West Bengal’s Moyna Khatun Demanded Books as ‘Mehr’ From the Groom
New
Age Islam News Bureau
04
March 2021
•
SC Seeks Centre, EC Response on Listing 26 Assam Women in Doubtful Voters List
•
Taliban Aid Crackdown Spreads Fear over Treatment of Women
•
Video of Female Saudi Ambulance Driver, Eman Abdulazim, In Riyadh Goes Viral
•
Canada: Muslim Women Targeted By Repeated Threats
•
UAE: Greater Progress Needed on Women's Rights
•
Muslim Women’s Association Hosting Online Seminar Empowering Women
•
Woman On Trial In Norway Provides Glimpse of Life under IS
•
Meet the Arab-Israeli, Palestinian Women Making an Impact on Society
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/west-bengals-moyna-khatun-demanded/d/124457
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West Bengal’s Moyna Khatun Demanded Books as ‘Mehr’ From the Groom
MARCH
02, 2021
Mizanur
Rahman hands over books to Moyna Khatun at Suti in Murshidabad district on
Monday.
Samim
Aktar
----
They
say books are a man’s best friend. But Murshidabad’s 24-year-old Moyna Khatun
took her love for the pages to a unique level when she demanded not one, two or
three but 60 books as ‘mahr’ or ‘mohor’ (dowry given by groom) from her
would-be-in-laws. An arts graduate from DN College under Kalyani University in
West Bengal, Moyna has always loved reading and stories. Hailing from Murshidabad’s
Suti area, Moyna entered into an arranged marriage match with one Mizanur
Rahman, 24, who is a geography graduate from Bhagalpur University in Bihar.
But
during all of this, Moyna’s family also made it clear to the groom’s side that
the former had wished to be gifted books instead of the traditional ‘mahr’ when
the two families met to discuss the details of the wedding in January, The
Telegraph reported.
Her
family reportedly said that Moyna had no interest in the traditional mahr,
which can even be upto Rs50,000. Although Mizanur’s family members were at
first taken aback but then they were very glad to accept Moyna’s demands and
thus along with the books that the bride wanted, the family also gave her some
more books.
The
groom’s party that entered Moyna’s village of Kidderpore presented a rare sight
of cartons filled with books. The books included works by Tagore, Nazrul Islam
and other Bengali authors and also Quran in Bengali.
Th
unusual incident can act as a positive news for women and girls in the district
as the literacy rates in the villages are still not satisfactory, officials
reportedly hoped.
An
official reportedly praised Moyna for her unique request and said that she has
set a wonderful example for the women in the villages, especially those from
the minority communities with less access to education and other facilities.
The
wedding guests were also shown the unique ‘mahr’ and Moyna said she has always
loved reading and thus her unique demand. Moyna said she was inspired by a
similar incident she read of Kerala and always knew this is how she wanted to
get married too.
Her
husband Mizanur is also reportedly a freelancer for some local Bengali
periodicals apart from running the family’s ration store.
https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/for-the-love-of-reading-muslim-woman-asks-for-books-as-mehr-from-grooms-side-3490538.html
--------
SC
Seeks Centre, EC Response on Listing 26 Assam Women in Doubtful Voters List
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the
Election Commission, Centre and Assam government on a petition filed by 26
Muslim women from Assam’s Barpeta constituency (Photo by Arabinda Mahapatra /
Hindustan Times)(Arabinda Mohapatra)
-----
By
Abraham Thomas
MAR
04, 2021
The
Supreme Court has sought responses from the Election Commission, Centre and
Assam government on a petition filed by 26 Muslim women from Assam’s Barpeta
constituency after they found their nameshad been part of the doubtful voter
list for over two decades.
A
bench comprising the Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, justices L
Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat passed the order on Wednesday on a petition
filed by one Tahmina Khatun and 25 others.
Advocate
Jayshree Satpute, who appeared for the petitioners, informed the court that the
women had approached the authorities in 2019 and filed a plea under the Right
to Information Act to know why they were classified as D-voters or doubtful
voters. The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) in September 2019 responded by
saying that the women were put in the D-voter category in 1997. However, the
ERO said that there were no records stating why.
Of
the 26 petitioners, 24 belong to Bheragaon in Barpeta district, where Muslims
are in the majority. After being classified as D-voters, the petitioners
alleged that they and their families have faced social stigma. It is not known
whether their family members’ names are also in the doubtful voter list.
