Bihar: Muslim man chops off Hindu woman's breasts, hands, legs, ears, gouges eyes in middle of busy market
New
Age Islam News Bureau
05 December 2022
•
First Female Health Minister Zaliha Commits To Women, Children’s Issues
•
If needed, MP law against 'love jihad' to be made stronger to protect interests
of tribal women: Shivraj Chouhan
•
Many countries have wrong ideas about women in the Arab world: Sheikha Bodour
•
Iran scraps morality police after months of deadly protests
•
World Cup 2022 has a winner, say women football fans: safety
•
Women Empowerment Centers Playing Significant Role, Says Baitul-Mal Official
•
Thousands of women attempt aptitude test for free IT courses in Karachi
•
Turkey Still 'Attractive' For Central Asian Women Migrants Despite Economic
Woes
•
Turkish women mark 88th year of suffrage
•
RawyaMasnour becomes first Egyptian woman to receive Prince Albert’s
Environmental Society Membership
•
Aberystwyth: Holocaust refugee meets woman who fled Syrian war
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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Bihar:
Muslim man chops off Hindu woman's breasts, hands, legs, ears, gouges eyes in
middle of busy market
December
05, 2022
Representational
image. Firstpost
----------
Patna:
A Muslim man cut off a Hindu woman’s breasts, hands, legs, both ears and gouged
her eyes with a sharp weapon in a public market in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district,
leading to her death. After mutilating her body, the accused identified as
Mohammad Shakeel fled from the spot.
Reportedly
Shakeel hid the weapon inside a pot. He along with his four accomplices
attacked the woman identified as Neelam Devi when she was visited the
Pirapainty market on Saturday.
According
to reports, Neelam in her dying declaration said that the assailants had been
chasing her when she was returning to her house from the market.
Neelam
stayed with her husband Ashok Yadav in the ChhotiDolori area. She was a
frequent visitor to the market.
After
the incident, the shop keepers identified the victim to be Ashok’s wife and
informed him about the crime.
The
woman was rushed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Mayaganj, where she
died during treatment. During the initial interrogation in the hospital, Neelam
revealed the attacker’s name.
Ashok
claimed that Shakeel had been harassing Neelam and he also said that he had
opposed frequent visits of the accused to his house.
Five
people have been detained while the main accused Shakeel is still on the run.
Police
have reportedly recovered a chicken chopper which was used by Shakeel to
mutilate Neelam’s body. More weapons were recovered from the accused house.
A
report by DNA said that man allegedly killed the woman, whom he was close to,
after she decided to distant herself from him. He was also miffed with the
woman as she was not responding to his overtures.
The
incident comes within days after a grisly murder case came to fore in Delhi,
where a 28-year-old man identified as Aftab Amin Poonawala killed her live-in
partner Shraddha Walkar and dismembered her body into 35 pieces.
Source:Firstpost
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First
Female Health Minister Zaliha Commits To Women, Children’s Issues
By
Alifah Zainuddin
5
December 2022
Health
Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa (left) clocks in to work at the Ministry of Health
(MOH) in Putrajaya on December 5, 2022. Pictured next to her is MOH
secretary-general Harjeet Singh. Picture from the Ministry of Health.
-----------
PUTRAJAYA,
Dec 5 – Malaysia’s first female health minister, Dr Zaliha Mustafa, today made
a commitment to address issues affecting women and children in the country.
“I
always put high respect on the ladies. Being the first lady minister, there are
things I think will be given attention. I’ve received calls from women NGOs
(non-governmental organisations) and female doctors who spoke about things that
we need and want to do, and everything else.
“I
think it will be a challenge, but it’s also exciting and I look forward to it,”
Dr Zaliha said when clocking in to work at the Ministry of Health here today.
“We will definitely look into matters affecting women and children.”
The
freshman MP is taking office as health minister amid a potential maternal and
child health crisis triggered by the Terengganu state government’s recent move
to criminalise out-of-wedlock pregnancy and childbirth for Muslim women under a
Shariah legal amendment.
Paediatricians
and obstetrician &gynaecologist doctors have criticised Terengganu’s
prohibitions on out-of-wedlock pregnancy and childbirth, warning the state
government of increased maternal and infant mortality from unsafe abortions and
baby dumping.
Dr
Zaliha, 58, a medical doctor with over two decades’ worth of experience in
politics under PKR’s women’s wing, was chosen by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
for the difficult task of delivering crucial health care reforms — under a
Pakatan Harapan (PH) led unity government — against a backdrop of multiple
health crises and a chronically underfunded public health care system.
