Britain First Demand That Muslim Women Cover Their Faces on Public Transport
New Age Islam News Bureau
10
Jun 2020
Zainab Abdirahman-Khalif was acquitted in October of being an IS member.(Nine News)
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• Britain First Demand That Muslim Women Cover Their Faces on Public Transport
• Women and Girls Must Be at The Centre of Pakistan’s Covid-19 Recovery
• Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Daughter Veena To Marry DFYI President Mohamad Riyaz
• The Digital Pioneer Who Went Back to Her Roots To Create Websites For Arab Women
• TiE Dubai Launches Competition for Female Entrepreneurs
• Adelaide Woman Acquitted of IS Membership Would Use 'Second Chance Wisely', Court Told
• Funding for Gender Equality and The Empowerment of Women and Girls in Humanitarian Programming
• Women Are Ready to Take on The World, But Where Are Their Jobs?
• Nigerian Women Are Taking to The Streets in Protests Against Rape and Sexual Violence
• Women Face Rise in Domestic Violence Due To Coronavirus Lockdown In Yemen, Report Says
Compiled ByNew Age Islam News Bureau
URL; https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/britain-first-demand-that-muslim/d/122084
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Britain First Demand That Muslim Women Cover Their Faces on Public Transport
9 June 2020
In a surprising U-turn, racists are demanding that the people they don’t like should cover their faces when in public.
Simon Williams, far-right activist and frequent angry face emoji user had this to say, “Far from being threatening and anti-British in the way only foreign things can be, face masks are now a rule imposed by good old Boris.
“So now I think it’s absolutely disgusting that people, including Muslim women, are flouting those rules by not covering their faces on public transport.
“Previously I was very much outraged by the oppression I assumed women in burkas were being subjected to by a medieval belief system that has no place in modern society.
“But now I see it as completely necessary and Britain First members with nothing better to do will be patrolling bus stations, enforcing the rules where necessary. If we see any Muslim women with the faces not covered up, rest assured we will do what is necessary to put her right on how the British behave in public.
“We will also be policing our neighbourhoods for evidence of extramarital sex. Which is coincidentally banned in several religions but is no longer tolerated in England, as of six weeks ago.
“Plus, I have to admit, that chlorinated chicken that they are importing soon doesn’t sound all that safe, so I’m probably going to be eating halal from now on. It might make me feel like a stranger in my own country but at least it won’t taste like a municipal swimming pool.”
https://newsthump.com/2020/06/09/britain-first-demand-that-muslim-women-cover-their-faces-on-public-transport/
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Women and girls must be at the center of Pakistan’s COVID-19 recovery
UZMA QURESH
JUNE 09, 2020
This blog is part of the 'Act Now Pakistan' series focusing on ideas, policies and actions for Pakistan to recover stronger and better as the COVID-19 crisis subsides.
The Karachi-based venture helped pay for her kids’ school fees. Hailing from humble beginnings, Samina became the primary earner in her household. At its peak, her business boasted 9 women employees, each earning PKR 40,000 a month.
Samina is now finding it hard to make ends meet. She’s not alone in her struggle, as thousands of other Pakistani businesswomen face drastic income losses since the virus broke out.
A recent analysis shows that Pakistan’s women-owned microenterprises, which are usually smaller than their men-owned counterparts, are 8 percent more likely to lose their entire revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The virus has exacerbated deep-seated gender inequalities in Pakistan – which already ranked near the bottom on gender equality – spiking concerns that some of the economic and social gains women have fought so hard to obtain will be lost.
With economic uncertainty, informal jobs, which account for most of women’s employment, have been the first to go. Most women informal workers, especially those based at home, have lost their source of income. Over a quarter of Pakistani women have been fired or suspended from their jobs in various sectors. With children at home during lockdowns, women are also shouldering most of the care work, further reducing their economic opportunities.
