Mob Trial For Talking To Male Friend; Woman, identified as Rasina, Dies By Suicide In Kerala?
New Age Islam News Bureau
19 June 2025
· Mob Trial For Talking To Male Friend; Woman, identified as Rasina, Dies By Suicide In Kerala?
· President Ferdinand Marcos Jr Signs Law Honouring Hijab, Cultural Attire Every Feb. 1
· Saudi Woman Guide Showcases Riyadh’s History On Free Walking Tours
· OloriAtuwatse III Urges Inclusion of Women in Africa’s Growth at London Summit
· Women Are Essential Partners In Building Syria's Future: Syrian Women's Council
· Ahmadiyya Women's Event Celebrates Faith, Freedom And Peace
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/male-friend-woman,-identified-suicide-kerala/d/135921
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Mob Trial For Talking To Male Friend; Woman, identified as Rasina, Dies By Suicide In Kerala?
By The Week News Desk: June 19, 2025
Rasina (via Manorama Online)
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In a shocking incident, a 40-year-old woman died by suicide in Kerala’s Kannur district after she was allegedly publicly humiliated by a group of men for talking to her male friend.
Three Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists have been arrested in connection with the incident. SDPI is a political offshoot of the banned Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI).
According to reports, the woman, identified as Rasina, was found dead at her home at Kayalode in Pinarayi on Tuesday.
Police arrested V.C. Mubsheer (28), K.A. Faisal (34) and V.K. Rafnas (24) after a suicide note was found at the spot mentioning their names. A Thalassery court has remanded them in judicial custody.
The alleged incident took place on Sunday when a group of people questioned Rasina when she was talking to her male friend near the Achankara church in Kayalode.
They allegedly assaulted her friend and detained him for over five hours. They also took away his mobile phone and tablet and summoned his family members to an SDPI office before releasing him late at night, reported Manorama Online.
According to police, Rasina was deeply disturbed after the incident. They said more accused may have been involved in the case and that an investigation is underway.
Source: theweek.in
https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2025/06/19/mob-trial-for-talking-to-male-friend-woman-dies-by-suicide-in-kerala-three-sdpi-activists-arrested.html
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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr Signs Law Honouring Hijab, Cultural Attire Every Feb. 1
June 19, 2025
The Senate commemorates “World Hijab Day” in this file photo taken on February 1, 2023 at the Senate Plenary Hall. The Palace has signed a law to declare February 1 of every year as the National Day of Awareness on Hijab. FILE PHOTO / Joseph Vidal of Senate PRIB
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MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed a law declaring the first day of February of every year as the “National Day of Awareness on Hijab and Other Traditional Garments and Attire.”
Officially called Republic Act No. 12224, the law aims to foster diversity, understanding, and respect for various religious and cultural beliefs by encouraging the wearing of indigenous and traditional clothing, including head garments and coverings.
“The Chairpersons of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in coordination with the local government units and other national government agencies, are enjoined to conduct activities and programs such as exhibits and symposiums that promote the cultural values of wearing hijab and other traditional garments and attire,” it read.
It also emphasized that the wearing of any specific clothing, attire, or garment is not mandatory.
The law was signed by Marcos on June 18 and will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
It was a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1410 and House Bill No. 5693, passed on February 3 and February 5, 2025, respectively. /jpv
Source: inquirer.net
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2072221/marcos-signs-law-honoring-hijab-cultural-attire-every-feb-1
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Saudi woman guide showcases Riyadh’s history on free walking tours
HAJAR ALQUSAYER
June 18, 2025
RIYADH: A Saudi woman is leading free walking tours through Riyadh’s traditional neighborhoods, blending cultural exploration with a personal, story-driven approach.
Fatimah Abusrair, a communication and marketing consultant — and a licensed guide — told Arab News she sees a growing interest in informal, community-led tours.
“I can see that people care about doing activities and interacting with locals in unofficial ways,” she said.
Abusrair runs the tours on a voluntary tip-based model, and uses a storytelling approach which she says allows her to connect more personally with participants.
“To meet the local person and speak with them, that’s part of the experience,” she said. “I speak about history and culture, but I’m also speaking about myself, my life, and how I was raised.”
She views her approach as a way to strengthen the image of Saudi Arabia and offer visitors a more grounded understanding of local life.
“It increases positivity and understanding,” she added. “They’re not getting the information only from formal resources, but they’re getting exactly the same information from the locals.”
The idea of a tip-based model, Abusrair said, was meant to make the experience more accessible.
“You truly do not want to pay that much money,” she said. “So the idea of a tip-based (model), it means that they will pay me based on their budget.”
Lawrence Eta, a Canadian participant in a recent tour, spoke about how the experience helped to bridge a cultural gap.
“For many visitors and newcomers, Saudi Arabia is still unfamiliar territory,” he said. “A personalized tour helps bridge that gap. It gives travelers a chance to experience the city beyond the headlines.”
Unlike traditional tours that focus on facts and timelines, Eta said this experience allowed for genuine connection.
