Female foreign ministers from 17 countries urge Taliban to repeal restrictions on women
New Age Islam News Bureau
17 February 2025
· Female foreign ministers from 17 countries urge Taliban to repeal restrictions on women
· Two Muslim women attacked at Melbourne shopping centre amid rise in Islamophobia
· Police probe whether assault of two Muslim women was ‘prejudice motivated’
· Bangladesh: Islamists Attack Book Fair for Promoting Women’s Menstrual Hygiene
· KP professor held for ‘harassing' female students at University of Malakand
· 46 years since the oppression of Iranian women began
· Twelve women attend workshop for young referees in Iran
· Iranian female student wins BRICS, SCO ‘Young Researcher of the Year’ award
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/female-ministers-taliban-countries-women/d/134645
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Female foreign ministers from 17 countries urge Taliban to repeal restrictions on women
By Bais Hayat
February 17, 2025
File-Photo, Afghan Women Protests Taliban’s Restrictions
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Foreign ministers from 17 countries, including Canada and Germany, in a statement called on the Taliban to repeal restrictive laws and decrees issued by their Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, expressing deep concern over “systematic human rights violations” in Afghanistan.
The joint statement, released on Saturday, February 15, followed a meeting hosted by Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, where women foreign ministers from around the world discussed the worsening conditions for Afghan women and girls.
The statement condemned the Taliban’s December 2024 decree banning women from medical education, calling it a direct threat to the country’s already fragile healthcare system. “If not reversed, Afghanistan will lose a generation of women health professionals in a society where cultural norms often require women to be treated exclusively by other women,” it read. “This severely jeopardizes the health and well-being of Afghan women and children in a country already facing one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally.”
The ministers also denounced the Taliban’s ongoing ban on secondary and higher education for girls, calling Afghanistan “the only country in the world where women and girls cannot attend secondary school or obtain higher education.” The statement described this policy as “a personal tragedy for each Afghan girl and a collective blow to Afghanistan’s long-term development, economic growth, and stability.”
The statement also demanded the repeal of the Taliban’s so-called morality laws, which have further restricted women’s rights. “These decrees aim literally to silence Afghan women and girls and confine them to their homes,” the ministers wrote. “There is no viable future—no long-term peace, prosperity, or legitimacy—for any state that seeks to effectively erase women from public life.”
The foreign ministers reaffirmed their support for international mechanisms to hold the Taliban accountable, including the United Nations Human Rights Council’s ongoing discussions on Afghanistan and efforts by Canada, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands to take formal steps under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The initiative is now backed by 25 other countries.
The Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice dismissed the statement as “baseless.” Ministry spokesman Saif-ur-Rahman Khyber told Amu TV that “women and girls in Afghanistan have rights and freedoms in accordance with Sharia law” and rejected claims that Afghanistan is the most oppressive country for women.
The meeting in Ottawa was attended by foreign ministers from Andorra, Australia, Colombia, Ecuador, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Jamaica, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Mongolia, Slovenia, and Sweden, as well as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The statement also emphasized the need for Afghan women to be included in any discussions about the country’s future, including the U.N.-facilitated Doha process. “Afghan women have demonstrated time and time again that they will not give up the fight in claiming their rights, despite violent repression by the Taliban,” the ministers wrote. “They’ve shown incredible courage, and we must not give up on them.”
Over the past three years, Taliban leaders have issued multiple decrees severely restricting women’s access to education, employment, and public life. In 2024, Taliban leader HibatullahAkhundzada formalized these restrictions into a four-chapter, 35-article law, which critics say has stripped Afghan women and girls of their basic rights.
Source:amu.tv
https://amu.tv/157879/
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Two Muslim women attacked at Melbourne shopping centre amid rise in Islamophobia
Feb 17, 2025
Ealaf Al-Esawie was on her lunchbreak when she was punched and slapped, leaving her with bruising and scratches. (Supplied)
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Four days into her new job as a childcare worker, Ealaf Al-Esawie was on her lunch break checking her phone when she was suddenly violently punched and slapped on the head.
The 27-year-old mother of two, who wears a hijab, said the attack happened at 1pm last Thursday at Epping Plaza in Melbourne's north, and she believed it was because she was Muslim.
She was one of two women attacked at the same centre on that day.
