Basmah bint Saud Al-Saud, a Saudi Princess, And Her Daughter Suhoud Released After 3 Years In Saudi Prison
New
Age Islam News Bureau
10
January 2022
• Pearls
Square Café With Gym, Yoga, Workstation, Rooftop For Kitty Parties And
Get-Together In Hyderabad Is Run By Women For Women
• Arrest
Of Deepthi Marla aka Mariyum Over ISIS Links Sparks Debate On Love Jihad
• Saudi
Women Weightlifters Win Gold In Weightlifting Tournaments
• Taliban
Stuck Banners Across Kabul To Recommend Hijab For Women
• 72
Hindu Couples Tie The Knot At Mass Wedding In Karachi
• Women
judges and lawyers who fled Taliban rule refuse to give up
• Philippine
Muslim Leaders Urge Repeal of New Law Criminalizing Child Marriage
• 10
Women Qualify In First Round Of King Abdulaziz Camel Festival
• UAE:
20% Fall In Domestic Violence Cases Against Women, Children
• Baby
Lost In Chaos Of Afghanistan Airlift Found, Returned To Family After Long
Ordeal
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/basmah-bint-saud-saudi-princess-suhoud/d/126125
--------
Basmah
bint Saud Al-Saud, a Saudi Princess, And
Her Daughter Suhoud Released After 3 Years In Saudi Prison
Princess
Basma - seen here in 2016 - has been a prominent advocate for constitutional
reform
-----
Ibrahim
al-Khazen
09.01.2022
RIYADH,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi
authorities released a Saudi princess and her daughter after almost three years
in prison, two human rights groups confirmed on Sunday.
The
London-based ALQST human rights group tweeted that Basmah bint Saud Al-Saud and
her daughter Suhoud have been released.
The
two were detained by Saudi authorities in March 2019.
The
rights group said that no charges were levelled against the Saudi princess.
The
Prisoners of Conscience NGO also confirmed the release, saying the pair were
set free on Thursday after three years of detention.
The
princess' legal adviser, Henri Estramant, told CNN Arabic that "the
princess is doing fine but will be seeking medical expertise."
“She
seems worn out but is in good spirits and thankful to reunite with her sons in
person,” he added.
There
was no comment from Saudi authorities on the report.
On
April 24, 2020, the princess's website published a message from her from inside
al-Ha'ir Prison calling on her uncle, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman, to release her due to her deteriorating health.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
--------
Pearls
Square Café With Gym, Yoga, Workstation, Rooftop For Kitty Parties And
Get-Together In Hyderabad Is Run By Women For Women
Pearls
Square Café is a hangout place that is exclusively for women and run by women
in Hyderabad
----
Sumaya
Junaid Ahmed
10th
January 2022
Hyderabad:
Have you ever heard of a place that is only for women and run by women? Well,
there is one in Hyderabad’s Tolichowki’s Aditya Nagar by the name Pearls Square
Café. It is a hangout place that is exclusively for women and run by women. The
place is not only limited to a cafeteria, but also has a catering service, gym,
yoga, workstation, and rooftop for kitty parties and get-togethers.
The
founder of Pearl Square is 40-year-old Abida Fatima. She founded this unique
space on March 15, 2021, with the motto “fulcrum for women by women”.
Speaking
to Siasat.com, Abida said the idea to establish a place like Pearl Square came
because the city lacks safe and open spaces for women. “For any other hangout
spaces girls and women have to constantly keep a watch for their own safety and
security. I always wanted a place for myself and other women to feel safe and
comfortable, so here I’m with a passion to cater to the women community,” she
says smilingly.
Pearl
Square has six staff members who juggle their duties according to demand. The
staff also includes working mothers and students who perfectly balance their
work at home and at work.
At
the time of our visit, we got a chance to meet a handful of girls who were
hanging out with their friends. Mehrunnisa an 18-year-old girl who frequently
visit the place said my mother is not worried when I say I’m going to Pearls
square with my friends. This a small cosy place to come and chit chat with
friends and have a plate of Pani Puris, she added.
Apart
from all these, Pearls Square also offers driving classes for women with a
female instructor. According to a staff member, many neighbourhood women
learned driving because of this initiative.
Furthermore,
Pearls Square is not only a place for women to relax but also a place for women
to work. Women may reserve tables at the workstation in Pearls Square and work
there, an idea that is highly relevant to the work-from-home lifestyle we live
in.
The
founder of the café while speaking to this reporter, stated that spoken English
classes will be held for girls and women for a period of one month, starting
from January 17. The classes will be held adhering to all COVID-19 norms, she
stressed.