Dr
Zaliha previously served as political secretary to then-Deputy Prime Minister
Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who also headed the Women, Family and Community
Development Ministry under the previous PH government led by Dr Mahathir
Mohamad.
“That
(experience) will also help my job as the first lady minister,” Dr Zaliha said.
The
first-term Sekijang MP previously told news agency Bernama that she plans to
address the glut of medical graduates in Malaysia and to provide better health
care services.
Dr
Zaliha also spoke about issues linked to marginal communities, health
infrastructure, mental health and medicine supply. She hoped that MOH would be
given a comprehensive allocation to meet all needs in what could be a new
Budget 2023.
Anwar
previously said that government revenue to fund a bigger public health care
budget could be obtained from cost-cutting measures, such as a smaller Cabinet
and by plugging leakages in public spending.
Contract
doctors and health care workers’ welfare were among 10 priorities of the
Harapan Action Plan that PH promised to embark on immediately if it is elected
into the federal government. PH also pledged to increase public health care
expenditure to 5 per cent of Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) within
five years in a single term.
The
previous government had announced an allocation of RM36.14 billion for MOH
under Budget 2023, an 11.5 per cent raise from RM32.41 billion allocated in
Budget 2022.
Despite
the increase in Budget 2023 tabled last October 7, critics have pointed out
that the public health budget remained stagnant against the GDP at 1.98 per
cent. Parliament was dissolved before the 14th Parliament could pass the
federal budget.
Dr
Zaliha said she is open to suggestions and opinions on health issues and
policies from her predecessors. On social media, former health ministers
Dzulkefly Ahmad and Khairy Jamaluddin had stated their intent of supporting Dr
Zaliha in her new role.
“As
a new minister, I will be briefed by the staff at MOH and what policies we can
accept, those that need amendment or may be rejected. At the moment, it’s
unclear,” Dr Zaliha said. “But in the end, what we want is the best for
people.”
Source:CodeblueGalencentre
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If
needed, MP law against 'love jihad' to be made stronger to protect interests of
tribal women: Shivraj Chouhan
05.12.22
Representational
image.
File
picture
---------
Madhya
Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said if required, the existing
state law against "love jihad" would be made stronger in order to
curb incidents of men marrying tribal women with the motive of grabbing their
land.
Chouhan
stated this on Sunday referring to the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act,
2021, which prohibits conversion from one religion to another by use of
misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, any other fraudulent
means, allurement, or promise of marriage.
He
was addressing a gathering of tribal people here on the death anniversary of
tribal freedom fighter Tantya Bhil.
"If
needed, the law regarding 'love jihad' will be made stronger so that none of
the culprits go unpunished. It has been seen that some people marry tribal
girls and their aim is to grab their property. The religious freedom act will
be made stronger to check incidents of men marrying tribal women for grabbing
the latter's family land. It will stop love jihad aimed at grabbing their
land," he said.
'Love
jihad' is a term used by right-wing Hindu groups that claim there is a
"conspiracy" to lure Hindu girls into marriage and convert them to
Islam.
"I'm
the master trainer of Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act. I am
disseminating information about it in detail. This act will stop all such
activities that are against the interests of the tribal community as many
rights and powers have been given to the respective gram sabhas," he said.
"The
government has realised that just because the panchayats don't have the access
and control over revenue records, many influential people buy land in their
areas in the names of their servants without their knowledge. To check this,
their land documents will have to be kept in the gram sabha," the chief
minister said.
He
said the government was working on the plan for employment to tribals in such a
way that migration of people from the community will stop within five years.
Earlier,
addressing a function at Patalpani in Mhow in Indore district, the chief
minister announced the construction of a museum and a library, where artefacts
and books linked to freedom fighter Tantya Bhil and other such personalities
from the community will be kept.
"A
Detailed Project Report (DPR) of these two projects has been made and both the
works will start very soon," he said.
He
announced that Patalpani railway station will be renamed as Tantya Mama
Station.
Madhya
Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel, state BJP president V D Sharma along with
Mhow MLA and minister Usha Thakur paid floral tributes at the statue of Tatya
Bhil there.
Source:TelegraphIndia
--------
Many
countries have wrong ideas about women in the Arab world: Sheikha Bodour
04
Dec 2022
Sheikha
Bodour during the panel discussion at the Guadalajara International Book Fair
in Mexico.
--------------
Sheikha
Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA),
called on women of the world to appreciate what distinguishes them and
celebrate their unique energy and strengths. She stressed the need for equal
opportunities for women, not equality with men, urging parents to raise their
daughters to believe in themselves to achieve their aspirations.
