Global Call for Action on Afghan Women’s Rights at Munich Security Conference 2024
New
Age Islam News Bureau
19 February 2024
·
Global Call for Action on Afghan Women’s Rights at
Munich Security Conference 2024
·
US: Rashida Tlaib encourages Michiganders to vote
against Biden in the primary
·
Iranian Women Activists Jailed for 15 Years
·
Women's Authority launches "Ramadan
Vegetables from Your Home" campaign in Amanat Al-Asimah
·
UN deputy secretary-general initiates
women-centric talks in Afghanistan
·
Scarred by 2013 riots, woman, 60, orders time
bombs; arrested
·
Selangor insists woman is Muslim as she knows
about Islamic affirmation of faith, but lawyer says she didn’t recite it
·
SRCA's 90 Women Paramedics Respond to Kingdom's
Call
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
---------
Global
Call for Action on Afghan Women’s Rights at Munich Security Conference 2024
Khaama
Press
February
18, 2024
In
a landmark gathering at the Munich Security Conference 2024, Foreign Ministers
from twelve nations—Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, France,
Germany, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Mongolia, the Netherlands, and Romania—voiced
their profound concerns over the grave human rights violations against women
and girls in Afghanistan. In a unified stance, these leaders from the
like-minded Foreign Ministers of the Future Foreign Policy (FFP) network
urgently called for the cessation of systemic gender persecution by Afghanistan’s
de facto authorities, actions that could potentially constitute crimes against
humanity.
This
collective outcry comes amid a distressing surge in the detention of women and
girls by the Taliban, prompting demands for their immediate release and a reaffirmed
commitment to safeguarding the fundamental rights of Afghan women and girls.
Despite expectations set at the conference’s previous iteration in 2023, the
situation has notably deteriorated, with the Taliban showing no sign of
progress in protecting human rights, particularly those of women and girls.
The
FFP network ministers highlighted the grim reality in Afghanistan, where the
Taliban’s policies have marginalized half of the country’s population. By
barring women and girls from secondary and university education, employment in
non-governmental organizations and the United Nations, and even from public
spaces, these actions not only constitute a severe violation of basic human
rights but also jeopardize Afghanistan’s future. The implementation of strict
rules, arbitrary detentions, and forced marriages further exemplify the
systemic discrimination and denial of freedoms.
In
their statement, the ministers urged the Taliban to align with international
human rights laws and revoke all discriminatory practices against women and
girls, emphasizing the importance of allowing Afghan girls access to secondary
education as per international standards. The call to action underscores the
necessity for the international community to intensify its focus on the plight
of women and girls in Afghanistan, leveraging legal instruments to halt these
violations and ensure adherence to international conventions by Afghanistan.
Moreover,
the ministers recognized the broader challenges facing Afghanistan and the
region, including combating terrorism and drug trafficking. They stressed that
the adherence to human rights obligations by the de facto authorities is a
fundamental prerequisite for Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international
system.
The
Munich Security Conference 2024 has thus become a platform not only for
addressing security concerns but also for highlighting the urgent need for a
global response to human rights violations, particularly those affecting women
and girls in Afghanistan. This collective statement from the FFP network
ministers serves as a powerful reminder of the international community’s
responsibility to stand in solidarity with Afghan women and girls, advocating
for their rights and freedoms amidst ongoing challenges.
Source:
khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/global-call-for-action-on-afghan-womens-rights-at-munich-security-conference-2024/
----
US:
Rashida Tlaib encourages Michiganders to vote against Biden in the primary
18
February, 2024
Rashida
Tlaib is voicing a sentiment of growing disapproval of President Biden among
her constituents [Getty]
-------------
US
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is encouraging Michigan residents to vote
"uncommitted" in the upcoming Democratic presidential primary.
Tlaib,
the first Palestinian Muslim woman to serve in Congress, is voicing a sentiment
of growing disapproval of President Biden among her constituents, many of whom
are Arab and Muslim, over the president's support for Israel's military
campaign in Gaza.
