European Human Rights Ambassadors Urge Saudi Arabia To Release Women's Rights Activists
New
Age Islam News Bureau
30
November 2020
• Afghan Female Artist Breaks Tattoo Taboo In In The Conservative Afghanistan
•
Iranian Women Journalists Resist 'Men's Colony'
•
On The Go With Saudi Arabia’s First Professionally Trained Cycling Club
•
Saudi Arabia Appoints 50 Women To Serve Umrah Pilgrims
•
SAOC chief affirms sports initiatives contribute to empowering women
•
World Bank: Less Than 15% Of Iraq Women Work
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/european-human-rights-ambassadors-urge/d/123614
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European
Human Rights Ambassadors Urge Saudi Arabia To Release Women's Rights Activists
November
30, 2020
By
Angela Dewan, Sarah Sirgany and Tamara Qiblawi
Jailed
Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul
-----
(CNN)Seven
European human rights ambassadors criticized Saudi Arabia on Sunday over the
continued detention of at least five women's rights activists, including
Loujain al-Hathloul, whose case has been referred to a special court for
terrorism offenses.
Hathloul
appeared in a Saudi court on Wednesday, as her trial was scheduled to start
after 900 days in pre-trial detention.
The
court instead referred the case to the Specialized Criminal Court for terrorism
and national security cases, according to a statement from her family and
supporters, sent to CNN.
The
case of another women's rights activist, Samar Badawi, has also been referred
to the special court. Three others -- Nassima al-Sada, Nouf Abdulaziz and
Maya'a al-Zahrani -- remain in detention, according to human rights group
Amnesty International.
"We
remain deeply concerned by the continued detention of at least five women's
right activists in Saudi Arabia. We regret that the cases of Loujain
Al-Hathloul and Samar Badawi have now been referred to the Special Criminal
Court for terrorism and national security cases," human rights ambassadors
for the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Luxembourg and Finland said
in a statement.
Hathloul,
31, was jailed in May 2018 during a sweep that targeted prominent opponents of
the kingdom's former law barring women from driving. The crackdown happened
just weeks before the ban was lifted, casting doubt on a reform agenda put
forward by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The
court she appeared in on Wednesday said it would investigate Hathloul's
allegations of torture in prison, according to the family's statement. Saudi
authorities have repeatedly denied allegations of torture and sexual abuse in
their prisons. A new trial date hasn't been announced yet.
Badawi
had also campaigned against the driving ban and against the imprisonment of her
former husband, rights lawyer Waleed Abu al-Khair, as well as her brother,
blogger Raif Badawi.
"Peaceful
activism, and advocating for women's rights is not a crime. Human rights
defenders can be a strong partner for governments in addressing concerns within
society," the ambassadors said.
"We
join the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Special Rapporteurs and Treaty
Bodies in reiterating our call for the release of all political detainees,
including the women's rights activists."
CNN
has reached out to the Saudi government for a response.
In
an interview with CNN's Nic Robertson earlier this month, Saudi Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs Adel Jubeir said Hathloul's case "was up to the
courts" and that "she's on trial for matters related to national
security."
An
Amnesty International representative for the Middle East, Lynn Maalouf, said
the Specialized Criminal Court was "an institution used to silence dissent
and notorious for issuing lengthy prison sentences following seriously flawed
trials."
"This
is yet another sign that Saudi Arabia's claims of reform on human rights are a
farce," Maalouf said.
In
a six-page charge sheet for Hathloul's case, seen by CNN, a section entitled
"crimes committed" included activism against the kingdom's
restrictive male guardianship laws, along with contact with foreign journalists
and diplomats.
Chairman
of US House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff called on Saturday for Hathloul's
immediate release, saying on Twitter she had "endured torture and abuse
for over 2 years while detained."
On
Thursday, the US Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs said it was
"concerned" by reports that the cases of Hathloul and Badawi had been
transferred to the terrorism court.
"Activism
on behalf of (women's) rights is not a crime. Also troubled by allegations of
abuse against them & a lack of transparency/access to the trials," the
bureau's press office wrote on Twitter.