The
bench observed that the point raised in the petition required consideration and
asked the EC and Centre to respond within four weeks.
The
petition prayed for a direction to remove their names from the doubtful voter
list as this would bring their citizenship under a cloud. Placing an individual
in this list denies a person basic rights and legal rights, which includes
right to ration and right to vote, apart from constitutional guarantees. The
petitioners claimed that they were neither heard nor allowed an opportunity to
explain by the authorities before being placed in the doubtful voter category.
The
development is also significant since the election process for assembly polls
in Assam has already begun.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-seeks-centre-ec-response-on-listing-26-assam-women-in-doubtful-voters-list-101614837635342.html
--------
Taliban
aid crackdown spreads fear over treatment of women
04/03/2021
Afghan
women are being cut off from crucial aid because of a growing Taliban crackdown
in areas controlled by the insurgents, more than a dozen relief workers have
told AFP.
The
militants have demanded an end to projects helping women to be more independent
and have barred female staff from entering their territory in some areas.
"So
far the hypothesis is that the Taliban have changed, but this is really a
concrete example that they haven't," said one aid worker who did not want
to be named.
Washington
recently lambasted the insurgents for failing to abide by a landmark deal last
year that committed them to honouring a number of security guarantees.
The
agreement also called for the withdrawal of foreign troops by May and paved the
way for peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.
The
deal initially raised hopes the insurgents were open to moderating some of
their hardline positions.
But
people working in pockets of territory under Taliban control, primarily in
northern Afghanistan, say conditions in some areas deteriorated after the US
accord was signed.
-
'They're not joking at all' -
Fears
are growing that the Taliban are waiting for the Americans to leave before
attempting to retake the country by force and reintroduce their draconian
vision for Afghan society.
The
group ruthlessly oppressed women during their brief rule over the country in
the 1990s, banning them from working outside the home and subjecting them to
violent punishments for perceived infractions.
The
jihadists have since made vague pledges to protect women's rights in
Afghanistan.
In
an open letter published last month, Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani
Baradar said the group was "committed to upholding and guaranteeing all rights
of women afforded to them by Islamic law".
But
on the ground, aid groups say the group are as uncompromising as ever.
Some
say their work is unravelling after years of building up delicate relationships
with the insurgents to reach impoverished Afghan women and girls.
In
a letter addressed to aid groups, the Taliban warned it was unacceptable for
them to "take women out of their homes in the name of women's economic
empowerment, education and sports programs".
Pressure
against these kinds of programmes are not new, but are becoming "a lot
more official and widespread", a senior humanitarian aid manager said.
"When
you receive a letter from the Taliban, they're not joking at all, you have to
apply it," said another official working with an international aid group.
After
nearly 40 years of conflict, Afghanistan is almost entirely reliant on
international aid and the Taliban appear set on bringing humanitarian workers
to heel.
"Aid
workers and the relief they provide seem to have fallen in the crosshairs of
the Taliban's attempts to portray themselves as a governing entity," said
International Crisis Group analyst Andrew Watkins.
-
'We take blood on our hands' -
Afghan
women working with aid groups who once regularly travelled to insurgent-held
enclaves in the north say they have been blocked by the Taliban from entering
certain areas to work.
"We
tried a lot to convince them but they said no, not having women," one aid
worker told AFP.
Another
group said they had been forced to send only male staff to oversee certain
projects in Taliban areas.
A
staff member from that organisation said it decided to not recruit women to
work on a new aid project as a result.
"They
said they won't have access so there's no point of having someone sit in the
office," said the staff member who was working for the organisation.
In
areas where the Taliban are more flexible, Afghan women aid workers are
required to wear burqas, must be accompanied by a male chaperone from their
family and have to watch what they say.
"We
do not use the terms 'human rights' or 'women's rights' because they are
sensitive words," said one aid worker.
Others
say travel has become increasingly dangerous and they risk getting caught in
firefights, with the Taliban engaged in fierce battles with Afghan security
forces over territory.
"When
we travel, we take blood on our hands," another aid worker told AFP.
"Because we are usually (caught) in crossfire."
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210304-taliban-aid-crackdown-spreads-fear-over-treatment-of-women
--------
Video
of Female Saudi Ambulance Driver, Eman Abdulazim, In Riyadh Goes Viral
04
March, 2021
Reem
Krimly
A
video of a female Saudi Arabian ambulance driver transporting a woman in labour
to a Riyadh hospital has gone viral on social media. The video of paramedic
Eman Abdulazim has been shared by many Twitter users, garnering thousands of
likes and retweets.
