530 Women In Gujarat Handed Daggers For 'Self Defense' Against 'Love-Jihad'
21
May 2023
• 530 women in Gujarat handed daggers for 'self defense' against 'love-jihad'
•
‘We need to put a brake on’: Iran’s hijab turmoil unsettles religious
conservatives
•
Uttarakhand BJP Leader 'Cancels' Daughter's Wedding With Muslim Man After
Invite Goes Viral
•
G7 Leaders Criticize Violation of Women, Girls' Rights in Afghanistan
•
Jennifer Lawrence's secret filming in Afghanistan
•
Media tasked to intensify reports on kidnapped Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu
•
‘People only want to see us begging and dancing, not earning a decent living’
•
Pakistani trans activists to appeal Sharia court ruling
•
Muslim girl horrified after finding bacon in McDonald's Filet-O-Fish burger
•
Axiom 2 sends the first Saudi Arabian, an Arab woman to space
•
Super Sohaila: Arab mother and working woman fights against adversity, wins in
Dubai
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/gujarat-daggers-defense-love-jihad/d/129819
-----
530 Women In Gujarat Handed Daggers For 'Self Defense' Against 'Love-Jihad'
Photo:
Vibes of India
----
Satish
Jha
MAY
20 2023
In
a public function, 530 women were handed over 'katars' or daggers for self
defense and to fight against "love-jihad" in the Kutch district of
Gujarat.
Controversial
right-wing activist Kajal Hindustani, out on bail in an alleged hate speech
case, was part of the event which concluded on Friday.
The
three-day event held in Kutch district witnessed participation of over 700
women along with scores of local politicians including BJP MLAs.
"We
handed over 530 katars to women to use in critical situations for self defense.
This was part of our three-day event which was organised to fight against
love-jihad," Harsukh Rudani, the general secretary of Kutch Kadva Patidar
Samaj told DH over...
Controversial
right-wing activist Kajal Shingala alias Hindustani had presided over the event
on the concluding day on Friday.
Hindustani
is on bail in connection with a case of alleged "hate speech" on
occasion of Ram Navami which had led to communal riots in Una town in Gir
Somnath district.
When
contacted, a senior police officer in Kutch district told DH that he was not
aware of the event and said that he would look into it.
In
a press note, Kutch Kadva Patidar Samaj has mentioned, "It was important
to be ready to teach a lesson to the vagrants and Hindu daughters are required
to be vigilant against love jihad being spread through fear, inducement and
social media."
Source:
Deccan Herald
-----
‘We
Need To Put A Brake On’: Iran’s Hijab Turmoil Unsettles Religious Conservatives
A protester cuts her hair at a demonstration against
Iran’s restrictions on women © Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images
-------
Najmeh
Bozorgmehr
21-05-2023
Architecture
graduate Zahra said the sight of women without headscarves on the streets of
Tehran made her “heart ache”. She feared that their defiance of Iran’s Islamic
dress code could lead to even looser standards that sow social division and
erode the republic’s core identity.
“Islam
is being weakened, and we should demonstrate somehow that this is an Islamic
country,” said the 37-year-old Tehran resident, who sported a crimson
headscarf. “We need to put a brake on.”
“Angry
words and looks” from others served to marginalise religious Iranians, she
added. “But we need to feel secure, make progress and be part of this society.”
Iran’s
hijab law, which obliges women to cover their hair and body in public, has
become a lightning rod for dissent in a country stricken by economic hardship.
Prices have soared since 2018 as US sanctions imposed over Tehran’s nuclear
ambitions have strangled the economy, with inflation at 45.8 per cent, and
there is widespread public anger at corruption.
The
Islamic republic has suffered months of civil unrest, sparked by the death in
police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini last September following her arrest
for failing to observe the dress code. Mass protests broke out across Iran,
with women refusing to wear headscarves and demonstrators demanding regime
change and a secular, democratic system. Hundreds died in the turmoil and
subsequent government crackdown.
But
the country’s leaders, wary of losing the support of the religious Iranians
that form the bedrock of support for the regime, have shown little willingness
to acknowledge any compromise.
