Hindutva Porn? How Artificial Intelligence is Helping Mass Produce Explicit Images of Muslim Women
New Age Islam News Bureau
7 March 2025
· Hindutva Porn? How Artificial Intelligence is Helping Mass Produce Explicit Images of Muslim Women
· Dhaka University Students Wearing Niqab, Hijab To Be Identified During Exams By Female Staff
· Queen Rania Of Jordan Hosts Ramadan Iftar For Women Leaders In Aqaba, A Governorate On The Red Sea
· French Bill To Ban Headscarves In Sports Sparks Backlash From Muslim Women's Rights Groups
· Rights Group Urges Recognition Of 'Gender Apartheid' In Iran
· The Scorecard On Women’s Political Participation And Representation In Africa
· UAE Adopts Key Strategies Towards Women Empowerment
· Fifth Edition Of Academy For Women Entrepreneurs UAE Programme Concludes
· Jordan Highlights Women’s Growing Role Across Wide Range Of Social Sectors
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/hindutva-porn-artificial-muslim-women/d/134806
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Hindutva Porn? How Artificial Intelligence is Helping Mass Produce Explicit Images of Muslim Women
ADITYA MENON
07 Mar 2025
"I have been receiving pornographic images of Hijabi women in my Twitter DM ever since my follower count began growing. The people who send these messages threaten me that they can also morph my images if they want. Now AI tools have become so advanced, so the messages containing such images have also increased," says Nabiya Khan, an activist and poet based in Delhi.
Nabiya Khan was one among many prominent Muslim women activists and journalists whose names and photos were put up for "mock auction" by alleged Hindutva supporters on an app called "Sulli Deals" on GitHub in 2021.
The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered image generation tools in the recent past, has led to a massive proliferation of pages posting semi-pornographic images of Muslim women on the internet.
Such pages have been around for some time now on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, posting memes and crudely photoshopped images containing such fantasies. However, AI tools have made these images more sophisticated and easy to produce, thereby helping increase the volume of such content manifold.
We found that there are at least 250 such pages on Instagram, many of whom use AI tools to make soft porn images of Muslim women. On Facebook, the nature of engagement is different, as such activity is mostly through a smaller number of pages but with thousands of followers.
In this piece, we will examine the underlying themes in these images and try to decode the mentality driving their popularity.
Burqa as a Fetish and a Code
Most of the AI images used are titillating in nature and show a visibly Muslim woman in intimate poses with one or multiple visibly Hindu men. The 'Muslimness' of the women invariably is communicated through a burqa or a hijab and the 'Hinduness' of the men is often depicted through items like Rudraksh beads, Kalava on the wrist, Tilak or ash on the head and/or body, Hindu symbols as tattoos and saffron clothing which includes items like scarves and bandanas.
The centrality of burqa and hijab in these fantasies can be seen from the fact that the term 'Hijabi' appears frequently in the names of these pages as well as in the posts and hashtags used by them.
A post in Hindi that was frequently shared across many such pages said, "Muslim women are sexually frustrated and they don a burqa to hide this".
The Quint had a detailed conversation with writer Annie Zaidi, who helped us decode many of these themes.
Referring to the symbolism of the burqa and hijab, Zaidi said, "The garment has become a code for Muslim women. When they show a woman wearing a burqa, it doesn't just mean burqa-wearing women. It is a code for the entire Muslim community".
Nabiya Khan finds it paradoxical that on one hand, pro-Hindutva people support bans on Hijab and Burqa in public spaces but in the private space, some of them fetishise the garment.
"There is a unique depravity in this thinking," Khan says.
Zaidi says that the burqa also may represent what the men want to do with women in their lives.
"You see this woman, she is covered up and she belongs to this other man who is a Muslim. This other man and this woman seem to be getting along, and you don't like that because you hate the man. So you are building this fantasy in your head of you possessing that woman to humiliate the man. But embedded in that fantasy is your possession of women per se".
A Fantasy of Domination and Humiliation
In these images, the Hindu men are invariably shown as being unrealistically muscular and in a dominating or even threatening position. On the other hand, the Muslim woman is often shown as submissive and often intimidated.
