Macron’s Party Proposes French Ban on Hijab for Girls Under 15 in Public
New Age Islam News Bureau
22 May 2025
· Macron’s Party Proposes Ban on Hijab for Girls Under 15 in Public
· Iranian Woman, ArghavanFallahi, Held in Solitary Confinement for 4 Months Without Charges
· Inaugural Middle East Fortune Women’s Summit Brings Together Female Leaders
· Why Iran 'Cannot Turn Back Time' On Public Hijab Rule
· Court Case Over North Hijab Law Adjourned Until June
· One In Three Children In Afghanistan Out Of School, UNICEF Warns
· Afghan Women Can Sue Sheryl BenardFor Denying Gender Apartheid, Says Amin Ahmadi
· Saudi Women Lead Conversation On Leadership, Investment And Cultural Power At Fortune Summit
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/macron-ban-hijab-girls-public/d/135626
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Macron’s Party Proposes Ban on Hijab for Girls Under 15 in Public
bySaraZouiten
May, 21, 2025
Demonstrators wearing hijab protest against the bill on separatism in Paris, on Feb. 14, 2021.Jacopo Landi—Hans Lucas/Reuters
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Rabat – French President Emmanuel Macron’s political party, Renaissance, has proposed a new law that would ban girls under 15 from wearing hijab, the Muslim headscarf, in public places.
The proposal comes as the French government reviews a report about the influence of “political Islamism” in the country. The report warns that groups like the Muslim Brotherhood could be a threat to France’s unity and democratic values.
Renaissance said the hijab “seriously harms gender equality and the protection of children.” The party also wants to introduce a “criminal offence for coercion against parents who force their underage daughters to wear the veil.”
Under the proposal, girls under 15 would not be allowed to wear the hijab in public spaces such as streets, parks, cafes, or shops.
France already has strict laws on religious symbols. Civil servants, teachers, and students in public schools are not allowed to wear visible religious items like Christian crosses, Jewish kippas, Sikh turbans, or Muslim hijabs. The government is also working on a new law to ban hijab in sports competitions.
France, which holds one of the largest Muslim populations in Europe, has repeatedly come under fire for its anti-hijab policies and was accused of Islamophobia. One of the most controversial policies was several French towns’ decision to ban burkinis in public pools.
Supporters of the new proposal say it will protect children and defend France’s secular traditions, while critics argue it targets Muslim girls and women unfairly. Many say wearing the hijab is part of their religion and should be a personal choice.
Since the recent proposal was announced, Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), accused Renaissance party chair Gabriel Attal of changing his opinion on the hijab. He shared a video from 2022 where Attal warned that banning the hijab could lead to discrimination against Muslim women, especially under a government led by far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
During her 2022 presidential campaign, Le Pen called for a complete ban on hijabs in all public places.
Renaissance is part of a minority government and does not hold a majority in parliament, so the future of the proposal – although alarming to all Muslims and those hoping for religious freedom in France – is not certain.
Source: moroccoworldnews.com
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2025/05/202142/macrons-party-proposes-ban-on-hijab-for-girls-under-15-in-public/
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Iranian Woman, ArghavanFallahi, Held in Solitary Confinement for 4 Months Without Charges
MAY 22, 2025
ROGHAYEH REZAEI
Arghavan Fallahi, 25, has been held in solitary confinement at Evin Prison for four months
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ArghavanFallahi, 25, has been held in solitary confinement at Evin Prison for four months.
She was arrested on January 25 while returning from a party with her mother. Since then, she has been allowed to contact her family only once by phone, permitted to say little more than, "I'm alive."
This is not Arghavan's first imprisonment. In November 2022, during the height of Iran's Woman, Life, Freedom protests, she was arrested along with her brother, Ardavan, and father, Nasrollah.
After serving more than a year in prison, she and her brother were conditionally released in March 2024. Less than two weeks later, she was arrested again.
The Fallahi family’s troubles did not begin with Arghavan, nor are they likely to end with her.
The roots of their persecution date back decades to the political upheavals of the 1980s, when her father, NasrollahFallahi, was a political prisoner.
Now 70, he remains in Evin Prison, serving a five-year sentence from the same case that first implicated his children.