The
statement from Hathloul's family and supporters said she had started a second
hunger strike on October 26 in protest of her prison conditions and because she
was denied communication with her relatives.
The
statement said she was forced to halt her strike after two weeks as authorities
woke her up multiple times during the night, causing her to feel exhausted.
The
statement said she looked "weak in court, that her body was shaking
uncontrollably and that her voice was faint and shaky."
Her
sister, Lina al-Hathloul, said that she and her family had received no updates
on Hathloul since she began her hunger strike until Tuesday, the day before she
was due to appear in court.
"And
during this time the Saudi government, instead of responding to our repeated
inquiries on Loujain's health, they have blocked our requests and denied us
access to Loujain," she said in the statement.
Https://Edition.Cnn.Com/2020/11/29/Middleeast/Saudi-Arabia-Loujain-Hathloul-Activist-Court-Intl/Index.Html
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Afghan
Female Artist Breaks Tattoo Taboo In In The Conservative Afghanistan
By
Hameed Farzad, Sayed Hassib
NOVEMBER
30, 2020
Soraya
Shahidy carefully lays a stencil on Nargis Merzayi’s arm before inking the
latest tattoo in her salon in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul
-----
KABUL
(Reuters) - Soraya Shahidy carefully lays a stencil on Nargis Merzayi’s arm
before inking the latest tattoo in her salon in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul.
A
normal routine in studios around the world, Shahidy’s artwork in the
conservative country breaks a tattoo taboo: she believes she is the first
female tattoo artist in a country where some religious scholars say tattoos are
forbidden under Islam.
“I
could have performed this profession abroad but I wanted to do it in
Afghanistan because there are no female tattoo artists in the country,” she
told Reuters. “I believe it’s not only men who can apply tattoos. Women can do
it too.”
Shahidy,
27, who trained in Turkey and Iran, insists her artwork is legitimate in Islam.
“Some
mullahs say tattoos are forbidden, but there are other mullahs who say the
opposite,” she said, adding that Kabul is seeing a small but growing demand
from young people for tattoos.
“Most
clients want tattoos on their wrists, arms, neck and legs... Girls are more
interested in delicate tattoo designs such as flowers, butterflies and
dragonflies, or the names of people they love. But some boys choose designs
that are extravagant to me.”
One
client, she said, wanted a tattoo of a tombstone inscribed “volunteer of
death”.
Shahidy’s
current client, Merzayi, was long interested in getting a tattoo and finally
decided to go ahead with a design on the inside of her forearm.
“My
tattoo is in Hindi handwriting and it means courage,” she said.
Like
many in the country, Shahidy thinks about the possibility of a return to power
by the Taliban, who are in peace talks with the Afghan government to end two
decades of war. But she expressed confidence the country has changed dramatically
since the hardline Islamists were ousted in 2001.
“We
are not the people who can easily lose the achievements we have gained over the
recent years,” she said.
https://in.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-women-tattoo-artist/afghan-female-artist-breaks-tattoo-taboo-in-kabul-studio-idINKBN28A03E
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Iranian
Women Journalists Resist 'Men's Colony'
27.11.2020
Ramesh
Kiani
Iranian
human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh is currently serving a 10 year sentence
in the notorious "Evin" prison
-----
In
February 2020 an industry magazine in Iran published the results of a study
(Farsi) on sexual harassment experienced by Iranian women journalists. Ninety
percent said they experienced sexual harassment at least once in the context of
their work. Most of the harassment takes place verbally or as news in social
media. Women journalists also reported experiences of inappropriate touching by
men. In a DW interview two Iranian women journalists talked about their
personal experiences.
Narges
Fathi has worked as a journalist in Iran for many years. She believes that
because she was raised in a religious family, the sexual harassment was even
harder for her to bear than for other female colleagues. According to religious
conservative beliefs, the job of a journalist is not a suitable activity for a
woman. But Fathi fell in love with the profession during her university
studies. Later, however, she felt that what she experienced during her work was
also a consequence of this decision.