The
head of the country’s running federation resigned this month after several
female competitors in a marathon in the city of Shiraz took part in ordinary
sports outfits. Motorists have received text messages from police warning their
cars could be seized if female drivers or passengers failed to wear the hijab,
and five well-known actresses have been summoned to appear before the judiciary
for attending public events without headscarves.
Meanwhile,
videos have surfaced on social media showing verbal and even physical exchanges
between ordinary people as religious Iranians confront women who are not
abiding by the hijab law.
Observers
say the continued repression will only slow change in Iran, not roll it back.
“The Islamic republic is conscious it cannot stop women any more and has in
practice compromised on the hijab,” said one pro-reform analyst.
“I
have received five text messages that my car could be seized but I just ignored
them,” said a 32-year-old sports trainer. “If my car is the price I have to pay
for my freedom, I’m ready to pay.”
Hostility
towards a religious establishment seen as having the wrong priorities has had
deadly consequences. Over the past month, one senior cleric queueing at a bank
in northern Iran has been shot dead and at least four others have been attacked
across the country, according to local media.
But
many religious Muslims have reasserted their support for the regime despite
sharing public anger at corruption and economic hardship.
“If
the alternative was a more Islamic system, I would have backed street
protests,” Zahra said. “But for now, our only option is this system, which is
Islamic despite all the problems.”
Some
harder line regime supporters see the fight for modernity as a foreign
conspiracy. “It’s the enemy which has picked the hijab as an issue to sow
discord in Iranian society ,” said Ensieh,
53, who teaches the Koran at a Tehran high school and wears the black
top-to-toe chador. “The US, Britain and Israel are truly evil and have
masterminded this political game.”
Opponents
of the hijab were a minority, she said, rejecting the suggestion, made by some
politicians, of a referendum on the issue. “It’s not a matter for ordinary
people to decide,” she said. “We need to focus more on Islamic education in
schools.”
But
Zahra blamed the Islamic Republic itself. “The political system . . . has
failed to
show the beauties of Islam to students. It has only told people what Islamic
decrees are and forced them to observe them,” she said.
Clerics
themselves are divided on how to respond. Ayatollah Lotfollah Dezhkam, the
Friday prayer leader of Shiraz, told a conference this month that curbing
inflation rather than enforcing the hijab was the country’s priority.
In
contrast, Ayatollah Mahmoud Rajabi, a senior cleric in the holy city of Qom,
urged leaders not to let concerns over the economy “marginalise” the issue of
women’s dress. “Those who have removed the hijab . . . are
a manifestation of the decadent position of women in western schools of
thought,” he said in a statement.
Ultimately,
even some religious Iranians believe change may be unstoppable. Zahra feared
that if she ever had a daughter, she would be unable to convince her to cover
her hair because it was “inevitable” most women would no longer do so.
“I
would never be able to tell my daughter to be part of a marginalised minority,”
she said. “This makes me extremely sad.”
Source:
Ft.Com
https://www.ft.com/content/bdad666e-d57d-4174-8522-1fa0a7493f0e
-----
Uttarakhand
BJP Leader 'Cancels' Daughter's Wedding With Muslim Man After Invite Goes Viral
By:
Sanstuti Nath
MAY
21, 2023
ABharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) leader in Uttarakhand had to cancel the wedding of his
daughter to a Muslim man after the picture of the invitation cards went viral
on social media, leading to a ‘controversy’ in the area.
BJP
leader Yashpal Benam said his daughter’s marriage to a Muslim man in Pauri
Garhwal was cancelled on Saturday, with the “mutual consent" of the
groom’s family after a picture of the wedding invitation went viral on social
media, according to a report by news agency ANI.
“Being
a public representative, I did not want my daughter’s marriage to take place
under the protection of the police and the administration. I respect public
sentiments," he said.
As
per Benam, the marriage was agreed upon the consent of both families but had to
be called off after certain things came to the fore.
“My
daughter was going to get married to a Muslim youth. Keeping in view the
happiness and future of the children, both families had decided to get them
married, for which the cards were also printed and shared. But after the
invitation card for the wedding went viral on social media, many types of
things came to the fore objecting to the wedding," he said.
