Afghan Leader Fawzia Koofi, A Nominee For The Nobel Peace Prize Keeps Fighting From Exile
New
Age Islam News Bureau
22
October 2021
• Pakistani
Journalist Asma Shirazi Faces Wrath Of Ministers
• Iran:
Women Bike Riders Will Be 'Definitively' Dealt With, Says Traffic Chief
• Expo
2020 Dubai: AR Rahman-Led All-Female Orchestra's Performance To Close Space
Week
• In
Iraqi Kurdish City, Women Gain Power Without Parity
• Afghanistan
Ranks Last in Global Women Peace and Security Index
• Hindu
Woman’s Burial Denied In Muslim Graveyard In Pakistan; Police Helped Hindus To
Bury The Body
• York
Army Open Day Encourages Muslim Women Recruits To Inspire More Muslims To Join
The Armed Forces
• Iran’s
Female Hockey Team Win 2nd Place in Int’l Dubai Competition
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/afghan-leader-fawzia-koofi-nobel-peace/d/125621
--------
Afghan
Leader Fawzia Koofi, A Nominee For The Nobel Peace Prize Keeps Fighting From
Exile
Oct
22, 2021
One
of the Afghanistan's once-prominent female leaders, a Former parliament member,
candidate for president and a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, Fawzia Koofi.
(Photo | AP)
----
NEW
YORK: Two months after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, one of the
country's once-prominent female leaders _ a former parliament member, candidate
for president and a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize is visiting the United
Nations, not as a representative of her government but as a woman in exile.
In an
interview with The Associated Press, Fawzia Koofi called for humanitarian aid sent
to Afghanistan to be contingent on the participation of women in its
distribution, as well as free and safe travel for Afghans into and out of the
country.
Aid
``should not be politicized. ... Women should be involved in every stage of it
and they should be listened to. Women should not be only the recipients,'' said
Koofi, part of a delegation of Afghan women visiting the UN to urge member
states not to compromise on inclusion and equal rights in Afghanistan.
Since
fleeing Kabul in August, Koofi has been living in hotel rooms in Europe. She
described the pain of separation from her country, of two decades of hopes
dashed and of searching for permanent residence for herself and her two
daughters.
``This
is not an Afghanistan I fought for,'' she told the AP. ``The Afghanistan that I
was hoping for was (that) women should not suffer as much as I suffered during
my childhood, during the time that I was a teenager, when (the) Taliban took
over.''
``I
wanted other girls to enjoy at least the freedom of choosing which school they
should go. But now, their choice is limited to which room in their houses they
should spend during the day. This is heartbreaking.''
Koofi,
a former deputy speaker of parliament, was one of only four women in talks to
reach a power-sharing deal with the Taliban, which ultimately failed. She
described watching the Taliban's commitment to negotiations change after they
signed a peace agreement with the United States in February 2020.
``After
they signed the agreement, they were more extreme and they were more into
buying time, preferring a military strategy,'' she said.
Taliban
fighters pursued that strategy in the summer, seizing province after province
until they reached Kabul in August. When then-President Ashraf Ghani fled, the
Taliban entered the capital, sparking panic among many who had opposed their
rule and feared for their lives and futures.
That
was the fatal blow to reaching a political settlement many had hoped would
cement the gains women had achieved in access to education, work and the legal
system, Koofi said.
She
also blamed ``world leaders,'' seeming to point a finger at US President Joe
Biden. ``As a superpower, the United States has a major responsibility and
should be held accountable,'' she said.
When
he announced withdrawal plans, Biden said he was bound by the timetable set by
the Trump administration and that the US could not continue to extend the
military presence in Afghanistan and expect a different result.
Still,
Koofi said she thinks the breakdown of peace talks and the Taliban takeover
could have been avoided. Pausing as tears ran down her face, she said: ``I
mean, every day we are actually dealing with this trauma.''
Her
former female colleagues in parliament, female judges who used to sentence
people affiliated with the Taliban and some journalists who spoke out against
the group are now fearful, she said.
The
Taliban must also be held accountable, she added, for their pledges that women
would be able to go to school and work ``within the principles of Islam.''
Each
day, Koofi said she gets hundreds of text and voice messages largely from women
still in Afghanistan, hoping she can help them.
``They're
very angry ... that I am not with them at these difficult times,'' she said.
``The women, especially, they keep sending me messages expressing their anger
that, you know, `We need you to be here with us in the streets of Kabul,' and
they are right.''