“This kind of authentic, personal tour adds real depth to tourism in Saudi Arabia,” he said. “It shifts the focus from sightseeing to storytelling, from just visiting places to connecting with people.”
He added that the experience was especially meaningful because it was led by someone who lives in the city and speaks from personal experience.
“A personalized walking tour in Riyadh feels truly authentic when led by someone who brings it to life through personal stories, rather than just historical facts.”
Eta said walking alongside people from different countries all curious and open to learning, created a unique sense of community.
“The tour becomes a shared memory, not just a checklist of landmarks,” he said.
As Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector continues to grow, Abusrair sees an opportunity for more community-driven initiatives.
“There are a lot of tourists coming,” she said. “But there aren’t enough guides yet. Everything is new in the tourism industry for us in Saudi Arabia.”
Tourism is a central pillar of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy. One of the initiative’s key goals is to reduce the Kingdom’s dependence on oil by turning it into a global tourism hub.
While Vision 2030 initially aimed to attract 100 million visitors annually by 2030, the Kingdom surpassed that milestone seven years ahead of schedule. The new target has now been raised to 150 million visitors per year.
Abusrair said that being a local guide contributes to how Saudi Arabia is seen.
“It will support promoting Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination because (tourists hear) people speak,” she said.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2604935/saudi-arabia
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OloriAtuwatse III Urges Inclusion of Women in Africa’s Growth at London Summit
19 June, 2025
The Queen Consort of Warri Kingdom, Her Majesty, OloriAtuwatse III, delivered a stirring keynote address at the 2025 FLAIR Summit in London, calling on African nations to consciously recognise and elevate women’s leadership at all levels of society, from homes and markets to state houses and boardrooms.
Speaking during a high-level session of the First Ladies of Africa Impact and Resilience (FLAIR) Summit, the queen stressed that Africa’s growth will remain incomplete unless women, who already played central roles in families, economies, and communities, were fully empowered and included in policy, leadership, and nation-building efforts.
The event drew dignitaries, including the first ladies of Oyo and Kwara states, lawmakers, investors, and global development partners.
The summit featured exclusive engagements at iconic venues, such as UK House of Lords, House of Commons, London Stock Exchange, and Royal Leonardo Hotel.
In her keynote, titled, “Elevating the Role of Women in Africa’s Development,” OloriAtuwatse shared a deeply personal experience from her life. “Shortly after my father passed on, I, his firstborn, was told to watch from the side-lines. ‘There’s a difference between a firstborn and a first son,’ they told me,” she recounted.
The moment was a reminder of how traditional norms still attempted to reduce women’s role, regardless of their qualifications or achievements, she said.
She explained that that painful experience reaffirmed her purpose as a leader and strengthened her drive to advocate for gender equity. “Nothing – not privilege, not age, not achievement – insulates women from the limitations society tries to impose,” he said.
OloriAtuwatse praised recent milestones in African leadership, highlighting Namibia’s President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Tanzania’s President SamiaSuluhu Hassan. “For the first time, Africa has two sitting female heads of state. It’s remarkable and it shows that change is possible,” she stated.
She emphasised that African women had always led often without titles or applause.
According to her, “In Warri and across Africa, women are breadwinners, entrepreneurs, teachers, and caregivers. They are birthers, binders, and builders of communities.”
She said, “Yet people still ask whether women can lead. What a tired question.”
Her speech stressed that Africa’s future depended on mobilising the untapped leadership force.
“Africa cannot thrive on the efforts of a few prominent female leaders alone,” she said, adding, “We need grassroots women, those without formal power, seen, heard, and empowered.”
Through her EstablishHer mentorship programme in Nigeria, OloriAtuwatse has been helping women recognise their value and unlock their potential.
“We don’t make them leaders,” she said. “We help them see they already are.”
She cited economic research suggesting that if African countries closed the gender leadership gap by 2043, they could lift 53 million people out of extreme poverty and boost GDP per capita by five percent.
“The impact would be staggering,” she said.
To achieve this, OloriAtuwatse laid out a three-part framework: Mentor, Reform, and Empower.
She stated, “This work isn’t only for women. Progress moves faster when we work together, fathers, husbands, traditional leaders, policymakers, and allies. Whether you’re a CEO promoting a young manager or a father encouraging his daughter, you are part of this movement.”
The queen’s keynote was one of the most applauded presentations at the summit. It resonated with ongoing debates across Africa around gender inclusion, cultural reform, and economic resilience.
The 2025 FLAIR Summit hosted a wide range of sessions focused on women’s health, entrepreneurship, governance, education, and innovation
Panels included speakers from across Africa’s public and private sectors, African Union, and international organisations.
Participants also explored actionable policy recommendations for increasing female representation in politics and business. These included access to credit for women-owned enterprises, reforms in inheritance and land rights, and gender-sensitive budgeting by African governments.
In closing her address, OloriAtuwatse issued a powerful challenge: “Let us build an Africa where no one says, ‘There’s a difference,’ to deny a woman’s leadership. Let us unlock the power already humming in Africa’s homes, farms, labs, and workshops. Our future depends on it.”
