Mahrang Baloch, The Baloch Yakjehti Committee Leader, Makes It to Time’s ‘Most Influential’ List
New Age Islam News Bureau
03 Oct 2024
· Mahrang Baloch, The Baloch Yakjehti Committee Leader, Makes It to Time’s ‘Most Influential’ List
· Karen Decker Reaffirms Support for Afghan Women and Girls
· JoharaShama, a Muslim Woman Says Philadelphia Police Removed Her Hijab After Arrest, She Wants Answers
· Web Summit Report Reveals Persistent Inequality for Women in Technology
· British woman forced to leave Lebanon with children but not husband
· In Split Decision, Appellate Court Dismisses Orang AsliWoman’s Bid To Nullify Conversion To Islam
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Mahrang Baloch, The Baloch Yakjehti Committee Leader, Makes It To Time’s ‘Most Influential’ List
Dr Mahrang Baloch, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader
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Dawn Report
October 3, 2024
KARACHI: Dr Mahrang Baloch, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader, has been included in Time magazine’s “2024 Time100 Next” list for her advocacy of Baloch rights, the magazine announced on Wednesday.
According to a Dawn.com report, the list showcases 100 young individuals “who are not waiting long in life to make an impact” and includes artists, athletes, and advocates. The magazine says the list aims “to recognise that influence does not have [requirements] … nor does leadership look like it once did”.
The magazine selected Dr Mahrang for her peaceful advocacy as well as her December 2023 march to Islamabad, where she and hundreds of women marched for “justice for their husbands, sons, and brothers”.
“I am deeply honoured and delighted to be named among the top 100 emerging leaders of the world by Time,” she wrote in a Facebook post after receiving the recognition. She dedicated the recognition to all Baloch women human rights defenders.
Mahrang Baloch rose to prominence when she began leading protests after her father, Ghaffar Longove, went missing in December 2009 outside a hospital in Karachi.
At the time, she was still a student in primary school. The eldest of six siblings, Mahrang burned her school books in front of the Quetta Press Club as a form of protest, demanding her father’s return. His mutilated body was discovered in 2011.
Other notable figures on the Time100 Next list included Bangladesh student leader Nahid Islam and Gazan food blogger Hamada Shaqoura.
Nahid Islam led student protests in Bangladesh over the summer, which resulted in the ousting and exile of former premier Sheikh Hasina.
Hamada Shaqoura, who owned a restaurant in Gaza before the conflict erupted in October, has become a “wartime food blogger”. He creates recipes using ingredients from aid packages and shares videos of himself cooking and distributing meals in the besieged enclave.
Source: dawn.com
https://www.dawn.com/news/1862728/mahrang-baloch-makes-it-to-times-most-influential-list
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Karen Decker Reaffirms Support for Afghan Women and Girls
US Charge d’Affaires Karen Decker
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By Amu TV
October 3, 2024
Karen Decker, the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Mission to Afghanistan, emphasized her continued commitment to supporting Afghan women and girls following the conclusion of Thomas West’s tenure as the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan.
In a post on X, Decker expressed her gratitude for West’s work over the past three years and outlined her plans to build on his efforts. “Deep appreciation to Special Representative Thomas West for his hard work these past three years,” she wrote. “I look forward to building on his good work with Deputy Assistant Secretary John Mark Pommersheim and Special Envoy Rina Amiri, to uphold America’s national security interests, advocate for Afghan women and girls, promote the human rights of all Afghans, and help the Afghan people in the face of a grave humanitarian crisis.”
Decker highlighted the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and reaffirmed her commitment to assisting the Afghan people. She praised West’s “tireless” efforts, particularly in advocating for human rights and engaging with international partners on Afghanistan.
The U.S. State Department announced on Tuesday that West will transition to a new role as Acting Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the State Department.
