‘Love Jihad’ Stir Erupts: Hindu Woman Doctor Killed In Jammu, Her Wounded Muslim Boyfriend Critical
New Age Islam News Bureau
11 March 2023
• Omani Poetess Aisha al Saifi Becomes First Arab
Woman to Win Poetry Competition in UAE
• Female Medical Students Urge Islamic Emirate to
Determine Their Exit Examination
• UN Agency Helps Afghan Girls Relocate to Rwanda to
Further Education
• VCs of Pakistan Women Universities Discuss Ways to
Ensure Gender Equality
• Saudi: Huge Increase in Number of Women In
Industrial Sector
• Attorney General: Saudi Women Have Proven Their
Competence In Judicial And Parliamentary Work
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/love-jihad-hindu-woman-jammu/d/129303
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‘Love Jihad’ Stir Erupts: Hindu Woman Doctor Killed In Jammu, Her Wounded Muslim Boyfriend Critical
Representative Image
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Mar 11, 2023
JAMMU: A 26-year-old Hindu dentist was found dead in
Jammu on Holi-eve along with her wounded Muslim boyfriend who is now critical,
sparking accusations of murder and “Love Jihad” by Bajrang Dal and other
outfits that have hit the roads in protest.
Sumedha Sharma had stab injuries in her abdomen and
Johar Ganai had similar, but fewer, wounds when cops broke into his house in
Jammu’s Pamposh Colony on March 7, the police said.
The cops said they went there that evening after a
call from an uncle of Ganai saying his nephew had written on his Facebook page
that “he is committing suicide as he is fed up with his life”.
Ganai, in his late 20’s and a doctor like Sumedha, is
in an ICU at present. Jammu SSP Chandan Kohli said an SIT is probing the case.
Rakesh Bajrangi, J&K president of Bajrang Dal,
claimed on Friday that such “brutal killings” were part of “love jihad”.
“We have long been protesting against love jihad and
conversions but the government failed to respond. This killing is an eye-opener
for all. We (Hindus) are in a minority in J&K and the (UT) government
should bring a strict law to stop such killings,” Bajrangi said as supporters
burnt symbolic effigies.
Bajrangi termed the case a “well-planned conspiracy”
and warned of a “mass movement” if the government fails to bring a new law.
“After killing Sumedha, her boyfriend uploaded a suicide note on social media
so he might get some help. This needs to be investigated,” the Bajrang Dal
leader said.
Others condemned the doctor’s murder, too. Activist
and Ekkjutt Jammu Party chief Ankur Sharma stressed that “understanding the
basic character of jihad and making a powerful law to end it is a first step”.
“Unless our criminal justice system is augmented to a level where organised
crimes like love jihad can be tackled properly, more cases will emerge,” Sharma
said.
Sanatan Hindu Foundation’s J&K unit chief Satpal
Rathore described Sumedha’s killing as “an open case of love jihad” and
demanded strict action against the accused.
Source: Times Of India
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Omani Poetess Aisha al Saifi Becomes First Arab Woman
to Win Poetry Competition in UAE
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March 10, 2023
Oman's poet Aisha al Saifi became the first woman and
Omani to win the "Prince of Poets" title in Abu Dhabi.
Aisha wrote on her Instagram, “On International
Women's Day, I was crowned a prince of poets and draped in the cloak of poetry,
as the first Arab woman to obtain the title, thanks to God, and your support
for me by voting and praying.”
She has participated in Arab and international
literary festivals across Asia, Europe, and Africa, and was the first female
poet to win the Omani Poetry Festival.
She has published three poetry collections, “The Sea
Changes its Gown,” “The Dreams of the Tenth Girl,” and “I Don’t Love My
Father.” The Prince of Poets is a reality television poetry competition in Abu
Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage
launched the completion in April 2007.
The winner is awarded 1 million UAE dirhams (RO
100,000) and a symbolic cloak and ring.
According to the rules of the programme, poems entered
in the competition should be traditional, which have been celebrated since
ancient times, or modern poetry, known as free poetry. The programme draws
contestants from the GCC and the Arab world.
Aisha al Saifi was born in Nizwa, Oman in 1987. She
studied Civil Engineering at Sultan Qaboos University. In 2005, she began
publishing literary works in Omani and Arabic newspapers.
She is the author of three collections of poetry,
including The Sea Changes its Gown. She was the first female poet to win the
Omani Poetry Festival.
Aisha competed with Ibrahim Toure from Senegal, Abdel
Wahed Brok from Morocco, Abdullah al Anzi from Saudi Arabia, Najat al Dhaheri
from UAE, and Mohammad Mahasneh from Jordan, win the title.
