The Kerala Story: Film on India women in Islamic State sparks row
New
Age Islam News Bureau
10 November 2022
•
Afghanistan: Taliban ban women's entry to amusement parks
•
West Bengal: Women suspected to be lesbians thrashed, private parts burnt by
'Muslim youths'
•
2 Bangladeshi women likely among 11 dead in Maldives fire
•
Taliban official: Women banned from Afghanistan’s gyms
•
US woman detained in Saudi Arabia over Twitter post released, family says
•
23-yr-old Indian American Muslim woman wins US mid-term elections
•
Malala says she always wanted to support Pakistani content and artists
•
Arab woman enters ICU following liposuction
•
Golfer, racer, boss: young women aiming high in the Gulf
•
Profile: A look into the journeys of trailblazing Saudi female Harley Davidson
bikers
•
All-women Firdaus Orchestra, mentored by A.R. Rahman, returns to Expo City
Dubai
•
Coalition calls out media for focusing on female candidates’ looks
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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The
Kerala Story: Film on India women in Islamic State sparks row
By
Imran Qureshi
Nov
10, 2022
SUNSHINE
PICTURES / YOUTUBE
The
teaser of the film, The Kerala Story, has sparked outrage in India
--------------
Police
in Kerala have sought legal advice on a complaint about a movie teaser that is
sparking controversy in the southern Indian state.
In
the teaser - for an upcoming movie called The Kerala Story - an actress claims
her character is one among 32,000 women from the state who were
"converted" into Islamic terrorists.
Some
politicians from the state have called for the film to be banned.
A
journalist has written to the state's chief minister seeking an inquiry.
The
office of the chief minister referred the letter - written by Arvindakshan BR -
to the police.
"Investigation
has started. We have sought legal opinion on the letter as to what action can
be initiated," said Sparjan Kumar, police commissioner of
Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.
In
the teaser, a burkha-clad woman says that her name was ShaliniUnnikrishnan and
she had wanted to become a nurse.
"Now
I am Fatima Ba, an IS terrorist in a jail in Afghanistan," she says,
adding that there are "32,000 girls like [her] who have been converted and
buried in the deserts of Syria and Yemen".
"A
deadly game is being played to convert normal girls into dreaded terrorists in
Kerala and that too in the open," she says.
The
teaser has been viewed more than 440,000 times on YouTube in the past six days
and has received both criticism and praise.
Adah
Sharma, the actress, tweeted the teaser of the movie with the hashtag
#TrueStory. The film's producer, Vipul Shah, did not respond to the BBC's
messages.
MrArvindakshan,
the journalist, told the BBC that he has asked for an inquiry and for the
filmmakers to produce evidence because he was outraged by the claims in the
teaser.
"Some
cases may have happened but 32,000 is an unbelievable number,'' he said.
In
an 2021 interview with Citti Media - a media production company - the film's
director said that he arrived at that number based on figures given to the
Kerala assembly by former chief minister OommenChandy.
MrSen
claimed that MrChandy had said that "every year approximately 2,800 to
3,200 girls were taking up Islam" and so, it worked up to 32,000 in 10
years.
However,
Indian fact-checking news website Alt News said in a report that there was
"no evidence" to back the claim.
It
found that MrChandy in 2012 had said that 2,667 young women had converted to
Islam in the state since 2006, without mentioning an annual figure.
In
2016, a group of 21 people from Kerala had left the country in batches to join
an affiliate of the Islamic State jihadist militant group.
One
of them, a student, had converted to Islam before getting married. She was
eight months pregnant when she left the country.
In
2021, after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, Indian officials said
four women from Kerala who had joined the Islamic State were in jail there.
"One
needs to check the records but our estimate is that there are not more than
10-15 women who have got converted and left to join the IS from Kerala since
2016," a police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the
BBC.
MrArvindakshan
says he has also written to the Central Board of Film Certification, state film
certification boards as well as India's minister for information and
broadcasting Anurag Thakur. He has not received any response yet.
"This
film is against the unity and sovereignty of India and tarnishes the
credibility of all intelligence agencies of India," he said.
The
film's teaser has also triggered a political controversy in Kerala.
Congress
party leader VD Satheesan called it a "clear case of misinformation"
and claimed that the film was made to "tarnish the image of Kerala"
and "spread hatred among people".