"I
thought at the time that I had to be a good girl following the example of my
family, but I am not because of my decision, and the harassment is punishing me
for it.”
After
a while, the journalist began to doubt her feelings. "Now, years later, I
know very well that whatever is aimed at my privacy is an example of
harassment."
Fathi
thinks there are two groups of men who harass female journalists. One are the
colleagues who hold higher positions than their female colleagues, and the
other are men close to the government who meet female journalists for
interviews and reporting. "Especially those who are senior government
officials feel that they can harass us because of their position and thus force
us to remain silent.”
Sexual
harassment of politicians and government officials
Narges
Fathi recalls the day she interviewed a member of parliament. After meeting in
his office, he suggested that they continue the interview in the journalist’s
car on the way to an appointment. "As he began to talk about the subject
of the interview, he put his hand on mine. He acted as if nothing special was
happening, while I felt tormented and couldn't even react. After that I had to
interview him other times and each time he touched me while he kept talking to
me. This went on until I decided not to continue working with him but did not
tell anyone the reason for this. A few months later, I still received
disrespectful messages from him.”
Fathi
has experienced similar incidents in other ministries and government agencies.
A public relations director offered to arrange an interview with his minister
if the journalist would have sex with him in return.
Body
contact and verbal harassment
Fathi
explained how managers and colleagues abused power too. One of her married male
colleagues repeatedly asked her to have a relationship with him. When she
refused, he made her work environment so unbearable that she was eventually
forced to quit her job.
As
time went by and with growing self-confidence, Fathi decided not to keep silent
in the face of the harassment. This led to a noticeable change, she said:
"I reacted quickly and confidently when I was harassed by someone and this
reduced the harassment.”
A
'male colony' in the management department
Journalist
Mina Karimi has dealt intensively with the topic of sexual harassment of female
journalists and explains that the proportion of women compared to men is higher
than average in the field of journalism because the job is not well-paid in
Iran. Many men refuse to work for low salaries. On the other hand, all media
managers are male politicians, and although there are many competent female journalists, only men land the jobs as
editors-in-chief or senior editors.
Karimi
reported that a journalist can easily be removed from an editorial office if
she raises objections to her working conditions: "If a woman is sexually
harassed by a reporter or an editor or even a manager and she complains, these
men try to force the journalist to remain silent. Since these men are connected
to those in other media through the network, it is hardly possible for these
women to find a job in another media organization."
*
The names of the female journalists have been changed for security reasons
https://www.dw.com/en/iranian-women-journalists-resist-mens-colony/a-55722690
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On
the go with Saudi Arabia’s first professionally trained cycling club
HALA
TASHKANDI
November
30, 2020
RIYADH:
As sports and other activities continue to gain popularity in Saudi Arabia,
residents are seeking out exciting ways to get moving.
The
Kingdom’s female population are enjoying the new wave of opportunities that
have been made available to them in recent years to live a healthy lifestyle.
Hiking,
outdoor yoga and football are all popular choices, but one less familiar
pastime on the increase is cycling.
Events
such as the annual Saudi Tour and the General Sports Authority’s highly
successful all-women’s cycling race in Jeddah in 2018 have fostered a growing
interest in the sport.
Studies
have shown that cycling improves overall health, more specifically improving
mental health, strengthening the immune system, promoting weight loss, reducing
heart disease and cancer and more.
Riding
a bike can be one of the easiest forms of returning to fitness when you are
bouncing back from an injury or illness.
A
group of bike enthusiasts from Riyadh intend to spread the word and make people
more aware of the healthy advantages of cycling and the joy that can be had on
the back of a bicycle.
Doves
Ride is Saudi Arabia’s first professional cycling team, licensed both locally
and internationally. Shahd Alturki, Doves Ride’s founder and a professional
cycling trainer, spoke to Arab News about why she set up the team.
“I
founded Doves Ride to create an environment for women and families where they
could get into sports,” Alturki said.
Based
in Riyadh, Doves Ride’s goal is to create an environment where Saudis can
discover what biking is like and meet others with similar interests.
