Meryl Streep's Powerful UNGA Speech: 'Cats Have More Freedom Than Afghan Women'
New Age Islam News Bureau
25 Sep 2024
· Meryl Streep's Powerful UNGA Speech: 'Cats Have More Freedom Than Afghan Women'
· Riyadh Festival Pays Tribute to Astrolabe Inventor Mariam Al-AstrolabiAnd Saudi Arabia’s Women
· Why Pakistan's Female Doctors Don't Feel Safe
· Elevating Women Entrepreneurs: How Digital Payments Facilitate Female Empowerment InBangladesh
· UN Chief: New Laws ‘Strip Afghan Women and Girls’ of Their Rights
· Qatar Pledges $75 Million to Support Education and Healthcare for Women InAfghanistan
· American Muslim Women Who Are Registered to Vote Are More Likely to Donate Money and Volunteer Than Nonvoters
· Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
· URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/meryl-streep-unga-freedom-afghan/d/133285
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Meryl Streep's Powerful UNGA Speech: 'Cats Have More Freedom Than Afghan Women'
Meryl Streep urged global leaders to combat Taliban oppression in Afghanistan, stating women have less freedom than cats.( (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson))
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By Bhavika Rathore
Sep 25, 2024
Meryl Streep made a sincere appeal to the international community to initiate steps to stop the Taliban’s oppression in Afghanistan as she said that the cats have more freedom than women in the oppressed country. The Hollywood actress took the stage at the United Nations General Assembly to bring attention to women’s plight as the restrictions on them increased in the graveyard of empires. Her appeal was met with the response of a spokesperson of the Taliban who said that they “highly respected” women and would “never compare them to cats.”
Meryl Streep speaks for the women of Afghanistan at UNGA
Streep’s appeal came after the Taliban introduced a net set of “morality laws” for women in the country. In her appeal at the UNGA the Mamma Mia actor said, “Today in Kabul a female cat has more freedom than a woman. A cat may go sit on her front stoop and feel the sun on her face, she may chase a squirrel in the park," on Monday.
She continued, “A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan today because the public parks have been closed to women and girls by the Taliban. A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not in public. This is extraordinary. This is a suppression of the natural law,” as she raised awareness about the condition of women’s rights in Afghanistan at an event in New York.
She added, “The way that this culture, this society has been upended, is a cautionary tale for the rest of the world.” She beseeched the world leaders to make united efforts to “stop the slow suffocation” the Afghan girls and women.
Taliban’s oppression of women in Afghanistan
Among these new reinforcements, a rule stated that women’s voices should not be heard in public spaces anymore, as reported by BBC. Moreover, they are not permitted to look at men who are not related to them by blood or marriage. This rule is just one of the many such instructions which were imposed three years ago by the Taliban government on women when they came to power. Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, who was also present at the event emphasised that Afghanistan “will never take its rightful place on the global stage" without educated women and their participation in the workforce.
Source: hindustantimes.com
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/actor-meryl-streep-shows-solidarity-at-un-with-afghan-women-girls-101727121653859.html
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Riyadh Festival Pays Tribute To Astrolabe Inventor Mariam Al-Astrolabi And Saudi Arabia’s Women
The STEAM Festival is highlighting the pioneering work of scientist Mariam Al-Astrolabi. (SPA)
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September 24, 2024
RIYADH: The STEAM Festival, organized by the King Salman Science Oasis, is highlighting the pioneering work of scientist Mariam Al-Astrolabi and Saudi Arabia’s women.
Running until Sept. 30 under the theme “Fun Chemistry,” the festival aims to instill a sense of pride in the nation’s heritage, raise awareness about the role of women in science, and inspire girls to pursue careers in STEAM.
Al-Astrolabi made significant contributions to science, particularly astronomy, becoming one of the most notable women in Islamic history.
A Muslim scientist, she is renowned for her work in creating and perfecting astrolabes, instruments used in ancient times to determine locations based on the movement of stars.
Al-Astrolabi, an astronomer from the Hamdanid dynasty at the end of the 10th century A.D., excelled in astronomy and engineering.
The astrolabe was also used in marine navigation to explore new routes, and helped to determine the times and direction of prayers for Muslims.