Lawmaker
of Kerala's governing Communist Party of India (Marxist) John Brittas on
Wednesday wrote a letter to federal home minister Amit Shah, asking him to take
stringent action against the filmmakers.
However,
K Surendran - a leader of the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) - criticised the
Kerala government for filing a case against the filmmakers.
He
said the chief minister "should have the guts to act against the IS
recruiters in Kerala".
Source:
BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63580042
--------
Afghanistan:
Taliban ban women's entry to amusement parks
Nov
10, 2022
Afghan
women protest against inequality under Taliban government Photograph:( AFP )
-------------
Women
in Afghanistan will be denied entry to amusement parks in the country, the
Taliban government's "morality police" ordered on Wednesday.
The
ban adds to a series of gender-oppressive measures imposed by the Taliban-led
government after it dethroned the democratically-elected Ashraf Ghani
government in Kabul last August, followed by a chaotic exit of the last US
forces stationed there in operative capacity since the aftermath of September
11, 2001 attacks.
What
do we know so far?
A
spokesperson for Afghanistan's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and
Prevention of Vice (MPVPV) said on Wednesday that women would not be allowed to
enter amusement parks.
Two
park operators were quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency that the
Taliban had directed them not to allow women to enter their parks.
Earlier,
the Taliban-led administration had directed the amusement park businesses that
their parks must be segregated according to gender, with some days reserved
exclusively for women. This rule also ran its jurisdiction to all public parks,
including open spaces, and public baths.
The
Taliban government did not clarify how the restrictions would work alongside
this previous order.
New
rule part of curtailment of women's freedoms in Afghanistan
One
of the first acts of Afghanistan's Taliban government, once the hardliner group
became the undisputed leadership entity of Afghanistan, was to deprive girls of
getting a secondary education.
The
government also did not keep its promise of opening all girls' high schools in
March.
The
Taliban government had also directed the women they must not leave their homes
without a male relative and must cover their faces.
Women
have been removed from public service positions except where they cannot be
filled by men in education, health, and some elements of policing.
A
United Nations report in August pointed out that "the increasingly
dangerous and hopeless situation for women and girls has contributed to a
reported increase of suicides among women."
Source:WIONews
https://www.wionews.com/world/afghanistan-taliban-bans-womens-entry-to-amusement-parks-532828
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West
Bengal: Women suspected to be lesbians thrashed, private parts burnt by 'Muslim
youths'
November
10, 2022
Representational
image
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Murshidabad:
In a horrifying incident, two women were brutally thrashed and their private
parts were burnt reportedly by Muslim youths in West Bengal’s Murshidabad
district on suspicion of them being lesbians.
On
Monday, the two girls filed a complaint at Sagardighi Police Station against
two of their relatives who assaulted them with iron rods, branding them as
lesbians, police sources told India Today.
As
per sources, the accused even tried to rape the victims with the help of
another local.
The
accused have been identified as Sahebul Sheikh, Kadam and Saheb. Two of them
happen to be the victim’s relatives.
“Both
the girls grew up together. They enjoy each other’s company and support each
other. The locals did not accept their friendship,” said the mother of one of
the two girls.
Meanwhile
one of the two victims said, “My friend and I meet up every day and tie bidis
(local smoke), but I did not see her on 25 October. Later in the night, she
called me up and asked me to visit her. She was suffering from immense pain in
her abdomen.”
Later
on, she decided to stay back at her friend’s place.
On
the next day, the three accused barged into the room where both the victims
were sleeping and reportedly questioned them why they were sharing the same
bed.
Later,
they cruelly tortured the girls, beat them up, and burnt their pelvis area with
piping-hot rods for being lesbians, according to India Today.
They
even tried to strip and rape them. Even they threatened to “expose” their
relationship if they spoke to others about what happened, sources said.
“We
are in a relationship, no one restrained us. Had we been warned, we would not
have pursued. Three of them molested us, touched us uncomfortably, and tried to
rape us,” said one of the two girls. She even accused the three men of making
multiple incisions in the abdomen and thighs of the victim.
Source:Firstpost
Police
have arrested one of three accused, while the other two are currently
absconding.
--------
2
Bangladeshi women likely among 11 dead in Maldives fire
Nov
10, 2022
Photo:
Twitter/ @liyaakujjaa
-----------
Two
Bangladeshi women could be among 11 people who died in the fire that swept
through cramped lodgings of foreign workers in Maldives capital Male.