“After
the controversy erupted, with mutual consent, both families decided not to
carry out the marriage rituals for the time being," the BJP leader added.
However,
he said that the decision regarding his daughter’s marriage to the same man
would be taken together with the family, well-wishers and the groom’s side.
Source:
News18
-----
G7
Leaders Criticize Violation of Women, Girls' Rights in Afghanistan
By
Banafsha Binesh
20-05-2023
The
G7 leaders in their annual summit that was held in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 19,
called for the cancellation of the ban on women and girls in Afghanistan and
emphasized the need for full participation of the people in the government and
the start of the national dialogue.
They
also asked the current Afghan government to fulfil its commitments to the
people of Afghanistan and the world and not to allow terrorist groups to use
Afghanistan's soil against other countries.
“We
call on the Taliban to uphold its counterterrorism commitments and to ensure
the territory of Afghanistan cannot be used to threaten or attack any country,
to plan or finance terrorist acts, or to shelter and train terrorists,” the
statement said.
“We
express our strongest opposition to the Taliban’s systematic violations on
human rights and fundamental freedoms, and call for the immediate reversal of
unacceptable decisions, especially those against women and girls,” the statement
added.
The
G7 leaders also said that “all Afghans must enjoy full, equal, and meaningful
participation in all spheres of public life, and have access to humanitarian
assistance and basic services.”
“We
call upon the Taliban to respect UNSCR 2681/2023 and the UN Charter, including
Article 8, and to ensure unrestricted operations of the UN in Afghanistan. To
remedy the persistent lack of political inclusivity and representation, we urge
the Taliban to take significant steps to engage in credible, inclusive and
Afghan-led national dialogue, in which all Afghans can be involved,” the
statement said.
Meanwhile,
on the sidelines of the Central Asia-China Summit, Kazakhstan President
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the need to provide assistance for the purpose
of preventing the spread of the humanitarian crisis and fighting against
terrorism.
“We
consider it essential to fully use the dialogue platforms of the Contact Group
within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Afghanistan’s
neighbor-states to develop a coordinated position and prevent a humanitarian
catastrophe in that country. As you noted yesterday, Mr. Xi Jinping, it is
important to jointly promote issues related to assisting to build an inclusive
political system in Afghanistan, to establish full-scale counter-terrorism
cooperation between our countries,” Tokayev said.
But
the Islamic Emirate said that women’s rights have been respected in accordance
with the Islamic Sharia and that an inclusive governance has also been formed.
The
Islamic Emirate's deputy spokesman, Bilal Karimi, praised regional countries
for helping Afghanistan and highlighted that Afghanistan’s soil is not a threat
to any country.
"Security
is ensured. The entire geography and territory of the country is controlled by
the Islamic Emirate and there is no group or movement in Afghanistan that
threatens other countries from Afghanistan’s soil. There should be no worries
in this regard,” Karimi noted.
“The
informal interactions that the region and the world have with the current
Afghan government should prioritize the rights of Afghan women so that in the
future we will see the reopening of schools for girls,” Soraya Pikan, a women's
rights activist, told TOLOnews.
“These
countries are really interested in China to assist them in their development,
military affairs and weapons because they are anxious and concerned about
Afghanistan,” said Asadullah Nadim a military affairs analyst.
This
comes as Uzbekistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ismatilla Irgashev
in a meeting last week with the special representative of UK for Afghanistan
Andrew McCubrey discussed the issue of an Afghan settlement.
The
British side highly appreciated the constructive role of Uzbekistan in finding
solutions to resolve the situation in Afghanistan, as well as in ensuring
peaceful development in the country, the Uzbek envoy said.
Source:
Tolo News
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183440
-----
Jennifer
Lawrence's secret filming in Afghanistan
By
Megha Mohan
21-05-2023
"I
told you not to talk," he shouts back, "I will kill you right
here!"
"Okay,
kill me!" she replies, raising her voice to match his. "You closed
schools and universities! It's better to kill me!"