Victoria Police confirmed two incidents took place at Epping Plaza on February 13 and said it was reviewing the CCTV footage.
"There is absolutely no place in our society for discriminatory, racist, or hate-based behaviour and such activity will not be tolerated."
In tears, Ms Al-Esawie told the ABC she "had done nothing wrong" and the attacker did not speak to her at all before physically assaulting her.
Ms Al-Esawie, who was born and raised in Australia, said she was thrown to the ground by the woman and fell so hard she was crying in pain.
Two nurses eating lunch nearby came to help Ms Al-Esawie, who remained on the ground, "shocked, traumatised, and shaken".
She said the attack left her with memory loss from the trauma, and terrified to leave the house alone.
Ms Al-Esawie said the same woman had attacked another Muslim woman in the shopping centre earlier.
She met the woman at Northern Hospital where they were both taken after being assaulted. The hospital has been approached for comment.
The second woman, 30, who was pregnant, reported the incident to the Islamophobia Register Australia — a not-for-profit organisation set up to track and report any form of anti-Muslim abuse.
In her report, she said she was attacked from behind and the woman "pulled her scarf off and choked" her while she was sitting with a friend at a cafe.
The Islamophobia Register Australia said there has been a 510 per cent increase in Islamophobic incidents reported since the Israel-Gaza war erupted.
It said it had received 1,111 reported cases since October 7, 2023, and there was a 13-fold increase in recorded incidents in the first three months after the war.
It received on average 15.43 reporters a week, up from 2.53 cases before the war.
'I didn't do anything wrong'
The Australian National Imams Council condemned the attacks, saying they represented a "horrifying escalation of Islamophobic violence targeted at innocent people in our communities simply because of their faith".
"Despite the prompt response of police and ambulance officers at the scene, the aftermath of this incident has left the victims feeling ignored and fearing for their safety," the council said in a statement.
The attacks came after an Israeli content creator recorded a video of two Sydney nurses who spoke about threatening to harm Israeli patients.
Ms Al-Esawie said what was said in that video was "horrible and disgusting" but she could not help but feel this attack on her was "payback" for looking visibly Muslim.
Nora Amath, the executive director of the Islamophobia Register, said while there had not been a statistical rise in reported incidents since the Sydney nurses video emerged, "the severity in the cases has intensified, which is deeply concerning, such as the horrific experience of Ealaf and the pregnant sister".
"I am not surprised Ealaf felt that the vicious and completely unprovoked attack on her and the pregnant woman was intended for payback for the Bankstown Nurses video," Dr Amath said.
The Islamic Council of Victoria said: "Such brazen attacks should be condemned by all levels of government."
The council said it wanted the person responsible to be charged for the crimes committed.
Ms Al-Esawie was left with physical injuries that resulted in bruising and swelling. She also required X-rays on her back and was referred to the back pain clinic.
After posting about the incident on several forums, Ms Al-Esawie also received death threats from people online threatening to hurt her if she spoke up again.
Ms Al-Esawie said she told the police officer who she was communicating with about the case, but was not given a solution.
Victoria Police did not comment further on the incident.
Source:abc.net.au
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-17/islamophobic-attack-on-two-muslim-women-at-epping-plaza-/104944992
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Police probe whether assault of two Muslim women was ‘prejudice motivated’
Alexander Darling
February 17, 2025
Police are investigating whether the assault of two women in Melbourne’s north was a hate-based attack.
An as-yet-unidentified woman assaulted a 30-year-old woman inside the Pacific Epping shopping centre about 1pm last Thursday, police said. A few minutes later, the same attacker pushed a second woman, aged 26, to the ground.
The Australian National Imams Council said on Monday that the victims were Muslim and condemned the attacks as “heinous and barbaric”.
The attacker fled the scene with a man, police said. Both victims were taken to hospital.
A police spokeswoman said officers were investigating whether the attacks were “prejudice-motivated assaults”.
“There is absolutely no place in our society for discriminatory, racist, or hate-based behaviour and such activity will not be tolerated,” she said in a statement on Monday.
The imams’ council said the attacks left the women with bruises and scratches.
“Alarmingly, one of the victims was subjected to online threats after sharing the incident to a community group on Facebook,” it said in a statement.