Reflecting the pre-eminence of poetry in the Arab
world, the programme’s ratings overtook those of football and of other reality
television programmes, with a studio audience of thousands and a television
audience of millions. Its title comes from the epithet of Arabic-language epic
poet Ahmed Shawqi.
Thousands of aspiring poets from all over the Arab
world submit their poems, and several dozen are chosen to compete. In the
competition, contestants read their poems, and are also asked to improvise
poems on various subjects. A jury of established poets and critics judges and
offers feedback on the entries, while the studio audience and viewers at home
can also vote for their preferred poets. Despite the show’s title, the
contestants can be male or female.
Source: ZAWYA
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Female Medical Students Urge Islamic Emirate to
Determine Their Exit Examination
By Banafsha Binesh
Female medical students from various faculties of
private and government universities called on the Afghan interim government to
determine their exit examination.
The students said that they cannot make decisions
about their futures if the exit examinations are not held.
The exit examination for male students at medical
universities was held nearly three weeks ago, but the date for the female
students' examination has yet to be determined by the caretaker government.
“Because they promised us that they will give our
examination, we are preparing, hoping that this examination will take place. So
we are hoping that they will give our examination as soon as possible,” said
Royina, a student.
The students expressed concerns about their future.
“Our examination has not been held and this is our
right and I think it is a major wrong against us,” said Ana Khani, a student.
The students meanwhile also called on the Islamic
Emirate to reopen their universities.
“As long as the gates of universities and schools have
been closed on us, there is deep sorrow and disappointment that we cannot
continue our education and this is bothering us,” said Firoza Amini, a student.
The Afghanistan Medical Council (AMC) held the exit
exam for male students on February 10, 2023. The time for the female students
has not been determined yet.
Source: Tolo News
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-182430
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UN agency helps Afghan girls relocate to Rwanda to
further education
11.03.2023
GENEVA
The International Organization for Migration (IOM)
said Friday it is supporting the relocation of Afghan girls to Rwanda to
continue their education.
The support follows the decision by the Taliban to ban
women and girls from secondary and tertiary education.
The girls are among the first overseas students
admitted to the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA) -- an Afghan all-girls
boarding school based initially in Kabul, before it was forced to relocate to
Rwanda following the ban, said the IOM.
In December, the Taliban expanded restrictions on
women's education, most recently banning women from university study
indefinitely and working in local and international non-governmental
organizations.
Since August 2021, following their return to power
after the officials of the US-backed Kabul administration fled the country and
foreign forces withdrew, the Taliban imposed several restrictions on women that
compelled many professionals to leave Afghanistan.
Safe space for girls
As the first and only school of its kind, SOLA
provides a safe space for Afghan girls to receive a secondary-level education,
with a vision of creating a generation of female leaders, said IOM.
"The dedication and strength of Afghan women and
girls in the face of such adversity inspires and humbles us every day,"
said IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino. "This initiative fills me with
hope and resolve to continue our advocacy alongside women and girls in the
country for an Afghanistan that acknowledges, promotes, and builds on the
contributions of its women and invests in its girls."
The girls' arrival in Rwanda follows an agreement
between the IOM and SOLA to assist with safe travel arrangements and relocation
of its students -- already outside Afghanistan -- from their current countries
of residence to the campus in Rwanda.
The students who arrived were assisted and escorted to
the SOLA campus by IOM staff.
"The students were very excited to be traveling
to their school. During the flight, the youngest girl was given a pilot's hat,
and sunglasses," according to an unnamed IOM staffer escorting the
students.
SOLA's founder, Shabana Basij-Rasikh, said:
"March 2023 marks one year since the Taliban closed the doors of girls'
schools in Afghanistan, denying Afghan girls the right to study past 6th
grade."
She said: "It is incredibly meaningful to me that
they are now arriving in Rwanda to pursue their education, and I am endlessly
grateful to IOM for helping facilitate their safe travel to our school, where
they will grow to become members of a generation of leaders who one day will
help rebuild Afghanistan."
The new students will join their SOLA classmates, whom
the Rwandan government welcomed in August 2021.
Source: Anadolu Agency
IOM said it would continue to help relocate more
Afghan students to SOLA.
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VCs of Pakistan Women Universities Discuss Ways to
Ensure Gender Equality
Aamir Yasin
March 11, 2023
RAWALPINDI: The All-Pakistan Women Universities
Consortium (APWUC) on Friday organised the first All Pakistan Women
Universities Conference on Women and Leadership with the support of the Higher
Education Commission (HEC) and British Council in connection with the
International Women Day observed on March 8.
The conference aimed to devise ways to achieve gender
equality and women’s empowerment in Pakistan. Female vice chancellors from all
seven member universities, including Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU),
Government College Women University Faisalabad, Lahore College for Women
University, Government College Women University Sialkot, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto
University, Women University Swabi and Government Sadiq College Women
University, Bahawalpur, jointly organised the event.