A
camera phone has secretly, and shakily, captured this direct confrontation
inside a car between the woman and the militant.
She
had just been arrested following a protest and was about to be taken to a
holding cell in Kabul.
It
is a scene from the documentary Bread and Roses, which explores the day-to-day
lives of three women in the weeks following the takeover.
The
producer is the Oscar-winning actress, Jennifer Lawrence, who is telling the
BBC why this moment in the film is so significant to her.
"My
heart was beating so fast watching these women defy the Taliban," Lawrence
says. "You don't see this side of the story, women fighting back, in the
news everyday and it's an important part of our film, and the stories of these
women."
"They
currently have no autonomy within their country. It is so important for them to
be given the opportunity to document their own story, in their own way."
The
film has been made by Excellent Cadaver, the production company Lawrence set up
in 2018 with her friend Justine Ciarrocchi.
"This
documentary was born out of emotion and necessity," says Lawrence, who
describes feeling helpless and frustrated about what she was seeing on the
news.
Ciarrocchi
says that Lawrence "had a seismic reaction to the fall of Kabul in 2021
because the circumstances were so dire for women".
Both
Lawrence and Ciarrocchi had watched her critically-acclaimed documentary A
Thousand Girls Like Me, which profiles a 23-year-old Afghan woman who goes on
national television to expose sexual abuse by her father, after being ignored
by her family and the police.
Ciarrocchi
tracked down Mani, who said that she had already begun a project, following
three women in the country as they tried to establish some kind of autonomy in
the months following the Taliban takeover, as girls and women were barred from
universities and schools.
Mani
filmed using covert cameras, and even asked the women to film themselves at
safehouses with their friends and families.
Another
sequence captures a secret meeting in a windowless basement, off a side street
in Kabul. More than a dozen women sit in rows of desks and chairs, arranged
like a makeshift classroom. Steam rises from the drinks in their plastic cups.
They
do not know each other, but all are from different groups who protested after
the Taliban retook Afghanistan in August 2021.
One
of the women, a dentist called Zahra, has led the viewer to this secret
meeting. When she speaks to the group, she reminisces about wearing high heels
and perfume and going to the park with her friends. The women around her smile.
"Women
must write their own history," Vahideh says passionately to the group, to
murmurs of agreement. "Women are not properly celebrated around the
world."
But
getting the balance right between keeping the women safe and telling their
story was not easy. She tells the BBC that there were several late-night
conversations between her, Ciarrocchi and Lawrence during the production
process.
With
Mani and the other women featured now all out of the country, the producers
felt comfortable submitting Bread and Roses for wider distribution, starting at
Cannes.
Ciarrocchi
and Lawrence say their next challenge is to get the film in front of a large
audience - not always easy when the story is a snapshot of an ongoing and
devastating conflict.
"There's
not an end to this story," says Lawrence, "and you feel pretty much
helpless when thinking about how to do anything about it. It's a hard thing to
market."
As
women executive producers, Ciarrocchi and Lawrence are still in the minority in
Hollywood. A 2022 study from the Center for the Study of Women in Television
and Film showed that women comprised only 24% of directors, writers and
producers in the top-grossing films, a decrease from 2021.
"I
think there's a long, long way to go, but I do feel inspired and positive by
the end product when you have more diversity in filmmaking," says
Lawrence. "It's what people want. The audiences want it."
Ciarrocchi
adds: "That's why we take the responsibility of Jen's platform so
seriously as a woman who's giving opportunities to other women... to employ
women, to tell women's stories, to always employ a diverse body of
people."
"That's
also because I am a woman," replies Lawrence.
"I'm
lucky enough to not have the biased idea that women aren't as good at things!"
Source:
Www.Bbc.Com
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-65624203
-----
Media
tasked to intensify reports on kidnapped Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu
May
20, 2023
Some
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Saturday, urged media practitioners to
intensify reports on the kidnapped Chibok girls abducted by the terrorist
group, Boko Haram, on April 14, 2014.