Her
comments were made during a panel discussion titled 'East and West: Women in
the World' held at the ongoing 36th edition of the Guadalajara International
Book Fair (FIL) in Mexico, where she shared her inspiring journey in the
publishing industry and as president of the IPA. Speakers in the session
moderated by Marisol Schulz, Director-General of FIL, included author Ana
Maria.
Sheikha
Bodour spoke about her journey in publishing, tackling inequality head-on, and
about how traditionally, women had been able to make little progress in the
industry. She mentioned that while running for the vice presidency of the IPA
in 2018, she was astonished to find out that only one woman had presided over
the institution since its inception in 1896, and on numerous occasions, she was
the only woman in meetings and forums that brought together cultural
institutions and publishers.
Sheikha
Bodour said that these realities of the publishing sector prompted her to
establish PublisHer, a networking body that seeks to increase the number of
women in leadership roles within the publishing world.
The
president indicated that many cultures and countries have an unrealistic
perception of women in the Arab world, noting that the perception needed to be
corrected; Sheikha Bodour recalled a story of a female journalist she met
during a meeting at the Rome Book Fair. The journalist was surprised that
Sheikha Bodour was the president of IPA and the first Arab woman to hold the
position. She was also astonished that Al Qasimi was the only woman among the
participants.
During
the session, Sheikha Bodour pointed out that talking about empowering women
should not be done by highlighting the struggles of women in all societies, but
rather by presenting stories of success and role models to aspire to. The IPA
President recalled her childhood when she heard inspiring stories about female
leaders from Islamic and Arab history, noting that she is considering
presenting these stories in various languages to re-establish a better image of
Arab women globally.
Highlighting
the importance of the publishing sector and empowering women, Sheikha Bodour
pointed out that through her establishment of Kalimat Group in 2007, she wanted
books to be the bridge between communities, and to highlight the values shared
by women worldwide. She also wanted, as a publisher, to provide Arab women’s
voices a platform so there would be less misconceptions about them.
Sheikha
Bodour also noted that Kalimat Foundation provides refugee children with books
to ensure equality in receiving knowledge sources between males and females in
refugee camps where this has often proved to be an issue.
As
for the other panellist, author Ana Maria discussed the reality of women in
Mexico, regarding career opportunities, appreciation of competencies, and
access to leadership positions. She shared with the attendees a comprehensive
picture of the Mexican society's view of women over the past half a century by
recalling her father's response when she was born, stating that when her father
found out that she was a girl he was disappointed, proving the importance of
correcting social concepts about women.
Speakers
in the session pointed out that the first step towards overcoming challenges
women face in the business place, home, or school is to be able to talk about
their challenges and find effective ways to overcome and correct unjust
stigmas.
Source:GulfToday
--------
Iran
scraps morality police after months of deadly protests
December
04, 2022
Iranian
policewoman looks on from the back of a police vehicle before the start of a
crackdown to enforce Islamic dress code in the capital Tehran. (File/AFP)
-----------
TEHRAN:
Iran has scrapped its morality police after more than two months of protests
triggered by the arrest of MahsaAmini for allegedly violating the country’s
strict female dress code, local media said Sunday.
Women-led
protests, labelled “riots” by the authorities, have swept Iran since the
22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin died on September 16, three days after
her arrest by the morality police in Tehran.
“Morality
police have nothing to do with the judiciary” and have been abolished, Attorney
General Mohammad JafarMontazeri was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.
His
comment came at a religious conference where he responded to a participant who
asked “why the morality police were being shut down,” the report said.
The
morality police — known formally as the Gasht-e Ershad or “Guidance Patrol” —
were established under hard-line president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to “spread the
culture of modesty and hijab,” the mandatory female head covering.
The
units began patrols in 2006.
The
announcement of their abolition came a day after Montazeri said that “both
parliament and the judiciary are working (on the issue)” of whether the law
requiring women to cover their heads needs to be changed.
President
Ebrahim Raisi said in televised comments Saturday that Iran’s republican and
Islamic foundations were constitutionally entrenched “but there are methods of
implementing the constitution that can be flexible.”
The
hijab became mandatory four years after the 1979 revolution that overthrew the
US-backed monarchy and established the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Morality
police officers initially issued warnings before starting to crack down and
arrest women 15 years ago.
The
vice squads were usually made up of men in green uniforms and women clad in
black chadors, garments that cover their heads and upper bodies.
The
role of the units evolved, but has always been controversial even among
candidates running for the presidency.
Clothing
norms gradually changed, especially under former moderate president Hassan
Rouhani, when it became commonplace to see women in tight jeans with loose,
colorful headscarves.
But
in July this year his successor, the ultra-conservative Raisi, called for the
mobilization of “all state institutions to enforce the headscarf law.”