For instance, the profile picture of one of the Instagram pages we analysed, shows a Hindu man grabbing a Muslim woman from behind in a threatening manner.
Then, in a few places, multiple Hindu men are seen surrounding a Muslim woman, as a form of collective domination.
This mentality is evident in the bios of the pages as well, for instance one page claims to be "Hijabiyokashikari, MulliyokaMaalik" another page claims to make Muslim women his "rakhail (whore)".
Zaidi argues that this "Sexual possession" becomes "symbolic of the domination of the whole community".
"It's not just a fantasy. It's a fantasy of hate, a fantasy of domination. And it's being allowed, it is being encouraged."
Annie Zaidi, author
Nabiya Khan concurs. Delving into her own experience of being targeted through the Sulli Deals app, she says, "It wasn't an attack on Nabiya the person. It was an attack on Nabiya, a Muslim, like the Muslim woman in the AI images. Their aim is to humiliate Indian Muslims as a whole".
Elaborating on this mentality, Zaidi says, "They see Muslim women as something to be taken, something to be possessed, or otherwise just humiliated as an indirect attack on the whole community. It has happened in the past, but it has never been legitimised in these ways, for instance by using AI to do all this," she says.
A recurring theme in these pages is the obsession with what they believe is the superiority of the "Uncut (uncircumcised) Hindu penis".
AI image generators have led to a flood of semi-pornographic images of Muslim women, mostly from pro-Hindutva pages.
In fact, many of the pages have names with the word "uncut". We could count over 50 such 'uncut' pages on Instagram that post semi-pornographic images of Muslim women.
Solicitation and Claims of 'Grooming'
A majority of pages we analysed frequently put out posts soliciting "Muslim girls and housewives" seeking "sexual satisfaction".
However, many of the pages also carry posts and comments complaining about catfish accounts pretending to be Muslim women therefore we cannot say whether any women genuinely reach out to them or not. Many pages have made video chats compulsory as a proof of identity.
Some of the pages claim that they can facilitate "sexual meetings" between Muslim women and Hindu men. For instance, the page below put up a post inviting "men in Odisha" to "hook-up" with an 18-year-old Muslim girl.
The pages also periodically post area specific invitations, most commonly in cities in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
A few of the pages also claim to be involved in what is known as "Bhagwa Love Trap" that is the alleged grooming of Muslim girls aimed at converting them to Hinduism.
One page put up an Instagram story about "Bhagwa love trap" on "aalimladki" - that is a claim that a girl who is a religious scholar has been groomed into converting. However, this claim isn't verified.
Another Instagram page titled 'Kafir the Destroyer' claims that it is aimed at converting "pious mullis". "Once you visit my profile than no chance to goback. U totally corrupt urimaan (sic)".
According to Zaidi, "Taking away someone's identity or removing someone's religious symbols, is a way of disempowering a community".
A conversation on Quora also provides an insight into this mentality.
One Quora user posts a question, "Even though I'm Hindu, why am I attracted to Muslim women?" To this, a person claiming to be an IT professional from Bengaluru responds, "That it is because Muslim women are the forbidden fruit. I am married to a Muslim woman now, and she is not Muslim anymore". The comment is followed by a smiling emoticon.
Now, there is no way we can verify whether this person is indeed married to a Muslim or whether he is projecting his fantasy as reality. But it is clear that he considers it some kind of an achievement for a Hindu man to be married to a Muslim woman and for the woman to no longer be a Muslim as a consequence of that.
'Zalim Pandit' and The Caste Angle
Another important aspect is that some of these pages emphasise the caste identity of the Hindu male involved in the images and memes - some have titles like 'Zalim Pandit', 'Zalim Brahman' or 'Zalim Thakur'. We found at least 60 pages on Instagram with names that are versions of "Zalim Pandit" or "Zalim Brahman" dedicated to posting explicit images of Muslim women.
In some of the memes it is emphasised that the Hindu man violating the Muslim woman is "Panditji". Another page claims that "only a Pandit can satisfy the sexual urges of Muslim women".