Abdulazim,
an Emergency Medicine Specialist, can be seen in the video driving the
ambulance through the busy streets of the Kingdom’s capital.
“The
video gained a lot of attention on social media sites, because I was
transporting a case of childbirth... Many thanks to those who are proud of me,
and to those who encourage and support me,” Abdulazim said in a tweet.
Abdulazim
had previously said in an interview with MBC that she insisted on becoming an
ambulance driver due to the shortage of medical staff in the early days of the
coronavirus pandemic in the Kingdom. She is the first female ambulance driver
in Saudi Arabia.
One
Twitter user commented on the video, saying “Our daughters are our pride.”
“Many
people might not know what paramedics do, but the truth is their work is great
in saving lives and helping people, may God give her strength,” another user
said.
“This
is the era of women with all due merit,” one of the comments read.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/03/04/Saudi-women-Video-of-female-Saudi-ambulance-driver-in-Riyadh-goes-viral-
--------
Canada:
Muslim women targeted by repeated threats
3rd
Mar 2021
By
Barry Ellsworth
TRENTON,
Canada (AA): Attacks and threats against five Somali-Canadian Muslim women have
been reported in Edmonton, Alberta in the last 10 weeks, according to media
reports Tuesday.
In
the Alberta province cities of Edmonton and Calgary, 140 incidents were reported
in 2020, including death threats.
But
there are many so-called hate crimes that go unreported because they are so
frequent, said Assam Ali, an Edmonton hospital nurse, who spoke to Global News.
Ali,
a Somali-Canadian, said she has been targeted repeatedly with slurs because of
her hijab and dark skin.
“Most
of my visibly Muslim friends and family members have a story of some kind of
Islamophobia,” said Ali. “The general public hears about this through the
media, while our reality is that these are our sisters and our mothers.”
Last
month a man uttered racial slurs against a Muslim female at the University of
Alberta. And in a separate incident, a man knocked down a female, threatened
her life and tore off her burqa, a robe used by Muslim women.
On
Feb. 17, a man cursed a hijab-wearing Black Muslim woman and threatened to kill
her.
Edmonton
police Chief Dale McFee said the police service is doubling down in its effort
to work with the Somali community to address racially motivated assaults.
“We’ve
got to listen to what they need and then we’ve got to figure out how we can …
actually get some of the changes that they need,” he said at a news conference
Tuesday.
While
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and others have condemned the attacks, Mustafa
Farooq said more must be done to battle Islamophobia.
“Anti-Black
racism is a real problem in Alberta,” said Farooq, chief executive officer of
the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM)/
“Tension
and fear are high,” he said in a statement. “That’s why we are calling for the
immediate creation of a bipartisan provincial-municipal committee to deal with
the challenge of racist and Islamophobic street harassment.”
There
are an estimated 113,000 Muslims in Alberta, according to the latest figures in
2011, according to the news website.
http://muslimnews.co.uk/news/islamophobia/canada-muslim-women-targeted-repeated-threats/
--------
UAE:
Greater Progress Needed on Women's Rights
March
4, 2021
(Beirut)
– The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made important women’s rights reforms in
recent years, such as passing new domestic violence protections, but
significant discrimination against women and girls remains, Human Rights Watch
said today. Laws still provide male guardian authority over women and loopholes
allow reduced sentences for men for killing a female relative.
On
February 26, 2021, Human Rights Watch submitted a report to the United Nations
committee reviewing the UAE’s compliance with the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The committee has
scheduled a session sometime during the first week in March to identify a list
of issues and inquiries it will make to UAE authorities ahead of its review of
the UAE’s record.
“The
UAE’s recent women’s rights reforms are a step in the right direction, but in
truth they do not go far enough to dismantle the deep discrimination against
women in law and practice,” said Rothna Begum, senior women’s rights researcher
at Human Rights Watch.
Women’s
rights in the UAE have recently come under heightened scrutiny following the
emergence of new videos of Sheikha Latifa, daughter of the Dubai ruler, in
which she describes the conditions of her forced confinement following her
abduction and forcible return to the UAE in 2018. She also pleaded for an
investigation into her sister Sheikha Shamsa’s abduction and forcible return to
the UAE from the UK in 2000.