Raisi
at the time charged that “the enemies of Iran and Islam have targeted the
cultural and religious values of society by spreading corruption.”
In
spite of this, many women continued to bend the rules, letting their
headscarves slip onto their shoulders or wearing tight-fitting pants,
especially in major cities and towns.
Iran’s
regional rival Saudi Arabia also employed morality police to enforce female
dress codes and other rules of behavior. Since 2016 the force there has been
sidelined in a push by the Sunni Muslim kingdom to shake off its austere image.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2210576/middle-east
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World
Cup 2022 has a winner, say women football fans: safety
By
Hafsa Adil
4
Dec 2022
Doha,
Qatar – When Andrea M set off from New York to follow Team USA’s journey at the
FIFA World Cup in Qatar, she reassured her friends and family that she would
not do anything risky during the tournament.
What
she had read about Qatar painted an alarming picture of the host country.
“The
US media’s portrayal of the Middle East has been very different from what I
have experienced here,” Andrea, 29, told Al Jazeera, adding that her friends
decided against travelling to Qatar.
Andrea
said she is glad she came. “Simple things like taking a walk around the city
late at night, that’s something I can’t do back home.”
A
10pm (19:00 GMT) kickoff time for many of the group stage matches and knockout
games mean that fans exit stadiums, use public transport and celebrate in fan
zones well past midnight. And women, in groups or on their own, are watching
football at public screenings, singing and dancing with other fans and moving
around without worrying about their safety. According to the Numbeo Crime
Index, Doha routinely ranks as the safest – or the second-safest – city in the
world.
For
Joy Nkuna, the experience has been a stark contrast to her home country South
Africa, which ranks as among the most dangerous countries for women travellers.
“We have very high crime rates in my country, especially against women,” she
said. According to recent government figures, more than 1,000 women were
murdered in South Africa in a three-month period between the start of July and
the end of September.
Nkuna,
39, said she doesn’t venture out alone past sunset in her country. “From the
minute it gets dark, women can’t be out alone or they will be in danger,” she
said. “Here, me and my daughter walked around at 3am and nobody intimidated us,
catcalled us or looked at us in a way that would make us feel unsafe.”
It’s
an experience that Tatiana Lopez can relate to. Thirty-three-year-old Brazil
fan Lopez, who has travelled from Colombia with two female friends, said men in
public places have been very courteous. “While it is strange to see more men in
public places (compared to women) than I’m used to seeing in Colombia, they
have all been very respectful.”
Lopez
said she has been enjoying the tournament without worrying about her
belongings, which is something she’s not used to back home. “I can actually
carry my backpack on my back, and keep my phone in my pocket because I know
nobody will snatch it from me.”
Women
who have been living in Qatar said safety is not a new phenomenon linked to the
World Cup.
Khadija
Suleiman, a 32-year-old Ethiopian who has been living in Qatar for 10 years,
was at the Lusail Stadium for a 10pm kickoff recently with her three children
and two nieces. “I don’t feel the need to be with a man in order to feel safe,”
she said as she walked towards the stadium.
To
be sure, security presence has increased in Qatar because of the World Cup. But
Suleiman said that women’s and children’s safety in public places has never
been a concern for her while in the country. “If I need to, I can send my
children to school in a taxi and not worry about their safety.”
That
confidence is shared by women from other parts of the Gulf region, many of whom
have been able to participate in the Middle East’s biggest-ever sporting
extravaganza without fear.
Dalia
Abushullaih has travelled to Qatar from Saudi Arabia and said she is overjoyed
to see women celebrating in public spaces. “Qatar has made sure that women feel
safe and comfortable in being an active part of the tournament and enjoy
freely,” the 29-year-old said. “The world is finally witnessing our beautiful
Arab culture, and it is beautiful to see people taking it all in and going back
home with a part of it.”
Apart
from the stadiums, women and children have thronged tourist areas such as
Doha’s Souq Waqif and fan zones spread all over the city. Some arrive during
the day as festivities are getting started, while others push through the
crowds with strollers to join the post-match celebrations.
The
decision by organisers to ban alcohol sales in or near the match venues has
also added to the confidence of many women that attending games won’t
compromise their safety.
Camilla
Ferrierra, a tournament volunteer from Brazil, said knowing that she won’t be
surrounded by drunk fans at the stadiums made her feel safer.
“I
could never imagine going to a football match alone [in Brazil],” she told Al
Jazeera. “I can’t imagine being outside late at night, using my phone in public
without fear and just being able to enjoy a walk or a football match. Here, I
feel 100 percent safe and that’s a great thing for us women: to be able to
enjoy the festivities and football in a safe and secure manner.”
