To Counter Hijabophobia : More Than 150 Countries Celebrate 12th Annual World Hijab Day
New Age Islam
News Bureau
02 February 2024
·
To Counter
Hijabophobia : More Than 150 Countries Celebrate 12th Annual World Hijab Day
·
UN Rights
Official Nada Al-Nashif Urged To Ditch
Hijab While Visiting Iran
·
Islam
Doesn’t Bar Women From Voting: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Top Cleric
·
Hijab
Remains Symbol Of Our Faith, Identity, Say Muslim Women As They Mark World
Hijab Day 2024
·
‘Uniform
Civil Code Beneficial For Muslim Women’ Says Shayara Bano, Triple Talaq Case
Petitioner
·
Arab
Parliament Praises The Role Of Women In Supporting Development Of Society
·
Nations
Engaged With Kabul Should Urge Women’s Rights: US State Dept.
·
Swedish
Ombudsman Rules Against Doctor Who Forced Muslim Woman To Remove Hijab
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/hijabophobia-world-hijab/d/131644
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To Counter Hijabophobia : More Than 150
Countries Celebrate 12th Annual World Hijab Day
World Hijab
Day
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February 02, 2024
LONDON: People in more than 150
countries celebrated World Hijab Day on Thursday with events designed to
counter Hijabophobia through raised awareness and improved education about the
traditional Muslim head covering.
The headline event hosted by the World
Hijab Day organization, which is based in New York, was its annual online
conference, which featured speakers from 12 countries — Egypt, the US, the UK,
Syria, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada
and Mexico — who presented their diverse perspectives on the issue.
“This year, we’ve collaborated with
impactful partners like the New York Police Department to raise awareness about
the significance of the hijab,” organizers told Arab News.
“The topics vary, reflecting the
evolving discussions aligned with the changing world. Additionally, we’re
enhancing transparency by teaming up with Launchgood (a crowdfunding platform
with a particular focus on the global Muslim community) to raise funds,
ensuring organizational growth for more impactful initiatives and events
compared to previous years.
“This year’s edition of World Hijab Day
aims to empower and inspire individuals through the theme #VeiledInStrength. By
fostering a sense of resilience and confidence, we aim to challenge stereotypes
and promote a deeper understanding of the strength inherent in those who choose
to wear the hijab.”
World Hijab Day, which is celebrated on
Feb. 1 each year, was founded in New York by Bangladeshi American Nazma Khan in
2013 with the aim of recognizing the millions of Muslim women who choose to
wear a hijab and live a life of modesty.
The organization said common myths and
ill-informed attitudes about the hijab include “misconceptions about Muslim
women’s agency, intelligence or perceived oppression.”
It added: “Challenges arise in various
spheres, such as the workplace or educational institutions, where bias may
impact opportunities.
“This year, a noticeable trend is the
increased interest from workplaces, particularly in Europe, in celebrating
World Hijab Day, (and) the growing participation from this region indicates a
shift toward greater inclusivity and acknowledgment of the significance of
cultural diversity in professional settings.”
As perceptions and views about Muslim
women have started to change in recent years and Islamic countries are
increasingly opening up to the world, increased awareness and education
provided by initiatives such as World Hijab Day, contribute to “dispelling
stereotypes (and) fostering greater understanding,” the organization said.
“Organizations, including those
advocating for Muslim women’s rights, are adapting to changing times by
leveraging social media, organizing inclusive events, and collaborating with
diverse communities to further raise awareness and promote a positive
narrative.”
For this year’s event, World Hijab Day
said it was placing a particular focus on hosting workshops on Muslim culture
at educational institutions and workplaces, with the aim of addressing
Islamophobia and helping to foster “an environment of safety within schools and
workplaces for both Muslim students and professionals.”
The organization added: “Muslim hijabi
women contribute significantly to various aspects of life, including the
educational sector, political sector, medical sector, law enforcement and many
other sectors.
“In many countries, efforts are made to
promote their integration. For instance, in the United States, Muslim women
wearing the hijab actively participate in schools, politics, sports and other
workplaces, breaking barriers and fostering inclusivity.