This comes as Afghanistan continues to face severe challenges, particularly in the areas of human rights, women’s rights, and humanitarian assistance. The situation for women and girls in the country has become increasingly dire under Taliban rule, with widespread restrictions on education, employment, and freedom of movement.
Source: amu.tv
https://amu.tv/127618/
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JoharaShama, a Muslim Woman Says Philadelphia Police Removed Her Hijab After Arrest, She Wants Answers.
October 3, 2024
By Dan Snyder
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Muslim woman said the Philadelphia Police Department forced her to remove her hijab following an incident at Temple University in September.
JoharaShama, the Muslim woman who had her hijab forcibly removed, said she was held for 20 hours by police without access to her religious headwear.
Now, Shama and the Council on American-Islamic Relations want answers from the department.
Shama and several others were arrested while protesting the war in Gaza at Temple's Howard Gittis Student Center last Thursday.
After she was detained by Philadelphia police, Shama said an officer removed her hijab and under-cap. She and officials at CAIR called it a "serious defilement of her religious beliefs and practices."
"This act of humiliation left me in a state of distress, feeling as though my fundamental rights had been stripped away from me," Shama said.
"We do want to work toward a change in these policies so that going forward Muslim women don't have to experience this," Adam Attia, a legal director of CAIR Philadelphia, said. "And we are more than willing to collaborate and work with whatever agency, police department, university that is willing to listen to us because this is something that deeply violates our religious beliefs."
After the protest, Temple said it placed the Temple chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) on interim suspension.
In a statement, Philadelphia police said that current policy does not specifically address the wearing of religious garb during the booking process.
Police added that Shama was allowed to wear her hijab while in common areas, but it was removed for her booking photo and while she was in a holding cell with other women.
"We recognize that our policies need to evolve to better respect and accommodate religious practices," Philadelphia police said in a statement in part. "The PPD is actively working to update our policies to allow for the wearing of religious head coverings during the booking process and while in custody, provided that it does not compromise safety or security protocols."
CAIR also took issue with how Temple police handled the protest, which they called "mistreatment."
In a statement following the press conference on Wednesday, Temple wrote that that what "occurred last week was not a peaceful protest."
"It was a major disruption to an event intended to help students find jobs and internships," Temple wrote in part. "As a result of the aggressive protesting, several visiting employers were escorted from the space for their safety and students were denied an opportunity to engage with potential employers – some students left the event entirely."
Temple also alleged that several protestors pushed and shoved officers when police attempted to "lawfully" detain the leader of protest.
In a statement last week, Temple Public Safety said it reviewed hours of body camera and video surveillance and believes its officers acted appropriately.
Temple officials say they are planning on meeting with CAIR in the coming days.
Source: cbsnews.com
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/philadelphia-protest-muslim-woman-hijab-temple/
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Web Summit Report Reveals Persistent Inequality for Women in Technology
by Joan Banura
October 2, 2024
Web Summit has today announced the findings of its fifth global women in tech report, which shows that women in tech remain underpaid, underrepresented, and underfunded. Nearly a third (29.6 percent) of 1,000-plus surveyed women cited funding as a major hurdle concerning starting a business, reflecting global trends of women-led startups struggling to secure venture capital.
More than half of the respondents noted a lack of women in leadership roles, with nearly 51 percent feeling unfairly compensated compared to men. Balancing a career and family life is an increasing challenge, with sexism in the workplace still a reality for a majority. Despite this, close to 76 percent of surveyees feel empowered to lead.
Known as the event where the tech world meets, Web Summit aims to spark debates that help us understand and address these ongoing issues. Web Summit’s 2024 Women in Tech survey was conducted during the summer among women who have joined our Women in Tech program over the past years.
Key findings:
A substantial 50.8 percent of women reported experiencing sexism in the workplace, a figure that has shown little change in recent years.
Nearly half (49.1 percent) of women in the tech sector feel pressured to choose between family and career, marking a 7 percent increase from last year.