OloriAtuwatse iii was honoured at the iconic London Stock Exchange for her contribution to women development and Flair Summit 2025 in London.
The award was presented to Her Majesty by Jennifer Thomas, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at London Stock Exchange Group.
As the summit concluded, organisers praised OloriAtuwatse’s message as a rallying call that would help guide development efforts across Africa in the years ahead.
Source: thisdaylive.com
https://www.thisdaylive.com/2025/06/19/olori-atuwatse-iii-urges-inclusion-of-women-in-africas-growth-at-london-summit/
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Women Are Essential Partners In Building Syria's Future: Syrian Women's Council
18 June, 2025
The Women's Coordination Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council held its regular meeting in al-Hasakah city, attended by the Council's co-chair, Leyla Karaman, and members of the Coordination Committee. The meeting discussed the latest regional and national developments, focusing on the political vacuum in Syria and the importance of women's inclusion in the transitional process, according to the Syrian Democratic Council website.
Leyla Karaman began the meeting with a comprehensive assessment of the developments witnessed in the Middle East since October 7, 2023, describing it as a "strategic turning point" that is reshaping the region's political map. She emphasized that the next phase in Syria must be built on the foundations of coexistence and stability, far from the logic of conflicts that have exhausted the peoples of the region.
Regarding the Syrian issue, she emphasized that the country is going through a critical phase, amid significant gaps in the inclusion of various components of the population in a comprehensive political process. She stated that Syria has now become "a focal point for regional stability," and that achieving this stability requires internal national consensus, unaffected by regional and international agendas.
She also emphasized that the current political vacuum negatively impacts the future of the Syrian state, necessitating intensified political activity and strengthening the roles of all segments of society, especially women, who constitute "a fundamental pillar in building the new Syria."
She added, "The Syria of the future cannot be built without genuine female representation. Marginalizing women thwarts any political project and creates a structural imbalance in the process of state-building. Women are not only supporters, but full partners in decision-making and in the future."
For their part, members of the Women's Coordination Committee emphasized the pivotal role of women in the transitional phase, noting the sacrifices Syrian women have endured during the years of conflict. They considered women's inclusion in decision-making positions and in drafting the next constitution a national necessity to ensure justice and consolidate democracy and inclusiveness.
The meeting also addressed the importance of youth participation in political and social life and the need to launch a comprehensive recovery process that addresses social and economic aspects, while promoting a culture of civil peace and dialogue among the various components of the Syrian people, to build a democratic and stable state free from the interference of external powers.
Outcomes and Recommendations:
The meeting concluded with several outcomes and recommendations, most notably:
• Organizing a series of expanded dialogue workshops on the political representation of Syrian women and their roles in various fields.
• Enhancing communication and coordination with Syrian women in various regions with the aim of building solid national consensus.
• Preparing for the next semi-annual meeting of the Women's Coordination Committee in the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) to follow up on developments and evaluate performance and achievements.
This meeting reflects the Women's Coordination Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council's commitment to playing an active role in shaping the country's future and its efforts to lead change toward a Syria characterized by peace, equality, and true democracy.
Source: hawarnews.com
https://hawarnews.com/en/women-are-essential-partners-in-building-syrias-future
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Ahmadiyya women's event celebrates faith, freedom and peace
18th June 2025
The Ahmaddiya Women’s Association held an interfaith event in Tilford to invite women from across the region to come and learn about their faith and practices.
On Saturday, June 14, the Islamabad Tilford's Women's Association hosted the Women, Faith and Freedom in a Changing World event.
The association welcomed more than 130 women from across the region, including local dignitaries, school representatives, university professors and councillors.
The event started at 11am where guests were welcomed with drinks and refreshments. The formal proceedings began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, then a poem was prepared and read by girls.
A series of speeches followed then an interfaith panel including guest speakers Professor Amelia Hadfield, head of politics at the University of Surrey, and Reverend Sandy Clarke of the Bourne Parish. The talks touched on topics such as inspirational religious women, the media's representation of Muslim women, the role of women in peace building and the need for further change in society.
Samina Haque, the president of the Tilford branch of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women's Association, said:"The modern perception of Islam has greatly stifled its pristine and unparalleled teachings.
“Looking down the corridors of history, the dawn of Islam in the 7th century brought a forgotten revolution, driven by the injunctions of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). It liberated women and restored their protection and honour, centuries before any feminist movement had taken its first breath."
The exhibitions aimed to dispel any misunderstandings about Islam. They included presentations on women in Islam, voices of British Muslim women, local talents of Ahmadi Muslim women, sustainability, humanitarian work, as well as interactive activities such as 'trying on a hijab', a Quran exhibition and a calligraphy station.
Source: haslemereherald.com
https://www.haslemereherald.com/news/ahmadiyya-womens-event-celebrates-faith-freedom-and-peace-804118
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/male-friend-woman,-identified-suicide-kerala/d/135921