"If
you want us to be louder, then come here and vote uncommitted," Tlaib said
in a video shared on X by the Listen to Michigan campaign on Saturday, in which
she was filmed wearing her keffiyeh while standing in front of the Ford Center
in Dearborn on a cold and windy day.
"This
is the way you can raise our voices, to make us even more visible," Tlaib
said adamantly, noting that early voting has already started in the state.
"Right now, we feel completely neglected — neglected and just unseen by
our government."
As
the group's name indicates, many voters in the swing state of Michigan, home to
significant populations of Arabs and Muslims, are trying to make their voices heard.
They plan on doing so at the ballot box on 27 February by voting
"uncommitted" in the presidential primary in response to what many
see as Biden's complicity in Israel's war in Gaza.
The
war, which has seen more than four months of Israeli bombardments of Gaza, has
left more than 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank dead or wounded.
More than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians.
Many
residents in the Dearborn area have lost family in the conflict, an issue that
has largely overtaken all others as Biden campaigns for a second term in what
will likely be a rematch against former President Donald Trump, who has
promised to reinstate a Muslim ban if elected.
Meanwhile,
Our Revolution, a progressive group founded by Independent Senator Bernie
Sanders has diverged from him with their position on a ceasefire for Gaza.
Sanders,
arguably the senate's most vocal critic of Israel, has consistently denounced
Israel's military campaign in Gaza, yet he has not added his name to the
growing list of Congress members who support the position, nor has he come out
strongly against Biden's position on the conflict.
Source: newarab.com
https://www.newarab.com/news/us-rashida-tlaib-urges-michigan-vote-uncommitted
----
Iranian
Women Activists Jailed for 15 Years
FEBRUARY
19, 2024
Marzieh
Farsi and Forough Taghipour had been charged with ''armed rebellin'' and
alleged affiliantion with anti-government groups
---------
The
Tehran Revolutionary Court has handed down 15-year prison sentences to two
women political activists incarcerated in Tehran's notorious Evin prison.
Marzieh
Farsi and ForoughTaghipour had been charged with "armed rebellion"
and alleged affiliation with anti-government groups.
The
two defendants refused to attend their trial, saying they did not recognize the
legitimacy of the court.
Farsi
and Taghipour were arrested in Tehran on August 21, 2023.
NargesMohammadi,
a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate imprisoned in Evin
reported that Farsi and Taghipour spent 45 days in solitary confinement, during
which they were pressed to confess to alleged charges.
Both
Farsi and Taghipour have a history of previous detentions and imprisonments
stemming from their activism.
Source:
iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/125502-iranian-women-activists-jailed-for-15-years/
----
Women's
Authority launches "Ramadan Vegetables from Your Home" campaign in Amanat
Al-Asimah
[18/February/2024]
SANA'A
February 18. 2024 (Saba) - The Women’s Authority and the Small Projects Unit in
the capital secretariat launched the “Ramadan Vegetables from Your Home”
campaign in coordination with the Agricultural and Fish Production Promotion
Fund.
The
campaign, which covers four thousand and 164 families in all the municipality’s
districts and continues until the end of the holy month of Ramadan, aims to
raise the level of awareness among families and activate home agriculture to
achieve sustainable development.
The
Small Projects Unit explained in a statement, a copy of which was received by
Saba, that the campaign comes within its efforts to improve the livelihoods of
families through developing resources with the participation of women in order
to achieve self-sufficiency and a decent life.
He
stated that the unit implemented training workshops and women’s councils for
four thousand and 164 women in the month of Rajab, two centers for memorizing
the Holy Qur’an, and 23 schools, and the number is still increasing, indicating
that the number of female trainers participating in the campaign is 60, and it
also launched several initiatives in support of the campaign in all districts.
The
statement indicated that the campaign works to change the attitudes and
behaviors of families affected by the culture of dependence and purchasing, to
self-reliance, providing food security, improving livelihoods, consolidating
the Yemeni agricultural faith identity, and addressing the phenomena of poverty
and unemployment. In order to decorate the roofs of houses and schoolyards by
growing healthy vegetables free of pollutants and fertilizers to achieve
self-sufficiency in the holy month of Ramadan.