A connection they cannot sever has shaped the family’s fate: Nasrollah’s brother is a member of the People's Mojahedin Organization (MEK) and lives abroad.
This association has haunted the family for nearly 30 years. As one IranWire source explained, "Because the uncle is a member of the MEK, authorities became suspicious of the father and have repeatedly summoned and interrogated him over the years."
The family has endured ongoing surveillance and persecution because of this link. For about 27 years, Nasrollah was not permitted to live in Tehran, forcing the family to relocate.
They were frequently monitored and questioned, which became a routine part of their lives.
When the Woman, Life, Freedom protests erupted across Iran in 2022, the Fallahi family found themselves swept up in the security apparatus's dragnet.
In November 2022, at the height of the demonstrations, the authorities took decisive action against them.
First, they arrested Nasrollah in Isfahan on November 4. The following day, November 5, security forces went after his children, arresting both Arghavan and her older brother Ardavan in Shiraz.
The initial charges were severe: "Waging war against God" and "corruption on Earth" through "membership in the People's Mojahedin Organization."
These are among the most serious charges in Iran's legal system and potentially carry the death penalty.
However, the Revolutionary Court eventually acquitted them of these charges. Instead, Arghavan and Ardavan were sentenced to two years each, and their father to five years, for "assembly and conspiracy against state security."
The interrogations revealed the extent to which authorities were willing to go to extract confessions.
According to IranWire sources, interrogators pressured the father and his children - both of whom have severely impaired vision and "can't even see in front of their feet without glasses" to confess to "armed activity" and "attempting to plant bombs" during the protests.
While imprisoned at Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, a former cellmate reported that Arghavan was threatened with rape.
The 2022 arrests devastated the family emotionally and financially.
Arghavan and Ardavan’s mother was forced to uproot her life. One source told IranWire that she had to "sell everything" and move to Tehran "to be near her children" and secure legal representation.
"These children hadn't been with their father for years and had only been with their mother. They had no significant relationship with their father," the source said. "Yet they were being punished for his alleged connections."
After more than a year behind bars, Arghavan and Ardavan were conditionally released on bail.
For a brief moment, it seemed the family might have a chance to rebuild their lives. That hope was short-lived.
Less than two weeks later, on January 25, 2024, Arghavan was arrested again. Security forces detained her and her mother on the street without presenting a warrant, saying that they "had no special business with Arghavan and would release her quickly."
They searched the family’s home and confiscated electronic devices.
While her mother was released after interrogation, Arghavan disappeared once again into the prison system.
This time, she was taken to Ward 241 of Evin Prison, which consists of two sections, one under the supervision of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence, and another under Judiciary Intelligence Protection.
According to IranWire sources, she is being held in the section controlled by the Revolutionary Guard.
Immediately following Arghavan's arrest, her father was transferred from Ward 4 of Evin Prison to solitary confinement and placed under interrogation, according to sources.
This coordinated action suggests that authorities may be "case-building," constructing a new collective case against the family.
For four months, Arghavan has remained in solitary confinement with virtually no contact with the outside world.
Her family has not been informed of any charges, and she has been denied access to both a lawyer and family visits. The few phone calls she has been allowed are heavily restricted.
"One call came on New Year's Eve, and apparently they didn’t allow her to share any information about her health. She was only able to say, 'I'm alive,' so her family would know she was still alive," a source revealed.
"They don’t let her make any other conversation."
The physical and psychological toll of this isolation is worsened by Arghavan’s pre-existing medical needs.
"Arghavan takes nerve medication due to the pressure and psychological torture from her first arrest, and it's completely unclear whether she’s receiving the medication now," the source added. "Physically, the long-term imprisonment and previous trauma have left her very weak."
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/141403-iranian-woman-held-in-solitary-confinement-for-4-months-without-charges/
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Inaugural Middle East Fortune women’s summit brings together female leaders
WAAD HUSSAIN
May 21, 2025
RIYADH: The first Fortune Most Powerful Women International summit in the Middle East convened in Riyadh this week.
The event brought together a global network of female leaders from business, government, investment, tech and policy sectors.
“As women, we often find ourselves needing to prove our capabilities more when it comes to our careers,” said Dr. Giovanna Carnevali, executive director of master planning at ROSHN Group.
“At the same time, we bring deep passion to our work and put our heart and soul into everything we do. I always say that what truly matters is letting your work speak for you.”