“Similarly, countries like the United
Kingdom and Canada … showcase examples of successful integration, emphasizing
the importance of diversity and understanding in creating inclusive
environments.”
One example the organization gave of
this was when, in 2018, politician Salma Zahid became the first MP to wear a
hijab in the Canadian parliament. On Thursday, she said she was proud to have
broken new ground in this way.
“It was a personal choice I made
following a health crisis that brought me closer to my faith, and I will always
stand with women and girls who make their own choice, whatever that choice is,”
she said.
“In a time of rising Islamophobia, I
hope World Hijab Day can be a day for conversation and dialogue about the
choices we make and respecting the right of women to make their own choice
today.”
World Hijab Day organizers said funds
raised during this year’s event will be used to develop educational materials
for use during future World Hijab Day celebrations worldwide and online; boost
the organization’s social media presence; host educational conferences and
events in workplaces and communities to help dispel misconceptions about the
hijab; and to maintain the organization’s website.
UK-based international humanitarian
charity Penny Appeal was one of the organizations participating in the World
Hijab Day celebrations.
“This day serves as a reminder of the
personal freedom of religious expression and cultural understanding” by
“inviting women from all walks of life to experience wearing the hijab for one
day annually,” it said.
“On this World Hijab Day, Penny Appeal
reaffirms its commitment to empowering women and promoting understanding and
inclusion across cultures and religions.”
In particular, it highlighted the
achievements of its own CEO, Ridwana Wallace-Laher, “who is one of the first
Muslim hijabi women to lead an international humanitarian charity.”
She was appointed to the position less
than a year ago and “has since become a beacon of empowerment and inspiration
for Muslim women around the world,” the charity added.
“Many people think the hijab is
oppressive to women but I am proof that it is an empowering piece of clothing
that demands respect and admiration. It is a sign of strength and identity,”
Wallace-Laher said.
It is important to challenge the
stereotypes and stigmas associated with the hijab, she added. She encouraged
women who have never worn one to take the opportunity to try it, saying: “You
don’t really understand somebody until you put yourself in their shoes.
“It might be an opportunity to try it
and see how you feel, and quite often it’s actually quite liberating.”
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2452541/world
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UN Rights Official Nada Al-Nashif Urged
To Ditch Hijab While Visiting Iran
UN Rights
Official Nada Al-Nashif
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FEBRUARY 1, 2024
Dozens of Iranian women rights activists
have urged UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif to not
wear a headscarf during her upcoming trip to Iran, calling the garment “a
symbol of the ruling regime’s ideology.”
In a joint letter addressed to
Al-Nashif, the activists also called on Al-Nashif to meet with the dozens of
political prisoners on hunger strike, the families of those executed and the
protestors on death row in order to “gain insights into the deplorable
violations of human rights and women's rights in Iran.”
The UN official is scheduled to visit
Iran on February 3-5 to assess the human rights situation in the country, amid
a surge in executions following grossly unfair trials and a brutal crackdown on
any form of dissent in the wake of the 2022-23 uprising, including on women who
refuse to wear a mandatory hijab in public.
“Your trip takes place amidst a grave
situation where the Islamic regime has escalated efforts to suppress the
revolutionary ‘Woman-Life-Freedom’ movement through increased threats,
intimidation, arrests, and executions,” the women activists said in their
letter. “Sadly, the children of thousands of families are currently imprisoned,
awaiting death sentences, or have been executed in recent months and days.”
For more than four decades, Iran’s
clerical establishment has “attempted to portray the Islamic hijab as a
tradition of Iranian society to the world,” but the Woman, Life, Freedom
protest movement has shown that the compulsory head covering is “rather a
symbol of the ruling regime’s ideology,” the activists said.
“No government should need to spend vast
amounts of money, employ patrol to enforce hijab, resort to violence,
imprisonment, and intimidation on young people in order to preserve a so-called
national tradition,” they added.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/124913-un-rights-official-urged-to-ditch-hijab-while-visiting-iran/
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Islam Doesn’t Bar Women From Voting:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Top Cleric
February 2, 2024
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief
Khateeb Mufti Tayyab Qureshi on Thursday said Islam didn’t stop women from
participating in elections as voters.