Women
she used to work with and who were the breadwinners in their families send her
photos of themselves as reminders.
``Psychologically
to process this and to be able to adjust and accept, it's not been easy,'' she
said. ``Not only for me, for every woman and man that I have met in the last
two months after I left Kabul.''
For
now, Koofi is focused on resolving residency status for herself and her
daughters, ages 22 and 23. For security reasons, she declined to say where.
Some
100,000 Afghans have fled the country since the Taliban took power, though many
were unable to leave in the final chaotic airlifts. The 38 million Afghans who
remain are facing `` universal poverty '' within a year, the UN development
agency said in September.
Koofi
also warned of the threat from the Islamic State group in Afghanistan _ known
by its Arabic acronym Daesh _ and called for renewed political negotiations
because, she said, stability does not just come from the cessation of violence,
but strong and inclusive institutions.
``If
we think that one military extremist group, which is Taliban, is going to
defeat Daesh it's not going to work that way,'' she said.
``You
need to continue to empower the nation, empower the people, educate them,
support the political process.''
Source:
Times of India
--------
Pakistani
Journalist Asma Shirazi Faces Wrath Of Ministers
Kalbe
Ali
October
22, 2021
Journalist
Asma Shirazi, in her article, criticised the government without naming it or
any individual, including the prime minister’s wife. — Photo via Asma Shirazi
Twitter
-----
ISLAMABAD:
An article written by journalist Asma Shirazi for BBC Urdu service criticising
the current economic conditions in the country and reports relating to
supernatural remedies around Prime Minister Imran Khan’s private residence Banigala
have brought several cabinet members face-to-face against the journalist at
both mainstream and social media.
Several
local and international journalist organisations, however, have expressed
concern over the attitude of the government’s ministers.
Special
Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill on
Thursday held a fiery media conference in which he lashed out at Ms Shirazi for
criticising the government’s economic policies in her article.
In
the article, Ms Shirazi criticised the government without naming it or any
individual, including the prime minister’s wife. The article, however, said the
economy cannot be fixed by “slaughtering of goats” or “spilling the blood of
pigeons”.
Media
organisations warn govt against using intimidating language
Dr
Gill accused Ms Shirazi of hurling allegations at the first lady, saying that
“if you dislike the prime minister’s family, you can hold a grudge against
them, but there are ethical limits”.
He
said Ms Shirazi had a right to report news if there was any proof of it, “but
do not make news out of assumptions”. He wondered whether the journalist was
doing “all this after failing to find any scandal of the prime minister in the
last three years”. He claimed that Ms Shirazi had good ties with Pakistan
Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz and that the journalist
spoke to her several times in a day.
Dr
Gill said there should be a limit for criticism in politics. The late wife of
former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Kulsoom Nawaz, took part in political
activities, but the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had never made a statement
on her character, he added.
He
expressed resentment against some senior journalists for supporting Ms Shirazi
on Twitter with hashtag ‘IStandWithAsmaShirazi’.
Meanwhile,
the Belgium-based International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which has over
50,000 tweeter followers and claims to be the global voice of journalists
representing 600,000 journalists in 146 countries, has voiced concern over the
remarks made by Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari on the issue.
The
IFJ tweeted that Pakistan’s minister for human rights attacked journalist Asma
Shirazi on Twitter after she had written an article on the country’s economic
difficulties. “We urge her to apologise for harassing and targeting a
journalist for simply doing her job.”
In
response, Dr Mazari tweeted: “I stand by my right to respond to @asmashirazi -
no abusive language was used nor was it an “attack”! Absurd to paint it as
such. I have a right to respond & critique without abuse. There is nothing
to apologise about. Perhaps she shd apologise for unsubstantiated allusions
made!”
Earlier,
Minister for Ports and Shipping Ali Haider Zaidi said in tweet: “I usually
refrain from commenting on such nonsense but you’ve crossed the line!
“Behaviour
usually shows character & mindset. Sadly, yours is clearly visible in the
language of your tweet & your oped! Disgusting for lack of a better word.”
Minister
for Energy Hammad Azhar tweeted: “Asma sister, you should join the PML-N. I am
not making a taunt – because if like or dislike or affiliation cross its limits
than the political announcement should be made.”
Dr
Mazari quoted the tweet of Hammad Azhar, saying: “Actually I have maintained
for a long time that BBC is a closet Bharat Broadcasting Corporation! they
would run strategically placed Indian Army ads during Kargil at peak times!!