The
CEDAW Committee made several recommendations to the UAE on steps needed to
guarantee women’s equality during its 2015 review. They included calls “to
repeal as a matter of priority all legal provisions which continue to
discriminate against women, including those contained in the Penal Code and the
Personal Status Law.”
The
UAE has carried out some reforms, such as prohibiting discrimination on the
basis of sex and gender in the country’s anti-discrimination law and revoking
legal provisions that had obliged women to “obey” their husbands, explicitly
affirmed a man’s legal right to discipline his wife and children, and punished
consensual extramarital sex.
In
March 2020, a new domestic violence law came into effect that included
provisions enabling women to obtain restraining orders against abusers.
However, the law’s definition of domestic violence reinforces male guardians’
ability to discipline their wives, female relatives, and children to an extent
that authorities find acceptable. The law also does not criminalize marital
rape.
In
2019 and 2020, UAE authorities introduced minor amendments to the personal
status law, but a woman in the UAE can still lose her right to financial
maintenance from her husband if she refuses to have sexual relations with him
without a “lawful excuse.” A judge can also deem a woman in breach of her
spousal obligations if she leaves the house or takes a job deemed outside “the
law, custom, or necessity,” or if the judge considers it against the family’s
interests. This change was made gender neutral but prevailing social norms mean
judges are more likely to consider it unnecessary for a woman to work than a
man, resulting in discrimination against women.
“The
UAE should uproot all forms of discrimination, especially misogynistic laws
subjecting women to male guardian authority,” Begum said.
In
November 2020, the UAE also repealed an article in the penal code that allowed
men to receive lighter sentences for killing a female relative if they found
them in the act of extramarital sex. However, families of the murder victim can
waive their right to see the person punished in return for compensation (blood
money) or choose to freely pardon them.
In
such cases, the accused can be subject to a minimum sentence of seven years in
prison instead of life. When family members kill a woman, including in
so-called “honor” killings, the victim’s family is also the family of the murderer
and is likely to allow men to receive lighter sentences.
Also
in November 2020, the UAE amended the penal code to remove language that has
been used to punish consensual sexual relations outside marriage. This
provision disproportionately affected women as pregnancy could be used as
evidence of extramarital sex.
Despite
the change in the law, it is unclear if health policies that required a
marriage certificate to obtain prenatal and postnatal care are still being
implemented. Marriage certificates still appear to be required to obtain birth
certificates. These policies disproportionately affect migrant women and can
leave their babies undocumented, unable to obtain identification documents or
travel.
The
UAE’s labor law continues to exclude domestic workers, the vast majority of
whom are women. A 2017 domestic worker law extended protections like a weekly
day of rest and paid vacation, but has fewer and weaker protections than the
main labor law and falls short of international standards.
Many
low-paid migrant domestic workers are at acute risk of labor abuses, forced
labor, and human trafficking because of the kafala (visa sponsorship) system in
the UAE, which ties migrant workers’ visas to their employers. Foreign
nationals account for about 90 percent of the UAE population, according to the
World Bank.
Despite
the UAE’s February announcement that it will extend citizenship opportunities
to select foreign nationals, the country’s citizenship law still leaves out
other groups, including children born to Emirati women and foreign fathers, and
stateless people.
“The
UAE has spent considerable time and money portraying itself as a champion of
women’s rights and empowerment,” Begum said. “Now it needs to turn rhetoric
into reality.”
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/03/04/uae-greater-progress-needed-womens-rights
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Muslim
women’s association hosting online seminar empowering women
Mar.
3rd, 2021
The
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Women’s Association Prairie Chapter is inviting women
from all over the Prairies to an online seminar highlighting women’s essential
role in building communities across the country.
“Women
as Nation Builders” is a free interfaith webinar which Regional Outreach
Coordinator Shazia Rehman says will support women all over Canada and help them
build connections as the nation moves through the pandemic.
“In
the time that we’re living in right now where we are facing unprecedented
challenges, we believe women who work together, support and strengthen each
other is exactly what our nation needs for us to be able to get through this.”
Guest
speakers come from various backgrounds and faiths and will talk about their
past experiences and the women who inspired them to reach the success they have
today. They include Dr. Lillian Gadwa-Crier, an Indigenous educator and
advocate for Indigenous education, Gurmit Kaur Sarpal, founder of the Royal
Women Cultural Association, and Dr. Brenda Anderson, an Associate Professor at
the University of Regina.