According
to a gym instructor at Pearls Square, many ladies want to live a healthy
lifestyle. But they don’t get such opportunities; it’s quite uncomfortable for
Muslim women to wear sportswear and work out in a unisex gym as they practice
wearing hijab. But at Pearls Square when there are all women around they are
very comfortable and they concentrate on the workout properly, she stated.
Abida
Fatima apart from being an entrepreneur also uses her premises for social help
services too. She said during the second wave of COVID-19 lockdown, she along
with her young and passionate team provide catering services to a quarantine
centre in the city for a month. They served breakfast, lunch, snacks, and
dinner to the quarantine facility.
Source:
Siasat Daily
https://www.siasat.com/hyderabad-tolichowkis-pearls-square-cafe-is-for-women-by-women-2255560/
--------
Arrest
Of Deepthi Marla aka Mariyum Over ISIS Links Sparks Debate On Love Jihad
Jan
09 2022
By M
K Ashoka
Bengaluru,
Jan 9 (IANS) Ever since the arrest of Deepthi Marla a.k.a Mariyum on charges of
alleged links with the ISIS by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier
this week in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, it has sparked off a
debate on "Love Jihad" in the state.
Hindu
organisations have planned special campaigns and programmes in coastal
Karnataka through retired police officers, religious leaders and advocates
among others in educational institutions and other places to create awareness
about Love Jihad. They claim that Love Jihad is a reality and every day they
are getting calls from the parents of girls who have disappeared.
They
explain that groups are formed to prevent Hindu girls from falling prey to Love
Jihad and students are trained to observe closely in academic institutions for
suspicious movements on the campus.
The
leaders of the ruling BJP which has already got the Anti-Conversion Bill passed
in the Assembly are openly stating that they would also bring legislation on
Love Jihad. However, state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar has rubbished it
saying that all legislation brought by the Bharatiya Janata Party targeting
minorities would be thrown into the dustbin after his party comes to power.
Deepthi
Marla, a Hindu girl from Kodagu who married Anas Abdul Rahman after falling in
love with him while studying BDS, has converted to Islam and changed her name
to Mariyum. Anas is the grandson of late Congress three-time MLA B.M. Idinabba.
Later,
she is alleged to have come in contact with the ISIS terrorist outfit. She is
also alleged to have recruited local youths for the ISIS.
The
incident has shocked the people of the state especially in the communally
sensitive coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada.
Hindutva forces who have been protesting against Love Jihad are claiming that
Deepthi Marla's case is an example of Love Jihad and it shows how Hindu girls
are trapped in love, married, converted to Islam and then used against the
Hindu community and nation.
Progressive
thinkers dub it as a mere Hindutva agenda and allege that the National
Investigation Agency has been getting instructions from Nagpur (RSS
Headquarters) to carry out the Hindutva agenda and target the minorities.
Senior
Counsel S. Balan, explained to IANS: "Love Jihad is a phrase coined by
right wing elements after instructions from Nagpur and that venom is spewed all
over India including the security forces, police forces, NIA, everywhere. They
have also coined it like another phrase ‘Urban naxals.' It is a bogus word
created by right wing elements."
"Love
Jihad per se is punishable under section 153 A of the IPC for creating a rift
between two communities. It is per se an offence under section 295 of IPC. This
is a language to question the integrity, sovereignty and security of the state.
It challenges the basic structure of the constitution. How is Love Jihad
defined? A woman and man can love, marry it is their right, who has got any
right to declare that it is Love Jihad?" he questioned.
"The
NIA is a ‘National Inhuman Agency', gets instructions from Nagpur. It is the
most communal minded organization and they are bent upon implicating anyone. I
am seeing certain cases also. It is a predictive policing algorithm. The moment
something happens, the victim is predicted, the culprit is predicted, the
ideology is predicted, the organization is predicted, the moment Love Jihad is
mentioned, it is predicted that the offenders are Muslims. The victims are
Hindus. Many religions preach violence. Even the Hindu religion, if you take
the Mahabharata and the Ramayan, it is a war. Like that every religion is
violent. Christianity is violent, Judaism is violent, Parsi religion is
violent. How and why do you brand one person?" he asked.
Pramod
Muthalik, the Founder of Sri Ram Sena, explained to IANS that the term ‘Love
Jihad' was coined by him in 2009. "I have written my first book on the
subject. In the period of 15 to 20 years as many as 3,000 Hindu girls who have
gone away with Muslims have been traced and brought back. They were married
back to Hindus. This is happening. Now, the issue is being discussed all over
the country. Many states have brought legislation in this regard. The matter
has also reached the Supreme Court."