Sad to see @asmashirazi reduce herself to such pathetic and downright low life
writing!”
Meanwhile,
the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) has warned of serious
consequences of the use of abusive and intimidating language against Asma
Shirazi by Shahbaz Gill.
In a
joint statement, PFUJ president Shahzada Zulfiqar and secretary general Nasir
Zaidi took exception to Mr Gill’s tirade against Ms Shirazi, saying that such
behaviour of the PM’s official spokesperson reflects the training and mental
capacity of a cabinet member who is supposed to improve relations between the
government and the media.
Source:
Dawn
https://www.dawn.com/news/1653302/journalist-asma-shirazi-faces-wrath-of-ministers
--------
Iran:
Women Bike Riders Will Be 'Definitively' Dealt With, Says Traffic Chief
Oct
21, 2021
Representative
image Photograph:( Zee News Network ) Women Bike Riders
-----
A
traffic chief of Iranian police's NAJA special forces units has hit headlines
for reportedly saying that Iranian women who ride motorcycles will be
'definitively' dealt with. Kamal Hadianfar, the traffic chief told this to Iranian
media on Tuesday (October 19).
The
assertions didn't stop there, Hadianfar said further that only men's names
could appear on motorcycle licenses and that no woman could legally drive one.
"This
issue needs to be amended in law,” he was quoted as saying by the Iranian
media.
Women
riding motorbikes in Iran are often harassed and even arrested by police.
Iranian
women have found no respite from Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei
who in 2016 reportedly said, “Women's cycling in public and in the presence of
male non-relations, often attracts the attention of men. It tends toward
sedition and corruption in society, and runs contrary to women's chastity.”
He
was responding to a question from Fars New Agency about ban on women riding
bikes.
Iran,
a prominent and influential country in West Asia is still battling age-old
beliefs that deny its citizens, especially women basic freedoms that are
afforded or even taken for granted in many other countries across the world.
The issues have often hit headlines globally.
Source:
WIO News
--------
Expo
2020 Dubai: AR Rahman-led all-female orchestra's performance to close Space
Week
October
22, 2021
Nerissa
Lobo playing the piano as the musicians tune up. AR Rhamn Truoup
-----
Firdaus
Orchestra, the pioneering all-women musical ensemble led by Academy and Grammy
Award-winning composer A.R. Rahman, will close Expo 2020 Dubai’s Space Week on
Saturday October 23. The orchestra will render a stellar space-themed
repertoire comprising Western classical music and an original composition by
Rahman.
Starting
at 7pm at Expo 2020’s Jubilee Park, the Firdaus Orchestra, led by conductor
Yasmina Sabbah and representing a melange of musical talent from across the
Arab world, will bring their spellbinding showcase to Expo’s Space Week
celebrations.
The
one-hour performance will include “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” the theme from
2001: A Space Odyssey, as well as music from Star Wars and ET – Adventures on
Earth. It will also feature Karl Jenkins’ “Palladio,” Beethoven’s “Symphony No.
5,” and a grand finale performance by A.R. Rahman who will present an exclusive
new composition, Humanitas-Proorismós-Al Amal – an ode by the composer to
explorers of space. ‘Al Amal’ is the Arabic word for ‘Hope’, which,
fortuitously, is also the name of the first Arab mission to Mars.
AR
Rahman said: “To know the unknown is the quest of life, and by exploring space
we explore ourselves.”
Expo
ticket-holders wishing to attend the orchestra’s inaugural performance on
Saturday should arrive early. Due to limited capacity at the venue, access will
be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Expo tickets can be purchased
online at www.expo2020.com.
Running
from October 17 to October 23, Expo 2020’s Space Week is hosting astronauts,
thought-leaders, and other space experts – highlighting the latest innovations
in space research and travel and providing a platform to discuss critical
issues.
Source:
Khaleej Times
--------
In
Iraqi Kurdish city, women gain power without parity
October
22, 2021
HALABJA:
In the Kurdish city of Halabja in northeastern Iraq, municipal director Kwestan
Faraj recalls the day when being a woman saved her life.
Though
equality may be a distant reality for many women in Iraq, in Halabja women have
reached top levels of local government.
Mayor,
university dean, director of the veterinary department, and health spokesperson
are some of the senior posts held by women in the city of around 115,000
inhabitants.
