Canada Rejects Afghan Women’s Rights Activist Farzana Adell Ghadiya Visa Request Required to Enter the Country for Asylum
New
Age Islam News Bureau
03
October 2022
•
Middle East’s Women Have So Much to Offer the World of Work
•
Hundreds of Protesters Take to Turkey’s Streets In Support Of Iranian Women
•
French March in Paris to Rally Support for Women in Iran
•
Why Does Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai Want More Muslims in Film And
TV?
•
Taliban Break Up Women’s Protest In Herat
•
Sharjah Women’s Sports Club Shuttlers to Represent UAE at West Asia Regional
Junior Championships Qualifiers
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/afghan-rights-activist-farzana-ghadiya/d/128095
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Canada
Rejects Afghan Women’s Rights Activist Farzana Adell Ghadiya Visa Request
Required to Enter the Country for Asylum
Farzana
Adell Ghadiya, a Hazara minority facing persecution by the Taliban
-----
By
Nicholas Keung
Oct.
2, 2022
A
prominent Afghan women’s rights activist desperately looking for refuge has
been denied entry to Canada, despite a government program meant to resettle
vulnerable Afghans just like her.
Farzana
Adell Ghadiya, a Hazara minority facing persecution by the Taliban, recently
received a boilerplate letter from Canadian immigration refusing an application
for a temporary residence visa, which she required to enter the country for
asylum.
To
qualify for a visa, applicants must prove their ties — such as a job, home,
financial assets or family — that will take them back to their home country and
will leave Canada at the end of the visit.
Adell
Ghadiya is in exile in a third country; she has asked the Star not to publish
her whereabouts to protect her from repatriation. Given that she doesn’t dare
return to Afghanistan, she explained her circumstances in the application and
stated up front the purpose of her visit: to seek protection in Canada upon
arrival.
“It’s
shocking that the immigration department didn’t even take the time to read her
affidavit and submissions, which lay out the threats to her life and the
obstacles Farzana and many Afghans face in getting to Canada,” explains Matthew
Behrens of the Ottawa-based Rural Refugee Rights Network, which is assisting
the woman.
“It’s
a fundamental breach of fairness to assess an application as something it
isn’t. It shows how little value the lives of Afghan women have for the Canadian
government.”
Adell
Ghadiya was the chief of staff for the UN Commission on the Status of Women for
the Afghan government overthrown by the Taliban last year. She is now in limbo
in a country whose government, advocates say, is picking up Afghan refugees in
sweeps and sending them back to the Taliban’s embrace.
Last
year, Ottawa set a target to bring in 40,000 Afghans through a special
immigration program for those who worked for the Canadian government in
Afghanistan and a humanitarian program for women’s-rights advocates,
human-rights defenders, journalists and at-risk minorities.
Adell
Ghadiya’s supporters initially tried to get her here through the humanitarian
program. However, to qualify, an applicant needs to first register with the
United Nations Refugee Agency or the government of the country where they now
live.
In
the country where she is hiding, the UN agency stopped registering refugees a
few years ago and the host government is friendly to the Taliban and reluctant
to issue Afghans refugee certificates.
So
her advocates helped her apply for temporary residence in Canada in early
April, explicitly to seek refuge in the country upon arrival. Indeed, in the
refusal letter, immigration officials noted that the purpose of her visit to
Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay based on the circumstances she
provided in the application.
“Your
proposed length of stay in Canada is inconsistent with a temporary stay,” said
the two-page form rejection, adding that she could re-apply if she can address those
concerns and demonstrate “your situation meets the requirements.”
Adell
Ghadiya said she’s devastated by the refusal, which she likens to murder, given
the way the Taliban treat women’s-rights advocates who served under the fallen
government of U.S.-supported president Ashraf Ghani.
“This
is not consistent with the human values that were previously announced by
Canada to shelter Afghan women, and creates disappointment in my mind. The
current situation of Afghanistan can be seen clearly and obviously to the
world,” said Adell Ghadiya, who could face removal in the country she is in now
when her visa there expires.
“I
appeal to Immigration Minister Mr. Sean Fraser: you have the power to sign a
permit to allow me to enter Canada. Why won’t you use that power and save my
life?”