“If
you only have one particular community or one particular viewpoint then you
don’t learn from each other and you don’t build together. We believe it is very
necessary to use the voices we have to support and strengthen all of us.”
The
seminar is scheduled for March 6th from 4 to 6 p.m., two days before International
Women’s Day. Rehman says while it is important to celebrate women on the day
they want everyone to recognize their work beyond that single day. Registration
for the free online event can be done on the Eventbrite page.
https://www.mylloydminsternow.com/45401/muslim-womens-association-hosting-online-seminar-empowering-women/
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Woman
On Trial In Norway Provides Glimpse of Life under IS
03/03/2021
A
woman on trial in Norway for supporting the Islamic State group provided a
glimpse this week of life with members of the terror group she said she was
unable to flee despite numerous attempts.
The
woman, who AFP and other media have chosen not to identify in order to protect
her children, is facing charges of supporting the Islamic State during the six
years she lived in territory the radical group controlled in Syria.
The
30-year-old -- born in Pakistan but raised in Oslo -- testified on Monday that
she was radicalised and left for the war-torn country in 2013 after falling in
love and marrying Bastian Vasquez.
Vasquez
was a Chilean-Norwegian jihadist who converted to Islam and was fighting at the
time for an Al-Qaeda-linked group. He later joined the Islamic State group and
died while making explosives.
The
woman said she quickly became disillusioned on arriving in Syria and on several
occasions tried in vain to return home.
She
ended up marrying two other foreign fighters during her time in IS-controlled
territory and had two children, one from Vasquez.
"By
taking care of the children, by cooking and doing laundry, she enabled three
foreign fighters in their battles," prosecutor Geir Evanger told the
court.
The
woman, who faces up to six years in prison if convicted, said that on meeting
Vasquez, she initially would laugh when he would describe to her over the phone
the atrocities of the war.
"I
was so in love that I believed everything he said," said the woman who was
repatriated to Norway last year and no longer wears the niqab, or full-face
veil.
She
said after marrying Vasquez online and joining him in Syria, he quickly became
violent with her and she felt trapped.
Prosecutors,
however, have challenged her account accusing her of trying to recruit other
women to join the terror group.
"During
her marriage to Vasquez, she spoke highly of the Islamic State and of life in
Syria to women in Norway with the aim of getting them to marry foreign men
fighting for the group," according to the charge sheet.
Vasquez
died in 2015 and the woman subsequently married an Egyptian man with whom she
had her second child.
But
he also died in combat and she married one of his friends, also a fighter for
the IS.
Her
lawyers argue that her successive marriages with IS fighters did not mean she
supported the terror group but rather ensured her survival and gave her hope of
one day escaping.
"She
was not part of the Islamic State but was more someone who survived the
group," said her lawyer Nils Christian Nordhus.
-
IS hostage and member -
Following
the defeat of IS, the woman was brought back to Norway in January last year with
her children, one of whom was ill, from the Kurdish-controlled Al-Hol detention
camp in Syria.
Her
return was highly criticised at the time by the populist right-wing Progress
Party which left the Norwegian government in protest.
The
trial -- the first of a woman accused of joining IS -- has put the spotlight on
the role women played in the terror group.
"ISIS
is an entity classed as a terrorist organization by the UN. It's the entire
organization, not just the fighting part, that is classed as such," said
Magnus Ranstorp, a Swedish expert on terrorism, using another acronym for the
group.
"It
doesn't matter if you're driving an ambulance or cooking at home, you're part
of the terrorist organization," he said.
According
to the Rand Corporation think tank, some 41,500 foreign fighters joined the
Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
The
majority of European countries, including Norway, have resisted taking back
citizens who joined the group and are now being held in detention camps in
Syria.
Some
argue that although women who joined the group may not have taken part in
battles, they played a key part by supporting the fighters and giving birth to
a new generation of potential jihadists.
Ranstorp
said however the women had little room to manoeuver once they set foot in
Syria.
"It's
complicated in the case of a woman because you can't leave without a male
guardian or without a permission," he said. "So you're at the same
time a hostage of ISIS but you're also part of its machinery."