Ambulance Victoria said it was called but not required for the incidents.
Source:brisbanetimes.com.au
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/victoria/police-probe-whether-assault-of-two-muslim-women-was-prejudice-motivated-20250217-p5lct8.html
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Bangladesh: Islamists Attack Book Fair For Promoting Women’s Menstrual Hygiene – OpEd
February 17, 2025
By Aleya Sheikh
Since Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge of an interim government in Bangladesh after the ouster of the Awami League regime , the country has witnessed a surge of radical Islamist activity. More than 250 Hindu and Buddhist temples, Christian churches and shrines of the Liberal Sufi Muslim saints have been vandalised and all institutions promoting liberal secular Bengali culture have been targeted. Even an annual fair organised in the memory of the legendary saint Lalon Fakir was closed down.
Now the annual book fair in Dhaka, organised to observe the 1952 Bengali language movement in what was then undivided Pakistan, has been targeted. And the Yunus government, instead of clamping down on the Islamists have sought to appease them.
The Annual Book Fair is one of Bangladesh’s most cherished cultural events, where book lovers gather to celebrate Bengali heritage, intellectual freedom, and the power of ideas. However, under the rule of the Muhammad Yunus-led unelected government, the very essence of this festival is under attack as extremist forces tighten their grip on the nation.
After months of violence against religious minorities, radical groups have now turned their attention to the book fair itself. In a shocking display of extremist Islamist fascism, Islamist militants targeted a stall selling sanitary napkins, branding it “immoral” and demanding its removal. Instead of ensuring protection for the stall operators and upholding the rights of women and progressive entrepreneurs, Bangla Academy’s Director General, Professor Mohammad Azam, chose to appease the extremists, recommending that the stall belonging to the Pran-RFL group, be shut down.
Traditionally, the book fair has welcomed companies that support social progress, feminism, and health awareness. But under this regime, even essential healthcare products for women are being vilified in a disturbing push to erase progress in gender rights and public health awareness. The decision to dismantle the stall not only emboldens the radical forces but also signals the government’s complicity in dismantling Bangladesh’s hard-earned social advancements.
The alignment of the Yunus administration with the extremist agenda is no longer subtle—it is open and unapologetic. By siding with religious radicals instead of safeguarding free expression and women’s dignity, this government has shown that it is not only failing to protect its citizens but is actively enabling the spread of fundamentalism.
As Bangladesh slips further into the hands of militant Islamists, the question remains: How much more of Bangladesh’s heritage, rights, and freedoms will be sacrificed before the nation rises against this oppression?
In fact, many fear that thosyear , the celebration of 21st February ( locally Ekushe February) may be a muted affair. Bengalis remember the martyrs of the language movement who fell to police bullets on this day in 1952 . The Bengali language movement is seen as the starting point for the independence of Bangladesh from Islamist Pakistan. But under the Yunus regime, relations have sharply improved with Pakistan and there seems to be a conscious effort to play down the legacy of the Bengali language movement and the 1971 Liberation War that led to Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan.
More than 700 Islamist radicals have either been released from jails or forcibly freed much before their sentence ended, even as the administration has been a silent spectator. Islamic State flags have been noticed in rallies or during mob attacks on libraries and museum which showcase the legacy of the Liberation War. Earlier this month, the museum in the ancestral house of Bangladesh’s founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was bulldozed and destroyed.
Many feel the Islamist groups who provide the muscle for Yunus’ interim government are creating an environment to transform Bangladesh into an Taliban type Islamist Republic.
Source:eurasiareview.com
https://www.eurasiareview.com/17022025-bangladesh-islamists-attack-book-fair-for-promoting-womens-menstrual-hygiene-oped/
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KP professor held for ‘harassing' female students at University of Malakand
By Rasool Dawar
February 16, 2025
MALAKAND: Police on Sunday arrested a professor for allegedly sexually harassing female students at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s University of Malakand, confirmed Additional Deputy Commissioner Muhibullah Khan.
In a statement, the additional deputy commissioner said that a female varsity student lodged a complaint against the professor, claiming that the teacher had been harassing her for the past couple of months and sought the police’s help.
“A case has been registered against the accused under multiple provisions,” the deputy commissioner said, adding that the police had launched investigations into the incident.