Most reproductive health and family planning facilities are still not fully functional across Pakistan. Pre- and post-natal services have discontinued as community health workers are either grounded or reluctant to make field visits due to lack of personal protective equipment. Field reports indicate that pregnant women are distressed. Some women cannot obtain the contraceptives they rely on for their health and family planning.
Meanwhile, quarantine, isolation wards, and other health facilities are not well-equipped to serve vulnerable groups like women, transgender people, and the elderly. They lack toilet privacy as well as basic sanitation products for menstruating women.
When it comes to education, girls will likely end up worse off because of COVID-19. Global findings from Ebola and other disasters confirm that when they face financial distress, many low-income families refuse to send their girls back to schools as they need them to handle additional housework or generate extra income through informal work.
Making matters worse for women, gender-based violence (GBV) is on the rise – in numbers and intensity – as services and many helplines have stopped, while most shelters or DarulAmans don’t have COVID-19 protocols in place to take in new individuals.
GBV services were already inadequate before the COVID pandemic, as 28 percent of Pakistani women and girls above age 15 reported experiencing physical violence. For these women, and many others sheltering at home with their abusers, safety is increasingly precarious.
As it fights the coronavirus, Pakistan needs to develop economic and social policies that address the specific needs of women.
On the economic front, the country is developing a project to revive microenterprises, especially women-owned businesses. With support from the World Bank, this will also provide smartphones to employees, especially women, to access online training that can help them launch successful businesses.
Since women are more likely to work for pay if they enjoy a supportive working environment, the World Bank and the United Nations are helping provincial and federal governments adopt policies and develop programs that facilitate women’s employment , such as safe transport, childcare support, and anti-sexual harassment in the workplace.
To help parents and other community members understand the benefits of girls’ education and encourage girls’ return to schools, the World Bank will launch an awareness campaign that uses online platforms, radio, TV, and mobile messages coupled with interactive community sessions.
To curb gender-based violence, all provincial governments should restore and strengthen services for women in a post-lockdown scenario. The Ministry of Human Rights, the UN Population Fund, and the nongovernmental organization Rozan have developed standards of care for shelters during COVID-19 that can be extended to facilities across the country. Technology solutions such as the ministry’s WhatsApp can also help survivors report instances of abuse and domestic violence.
In addition, the World Bank is supporting a national helpline to address cases of online gender-based harassment and abuse. Our projects also include public campaigns to flag services available to survivors and help train health providers.
It’s urgent for Pakistan to adopt large-scale, inclusive policies that address the deep-rooted social and economic gender inequalities that have become more pronounced during the COVID-19 crisis. Failure to do so will delay the country’s recovery from the pandemic and hamper its hard-fought efforts to achieve prosperity for all its people.
https://blogs.worldbank.org/endpovertyinsouthasia/women-and-girls-must-be-center-pakistans-covid-19-recovery
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Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Daughter Veena To Marry DFYI President Mohamad Riyaz
Jun 10, 2020
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena is set to marry Democratic Youth Federation of India (DFYI) national president PA Mohamad Riyaz later this month.
The marriage will take place on June 15. It will be a simple function in Thiruvananthapuram, solemnised under the Special Marriages Act, according to the CM’s family members.
Veena is the director of a small IT firm, headquartered in Bengaluru.
Riyaz, an advocate by profession, entered politics as member of the Students’ Federation of India. .He had contested the 2009 Lok Sabha election as the CPI (M) candidate from Kozhikode in north Kerala. However, he lost to MK Raghavan of the Congress by a slender margin.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kerala-cm-pinarayi-vijayan-s-daughter-veena-to-marry-dfyi-president-riyaz/story-vXaE5fjp1EH0VtOHKM8FnK.html
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The digital pioneer who went back to her roots to create websites for Arab women
RANDA TAKIEDDINE
June 08, 2020
PARIS: Twelve years ago, while still in her early 30s, Lebanese-French entrepreneur Delphine Edde held a prestigious position with renowned publishing house Conde Nast, as director of its digital operation in Paris.