Hanoof
Abdullah, a Kuwaiti football fan, sat by herself in the middle of thousands of
Brazilian fans at the Lusail Stadium. She said Arab families would have found
it difficult to stay out at night if they knew alcohol was being served.
“Qatar
has shown the world that football can be enjoyed without alcohol, and women can
enjoy it without fearing for their safety,” she said. “The bar has been set
very high, and now the world will have to work very hard to match it.”
Source:
AlJazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/4/for-women-fans-theres-already-a-world-cup-winner-their
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Women
Empowerment Centers Playing Significant Role, Says Baitul-Mal Official
Fahad
Shabbir
December
05, 2022
MULTAN,
(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Dec, 2022 ) :About 161 Women Empowerment
Centers of Pakistan Baitul Mal are playing a significant role in women
empowerment across the country.
Director
Pakistan Baitul-Mal, South Punjab Mehr Mazhar Abbas stated this while paying
visit to Baitul-Mal Project namely Pakistan Sweet Home Kot-Adu here Monday.
Appreciating
efforts of installing solar panels, the director said that better boarding and
education facilities should be ensured to orphans in Pakistan Sweet Home.
"It's
lone institution that support orphans on a permanent basis until their
education was completed," he added.
He
said MD Pakistan Baitul Mal Amir Fida Pracha was taking serious steps to
resolve the problems of special persons.
He
said the provision of wheelchairs, artificial limbs, hearing aids and
rehabilitation of disabled persons were being ensured.
He
told the staff of Sweet Home that they were doing a noble job because "the
best home in the sight of Allah is the one in which an orphan lives with
dignity".
He
advised people working in Sweet Home to do their duty with hard work and
honesty.
He
directed in-charge Sweet Home Iram Azam to keep in touch with the children's
parents and guardians on regular basis.
Source:UrduPoint
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/women-empowerment-centers-playing-significant-1604988.html
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Thousands
of women attempt aptitude test for free IT courses in Karachi
Dec
04 2022
Thousands
of female students Sunday appeared in an aptitude test for the
"BanoQabil" programme launched by welfare organisation Al-Khidmat,
aimed at increasing the pool of talent in the field of information technology
by offering skill-based training, scholarships, and advanced programs for
youth.
For
the aptitude test, held in Karachi's Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground, participants
appeared for courses in web development and web designing, among other
technological skills. Students, selected after this test, will be able to avail
free courses through the programme.
Also
present at the occasion, Jamaat-e-Islami's Karachi chief Engineer Hafiz
Naeem-ur-Rehman announced to launch e-commerce and vocational training
programmes for housewives in the city, and also made an announcement about
scholarships for all successful female students under the programme's banner.
Rehman
said that the programme was aimed at women's empowerment in a genuine sense and
was not merely limited to claims. He deemed the initiative as a serious
contribution to the cause.
During
his address at the occasion, the JI leader vowed to establish an IT university
in Karachi if elected as the city's mayor. He hoped to turn the metropolitan
into a leading IT city not only in Pakistan but across the region.
"Even
though the country's IT minister is from Karachi, there is no such university
in the city, unfortunately. The IT park — to be completed in 2026 — was only
inaugurated after criticism received following 'BanoQabil' programme," he
said.
Speaking
on the significance of the test, Rehman said that the test would provide a
foundation for Karachi's youth to excel in the field of IT.
"The
program will enable Karachi's youth to become an asset for their families,
their city and their country," he said.
Rehman
added also said that his party will offer IT education in around 800 public
schools, being run by the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) and ensure
educational scholarships for the city's youth.
Highlighting
the state of public sector education in the city, the JI leader claimed that 24
public sector colleges in Sindh showed 0% success rate in the recent
intermediate results for pre-engineering.
He
added that even though Sindh's education budget was Rs326 billion, the state of
education in the province remains in shambles.
"There
are only two public sector universities, there is acute shortage of colleges,
there is no transport facility for students of public sector colleges, and very
slim opportunities for youth after graduation," Rehman lamented.
Source:GeoTV
--------
Turkey
Still 'Attractive' For Central Asian Women Migrants Despite Economic Woes
December
04, 2022
Musharraf
Qosimova has worked as a cleaner and babysitter for a young family in the
resort city of Antalya since moving to Turkey in search of a better income
nearly seven years ago.
Wages
are low and jobs are hard to come by in Qosimova's home city of Dushanbe, the
Tajik capital, where she worked as a hospital receptionist.
"I
came to Turkey with my cousin, who is an Uzbek citizen and knows many Uzbek
families in Turkey. We found jobs and a place to live through their
friends," Qosimova said. "We're happy, although it has become a lot
more difficult to live here with prices going up for almost everything."