They
also called on the president-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, and his vice, Sen. Kassim
Shettima, to see the rescue of Leah Sharibu and the remaining Chibok girls as a
priority as they prepare to take over the mantle of leadership.
“It
is important to use this to also set an agenda for them and to also say that
beyond tackling insecurity, what happens to people that have been abducted and
with Boko Haram?
A
member of #BringBackOurGirls, Bukky Sonibare, also urged the media to leverage
their conversation around nine anchor points, which include communication with
the parents and relatives of the girls.
“We
need a spotlight on that. The second is accountability in terms of the money
allocated and the policies that were made,” she said.
“The
sixth is the impact of the Safe School Initiative. Nigeria is a signatory to
the Safe School Declaration and we must be able to provide conversation around
that.
“We
should also look in terms of psychosocial support and rehabilitation not just
for the girls that have returned but also for their relatives. We must
prioritise those issues,” she said.
Dr
Gloria Puldu, Executive Director of Leah Sharibu Foundation, commended the
Nigerian media and enjoined them to step up efforts for their voices to be
amplified more.
Mrs
Friya Bulus, Director, of Gender Affairs, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs,
said the ministry had been liaising with different stakeholders in the
rehabilitation and education of the rescued girls.
The
Executive Director of Women Radio, Toun Sonaiya, said the essence of the
meeting was to create a platform to have a conversation.
The
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the parents and members of
families of the kidnapped girls narrated their experiences and called on the
government to look into their plights.
Also,
Leah was among 110 girls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from Government
Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe, on Feb. 19, 2018.
Source:
Vanguardngr
-----
‘People
only want to see us begging and dancing, not earning a decent living’
Shazia
Hasan
May
21, 2023
KARACHI:
They came with doctors, historians, lawyers and human rights activists. They
came aggrieved, but they also came determined to prove their point with
evidence from medical science, history and justice.
A
press conference called by the transgender community at the Karachi Press Club
on Saturday — a day after the verdict of the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) that
ruled the some of the provisions of the transgender law were against Islamic
injunctions — saw members of this oppressed group open up their hearts to the
media.
No
one heard their side before passing the judgement. As young Shahzadi Rai and
the senior Bindiya Rana of the Gender Interactive Alliance pointed out.
“Me
as well as Bindiya Ji had also recorded our statements regarding this issue
about the Transgender Persons Act of 2018 but when the decision of the Shariat
Court came, our valid points were simply removed,” said Shahzadi.
She
also urged people not to connect the decision of the FSC with the teachings of
Islam. “Islam gives respect to all living beings. Islam is all about uplifting
human rights. This decision is not about Islamic ideology,” she said.
“Islam
is not heartless. Islam supports us,” said Bindiya Rana. “I am Muslim. When I
was performing Umrah, no one during tawaf of the Khana-i-Kaaba told me to go
join another line. There is no discrimination in the House of God,” Bindiya
cried.
“We
beg at signals, we dance at gatherings to make two ends meet. It is all very
much acceptable by the people. But now that a handful of us, and just a handful
mind you, have become educated and want respectable jobs, they are worried.
They only want to see us begging and dancing, not earning a decent living,”
Bindiya added.
Surkh
Hina provided some history about the transgender community. “Hijras or
transgenders have been mentioned in Islamic history, too. Before that, we have
been a part of 4,500 years old Hindu scriptures as well. We have been a part of
darbars in India, we have been part of colonial India, we have been a part of
Sufi darbars and dargahs also. In fact, Baba Buleh Shah was buried by
transgenders,” said Surkh Hina.
“It’s
just that when a country goes through an economic crisis like Pakistan is at
the moment, the government starts targeting poor minorities to divert attention
of the public. We are already victims due to transphobia and now we have the
mullahs and people such as designer Maria B, too, adding fuel to the fire,”
Surkh Hina added.
Dr
Mehrub Moiz Awan, who said that she is the only Fulbright Pakistani transgender
scholar, said that the court’s decision was more of a joke. “They have simply
copied and pasted passages from literature produced by the global gender-phobic
neoconservative far right,” she said.