Speaking to Arab News during the event, Carnevali said her career in Saudi Arabia reflected the country’s transformation.
“The experiences I have had here are unique. Living and working in the Kingdom has been a continuous journey of growth, and I am truly grateful for what the country has offered me and to women more broadly,” she said.
From geopolitics and sustainability to artificial intelligence and banking, the forum’s sessions highlighted how Saudi Arabia — and its women — are reshaping the global conversation on leadership.
Lubna Olayan, chair of Saudi Awwal Bank, talked about how Vision 2030 had already surpassed its workforce target for women and called for greater ambitions.
“We need to set a new benchmark,” she told moderator Diane Brady. “In my company, we now have 36 percent women. When we started hiring women in 2001, there was just one.”
Olayan, the first Saudi woman to chair a bank and join a public board, said real progress depended on investment in leadership.
“We need to bring more women into decision-making roles. If the candidates are equal, I’ll back the woman — because we’re still behind,” she added.
Technology was another recurring topic. Prof. Lilac Al-Safadi, CEO of IKONIC Educational Holding, outlined Saudi Arabia’s position as an emerging AI powerhouse.
“The Kingdom has trained more than 60,000 AI professionals and launched the world’s first cognitive city — not just smart, but fully AI-integrated,” she said.
And Ellie Rubenstein, co-founder of Manna Tree and one of the first US food investors to enter the Saudi market, said demand in her sector was shifting fast: “Seven years ago, we were seen as a food security fund. Today, it’s about wellness. The consumers here — especially women — are driving that shift.”
She emphasized the importance of understanding what women wanted: “It’s not just about selling products. Brands need to speak to values — wellness, empowerment, sustainability. Women here are not just shaping their families. They’re shaping their country.”
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2601612/saudi-arabia
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Why Iran 'cannot turn back time' on public hijab rule
MAY 21, 2025
"The state's current policy on the issue of the hijab is not to follow strict rules," Ali Motahari, a conservative Iranian politician, told journalists last week on the fringes of the International Book Fair in Tehran.
He added that the police should only intervene in the event of gross violations.
"You have to know that even at the time of the Shah, before the 1979 revolution, women were arrested if they did not dress decently in public," he said. Wearing a hijab, or headscarf, remains mandatory in Iran.
However, even before the nationwide protests following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022, Motahari was one of those conservative politicians who repeatedly called for a crackdown on women who dared to deviate even slightly from the strict dress code.
In 2014, he asked, "Why are women allowed to wear trousers under their coats?" He called on the authorities to take more rigorous action against the women concerned.
'A changed country'
"What we have achieved in the last three years can no longer be taken away by the state," a gender researcher and journalist from Tehran told DW. She asked DW not to publish her name as the authorities regularly reprimand her for her stance, and she even receives death threats from anonymous callers.
She is one of the women who not only refuse to wear a headscarf in public, but also encourages other women to decide for themselves whether they want to.
"They can no longer force us to follow their rules and automatically wear a headscarf every time we leave the house," she says.
She also emphasizes that Iran has changed after the death of Jina Mahsa Amini. For example, on May 12, the coffin of Shiva Aristoui, an Iranian writer and poet, was carried by women without the mandatory hijab. Traditionally, carrying the coffin has long been a matter for men in accordance with religious and social norms. However, since the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement, more and more women attend funerals without the compulsory hijab and carry the coffins of their loved ones.
Yet, many women deliberately stay away from international media and avoid public attention to continue on their path without additional repression. Any exchange with international media could be considered "propaganda against the system," "cooperation with a hostile government" or could be prosecuted as following an "order from abroad."
Niloufar Hamedi, an award-winning journalist, is a recent example of the state's crackdown. Her reporting on the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in 2022 brought her international fame.
Among other pieces, she published a photo of Amini's grieving parents. It quickly went viral on social media and became a symbol of the nationwide protests, which became the largest protest movement in Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Hamedi was arrested and charged with alleged "collaboration with an enemy government," "propaganda against the system" among other charges. She was sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison. However, after 17 months, she was released on bail in January 2024. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei then pardoned her and her colleague Elaheh Mohammadi in February 2025.