The
trial is set to last until March 24.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210303-woman-on-trial-in-norway-provides-glimpse-of-life-under-is
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Meet
the Arab-Israeli, Palestinian Women Making an Impact on Society
By
KHALED ABU TOAMEH
MARCH
4, 2021
Julia
Zaher is an Arab-Israeli businesswoman, philanthropist and former
schoolteacher. She is owner and CEO of Al-Arz Tahini, a tahini manufacturing
company in Nazareth. An advocate for diversity and women in the workplace, her
company employs a large number of Arab women, in addition to Jewish, Muslim and
Christian residents.
She
continues to work toward empowering women in all fields and motivating them to
join the labor force, Zaher notes from the outset.
“I
have long been encouraging Arab women to join the labor force,” she said. “I
want to see more women from the Arab sector at work so that they can improve
their social and economic conditions. I have also been very supportive of
people with disabilities in order to incorporate them into Arab society.”
Zaher
wishes she could say that Arab society is better off today.
“Unfortunately,
our society has not changed and we still need a lot of support in all fields.”
In
her view, Arab women are not different than the rest of the women in the world.
“Arab
women are very talented and capable. They can be successful in all fields, but
they still need the support of society to achieve their goals.”
According
to Zaher, the coronavirus outbreak has had both a positive and negative impact
on her and on Arab women as a whole.
“In
the beginning there was fear and uncertainty, especially because this was a
global, and not local, pandemic,” she noted. “We have taken precautionary
measures and banned non-workers from entering our factory. For me, it wasn’t
easy to be away from friends and family.”
On
a positive note, Zaher said, the coronavirus taught her how to take advantage
of time.
“We
have a lot of time to handle our matters,” she explained. “We learned how to
manage things through Zoom, which I believe will stay with us for a long time.
My only hope is to see our Arab society in a better situation.”
NIVINE
SANDOUKA, a resident of east Jerusalem, describes herself as a professional
aspiring to achieve social justice, peace and gender equity.
An
expert in the field of program development, management, peace-building and
gender issues, she currently works with the German Association for Development
Cooperation – AGEH. She also runs a grassroots-based initiative called Judi –
From Me to You that aims to connect women and volunteers in several civil
society organizations.
To
pursue her passion, she is the executive director of a newly established NGO
called Our Rights – Hoqoqona in Jerusalem, focusing on the civic and political
rights of Palestinians in the city, especially women.
“I
work with a German organization in the field of peace-building,” Sandouka said.
“Generally, I also pursue my passion to create positive change and thus I
voluntarily run an organization to achieve Palestinians’ civic rights.”
Sandouka
believes the situation of Palestinian women is “worse than ever.”
“Unfortunately,
our society lacks morals and values,” she lamented. “It has become a society
run by division and judgment. It is a society that is passive in the sense it
is unable to embark on a process of real change.”
Sandouka
hates the idea of being labeled a victim.
“Unfortunately,
Palestinian women face many challenges: political Islam, patriarchy and
occupation. They have to fight to overcome these three obstacles. For me, life
is a big challenge.”
The
coronavirus has affected life for her and most women.
“Today
I work mostly from home. In addition, I have to cope with my new role as my
son’s teacher and school, while doing my work. This year, however, I decided to
take control of things; no more Zoom calls in the evening and more meditation.
I have also decided to spend more time with my son. It is still challenging,
but we have to make the best of it.
“I
hope life goes back to normal as soon as possible. I want to go back to seeing
my close friends and family and travel.”
NADIA
HARHASH, a Palestinian journalist and author from east Jerusalem, is known for
her criticism of Palestinian Authority leaders and corruption. As a result, the
mother of four has received numerous threats. Last year, an unidentified
arsonist set her car on fire in front of her home in the Beit Hanina
neighborhood.
“Palestinian
women continue to face many challenges,” Harhash said. “Our entire life is one
big challenge. However, I am here to live up to my expectations. I cannot do
that without fulfilling my own aspirations. We are born to be free, to make
life better. In my case, it is not taken for granted.
“Life
is a daily struggle for women like me. After all, I am a mother, and it is not
just about me; it is about this generation that is growing and deserves a
better life, to live better.”
Harhash
is determined to pursue her role as a writer with the hope of improving living
conditions for women and all Palestinians.
“My
role is to write, and I’m doing it with all my might,” she affirmed. “It is not
an option. I cannot sit aside and blame destiny or politicians for my miserable
life. I cannot wait for a savior that will take us to safety and freedom. I see
injustice, suppression and corruption, and I resist them and face them through
my writing. If I don’t write about these issues, I will be complicit in them.