"Kerala
is a big centre of Love Jihad. Before four years, 4,000 girls are targeted for
Love Jihad, government documents say that among these 3,000 are Christian
girls. Love Jihad is a reality. This is done to increase population and misuse
Hindu girls and women. They get married and leave them after having children.
They would be pushed into brothels and sold in Arab nations. They will also use
them for terrorist activities," he claimed.
"Our
activists have struggled a lot to bring back victim Hindu girls. They have
managed to bring out Hindu girls who were kept in Mosques. The activists have
faced assaults and gone to jail. Till date, we get five to six phone calls
every day from people about their daughter absconding. This is happening. We
have formed squads in all the colleges and they keep a vigil," Muthalik
stated.
Afsar
Kodlipet, State Secretary of the Social Democratic Party of India, said that
the concept of Love Jihad is a castle built in the air and a conspiracy by the
Sangh Parivar elements to target minorities.
"In
2009, NIA came to Karnataka to investigate the alleged rape, murder of 37
women. It was alleged that Hindu women were used sexually and converted
forcefully to another religion as part of Love Jihad. After a detailed
investigation the NIA uncovered the role of Cyanide Mohan, a psycho serial
killer, behind the death of 27 women. He targeted Dalit women and girls and
after exploiting them, fearing exposure he killed them. Later, it came to light
that there is no Love Jihad in all the cases," he said.
"The
issue was raised in Parliament in 2009-10. The then government at the Centre
gave a written answer that there is not a single case of Love Jihad in the
country. In Karnataka BJP MLC Ravikumar raised the issue in the Legislative
Council when B.S. Yediyurappa was the Chief Minister. Then Social Welfare
Minister Govind Karajol explained in the House that there is not a single case
of forceful conversion in connection with Love Jihad allegations," he
stated.
T.S.
Chandrashekar, international affairs analyst and BJP TV panellist, maintained
that Love Jihad is a reality. "In Kerala, the fundamentalist elements will
gather inputs on girls who are single daughters and rich. They think if they
trap these girls, they would also get resources. Uneducated, poor girls are not
targeted. Only, working, educated women are being trapped in love and later
brainwashed."
Sharan
Pumpwell, Zonal Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Dakshina Kannada,
claimed that since 15 years the cases of Love Jihad are increasing. Every day
such cases are reported in the coastal Karnataka region. Hindu girls are
brainwashed and even become victims of sex jihad. In Kerala, they are targeting
Catholic Christian girls.
"We
are launching a campaign on January 17. Seminars are being conducted in
colleges and religious leaders, caste leaders, retired police officers,
advocates are involved in the campaign to create awareness among people about
Love Jihad," he stated.
Source:
Daiji World
https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=913310
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Saudi
women weightlifters win gold in weightlifting tournaments
January
09, 2022
Saudi
sportswomen have been making history, one championship at a time. The latest of
these achievements was made possible by Saudi Hanan Al-Ameri, 19, whose passion
led her to Iraq after taking part in several local championships in the
Kingdom.
Al-Ameri
was able to take home a whopping six gold medals at the 2021 Arab Weightlifting
Championship in the youth 55kg category.
Prior
to the tournament, Al-Ameri made extensive preparations as she joined a 25-day
camp in Jeddah under the technical supervision of the coach of the Saudi
women’s national team Rania Bahloul. Bahloul stressed that Al-Ameri’s victory
stemmed from her passion for the sport, her strength, her preparations, her
discipline and her technical performance.
“It
was a good tournament. It benefited me a lot to compete against other
weightlifters, and I gained much experience by participating next to Arab
champions,” Al-Ameri said.
National
team coach Bahloul noted that Al-Ameri possesses strong techniques and has a
passion for the sport, which has helped her to overcome the difficulties she
faced when she came to Iraq and joined the championship in Erbil.
The
coach said: “Hanan did not surrender. She tried her best to stay in the
competition and rank among the winners. Her journey lasted a whole day. She
spent more than 12 hours at an airport in Amman before arriving in Erbil on the
weighing day for the tournament at 10:00 a.m. It was a strenuous day, and she
feared she would be delayed to the championships. However, she was able to join
the tournament in time and win gold thanks to her power snatch, power clean and
push jerk movements.”
“I
want to thank my fellow players who stood with me in this tournament so that I
could win. I want also to thank my friends, family and followers on Snapchat
for their support and encouragement throughout my trip and during the delay,
helping me to get rid of any pressure and tension. I dedicate this success to
all of them,” said Al-Ameri.