We didn't come across such pages where any OBC or Dalit caste identity is emphasised. Nor did we find any pages invoking a regional identity where such images are being used. Many of the pages titled "Zalim Thakur" do have pornographic content but only a small fraction of these are targeted at Muslim women and they mostly contain general explicit and misogynyst images.
Zaidi says she doesn't find this surprising.
"I'm not surprised that these pages emphasise Brahmin identity because they are the dominant group and it is only the dominant group that is allowed to dominate".
"If you take Dalits, how do you show their identity in such images? They have not been allowed to assert any power for thousands of years. The only way for them is to fold their identity into the majority identity. You exist not as a distinct identity but lower down in a larger identity," she adds.
The Prospect of Violence
The non-AI images posted by such pages are often more explicit than AI generated ones as some of them even go to the extent of showing sexual violence against Muslim women by Hindu men. The images used in such cases are often from Western pornographic memes or from Western porn movies but a Tilak or Om symbol added on the man and a Hijab on the woman using photoshop. In many cases, crudely made cartoons are also used.
While there may be no explicit sexual assault in these images, violence is still inherent in them. Such images, whether AI generated or photoshopped, are not the same as a couple posting intimate pictures consensually or even the posting of a porn clip for that matter.
We must remember that the AI images don't represent any real life couple or even porn actors, they represent the fantasies of the men creating, posting and consuming these images. It represents what they want to do to Muslim women and that Muslim women have no consent in the matter.
It is this aspect that makes these images inherently violent.
Such pages are propaganda that encourage Hindu men to violate Muslim women.
The advocacy of targeted violence against Muslim women isn't a recent phenomenon. VD Savarkar in 'Six Glorious Epochs', argued that Hindu rulers like Chhatrapati Shivaji and ChimmajiAppa should have used rape and molestation against Muslim women as an "act of revenge" against Muslim rulers.
This mentality could be seen during the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat as well. In her article, 'Semiotics of Terror: Muslim Children and Women in Hindu Rashtra', historian Tanika Sarkar claims that leaflets were being circulated among the rioters, that contained a poem glorifying rape of Muslim women.
The language used in the poem from 2002 is similar to the imagery in the semi-pornographic pages of today.
"We have untied the penises that were tied till now
We have widened the tight vaginas of the bibis."
More recently, we saw how Hindutva organisations felicitated the men who were convicted for the rape of Bilkis Bano after their release.
Hindutva organisations also marched in support of the men accused of raping a Muslim minor in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua in 2018.
There have also been speeches in Hindutva functions in Uttar Pradesh where speakers advocated digging up the graves of Muslim women and raping them.
Social media and online platforms have provided new avenues for pushing and normalising this mentality of rape as a communal punishment - be it the "Burqewaalilayenge" genre of Bhojpuri songs, Sulli Deals and Bulli Bai, or these AI genrated images of Muslim women.
Source:thequint.com
https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/artificial-intelligence-muslim-women-hindutva-soft-porn-images-facebook-instagram#read-more
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Dhaka University Students Wearing Niqab, Hijab To Be Identified During Exams By Female Staff
7 March 2025
Considering personal freedom and privacy, the authorities of Dhaka University yesterday decided that female students wearing the niqab or the hijab will be identified at examination centres by female teachers and staff.
This decision was made following a meeting of the deans' committee, chaired by DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, as stated in a press release.
The press release was sent by the university's public relations office.
According to the meeting's decision, the assistance of a female assistant proctor will be sought, if necessary, to identify the female students wearing the niqab and the hijab, the release said.
Additionally, the feasibility of implementing a fingerprinting or biometric system for identifying the students will be assessed in due course, it added.
Source:thedailystar.net
https://www.thedailystar.net/campus/news/du-students-wearing-niqab-hijab-be-identified-during-exams-female-staff-3841711
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Queen Rania Of Jordan Hosts Ramadan Iftar For Women Leaders In Aqaba, A Governorate On The Red Sea
March 07, 2025
Queen Rania praised the contributions of Jordanian women in the workforce and the labor market. (Petra)
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LONDON: Queen Rania of Jordan hosted a Ramadan iftar banquet on Thursday at the Prince Rashid Club in Aqaba.