However, she decided she wanted to return to her roots in her native Lebanon, with her French husband and their two young sons, and establish her own company, Diwanee, which she envisioned as a digital media provider for Arab women.
“Addressing Arab women was very important to me,” Edde said. “It was the thread running through everything that I wanted to create, and this desire has motivated me and pushed me to create that content.”
Edde’s aim was to open offices in Beirut, Dubai and Saudi Arabia to create Arabic-language entertainment websites for women in the Gulf, in particular those in the Kingdom and the UAE. To help her achieve this ambitious goal, she had the experience she had gained in digital communications, fashion and the luxury sector while working in the US at the International Fashion Institute, followed by jobs in a number of advertising agencies in France before joining Conde Nast.
The first three sites she launched were Yasmina.com, which focuses on fashion and beauty, 3a2ilati.com, which specializes in parenting, and food site atyabtabkha.com. But she faced many challenges in the early days.
“It was hard because 12 years ago, Arab women in the Middle East were generally conservative,” Edde said. “Nowadays, everything has evolved, especially in Saudi Arabia, and this has been very thrilling because it enabled our publications to evolve at the same time as our audience.
“It was essential for the publications to follow and also foresee the audience’s needs. Some exciting social and cultural movements have occurred and we always find that we have a fast-moving audience. When we started there was no TikTok or Instagram; today these are indispensable tools for addressing Arab women, and so we all develop together.
“Arab women have always known what they wanted and were knowledgeable about the topics they discussed.”
Six years ago, Webedia — a global media and technology company owned by French investment company Fimalac, led by businessman Marc Ladret de la Charrière — invested in Diwanee, contributing to its growth.
More recently, Diwanee merged with Saudi business UTURN Entertainment, owned by businessman Kaswara Al-Khatib. The new entity created by the merger, Webedia Arabia, received funding from Five Capital, a joint fund of French financial institution Caisse des Dépôts et Consignation and Riyadh-based Kingdom Holding. It has grown to become one of the largest Arabic digital networks, with an audience of more than 63 million people across its websites and social media.
During visits to Saudi Arabia, Edde said she has met many women who have worked hard and created small businesses to turn their passions into livelihoods. She also highlighted the rapid increase in the number of women graduating from university in Saudi Arabia, which exceeds that of men. This is interesting, she said, because the difference is not yet reflected in the Saudi work force. In general, she added, she has been impressed by the educational achievements of Saudi women.
“A year and a half ago I held a conference in Riyadh, at King Faisal University,” she said. “I talked about my career, about women entrepreneurs, the challenges I had faced and how I had balanced my career and my personal life.
“I am the mother of two sons and what struck me were the questions the Saudi women asked about how I manage my career and the men in my family. I told them I was lucky to have a father and mother who always stressed that I needed to study and be independent. I have a husband who has always supported my work.
“Support from the men in your family encourages you to work and succeed in realizing your aspirations, which for me was to work on the content of these sites for Arab women and also to build the work teams and train them for the digital world. Building the company in three Arab countries has been a great experience.”
Edde said her Lebanese roots provided the motivation for her return to the country. Though her parents were proud of her success in France, they were delighted at her decision to return home, where her grandfather, former Cabinet minister Henri Edde, was able to spend time with his great-grandsons.
However, working in Lebanon was initially more of a challenge than a joy, she admitted. The infrastructure was poor and internet connections were unreliable, though this improved with the arrival of fiber-optic lines. Edde said she and her team could have performed miracles if better infrastructure had been in place.
Another difficulty was recruiting technically qualified people in other countries and obtaining the necessary permissions and documents for them to work in Lebanon. It was an impossible mission in terms of legal requirements, and financing was hard to secure in Lebanon because nobody understood the kind of work Edde was doing, so she had to look for investment elsewhere.