It
marks something of a departure for Iraqi Kurdistan, where public affairs have
long been dominated by a handful of men. Tradition and conservative values have
meant that women face routine discrimination and are largely confined to the
private sphere.
“When
you are a woman, climbing the ranks comes with a lot of sacrifices,” Faraj, 55,
said.
A
former deputy head of the municipality for 15 years, Faraj launched her
political career many years earlier when as a student she handed out leaflets
against Saddam Hussein’s regime, which carried out an infamous chemical attack
on the city shortly before the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988.
She
recalled one day when an armed man arrived demanding that she sign dubious
paperwork. She refused.
“I
thought he would pull out his gun and shoot,” she said.
“He
got up and told me: ‘If you weren’t a woman, I know what I would have done’.”
She
said that in her city the drive for gender equality was largely led by the
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), one of two historical parties in Iraqi
Kurdistan.
Yet
some residents complain that the advances are largely cosmetic and aimed at
masking the shortcomings of public services.
A
junior partner in the Kurdistan regional government in Irbil, the PUK holds the
post of speaker in the regional parliament, which it also awarded to a woman,
Rewaz Faiq.
The
party “believes in equality between men and women in all domains,” Faraj said.
“This
has allowed us to achieve gender balance in administrative posts in Halabja,”
said the head of the municipality, who has held the post since 2016.
Halabja
prides itself on having had a woman mayor, Adela Khanum, in the first decades
of the 20th century. Now it has another, Nuxsha Nasih.
It
also has Kurdistan’s first female university dean, Mahabad Kamil Abdullah. “The
Islamist parties were among the first to congratulate me when I became the
president of Halabja University,” she said.
But
it is by no means representative of the situation of women in Kurdistan as a
whole. A 2018 UN report found that women in the workforce represent barely 15
percent of the women of working age. About three quarters of those work in the
public sector.
In
Iraq’s Oct. 10 parliamentary election, more than 90 women were elected
according to preliminary results, exceeding the minimum 83-seat quota
established for women in the 329-seat chamber.
Though
the Kurdistan region has cultivated an image of relative stability and tolerance,
women’s rights activists say key issues like forced marriage and female genital
mutilation have gone unaddressed.
“It
is not enough to have women in high posts. There need to be more women in the
lower ranks,” said Gulistan Ahmed, who heads the governmental commission for
human rights in Halabja.
Many
residents are more preoccupied with the failings of public services than with
seeking gender equality.
“There
have been no notable changes in the city under their mandate, whether at the
level of public services or with the launch of new projects,” complained Wshyar
Abdulkarim, a 45-year-old spice merchant.
Female
market trader Mujda Ahmed said having women in top jobs had yet to lead to an
improvement in services for women.
“I
have worked in the market for six years and not a single person has built
public toilets for women,” she said.
“I
have the impression that they are being used by their parties, which simply
want to improve their image on the issue of equality, nothing more.”
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1952846/middle-east
--------
Afghanistan
Ranks Last in Global Women Peace and Security Index
October
21, 2021
Islamabad:
In the global ranking of women’s peace and security, Afghanistan sits at the
last place as the country’s women fear complete and outright discrimination
since the Taliban have taken control of the Asian country.Also Read - Taliban
To Allow National Polio Vaccination Campaign in Afghanistan: WHO Confirms
According
to a report published by Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace,
and Security, Afghanistan sits at the bottom among at least 170 countries. Jeni
Klugman, Managing Director, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security
said, “Afghanistan has fallen to last place out of 170 countries. The country’s
absolute score is almost 30 per cent lower that in 2017, driven by worsening
rates of violence and worsening community safety.” Also Read - Taliban
Intimidation Causing School Attendance Rates to Remain Low
The
Taliban takeover in August has only added more fuel to the existing dire
situation of women, peace and security in the country, which global powers
fear, may remain the same or get even worse in the times to come under the Taliban
rule. The report also highlights that “future data to show that the Taliban
takeover of Afghanistan in August has only exacerbated these conditions”. Also
Read - Aghanistan Terror Attack: India Condemns 'Heinous And Cowardly' Act,
Calls For United Fight Against Terrorism
Mariam
Safi, Founding Director of Organization for Policy and Research Studies
(DROPS), said “What makes the findings of these index more worrisome that ever
before is that with the return of the television, many expect for these indicators
mentioned in the index further deteriorate.”