Sharen
Craig, who is part of a women’s rights network in Ottawa helping Adell Ghadiya,
said she is baffled by the government’s refusal to her friend into Canada when
she saw a news story about an Afghan rescue dog named Alex reunited with his
owner, an interpreter from Kabul, now in the country.
“What
does it take to get Farzana here? Does she need to dress up as Scooby-Doo to be
accepted? We have spoken with so many MPs, there’s been so much attention to
her case,” said Craig, whose group has raised money to support a settlement
plan for the Afghan woman.
“All
we get is a brick wall of rejection. I am up every night worried with fear for
my lovely friend, whom I truly feel has become like a daughter to me.”
Meanwhile,
Fraser tweeted on Wednesday about another charter flight with 300 Afghan
refugees landing in Toronto from Tajikistan, pushing the total number over
20,350 since the special Afghan resettlement programs kicked into gears a year
ago.
Source:
The Star
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Middle
East’s Women Have So Much To Offer The World Of Work
Photo:
Arab News
----
Suha
Ma’ayeh
October
02, 2022
In
recent years, a seemingly endless stream of conferences, workshops and studies
have been conducted to answer a key question for countries in the Middle East
and North Africa: Why do so few women in the region work?
Currently,
just 19 percent of MENA’s labor force is female, the lowest worldwide. Despite
plans and policies to address the gender gap in employment, women remain
sidelined at work, which is hurting families and suppressing gross domestic
product growth across the region.
While
the situation is not uniform in all Arab countries, the reasons that keep women
out of the labor force are endemic.
It
is not that women are not eager to work outside the home, but legal
discrimination, social norms, the burden of childcare, low wages, harassment,
gender-related biases in hiring and a dearth of safe transportation options are
among the many barriers hindering employment ambitions.
And
while none of this is new — strengthening female labor force participation has
been a global development goal for decades — governments’ efforts to pursue
labor market, education and structural reforms continue to languish.
Although
the region’s women are better-educated than ever, educational attainment has
not translated into an increase in jobs. In fact, the unemployment rate among
young women in Arab countries is 42.5 percent, nearly double that of young men
(21.4 percent) and almost three times the global average of 14.9 percent.
In
conflict-riddled countries like Yemen and Iraq, female labor force
participation is the lowest in the region — 6 percent and 11 percent,
respectively. But even in Jordan, a country not at war, only 13 percent of
women work outside the home, according to the World Bank.
Jordan’s
struggles to close this gap are illustrative. Already burdened with high
unemployment — it hit 23 percent last year — the country has faced a confluence
of negative economic trends, not to mention disruptions caused by COVID-19. And
despite reforms to the school curriculum, the education system continues to
stereotype and sideline women, depicting them as inferior to men and limiting
their role in society.
Given
these failings, it is not surprising that women are underrepresented in
politics. There are just 15 women in the 130-member lower house of parliament —
the minimum required under a gender quota system. In the Cabinet, there are
only two women, while 28 other ministerial positions are occupied by men.
In
a patriarchal society, social norms are not easy to change. Challenging gender
stereotypes and granting women equal rights often raises the ire of
conservatives, who see progress as an attack on traditional values or linked to
foreign agendas.
Sadly,
these are not fringe ideas. A 2019 UN study found that in Jordan, weak legal
protections and harmful views on gender conspire to keep women out of the labor
force. These challenges were found at “every possible level directly and
indirectly,” the report said, ranging from “what kind of work and what working
hours are considered socially acceptable… to gender-assigned roles that limit
women’s role to child rearing and housekeeping.”
Three
years later, little has changed. Jordan scored 46.9 out of 100 in the “Women,
Business and the Law 2022” report, an index covering 190 countries that
assesses the laws and regulations that impact women’s economic opportunities.
Jordan’s score is lower than the regional average of 53 percent.
It
is inexplicable that women in Jordan, who can receive alimony payments, still
need a spouse’s consent to work. It is even more frustrating that a male
guardianship system intended to protect women imposes restrictions on their
mobility and even allows a male guardian to report women absent, subjecting
them to arrest.