Another
Bangladeshi man was injured in the fire, and he is undergoing treatment at the
Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Bangladesh High Commission First Secretary
(Labour) SohelParvez told The Daily Star today.
Identity
of the deceased or injured could not be known yet, said SohelParvez who visited
the spot this morning after hearing about the incident.
"We
are in touch with Maldives authorities to identify the dead and injured
workers," the official said.
According
to AFP, the capital of the archipelago best known as an upmarket holiday
destination is one of the world's most densely populated cities.
Officials
said the dead bodies were recovered from the upper floor of the building
destroyed in the fire, which originated from a ground-floor vehicle repair
garage.
A
fire service official said it took them about four hours to put out the fire.
Maldivian
political parties have criticised conditions that foreign workers live in.
They
are thought to make up about half of Male's 250,000-strong population and are
mostly from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Their
poor living conditions were brought to light during the Covid-19 pandemic when
the infection spread three times faster among foreign workers compared with
locals.
Source:TheDailyStar
https://www.thedailystar.net/nrb/news/bangladeshi-among-10-killed-maldives-fire-3165391
--------
Taliban
official: Women banned from Afghanistan’s gyms
November
10, 2022
The
Taliban said it ‘tried its best’ over the past 15 months to avoid closing parks
and gyms for women. (AFP)
-----------
KABUL:
The Taliban is banning women from using gyms in Afghanistan, an official said
Thursday, the religious group’s latest edict cracking down on women’s rights
and freedoms since they took power more than a year ago.
The
Taliban overran the country last year, seizing power in August 2021. They have
banned girls from middle school and high school, despite initial promises to
the country, restricted women from most fields of employment, and ordered them
to wear head-to-toe clothing in public.
A
spokesman from the Ministry of Virtue and Vice said the ban was being
introduced because people were ignoring gender segregation orders and that
women were not wearing the required hijab, or head covering. Women are also
banned from parks.
The
ban on women using gyms and parks came into force this week.
Mohammed
AkefMoHajjer, a Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Ministry of Vice and
Virtue, said the group had “tried its best” over the past 15 months to avoid
closing parks and gyms for women, ordering separate days of the week for male
and female access or imposing gender segregation. “But, unfortunately, the
orders were not obeyed and the rules were violated, and we had to close parks
and gyms for women,” said Mahjer.
“In
most cases, we have seen both men and women together in parks and,
unfortunately, the hijab was not observed. So we had to come up with another
decision and for now we ordered all parks and gyms to be closed for women.”
Taliban
teams will begin monitoring establishments to check if women are still using
them, he said.
Hard-liners
appear to hold sway in the Taliban-led administration, which struggles to
govern and remains internationally isolated. An economic downturn has driven
millions more Afghans into poverty and hunger as the flow of foreign aid has
slowed to a trickle.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2197031/world
--------
US
woman detained in Saudi Arabia over Twitter post released, family says
9
Nov 2022
An
American woman who was detained in Saudi Arabia after posting on Twitter that
she and her daughter had been trapped in the kingdom since 2019 has been
released and reunited with her daughter, according to her family.
Carly
Morris, 34, was released from prison on Wednesday but is still under a travel
ban. She was detained on Sunday over allegations that she was “destabilising
public order” after posting that she and her daughter, eight, had been held
against their will in the country.
US
officials had on Tuesday confirmed they were aware of Morris’s detention and
that the US embassy in Riyadh was “very engaged” in the case. The ordeal has
shed light on Saudi’s guardianship system, which appears to have prevented
Morris from being allowed to leave the kingdom.
While
it is far from clear whether Morris and her daughter will be allowed to leave
the kingdom, her release from prison – for now – suggests that the American
could be spared from the slew of harsh and draconian sentences that have been
doled out by Saudi authorities in recent months against people who use Twitter
or other social media outlets to criticise the Saudi government.
Morris’s
case emerged publicly for the first time in August, when human rights defenders
began discussing Morris’s plight in Saudi Arabia. Morris had decided to travel
to Saudi Arabia for a short period in 2019 so that her daughter could meet her
father’s family in Saudi. Morris is divorced from her daughter’s father.