“They
call us sick in the head. So do they want us to wear the pink badges of shame
of the Nazi Germany era when transgenders were given electric shocks to cure
them? Is this Islam, science or just plain gossip,” Dr Awan asked.
Lawyer
Sara Malkani, meanwhile, explained the Transgender Persons Act of 2018 is still
very much effective, at least for 60 days after the passing of the FSC’s
judgement. She also said that they will definitely go into appeal while
explaining some of their points and grounds for appealing.
Source:
Dawn
https://www.dawn.com/news/1754687
-----
Pakistani
trans activists to appeal Sharia court ruling
21-05-2023
Transgender
activists in Pakistan said on Saturday they plan to to launch a Supreme Court
challenge against a ruling by Pakistan's religious judiciary, which deemed
various transgender legal protections un-Islamic and therefore void.
On
Friday, the Federal Shariat Court — which determines whether laws accord to
Islam — struck down three sections of a 2018 act hailed for providing landmark
rights to the transgender community.
The
Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act was passed by Parliament in 2018
to secure the rights of transgender Pakistanis. It ensures their access to
legal gender recognition, among other rights.
The
Federal Shariat Court struck down several provisions of the landmark law,
terming them "un-Islamic." It ruled that a person cannot change their
gender on the basis of "innermost feeling" or "self-perceived
identity" and must conform to the biological sex assigned to them at
birth.
It
rejected a clause in the law in which the country's national database and
registration authority permits the change of a person's biological gender from
the one they were assigned at birth in identification documents including
drivers' licenses and passports.
The
court also ruled that the term "transgender" as it is used in the law
creates confusion. It covers several biological variations, including intersex,
transgender men, transgender women and Khawaja Sira, a Pakistani term commonly
used for those who were born male but identify as female.
The
judges said a section of the 2018 act outlawing transgender discrimination
risks "the right to privacy of females in our society".
"This
law will pave the way for criminals in society to easily commit crimes like
sexual molestation, sexual assault and even rape against females," the
finding said.
However,
the court said Islamic law recognizes the existence of intersex people and
eunuchs and said they should be entitled to all the fundamental rights provided
to Pakistanis in the constitution.
The
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressed dismay over the "regressive
ruling" and said the denial of transgender people's rights to
self-perceived gender identity seeks the "erasure of an entire demographic
and its fundamental rights."
It
said rolling back the transgender bill would lead to further marginalization
and abuse of an already vulnerable community in Pakistan.
Amnesty
International called on the government to stop any attempts to prevent
transgender people from obtaining official documents reflecting their gender
identity without complying with abusive and invasive requirements.
"This
verdict is a blow to the rights of the already beleaguered group of transgender
and gender-diverse people in Pakistan," said Rehab Mahamoor, research
assistant at Amnesty International, in a statement.
"This
decision will further increase the incidents of violence against transgender
people," said Shahzadi Rai, of the Gender Interactive Alliance and Sindh
province's trans pride Moorat March organisation.
"Transgender
people will be pushed further against the wall in society," Rai said in a
statement after the Supreme Court legal challenge was announced at Karachi
Press Club.
Many
Pakistanis have entrenched beliefs on gender and sexuality and transgender
people are often considered outcasts. Some are forced into begging, dancing and
even prostitution to earn money. They also live in fear of attacks.
The
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 19 trans people were murdered in
Pakistan last year and accused the state of getting "cold feet" over
community protections.
Source:
Dw.Com
https://www.dw.com/en/pakistani-trans-activists-to-appeal-sharia-court-ruling/a-65687320
-----
Muslim
girl horrified after finding bacon in McDonald's Filet-O-Fish burger
ByHarry
Leach
20
MAY 2023
A
Muslim girl was left 'horrified' after finding bacon in her McDonald's meal.
The youngster ordered a Filet-O-Fish burger from Maccies in Daw End Lane,
Walsall, earlier this week.
But
after taking several bites out of the burger she noticed a large piece of bacon
inside the burger. Pork is forbidden under Islamic law.
McDonald's
has apologised to the customer and her father. The fast-food giant said it was
"extremely disappointed" that it had fallen short "on this
occasion".