“Islam has clear instructions about
women’s rights. There’s no restriction on their [women] right to vote,” Mr
Qureshi told a consultation by the KP Commission on the Status of Women on its
strategy for “safeguarding women’s interests in general elections.”
He said he was committed to working with
the KPCSW for women-inclusive elections on Feb 8.
Election Commission of Pakistan deputy
director Sohail Ahmad briefed participants on the ECP’s measures for creating a
“fair” atmosphere for women to participate in elections.
Saima Munir of the Aurat Foundation, who
was also in attendance, said allocation of five per cent of assembly general
seats for women was required by political parties to get election symbols,
while a minimum 10 per cent voter turnout was also an election requirement
under the Election Act, 2017.
KPCSW secretary Robin Haider Bokhari
told participants that the monitoring of women’s inclusion in elections was the
core mandate of the commission.
KPCSW member Dr Noreen Naseer said the
commission relied on the support of the civil society to promote women’s role
in elections.
Meanwhile, the commission said in a
statement that it would set up a monitoring cell to ensure women-inclusive
elections.
It said the cell would receive reports
about the issues facing women voters.
The KPCSW said the monitoring cell would
be linked to the ECP’s Gender Desk and Control Room for quick action on
complaints.
Source: dawn.com
https://www.dawn.com/news/1810460/islam-doesnt-bar-women-from-voting-top-cleric
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Hijab remains symbol of our faith,
identity, say Muslim women as they mark World Hijab Day 2024
aheedSalawu
February 2, 2024
MUSLIMS on Wednesday reiterated the
significance of hijab and the strength the head covering embodies for Muslim
women worldwide.
Leaders and representatives of no fewer
than 18 Muslim organisations reflected on the resilience and dignity of Muslim
women who choose to wear the hijab as a symbol of their faith and identity at a
press conference held at the Alausa Central Mosque hall in Ikeja, Lagos.
The event was organised to commemorate
World Hijab Day 2024. The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Veiled in
Strength’.
The organisations are the Hijab Rights
Advocacy Initiative (HRAI), NasrullahiFathi Society (NASFAT), Pure Heart
Islamic Foundation, Al-Muminaat Organisation, Lagos, Muslim Students’ Society
of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area unit, An Nujabau Female Forum, Izharul Haq
Movement of Nigeria, Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria
(FOMWAN) Lagos and The Criterion, Lagos District.
The others are International Muslim
Women Union (IMWU), Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN), Lagos
Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC),
AkhwaatMuslimat Organization, Lagos; Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC),Guild of
Muslim Professionals (GMP), Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN) and
Pristine Cactus Foundation.
HajiyaMutiatOrolu of HRAI noted freedom
of thought, conscience and religion is guaranteed by the constitution, and laws
regulating these matters recognise and permit the use of hijab.
She, however, lamented that despite the fact
that wearing of the hijab by the Muslim female is the practical application of
this constitutional provision, there are public officers in who use their
positions to infringe on the rights of Muslim women.
AlhajaSuweibah Bola Kupolati of NASFAT
noted the challenges hijab-wearing Muslim women face in the process of having
their biometric data taken.
She called on the National Identity
Management Commission (NIMC) to incorporate the guidelines contained in the
Nigeria Biometric Standards Regulation of 2017 in the retraining of agents
engaged in the National Identification Number enrolments so that Muslim women
are not asked to compromise their religious beliefs or have their fundamental
human rights infringed upon during the biometric data capture process.
AlhajaKudratOgunmuyiwa of FOMWAN said:
“The challenges facing Muslim women, though numerous, are not insurmountable.
Therefore, let us also take a moment to celebrate the remarkable achievements
of Muslim women in hijab over the past year, both in Nigeria and around the
world.
“From groundbreaking advancements in
various fields to acts of extraordinary courage and resilience, Muslim women
continue to inspire and uplift their communities through their exemplary
contributions.