In her opening remarks, Dr Saima Hamid, the FJWU vice
chanccellor, proposed a four-point agenda for the consortium, including
focusing on sustainability, participatory approaches, identifying priority
areas, and establishing clear structures for effective strategy building.
She stressed the importance of young energies and
synergies to ensure the consortium’s progress and sustainability. Dr Irene
Tracy, VC, University of Oxford, congratulated the female VCs and informed them
about measures they are taking in the United Kingdom to support British women.
Dr Rubina Farooq, VC Government College Women
University, Faisalabad, stressed increasing women’s visibility on all important
platforms so they could support each other, while Dr Bushra Mirza, VC, Lahore
College for Women University, emphasised on the importance of keeping one’s
ambitions high and fighting inner fears.
Dr Rukhsana Kausar, VC, Government College Women
University Sialkot, highlighted the need for a future roadmap in the form of
specific universities and stressed that women are emotionally intelligent and
can prove better managers, which they must utilise.
Dr Safia Ahmad of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University
highlighted the need for a bio-based innovative economy and stressed on the
importance of university-industry collaboration to make research more
effective.
Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi of Women University Swabi stressed
the importance of entrepreneurship and putting universities on the path of
innovation through business to support the national economy.
Dr Saiqa Imtiaz Asif, VC Government Sadiq College
Women University, Bahawalpur, pledged her full support for the consortium
online.
Dr Shahnaz Wazir Ali also addressed the gathering and
emphasised on the importance of devising effective strategies for the training
of young female faculty recruited in universities.
Dr Kanwal from the Home Economics University Lahore stressed
the importance of building effective networks and collaborative team work to
achieve the tasks at hand.
Professor Dr Mahmoodul Hassan from HEC and Dr Shaista
Naqvi applauded Dr Saima Hamid’s vision for bringing together all VCs and
highlighted the importance of effective coordination for devising a future
roadmap and achieving the consortium’s goals.
Source: Dawn
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741475/vcs-of-women-universities-discuss-ways-to-ensure-gender-equality
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Saudi: Huge increase in number of women in industrial
sector
Sakina Fatima
10th March 2023
The number of female workers in the industrial sector
in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia increased by 93 per cent between 2019 and 2022,
the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Between 2019 and 2022, 63,892 women are employed in
the industrial sector from 33,000.
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources stated
that the largest percentage of Saudi female employees in the industrial sector
is concentrated in the Riyadh region with 28,170 workers, then the Makkah
region with 15,621 workers, and the Eastern region with 10,911 workers.
In addition, 2886 female workers work in the Qassim
region, 2009 in Medina, 1465 in Asir, and 708 female workers in Jizan.
The ministry continues its efforts to improve the work
environment and create quality jobs for male and female citizens through
automation and reduce dependence on jobs with limited skills.
The ministry said that women working in the industrial
sector have proven over the past years their competence and ability to
participate in many tasks, in light of the support and empowerment they enjoy
in accordance with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, stressing that they
are working to increase the active role of women in the sector.
Source: Siasat Daily
https://www.siasat.com/saudi-huge-increase-in-number-of-women-in-industrial-sector-2544434/
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Attorney General: Saudi women have proven their
competence in judicial and parliamentary work
March 08, 2023
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Attorney General and member of
the Council of Senior Scholars Sheikh Saud Al-Muajab said that Saudi women have
proven their competence in the tasks entrusted to them, including judicial and
parliamentary work.
The Saudi women have done their work in the judicial
sector with all skill, mastery, and distinction, and achieved the aspirations
and goals that have set with extreme precision,” he said while emphasizing the
importance of Saudi women and their continued efficiency in assuming social
responsibilities.
In a statement issued on the occasion of International
Women’s Day, which falls on March 8, Al-Muajab appreciated the role of wise
leadership in ensuring the involvement of women in diverse fields and branches
of knowledge. “The leadership is putting its absolute confidence in the distinguished
skills and capabilities possessed by Saudi women, with which they were able to
reap achievements at all levels, and reached what they have accomplished in
terms of ambitions and hopes, and raised the Kingdom’s slogan high in local and
international forums,” he said while pointing out that half of the society is
made up of women, so that it is the nation’s right to promote all its members,
whether men or women.
Sheikh Al-Muajab also spoke about the status of women
in Islam and the high and lofty status they enjoyed. “The state is keen on
preserving their rights and respecting their status, as well as on enacting
justice systems and legislation that preserve their status and their pivotal
role in building the family and society,” he added.
Source: Saudi Gazette
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/love-jihad-hindu-woman-jammu/d/129303
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