As
consumer prices continue to rise, it is becoming increasingly difficult for
families to survive on one income. Many women want to work, but social
conditioning has taught men that it is a wife’s duty to do the household chores
and to raise the children. A husband who shares responsibilities with his
partner is viewed as doing his wife a favor.
To
be sure, the region has begun to bridge the gender divide with policies, laws
and well-meaning commitments to change. In Saudi Arabia, which is undergoing
radical economic and social reforms, the rate of employment for women has risen
dramatically to more than 30 percent. In other Gulf countries, like the UAE and
Kuwait, the figure is nearly 50 percent.
Despite
these gains, much work remains. Possible steps include protecting women from
discrimination during pregnancy and while on maternity leave; establishing
workplace nurseries; and penalizing employers that discriminate based on
gender.
And
yet, lasting improvements in women’s workforce participation — in Jordan and
beyond — will require the implementation of laws that empower women in all
aspects of life. Social norms and stereotyping must be challenged — in the media,
at school and in the home. The women of MENA are not inferior to men; the
kitchen is not our only place. We have so much more to offer than that.
•
Suha Ma’ayeh is a journalist based in Amman, Jordan. Her work has been
published in Foreign Policy and CTC Sentinel. She also reports for The Wall
Street Journal and other publications on Jordan and southern Syria.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2173801
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Hundreds
of protesters take to Turkey’s streets in support of Iranian women
02
October, 2022
Hundreds
of protesters took to the streets in Turkey on Sunday to condemn Iran’s
crackdown on women-led demonstrations sparked by a young woman’s death after
her arrest by the country’s notorious morality police.
In
Istanbul, many Iranians were among the hundreds of people who chanted slogans
against the Tehran regime and in support of Iranian women.
Women
held red roses, Iranian flags and signs bearing the words “women, life,
freedom,” the battle cry of the protest movement that has rocked Iran and was
triggered last month by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd.
In
Diyarbakir, a southeastern city with a majority Kurdish population, around 200
people gathered brandishing photographs of Iranian women killed in the
crackdown and a large banner with the slogan “women, life, freedom” in Kurdish,
an AFP correspondent reported.
A
demonstration in solidarity with Iranian women attended by hundreds of people
was also held in the western city of Izmir on Saturday evening, according to
images published on social media and verified by AFP.
At
least 92 people have been killed in Iran since the start of the protests two
weeks ago, Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said on Sunday.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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French
march in Paris to rally support for women in Iran
October
02, 2022
PARIS:
Thousands of people marched in Paris on Sunday to show their support for
Iranian protesters standing up to their leadership over the death of a young
woman in police custody. Several female demonstrators chopped off chunks of
their hair and tossed them into the air as a gesture of liberation.
Women
of Iranian heritage, French feminist groups and leading politicians were among those
who joined the gathering at Republique Plaza before marching through eastern
Paris.
“Woman,
Life, Liberty!” the crowd chanted, undeterred by the rainy weather. Some
banners read: “Freedom for Iranian women,” or “No to Obligatory Hijab” or just
the young woman’s name: “#Mahsa Amini.”
It
was the latest and appeared to be the largest of several protests in France in
support of the Iranian demonstrators. Iranians and others have also marched in
cities around the world.
Thousands
of Iranians have taken to the streets over the last two weeks to protest the
death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by Iran’s
morality police in the capital of Tehran for allegedly not adhering to Iran’s
strict Islamic dress code.
The
protesters have vented their anger over the treatment of women and wider
repression in the Islamic Republic, and the demonstrations escalated into calls
for the overthrow of the clerical establishment that has ruled Iran since 1979.
At
the Paris protest, some chanted in Persian and French, “Khomenei get out!” —
referring to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khomenei. Some women’s cheeks bore
drawings of a red poppy, the symbol of a martyr in Iran.
Iris
Farkhondeh, a 40-year-old French scholar who came to France as a refugee when she
was a toddler, said she worries about rising Islamist extremism and the risk of
terrorist attacks in France by religious extremists.
“The
battle we fight in Iran is the same as that in France,” she said.