Women leaders and activists from various sectors in Aqaba, a governorate on the Red Sea in southern Jordan, attended the event.
Queen Rania congratulated the attendees on Ramadan and the upcoming International Women’s Day, which will be marked on March 8, the Jordan News Agency reported.
She praised the contributions of Jordanian women in the workforce and the labor market, as well as their roles in caring for their families to provide comfort and reassurance at home.
Khaled Al-Hajjaj, the governor of Aqaba, welcomed the queen to the city and expressed gratitude for her efforts to empower women.
Mahmoud Khalifat, the director general of Aqaba Ports Corporation, and Muhannad Al-Naser, director of Prince Rashid Club, were also present.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2592718/middle-east
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French bill to ban headscarves in sports sparks backlash from Muslim women's rights groups
06 March 2025
By TamillaHasanova
A controversial bill in France that seeks to extend a ban on religious symbols, including headscarves, in sports competitions has drawn sharp criticism from advocates for Muslim women's rights.
According to Rani Belkhy, the founder of Khlass Les Cliches, the move is part of a broader effort to "erase Muslim women from public spaces".
"In sports but more generally, in all spaces where visibly Muslim women can be seen, there is an attempt to make them disappear," Belkhy told Anadolu, per Caliber.Az.
Belkhy argued that such a ban infringes on individual freedoms and discourages Muslim women, particularly young ones, from participating in sports. "It’s no longer just about athletes representing the nation, which was the argument used, right? The idea was that they represent France, so they must be neutral. But now, it's even affecting amateurs," she explained.
The bill, which was backed by the French Senate last month, aims to extend the ban on religious symbols — previously limited to public schools and government buildings — to all sports competitions. The bill is now set to face a vote in the lower house of France's parliament before becoming law. In addition to the headscarf ban, the legislation also seeks to prohibit collective prayers in publicly funded sports facilities.
Critics of the bill argue that France is isolating Muslim women and perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Belkhy, who has actively campaigned for Muslim women’s rights, expressed dismay at the international ramifications of such a policy, particularly as the country prepares to host the 2024 Olympic Games.
"France ridiculed itself on the international stage as the only country that banned Muslim women from wearing headscarves," she said. "What we have seen since the implementation of this law is that it has essentially been a witch hunt against female students who wish to wear a headscarf."
Belkhy also pointed out the double standard, noting that there has been no similar exclusion of women wearing Christian crosses or Jewish kippahs in public spaces. "It’s been a series of laws, one after another, each time making Muslim women’s bodies a subject of debate and restriction," she added.
The latest bill follows a failed attempt in 2022 to impose a similar ban on religious headwear in sports. That proposal was rejected by the French Senate, but the current legislation has sparked renewed debate on the issue.
As the law continues to move through the legislative process, Muslim women’s rights advocates are urging policymakers to reconsider the proposed ban, warning that it could further marginalize an already underrepresented group in French society.
Source:caliber.az
https://caliber.az/en/post/french-bill-to-ban-headscarves-in-sports-sparks-backlash-from-muslim-women-s-rights-groups
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Rights group urges recognition of 'gender apartheid' in Iran
MARCH 6, 2025
A US-based rights group has urged governments to recognize what it called gender apartheid in Iran as a crime against humanity, arguing that the Islamic Republic systematically oppresses women.
"The oppression of women in Iran is not just discrimination—it is a deliberately designed, institutionalized system of domination intended to enforce the subjugation of women to maintain the state’s grip on power," said Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) director of communications, Bahar Ghandehari.
"This state-sanctioned systemic subjugation amounts to nothing less than gender apartheid, which fully meets the threshold of a crime against humanity," she added in the press release on Thursday.
Unlike racial apartheid, which is explicitly banned under international law, gender apartheid is not yet recognized as a distinct crime.
CHRI called on governments to support its inclusion in the proposed Crimes Against Humanity treaty, impose sanctions on officials enforcing discriminatory policies, and back UN investigations into rights abuses in Iran.
Earlier this year, Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi called on France's Senate to support the criminalization of gender apartheid and prioritize the fight for human and women's rights in Iran.