“The
idea was to create a team that would motivate Saudi society to start biking,
and to raise awareness in general about sport and movement. We also wanted to
help teach Saudis to cycle by creating a program to teach people in all
categories,” she said.
Doves
Ride organizes rides for all levels, from the gentle trails suitable for
beginners to the more challenging routes for hardened cyclists.
“We
welcome participants at any level, whether they are looking for a long-term
membership or just to try it out,” said Alturki.
She
also spoke about the benefits of the sport and hopes to encourage people to try
it out for themselves.
“Biking
is more than just a fun sport; it raises your fitness levels and can also boost
your mental health,” she said.
For
the more hesitant, Alturki reassures them that she is well-equipped to train
them and get them on the path to biking like a pro.
“We
have bike-riding lessons for zero-experience learners, licensed by the British
Cycling Federation. Children, men and women are all welcome to take them. These
lessons can help any beginner ride a bike safely, and teaches them all the
necessary skills and basics,” she said.
Doves
Ride can be contacted via their Twitter or Instagram accounts, @dovesride.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1770321/saudi-arabia
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Saudi
Arabia appoints 50 women to serve Umrah pilgrims
November
29, 2020
Saudi
Arabia has designated 50 local women to serve Umrah pilgrims and worshippers at
the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Gulf News quoted state-run news agency SPA as
saying.
The
escort or the Mutawafah would accompany old women among the pilgrims and would
guide them to different places inside the mosque as well as drive the carts
around the holy site.
The
statement added that the women would also provide information to the pilgrims
regarding the safety measures against Covid-19.
The
General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has also provided a
smartphone app for pilgrims to reserve electric and ordinary carts to use while
performing the Umrah rituals in the Grand Mosque
The
Mutawafah also guides women pilgrims about following precautions against
Covid-19 for their safety.
On
October 2, the kingdom had announced reopening the holy places for the
year-round Umrah pilgrimage, scaled back and with extensive health precautions,
seven months after coronavirus prompted its suspension.
The
Umrah, the pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time, usually attracts
millions of Muslims from across the globe each year.
It
was be revived in three stages, with the initial phase seeing just 6,000
citizens and residents already within the kingdom allowed to take part each
day.
In
recent years, Saudi Arabia has eased restrictions on women, including allowing
them to drive and receive passports and travel abroad without permission from
male guardian..
Under
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's leadership, it has also opened the country
to sporting, cultural and entertainment events.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2274020/saudi-arabia-designates-50-women-to-serve-umrah-pilgrims-holy-mosque-worshippers
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SAOC
chief affirms sports initiatives contribute to empowering women
November
29, 2020
RIYADH
— The first virtual international forum of its kind hosted by the Saudi Arabian
Olympic Committee (SAOC) and organized by the World Taekwondo (WT) in
cooperation with the Saudi Taekwondo Federation (STF) and the Taekwondo
Humanitarian Foundation was launched Friday for two days, under the title
“Gender Equity and Women Leadership Forum.”
The
event which ran from Nov. 27-28 attracted more than 120,000 views on SAOC
social media outlets throughout both days.
SAOC
President Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal said in his speech at the
opening of the conference that it is necessary to include sports in recovery
plans against the various crises that the world faces. He added sports had
shown the diversity of benefits and contributions that could be offered to
human societies.
Prince
Abdulaziz also affirmed that sports would be a compelling way to bring social
progress and development in the Kingdom under the leadership of the Custodian
of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince according to the plans of the
Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
He
added that the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee launched many sports initiatives
that have contributed to empowering women to lead, and help many girls to
achieve their dreams to become champion athletes.
The
SAOC chief explained that they started from scratch in 2015. “We now have more
than 25 federations that have women’s national teams, and 30 federations have
at least one woman holding the position of director of a board of directors, in
addition to registering more than 2,400 players in various federations. And a
more than 25% increase in women’s participation in public games” he said.
The
International Olympic Committee President Dr Thomas Bach said that the Olympic
community has one goal, which is to make the world a better place through sport,
stressing that the International Olympic Committee is always keen to achieve
gender equality in sport.