“It
is often risky, but somehow the more fearless you become, the more powerful you
are seen.”
Harhash
is not afraid of threats and intimidation.
“Fear
is our worst enemy and I try not to allow it to find its way into me,” she
added. “I am a mother who wants a good future for her children. This does not
happen by providing proper shelter, education and a sophisticated lifestyle.
Rather, this happens in a society that respects its people through equality and
justice. And as a human being, woman, mother and Palestinian, I don’t accept
less than this.”
As
far as Harhash is concerned, the status of Palestinian women is no less grave
than the status of Palestinian men.
“You
cannot have a healthy society without having strong, capable women,” she said.
“Strength needs freedom. Freedom, unfortunately, is not a term that is simply
practiced in Palestinian society. We live in a vicious cycle of oppression from
all directions. Consequently, the struggle of women has become one of survival,
and not liberation.
“Ideologies
covered with fundamentalist and religious slogans have infiltrated our society
in the last decade. When we look around us, we see a whole different set of
rules that are imposed on us. It’s as if we’ve been hijacked by ideological
norms that became the law; tribal norms have become part of the law. One can
only imagine where women are situated in such a set of rules, where patriarchy
is the only given rule.”
The
past year, Harhash said, will be remembered as the year when everyone wondered
about the pandemic’s impact on their lives.
“The
outbreak of the coronavirus has forced us to come face-to-face with our
weakness and helplessness as arrogant human beings. On the other hand, the pandemic
also gave us the opportunity to reconnect with nature and realize how simple
life is. For me, this was an amazing experience. Staying at home helped me
develop my own capabilities. I experienced creativity as I never dared before.
I was able to reconnect with my own breath and my hands.
“My
soul was out there celebrating a breath of life with nature. I could hear birds
sing as the noise in the streets stopped.”
SAMEERA
RADA EMRAN, a social and political activist from the village of Ein Qinya on
the Golan Heights, is a bank clerk who in 2018 announced her candidacy for
mayor. She is known in her community as a staunch advocate for women’s rights.
“I
want to see women play a major and effective role in our society. I want the
voice of women to be heard loudly. That’s why I decided back then to run for
mayor. I was the first woman to run for office in our community.”
Her
decision to run in the municipal elections was met by many challenges.
“It
wasn’t easy for me. I had to put up with many challenges and boycotts. But I
was determined to pave the way for women to seek a better future. I wanted to
set an example for all women and encourage them to enter public life.”
Emran
believes that the conditions of Arab society in general and women in particular
have worsened over the past few years.
“Arab
society is still lacking real leadership,” she complained. “We need a
leadership that will help us achieve equality and other rights. In my opinion,
our women continue to suffer from injustice. I believe that it’s wrong to say
that our women have advanced and achieved equality in our society. Today, I can
say that women have more responsibilities and fewer rights. Although our women
work outside their homes and contribute to the development of our society, we
are still sidelined by men.”
The
coronavirus, Emran noted, has forced many Arab women to come face-to-face with
the hardships of daily life.
“As
a bank employee, I have seen the difficulties many people have been facing over
the past year. It’s very painful.”
Emran
said she was hoping to continue working toward upgrading and strengthening the
status of women in Arab society in general and her village in particular.
“I’m
hoping that one day I will be able to form a women’s list that will have
influence in our village council.”
AMOUN
SLEEM, founder and director of The Society of Gypsies in Jerusalem (Domari), is
a prominent female activist who has been representing her small community for
the past two decades.
“I
believe that in order to build a strong and independent society, I must provide
our women with the tools and skills to function independently so they will be
able to transmit these mindsets and ethics to their children,” Sleem asserted.
“In this context, we provide a business course for women so they can learn how
to start their own businesses. We also aim to increase opportunities for women
in the labor force. Our women are always eager to participate in new learning
opportunities.”
Sleem
isn’t satisfied with the status of Arab society nowadays.
“I
really hope our society will change. We want more freedom of expression. We
want to see an end to violence in our society. Our women continue to face many
challenges in a male-dominated society.”
Sleem
noted that many members of her community, including women, have lost their jobs
after the coronavirus outbreak.
“We
are doing our utmost to help our people. My group has been providing aid to
many families and children. Our goal is to achieve economic, legal, social
equality and justice for our community.
“We
want to give a voice to the voiceless.”
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/meet-the-arab-israeli-palestinian-women-making-an-impact-on-society-660933
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