Tehran postponed implementing the controversial hijab law in December following a backlash from the public and the international community.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday he cannot implement the law due to popular opposition, after hardliners largely thwarted his agenda by pushing out top aides and rejecting his overtures to Washington.
The remarks, quoted by the head of his office in a post on X, were the strongest yet against a dormant law to tighten Islamic morality restrictions on women.
Popular opposition to hijab enforcement exploded in September 2022 when a young woman named Mahsa Jina Amini died in morality police custody, sparking nationwide protests dubbed the Woman Life Freedom movement.
The unrest was quashed with deadly force and opposition to the theocracy festered, but hardliners still drafted the new hijab law in May 2023.
Source:iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202503060766
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The scorecard on women’s political participation and representation in Africa
March 06, 2025
By Josephine Mwangi
The world is just coming to terms with the “2024 Super Election year” results, which saw over half the world’s population go to the polls. In Africa, 19 presidential, general, and local elections were held. 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for ActionBeijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 25 years since the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, 22 years since the adoption of the Maputo Protocol and 5 years to the 2030 Agenda in particular SDG 5 and related targets such as target 5.5. The Women’s Political Participation Programme (WPP) program is anchored on these normative frameworks.
The Women in Political Participation (WPP), program is a Pan African programme that aims to contribute to the advancement of gender equality in politics and governance, in line with the Maputo Protocol of 2003; various associated sub-regional protocols and standards including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The programme is funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Ethiopia and operates in eight African Countries including Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania and Zimbabwe and works with the Africa Union as well as the Regional Economic Blocs.
The programme operates as a consortium led by International IDEA in partnership with FAWE, FEMNET, Gender Links, IFAN, PADARE and WLSA. Furthermore, the WPP is complemented and reinforced by the EU-funded Women and Youth Democratic Engagement (WYDE) Women’s Leadership which seeks to Advance Transformative Gender Social Norms to Enhance Women and Youth Participation and Representation in Leadership and Decision-Making in Sub-Saharan Africa.
International IDEA as a think-and-do tank ensures research informs policy and practice. Therefore, the WPP program during the first phase of the project, produced insightful publications that are reflective of Africa’s progress in political participation and representation and articulated the challenges women face in the quest to meaningfully participate in Africa’s political arena. The publications include the WPP Africa Barometer, The Motivation for Women in Politics: The Contemporary Politics of Women’s Participation and Representation in Africa and The Research on Challenges and Opportunities for Women Politicians with Disabilities in Africa are aligned to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) goal 5. 5 and Leaving No One Behind.
The second edition of the WPP Africa Barometer 2024 showed a slight increase in women's representation in African parliaments, from 24 per cent to 25 per cent over three years, despite 36 African countries having elections since 2021. The publication noted slight increases in numbers of women across most indicators including in the Electoral Management bodies, Speakers of Parliaments, local government, Cabinet and top executive positions with the most notable increase being women elected as Mayors of Capital Cities in Africa. However, there is a decrease in political party leadership, which could explain the low numbers possibly due to gatekeeping. Despite Africa having the youngest population globally, their representation in the parliaments is only 2.2 per cent with less than 1 per cent being young women. The report also highlights barriers to women's political participation, such as formal and informal political parties, electoral systems, media, limited financial resources, societal norms, gender stereotypes, and violence against women in politics.
The Motivation for Women in Politics: The Contemporary Politics of Women’s Participation and Representation in Africa highlights that the global race to increase women's representation in politics is faltering, despite various protocols and commitments to democratic principles. African countries have the necessary policy and institutional frameworks to address the gender political participation gap. Governments can lead change by domesticating these frameworks, integrating gender perspectives, and developing practical measures. Motivation for women in political participation comes from changing political environments, feminist movements, desire to serve, liberation struggles, and support systems. The publication recommends that African governments should accelerate domestication, implement mandatory 50/50 gender quotas, increase budgetary allocations, integrate gender considerations into policies, and include political education and literacy in curricula.