The
report sheds light on a wide range of ground realities in Afghanistan and
highlights factors that are pivotal to the evaluation of how women are faring
in 170 countries around the world. Norway, Finland, and Iceland are the top
three countries in the index, while the last 12 countries, at least 11 are
highly fragile states, while Pakistan stands at 167.
“While
the Nordic countries feature at the top of the index, we are not perfect. In
every society, there are those who experience unequal treatment and exclusion.
It is imperative that we recognize this, it helps us to look forward to
addressing gaps, especially structural ones to achieve achieving gender
equality,” said Mona Juul, Norway’s ambassador to the United Nations.
In
Afghanistan, the world is still waiting for the Taliban to fulfill their
promise of giving rights to education and freedom to women. However, no signs
of revival of women education schools or rights of women in the country, have
come into practice. Afghan women are left with no other option but to hope that
global pressure on the Taliban may result in some respite from the existing
discrimination, they are subjected to suffer, a heavy price being paid for
living in their home country.
Source:
India.Com
--------
Hindu
Woman’s Burial Denied In Muslim Graveyard In Pakistan; Police Helped Hindus To
Bury The Body
Sameer
Mandhro
October
22, 2021
KARACHI:
Dozens
of people reportedly stopped Hindus from burying a body in a Muslim graveyard
in Thull town of district Jacobabad, though both the communities have shared
the facility for years, locals said.
The
incident took place on Wednesday when the Hindu Oodh community members came to
the town’s main cemetery to enter the remains of Nazi wife of Kevo Mal.
Thull-based
journalist, Zahid Gul Mastoi told The Express Tribune that the minority
community people were harassed and were asked to take back the body.
“The
body was lying in the open ground for about three hours,” he said.
The
Oodh community staged a protest outside the graveyard and demanded the Muslim
residents to allow them to bury the body.
“Hindu
men and women were requesting Muslims but no one was listening to them,” Mastoi
said.
He
said that police reached the spot after a few hours and dispersed Muslim
residents and helped Hindus to bury the body.
“It
was first such incident in Thull,” he added.
The
area residents said that the graveyard has been used by both the communities
for years.
According
to Mukesh Meghwar, a Hindu activist, these issues were being reported for last
10 years.
“Hindus,
especially those from the lower castes, do not have separate graveyards
anywhere in Sindh,” he said.
“We
have a small portion in almost every small and major town of the province,” he
added.
Meghwar
reminded that grave of Bhoro Bheel was dug out in Badin in 2013.
“That
was the first such kind of incident,” he said.
He
said that the fear prevails among Hindus when such incidents are reported.
“Where
should they bury their bodies without a graveyard,” he questioned.
Source:
The Tribune Pakistan
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2325805/hindu-womans-burial-denied-in-muslim-graveyard
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York
Army Open Day Encourages Muslim Women Recruits To Inspire More Muslims To Join
The Armed Forces
October
22, 2021
A
group of Muslim women from Bradford has been given a taste of Army life.
They
were given a chance to tackle an assault course and take part in paintballing
and other activities at barracks in York.
The
event was designed to inspire more Muslims to join the armed forces.
Latest
figures from the MoD show there are currently 650 Muslims serving in the RAF,
Army and Royal Navy out of a total force of just under 150,000 service
personnel.
Maj
Kate Haniford, from the Royal Artillery, said the day was designed to show
those taking part what the Army did, adding that all roles were now open to
women.
"The
Army is an organisation that should represent the society that it serves,"
said Maj Haniford.
"It's
really super-important that more Muslim women are aware of the opportunities in
the Army. If they are more aware then they are more likely to consider the Army
as a career of choice."
As
well as the outdoor activities, the Army held information sessions about
available careers.
One
of the participants, Salina Choudhry, 27, a data analyst, said if she were
younger she would have considered joining the Army.
"I
guess you have this perception of what the Army is, and coming here and seeing
all the opportunities available to you it's definitely opened up my eyes,"
she said.
Meanwhile,
another participant, Hareem, said the day had made her consider a career in the
forces.
"It's
totally changed my mind. After today, I would definitely look into it just because
they've got so many amazing experiences and all these opportunities."
Source:
BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-58999157
--------
Iran’s
Female Hockey Team Win 2nd Place in Int’l Dubai Competition
2021-October-21
The
Iranian women could get the title during their first official presence in the
international competitions held on October 18-20.
In
final, the Iranian ice hockey team faced powerful Russia but could not win it
and was defeated 3-1.
Dubai
ice hockey championship is the most reputable one in the region.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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