Source:
saba.ye
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3305938.htm
---
UN
deputy secretary-general initiates women-centric talks in Afghanistan
Feb 19 2024
KanniWignaraja,
the UN Assistant Secretary-General, has arrived in Afghanistan to delve into
conversations regarding projects concerning women, including livelihood,
empowerment, the provision of essential services, and participation in society,
as reported by The Khaama Press.
In
an official post on X, the United Nations disclosed on February 16 that
Wignaraja will partake in dialogues focusing on women's issues, encompassing
livelihood, empowerment, access to essential services, and societal engagement.
Click
here to follow our WhatsApp channel
According
to The Khaama Press, Wignaraja maintains her role as the Regional Director for
Asia-Pacific at the UN Development Office.
In
addition to her scheduled agenda, she is set to engage with development
partners and representatives from the private sector, signalling a
comprehensive approach to addressing Afghanistan's challenges.
The
organization further specified that Wignaraja will convene with development
partners and private company representatives during her visit, as per The
Khaama Press.
This
initiative unfolds amidst repeated visits by UN officials to Afghanistan, aimed
at bolstering women's rights and involvement in decision-making processes
alongside de facto authorities to alleviate constraints.
As
diplomatic and multilateral endeavors intensify, the involvement of eminent
figures such as Wignaraja, Amiri, and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina
Mohammad accentuates the urgency and intricacy of Afghanistan's prevailing
issues.
This
underscores the imperative for synchronized action and international community
support.
The
visit underscores the UN's commitment to advancing women's rights and societal
inclusion in Afghanistan, recognizing the pivotal role of collaborative efforts
in navigating the country's complex landscape.
The
engagement of high-ranking UN officials reflects the organization's dedication
to addressing Afghanistan's multifaceted challenges and fostering sustainable
solutions through inclusive dialogue and partnership.
Meanwhile
in Doha, the second two-day meeting convened by the UN on Afghanistan is
underway in the absence of Islamic Emirate representation.
Hosted
by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, special representatives for
Afghanistan of at least 20 countries have come together in Doha, Qatar, and are
expected to discuss a number of issues behind closed doors. Discussions are
also expected to take place about the appointment of a new UN special
representative for Afghanistan; the review of the report of FeridonSinirlioglu,
the special coordinator of the UN; and human rights issues, especially women's
rights.
Source:
business-standard.com
https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/un-deputy-secretary-general-initiates-women-centric-talks-in-afghanistan-124021900243_1.html
----
Scarred
by 2013 riots, woman, 60, orders time bombs; arrested
Feb 19, 2024
AGRA:
An elderly woman was arrested on Sunday for allegedly ordering preparation of
four time bombs that were recovered from the possession of a man in
Muzaffarnagar a few days back. During interrogation, the woman, identified as
Imrana Begum, 60, of Shamli, told cops that her house was set on fire during
the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots and she wanted explosives for protection in case
any communal violence broke out in the future.
Javed,
25, (first name available only) had reportedly assembled the bombs with a timer
after watching YouTube videos. He was held by UP special task force (STF) near
Kali river in Muzaffarnagar on Thursday night.
A
communique issued by STF on Sunday said Imrana claimed to have faced
significant losses during the 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar.
"She
was furious at her home being gutted during the violence. She had recently met
Javed, who was son of one of her acquaintances, and came to know that he was
involved in making explosive devices. She had thereafter had the idea to get
him to make some bombs which could be used in case of any future
conflict," the communique said.
According
to STF officials, Imrana had given Javed Rs 10,000 in advance for preparing the
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and had agreed to pay Rs 40,000 more upon
delivery. Javed was arrested when he had come to deliver the IEDs to Imrana.
Imrana
has been charged under IPC Section 286 (negligent conduct for explosive
substance) and Sections 4/5 of Explosives Act and has been sent to jail. She is
expected to be taken into police custody for further interrogation, Muzaffarnagar
SSP Abhishek Singh said.