More than 75 percent of respondents acknowledged feeling the need to work harder than their male counterparts, a trend that has remained steady over time.
Respondents identified unconscious gender bias, balancing career and personal life, the scarcity of female role models, imposter syndrome, lack of support networks, and difficulties in funding as their most significant challenges.
Despite challenges, close to 76 percent of respondents would feel empowered to pursue and/or hold a leadership position.
More than 80 percent percent of surveyees stated that there is a woman in senior management in their company, with 68.2 percent reporting that a woman holds a C-level position.
There’s optimism around AI’s potential to drive positive change. More than 68 percent of respondents have a positive outlook on the impact of AI and automation on gender equity.
“Why do we have 1,000 women-founded startups joining us at Web Summit this year, and why does that number keep growing? This is the question that comes to mind when I see the survey results showing women are still facing the same challenges,” Carolyn Quinlan, VP of community at Web Summit, said in a press statement. She continues “It’s frustrating that issues like sexism, unfair pay, imposter syndrome, and work-life balance keep appearing—it often feels like we’re stuck in the same conversations. Yet, I can’t help but feel hopeful. More women are stepping up, leading, and bringing their startups to events like Web Summit.”
Quinlan noted that since 2021, Web Summit has maintained a near parity ratio in attendees —and the rise in female participation and women-founded startups brings hope that Web Summit can push these conversations forward and create a future where technology is a space for everyone, not just a boys’ club.
See also: The challenges faced by female founders in the startup world
Momentum for change
The call for change is evident. Approximately 56 percent of women feel the industry isn’t doing enough to tackle gender inequality, and 69 percent are dissatisfied with their government’s efforts. Despite the lack of initiatives, more women are empowered to step into the spotlight as opportunities arise. Close to 76 percent of women who answered Web Summit’s survey say they feel empowered to hold or apply for a leadership position.
Web Summit has seen a remarkable rise in women’s participation since launching the Women in Tech Programme in 2015. Designed to tackle gender inequality, the program offers discounts to encourage more women to attend and participate, making events more accessible, and inclusive —helping to foster a more diverse and innovative tech industry.
In 2016, just a year after the initiative’s launch, 42 percent of attendees were women, up from 25 percent in 2013. By 2021, women outnumbered men for the first time, reaching 50.5 percent. Since then, Web Summit has maintained a near-parity ratio
Beyond the Women in Tech program, there has been a significant increase in women-founded startups. This year’s Web Summit 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal will break records with 1,000 out of 3,000 startups attending as part of the startups program.
At Web Summit Rio 2024, 45 percent of the 1,000 startups had a woman founder. Similarly, at Collision 2024, more than 44 percent of startups were women-founded, which represents a 14-point increase from 30 percent the previous year. At Web Summit Qatar 2024, 37 percent of attendees were women, alongside 30 percent of women speakers, and 31 percent of the 1,000+ startups were founded by women.
The growing number of women-founded startups participating in Web Summit highlights the increasing drive among women to connect, innovate, and lead. In the report, one participant emphasized this point, stating,
There is also optimism about AI’s ability to drive positive change, with over 68 percent of respondents viewing its impact on gender equity as beneficial. This perspective aligns with recent insights from PWC, which show that when used responsibly, artificial intelligence can expand talent pools, address bias in talent management, and improve workplace collaboration.
Web Summit is committed to fueling these vital conversations about change through its speakers, stages, and networking opportunities, providing a platform for women to drive progress in the industry.
Notably, some of the women speaking at Web Summit 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal include:
Lidiane Jones, CEO of Bumble.
Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics.
Moly He, co-founder and CEO of Element Biosciences.
Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal.
Margarida Balseiro Lopes, Portugal’s Minister of Youth and Modernization.
Julie De Moyer, Chief Data and AI Officer at LVMH.
Etosha Cave, Co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Twelve.
Eileen Burbidge, Founding partner of Passion Capital.