Once
she arrived in Saudi, Morris’s family have claimed that her passport and her
daughter’s passport were taken from them and that she has been held in a hotel
since 2019. Recently, Morris posted a detailed statement about her ordeal on
Twitter, in which she warned other women and children against visiting the
kingdom.
Morris
was detained after being summoned to a public prosecutor’s office on Sunday in
connection with an allegation that she was “destabilising public order”,
according to an official document seen by the Guardian. The document states
that Morris is American and lists her occupation as “housewife”.
The
Saudi embassy in Washington and the ministry of foreign affairs did not
immediately respond to an email from the Associated Press seeking comment.
In
an interview with the Guardian before Morris’s release, Morris’s mother, Denise
White, said Morris had decided to take a short vacation to Saudi Arabia in 2019
so that her daughter could spend time with her father’s family.
White
said she had expressed concerns to her daughter at the time about her travel
plans. “She kept saying, ‘We’ll be back before you know it,’” White said.
Morris
later told her mother that her passport and her daughter’s passport had been
taken by her ex-husband after she arrived. More recently, Morris told her
mother that she had been banned from traveling and that she was “scared
something is going to happen”.
“She
did tell me she felt like she was trapped there,” White said. “She met with the
US embassy and Saudi officials, there was some kind of meeting, and during that
meeting she said she felt there was no solution.”
Source:
TheGuardian
--------
23-yr-old
Indian American Muslim woman wins US mid-term elections
Sakina
Fatima
10th
November 2022
A
23-year-old Indian-American Muslim woman Nabeela Syed, the candidate of the
Democratic Party, has won a significant victory in the United States (US)
mid-term elections.
Nabeela
has written history as the youngest representative to have won the election for
the 51st House district of the Illinois state legislature in US.
On
Wednesday, Nabeela took to Twitter and shared her happiness of being elected to
the General Assembly as a representative of the Democratic party.
“My
name is Nabeela Syed. I’m a 23-year old Muslim, Indian-American woman. We just
flipped a Republican-held suburban district,” she tweeted.
She
further wrote, I will be the youngest member of the Illinois General Assembly.
Nabeela
took to Instagram and wrote, “When I announced for State Representative, I made
it a mission to genuinely engage in conversation with people – to give them a
reason to get involved in our democracy and hope for better leadership that
represents their values. We won this race because we engaged in that
conversation.”
“We
talked to seniors about the rising cost of prescription drugs. We talked to
working families about the growing burden of property taxes. We talked to
women, pledging that I would protect their right to reproductive healthcare. We
spoke with parents about their desire to strengthen commonsense gun safety
laws,” she adds.
Nabeela
continues, “We won this race because the people of the 51st District want a
representative who is ready to fight for them and their families.”
“I
knocked every door in this district. Tomorrow, I start knocking them again to
thank them for placing their trust in me. I’m ready to get to work,” she added.
In
June 2022, Nabeela Syed had won the Democratic primary and has now flipped a
Republican district against incumbent Chris Bos.
Syed,
who becomes the first South Asian in the Illinois state legislature, will also
be the youngest member of the state assembly.
Born
and raised in Illinois, Nabeela Syed graduated from the University of
California with a degree in Political Science.
In
her election manifesto, Nabeela Syed has promised to consider and address
public issues such as equal rights, health care, education and taxation.
According
to her website, Syed is running “to build a better Illinois for residents today
and tomorrow – an Illinois with a strong economy, sustainable infrastructure,
and affordable healthcare, and higher education.”
Syed
currently works for a non-profit, helping them in digital strategy and
supporting a myriad of civic engagement initiatives, for example, mobilising
voters, curbing sexual assault on college campuses, and enhancing gender
equity, according to her official website.
Having
graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in
Political Science and Business, she served as the president of a pro-bono
consulting organisation that helped local businesses.
Syed
is active in her religious community at the Islamic Society of Northwest
Suburbs and advocates interfaith dialogue and aims to empower young Muslim
women to lead.
Source:Siasat
Daily
https://www.siasat.com/23-yr-old-indian-american-muslim-woman-wins-us-mid-term-elections-2453167/
--------
Malala says she always wanted to support Pakistani content and artists
NOVEMBER
10, 2022
Pakistan’s
Oscars Selection Committee shortlisted Joyland as the country’s submission to
the 95th Academy Awards for the ‘International Feature Film Award’ category.