Astrolabes varied in size and design, with some small enough to be carried like a pocket watch before mechanical clocks were invented.
Astrolabes are symbols of the integration of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, known as STEAM.
Skilled engineering was used to design and manufacture the instrument with precision.
Mathematical calculations ensured accurate observations, and some astrolabe designs included artistic elements.
Centuries after Al-Astrolabi’s passing — the exact date remains unknown — her name continues to inspire those working in astronomy.
In 1990, American astronomer Henry E. Holt honored Al-Astrolabi by naming after her one of the asteroids he discovered at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego, California.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2572609/saudi-arabia
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Why Pakistan's Female Doctors Don't Feel Safe
Farhat Javed
September 25th 2024
Women working in hospitals in Pakistan say they regularly face sexual harassment, violence and verbal abuse, from male colleagues, patients and their families.
Following the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at work in an Indian hospital, more than a dozen female medics in Pakistan told the BBC they were worried about their own safety.
But this is a largely hidden crisis, as many are too scared to come forward to report the crimes – while those who do are often told no one would believe their allegations.
Most of the women the BBC spoke to asked that their names be withheld for fear of losing their jobs, “honour and respect”.
A few months ago, a young doctor came to DrNusrat (not her real name) in tears. While she was using the toilet, a male doctor had filmed the woman through a hole in the wall and was using the video to blackmail her.
“I suggested filing a complaint with the FIA [Federal Investigation Agency, which handles cyber crimes], but she refused. She said she didn’t want it to be leaked and reach her family or in-laws,” DrNusrat explained, adding that she knows of at least three other cases where female doctors have been secretly filmed.
DrNusrat happened to know someone senior in the police who spoke to the blackmailer, warning him he could be arrested for what he had done. The police officer made sure the video was deleted.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t take further action, but we got the hole covered so that no-one could do it again,” says DrNusrat.
Other women shared experiences of being sexually harassed, including DrAamna (not her real name), who was a resident medical officer in a government hospital five years ago when she was targeted by her senior doctor, a powerful man.
“When he saw me with a file in my hand, he would try to lean over it, make inappropriate comments, and try to touch me,” she says.
She filed a complaint with the hospital administration, but says she was met with indifference. “I was told I had only been there for a short time, and asked what proof I had of this harassment. They said, 'We've been unable to fix this person in seven years - nothing will change, and no-one will believe you'.”
DrAamna says she knows of other women who have managed to record videos of harassment, “but nothing happens - the harasser is merely transferred to another ward for a few months, then comes back”.
She had to complete her placement to qualify as a doctor, but moved as soon as it was over.
Testimony gathered by the BBC suggests her story is disturbingly common.
The root of the problem lies in a lack of trust and accountability, according to DrSummaya Tariq Syed, the chief police surgeon in Karachi and head of Pakistan’s first rape crisis centre.
She describes her 25 years of service as a constant battle against violence and betrayal, and says she has been disappointed with how things are handled.
She recounts how, a few years ago when she was in a different role, she was shut in a room by colleagues who wanted her to change what she had written in a post-mortem examination report about someone who had been killed.
“They said, ‘Sign it or you have no idea what we’ll do to you’,” but she refused. Given the senior position of one of the people involved, she says, no action was taken against them.
Another female doctor at a government hospital in Punjab explains that it can be hard for women to report abuse.
“The [hospital] committees that do exist often include the same doctors who harass us, or their friends. So why would anyone file a complaint and make their life even more difficult?”
There are no official statistics available on assaults against female health workers in Pakistan. However, a report in the US National Institutes of Health in 2022 paints a troubling picture. It indicates that up to 95% of nurses in Pakistan have faced workplace violence at least once in their career. This includes assault and threats as well as verbal and mental abuse, from colleagues, patients and hospital visitors.
This tallies with a report in the Pakistan Journal of Medicine and Dentistry, which quotes a 2016 study of public sector hospitals in Lahore that suggested 27% of nurses had experienced sexual violence. It also cites a study from Pakistan’s north-western Khyber Pakhtunkha province that indicated that 69% of nurses and 52% of female doctors there had experienced some sort of sexual harassment in the workplace from other staff.