"A
lot of facts need to be verified before we can say anything conclusive about
the motive behind preparation of the time-bombs," the SSP added.
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/scarred-by-2013-riots-woman-60-orders-time-bombs-arrested/articleshow/107802138.cms
----
Selangor insists woman is Muslim as she knows
about Islamic affirmation of faith, but lawyer says she didn’t recite it
19
Feb 2024
KUALA
LUMPUR, Feb 19 — A woman born in Selangor to non-Muslim parents is claiming she
was illegally converted to Islam at age four in 1991, as the Selangor law in
force then disallows conversion of children to Islam.
But
the Selangor state government today insisted to the Federal Court that this
37-year-old woman’s case is not one where she was never a Muslim, and claimed
that her knowledge about the “kalimahsyahadah” — the two clauses of Islamic
affirmation of faith or the declaration of belief required to convert to Islam
— meant that she is one.
In
this case, the woman — identified only as D to protect her privacy — says that
she was never a Muslim as her conversion as a child was invalid, and argues
that this means the Shariah courts have no jurisdiction over her and that the
civil courts could declare she was not a Muslim. (Shariah courts only have
jurisdiction over Muslims).
On
the other hand, the Selangor state government and the Selangor Islamic
Religious Council (Mais) both insist that she is a Muslim who wants to renounce
Islam and that it should be the Shariah courts which can decide her religious
status.
Today,
Selangor state legal adviser Datuk Salim Soib @ Hamid pointed to the Syariah
High Court in Kuala Lumpur’s 2017 ruling, which had viewed the woman as having
basic knowledge as a Muslim by saying that she is able to utter the
“kalimahsyahadah” and to explain its meaning.
Salim,
who was representing the Selangor state government, claimed that this showed
that the woman had stated that she “bolehucap” (could utter) the “kalimahsyahadah”
and understood it during the Shariah court proceedings, further arguing that
this fits the definition of a “Muslim” under clause (f) in Section 2 of the
Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) 2003
Under
Section 2, the definition of Muslim includes clause (f), which is where a
person is shown to have stated — in circumstances where he was bound by law to
state the truth — that he was a Muslim.
“What
I want to say is, during the hearing at the Shariah court proceedings, this
matter happened, at that time the appellant in this case was already 27 years
old, so that evidence can show that she admits she is a Muslim and not a person
who has never professed the religion of Islam,” he argued during an online
court hearing at the Federal Court.
Salim
also referred to Section 107 and Section 108 of the same 2003 Selangor state
law to support his argument.
For
a person’s conversion to Islam to be valid, Section 107 requires the person to
fulfil three conditions: the person must utter the “kalimahsyahadah” in
reasonably intelligible Arabic, and must be aware of the meaning of the
“kalimahsyahadah”, and must have made the utterance of their own free will.
Section
108 states that a person is converted to the religion of Islam and becomes a
Muslim “as soon as” they finish uttering the “kalimahsyahadah” and if the
Section 107 requirements are fulfilled.
Asked
by Federal Court judge Datuk Mary Lim Thiam Suan to help clarify if conversion
to Islam requires someone to merely be capable of uttering the
“kalimahsyahadah” or if it has to actually be uttered willingly and also when
it has to be uttered, Salim again reiterated that the Selangor-born woman was
found to “bolehucap” (be able to utter) the “kalimahsyahadah” and understand
its meaning.
Asked
if the woman did in fact utter the Islamic affirmation of faith, Salim insisted
that her conduct during the Shariah court proceedings where she was required to
tell the truth showed she did practice Islam.
“That’s
why, my submission, even if conversion did not happen as a child, but there was
Islamisation at the age of 27, namely at the proceeding at Shariah court where
she was required to tell the truth. She could have said she does not understand
the ‘kalimahsyahadah’, but she said she can recognise and can understand the
‘kalimahsyahadah’. This shows that she did practise Islam and she is not a case
of ab initio from the start like Rosliza,” he said, seeking to argue that D’s
case is unlike the Federal Court case of Rosliza Ibrahim who was ruled to be
not a Muslim “ab initio” or from the start.