Weightlifter
Dhikra Khurrami grabbed three golds and three silvers. She had already
participated in the international weightlifting championship in Jeddah and in a
local championship in Riyadh.
“I
love this game and my family totally supports me. I hope to represent the
Kingdom in the Olympics, but I am also very happy to raise high the name of the
Kingdom in the Arab world,” she said.
Saudi
weightlifter Lian Al-Qurashi, 15, also won three bronze medals and one silver
medal in the same tournament in Iraq. She expressed her happiness in taking
part in this tournament, remarking how she gained a lot of experience coming
into contact with top-notch Arab women weightlifters and trainers.
“I
participated in a local championship in Riyadh in 2020 and then took part in
the International Weightlifting Championship held in Jeddah in 2021,” she said.
She
added: “I chose this game because it is unique in terms of performance, but it
requires several skills, the most important of which are technique and
strength.”
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2000856/sport
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Taliban
Stuck Banners Across Kabul To Recommend Hijab For Women
10
Jan 2022
After
recommending drivers across Afghanistan not to seat women who are not observing
hijab, the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice stuck banners
on walls and trees across Kabul recommending women to wear hijab.
The
placards are first seen across the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, January 9,
2022.
“Based
on the Sharia law, a Muslim woman must observe hijab because this is a
commandment of Sharia law.” Reads the notice on banners.
The
banners also indicate two portraits showing two different kinds of hijab
namely, a black Abaya covering the whole face including eyes, and a full-body
blue garment (Burqa) which is a traditional outfit for women in Afghanistan.
Officials
of the ministry said that the placards are only to recommend hijab and
encourage women to observe hijab and that no one will be allowed to force women
to wear hijab.
It
comes as women are still not part of the interim cabinet of the Islamic Emirate
of Afghanistan nor are girls allowed to attend high schools and universities.
IEA
has always reasoned economic problems for withholding women to go to higher
education for the time being.
Source:
Khaama Press
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-stuck-banners-across-kabul-to-recommend-hijab-for-women-346346/
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72
Hindu Couples Tie The Knot At Mass Wedding In Karachi
Shazia
Hasan
January
10, 2022
KARACHI:
As many as 72 Hindu couples joined in matrimony during a mass wedding ceremony
organised by the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) at the Railway Ground here on
Sunday evening.
Every
year, for the last 14 years, MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankvani, who is also the PHC
patron-in-chief, has been organising mass weddings for poor Hindu couples who
cannot afford a big wedding for themselves on the their own.
The
couples in their wedding finery reached the ground by afternoon and sat waiting
in 10 by 10 feet wide enclosures, or mandap as they are called, in two long
rows inside one huge white tent. They were there with their parents, siblings,
their families. In the front of the huge tent was a stage where the model
couple were to be married and who the rest in their enclosures were to follow
every step of the way by watching on two big screens placed on either side of
the aisles.
Most
of the couples had travelled from Sindh. There were couples from Tando
Allahyar, Mithi, Mirpukhas, Hyderabad, etc. There were also many who belonged
to Karachi.
Laxman
wore a heavy triangular mirrored crown on his head as he sat next to his bride
to be Mehek in her pretty golden wedding dress. Laxman’s mother said that this
was the first wedding in her family as he was her eldest son. Meanwhile,
Mehek’s sister, sitting next to her, informed that everyone on their side were
already married as Mehek was the youngest in their family.
Laxman
said that he was happy that such mass wedding can be arranged for people like
himself. “I work as a packer boy in a mobile phone company in Korangi. If left
to me, I would have had to wait for several more years to save up and get
married,” he said.
Vickey
and Nandni belonged to Ibrahim Hyderi. Vicky said that he worked as a sweeper
with the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. “We have been engaged for three
years. I have been trying to save up ever since our engagement but it was not
enough. Finally, we decided to get married in a mass wedding,” said Vicky.
Nandni’s
mother had her youngest child, five month old Krishan in her lap. Her eyes grew
moist as someone said that the bride was going to miss her baby brother. “But
this is life. Daughters have to leave their parents home. I will also miss my
daughter, we all will,” she said.
Soon
it was announced that they were going to begin the wedding. Mahraj Pandit Jai
Kumar Trivedi started preparing the sacred fire around which the model couple
were to make seven circumambulations. He explained that during the
circumambulations or phere, as they are called, three times the bride is ahead
of the groom and then four times the groom takes the lead after which he
applies traditional sindhoor or red powder in her hair parting and on her
forehead as he puts the mangalsutra or holy thread around her neck.
Other
rituals include the reading of the mantra by the pandit, lighting of incense
sticks, and feeding ghee to the fire along with breaking of the coconut.