On May 11, 2,800 days after the report that changed the country, an article under her name appeared once more in the country's major daily Persian newspaper Shargh. NiloofarHamedi is allowed to work as a journalist in Iran again.
'The state lacks the power to stop change'
Does this indicate that the state has capitulated to women? "No," SedighehVasmaghi, women's rights activist and theologian, told DW.
"The political system has not accepted the resistance the women have shown," she said. "The state does not have the power to stop or even reverse this change either."
Vasmaghi, who joined protesters against the compulsory headscarf rule, no longer wears a headscarf in public.
In April 2023, Vasmaghi wrote an open letter to Khamenei in which she criticized his decree on the hijab requirement and emphasized that the Quran does not stipulate such an obligation.
In March 2024, she was arrested for "propaganda against the system" and "public appearance without a Sharia-compliant hijab." Due to her health problems, she was sent on parole.
Still, she could be arrested again at any time. But she has no fear of that. "The state in Iran is facing massive domestic and foreign policy problems and is currently not in a position to deal with women across the country, especially teenagers and young women, who no longer want to wear headscarves," she told DW.
"However, any measure that appears to be effective will be reviewed and attempted to be enforced," Vasmaghi continued, referring to the ongoing debate on the introduction of a controversial lawto monitor women in public in Iran. The law provides for a series of punitive measures for women who refuse to wear the required hijab in public.
Source: dw.com
https://www.dw.com/en/why-iran-cannot-turn-back-time-on-public-hijab-rule/a-72616469
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Court case over north hijab law adjourned until June
22 May 2025
Turkish Cypriot teachers’ legal challenge to have the north’s ruling coalition’s decision to legalise the wearing of hijabs at public schools declared unlawful was adjourned until June 12 on Thursday.
Teachers believe that the law, which has provoked widespread protests across the north since it was first introduced in March, runs contrary to the ‘TRNC’s’ constitution’s stipulation that public education must be secular.
At a previous court hearing, Cyprus Turkish secondary education teachers’ trade union (Ktoeos) leader Selma Eylem had said outside court that “this unconstitutional regulation must be withdrawn”, and added, “this imposition on the bodies of our girls must be stopped”.
The court case comes amid a standoff between Turkish Cypriot teachers and the north’s ruling coalition on the matter, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan even having intervened on the matter.
“If you try to mess with our girls’ headscarves in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, I am sorry, you will find us against you,” he had said during a visit to Cyprus earlier this month.
The ruling coalition had initially legalised the wearing of hijabs in schools midway through March, but faced a fierce backlash from teachers, the majority of whom are staunchly secular, before withdrawing the law shortly thereafter.
Turkish Cypriots have in large numbers rejected the hijab law, taking to the streets of Nicosia in their thousands on three separate occasions since the law was enacted, with numerous smaller such protests having taken place in the meantime.
The most recent of those protests came at the end of a general strike across the north.
Source: cyprus-mail.com
https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/05/22/court-case-over-north-hijab-law-adjourned-until-june
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One in Three Children in Afghanistan Out of School, UNICEF Warns
By Fidel Rahmati
May 22, 2025
UNICEF reports that one in three Afghan children is out of school, with girls most affected due to ongoing educational restrictions.
In its latest report, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed a troubling statistic: one in every three children in Afghanistan is currently out of school. The organization attributes this crisis primarily to political and social restrictions, with girls bearing the brunt of the consequences.
According to UNICEF, 60% of children who are deprived of education in Afghanistan are girls. The agency has specifically pointed to the restrictions imposed by the Taliban regime, particularly the ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade, as a key factor fueling this educational emergency.
These policies, widely criticized by international human rights organizations and governments, have been in place since the return of the Islamic Emirate in 2021. The systematic exclusion of girls from secondary and higher education has left millions without access to basic learning and critical developmental opportunities.
In response to the worsening situation, UNICEF has launched collaborative initiatives with the World Bank’s South Asia branch to support girls’ education in the country. These efforts aim to create alternative pathways for learning in the absence of formal schooling systems.
Among these initiatives are “Accelerated Learning Centres,” which serve as substitutes for formal schools. These centers offer foundational education in literacy, numeracy, and life skills to adolescent girls who have been forced out of mainstream education.