Other
protesters described anger at Iran’s dress codes and encroaching restrictions
on women. Some were afraid to give their names out of concerns for
repercussions for family members in Iran.
Romane
Ranjbaran, 28, came to protest with her mother and other family members.
”Iran
is part and parcel of my history. My mom knew free Iran, when women were free,”
she said.
She
said she was happy to see so many people at Sunday’s gathering.
“It
is an international fight. If we want the situation in Iran to improve, we need
international support,” she said.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2173791/world
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Why
does Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai want more Muslims in film and TV?
By
Joshua Askew
02/10/2022
This
week Malala Yousafzai called out Hollywood.
The
young Pakistani education activist, who was catapulted to fame after getting
shot in the head by the Taliban, condemned the film and television industry for
its near total absence of Muslims.
Speaking
at an event praising female creatives in the United States (US), she said:
"I know that executives have passed on dozens of quality, equally amazing
projects because they thought that the characters or their creators were too
young, too brown, too foreign, too poor."
"Sometimes
it feels like they're saying we just don't belong here."
According
to the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative (AII), only 1.1% of characters in US and
UK films are Muslim. In a 2021 report, which sampled 200 of the most popular films
in the West, they found that an “epidemic of invisibility faces Muslim
characters.”
The
picture is similar across Europe.
In
Germany – which has one of the largest Muslim populations in Europe – only 3.2%
of those in the film and television (TV) industry are Muslim or Jewish, as per
data by Citizens Europe. Likewise, in 2019, a group of artists in France signed
an open letter denouncing the lack of diversity in French cinema.
‘Missing
and maligned’
Yousafzai's
comments touch on a long-running issue.
Back
in 1984, Jack Shaheen wrote a book called "The TV Arab" which
highlighted several problems with how US TV and media dealt with Arabs,
especially Muslims.
Many
of these issues surrounding the representation of Muslims still remain, with
Yousafzai and other public figures, such as British actor Riz Ahmed, vocally
criticising the status quo.
Furvah
Shah, a journalist at the Independent, offered some explanation why.
“Behind
the scenes, there’s a lot of exclusivity in the industry,” she told Euronews
Culture, adding this made it "much harder for people to get their foot in
the door."
"There
is a culture of people not really caring about our stories, and not really
wanting to hear what we have to say," Shah said. "People are glossed
over with stereotypes and generalisations that just aren't true."
For
her, the absence of Muslims on the screen was self-perpetuating.
“When
there's no representation, it sends a message that you don't belong that you're
an other, an alien," said Shah."You need to see yourself on the TV to
be able to know that you have a place there, that it is possible.”
But
there are a number of other factors which may explain why the participation of
Muslims in film and television is so low.
According
to Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND), an NGO which seeks to tackle
Islamophobia and get more Muslims involved with the media, “discrimination” is
a big reason.
A
BBC study found job seekers with Muslim names are three times less likely to be
called for an interview compared to those with an English-sounding name – even
when the skills and experience are identical.
Social-economic
factors are also an issue, as Muslims in Europe are more likely to be from
deprived backgrounds where access to quality education and services is lower.
“The
film and TV industry loses amazing young people by not employing more Muslims
in this field,” MEND told Euronews Culture, citing statistics that 9% of UK
graduates are from Muslim backgrounds.
“This
is a talent pool that the industry is missing out on,” they added.
'The
Muslim experience is not monolithic'
But
the problems do not stop there.
When
Muslims do make it onto the screen, AII's report revealed that they are
typically "racially profiled", with 58.5% staring as "immigrants
or refugees", 87.8% "speaking no English or with an accent" and
75.6% "wearing clothes related to their faith."
“Stereotypes
are powerful,” according to Professor Chris Berry, a cultural historian at
King’s College London. “When they are disseminated far and wide through a mass
media machine like Hollywood, they shape what people think they know about
other kinds of people.”
“Especially
if they have little direct experience of those other people, the results can be
dangerous,” he added.
There
are also gender-based dynamics affecting how Muslim women are represented,
alongside sexual minorities.
In
AII’s findings, Muslim women and girls were primarily shown on the screen as
subservient, either as romantic partners or family members. Out of all 200
films in the sample, only one Muslim character was identified as LGBT+.