Sunil
and Sapna were the lucky couple called out from mandap number one to come up on
the stage as the model groom and bride. Suddenly all eye were on the highly
conscious groom in a glittery white sherwani and maroon churidaar pajama. He
was also holding a sword to protect his beautiful bride in a black and gold
sari with a red and green chunari over her head. She sat down next to him with
eyes gazing thoughtfully downwards and her henna decorated arms with golden
bangles delicately crossed over her lap.
After
the wedding each couple was presented with pure silver jewellery, crockery and
cooking pots and utensils along with a cheque to help them begin their new
life.
MPA
Mangla Sharma and several champions of interfaith harmony and minority rights
also graced the occasion.
Source:
Dawn
https://www.dawn.com/news/1668629/72-hindu-couples-tie-the-knot-at-mass-wedding-in-karachi
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Women
judges and lawyers who fled Taliban rule refuse to give up
Ruchi
Kumar
Jan
10, 2022
In
the brightly lit lobby of an Albanian hotel hosting Afghan refugees, a group of
women gather to discuss how to counter the repressive rules introduced by the
Taliban.
The
group includes Afghan lawyers and prosecutors who are among about 250 female
legal professionals who fled their country after the insurgent group seized
power in August.
“We
are trying to mobilise the legal fraternity who are in exile in different parts
of the world to help and support our colleagues who are still in Afghanistan,”
Najila Raheel, a lawyer from Kabul, told The National.
“We’ve
created WhatsApp groups of Afghan lawyers and judges, and even students. We are
monitoring the situation and we hope to fight the injustices in Afghanistan. We
will seek international support to pressure the Taliban to accept rule of law.”
The
hardline militants do not recognise the constitution and legal codes
established under the elected governments that replaced their regime after the
2001 US-led invasion. Instead, they have issued new rules that restrict women’s
rights and freedom, based on their interpretation of Islamic law.
“Afghan
women no longer have any legal rights,” Ms Raheel said.
The
Taliban’s rules also differ from region to region, adding to the chaos that
exists in the legal vacuum left behind when the previous government fell.
Ms
Raheel says she never expected the sudden collapse of a system she helped to
build and had put her faith in.
She
and another member of the group, Negina Khalil, the first female prosecutor in
the remote province of Ghor, said the Taliban takeover had undone years of
their work.
“For
20 years, I worked so hard, along with my colleagues, contributing to a legal
system that can provide protection and relief to my fellow citizens,
particularly women. On any given day I would be working on 10 different cases,”
Ms Raheel said.
Ms
Khalil said much of her work was on giving women access to the justice system.
“I
focused on cases of elimination of violence against women, and later I was the
head of the juvenile prosecution office where we investigated the recruitment
of children by insurgencies like Taliban and ISIS,” she said.
Most
recently, she served at the Attorney General Office’s in Kabul, overseeing
cases involving the harassment of women. Her work came at a heavy price.
“Even
before the collapse, the Taliban and Haqqanis had killed many of my colleagues
and had placed a bounty on my head,” she said, referring to the Haqqani
Network, a militant group with close ties to the Taliban whose members hold
many top positions in the new government.
“Two
years ago, the Taliban stopped my mother’s car in Ghor and killed her. In 2020,
when we were visiting her grave for prayers, they attacked us and my brother
was injured. Despite all this I remained committed to serve my country, because
the legal framework allowed us to work,” she said.
But
when the Taliban entered Kabul on August 15, they released all prisoners from
the jails, including people convicted through the efforts of Ms Raheel and Ms
Khalil.
“They
started sending us messages saying ‘We know the prosecutors who investigated us
and we are coming after you’,” Ms Khalil said.
The
Taliban put her on a no-fly list to prevent her from from leaving the country.
But, like the other women in the group, she found a way to escape.
Ms
Raheel said: “I left everything behind: my career, my whole life, everything I
worked so hard to build.”
She
said the Taliban had literally closed the doors of the courts to women.
“I
have just spoken to a couple of female lawyers who were helping a woman seeking
divorce, and the Taliban refused them entry to the court. The Taliban told them
that they were dishonouring the courts and the Taliban by coming there.”
Ms
Raheel lived through the Taliban’s rule from 1996 to 2001 and is shocked to see
history repeated.
“The
last time they took control, it was the same situation. I wasn’t allowed to
study or leave the house. There was poverty and starvation, and I was beaten by
the Taliban for not wearing a chaderi [burqa]. But I never gave up – we wove
carpets at home and studied.