Written
and directed by SaimSadiq, and produced by Apoorva Guru Charan, Sarmad Sultan
Khoosat and Lauren Mann, Joyland features Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan,
SarwatGillani, Salman Peerzada, Sohail Sameer and Sania Saeed. The film, which
is all set to release in Pakistan on November 18, has been all the rage ever
since it bagged several accolades worldwide. Sadiq’s fruit of labour will be
screening in local cinemas next week. The film made even more headlines when
Pakistan’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate, MalalaYousafzai, joined the project
as its executive producer.
“My
goal was to bring attention to the stories that are often put aside, to give an
opportunity to more voices from different corners of the world and focusing
especially on women, people of colour and young artists,” Yousafzai told
Variety in a recent interaction. “Starting with Joyland is such a moment of
joy, because this is a Pakistani film produced by Pakistani directors, writers
and actors, and I’m a Pakistani executive producer. This was such an incredible
opportunity for me to begin with this. I always imagined a world where I could
support more Pakistani content, more Pakistani artists.”
The
activist further added, “The themes that are touched upon in this movie
resonate with people all around the world. We hear about family dynamics, we
hear about the relationship between parents and children, between husband and
wife, between the work that you are expected to do inside your house compared
to the role you want to play outside in society. And these are the things that
we hear about in every corner of the world.”
Elaborating
on the same, Yousafzai divulged, “There are disappointments from parents, there
are disappointments in relationships as well. And these are the themes that
this movie has touched upon so beautifully. We also hear about identity and how
people are trying to understand their own identity and then find a place for it
in their home and outside as well, finding that dignity and respect that they
deserve.”
Sadiq,
while speaking to the publication shared his own two cents about his upcoming
release. “There is something to be said about how we’ve been talking on issues
about identity and sexuality and gender, and the politics regarding trans
issues, which we’ve only seen with the Western frame of reference so far in
movies and film. That may not be the same as what is a South Asian frame of
reference, because, even though the issues are pretty much the same, the way of
dealing with them emotionally and politically, are very different,” Sadiq told
the outlet.
“This
film does introduce a new leaf in terms of the conversation around that because
it’s just refreshing to see a very empowered trans character who happens to be
brown and Muslim and in a country like Pakistan,” he shared.
Sadiq
also has a different perspective on the conservative family that is at the core
of Joyland. “Very often in movies, we do enforce liberal values, and tend to
paint the people who are conservative with a brush that perhaps we shouldn’t,
because we from the media, or from the artistic community where most people
often are liberal, we expect a certain amount of empathy from the conservatives
for us, but it starts with us affording that empathy to the conservative folks
as well, and looking at them with an empathetic light, and seeing how they
perhaps are also struggling with the very system that they’re trying to
uphold,” the director commented.
Meanwhile,
Yousafzai is unequivocal about her support for the film. “This film deserves an
Oscar and I’m really proud that it’s been submitted from Pakistan – it deserves
all the awards out there. And I hope that more and more people step forward and
nominate the film,” says Yousafzai. “I will be doing all that is in my
capacity, whether that’s in person or in any other way, to tell everyone that
this is an incredible movie, watch it, nominate it, support it.”
Previously,
talking about Joyland, the 25-year-old told the publication she’s “incredibly
proud to support a film that proves Pakistani artists are among the best in
global cinema.” She had said in a statement, “Joyland invites us to open our
eyes to the people closest to us – to see our family members and friends as
they are, not coloured by our own expectations or societal bias.” In an
exclusive, Sadiq spoke about the Academy Awards, saying it’s a long process for
that, and things will start looking up if they get shortlisted in December, but
for now, his “primary” focus is on the Pakistan release, and everything else is
a bonus.
“Of
course, with the Oscars, there’s optimism and excitement but the intent is for
the film to be seen and the Oscars will enable that eventual goal. I want all
kinds of people to see it instead of it becoming a niche for people who already
agree with my point,” he said, which essentially is why they onboardedMalala.
“Her
involvement is particularly important for the campaign. She is there to promote
the film, have it screened and introduce it at festivals. That’s what she did
in London also. Campaigning is a big part of the Oscars. One can pretend that
it’s only about the quality of the film but it’s not,” exclaimed Sadiq in all
honesty.
