NHRC Issues Notices to States, UTs Over Women Being 'Forced' Into Sex Trade by Anti-Social Elements in Jharkhand
New Age Islam News Bureau
06 July 2024
·
NHRC
Issues Notices to States, UTs Over Women Being 'Forced' Into Sex Trade by
Anti-Social Elements in Jharkhand
·
Gaza
Women and The Isdal Robes That Shield Them as War Strips Their Privacy
·
Labour's
Muslim Women MPs Tell of Campaign of Intimidation and Abuse
·
Indonesian
Police Reveal How Newcastle Woman Rebecca Ode Lost an Eye InBali
·
Saudi
TV Personality Sara Murad Launches Her Own Fragrance Brand
·
Saudi
Actress Mila Al-ZahraniJoins Boucheron’sQuatreCollection Anniversary Campaign
·
Ola
Farahat spotted as Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Dolce & Gabbana
·
Pak
Govt to Continue Unflinching Support to Minority Community: Senator Rubina
Khalid
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/nhrc-jharkhand-forced-sex-uts/d/132648
-------
NHRC
Issues Notices To States, UTs Over Women Being 'Forced' Into Sex Trade By
Anti-Social Elements In Jharkhand
Representative image
------
06.07.24
The NHRC
has issued notices to the chief secretaries and the police chief of all the
states and union territories over reports that women are allegedly being forced
into sex trade by anti-social elements on the pretext of providing them with
lucrative job opportunities.
In a
statement on Friday, the National Human Rights Commission observed the content
of a news report quoting statements by women arrested during a raid, if true,
raises a serious concern relating to the life, liberty, equality and dignity of
women, irrespective of caste, religion and geographical boundaries.
"The
media report, carried on July 1, indicates that most of the arrested women
during a raid at a hotel in Ranchi, Jharkhand, got into sex trade out of
compulsion and helplessness. Many of them were pushed into this web by their
relatives and some of them were forced to enter into this ugly business to
fulfil the needs of their families and could not come out of the vicious network
of anti-social elements once got into their grip," it said.
The news
report indicates that the victim women are natives of different places,
"trapped in the name of a job" and their handlers are reportedly
operating from distant locations. This indicates the "depth of the crime
syndicate" across the country, which requires a pan-India action against
such criminal elements, the statement said.
The
NHRC, after taking suomotu cognisance of the media report, issued notices to
the chief secretaries and the director generals of police of all the states and
UTs, seeking a detailed report on the steps taken and proposed to be taken to
deal with the anti-social elements pushing women into sex trade, it said.
Issuing
the notices, the commission further observed that despite several laws and
schemes in the country for the protection, safety and welfare of women, the
anti-social and criminal elements manage to target the vulnerable sections of
society, particularly women.
In
another statement issued on Friday, the NHRC said it has taken suomotu
cognisance of media reports that 30 children allegedly fell ill and five died
at an ashram (shelter home) in the Indore district of Madhya Pradesh.
"They
are of 5-15 years. Reportedly, blood infection and food poisoning are suspected
to be the reasons behind this. Most of the children living in the ashrams are
orphans," it said.
The NHRC
issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh chief secretary, seeking a detailed
report within one week. It should include the present health status of the
children reportedly hospitalised for medical treatment, it added.
The
commission would also like to know about the steps taken to improve the overall
condition of the ashram so that such incidents do not recur, the statement
said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/national-human-rights-commission-issues-notices-to-states-uts-over-women-being-forced-into-sex-trade-by-anti-social-elements/cid/2031863
--------
Gaza
Women and The Isdal Robes That Shield Them as War Strips Their Privacy
Palestinian
women in Gaza need to throw on an isdal to be able to hold their murdered
children close for one final goodbye. Here a Palestinian woman kisses the
shrouded body of a child killed by an Israeli air raid on October 15, 2023,
outside Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, the Gaza Strip [Adel Hana/AP
Photo]
------
4 Jan
2024
Al-Fukhari,
Gaza Strip – It’s a garment that the world may have grown accustomed to seeing
Palestinian women in Gaza wearing as they flee for their lives, hold their
murdered children or loved ones close for one final goodbye, or run frantically
through hospital corridors hoping to find their loved ones injured, not dead.
Muslim
women will recognise it as a prayer cover-up, known as an “isdal” or
“toubsalah”, and it is what women and girls have pulled around them at the most
difficult moments that the current Israeli war on Gaza has wrought.
An isdal
can be one piece that covers the whole body except for the face or two pieces
with a skirt and a veil that covers the wearer past the hips. Every practising
Muslim woman’s home has at least one, an essential item at all times.