“After
they left, I enrolled in university to study Islamic law. I wanted to change
the perception of Islam the Taliban had created. I was determined to not let
this happen again,” she said.
“We
worked so hard. We studied in very difficult circumstances and faced much
disapproval from the society. And after all that we sacrificed, here we are
again, to a situation where women don’t have rights, freedoms or access to
education or the justice system.”
But
the women refuse to give up. Over countless cups of tea in the cafe of the
hotel in Shengjin, the Albanian town in which they are staying, they chalk out
a plan.
They
want to pressure the Taliban through governments and media to allow the return
of women lawyers and judges to courtrooms and to uphold women’s rights.
“For
those of us who are out, we need to fight and raise our voices so that the
world can pressure the Taliban, because to keep silent also means to accept the
defeat,” Ms Raheel said.
And
if things change, “even a little bit in a positive way,” Ms Khalil says she
will return in a heartbeat.
“I
will directly go to Afghanistan from here if I have to. My goal has been to
help my people and build and serve Afghanistan.”
Source:
The National News
--------
Philippine
Muslim Leaders Urge Repeal of New Law Criminalizing Child Marriage
2022-01-07
Jeoffrey
Maitem
Muslim
leaders in the southern Philippines on Friday urged President Rodrigo Duterte
to repeal a recently signed law criminalizing child marriage, saying it was
part of their culture.
The
law, which became effective last month but was announced late Thursday,
prohibits the marriage of anyone younger than 18.
The
community in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao does not
support the law, said Romeo Sema, the region’s labor and employment minister.
“We
are asking the president to reconsider it and veto the law,” Sema said, as
another Muslim leader noted the appeal has been sent to Duterte’s office.
“It’s
a culture that is very hard to change,” he said.
Anwar
Emblawa, a Muslim leader in Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao province, said a
girl was considered a woman once she reaches the age of puberty.
“In
Islam there is no fixed age … to get married. As long as a girl reaches the age
of puberty, they are allowed to get married.”
‘Structures
that perpetuate discrimination’
While
the legal age for marriage in the Philippines is 18, in some religions and
cultures, child marriage is practiced and considered normal, especially in
tribal communities where a girl is considered an adult once she reaches
puberty.
Girls
Not Brides, an international advocacy and research group, said the Philippines
has the world’s 10th highest number of child brides, at 808,000 – India at 26.6
million is the highest. An estimated 15 percent of Philippine girls are married
by the age of 18, compared to 3 percent of boys.
According
to UNICEF, Niger has the highest overall prevalence of child marriage in the
world, but Bangladesh has the highest rate of marriage involving girls younger
than 15. A 2017 analysis by Pew Research Center said at least 117 nations,
including the United States, allow children to marry.
As of
December 2021, the Philippines is not on that list. As of last month, anyone
who fixes, facilitates or arranges a child’s marriage faces a fine of at least
40,000 pesos (U.S. $780) and a jail term of up to 12 years.
Under
the law signed by Duterte on Dec. 10, the state recognizes the “need to abolish
all traditional and cultural practices and structures that perpetuate
discrimination, abuse and exploitation of children such as the practice of
child marriage.”
“The
State recognizes the role of women in nation-building and shall therefore
protect and promote their empowerment. This entails the abolition of the
unequal structures and practices that perpetuate discrimination and
inequality,” the law said.
Any
child marriage is considered void from the start, without any need for
annulment, it said. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has been
enlisted to lead in implementing the measure.
‘A
huge win’
Noraida
Abo, executive director of UnYPhil-Women, an organization based in the southern
Lanao del Sur province, urged the Bangsamoro leadership to support the law to
protect Muslim girls from being forced into marriage.
“Ending
child, early and forced marriage is a huge win for the future of our Bangsamoro
children,” Abo told BenarNews. “We are one step closer to achieving our goal
where we put an end to Bangsamoro children having children.”
Abo’s
group is part of the “Girl Defenders” alliance that includes British
non-government organization Oxfam along with local Philippine organizations.
The
alliance has to battle resistance from the community and clerics.
In
November 2015, a fatwa, or religious edict, signed by Abuhuraira Udasan, mufti
of the Islamic advisory council Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta in Mindanao, endorsed
early and forced marriage.
It
urged Filipino Muslim youth to “get married when the necessary conditions are
met,” as long as they have reached puberty.
The
fatwa said “Islam does not precisely fix any marriageable age” and in instances
where the bride is younger than 18, the couple can practice contraception to
delay pregnancy.
On
Friday, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), a group advocating for the
rights of women, said the law finally addresses the “legal gaps” that have
allowed child marriages to thrive in the nation.