The
girl's dad told BlackCountryLive: "My daughter found bacon in her
Filet-O-Fish burger. Due to her religious beliefs and values, we want this to
be known so it doesn't happen again."
A
McDonald's spokesperson said: "We’d like to apologise to the customer in
question for their experience. We take order accuracy very seriously and have a
number of procedures in place to avoid inaccurate orders.
"We
are extremely disappointed that we fell short of these on this occasion and
recognise that this is unacceptable. Our customer services team has also been
in contact with the customer to offer our apologies and help find a
resolution.”
Source:
Birminghammail.Co.Uk
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/muslim-girl-horrified-after-finding-26949804
-----
Axiom
2 sends the first Saudi Arabian, an Arab woman to space
May
20, 2023
Axiom
2 is set to make history by sending the first Arab woman from the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia to space. The Houston-based space technology company Axiom Space
is sending four people, including Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner, and Ali Aqarni,
into space in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Both Barnawi
and Aqarni will serve as mission specialists during Axiom 2.
In
a YouTube stream, Barnawi expressed her honour in representing the people and
dreams of Saudi Arabia. This space voyage is considered the Kingdom’s first
attempt to promote gender equality in the country. Barnawi is expected to meet
with UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, who completed a long-term space mission
aboard the International Space Station. Al Neyadi will meet other astronauts
who are a part of the Axiom 2 space mission, which includes Barnawi, Aqarni,
and others.
Barnawi
was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 1988. She completed a Master of Biomedical
Sciences degree from Alfaisal University in Saudi Arabia and a Bachelor of
Biomedical Sciences degree from Otago University in New Zealand. During her
space mission, she will conduct research on stem cells and breast cancer.
As
an outgoing and adventurous individual, Barnawi has a passion for sports and
has participated in activities such as scuba diving, hand gliding in New
Zealand, hiking, and rafting. Her space mission will allow her to participate
in several experiments that can only be conducted in space, making her a helpful
scientist in this historic moment.
Source:
Times Of India
-----
Super
Sohaila: Arab mother and working woman fights against adversity, wins in Dubai
May
20, 2023
Jaya
Chandran
Women
often find themselves juggling multiple roles simultaneously throughout their
lives. In addition to their careers, they are expected to fulfill many other
responsibilities and face the constant scrutiny, judgment, and criticism that
come with it. Any shortcomings in any of these roles are squarely blamed on
their supposed preoccupation with other obligations.
However,
it is very rare to find ordinary women hailed for doing their jobs under trying
circumstances both at home and work in spite of the fact that more and more
organisations are now taking the welfare of their employees quite seriously.
Sohaila
Mohamed Ahmed Nasr (45) is a mother of three who works as a Senior Executive
handling Government Relations at Eros Group. Despite facing numerous challenges
in her life, she has shown remarkable resilience and determination behind her
calm demeanour. Her eldest son, Malek (15), was diagnosed with autism spectrum
disorder at the age of three. This presented her with unique responsibilities
and demands, requiring her to provide specialised care and support for Malek.
Sohaila
also experienced a terrible accident while 8-months pregnant with her second
child, Mohammed. Despite the physical and emotional hardships resulting from
the accident, she managed to maintain an indomitable spirit. Another blow was
her father's death, and them mother's illness.
While
raising her children from their home in Sharjah, Sohaila displayed outstanding
dedication to her professional duties at Eros House in Al Barsha, Dubai. Her
commitment to work had not gone unnoticed. Sohaila's story was found
inspirational when Eros bagged Taqdeer Award for ensuring exceptional working
standards for their employees. Her colleagues see her as a Superwoman who
endured a lot.
Born
to an Egyptian mother and a Palestinian father, she arrived in the UAE 40 years
ago, along with her brother and two sisters. Her earliest memory of the UAE is
about seeing some ‘big bridges’ on the way home from the airport. The children
were jumping about and laughing happily with excitement in the car. “Because we
never had seen such big bridges in Egypt,” Sohaila says with a smile.