A
Top Destination
Hundreds
of thousands of Central Asians, including many women, work in Turkey, which has
become the third-most-popular migrant destination for them after Russia and
Kazakhstan.
Figures
released by the Uzbek Labor Ministry show that nearly 145,000 Uzbek migrants
worked in Turkey in the first quarter of this year. It amounted to more than 6
percent of some 2.4 million Uzbeks working abroad.
Some
30,000 migrants from Kyrgyzstan work in Turkey and, with an estimated force of
some 230,000, Turkmen make up the largest Central Asian community in Turkey.
According
to Turkish government figures, nearly 120,000 Turkmen citizens living in Turkey
have obtained Turkish residency permits and about 95,000 others have short-term
visas.
The
real number of Central Asian migrants in Turkey is thought to be much higher,
as many work in Turkey illegally with expired visas.
Some
Turkmen in Turkey don't have valid national passports, as the repressive
government in Ashgabat doesn't allow its embassies to renew citizens' expired
or lost documents.
'Shrinking
Lira'
Migrants
have been hit hard by the financial crisis Turkey has faced since 2018.
Inflation in Turkey has since climbed to above 80 percent, a mark not reached
in more than two decades.
Prices
for consumer goods have seen unprecedented hikes. The exodus of well-to-do
Russians following the Kremlin's war in Ukraine and military mobilization --
many of them moving to Turkey -- drove the already rising prices in the housing
sector in Antalya and several other Turkish cities even higher in recent
months.
The
collapse in the value of the national currency, the lira, means less remittance
money for migrants' families back home. "I receive my wages in lira and
exchange my money into dollars to send home," Qosimova said. "The
lira has been shrinking fast."
Despite
the financial turmoil, however, many Central Asian migrants say they're not
planning to leave Turkey. The harsh reality is they don't have many better
options to choose from.
Russia
remains the top host country for workers from the former Soviet region, but it
has lost its appeal since Moscow's February invasion of Ukraine. Many migrants
are wary of the economic uncertainty in Russia as international sanctions
continue to bite and many men fear the possibility of being sent to war if they
remain there.
A
limited number of Central Asians have found seasonal jobs in Britain in recent
years, while others have managed to get into the European Union and the United
States.
But
many Western countries -- already struggling with high numbers of migrants from
other parts of the world -- are not keen to accept more.
Poverty
At Home
With
chronic unemployment and miserable wages in Central Asia, going back to their
home countries is not a desirable option. Many of the households in Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan depend almost entirely on remittances.
Saadat
Omurbekova, a former teacher from Kyrgyzstan, arrived in Turkey four years ago
looking for better employment opportunities. Omurbekova worked as a caregiver
for the elderly and sick for three years before finding a job at a cafe in
Antalya.
"In
Kyrgyzstan, I worked according to my profession, but my salary was very low. I
needed to pay for my children's education, so I left my job and moved to Turkey
to make more money," she told RFE/RL.
Many
Central Asian migrants in Turkey are women who work in private homes as
caregivers, maids, and babysitters all over the country. Some work in the
hospitality and services sectors while others have opened their own businesses
-- such as beauty salons or clothing shops -- in big Turkish cities.
But
working in Turkey has its own challenges, too.
Some
women workers told RFE/RL they had experienced problems mostly due to their not
knowing the Turkish language, the country's laws, and their own rights.
Kyrgyz
migrant worker MeerimAsharbek-kyzy says she was exploited by her former
employer, a Turkish family, when she first arrived in Istanbul four years ago.
"They forced me to work until late at night. I did everything they
demanded," she said. "I didn't speak Turkish and couldn't tell them
what I wanted. For example, I couldn't tell them I should only work from this
time to this time."
In
the end, Asharbek-kyzy quit her job and returned to Kyrgyzstan. But after not
finding a good job at home, she decided to give Turkey another try. She now
works as a maid for a family in Istanbul who she says treat her "like
their own daughter."
One
Central Asian worker in Turkey warned that migrants -- especially women
planning to go to Turkey for work -- should never trust dubious job ads and
only go there if they have reliable employment offers or reliable contacts in
Turkey.
Source:RFERL
https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-migrants-turkey/32161212.html
--------
Turkish
women mark 88th year of suffrage
DEC
04, 2022
On
Dec. 5, 1934, Türkiye granted full suffrage to women, paving the way for them
to vote and become lawmakers. In 88 years since then, women secured more gains
though they are still outnumbered by men in Parliament. Still, Parliament
boasts a 17.1% share of women among deputies, which puts Türkiye 129th place in
the world in terms of female representation in Parliament.