Dr Syed recounts a particularly disturbing attack that happened in Karachi in 2010: “A doctor at a government hospital lured a nurse to his hostel, where he wasn’t alone - two other doctors were there as well.” The nurse was raped and was so distraught that she jumped off the roof and was in a coma for about a week. “Nothing that happened was consensual. But she decided not to pursue the case.”
Dr Syed believes that society often blames victims and if the nurse had reported it “the blame would have fallen on her”.
Harassment and threats come from patients, their friends and families too, she says, describing how members of the public attacked her team while they were handling bodies in the mortuary last year.
“Two people had to ward off blows from a person who tried to hit me, just because I told him not to make videos.”
She registered a complaint with the police and is now waiting for the case to work its way through court. “We must continue our part of the fight - staying quiet will only strengthen the culprits.”
Other female doctors also describe a lack of security as a problem, especially in state-run hospitals, where they say anyone can walk in unchecked. At least three said people who attacked them were ordinary citizens who had entered the hospital while drunk. Drinking alcohol is largely banned in Pakistan.
DrSaadia (not her real name) explains that several of her colleagues at a major government hospital in Karachi have been repeatedly sexually harassed. “It’s often people under the influence of drugs wandering into the hospital,” she says.
“One evening, a colleague was on her way to another ward when a drunken man started harassing her. Another time, a different doctor was attacked. Some other doctors managed to get rid of the man, but there were no security guards around.”
Nurse Elizabeth Thomas (not her real name) says incidents where drunk patients try to touch them are common. “We feel terrified, unsure whether to treat the man or protect ourselves. We feel utterly helpless. And there are no security staff to help us.”
DrSaadia says they don’t even know “if the person sweeping the floor or roaming around the ward claiming to be staff is actually staff”.
Looking back at her time at a government hospital in Punjab five years ago, DrAamna says: “In remote areas, forget about security; they don’t even have proper lighting in the hallways.”
According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2023, there are 1,284 government hospitals in the country. Doctors say security measures are extremely poor.
Healthcare workers say many either lack CCTV cameras or have too few, and those that do exist often don’t function properly. They say thousands of patients and their families visit these hospitals daily, and attacks on medical staff have become common.
DrSaadia recounts how she once had to hide after a patient's relative attacked her for waiting for test results to arrive before administering an injection.
“He was a tall man, and he started yelling at me. I was pressed against the door. He threatened me, saying, ‘Give the injection now, or I’ll kill you’.”
Many of Pakistan’s nursing staff come from minority non-Muslim communities, which can make them vulnerable in other ways, says Elizabeth Thomas.
“I know many nurses who are harassed, and if they don’t comply, they’re threatened with accusations of blasphemy. If a nurse is attractive, they’re often told to convert their religion.
“We’re always left wondering how to respond because if we don’t do what they want, they might falsely accuse us of blasphemy. This has happened to nurses.”
On top of the abuse, female doctors describe enduring long, demanding shifts with a lack of basic facilities.
“During my house job, we went through times when, during a 30-hour shift, we didn’t have a room to rest in. We would go outside and rest in a colleague’s car for 15 minutes or so,” says DrSaadia.
“When I was in the emergency ward, there was no toilet. We couldn’t go to the loo during 14-hour shifts. Even when we were menstruating, we couldn’t use a toilet.”
She says toilets for hospital staff were in other blocks, so far away that they didn’t have time to go and use them.
The BBC asked local health ministers in the four provinces where these women have worked to comment, as well as the national health co-ordinator in Islamabad but did not receive any replies.
Since the rape and murder of the trainee doctor in India, discussions have intensified among female doctors in Pakistan about how to ensure their own safety.
DrSaadia says it has affected her deeply and she has changed her routine: “I no longer go to dark or deserted places. I used to take the stairs, but now I feel safer using the lifts.”
And Elizabeth Thomas says it has shaken her too. “I have a seven-year-old daughter, and she often says she wants to become a doctor. But I keep wondering, is a doctor safe in this country?”