“We’re
so tired of hearing the same old tropes about Muslim women being oppressed or
about Muslim communities being violent,” said Shah. “When you constantly see
that as the only representation of yourself, it can be really damaging to your
self-esteem and social participation.”
“There
needs to be much more diversity on screen because the Muslim experience is not
monolithic,” she added.
Just
under 25% of the world population is Muslim, while their large diaspora in
Europe numbers 44 million, making up 6% of people in the region.
'Bittersweet'
Yet
things are changing, slowly.
Marvel
Studios chose Pakistani-born Canadian actress Iman Vellani to portray its first
Muslim superhero on screen in "Ms Marvel". Arab-American actor Haaz
Sleiman also broke through the stereotype ceiling and made LGBT history too
when he was cast as the husband of superhero Phastos' in "The Eternals".
Recent
series such as "Dogs of Berlin" in Germany and Netflix’s
"Mo" are also trying to put forward a more positive portrayal of
Muslims.
This
is being helped by several identity-based associations and activities that are
increasingly trying to combat stereotyping and defamation in the industry, such
as UK Muslim Film.
They
follow in the footsteps of the US Anti-Defamation League which was established
in 1913 to tackle anti-Semitism, alongside the GLAAD (formerly the Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) fighting negative media stereotypes of the
LGBTQ+ community in Hollywood.
“Such
organisations operate with a carrot and a stick,” said Professor Berry. “As
part of the consumer movement, they can organise boycotts and protests that can
negatively affect the bottom line of media organisations."
"They
can also work closely with those major organisations to try to change
stereotypes and create a greater variety of images,” he added.
Yousafzai,
the youngest Nobel Laureate in history, herself recently launched a production
company in partnership with Apple+, aimed at promoting diversity in film and
TV, while bringing Muslims' lived experiences to light.
While
she praised these new shows and films as “exciting and refreshing”, Shah said
the industry was still missing out on a lot by not involving this part of the
community.
“There’s
so much history to be told and so many voices to be heard," she said.
"So much incredible storytelling.”
“It's
bittersweet .. many amazing Muslim storytellers are coming up, but why are we
only just hearing about them now.”
Source:
Euro News
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Taliban
break up women’s protest in Herat
October
3, 2022
HERAT:
Authorities dispersed a women’s rally in Afghanistan’s western city of Herat on
Sunday, with protesters claiming they were beaten by Taliban forces who fired
shots in the air.
Scores
of students turned out in protest against a Friday suicide bombing on a Kabul
classroom that killed and wounded dozens of pupils as they prepared for exams.
The
bomber blew himself up in the women’s section of a gender-segregated study hall
in a Kabul neighbourhood home to the Hazara community.
The
United Nations said at least 35 people were killed and another 82 wounded, most
of them girls and young women.
On
Sunday, more than 100 women — mostly Hazara — marched in Herat against the
attack, which was one of the deadliest in recent years to strike the minority
group.
“Education
is our right, genocide is a crime,” the protesters chanted as they made their
way from Herat University to the office of the provincial governor.
Dressed
in black hijabs and headscarves, the protesters were stopped from reaching the
office by heavily armed Taliban forces, who also ordered journalists not to
report on the rally.
“We
had no weapons but were only chanting slogans as we marched,” protester Wahida
Saghri said. “But they beat us with sticks and even fired in the air to
disperse us. Please carry our voice across the world because we are not safe
here.”
Another
group of women students prevented from protesting in the street staged a
separate rally on the campus of the university, television footage showed.
“We
were unable to go out as Taliban security forces shut the main gate of the
university,” protester Zulaikha Ahmadi said.
“We
then chanted slogans and called for the opening of the gate, but they dispersed
us by firing into the air.” Demonstrators are heard in the footage shouting
“open the door, open the door” after which a Taliban member beats them with a
stick.
The
group is then seen dispersing as gunshots are heard in the background.
Women’s
rights protests have seen tense standoffs with authorities since the Taliban
returned to power, with demonstrators detained and rallies broken up by aerial
firing.