Türkiye
was ahead of many European countries when it granted suffrage to women, about
11 years after it switched to the republic regime. The republic, under the
leadership of founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, elevated women’s place in the
public sector. Yet, like the rest of the world, women still lag behind men in
politics, though they have a more active role in the public and private
sectors.
One
year after they were granted suffrage, women made it into Parliament where they
won 4.5% of seats but their proportion did not increase until 2002. In the
subsequent elections, their number in Parliament increased, to 9.1% in 2007 and
to 17.6% in 2015, the highest in the history of the republic, before dropping
to 17.1% in the 2018 elections. Currently, women have 103 seats in the 600-seat
parliament.
Elsewhere,
their number is still low. Women won the seat of mayor in 14 municipalities
between 1930 and 2019, while the current number of female mayors is 41.
But
even these figures are significant for women. Leyla ŞahinUsta, a lawmaker from
the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), who also serves as the
party’s deputy chair, said in retrospect, the suffrage is “something
interesting.” “Devoting a separate day to mark it everywhere in the world shows
the public view of women’s role in politics back then,” she told Anadolu Agency
(AA) ahead of the anniversary of the suffrage. For headscarf-wearing lawmakers
like Usta, the day is more meaningful. She reminds us that women wearing
headscarves were barred from parliamentary elections up until 2015. As for her
party, Usta said 18.8% of its lawmakers are women, “a relatively good figure.”
“We are in a better place compared to the past but certainly, we want more
women in Parliament,” she said. “But parties should be careful on this issue.
You can’t nominate more women just for the sake of having more women in
Parliament. What is more important is nominating people deserving of those
seats, representing the nation best, and nominating people who will be more
active in Parliament. I attach importance to having women from all walks of
life in Parliament, women who are skilled and will contribute (to the
development of the country),” she explained.
Usta
reiterated that President and AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan focused on
having more female and young lawmakers and instructed fellow party members to
work to that extent.
Lütfiye
Selva Çam, another AK Party deputy, said that though women were granted
suffrage in 1934, they remained subject to discrimination in the following
years. “Rights granted to women by Atatürk were blocked for women by those
exploiting his name,” she outlined, referring to the practice of
discrimination, particularly for women wearing headscarves. Çam, a
headscarf-wearing lawmaker, said 2015 was an important year for her in terms of
being elected to Parliament as a headscarf-wearing woman and thanks President
Erdoğan for ending discrimination toward some Turkish women.
ArzuErdem,
a female lawmaker from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) recalls Atatürk’s
words and said participation of Turkish women in public life was an efficient
way for prosperity and development of society, which “emphasized gender
equality.” “Turkish women safeguard democracy and the republic. We make up half
of the population so we want to have equal numbers in decision-making
mechanisms, in Parliament. A stronger country is possible with empowered
women,” she urged.
EmineGülizarEmecan
lawmaker from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) said women’s
participation in politics was important to create gender equality-based
policies. “We have to get rid of the mindset which thinks politics is a man’s
job and treat women as second-class citizens,” she said.
Source:DailySabah
https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/turkish-women-mark-88th-year-of-suffrage/news
--------
RawyaMasnour
becomes first Egyptian woman to receive Prince Albert’s Environmental Society
Membership
November
30, 2022
Egypt
continues to reap the fruits of its proudly hosted COP27, as Prince Albert II
of Monaco has awarded the membership of the very distinguished Planetary Health
Pledge Club to outstanding Egyptian entrepreneur Rawya Mansour, CEO of Ramsco
Egypt and Oasis Technologies Monaco.
Rawya
has been named one of Africa’s Most Influential Leaders for 2019 in recognition
of her environmental conservation efforts crystallized in her entrepreneurial
business projects for organic farming and waste recycling showcased in a number
of events and panels during COP27.
Prince
Albert II of Monaco Foundation, established in June 2006, focuses on pioneering
efforts in environmental conservation and sustainable development and acting on
both local and international scales.
Rawya
Mansour said she was “pleased and proud to be the first Egyptian woman to be
awarded the Membership of the Planetary Health Pledge Club alongside laureates
such as Anges M. Kalibata, the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for 2021
Food Systems Summit and Dame Jane Francis the first female director of the
British Antarctic Survey.
Women
played a visible role across fields during the UNFCCC’s Conference of the
Parties in Sharm El Sheikh. The Gender Day at COP27 in particular, showcased
endless achievements that underscored the importance of women empowerment and
achieving gender equality on the road to SDG fulfillment.