In her FIR, the varsity student stated that the professor had been “sexually harassing” her for months. She said that the professor even attempted to kidnap her from her house.
On the other hand, the university administration said that the professor was suspended shortly after his arrest. “A case against the accused has been forwarded to harassment committee [for departmental action], the authorities added.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur took notice of the incident and formed an “inquiry committee for an inquest into the complaints of alleged inappropriate events purportedly” at the university.
The two-member committee, comprising Administration Department Additional Secretary Asif Rahim and KP police AIG Establishment Sonia Shamroz, will visit the varsity, gather relevant facts and statements from all parties involved, read a notification issued by KP Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
The probe committee would submit its report within 15 days, it added.
Source: thenews.com.pk
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1283468-kp-professor-held-for-harassing-female-students-at-university-of-malakand
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46 years since the oppression of Iranian women began
Feb 17, 2025
Forty-six years ago, around this time, Khomeini seized power, marking the beginning of a dark era for Iranian women—a vital part of society—who were to be oppressed and marginalized systematically. This was a drastic shift from the Pahlavi era, during which women had broken free from traditional constraints. With the support of Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, women rose to prominent positions as senators, ministers, university professors, lawyers, and senior government officials.
However, with Khomeini’s arrival in Iran, this progress was swiftly dismantled. Many female intellectuals, artists, and ministers were persecuted or even executed. The radical Islamic ideology of the new regime held no respect for the rights of women and treated them merely as political props for ceremonies or elections.
In stark contrast, the constructive Pahlavi monarchy consistently sought to elevate the status of women in Iranian society. Women’s rights and their contributions were deeply respected, exemplified by the coronation of Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi (the queen), an educated and capable leader who was appointed regent. This act of honoring women was condemned by the country’s traditional, superstitious, and religious factions, who saw it as an unforgivable sin.
Khomeini, along with the pro-Mossadegh Liberation Movement, even branded politically active women as "prostitutes." Despite such slander, the Shah continued to promote the involvement of women in Iranian politics and supported their rise to positions of leadership.
Once in power, Khomeini and the clerics who supported him showed no regard for Iranian women’s dignity or rights. Their interpretation of religious law did not recognize gender equality and instead reduced women to household possessions—objects to decorate the home. According to these distorted religious laws, violence against women was often justified.
Women were excluded from key fields such as education, the judiciary, diplomacy, and the military. Today, the regime enforces its oppressive hijab laws through moral police, whose job is to harass and arrest women deemed "improperly veiled." They have even been killed. This dehumanizing treatment is a direct insult to the historical and cultural dignity of Iranian women.
Historically, women have held positions of power and influence in Iran. During the Achaemenid era, Queen Mandana played a crucial role. In the Sassanid period, Queen Pourandokht became the first woman to ascend the throne—one of only three female rulers in ancient Iranian history. Under the Pahlavi dynasty, women like Shahbanu Farah were deeply involved in national affairs, while Princess Ashraf Pahlavi led significant initiatives, such as the campaign against illiteracy.
In recent years, the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" has become the rallying cry of a nationwide movement following the tragic murder of MahsaAmini, an innocent Kurdish girl. This brutal act sparked protests across Iran, resonating even with Iranian communities abroad. During the crackdown on these protests, Khamenei and his loyal forces committed unspeakable atrocities, including sexual violence against women. Over 540 innocent Iranians—both men and women—were killed, many now buried in unmarked, forgotten graves.
The issue of mandatory hijab is not the core problem for the Islamic regime in Tehran; in reality, it symbolizes a broader struggle against oppression. The Iranian people will not forgive those responsible for these atrocities. In a deeply patriarchal society governed by religious tyranny, being a woman in Iran remains a formidable challenge. Even today, as the Islamic Republic faces increasing pressure and teeters on the brink of collapse, it still refuses to acknowledge or respect the vital role of women in shaping the future of the nation.
Source:israelnationalnews.com
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404047
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Twelve women attend workshop for young referees in Iran
February 17, 2025
Such workshop are very beneficial for the young generation of referees, says IRIBF President JavadDavari
BEIRUT (Lebanon) – The presence of twelve women, out of 34 participants, was the highlight in the workshop for young referees in Iran conducted by FIBA Regional Office-Asia. The three-day (Feb 13-15) workshop which was organised under the aegis of I.R.Iranian Basketball Federation at Tehran was exclusive for referees between the ages of 20-32.
