at the Human Rights
Council in June 2014, which condemned attacks on girls because they attend or
wish to attend school. The UAE led in the unanimous adoption by the Council in
September 2014 of a resolution to convene a panel discussion at the Council's
session in June 2015 to share lessons learned and best practices on realizing
the equal enjoyment of the right to education by every girl.
https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2021/02/06/uae-leads-countries-advocating-womens-rights-at-global-level
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Hopes
and Fears of Mother-To-Be in Afghanistan
February
06, 2021
KABUL
— A mother in Afghanistan has been talking about the hopes and fears for her
unborn daughter in a country where the birth of a girl can often be a curse
rather than a blessing.
Women
and girls, in particular, often suffer abuse at the hands of men in a
male-driven society where boys are sometimes valued above girls.
Arfia
Omid works for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan where one in
three girls are married before their 18th birthday and only 19 percent of
females under 15 years old are literate.
She
has written this letter to her unborn child.
“My
lovely baby, I haven’t met you yet, but I already know how beautiful you are —
with your dark eyes, smiling face, soft, brown hair and golden heart. I have
dreamed of having you my entire life.
I
count the days and nights until I will finally hold you in my arms and love you
as much as I can. Now you are only seven months and I can feel you when you
move. ‘Naughty daughter’, I laugh quietly to myself.
Do
you know, before you were even in my womb, I went to buy clothes for your
brothers, and I saw a baby girl’s dress in the market? I stopped there for a
while and wished to God to give you to me. You know what? I bought that dress.
I knew that my next child would be a girl. I can’t wait to see you in it; you
will be an Afghan princess.
But
with all the happiness and excitement that I have, I am also nervous for you
and your future in this country. I hear such sad stories about Afghan girls,
but I also see how strong they are — so do not be afraid. You will also be
strong.
Together,
we will help more women realize their promise and potential. This is my dream
for you.
The
suffering of Afghan mothers
Afghanistan
is a tough place to be a girl. Just two months ago, I cried for a mother who
had just given birth to a baby girl. The father killed his wife because she
delivered a baby girl.
He
escaped with the baby. I really can’t process the suffering and fear this
mother endured. She had the most painful time delivering her baby — I know how
hard it is for a woman to deliver at home without any healthcare facilities.
Then,
after enduring labor and birth, she waited for her husband and relatives to
congratulate her. Instead, her partner killed her with his own hands.
Nobody
knows where the baby is — or if she’s alive. I worry about how she’s surviving
without breast milk. Or if her father really cares for her, or if he sold her?
I
hear such sad stories about Afghan girls, but I also see how strong they are —
so do not be afraid. You will also be strong
I
thank God that our circumstances are different. Your father loves you, as I
love you. And your brothers love you. Together, we will protect you.
When
I went for the sonogram with your father, the doctor asked me, ‘What do you
want? A boy or a girl’?
I
said, ‘I want a baby girl’.
She
said, ‘Do you know, you’re the first mother I hear that wants a girl’? Then she
told me that the woman who came before me came from a remote area. She told the
doctor that if this time she gives birth to a girl, her husband will leave her
and get married to another woman.
‘Luckiest
baby and mother in Afghanistan’
My
little girl, I know that we are the luckiest baby and mother in Afghanistan.
And I want you to know that things will be better for you than they were for
me, just as they were better for me than for my mother.
When
my mother gave birth to me, she did so in a poor family. We didn’t even have
our own home. When she was in second year of university, your uncle was born.
Despite
her hard work and dreams, she couldn’t continue her lessons. She sacrificed her
life to support and protect her children.
So,
years later, I found a way to thank her.
When
I was in second year of university, I searched for a month and found her
documents from the Ministry of Higher Education and her university. Then, I
sought a permission letter from the Ministry to support her to join a private
university.
I
gave her the registration paper of the new university as a gift for Mother’s
Day. I remember, she cried and laughed at the same time.
She
joined the university and graduated with her diploma just two years later. I
can’t tell you how proud I felt. That day, she was the happiest woman in the
world.
So,
my lovely daughter, your grandmother is your reason to hope and to believe in
change. Every day, Afghan women like her battle against the odds to bring their
dreams to life. They empower each other, hand-in-hand, step-by-step.
You
will join that tradition, as I did. Together, we will help more women realize
their promise and potential. This is my dream for you. And just as I turned my
mother’s dream into reality, I think you will breathe life into mine.
I
think about this at night when you keep me awake with your wriggling. I pray to
God for a future where women and men have equal rights; and for blessed peace
so I can send you to school without fear. I pray for your health and happiness.
Mostly, I pray for you to be bold and courageous.
And
you will be because you’ll be standing on my shoulders, my darling.
With
love, Your mother, Arifa”. — UN News
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/603270/World/Asia/Hopes-and-fears-of-mother-to-be-in-Afghanistan
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Pakistani
Jirga Stops Bajaur Women From Visiting World Bank Centres, Saying It Was Against Local Customs And Traditions
February
6, 2021
BAJAUR:
Elders of Warah area of Mamond tehsil here on Friday banned the women from
personally collecting monthly stipends from centres set up by the World Bank
under a cash grant scheme.