The Research on Challenges and Opportunities for Women Politicians with Disabilities in Africa conducted in six African countries found that women with disabilities are underrepresented in political leadership, despite the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The inclusion of women with disabilities is often based on constitutional or legal thresholds, creating a double jeopardy of disability and being a woman. Despite this, there has been positive progress in women's representation in legislative bodies. Key barriers include negative sociocultural beliefs, stigma, low adherence to party provisions, absence of effective sanctions by elections management bodies, lack of financial resources, social media and political violence. The study recommends that African governments review election financing laws, address violence, increase security, strengthen oversight capacity, and support mass public education
All these reports indicate that urgent action is required to ensure women in all their diversities must be fully included and participate effectively with equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. Larger investments in women’s political participation including women in all their diversities — young women, women with disabilities, and women from marginalised communities — must continue for economic growth, innovation, peace and security and ultimately for the transformation of the continent.
To achieve the Africa Union Aspiration 6 - An Africa, whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth then the continent must #AccerelateAction and the time is now.
Source:idea.int
https://www.idea.int/news/scorecard-womens-political-participation-and-representation-africa
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UAE Adopts Key Strategies Towards Women Empowerment
March 07, 2025
(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ABU DHABI, March 7 (KUNA) -- Empowerment of Emirati women is operating at high speeds, as it is a matter of great priority to the country's leadership, a leadership that views women as an essential and influential partner in facing challenges and achieving comprehensive development.
Globally, the UAE took seventh place and remained in first place regionally in gender equality index of the UN development program.
On a more local front, Emirati women took another seat at cabinet with the recent addition of Ministry of Family and Sana'a bint Mohammad Suhail as the Minister.
A new health policy has been instated aiming to provide women with highest levels of healthcare through multidisciplinary approaches for all stages of life whether preventative healthcare, treatment or rehabilitation.
The Emirati Ministry of Economy issued a resolution allotting at least one seat for women at the joint stock companies' board of directors, this empowers women economically and boosts diversity in world of business.
The Ministry and General Women's Union signed an agreement with the aim of promoting the presence of women entrepreneurs, as well as uniting media efforts to highlight UAE's effort in supporting women.
The Union launched the second edition of its economic empowerment program. The program targets various age groups, to help them start their business or grow already existing ones.
The Emirati Competitiveness Council inked an agreement with the Gender Balance Council with the objective of boosting coordination and cooperation, as well as bolstering Emirati women presence in private sector.
According to official data, women comprise 70 percent of university graduates, 46 percent of job market in general, 68 percent of public sector including a third of ministerial positions and 50 percent of the Federal National Council.
The UAE, over the past few years, adopted several policies and strategies relating to guaranteeing the rights of women including national plan on women, peace and security, policy for the elderly, and the gender balance 2026 strategy.
Since the establishment of the United Arab Emirates, the path of women empowerment witnessed several momentous turns including positions at the Federal National Council, participation in strategic sector of space and clean energy, and the appointment of first female judge. (end)
Source:menafn.com
https://menafn.com/1109287734/UAE-Adopts-Key-Strategies-Towards-Women-Empowerment
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Fifth edition of Academy for Women Entrepreneurs UAE programme concludes
March 06, 2025
ABU DHABI, 6th March, 2025 (WAM) -- startAD, the Abu Dhabi-based global accelerator powered by Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), along with the United States Mission to the UAE, held a closing ceremony to mark the completion of the fifth edition of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) UAE program.
Launched during Eid Al Etihad, the AWE 5.0 x EWA Bootcamp is the result of a unique collaboration between the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) and the startAD Impact Hub for Emirati Women Achievers.
Aligned with the International Women's Day theme of 'Accelerate Action' and the UAE's Year of Community, the Closing Ceremony held at the NYUAD campus welcomed United States Ambassador to the UAE, Martina Strong, who delivered remarks highlighting how AWE strengthens U.S.-UAE economic ties, expands opportunities for American businesses, and drives shared prosperity.
The event was an opportunity for aspiring businesswomen to demonstrate their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit and to celebrate the impact of Emirati female-led ventures in global markets. The event featured live demonstrations, pitches, and networking opportunities for the ecosystem partners and the participating businesses.