“There’s
a whole process where you need to make people watch the film so that they can
vote for it. To make people watch it, everyone sort of brings a celebrity on
board to promote it and in that way, I think she will help a lot!”
Source:DailyTimes
Pakistan
--------
Arab
woman enters ICU following liposuction
Nov
10, 2022
AMMAN
— An Arab woman was transferred from a private clinic to a private hospital in
critical condition following a liposuction surgery, according to Al-Ghad News.
An
informed source at the Ministry of Health said that the woman had visited a
clinic located in a house in west Amman, where a non-specialist doctor
performed a liposuction surgery on her. Following the surgery, she bled for
eight hours straight, leading to a decrease in blood flow. She was then to the
ICU at a private hospital and was reported to be in critical condition.
A
number of relevant authorities have visited the private hospital to look into
the incident and open an investigation into the case, the source indicated.
Source:
Jordan News
https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-109/News/Arab-woman-enters-ICU-following-liposuction-24401
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Golfer,
racer, boss: young women aiming high in the Gulf
November
09, 2022
The
Arabian peninsula is known for its conservative traditions but rapid social
change is opening up new possibilities for women — especially younger
generations.
In
a video project dedicated to young people in the Middle East, where more than
half of the population is under 30, AFP interviewed women from Saudi Arabia,
Yemen, Qatar, and Bahrain.
The
first part of the series focused on artists in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, the Gaza
Strip, Israel, and Iraq.
'Start
from zero'
Clad
in black and red overalls, EsraaAldkheil is the only female on the karting
track in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, where some repressive policies
are being rolled back.
By
day, the 28-year-old works as a biophysical chemistry researcher to fund her
dream: becoming the kingdom's first motorsports world champion.
By
night, she races her male competitors, speeding around the track in a country
where women were banned from driving until 2018.
"I
see a beautiful future for me in Saudi Arabia," says Aldkheil, who also
clocks up two to three hours at the gym, five days a week.
Aldkheil
finishes fourth in the race, just off the podium — but afterwards, she grins
and points to the top step, where the winner stands.
"When
you start from zero, there are enormous challenges to overcome to reach this
level," she says.
"I
keep working towards my goal. I want to be an example for all girls who are
insecure."
'I'm
the director'
Kafaa
Mari dreams of becoming Yemen's first female education minister and rebuilding
her country, shattered by eight years of war.
Mari,
28, heads a body promoting "women´s development" in the Hadramaut
province of her deeply conservative homeland.
Driving
up to her workplace in Seiyun, a soldier posted at the entrance stops her.
"I´m the director here," she informs him proudly.
"I
want to take part in making decisions, especially those that concern
women," Mari tells AFP, adding that women are still a long way from being
considered "partners of men" in building their community.
The
war has brought to light women's essential role in society, says Mari, who
hopes to restore the image of a country once known to the Romans as
"Arabia Felix" ("Happy Arabia").
'Fast
progress'
In
an air-conditioned cafe in Doha, Jawhara Al-Thani is working on her "Women
of Qatar" website, which aims "to uncover the rarely witnessed but
ubiquitous roles of women in Qatari society".
Featuring
portraits of successful and aspiring women on her website, Al-Thani — a
competition-level archer — hopes "to help inspire many generations to
come" in the conservative, gas-rich state.
"My
personal experience varies drastically from other women in Qatar, I believe,
and Qatari women in general," says the 27-year-old, who is among hundreds
of members of the gas-rich kingdom´s reigning Al-Thani family.
"I
am very aware of my privilege and my fortune to have grown up in an educated
family and in a family that supports one another regardless of gender."
Al-Thani
is encouraged by the success stories, which she says are a testament to the
"very fast progress" in Qatar.
"If
you look at who's on top, you see a lot of Qatari women," she says, but
concedes they are "maybe not as much as we would like to see".
"As
I said, very fast progress, very fast changes in a very small amount of
time."
'We
can win first prize'
Aged
just 18, Habiba Maher is the first woman to play golf for Bahrain.
After
practising on a manicured course in the capital, Manama, she returns home and
shows off her collection of trophies and photos taken with Bahraini royalty.
"My
dream is to take part in international championships... against female
professionals from all over the world," says Maher, who studies computer
science at the American University of Bahrain.