“We also celebrate our sister, Dr
AminatIge-Ariyibi, for bagging the award for best PhD thesis at the 54th
convocation ceremonies at the University of Lagos. We pray Allah blesses it for
her and many other Muslim women making a difference, whether as housewives,
mothers, career women, entrepreneurs and even political and community leaders.
We see you, and we celebrate you.
“As we look to the future, We reaffirm
our commitment to supporting and uplifting Muslim women in hijab, ensuring that
they are afforded the dignity, respect and opportunities they rightfully
deserve. Let us work together to create a society where diversity is celebrated
and religious freedoms are upheld for all.
“Our speech will not be complete without
remembering our sisters and children in Gaza who still maintain their hijabs
despite the ongoing war, bombing and displacement from their homes. They truly
have embodied the theme, ‘veiled in strength’. We call on the international
community to call for an end to the ongoing genocide in Palestine and we pray
for Allah’s help and victory.”
Others who delivered addresses at the
press conference were HajiyaRafiah Tijani of the MSSN, Lagos; Dr Halimah
Ogunbekun of An-Nujabau Female Forum; Hajiya Bilqis Abdullah (Al-Mu’minaat) and
HajiyaRoqeebahSolanke (MPAC).
Source: tribuneonlineng.com
https://tribuneonlineng.com/hijab-remains-symbol-of-our-faith-identity-say-muslim-women-as-they-mark-world-hijab-day-2024/
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‘Uniform Civil Code Beneficial For
Muslim Women’ Says Shayara Bano, Triple Talaq Case Petitioner
February 02, 2024
As the committee formed to prepare the
draft for implementing the Uniform Civil Code will submit the draft on February
2 in Dehradun, Shayara Bano, who petitioned triple talaq case in the Supreme
Court, called the UCC bill ‘beneficial’ for women of the Muslim community.
“In the coming time, the UCC bill will
be very beneficial for the women of the Muslim community. I support and welcome
the UCC bill. Every woman in the Muslim community should welcome and support
the bill. This will also lead to the development of society in a correct
manner,” Ms. Bano told ANI.
“The committee formed to prepare the
draft for the purpose of implementing the Uniform Civil Code will submit the
draft today at 11 a.m. in Dehradun. After reviewing this, we will move forward
in the direction of implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the state by
bringing a bill in the upcoming assembly session,” Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh
Dhami posted on X.
“Today is an important day for all the
people of the state, when we are going to move forward with more strength by
realising the vision of ‘Ek Bharat-Shrestha Bharat’ of the country’s
illustrious Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added.
Earlier, the Uttarakhand government had
committed that it would present the Uniform Civil Code Bill in the State
Assembly during a special session.
“Committee has given us the date of
February 2, when they would submit their draft [on UCC] to us. After that, the
formalities that are needed to make it law will be taken up. A meeting of the
state cabinet will also be held. We will discuss it there too. The assembly
session will begin on 5th February...It is a special session for UCC. The Bill
will be introduced during the session and will be passed,” Chief Minister Dhami
told ANI.
With the Assembly session scheduled from
the February 5 the government will now place the bill in the house during the
session.
The Uttarakhand Assembly session will be
held from February 5 to 8, according to a notification by the Secretariat of
the Assembly. Apart from this, the government will also present a bill in the
House for a 10% horizontal reservation in government services for the state
agitators and their dependents.
Uttarakhand had constituted a panel on
the Uniform Civil Code under Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai on May 27, 2022. The
UCC was promised to the people of the state in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly
polls in Uttarakhand.
Article 44 of the Constitution of India
says that the state shall endeavour to secure a UCC throughout the territory of
India.
The UCC proposes a common set of laws
dealing with marriage, inheritance, adoption, and other matters. The UCC, which
had been a hot topic that had polarised opinions over the last four years, hit
the forefront in June last year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a
strong case for the implementation of uniform legislation in an address in
Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal.