Edde’s most recent visit to the Kingdom was in February, when she was invited to AlUla by a client, the French jewelry firm Piaget, which was a sponsor of the three-day Tantoura Festival in the old town. She described the trip as “a three-day dream visit in an enchanting place.”
She added: “The Royal Commission for AlUla did an extraordinary job. They succeeded in getting the best teams in all the different sectors and they achieved stunning results: the art exhibition with Desert X in the middle of the desert, the hotels in tents with perfect service, the training of guides plus the beauty of the place and the kindness and hospitality shown to the visitors made the stay just magical.
“It was amazing to see how AlUla’s beauty had been successfully highlighted in terms of handicrafts and in creating an oasis.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1686766/media
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TiE Dubai launches competition for female entrepreneurs
Arab News
10 June 2020
The Dubai chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) has announced its official participation in TiE Women, a global initiative dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs across the globe. Through the TiE Women initiative, TiE Dubai aims to provide budding women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the MENA region with a platform to collaborate and showcase their business potential.
Under the initiative, a series of chapter-level startup support programs for women entrepreneurs will be conducted, culminating into a regional Women 2020 Pitch competition. Female entrepreneurs with businesses that have an interesting business idea and match entry criteria will be eligible for the title.
Ziad Matar, president of the Dubai chapter of TiE, said: “We are delighted to be part of the TiE Women 2020 Pitch competition, an insightful platform that unites our global network and supports startups led by female entrepreneurs. According to research reports, just one in seven investments in the Arab world go into female founded businesses; we all recognize the challenges women face when accessing funding and financial support. By bringing together a global network of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and a prize money pool of $100,000, we will provide a unique launch pad for the winners. We look forward to seeing healthy competition and rewarding exceptional women leaders.”
“There is so much untapped potential in the Arab world and by empowering women to go into business and rewarding aspiring female leaders, we will ensure global economic gains and a competitive knowledge economy in line with UAE’s Vision 2021,” added Matar.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1687301/corporate-news
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Adelaide Woman Acquitted of IS Membership Would Use 'Second Chance Wisely', Court Told
By Meagan Dillon
Jun 10, 2020
An Adelaide woman acquitted of being an Islamic State member has never trained with the terror group, can no longer travel to IS-controlled strongholds in Syria and wants to use her second chance "wisely", the Federal Court has heard.
Zainab Abdirahman-Khalif, 25, spent two years and six months in jail after a South Australian Supreme Court jury found her guilty of being a member of a terrorist organisation, before she was freed on appeal in October 2019.
Commonwealth prosecutors have asked the High Court to overturn her acquittal, but the hearing has been delayed because of the coronavirus health pandemic.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is seeking to use powers under the Anti-Terrorism Act to control parts of Ms Abdirahman-Khalif's life in a bid to prevent a potential terror attack.
She has been subjected to an interim control order for the past six months which has limited her social media use, movements and employment.
The court was told that Ms Abdirahman-Khalif was detained at Adelaide Airport in July 2016 after buying a one-way ticket to Turkey, and that she planned to travel with $180.
The AFP claims she was planning to travel from Turkey to IS-controlled territory in Syria to either marry an IS fighter or become a nurse for the terror group.
After her arrest in May 2017, she had 378 audio files associated with IS on her phone, along with 125 videos — 62 of which contained extremist material including bombings, executions and dead bodies on the ground.
Scott Henchcliffe SC, for Ms Abdirahman-Khalif, today told the Federal Court that his client had not breached the interim control order once since being released from custody last October.
Andrew Berger, for the AFP, told the court yesterday that a control order would help authorities limit extremists from influencing her to commit a terror attack or fuelling her own ideologies because she was "naive".
He said Ms Abdirahman-Khalif was in contact with 22-year-old Maimuna Abdirahman Hussein in the lead-up to her failed terror attack in Mombasa, Kenya, on September 11, 2016.