Female
activists have still tried to stage sporadic protests, most in Kabul, against a
slew of restrictions imposed on them by the Taliban.
No
group has so far claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack at the Kaaj Higher
Educational Centre in the capital.
But
the militant Islamic State group regards Shias as heretics and has previously
staged attacks in the area targeting girls, schools and mosques. Hazaras have
also been targeted in Herat in recent years.
Source:
Dawn
https://www.dawn.com/news/1713191/taliban-break-up-womens-protest-in-herat
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Sharjah
Women’s Sports Club shuttlers to represent UAE at West Asia Regional Junior
Championships qualifiers
October
03, 2022
Sharjah:
The Sharjah Women’s Sports Club (SWSC) female athletes representing the UAE
national badminton team will take part in the qualifiers of the West Asia
Regional Junior Championships 2022.
Qualifiers
for the Arab region will take place at the Xtra Sports Badminton Academy in
Sharjah on Sunday.
The
West Asia Regional Junior Championships 2022 are scheduled to take place in
Kuwait from November 4–12.
This
was the second time the players of the SWSC shuttlers participated in the game
after badminton was added to the club’s list of approved sports.
Fifteen
female players from the Sharjah Women’s Sports Club, donning the UAE colours,
will participate in the qualifiers, including Shamma Salem, Mariam Al Mazrouei,
Haifa Saeed, Amira Saleh, Hessa Abdullah, Ghalia Saleh, Hind Said, Dana Khaled,
Hoor Ali, Moza Saeed, Maryam Said, Sheikha Said, Shawq Al Mazrouei, Kholoud
Salem, and Maryam Hamid.
Five
of them reached the final stage. Hind Saeed Al Mazrouei also qualified to the
Championships of the U-15 category.
Ready
to compete
Belqees
Al Shehhi, Head of the Individual Games Department at Sharjah Women’s Sports,
said the Sharjah Women’s Sports Club players are ready to compete in the
qualifiers to secure a spot at the West Asia Regional Junior Championships.
She
revealed that this will be the second time the badminton players of the Sharjah
Women’s Sports Club are taking part in the game following the adoption of the
game. The last time they competed was in a badminton tournament held at the Al
Nasr Club in Dubai in August and witnessed the participation of 38 players from
three different clubs.
The
Sharjah Women’s Sports Club’s fencing team marked the beginning of the new
season following their participation in the Federation Championship held for
13–15 year olds, which took place at Asmaa Bint Al-Numan Hall in Dubai. Nine
players, including Shamma Al Suwaidi, Dana Al Shataf, Ghala Jassim, Rafia Al
Sarkal, Anoud Issa, Ohood Issa, Aisha Khalifa, Afra Al Shataf, and Anoud Nabil,
were part of the club’s team.
Anoud
Nabil settled for bronze after finishing in third place in the epee event of
the U-15 category, where fencers from six clubs participated in the tournament,
including Fujairah Combat Games, Shabab Al Ahli Club Dubai, Baniyas Club, MK
Academy, and Al Ain Club.
Gearing
up for the new season, the Sharjah Women’s Sports Club karate team honed their
skills by competing in a friendly competition against Shabab Al Ahli Club
Dubai. The friendly match was a part of the club’s schedule prior to the start
of the official competitions.
11
players
The
club participated in the match with 11 players, including Salama Jassim, Hamida
Haji, Houra Al Ajmi, Fatima Salem, Dana Al Maraghi, Aisha Al Maraghi, Dunia Al
Maraghi, Maryam Mansour, Inas Al Salami, Khawla Al Ansari, and Yazia Khaled.
Zarqa
Al Yamamah, team administrator, stated that the players are well prepared and
have gained experience after taking part in the camps held in Cairo and
Alexandria, Egypt, where our team squared off against seven Egyptian clubs in
friendlies.
Zarqa
stressed that the camp was successful by all standards, especially since
Sharjah Women’s Sports Club includes female players competing at the
international and continental levels, and they have succeeded in reaching West
Asia.
She
also disclosed that a series of friendly games will be played prior to the new
season, starting with the Shabab Al Ahli Club Dubai.
Source: Gulf News
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