Salim
however confirmed that both Section 107 and Section 108 requires the uttering
of the Islamic affirmation of faith instead of merely understanding it.
What
the woman’s lawyer argued
Datuk
Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, who represents the woman D, brought the Federal Court’s
attention back to the key issue of whether the woman’s conversion to Islam as a
four-year-old child was valid in the first place, saying that should be the
focus instead of trying to bring in circumstantial evidence such as her
understanding of the Islamic affirmation of faith to insist that she is a
Muslim.
“I’m
sure I can point to many non-Muslims who understand what the Quran means and
who understand what the ‘kalimahsyahadah’ means.
“But
one cannot take in isolation things like that and ignore the starting point of
her journey which is the conversion itself and say ‘it doesn’t matter whether
she is properly converted because I think she acts in a way consistent with a
person professing Islam’. That is putting the cart before the horse,” he said.
Imtiaz
said there was nothing to show that the Selangor-born woman had declared the
“kalimahsyahadah”, and also said that his client had made multiple assertions
in court documents that she had never professed the religion of Islam.
Imtiaz
said his client had never declared the “kalimahsyahadah” — required for a
conversion to Islam, and said this was clearly reflected in the Selangor state
government’s state legal adviser Salim’s difficulty in stating whether there
was in fact such a declaration as “there was none”.
Imtiaz
also disagreed that his client’s assertion that she had never professed Islam
was an “afterthought”, saying that the reality is that she had been maintaining
this from the very start and that this was consistent with what she had said at
the Shariah court.
In
this case, D was born to a Hindu father and a Buddhist mother, but was
unilaterally converted to Islam by the Muslim convert mother in 1991. The
mother has in court documents said she never informed D’s father of the child’s
conversion and that he never consented to it. The father died in 1996.
Noting
that D was born to non-Muslims and it would not be correct for her right to
profess a religion of her own choice to be constrained by what her mother did,
Imtiaz said his client was converted as a child and that her conversion was
illegal due to a 1952 Selangor state law in force then.
Imtiaz
referred to Section 147 of the Administration of Muslim Law Enactment 1952
which states: “No person who has not attained the age of puberty shall be
converted to the Muslim religion.”
Imtiaz
also said the Section 2 clause in the 2003 Selangor law which defines the word
“Muslim” did not exist at the time of D’s conversion in 1991.
Imtiaz
said his client had only gone to the Shariah courts to seek a declaration on
her religious status as she was following the approach by the Federal Court in
2007 in the Lina Joy case applicable at that time where even those who were
never a Muslim were asked to go to the Shariah courts.
Imtiaz
said his client should not be denied the constitutional protection available to
cases like hers, following the Federal Court’s latest 2021 decision in the
Rosliza case which allowed those never a Muslim to have their religious status
decided as a constitutional identity by the civil courts.
Imtiaz
was responding to both the submissions by the Selangor state government and
Mais.
Mohamed
Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who represented Mais today, disagreed with the approach
taken by D that her conversion was invalid and that would be the end of the
case.
Haniff
argued that all the facts of the case should be looked at before deciding
whether D was not a Muslim from the start or if she is a Muslim seeking to
renounce Islam, instead of looking at only the validity of her conversion to
Islam as a child in 1991 or the validity of the certificate of conversion
issued to her.
Haniff
argued that D’s act of having previously gone to the Shariah courts meant that
she believed she was a Muslim, and also claimed that it cannot be argued that
the Shariah courts’ decision would be invalid even if D’s conversion was said
to be invalid.
Haniff
argued that the Shariah courts’ order should be respected until it is set
aside.
“The
mere fact that the certificate of conversion may be null and void in itself
ipso facto (by that fact itself) does not make a person non-Muslim ab initio
(from the start), especially in this case,” he said, arguing that she had went
to the Shariah courts when she was already aged 27 and allegedly did not
challenge the validity of her conversion there.