Hussein and two other women entered the Mombasa Central Police Station armed with a knife, a petrol bomb and a suicide vest but were shot dead by police.
However, Mr Henchcliffe today told the court that while Ms Abdirahman-Khalif did not dissuade the women from executing their attack, she did not encourage them either.
He said while Ms Abdirahman-Khalif was in jail, she wrote to the Commonwealth Parole Board seeking release and stated she would use her "second chance of release wisely".
The court was told that Joel Clavell — the son of notorious fugitive Rodney Clavell, who was shot dead by police during a siege — sent Ms Abdirahman-Khalif a money order while she was in custody.
Mr Henchcliffe said the money was unsolicited and Joel Clavell sought out his client because he held views against Shia Muslims and democracy.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-10/former-is-suspect-would-use-second-chance-wisely-court-told/12340412
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Funding For Gender Equality And The Empowerment Of Women And Girls In Humanitarian Programming
10 Jun 2020
Women and girls are negatively and disproportionately impacted by disasters and conflict. These crises affect their life expectancy, education, maternal health, livelihoods, nutrition, and the levels of violence they experience. At the same time, women are also often first responders and leaders in humanitarian response, though they are often portrayed only as victims and passive beneficiaries of aid.
To ensure that the specific needs and rights of crisis-affected women and girls are met, and to achieve effective—as well as rights-based—humanitarian outcomes, it is essential that we have clarity on existing levels of funding for women and girls in humanitarian programming and to what extent that funding meets the requested needs.
To this end, UN Women and UNFPA conducted a research study on “Funding for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls [GEEWG] in humanitarian programming”. The study is based on global desk research and case study focus on Bangladesh, Jordan, Nigeria, and Somalia (including field visits to Somalia and Bangladesh), and ascertains existing funding flows—and the impact of any shortfall—to GEEWG in humanitarian action, including the levels of funding requested, funding received, and the consequences of the funding gap.
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/funding-gender-equality-and-empowerment-women-and-girls-humanitarian-programming-june
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Women Are Ready To Take On The World, But Where Are Their Jobs?
Sonakshi Chaudhry
09 June 2020
“What will you be when you grow up?” they asked. When she was younger, the answer changed a little every time the question was posed. It never once occurred to her that she wouldn’t be something — that she wouldn’t be someone. Through countless hours spent thinking about the next step, the assumption of ‘work’ remained. “Find a job that makes you happy, and gives you choices,” her mother said. Ten years later, armed with two degrees, she contemplates a third. Partly, to avoid going to another interview, only to hear a middle-aged man tell her he cannot believe that she’s nearing 30. “But you look so young — no plans for marriage?” he says, even as he mentally crosses her off a shortlist she was barely on. She knows she’s one of the privileged ones. What of those women who have mouths to feed? Those with bills that won’t stop coming? What of them?
The definitions of “jobs,” “work,” and “workplaces” may be evolving but, regardless of the parameters used, women are dropping out of India’s labour force at an alarming rate. Whereas several South Asia countries have increased their Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) in recent years, India’s numbers have dropped steadily, despite an increase in the rate of economic growth and the education level of women in the same period. According to World Bank data, as of March 1, 2020, India’s FLFPR now stands above only a handful of countries — and is lower than Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Egypt.
When confronted with this data, the reaction of many is that it can’t be true: “But I know lots of women who work!” Anecdotally, of course, that feels right. Stories of women working are increasingly commonplace in the media and popular culture. However, as journalist Namita Bhandare put it, there is a tendency to “celebrate the exceptional” rather than face up to the reality. So the questions remain: is this trend real, why is it happening and, crucially, does it matter?
From boardrooms to factories to call centres — women seem to be everywhere. India has finally even seen its first woman fighter pilot. However, the data tells a different story. In 2005, India’s FLFPR was at 31.7 percent, but in the years since, has dropped sharply — with current World Bank estimates suggesting that the rate is at 20.52 percent.