Bach
stressed that despite the many initiatives that reach the IOC through
professional training programs for athletes to ensure the rigor of rules and
referees, the conference represents evidence, leadership and a spirit of
innovation to enhance the role of women in sporting societies.
Meanwhile,
Dr Bach praised the role that the SAOC plays in promoting and empowering the
role of women in sports according to the mission of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030
to build a healthy and vibrant society.
He
also expressed his happiness with the existing cooperation between the
International Olympic Committee and its Saudi counterpart and the ITF to
achieve the message Olympic is making the world better through sport.
The
World Taekwondo President Dr. Chung Won Choue said that based on the fact that
WT is the sole body that runs the sport of Taekwondo in the Olympic and
Paralympic Games, it is necessary to use this feature to develop gender
equality and lead women in sports and education, stressing that next year they
will launch a strategy for comprehensive sustainability 2021-2030, which seeks
to achieve the United Nations recommendations for gender equality.
Dr.
Chung also noted the recent development of women’s sports in the Kingdom and
this included the Saudi female taekwondo players who won nine international
medals. Moreover, the presence of more than ten players in the Saudi Taekwondo
national team and the adoption of 15 referees for the game from the female
cadre.
He
indicated that the Kingdom would organize the first open women’s taekwondo
championship next February, which confirms SAOC’s determination to support
equal opportunities for both genders through sport.
In
the second day, which included seven sessions with the participation of
important female leaders such as Adwaa Al-Arifi, board member at SAOC, who
talked during the "Women Leaders in Sports Organizations" session
about her sports journey which began with small dreams of practising sports
with her friends, after that, she established the first Saudi women's sports
team in the Kingdom in 2006, with the participation of many Saudi women.
She
pointed out that the Kingdom, through Vision 2030, is paving the way for many
girls to achieve their ambitions, whether on the athletic or personal level.
In
the session of "My Experience with Taekwondo", a member of the
Athletes Commission at the IOC, Miriam Pavril, said that she had practised many
different sports starting at the age of six, and had been training for four
hours a day when she was 15 years old. This she added helped her to become an
Olympic champion later in her life.
Dr.
John Cullen, director of broadcasting at the World Taekwondo, confirmed that
the IOC directives emphasized that there should be equal media coverage between
the genders during and after the competitions, in addition to equality in
employment, salaries and practical opportunities granted to athletes after
retirement.
Meanwhile,
In the "Taekwondo Paralympic Athletes" session, Lisa Gjinseng said
that in her transformation from being an Olympic athlete to a Paralympic
athlete, her ambition did not stop with her hand gone, but she continued her
passion for sports until she ended up becoming the four-time World Taekwondo
Paralympic Champion.
Sarah
Stephenson, chair of the Sports for All Committee of the World Taekwondo, said
in the session of "Empowering Women in the International Taekwondo
Federation" that the game was not successful in the United Kingdom in the
eighties and nineties. However, she added, with training, continuous
development and patience; She became the first British Taekwondo champion at
the age of 18 to win an Olympic medal. — SG
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/600849/SAUDI-ARABIA/SAOC-chief-affirms-sports-initiatives-contribute-to-empowering-women
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World
Bank: Less than 15% of Iraq women work
November
24, 2020
Women's
participation in the workforce in Iraq is less than 15 per cent, the World Bank
has said.
In
a report, the global monetary body said less than 15 per cent of women work in
Iraq and Jordan while only 26 per cent work in Lebanon. Jordan and Iraq have
some of the lowest female employment rates in the world, it added.
According
to the report, the journey to enter the labor market requires that women and
girls are equipped with the appropriate skills that enable them to successfully
transit from study to work.
A
large gap exists between the sexes, it explained, especially in Iraq, where
barely half the population of girls complete their primary education compared
to three quarters of boys, while 80 per cent of boys aged 13 go to school,
compared to only 40 per cent of girls.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201124-world-bank-less-than-15-of-iraq-women-work/
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