Source: thehindu.com
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/ucc-beneficial-for-muslim-women-says-shayara-bano-who-petitioned-triple-talaq-case-in-supreme-court/article67803489.ece
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Arab Parliament praises the role of
women in supporting development of society
February 01, 2024
GOBRAN MOHAMED
CAIRO: Arab Parliament Speaker Adel
Abdulrahman Al-Asoumi has stressed the pioneering role of Arab women in
society.
He praised the contribution women have
made in supporting the development process, and for achieving sustainable gains
within society.
In a statement on Feb. 1, Arab Women’s
Day, Al-Asoumi called for the support of legislation to help women fulfill
their mission and vital role, while preserving their rights in a world full of
difficult challenges.
He spoke of the difficult conditions
they were particularly facing in war zones and armed conflicts.
Al-Asoumi noted the role of the Arab
Parliament in issuing the Arab Document on Women’s Rights, which recognizes the
role of Arab women and will act as a legislative framework and reference in
enacting laws related to them.
The speaker pointed out that the current
backdrop was particularly harrowing, with Palestinian women living under the
harsh conditions of systematic violence practiced by the Israeli occupation,
which killed, starved and displaced.
He spoke of his recognition of the
sacrifices made by Palestinian women to defend their land, stressing that women
in Gaza were a symbol of struggle and sacrifice, and he called on the
international community to mobilize efforts to provide aid to them within the
enclave.
Arab Women’s Day is celebrated on Feb. 1
each year. The move was approved by the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union in 1999
following an initiative by Bahia Hariri, a member of the Lebanese parliament at
the time.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2452306/middle-east
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Nations Engaged With Kabul Should Urge
Women’s Rights: US State Dept
HadiaZiaei
February 01, 2024
A US State Department spokesperson said
that Washington calls on any country engaged with Kabul to urge improvement on
women's and girls’ rights.
Addressing a press briefing, US State
Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Washington wants to see the
rights of women and girls in Afghanistan improved.
“So we very much want to see the rights
of women and girls in Afghanistan improved, and we would urge any country that
engages with the Taliban to urge improvement on that front,” he said.
Rabia, who is fourteen years old and was
in the eighth grade more than two years ago, said that she began studying
calligraphy and painting when the schools were closed to girls.
“When I couldn’t go to school, I did not
become disappointed, because when Allah closes one door for us, he opens
another door and I turn to calligraphy and painting,” she told TOLOnews.
“I ask the Islamic Emirate to
immediately reopen schools for girls so that we have a bright future,” Sana,
another student, told TOLOnews.
However, the Islamic Emirate said that
the rights of all women and girls in the country are guaranteed, adding that
the world should consider the cultural differences of the country and define
the rights of women and girls.
“It is better that there is interaction.
Afghanistan is a safe country and it is an Islamic country which gives rights
to its citizens and it is necessary that it should grant rights to its citizens
and it is the commitment of the government. However, the rights should be
defined -- what rights should be ensured. And they should also consider opinion
and cultural differences,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate’s
spokesman.
Earlier, in a meeting with a number of
female education activists, former president Hamid Karzai said that the
reopening of girls' schools and universities was vital to the development of
Afghanistan.
Source: tolonews.com
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187220
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Swedish Ombudsman Rules Against Doctor
Who Forced Muslim Woman To Remove Hijab
Fri, 2 Feb 2024
Sweden’s Equality Ombudsman has ruled in
favour of a Muslim woman who complained that she was forced to take off her
headscarf by a doctor at a health centre.
The incident took place last March at a
medical centre in the central city of Uppsala, the fourth-largest city in
Sweden.
Saying that the health centre had not
provided a reasonable explanation for the doctor’s action, the ombudsman ruled
that it had discriminated against the woman.
“It is important that everyone who seeks
care feels secure that they will be treated in a non-discriminatory manner,” it
added.
Consequently, it ordered the region of
Uppsala to pay 70,000 Swedish Krona ($6,722) in compensation to the woman.
(Anadolu Agency)
Source: dailytrust.com
https://dailytrust.com/swedish-ombudsman-rules-against-doctor-who-forced-muslim-woman-to-remove-hijab/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/hijabophobia-world-hijab/d/131644