So, why are women dropping out of India’s workforce? The first answer could lie in the very definition of being in the labour force, and what kind of work is counted.
Indian women do more unpaid work in the home than their counterparts anywhere in the world. As Dr. Ashwini Deshpande said on episode 7 of the Women In Labour podcast, the real social norm that underpins India’s approach to women’s work is the cultural assumption that domestic work is the responsibility of women — and only after it is completed can they access the formal labour force. Given that women undertake the vast majority of unpaid work in India, with 66 percent of women’s work being unpaid, compared with 12 percent of men’s, it’s not that women aren’t working; it’s that their work is done in private, hidden from what is formally counted. This hugely disproportionate burden of care taken on by women provides the first major clue as to why women aren’t as prevalent in the workforce as they could be.
What’s happening at home is played out in stark contrast within the workplace. While women have a “duty” to work in the home, they are not afforded the same opportunity outside. When considering who has the right to pursue gainful employment, Indians reserve that right almost solely for men. A 2010 survey found that 84 percent of Indian respondents reported that men have more of a right to work than women when jobs are scarce. This perception plays out when we look at the data too. As unemployment has increased across the country, a staggering 90 percent of the 36 million new jobs that have been created in industry since 2005 have gone to men. And, as economist Dr.Ritu Dewan shared on episode 5 of the Women in Labour podcast, in the aftermath of demonetisation, women lost a disproportionately large number of jobs compared with men.
So, despite our personal perceptions — and the positive media stories highlighting the exceptional success of some women — what emerges from the data is that, not only are women facing a deeply unfair burden of work in the home, they are also less likely to be hired than men and more likely to lose jobs when employment is scarce.
First, let’s look at the financials. Currently, India has one of the youngest populations in the world. The next few years present a demographic window of opportunity. Not only can the country transform its economic landscape, there is also great scope for women to be a part of India’s success story. Reports tell us that harnessing the potential of India’s female workforce could add USD 0.7 trillion to the country’s GDP, representing an 18 percent increase, and that both productivity and male incomes rise as a result of women’s inclusion in the workforce.
Second, and perhaps more fundamental, is decision-making. If women are working less and less, they will not be able to access leadership roles. India runs the risk of becoming a country that is run by men, to cater to the needs of men. Without female leaders across industries and halls of power, who represents half the country’s population? Who fights for policies that enable women to succeed? Autonomy and empowerment go hand-in-hand, and inclusive, sustainable growth cannot be achieved unless women have an equal voice.
The third critical truth is that of aspirations. Women want to work, and businesses benefit from their labour; therefore, this is about leveraging ambitions as much as it is about economic growth and industry. Young women today are increasingly empowered by the choices our mothers and grandmothers made, just as they were empowered by theirs. With every generation, there is progress. As young women with 21st century aspirations, we are ready to take on the world — but where are our jobs?
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/opinion-women-are-ready-to-take-on-the-world-but-where-are-their-jobs/354411
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Nigerian women are taking to the streets in protests against rape and sexual violence
JUNE 9, 2020
Protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Nigeria to demand urgent action to combat rape and sexual violence against women.
In Lagos on Monday a coalition of rights groups marched to the state parliament calling for it to declare a state of emergency on rape and sexual violence. The march followed the gruesome death of 22-year-old student Uwaila Vera Omozuwa — and the rape and killing less than a week later of another student, Barakat Bello.
University student Omozuwa died after she was attacked in a church in Benin City where she had gone to study on May 27, while Bello was raped and killed during a robbery in her home in the southwestern city of Ibadan on June 1, according to Amnesty International.
The students’ killings, which happened as citizens were still reckoning with a spate of violence against teenage girls in May, have sparked calls for government action on gender-based violence in the country.
“These unfortunate events are not a standalone, rather they are a culmination of unhealthy cultural practices,” the Women Against Rape in Nigeria group said in a petition submitted to lawmakers on Monday.