Haniff
also argued that the Shariah court had already confirmed D to be a Muslim after
going through the process of determining whether she was practising Islam or
practising a different religion.
Citing
the Court of Appeal’s majority ruling in D’s case, Haniff said the Shariah
court’s findings in D’s case cannot be “re-ventilated” or “reviewed” by the
civil courts, also arguing that the civil courts cannot interfere in the
Shariah court’s ruling which found D to be a Muslim and cannot make a different
finding on whether she is a Muslim.
Imtiaz
had however responded by citing the Federal Court’s 2021 decision in Rosliza’s
case, noting that renunciation cases would definitely be under the Shariah
court’s jurisdiction, but that cases like D where she said she was never a
Muslim is within the civil courts’ jurisdiction as it involves constitutional
protection issues which the Shariah courts do not have jurisdiction or power to
decide on.
Imtiaz
argued that what the Shariah court had determined would be “irrelevant” if it
did not have jurisdiction to decide on those issues in the first place.
The
Federal Court’s three-judge panel today was chaired by President of Court of
Appeal Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, while Federal Court judge Datuk Abu
Bakar Jais also sat on the panel.
The
Federal Court today said it would reserve its judgment, and instructed Mais to
file an additional submissions regarding a point of law within a weeks’ time
and also said the woman can file a submission to reply to that point.
D
was also represented by lawyers Surendra Ananth and Wong Ming Yen, while the
Selangor state government was also represented today by assistant legal adviser
Husna Abdul Halim.
Mais
was also represented by lawyers Majdah Muda and Putri AlyraNarisha, and Md
RasyidRidha attended the online proceedings as a representative for Mais.
D
started her journey at the age of 25 in 2011 to have the label “Islam” removed
from her identity card to reflect her religious identity to be non-Muslim, but
the National Registration Department rejected her application.
After
the Shariah High Court and Shariah Court of Appeal rejected her bid to be
officially recognised as not a Muslim, D in December 2021 won a declaration at
the civil courts when the High Court declared she was not a person professing
the religion of Islam.
The
Court of Appeal in a 2-1 decision allowed the Mais and the Selangor state
government’s appeals to restore her official identity as a Muslim. D’s appeal
against the majority decision in the Court of Appeal was the appeal being heard
today at the Federal Court.
Read
here for more about D’s case.
Read
here for what the Court of Appeal’s majority and minority rulings in D’s case
said.
Today
is the second day of hearing at the Federal Court. Read here for what D
previously argued at the Federal Court on the first day.
Source:
malaymail.com
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/02/19/selangor-insists-woman-is-muslim-as-she-knows-about-islamic-affirmation-of-faith-but-lawyer-says-she-didnt-recite-it/118845
-----
SRCA's
90 Women Paramedics Respond to Kingdom's Call
18
Feb, 2024
The
Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) celebrates the tireless efforts of its 90
dedicated female paramedics who work shoulder-to-shoulder with their male
colleagues to provide life-saving emergency medical services across the
Kingdom.
Since joining the authority in 2022, these
remarkable women have become an inspiration, demonstrating unwavering
dedication, compassion, and resilience.
These women paramedics shoulder a variety of
responsibilities. They deliver critical medical care, respond to emergencies,
teach first aid, and educate communities on health issues. They also play a
vital role in serving pilgrims and Umrah performers in the two holy mosques of
Makkah and Madinah.
Saudi women's impact on humanitarian services
transcends national borders. In a groundbreaking move, they were the first SRCA
responders to participate in the relief efforts following the 2023 Turkiye
earthquakes.
At home, over 1.3 million cases were handled
by SRCA paramedic teams last year, a testament to their invaluable contribution
to the well-being of Saudi society. In line with Saudi Vision 2030, SRCA
remains dedicated to providing equal opportunities for women to thrive in all
fields.
Source:
alriyadhdaily.com
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/2ba2c15773dc4972a09053a9782a3002
---
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/global-afghan-women-munich-security/d/131753