Lawyer
Kristine Rosary Yuzon-Chaves, PCW’s executive director, praised the government
for recognizing that child marriage is a crime.
“With
this enactment, we can protect girls from being trapped in unwanted marriage,
early pregnancy, violence and other violations to their human rights and
dignity,” she told BenarNews.
Source:
Benar News
--------
10
women qualify in first round of King Abdulaziz Camel Festival
January
09, 2022
RIYADH
— As many as 10 Saudi women jockeys have qualified from among a total of 38
female contestants in the first round of the sixth edition of King Abdulaziz
Camel Festival on Saturday.
A
large number of women fans were among the attendees to watch the race in which
women were participating for the first time in the festival’s history.
They
participated in the individual women’s race dedicated to three color categories
plus an individual category of meghatirs, which is an ancient and highly valued
breed of camel.
The
individual open round for women has been introduced for the first time in the
camel race, which is being held on a sprawling area covering 32 square
kilometers in the southern Sayahadah district of Al-Dahnaa, 100 north east of
Riyadh.
Winners
of the races will be awarded with cash prizes worth SR88 million, the biggest
of their kind in the world.
The
individual participants contested in front of the jury and 10 out of 38
qualified. Among the qualified women, five won first positions.
The
women’s participation in the festival is aimed to spread the concept of Saudi
women’s participation, wearing in their traditional and Bedouin dresses, as
well as to provide challenges and strong competitions among the participants in
different categories of the race.
The
Saudi capital Riyadh is hosting the largest festival of its kind in the world,
which specializes in camels and their beauty, bringing together leading owners
of camels from Saudi Arabia, other Gulf and Arab countries, and some
participants from countries around the world, such as the United States of
America, Russia and France.
Around
100,000 people including tourists from around the world are visiting the grand
festival on an average daily basis. The festival features a wide variety of
entertainment and cultural shows that make it a global carnival.
The
activities of the festival also include poetry evening, theater shows, concerts
and entertainment shows that cater to people from all age groups.
There
are about 5,000 people working to make the festival a great success. The
festival has also been instrumental in boosting economic activities with
hosting popular markets specialized in the exhibits of productive familie
This
is in addition to a market for buying and selling camels. The camel market is
considered as the largest in the Gulf region in terms of deals and financial
transactions worth a total of around SR3 billion.
Source:
Saudi Gazette
--------
UAE:
20% fall in domestic violence cases against women, children
by
Afkar Ali Ahmed
10
Jan 2022
Due
to the efforts carried out by family affairs entities in the country, violence
and abuse cases related to women and children have witnessed a 20 per cent
decrease in 2021.
A top
official at the Women and Children Protection Foundation (WCPF) said that the
number of cases received by the Foundation during 2021 decreased by 20%
compared to 2020.
Women's
cases reached 75% of the total cases, while children abuse and violence
complaints reached 25%.
He
attributed the achievement to the concerted efforts of institutions in family
care and the intensified awareness programs on the importance of facing family
problems in closed rooms in order to preserve the security and stability of
families.
The
official added the Foundation resolved 90 family cases amicably away from
police stations and courtrooms to preserve the family entity and enhance family
unity.
“Statistics
indicate a decrease in the number of family cases received by the institution
during the past year, compared to the previous year,” the official added.
The
Majority of the cases focused on marital disputes and domestic violence
involving physical violence by their husbands. The Foundation supported women
who needed legal advice.
The
Foundation works to find solutions to all the problems facing women and
children and protect them from domestic violence and abuse to ensure family
stability.
Source:
Khaleej Times
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-20-fall-in-domestic-violence-cases-against-women-children
--------
Baby
Lost In Chaos Of Afghanistan Airlift Found, Returned To Family After Long
Ordeal
Jan
9, 2022
KABUL:
An infant boy handed in desperation to a soldier across an airport wall in the
chaos of the American evacuation of Afghanistan has been found and was reunited
with his relatives in Kabul on Saturday.
The
baby, Sohail Ahmadi, was just two months old when he went missing on Aug. 19 as
thousands of people rushed to leave Afghanistan as it fell to the Taliban.
Following
an exclusive Reuters story published in November with his pictures, the baby
was located in Kabul where a 29-year-old taxi driver named Hamid Safi had found
him in the airport and took him home to raise as his own.
After
more than seven weeks of negotiations and pleas, and ultimately a brief
detention by Taliban police, Safi finally handed the child back to his jubilant
grandfather and other relatives still in Kabul.
They
said they would now seek to have him reunited with his parents and siblings who
were evacuated months ago to the United States.