WARN is pushing for all states in Nigeria to have a sex offenders list — and for it to be made public — as well as other measures to name and shame perpetrators of sexual violence.
Activists from the women-led movement wore symbolic black outfits and carried “End Rape” placards to demand government action against sexual violence Monday.
Ebele Molua, an activist and one of the conveners of the protest, said Nigerian women have long been violated and harassed because authorities still perceive rape as a “women issue” leaving women vulnerable to their abusers.
“In Nigeria, you see men catcalling, and groping women in the market and they become violent once they don’t respond to their advances. You find men dismissing the accounts of sexual violence. This has to stop,” Molua told CNN.
Nigerian celebrities have also denounced the latest sexual violence cases on social media and citizens continue to gather in several cities, demanding law enforcement bring the women’s killers to justice.
Nollywood actress Hilda Dokubo joined a women’s group demonstration to the police headquarters in Lagos on Friday in the wake of the killings and a group of students protested in Benin City on June 1.
Meanwhile Amnesty International, which has launched petition demanding justice over the killings, said femicide and rape cases go under-reported in the country, allowing perpetrators to go unpunished.
Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission has launched a social media campaign to educate men about consent and the country’s police force, whose officers have been accused of gender violence in the past, has announced plans to allocate more officers to tackle cases across the country.
https://keyt.com/news/national-world/2020/06/09/nigerian-women-are-taking-to-the-streets-in-protests-against-rape-and-sexual-violence/
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Nigerian women are taking to the streets in protests against rape and sexual violence
JUNE 9, 2020
Protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Nigeria to demand urgent action to combat rape and sexual violence against women.
In Lagos on Monday a coalition of rights groups marched to the state parliament calling for it to declare a state of emergency on rape and sexual violence. The march followed the gruesome death of 22-year-old student Uwaila Vera Omozuwa — and the rape and killing less than a week later of another student, Barakat Bello.
University student Omozuwa died after she was attacked in a church in Benin City where she had gone to study on May 27, while Bello was raped and killed during a robbery in her home in the southwestern city of Ibadan on June 1, according to Amnesty International.
The students’ killings, which happened as citizens were still reckoning with a spate of violence against teenage girls in May, have sparked calls for government action on gender-based violence in the country.
“These unfortunate events are not a standalone, rather they are a culmination of unhealthy cultural practices,” the Women Against Rape in Nigeria group said in a petition submitted to lawmakers on Monday.
WARN is pushing for all states in Nigeria to have a sex offenders list — and for it to be made public — as well as other measures to name and shame perpetrators of sexual violence.
Activists from the women-led movement wore symbolic black outfits and carried “End Rape” placards to demand government action against sexual violence Monday.
Ebele Molua, an activist and one of the conveners of the protest, said Nigerian women have long been violated and harassed because authorities still perceive rape as a “women issue” leaving women vulnerable to their abusers.
“In Nigeria, you see men catcalling, and groping women in the market and they become violent once they don’t respond to their advances. You find men dismissing the accounts of sexual violence. This has to stop,” Molua told CNN.
Nigerian celebrities have also denounced the latest sexual violence cases on social media and citizens continue to gather in several cities, demanding law enforcement bring the women’s killers to justice.
Nollywood actress Hilda Dokubo joined a women’s group demonstration to the police headquarters in Lagos on Friday in the wake of the killings and a group of students protested in Benin City on June 1.
Meanwhile Amnesty International, which has launched petition demanding justice over the killings, said femicide and rape cases go under-reported in the country, allowing perpetrators to go unpunished.
Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission has launched a social media campaign to educate men about consent and the country’s police force, whose officers have been accused of gender violence in the past, has announced plans to allocate more officers to tackle cases across the country.
https://keyt.com/news/national-world/2020/06/09/nigerian-women-are-taking-to-the-streets-in-protests-against-rape-and-sexual-violence/
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/britain-first-demand-that-muslim/d/122084