In
addition to prayer time, a veiled woman may pull this on to answer the door
when male guests arrive with no advance notice – or even if they’re just
running around the corner to buy something or stepping out to chat with a
neighbour.
A
wartime companion
The
isdal is a comfortable item to throw on top of whatever a woman is wearing if
she has to leave the house in a hurry and remain modest.
But
during the war, Palestinian women are wearing it around the clock, at home or
out, asleep or awake, because they have no idea when a bomb will strike their
house and they will have to run, or worse.
“If we
die when our house is bombed, we want to have our dignity and modesty. If we’re
bombed and have to be rescued from the rubble, we don’t want to be rescued
wearing nothing,” Sarah Assaad, 44, says.
Sarah
lived in Zeitoun in eastern Gaza City and has been displaced to the school in
al-Fukhari with her three daughters and two sons, all of whom are teenagers.
She adds
that the isdal is worn around the clock by the terrified women and girls in the
school, which is crammed with displaced people.
“I have
three of them, my daughters each have at least one. We’ve gotten used to this
in the past 17 years of different Israeli assaults. When the first missile
falls on Gaza, we put our isdals on.”
Fifty-six-year-old
Raeda Hassan, from east of Khan Younis, says she has kept her isdal close
throughout the many wars Gaza suffered, to the point where, she adds, she does
not like the sight of it sometimes because it reminds her of violence.
“The
first thing I’m going to do after the war is to get rid of this and buy a
different one so I’m not reminded of the suffering of war,” Raeda says,
gesturing down at her isdal.
She is
also at the school with her daughters and daughters-in-law, who are all wearing
their isdals as well.
In fact,
Sarah says, the isdal is so ubiquitous that girls who are too young to pray or
take the veil have been demanding that their mothers buy them isdals anyway.
Sahar
Akar’s daughters are only four and five years old, but wanted isdals so they
could be like their cousins and the older girls they saw around them.
Sahar,
28, fled to the south of the Gaza Strip with her family from Gaza City.
‘You
never know what might happen’
Raeda
muses for a moment then exclaims: “I don’t know where everyone gets this idea
that we’re somehow prepared to be bombed.
“First
of all, what does that mean? To be prepared to have your home, history,
memories destroyed? Who on earth can say that’s something you should be
prepared for?
“Anyway,
we don’t know where the bombs are going to fall, or which home will be
obliterated. We keep this isdal on so we can run out and look for our kids if
they wander too far. We wear it when we run to our neighbours’ places to see if
they’re OK after a bombing.
“If I
see my daughters or any of the family’s women without their isdal, I tell them
to put it on, you never know what might happen.”
Raeda’s
16-year-old daughter Salma sits nearby, nodding vigorously and dressed in her
isdal. She remembers the day in early September when she and her mother went
out to the Shujayea market and she spotted a “cute” isdal she just had to have,
and Raeda bought it for her.
“I love
it very much and like wearing it because it reminds me of that day when we
wandered in the market and had so much fun,” she adds.
“When we
fled, I was wearing trousers and a shirt but I took my isdal with me so I could
pray. Once we got here and I saw how crowded it was and how every single woman
was wearing an isdal, I figured I should keep mine on all the time.
“It’s
sad because prayer covers have happy associations also, a crisp, new, colourful
veil for Eid prayers, even an isdal pulled on in a hurry to wait for your kids
to jump off the school bus and tell you about their day. That’s all been
ruined,” Salma continues.
For many
other women who spoke to Al Jazeera, the isdal carries mixed feelings as a
symbol of panic in the street as well as the quiet moments of prayer and
reflection.
In wartime,
the simple act of covering their heads has become loaded with a deep weight of
sadness.
Source: aljazeera.com
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/1/4/gaza-women-isdal-robes-them-war-strips-their-privacy
--------
Labour's
Muslim Women MPs Tell of Campaign of Intimidation and Abuse
Jul 05,
2024
Leading
Labour Muslim women MPs have hit out at an unprecedented campaign of
intimidation endured during the campaign, describing physical threats and a
hate-filled stream of misinformation that forced some to accept police
protection.
Senior
cabinet member Shabana Mahmood, MP for Birmingham Ladywood, was one of the
politicians who gained police guards. Veteran backbencher Naz Shah, who has run
the gauntlet of high-profile divisive elections for more than a decade, said
the abuse was unprecedented.
Ms
Mahmood, who became Justice Secretary on Friday, held her seat but saw her
majority diminished as many voters opted for independent candidate
AkhmedYakoob. In her declaration speech Ms Mahmood said the campaign was
sullied by “harassment and intimidation”.