"I
dream of winning first place, of waving our national flag high and proving that
we Bahraini women can win first prize."
Source:TheNews
Pakistan
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1008159-golfer-racer-boss-young-women-aiming-high-in-the-gulf
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Profile:
A look into the journeys of trailblazing Saudi female Harley Davidson bikers
10
November, 2022
It
has now been a few years since women in Saudi Arabia were allowed to drive for
the first time. While many have taken to the streets with their cars, some have
chosen to learn how to ride motorbikes to quench their thirst for greater
adrenaline.
Two
Saudi women, trailblazing the path for other females in the Gulf country who
are interested in biking, filled Al Arabiya English in on their journey into
the world of driving Harley Davidson bikes.
Saudi
bikers Nour and Wedad said that riding their Harley Davidson bikes throughout
the streets of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh has made them feel “an unexplainable sense
of freedom,” as they continue to challenge euro-centric stereotypes of Saudi
women.
Both
Nour and Wedad, who asked to be identified by their first names, are currently
the only Saudi female bikers in the Riyadh chapter of the Harley Owners Group’s
‘Ladies of Harley,’ a program sponsored by the H.O.G. to support and encourage
women motorbike enthusiasts to become more active in the bikers community.
The
overall number of L.O.H members ranges between 50 and 60 and there are
currently 2,000 members in the Riyadh chapter with the H.O.G in Saudi Arabia
being the biggest in the GCC.
For
each, the passion for bikes was rooted in different circumstances.
In
Nour’s case, it was her father who ingrained this desire to own and ride a
bike.
“The
passion for bikes started when I was five. I was raised in a house where my
father is a Harley Davidson rider and I used to be his passenger for many
years. So, the first person to have given me a helmet was my father,” she said
in an interview with Al Arabiya English.
“As
soon as we were allowed to drive cars I went to my dad and told him I still
love bikes and he told me if you love it [get one] and I will be your
supporter.”
A
ban on women driving was lifted in 2018 as part of Saudi Arabia’s road to
reforms ingrained in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
With
these words of encouragement, Nour then bought her bike and officially became a
rider in 2019, undertaking intense training before eventually joining the H.O.G
community.
As
for Wedad, who is a new joiner, it was her husband who encouraged her to start
training and riding a bike.
“My
husband has been a biker for four years and the idea of riding a bike was nice,
but I did not think of owning one. So earlier this year he surprised me with a
bike,” she said. “I didn’t believe it because for me it was enjoyable to be a
passenger and so when I tried riding the bike myself it was a different kind of
joy.”
Wedad
is still training with her husband but said she can assure one thing: “When I
am driving, I feel like I am flying. You feel that you are in charge, and you
are in a different world.”
She
noted that her husband’s encouragement played an instrumental role in pushing
her out of her comfort zone to try this new experience.
“He
doesn’t make me fear this. On the contrary, he supports me,” she said, mentioning
an instance when her bike turned off at the traffic light when she first
started training and he calmly helped her reset things. “If he had dealt with
things in a stressful manner, I would have rejected this.”
Becoming
a biker did not come without its challenges for Nour, especially at the
beginning when she was making a breakthrough within the community. However,
with the rules placed by the H.O.G, Nour underscored that the community made
her feel protected and safe as a female rider.
“I
was scared at the beginning. Riding this heavy engine was a challenge. I still
remember the first time I started driving on the street, my legs were shaking,”
she said.
Since
then, Nour has toured different destinations in Europe on her bike, carrying
the flag of the Riyadh chapter and is now a road captain leading tour rides and
is responsible for the team she is guiding on the streets of Riyadh.
Nevertheless,
reaching this milestone was not an easy ride. Road captain candidates, she
said, have to undergo intensive training and must enjoy a set of skills.
“Some
members were surprised at the beginning, like how are they going to follow a
woman who was leading.”
In
one of her first rides as a captain, and as the team was preparing to embark on
their journey, Nour recalled that initially none of the members had placed
their bikes behind hers as part of the customary manner of the ride.
She
said that those who were at first hesitant to do so “now want me to lead,”
underscoring the support she received from the directors and other team members
at the time.
Wedad
also reiterated Nour’s stance on being welcomed and supported by the community,
with both sending a message of encouragement to other women who want to join
and become bikers.