Source: bbc.com
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y9g751xg4o
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Elevating women entrepreneurs: How digital payments facilitate female empowerment in Bangladesh
Sep 25, 2024
Nadia Jahan
In Bangladesh's economy, women entrepreneurs are emerging as powerful catalysts for change. Despite facing significant barriers such as limited access to finance, restrictive societal norms, and insufficient business training, many resilient women are leveraging digital payment solutions to drive their businesses forward. Among these digital tools, mobile financial services have become pivotal, offering a lifeline to those striving to break free from traditional constraints.
Bridging the financial gap
For a long time, many Bangladeshi women have faced barriers to using standard financial services. For example, rural communities frequently need more required facilities, which prevents many people from having access to official banking facilities. According to a study by the World Bank, only 36% of women in Bangladesh have access to formal financial services, compared to 65% of men. Mobile financial services bridge this gap, offering a more inclusive and accessible platform for women to manage their finances and grow their businesses. Using mobile apps, women can receive payments, pay suppliers, and manage their savings efficiently and securely.
Enhancing safety, control, and independence
When it comes to safety and security, women fall at risk more than men. This is particularly important in areas where physical security might be a concern for women. Digital payments in that case reduced the need for women to carry cash and enabled their ability to conduct transactions digitally with a safer alternative.
Digital payments give women greater control over their finances. Through money transfer apps like Taptap Send women can receive remittances, pay bills, and make purchases independently, without relying on male family members to manage financial transactions on their behalf. Women, especially those in marginalized communities, have benefited from receiving these payments directly into their mobile wallets, ensuring timely and transparent access to financial aid.
From local market to global reach
Digital tools are dismantling traditional barriers and hence providing women with the financial freedom and resources needed to thrive in business. As more women embrace these technologies, the collective progress will drive substantial economic and social advancements, fostering a more inclusive and prosperous Bangladesh. Women who start their entrepreneurial journey by initially serving local customers often face difficulties when trying to expand their business. With the advent of digital payments, now they can develop their reach in other cities, enabling online sales and timely payments. With platforms like Taptap Send, they can receive international payments, invest in better materials, and explore new markets.
The ripple effects of empowering women entrepreneurs extend beyond individual success stories. When women gain financial independence, they contribute to their families and communities' economic stability. This empowerment fosters a supportive environment where other women are encouraged to pursue entrepreneurial endeavours, creating a cycle of growth and development.
Community impact and future prospects
Digital payments are not just a convenience; they are a catalyst for change, empowering women to achieve their full potential and contribute meaningfully to their society. Through mobile financial solutions, women are not only enhancing their businesses but also paving the way for future generations of female entrepreneurs. This digital revolution is more than a technological shift; it is a powerful movement towards gender equality and empowerment in Bangladesh.
A report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) found that digital financial inclusion could boost GDP by 2% in emerging markets, with a significant portion of this growth driven by increased participation of women in the economy. As more women embrace digital financial services, the ripple effect on Bangladesh's economy and society will be substantial.
The rise of mobile financial services is a game-changer for women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. By leveraging digital payment solutions like Taptap Send, women can now overcome traditional barriers, access global markets, and drive economic growth in their communities. As more women embrace these tools, the path toward gender empowerment and economic development in Bangladesh becomes clearer and more attainable.
Source: thedailystar.net
https://www.thedailystar.net/tech-startup/news/empowering-self-sufficiency-bangladesh-specialised-ict-training-people-disabilities-3710781
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UN Chief: New Laws ‘Strip Afghan women and girls’ of their rights
By Fidel Rahmati
September 24, 2024
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Monday that Afghanistan’s new laws “strip Afghan women and girls of their rights and freedoms across the board,” causing significant harm to the country.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Guterres described the situation as a “deep crisis of gender-based discrimination and oppression” against Afghan women.
“Afghan women and girls are largely confined to their homes, with no freedom of movement and almost no access to education or work,” he stated.
Guterres also highlighted the high rates of violence, honor killings, and increasing maternal mortality affecting Afghan women, adding that many feel “unsafe, isolated, and powerless.”
He emphasized that the oppression of women is detrimental to Afghanistan’s development. “Extreme gender-based discrimination is not only a systematic abuse of women and girls and a violation of human rights conventions and laws. It is self-harm on a national scale,” he said.