The programme combined targeted workshops and training sessions, personalised mentorship, community events, and networking opportunities. The participants received certified training from NYUAD Executive Education, delivered by NYU Stern faculty, focusing on building a global mindset, internationalisation strategies, leading cross-cultural teams, and partnership models for cross-border success.
This edition also welcomed Agility, a leading logistics firm that powered the mentorship component by convening leading experts across various industries who provided custom coaching to entrepreneurs. This comprehensive approach equipped the Emirati Women Achievers with the knowledge, tools, and network to scale and bring their innovations to the world stage.
Over the last five years, AWE UAE businesses have become an integral part of the local economy, generating $46 million in revenue, raising $13 million in funding, and creating 608 jobs.
Associate Director of startADNihal Shaikh said, “With over 128,400 Emirati women Founded SMEs valued at more than USD 16 billion operating in the UAE, it is clear that Emirati women are a driving force in the UAE’s economic transformation. Yet, expanding beyond domestic markets often remains a challenge. The AWE 5 x EWA Bootcamp is designed to ignite the global ambitions of Emirati women entrepreneurs. By providing world-class training, mentorship, and a thriving network, the program equips entrepreneurs to not only thrive locally but also explore becoming competitive players in the global economy.”
Source:msn.com
https://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/other/fifth-edition-of-academy-for-women-entrepreneurs-uae-programme-concludes/ar-AA1AnwJv
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Jordan highlights women’s growing role across wide range of social sectors
March 06, 2025
AMMAN: Women’s participation in Jordan’s social, economic, and political spheres has seen significant growth, with notable improvements in education, employment, and leadership roles, according to the latest figures from the kingdom’s Department of Statistics.
To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, the department revealed that Jordan’s female population stood at just over 5.5 million by the end of 2024, accounting for 47.1 percent of the total population, the Jordan News Agency reported.
The majority — 60.7 percent — fall within the working-age group of 15-64 years, while 35.4 percent are under 15, and 3.9 percent are 65 and above. Women in Jordan also enjoy a higher life expectancy than men by an average of 3.2 years.
Education has been a driving force in women’s advancement, with illiteracy rates among Jordanian women aged 15 and above dropping from 16.5 percent in 2000 to just 6.8 percent in 2024. Meanwhile, the proportion of educated women has climbed to 93.2 percent.
Enrolment figures reflect steady progress, with female participation in basic education rising from 90 percent in 2000 to 94.8 percent in 2023.
Similarly, secondary education enrolment increased from 77 percent to 83.1 percent in the same period. Women now hold leadership positions in education, making up 76.4 percent of primary school principals and 61.5 percent of secondary school principals.
Higher education also continues to see strong female representation, with women constituting 54.7 percent of undergraduate students, 58.5 percent of master’s students, and 56 percent of doctoral candidates.
Women’s participation in Jordan’s workforce has also grown over the past 12 months, with the female economic participation rate rising from 14 percent in 2023 to 14.9 percent in 2024.
The vast majority (95.4 percent) of working women are paid employees, with nearly half (48.6 percent) employed in the private sector. Professional, technical, and specialist roles have become increasingly dominated by women, with their share rising from 73 percent to 75.9 percent over the past year.
Property ownership among women has also improved, with female land ownership increasing from 15.8 percent in 2015 to 19.2 percent in 2023.
Joint land ownership grew from 32.9 percent to 37.5 percent, while female apartment ownership climbed from 23 percent to 25.9 percent, with joint ownership also rising from 16 percent to 20.4 percent.
Financial independence has been another area of progress, with 82.8 percent of married women aged 15-49 actively participating in financial decision-making alongside their husbands, while 13.8 percent make independent financial choices.
Women’s political representation has expanded significantly, with female members in Jordan’s Lower House of Parliament increasing from 6.4 percent in 2008 to almost 20 percent in 2024. Nine women secured parliamentary seats through party lists, while 18 won through the gender quota system.
In the judiciary, the proportion of female judges has surged from 6.2 percent to 29.5 percent. Women also hold nearly a quarter of ministerial positions and 25.6 percent of diplomatic roles, including 15.4 percent serving as ambassadors.
Source:arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2592693/middle-east
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/hindutva-porn-artificial-muslim-women/d/134806