Daniela Braga, Founder of Defined.AI.
An echo of global trends
Web Summit’s 2024 Women in Tech report aligns with broader international trends. According to 2023 data from Nash Squared, women still only makeup 14 percent of tech leaders worldwide.
In major companies, women occupy just 26 percent to 29 percent of leadership roles, as noted by the World Bank. Female representation also continues to fall below 50 percent in these companies, underscoring the need for change highlighted by Web Summit’s survey
respondents.
As shown by Web Summit’s report’s findings, funding remains a critical barrier for female founders, with close to a third of respondents (29.6 percent) identifying it as one of the most pressing issues facing women in tech. An analysis from the World Economic Forum, based on Pitchbook statistics, found that women-only startups received just 1.8 percent of VC funding in Europe and 2 percent in the US in 2023. Similar data from Wamda shows that women-only startups received just 0.47 percent of funding in the MENA region in 2023.
The 2024 Women in Tech report is part of Web Summit’s commitment to fostering change, pushing for conversations that spotlight these issues and pave the way for concrete solutions. As women continue to navigate challenges in tech, Web Summit’s mission is to drive a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
https://pctechmag.com/2024/10/web-summit-report-reveals-persistent-inequality-for-women-in-tech/
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British woman forced to leave Lebanon with children but not husband
October 3, 2024
A British woman living in Lebanon has been forced to depart for the UK with her children, but leaving her Lebanese husband behind. It comes as Israel’s intensified air campaign against Hezbollah has upended the country. En route to the airport, Mahasen al-Dada, who is from Manchester, said "I feel I have made the right decision for my children."
Source: yahoo.com
https://www.yahoo.com/news/israel-begins-ground-invasion-southern-102900805.html
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In split decision, appellate court dismisses Orang Asli woman’s bid to nullify conversion to Islam
03 Oct 2024
PUTRAJAYA, Oct 3 — The Court of Appeal’s three-member panel, in a split decision, has dismissed an appeal by an Orang Asli woman to nullify her conversion to Islam.
Justices Datuk CheMohdRuzima Ghazali and Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli formed the majority decision while Datuk Wong Kian Kheong dissented.
The dissenting judgment was not read in court today, but Justice Wong said he would provide his grounds of judgment to the parties involved later.
In delivering the majority’s ruling online today, Justice Azhahari said the Syariah Court is the proper forum to determine the 31-year-old woman’s religious status given that this is a case of renunciation.
He said the appellant’s conversion was recorded in her mother’s conversion certificate as “Islam bersamaIbu” (professing Islam along with her mother).
“The plaintiff (appellant) was at all material time in the custody of the mother. The mother raised her alone,” he said.
Justice Azhahari said a reasonable inference can be made that the mother decided to also convert her child (appellant) when she embraced Islam in 1995.
He said the court also noted that the appellant’s biological father, who did not marry her mother, is a Muslim.
The court is of the view that the woman’s father being a Muslim, is deemed to have consented to the conversion, added the judge.
The appellant, who belongs to the Jakun tribe, had appealed against the High Court’s decision, made on February 22 last year, which dismissed her application for a declaration that she is not a Muslim.
She claimed that she was converted by her mother when she was only two years old.
She also sought a declaration that she has the right to practice and profess her own spiritual and cultural belief as an Aboriginal person.
In her originating summons filed against the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council and the Pahang government, the woman claimed that she never embraced Islam and did not recite the “KalimahSyahadah” as she was only two years old on November 14, 1995.
Lawyers A.SurendraAnanth and New Sin Yew represented the woman, while state legal adviser Datuk SaifulEdrisZainuddin appeared for the Pahang government.
Lawyer MohdNajid Hussain represented the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/10/03/in-split-decision-appellate-court-dismisses-orang-asli-womans-bid-to-nullify-conversion-to-islam/152460
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/mahrang-baloch-yakjehti-times-/d/133351