The UN Secretary-General urged Taliban authorities to lift all restrictions on women and girls, reopen schools, and allow women to participate in society fully.
“Without recognizing the rights of one-half of its population, Afghanistan will never take its rightful place on the global stage,” Guterres warned.
The international community has expressed growing concern over the treatment of women in Afghanistan, with many countries calling for action to restore women’s rights. Guterres’ remarks highlight the global demand for change and the need for Afghanistan to comply with international human rights standards.
Afghanistan’s future remains uncertain without the inclusion of women and girls in education and society. As Guterres emphasized, achieving national development and stability will be impossible if half the population continues to be denied basic rights and freedoms.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/un-chief-new-laws-strip-afghan-women-andgirls-of-their-rights/
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Qatar pledges $75 million to support education and healthcare for women in Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
September 24, 2024
During a special United Nations session on women, the Qatari Minister of International Cooperation pledged $75 million to support education and healthcare for women in Afghanistan.
Lolwah Al-Khater highlighted that women’s access to education, economic participation, and other freedoms are crucial for Afghanistan’s development.
In her speech at the UN General Assembly’s side event on Afghanistan’s women, the Qatari Minister reaffirmed her country’s commitment to their fundamental rights.
The financial aid is allocated to scholarships, educational programs, and the provision of healthcare services.
The Qatari Minister also emphasized the empowerment of Afghanistan’s women and their integration into the country’s future, naming it a key priority in Qatar’s long-term strategy.
Lolwah Al-Khater stated, “Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights asserts that everyone has the right to education, and we are committed to ensuring that all Afghans have access to this basic right.”
This comes as the Taliban has, for three consecutive years, banned girls from attending secondary schools and universities.
The continued restrictions on Afghan women’s education under the Taliban have drawn international concern. Initiatives like Qatar’s financial support signal a global effort to counteract these bans and advocate for women’s rights, especially in critical areas such as education and healthcare.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/qatar-pledges-75-million-to-support-education-and-healthcare-for-women-in-afghanistan/
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American Muslim Women Who Are Registered To Vote Are More Likely To Donate Money And Volunteer Than Nonvoters
May 24, 2024
Civic engagement – including volunteering and registering to vote – rather than religiosity was more correlated with giving by Muslim American women, according to research we conducted with our colleagues at the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative.
All Muslims are supposed to contribute zakat, an obligatory form of giving. To meet this obligation, Muslims are required to give 2.5% of their surplus wealth to charities every year.
We found that 87% of all zakat given by Muslim American women came from registered voters. This is higher than the share of Muslim American women who are even eligible to vote, which a 2017 survey determined was 82%.
We also found that Muslim women who are registered to vote are 15 times more likely to volunteer than other Muslim women. And we determined that about 61% of the Muslim American women who said they volunteered gave nearly 94% of the total zakat contributions the participants in this study said they made in 2022.
The initiative, which is housed at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, also found that the top three motives for U.S.-based Muslim women to give to charity or engage in other forms of generous behavior are having compassion toward people in need, feeling that their gift can make a difference, and believing that it is part of their religious duty.
The data for this study was collected by Social Science Research Solutions, a private firm that specializes in survey research in the United States. It recruited 3,355 adults to participate in the survey between February and April 2023 that included a representative sample of Muslim American women.
Why it matters
Our findings indicate that nonprofits eligible to receive zakat funds, but do not engage with Muslim American women, are losing out of valuable financial and volunteer resources for their mission.
This study adds to previous findings about how volunteering, giving and civic participation are positively correlated. We believe it is important for nonprofit leaders to cultivate strong relationships with their volunteers as part of their fundraising strategy.
What’s next
The Muslim Philanthropy Initiative is now conducting additional research through surveys and focus groups to get a more complete picture of how Muslim women give to charity and volunteer. In this next stage, we are seeking to identify the causes that Muslim women support the most through their charitable giving and volunteering.
Source: theconversation.com
https://theconversation.com/muslim-women-who-are-registered-to-vote-are-more-likely-to-donate-money-and-volunteer-than-nonvoters-227315
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/meryl-streep-unga-freedom-afghan/d/133285