Source:
Al Arabiya
“Those
who don’t try will not know how this really feels,” Wedad said.
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All-women
Firdaus Orchestra, mentored by A.R. Rahman, returns to Expo City Dubai
10
November, 2022
Firdaus
Orchestra, the all-women ensemble that thrilled audiences during Expo 2020
Dubai, marks its Expo City Dubai debut with ‘The Best of Firdaus’ inaugural
performance on November 19 at Al Wasl Plaza, featuring Academy-award winning
composer and the orchestra’s mentor, A.R. Rahman, according to a press release
Conducted
by YasminaSabbah, the first in a series of stunning concerts from Expo City
Dubai’s resident orchestra will present performances and symphonic compositions
by A.R. Rahman as well as Western orchestral harmonies and ancient melodies
from the Orchestral Qawwali Project, according to a Expo 2020 Dubai press
release.
Firdaus
Orchestra thrives on its cultural diversity, bringing classically trained
musicians from 24 nationalities to the Expo City Dubai stage. Comprising women
of various ages and backgrounds, it draws inspiration from the region’s
centuries-old musical traditions, using instruments such as the oud, rebaba and
darbuka, and embodies Expo 2020’s cultural and social legacy as it continues to
nurture talented musicians, transform perceptions and inspire all who see them
perform.
Developed
exclusively for Expo 2020 Dubai, Firdaus (meaning ‘paradise’ in Arabic) is a
visionary ensemble of 50 female musicians from across the Arab world, mentored
by A.R. Rahman. The multicultural orchestra aspires to become the number one
orchestra in the region in the next five years, and also in the next 10 years
be among the top 10 orchestras in the world.
A.R.
Rahman, said: “After several successful live concerts during Expo 2020 Dubai,
Firdaus orchestra will continue to enthral with its best yet, and I am thrilled
to include a few of my compositions.”
In
December, the ensemble will perform a ‘Holiday Symphony,’ conducted by Monica
Woodman and welcoming Filipino pop star Katrina Velarde, Argentinian-Armenian
singer SolangeMerdinian, dancers and a local choir, for a show packed with
festive classics.
Looking
to 2023, concerts will include ‘A Tribute to A.R. Rahman’s Film Scores,’ as
well as three shows during International Women’s Week in March, featuring
special performances by featuring legendary female artists.
In
the months since Expo 2020 Dubai closed, Firdaus has released numerous pieces
in the digital world and worked with award-winning veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja
on an original symphony, set for its global premiere later this year.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Coalition
calls out media for focusing on female candidates’ looks
November
9, 2022
PETALING
JAYA: A coalition of women NGOs has called out two mainstream media
organisations for focusing on the physical attributes of women contesting in
the 15th general election, adding it was appalled by such blatant sexism.
Pantau
PRU15 said terms like “jelitawan” (beauties) and “beauty with brains” were used
to describe young female candidates, such as independent
NurFathiahSyazwanaShaharuddin, PakatanHarapan’s Young Syefura Othman and
Warisan’s Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas.
The
trio are contesting in Batu, Bentong and Tuaran respectively.
Other
phrases such as “pakejlengkap” (complete package) and “mencuriperhatian”
(attention-grabbing) were also found in the articles, the coalition said.
“Disproportionate
and unfair focus was also placed on justifying responses to negative public
comments about these candidates’ so-called reliance on their appearance to get
votes,” the coalition said in a statement.
Pantau
PRU15 said they were “appalled at the lack of sensitivity, blatant sexism and
gender stereotyping being portrayed in the media”.
The
media’s obsession with physical appearance, sexual objectification and
trivialisation of these candidates was damaging and uncalled for, they said.
The
public’s attention, they added, should have been directed at these candidates’
policies.
“Research
has also shown that such portrayals do not add votes and may even be
counterproductive.
“It
is a disappointing setback for candidates whose capabilities should be assessed
outside of their physical attributes and cultural gender stereotypes.”
Pantau
PRU15 said when women were portrayed as objects, it negatively reinforced
societal misperception that women are “lesser than men”.
By
doing so, the media was being complicit in not only undermining the credibility
of women candidates and marginalising them in political leadership, but also
encouraging the public to do the same.
“These
negative portrayals have far-reaching effects that can perpetuate a political
environment in which sexism and gender-based violence, such as sexual
harassment, are already rampant.”
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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