The
decision was made at a jirga in Sawi area, with the participants making it
clear that women personally visiting the centres every month for collection of
stipend under the Child Wellness Grant was against local customs and
traditions.
The
elders said they had repeatedly requested the programme management to either
give the amount to the men or arrange female staff at the centres operated
under the Sada-i-Amn programme of the bank, but to no avail.
The
jirga decided that no woman would be allowed to visit the centres from today
(Saturday). It was also decided that if any tribesman allowed his female family
member to visit the said centres he would be fined Rs10,000.
The
elders also announced to collect Rs10,000 from the family of any woman
telephonically calling to the local FM radio stations.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1605716/jirga-stops-bajaur-women-from-visiting-world-bank-centres
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Egypt’s
listed companies still poor in female representation at highest levels: Board
Diversity Index 2020
February
4, 2021
More
than half of Egypt’s listed companies have at least one member in their Board
of Directors that is female, as of 31 July 2020, compared to 47% in 2019.
Despite
the rise, the fact that it is so slight indicates that more effort is still
needed by companies listed on the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) to increase female
representation at Board level.
The
figures were outlined in the Board Diversity Index, a new report released by
TheBoardroom Africa (TBRA), in partnership with the Women on Boards Observatory
at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the EGX.
The
index tracks the number of listed companies’ boards by country, and identifies
all board seats filled by women. At the same time, it also monitors the number
of women filling Chairperson and other executive positions. Research to date
covers publicly listed boards across 11 African countries, including Egypt.
As
of July 2020, among the 242 EGX-listed companies, women hold only 10.8% of
board seats. Although this figure represents a 0.7% increase in 2019, the Board
Diversity Index shows that women are rarely included in the governance and
management of some of Egypt’s most notable companies.
Key
sectors assessed in the 2020 Board Diversity Index include, but are not limited
to: banks; energy; industrial goods; shipping; textiles; travel and leisure;
and utilities.
Amongst
these sectors, the textile and durables sectors have the highest percentage of
female board directors, with two out of eight companies having more than 30% of
their director positions filled by women.
However,
in terms of the aggregate number of women, the energy and support services
sector outperforms all sectors, with 23% of all directors in the energy sector
being female. “Women hold 10.8% of the board seats of the EGX-listed companies,
with an increase of 0.7% from 2019,” according to the report.
The
report said that 53% of companies have at least one woman on their boards,
compared to 47% in 2019.
It
showed that 10.3% of EGX listed companies ranked as “top performers” with
respect to gender diversity, with 30% or more of their board seats held by
women. The top three performers, with 60% of their board positions held by
women, are: First Investment Company and Real Estate Development; Marine &
Oil Services (SAE); and El Orouba Securities Brokerage.
Meanwhile,
the report showed that women make up 3.9% of CEOs/Managing Directors, 8.7% of
COOs, and 2.1% of CFOs, on Egypt’s listed boards.
Commenting
on the role of stock exchanges in promoting gender diversity, Mohamed Farid,
Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange, said, “The EGX is fully committed and aware
of the impact that greater inclusivity could have in building competitive,
value-creating companies and therefore resilient and inclusive economies.”
“To
that end, we have collaborated with the AUC Women on Board Observatory to
promote stronger board governance for listed companies, build a Board Ready
Women database, offer board placement services to listed companies, develop an
annual monitoring report for women on boards as well as providing corporate
governance awareness and training programmes,” Farid added.
He
noted that these programmes are designed to embed a gender component to
highlight the benefits of board diversity. Moving on to close the gender gap,
all listed companies are now required to put at least one woman on their
boards, he added
Commenting
on the methodology, Marcia Ashong, Founder and CEO of TBRA, said: “TheBoardroom
Africa has undertaken a robust analysis of boardroom gender diversity in Egypt
and 11 other African states over the past three years, by analysing board
composition through public declarations of executives and officers.”
She
added, “This year, we’re delighted to count the Women on Boards Observatory and
the Egyptian Exchange as partners who understand the strong link between gender
diversity and good corporate governance.”
Over
the last decade, Egyptian women have made significant strides in access to
rights, education, and the labour market.
While
Egyptian universities turn out more female graduates than male, those gains
have failed to translate to equitable representation in the workforce and at
the highest level of leadership, the boardroom.
Ghada
Howaidy, Founder of the Women on Boards Observatory and Associate Dean for
Executive Education and External Relations at AUC’s School of Business, noted
the significance of the 2020 Board Diversity Index.
She
said, “Good corporate governance helps firms improve performance, drive growth,
and manage risk.”
Howaidy
also said that, to be truly effective, a board requires a diversity of skills
and perspectives. The Board Diversity Index shows that many EGX-listed
companies are true gender diversity champions, but that there is still much
work to be done.
https://dailynewsegypt.com/2021/02/04/egypts-listed-companies-still-poor-in-female-representation-at-highest-levels-board-diversity-index-2020/
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