To
date, Rawya’s projects have focused on organic farming and food waste recycling
using biochar, a unique method developed to end GHG emissions. During the
climate summit held in Egypt, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation organised
the third edition of its Ocean Innovators to boost the spirit of innovation,
initiative and investment for a blue, sustainable economy.
Source:DailyNewsEgypt
--------
Aberystwyth:
Holocaust refugee meets woman who fled Syrian war
By
Zola Hargreaves & Dani Thomas
December
05, 2022
Two
women who found sanctuary in Wales 72 years apart have met to learn about each
other's experiences.
Renate
Collins fled Prague and the Holocaust in 1939.
Ghofran
Hamza left her home in Syria at the start of the civil war in 2011.
They
met at the launch of an exhibition tracing the lives of refugees in Wales from
the 1930s to the present day.
Both
women said they felt a strong connections to Wales.
"When
the war finished," Renate said. "I'd been in Wales longer than I'd
been in Prague. I feel British."
Ghofran
agreed, saying: "I feel this is my place. I don't feel like I belong to
any other country."
They
both carry painful memories from the countries they left behind.
Renate
was five years old when she got on the last Kindertransport out of Prague.
Unwell
with chickenpox and a fever, Renate's mother did not want her to leave.
"A
family friend at the station said if she doesn't get on now she'll never
go," she recalled.
"Of
course, she was quite right. If I hadn't gone, I wouldn't be here today."
Ghofran
and her family fled Syria in 2011 as the tensions of civil war increased.
"Overnight
[my parents] decided that we're going to leave," she said. "We packed
everything and went illegally to Lebanon."
They
spend the next seven years "hiding" from the authorities and violence
until news came of asylum in the UK.
"I
can't explain to you how we were feeling when we went to the airport," she
said.
"We
said we're not believing this until we are on the flight."
Both
women's arrivals in Wales began with challenges, but ended in triumph.
"The
only two words I knew was yes and no which are the most dangerous words because
how on earth can I know when to say yes and when to say no," Renate
laughed.
Life
in Porth was very different to Prague. Her adoptive father was a Baptist
minister in a small community.
"Not
many people in the Rhondda Valley had heard about Czechoslovakia," she
said.
"There
were no Jewish communities. They hadn't even heard of a synagogue."
But
Renate said as a child, she quickly settled in.
"When
I went to school I was just one of the local children. It was absolutely
amazing."
Ghofran
had to adapt to life in Wales alongside different generations of her family.
"I
believe that until now my parents were still not able to get along with the
whole system here," she said.
The
difference in culture and the preconceptions people had of Syrians "made
it hard to cope and times", she explained.
"People
view us in a different way, especially because of all the drama that goes on
the news and everything they hear about my religion," she said.
"It
was quite a long journey to get people to understand that people like me don't
have to be dangerous'."
HoweverGhofran
said she had always felt welcome in Wales.
''In
Aberystwyth specifically I did not face any racism. People always treated us in
a kind way.''
Renate
and Ghofran also live with their traumatic experiences.
"After
the war I couldn't become a British subject," Renate said. "I had to
wait two-and-a-half years before I could be adopted because I had nobody in
Prague to tell me how many of the family had died."
Years
later she found out she lost 64 members of her family, including her mother and
father.
"I
think then it sort of struck me."
Ghofran
said the suffering she faced in Syria has never left her.
"I
don't believe that it's my country anymore which breaks my heart. I just feel betrayed.
"People
were bombed, people were tortured to death.
"Inside
of me there is a trauma that takes me back to Syria or Lebanon.
"I
try to forget about it or to move on but it's always in the back of my
mind."
Renate
sympathised with the challenges of overcoming her past.
"I've
been asked thousands of times can I forgive and forget. I have to say I can
forgive, but you never forget."
Renate
married and moved to Newquay, Cornwall, where she now lives.
Ghofran
is still studying and after years of serving Middle Eastern cuisine at local
events, she recently opened her own restaurant in Aberystwyth.
"I
was thinking with my mum what can we share with the community," she
remembered. "We found that food is the centre point of the heart to
everyone."
The
project that brought Renate and Ghofran together is led by Andrea Hammel,
director of the Centre for the Movement of People at Aberystwyth University.
"A
lot of refugees made an immense contribution to Wales after coming here,"
she said.
"But,
I would also like us to learn from the difficulties they've had.
"Refugees
need to be able to be in touch with their original community but obviously they
also need to integrate into Wales."
Ghofran
said the exhibition shows "refugees can take part in the community, can be
chefs, or can be artists".
"I
think it's very important for refugees to share their experiences," she
added.
"What
we're sharing now might help other people who come later on."
Source:
BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-63836639
--------
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