UNICEF has called on the international community to intensify both financial and diplomatic support to ensure children, especially girls, gain better access to education. The agency warns that without urgent intervention, Afghanistan’s next generation faces the serious threat of poverty, illiteracy, and long-term marginalization.
Recent surveys and global education indices further confirm the alarming scale of the crisis. According to UNESCO and Human Rights Watch, Afghanistan is now one of the only countries in the world where education for girls beyond primary level is officially banned, creating a systemic barrier to gender equality and national development.
UNICEF and allied organizations emphasize that investing in education—particularly for girls—is not only a human rights imperative but also a critical foundation for rebuilding Afghanistan society. Global donors, policymakers, and local actors must work together to ensure that the right to education is preserved and extended to every child, regardless of gender or geography.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/one-in-three-children-in-afghanistan-out-of-school-unicef-warns/
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Afghan Women Can Sue Sheryl Benard for denying Gender Apartheid, Says Amin Ahmadi
By Fidel Rahmati-
May 22, 2025
Dr. Amin Ahmadi says Afghan women have grounds to sue Sheryl Benard, wife of Khalilzad, for denying the ongoing gender apartheid in Afghanistan.
Dr. Amin Ahmadi, a respected university professor and legal researcher, has sharply criticized Sheryl Benard, wife of former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, for denying and justifying the gender apartheid in Afghanistan.
Dr. Ahmadi stated that Afghan women could pursue legal action against Benard for overlooking systematic discrimination against women under Taliban rule.
Benard recently published an article on the National Interest website, calling the Taliban’s ban on female education “unacceptable and lacking religious basis.” However, she rejected numerous media reports documenting the harsh repression of women in Afghanistan. After returning from a trip to Afghanistan, Benard described being warmly welcomed by the Taliban and portrayed Afghan women as still active in society, working and living normal lives.
Dr. Ahmadi, a former member of the Afghanistan’s government’s negotiation team with the Taliban, refuted Benard’s narrative, arguing that her statements could amount to complicity in crimes committed by the current regime against Afghanistan’s women. He warned that some traditional customs, such as women working in agriculture, actually serve to reinforce male dominance and Taliban control. He further emphasized that if the Taliban’s harsh “Amr bil Ma’ruf” law is fully enforced, it will devastate women’s traditional livelihoods in both urban and rural areas.
Benard dismissed the fears of Afghan refugees and advocacy groups about returning to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as “unfounded.” She blamed the crackdown on women on a factional “Kandahar clique” within the Taliban, asserting that officials opposing the group remain silent out of fear of internal divisions. However, Dr. Ahmadi condemned the misleading distinction between “moderate” and “hardline” Taliban factions, asserting that while differences may exist, their actions towards women remain uniformly oppressive.
The ongoing repression of women in Afghanistan remains one of the gravest human rights crises in the world today. Denials and justifications like those presented by Sheryl Benard dangerously undermine international efforts to hold the Taliban accountable and provide support to Afghan women fighting for their rights. The global community must remain vigilant and increase pressure on the Taliban regime to reverse discriminatory policies and ensure women’s full access to education, employment, and social freedoms.
In this context, it is critical that international actors do not inadvertently legitimize the Taliban’s policies through misguided narratives or appeasement. Afghan women’s voices and experiences must be centered in discussions about the country’s future, ensuring that justice and equality are not sacrificed for political expediency.
Zalmay Khalilzad, as the United States’ special envoy to Afghanistan since 2001, has been a deeply polarizing figure. Critics argue that his diplomacy prioritized political deals with the Taliban over genuine peace and human rights advancements. His negotiation style, which culminated in the 2020 Doha Agreement with the Taliban, has been criticized for sidelining the Afghan government and civil society, particularly women’s representatives, undermining Afghanistan’s sovereignty and democratic progress.
Furthermore, analysts have accused Khalilzad of engaging in opaque and self-serving political maneuvers that contributed to Afghanistan’s destabilization. His close ties with various Afghan power brokers and alleged disregard for grassroots voices fueled distrust among many Afghans, casting doubt on the legitimacy of U.S. efforts in the country. These actions arguably paved the way for the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, leading to the current humanitarian and human rights crises.