“I
was only five years old then. So practically my whole life has been spent here
in the UAE,” she said. Sohaila has only vague memories of childhood in Egypt
even though she went to a nursery school there.
Sohaila’s
father Mohamed Ahmed Nasr was working at Al Habtoor Motors at that time. The
family settled down in Sharjah. It was not a densely populated area as it is
now, she remembers. “It was empty, like a desert. There was a lot of space in
between houses,” she said.
“I
studied in Al Israa school, in Sharjah’s Bu Tina area. There were only 3 or 4
buildings in that area at that time. We walked to the school because it was
close to our home. We used to play in the sandy area while going to school and
coming back,” Sohaila said.
Sohaila
is completely at home in the UAE. “I hold an Egyptian passport. Before that, I
had a Palestinian one. I go to Egypt for one week or ten days on vacation, but
I’d come back more happy, because this is my country,” she smiles.
“I’ve
lived my entire life here. I’ve got my education here. Got married here. Had
kids here. I am working here. I have friends here,” she said.
“I
can’t imagine living in another country. People from all over the world wish to
come and live in Dubai. They feel safe. In another country, I don’t think I can
leave three kids in the flat and feel secure. The environment outside the home
also matters - like how the kids are treating their parents. I want my kids to
grow up respecting the elders and the family,” Sohaila is clear on why she
loves it here.
After
high school, Sohaila pursued law and graduated from Al Mansoura University,
Egypt in 2002. However, she had become disillusioned with the legal profession by
that time.
“At
Eros, I worked as a coordinator at the service centre for around 8 years. But
when I had an accident and had to take care of the kids, it became difficult.
The company wanted to help me and I was transferred to HR,” she said.
“In
the early years, we had a babysitter to care for my child while I was away. I
used to make calls from the office to ensure everything is okay. It was
essential for me to strike a balance between my job and the well-being of my
children,” she said.
“If
you see him now, you can’t make out that he is autistic. I mean from the way he
talks and all - people will know the difference only if I tell them. He can now
take care of his stuff. I still give him food to make sure he gets everything
in the right quantity. That is all,” she said.
I’ve
lived my entire life here. I’ve got my education here. Got married here. Had
kids here. I am working here. I have friends here
But
it was not easy. They consulted specialists, visited centers, and sought the
support of dedicated teachers. Fortunately, there were special schools
available even at that time. They enrolled Malek in a newly opened school where
he studied for two to three years. And there was a cost involved - personally,
professionally, and economically. The support of her organisation was crucial.
“When
Malek was diagnosed with autism, I was completely shocked and shattered. We had
no idea what it meant because it was not a widely known condition 10-12 years
ago. I kept asking myself, 'How can my child be autistic? What does it mean?' I
had so many questions, but I started reading and learning more about it. I knew
it wouldn't be easy to manage, but my mind said I could teach him how to deal
with it,” she said.
“He's
learned a lot and now knows how to treat people. And he enjoys talking to
people who treat him well. However, he can still have trouble expressing
himself. But that's just a part of his autism," Sohaila said.
“I've
noticed a big difference between what he was once and what he is now. This is
all because of how well Sohaila managed it, with the support of our owner. The
fees [of these institutions] are very high, over Dh 30,000 a year,” Kassim
said.
“Despite
the tragedies she had, you will find her smiling in the morning and evening,
and she has worked hard on improving herself,” said Kassim.
What
is her advice to families with autistic children? Sohaila feels it is important
that families who face such problems should come forward and seek help.
"Let
them have a happy, normal life. Don't treat him differently." This was the
first piece of advice she received from his doctor. And she followed it ever
since.
“If
his siblings are reprimanded for doing something wrong, he should be too. But
if he does something good, we should appreciate him. This is what I have been
doing and it has been quite successful,” Sohaila says.
“When
I see all three of them taking care of each other, it sometimes makes me
emotional. I look at them and suddenly realise they have grown taller than me.
I watch them playing with each other, going out together, and it's amazing.
When I see them all together, happy and caring for each other, it makes me very
happy,” Sohaila said.
Source:
Gulf News
-----
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/gujarat-daggers-defense-love-jihad/d/129819