During
the tumultuous Afghan evacuation over the summer, Mirza Ali Ahmadi - the boy's
father who had worked as a security guard at the U.S. embassy - and his wife
Suraya feared their son would get crushed in the crowd as they neared the
airport gates en route to a flight to the United States.
Ahmadi
told Reuters in early November in his desperation that day, he handed Sohail
over the airport wall to a uniformed soldier who he believed to be an American,
fully expecting he would soon make it the remaining 5 meters (15 feet) to the
entrance to reclaim him.
Just
at that moment, Taliban forces pushed the crowd back and it would be another
half an hour before Ahmadi, his wife and their four other children were able to
get inside.
But
by then the baby was nowhere to be found.
Ahmadi
said he searched desperately for his son inside the airport and was told by
officials that he had likely been taken out of the country separately and could
be reunited with them later.
The
rest of the family was evacuated - eventually ending up at a military base in
Texas. For months they had no idea where their son was.
The
case highlights the plight of many parents separated from their children during
the hasty evacuation effort and withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country
after a 20-year war.
With
no US embassy in Afghanistan and international organizations overstretched,
Afghan refugees have had trouble getting answers on the timing, or possibility,
of complex reunifications like this one.
The
US Department of Defence, the State Department and the Department of Homeland
Security did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday.
ALONE
AT THE AIRPORT
On
the same day Ahmadi and his family were separated from their baby, Safi had
slipped through the Kabul airport gates after giving a ride to his brother's
family who were also set to evacuate.
Safi
said he found Sohail alone and crying on the ground. After he said he
unsuccessfully tried to locate the baby's parents inside, he decided to take
the infant home to his wife and children. Safi has three daughters of his own
and said his mother's greatest wish before she died was for him to have a son.
In
that moment he decided: "I am keeping this baby. If his family is found, I
will give him to them. If not, I will raise him myself," he told Reuters
in an interview in late November.
Safi
told Reuters that he took him to the doctor for a check-up after he was found
and quickly incorporated the child into his family. They called the baby
Mohammad Abed and posted pictures of all the children together on his Facebook
page.
After
the Reuters story about the missing child came out, some of Safi's neighbors -
who had noticed his return from the airport months earlier with a baby -
recognized the photos and posted comments about his whereabouts on a translated
version of the article.
Ahmadi
asked his relatives still in Afghanistan, including his father-in-law Mohammad
Qasem Razawi, 67, who lives in the northeastern province of Badakhshan, to seek
out Safi and ask him to return Sohail to the family.
Razawi
said he traveled two days and two nights to the capital bearing gifts -
including a slaughtered sheep, several pounds of walnuts and clothing - for
Safi and his family.
But
Safi refused to release Sohail, insisting he also wanted to be evacuated from
Afghanistan with his family. Safi's brother, who was evacuated to California,
said Safi and his family have no pending applications for U.S. entry.
The
baby's family sought help from the Red Cross, which has a stated mission to
help reconnect people separated by international crises, but said they received
little information from the organization. A spokesperson for the Red Cross said
it does not comment on individual cases.
Finally,
after feeling they had run out of options, Razawi contacted the local Taliban
police to report a kidnapping. Safi told Reuters he denied the allegations to
the police and said he was caring for the baby, not kidnapping him.
The
complaint was investigated and dismissed and the local police commander told
Reuters he helped arrange a settlement, which included an agreement signed with
thumbprints by both sides. Razawi said the baby's family in the end agreed to
compensate Safi around 100,000 Afghani ($950) for expenses incurred looking
after him for five months.
"The
grandfather of the baby complained to us and we found Hamid and based on the
evidence we had, we recognized the baby," said Hamid Malang, the chief area
controller of the local police station. "With both sides in agreement, the
baby will be handed over to his grandfather," he said on Saturday.
In
the presence of the police, and amid lots of tears, the baby was finally
returned to his relatives.
Razawi
said Safi and his family were devastated to lose Sohail. "Hamid and his
wife were crying, I cried too, but assured them that you both are young, Allah
will give you male child. Not one, but several. I thanked both of them for
saving the child from the airport," Razawi said.
The
baby's parents told Reuters they were overjoyed as they were able to see with
their own eyes the reunion over video chat.
"There
are celebrations, dance, singing," said Razawi. "It is just like a
wedding indeed."
Now
Ahmadi and his wife and other children, who in early December were able to move
off the military base and resettle in an apartment in Michigan, hope Sohail
will soon be brought to the United States.
"We
need to get the baby back to his mother and father. This is my only responsibility,"
his grandfather said. "My wish is that he should return to them."
Source:
Times of India
--------
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