Khalilzad’s tenure exemplifies the complex and often problematic role played by external powers in Afghanistan. His legacy remains controversial, marked by accusations of political expediency and failure to safeguard Afghan civilians’ rights and freedoms. As Afghanistan continues to face turmoil, a reassessment of international strategies and accountability for past mistakes is urgently needed to support a more just and stable future for the people of Afghanistan.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/afghan-women-can-sue-sheryl-benard-for-denying-gender-apartheid-says-amin-ahmadi/#google_vignette
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Saudi women lead conversation on leadership, investment and cultural power at Fortune summit
WAAD HUSSAIN
May 21, 2025
RIYADH: The influence Saudi women increasingly are having on global culture, policies, investment and innovation was in the spotlight on Wednesday during the second and final day of the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Princess Noura bint Faisal reflected on her own unexpected path to cultural leadership, the strategic value of soft power, and the expanding economic role of the creative sector in the Kingdom.
“I never thought I would be in the creative world,” she said. “But when I moved back to Saudi after Vision 2030 launched, I saw an opportunity to build something meaningful.”
Her journey since then has included the launch of Saudi Fashion Week in 2018 and helping to establish the Fashion Commission at the Ministry of Culture.
“We created infrastructure that didn’t exist: new jobs, policies and real career paths for people with creative talent,” Princess Noura said.
Princess Noura emphasized the important need to integrate culture across all industries, from retail and the food and beverage sector to sports and corporate strategy: “Culture isn’t a fixed definition. It’s how you express your identity and it can absolutely be monetized if it’s supported by the right business model.”
The concluding day of the summit featured a strong focus on entrepreneurship, economic diversification and sectoral transformation.
Noor Sweid, founder and managing partner of Global Ventures, offered insights into her company’s regional approach to tech investment. Rather than sticking to fixed sectors, she said it backs sectors that have long been “underbuilt,” including financial technology in 2018, healthcare in 2020 and, more recently, manufacturing.
One standout example of this approach, she said, is a company that digitizes spare-part inventories for oil and gas businesses using 3D printing, thereby resolving supply-chain gaps and sustainability challenges in real time.
Her comments were complemented by insights from Aidan Madigan-Curtis, general partner at Eclipse Ventures, who discussed the ways in which geopolitical shocks and climate pressures are forcing venture capitalists to refocus on industrial technology.
“VCs like to say they’re long-term but they’re also deeply cyclical,” she noted, arguing that the future lies in reinventing the ways in which the world makes, moves and powers things, taking into account developments such as automation and advanced manufacturing.
Cultural transformation through sport was a major theme during a panel moderated by Lama Alhamawi of Arab News, titled “New Heights.” Adwa Al-Arifi, the Saudi assistant minister for sports affairs, said that since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016, physical activity among Saudis has increased from just 13 percent to more than 50 percent.
The Kingdom’s National Sports Strategy focuses on mass participation, youth development and elite performance, three pillars that have already led to the achievement of some historic milestones in women’s sports, such as the qualification of taekwondo athlete Dunya Abutaleb for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Several women shared their personal journeys in sports. Zamzam Al-Hammadi, who competes in the mixed martial arts Professional Fighters League, credited her mother for inspiring her career. Boxing expert Rasha Al-Khamis told how early support from her father gave her the confidence to pursue combat sports.
Mashael Al-Obaidan said Saudi Arabia’s desert culture sparked her love of motorsports. Aalia Al-Rasheed, head of women’s football at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, spoke about the explosive growth in grassroots programs for the sport and revealed that more than 70,000 girls now play in school leagues.
Other sessions explored the economic and creative value of the fashion industry. During one on-stage discussion, Princess Noura reflected on what she considered one of the most notable outcomes of recent reforms in the country, the formal recognition of creative professionals.
“Before Vision 2030, designers weren’t even able to register their own commercial licenses,” she said. “There was no such thing as a fashion business. Today, designers can register as fashion professionals, operate legally and access support structures that didn’t exist before.”
This shift is emblematic of Saudi Arabia’s broader cultural transformation, in which creativity is no longer only a passion but also a viable and valued career path, she added.
The day’s sessions together highlighted the expanding leadership roles of Saudi women across diverse sectors and the determination of authorities in the Kingdom to turn strategic pillars such as culture, investment, sport and technology into economic engines.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2601666/saudi-arabia
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/macron-ban-hijab-girls-public/d/135626