As is the norm in all such workshops, training was provided in theoretical learning as well as practical lessons. In the theory sessions, they were taken through topics ranging from Rules and Interpretation to Modern Officiating Techniques. In the practical sessions they were trained in subjects such as IOT, 3PO and Mechanics.
“Such workshop are very beneficial for the young generation of referees to ensure the technical quality of the game remains intact in the future,” said IRIBF President JavadDavari .
Davari, who donned the Iranian National Team colours on five occasions in FIBA Asia Cup – including the title triumphs in 2007, 09 and 2013 added: “We understand that the referees are now young, but they need to cope with the increasing intensity in action on court as they grow in their career.”
“Only then we can expect that the game maintains its high standards,” Davari added.
“The three-day referees’ workshop was highly beneficial and impactful,” said AfraBahrami one of the twelve women to attend the workshop.
“It is truly valuable to see how the Iranian Basketball Federation prioritizes our (referees) growth in knowledge and skills,” the FIBA Referee added.
Hossein Rezania, another FIBA Referee said: “The most interesting part for me was the topic of IOT and the IRS cases.”
Source:basketball
https://about.fiba.basketball/en/news/twelve-women-attend-workshop-for-young-referees-in-iran
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Iranian female student wins BRICS, SCO ‘Young Researcher of the Year’ award
February 16, 2025
Over 400 participants from 13 countries including Iran, India, China, the UAE, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Brazil, Ethiopia, Tajikistan, and Russia competed against each other, IRNA reported.
The jury chose 10 winners in five nominations including ‘Media Influencer of the Year’, ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year’, ‘Public Diplomacy Project of the Year’, ‘Researcher of the Year’, ‘Eco-initiative of the Year’.
Candidates in the “Young Researcher of the Year” nomination are authors of scientific research in the fields of history, education, art, information technology (IT), law, philosophy, and finance.
The Award aims to identify talented young people and recognize the contribution of young leaders of the BRICS and SCO countries to socially significant areas, attract young people to cooperation, and provide them with opportunities for self-realization in the BRICS and SCO countries.
Iranian female scholars shine in BRICS startups contest
Four Iranian women namely AzamKarami, MahvashAbyari, MarziehEbrahimi, and SeyedehFateme Hosseini were chosen among the winners of the BRICS Women’s Startups Contest 2024.
The event, which aims to spotlight and support women-led startups across BRICS nations and beyond, was launched in June and extended until October 5.
The contest’s international panel of judges considered more than 1,000 applications from 30 countries.
The contest winners included 26 projects in such areas as innovation in energy and infrastructure facilities; artificial intelligence technologies in medicine, education, agriculture, and the aviation industry; the fight against cancer and infertility; and robotics.
Iranian women rank second in terms of the number of winners in startups contest following Russia.
Karami received the award in the nomination ‘Artificial Intelligence’ for her project titled ‘Automatic Fault Detection in Power Transmission Lines’.
The award in the nomination ‘Health and Medicine’ went to Abyari, and Ebrahimi for their projects named ‘Insightfully scanned glucose monitoring’ and ‘Immune cell bank for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases’, respectively.
Hosseini received the award in the nomination ‘Innovation and Infrastructure’ with her project called ‘Intelligent spoon for tremor alleviation’.
Promoting women’s entrepreneurship and unleashing leadership, ensuring the expansion of women’s business networks in the BRICS countries are among the main goals of the contest.
It also aims to deepen B2B cooperation among women entrepreneurs, increase the participation of women in the BRICS countries’ economies, and create multilateral projects.
The inclusion of women’s businesses in global value chains is another goal of the contest.
The general partner of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance series of events is Sberbank PJSC, Russia’s largest bank, and a leading global financial institution.
The strategic partner of the Contest is another leader of Russia’s banking industry Gazprombank (Joint Stock Company).
Startups from 14 countries will receive communication support from the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance.
Source:tehrantimes.com
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/509837/Iranian-female-student-wins-BRICS-SCO-Young-Researcher-of-the
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/female-ministers-taliban-countries-women/d/134645