She
condemned the “assault on democracy itself” and said it was unacceptable to
“intimidate and threaten” people. “British politics must soon wake up to what
happened at this election,” she said. “And let me make this clear because this
matters deeply to me and my family: it is never acceptable to deny anyone their
faith; to brand them an infidel.”
An
outspoken critic of Islamophobia who resigned from the front benches after
voting for a ceasefire in Gaza in November, Ms Shah was not endorsed by
high-profile campaign The Muslim Vote. It targeted her constituency, which has
a 54 per cent Muslim electorate.
“It is
really toxic out there. I’ve never experienced anything like it ever,” she said
in a final message to her campaign team this week.
“It’s
been vicious, particularly against Muslim women candidates,” said one Labour
campaigner, a Muslim woman, who had been travelling across the country to
support candidates throughout the election period.
Labour’s
initial support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, and its refusal to call
for an immediate ceasefire and arms embargo on Israel has driven a wedge with
many in its traditional support base.
The
Muslim Vote (TMV) endorsed a range of alternatives to Labour candidates. Among
its pledges was to “root out Islamophobia and discrimination” across UK
systems.
It
backed the wave of independent candidates challenging Labour over Palestine,
including former party leader Jeremy Corbyn who was re-elected, veteran South
African politician Andrew Feinstein, and British Palestinian Leanne Mohamad,
who came close to unseating senior Labour politician Wes Streeting.
Labour’s
Muslim candidates appeared to be disproportionately targeted by the campaign.
Attacks
on faith and ethnicity
In some
instances, Labour’s Muslim candidates saw their ethnicity or faith questioned
by the endorsed candidates.
Former
Labour MP Khalid Mahmood, who stood in Birmingham Perry Barr, was unseated by
TMV-endorsed candidate Ayoub Khan. A series of posts by TMV accused Mr Mahmood
of failing to “stand up” for “Muslim issues”, and supporting government
programmes that are deemed anti-Muslim.
In East
London, Rushanara Ali was re-elected by a narrow margin in Bethnal Green and
Stepney, despite rivals who thrived on questioning her Bangladeshi Muslim
origins.
Though
Ms Ali has been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, her abstention in
the November motion on a ceasefire had been the source of contention.
Leader
of the Worker’s Party of Britain George Galloway described Ms Ali as “the wrong
Bengali MP” during an east London rally for his party this week. Mr Galloway
himself lost in Rochdale, which he had represented since February.
Galloway-backed
independent candidate AjmalMasroor, a cleric and television presenter, was Ms
Ali's main challenger. He spoke at mosques and canvassed outside schools,
presenting the election as a spiritual matter, campaigners said.
Posters
of Mr Masroor were seen by The National stacked inside a local mosque. The
strategy appeared to work, with Mr Masroor gaining 30 per cent of vote share,
just shaded by Ms Ali's 34 per cent.
Sheikh
Zahir Mahmood, one backer of The Muslim Vote, questioned the loyalty of local
MPs as he urged his congregation in Oldham to vote with Gaza in the days before
the election. “You have Muslim MPs who can't even ask for a ceasefire. [Their]
affiliation is greater to their party than to the ummah,” he said, in a video
shared online by an Islamist news website.
Future
generations
The
campaign also went against Labour Muslim candidates who were standing for the
first time.
• Labour
candidate Heather Iqbal, a former policy adviser to shadow chancellor Rachel
Reeves, lost the Dewsbury and Batley seat by nearly 7,000 votes to independent
Iqbal Mohamed, who was endorsed by The Muslim Vote.
• In
Barking, Green candidate Simon Antony was endorsed instead of Labour candidate
NesilCaliskan, a former leader of the council for Enfield who has Turkish
Muslim heritage.
• In
Sheffield, Green candidate Angela Argenzio was endorsed instead of Labour’s
Abtisam Mohamed, a Yemen-born lawyer with strong roots in the city’s
Arabic-speaking and Muslim communities.
Labour’s
Muslim candidates and their supporters have also been targeted by online
misinformation about their faith.
Labour
member Mohammad Maroof said the level of online harassment had left him fearful
for his safety. An image of him with a group of campaigners was doctored to
replace Labour placards with the Israeli flag.
“This is
harmful to community cohesion. I'm very concerned about this type of behaviour.
This is my community, this is my home. I've never felt I was in danger, now I
am quite concerned about my safety,” he told The National.
• One
video shows Ms Shah being harassed by a local protester while she is out
canvassing, who pledges to “follow her around” and describes her as a “dirty
Zionist”.
• An
online video of Ms Ali at an event with supporters from the Bengali community
described them as “traitors”.
• A
photo of Ms Mohamed meeting with mosque community leaders was defaced with the
slogan “a vote for Labour is a vote for genocide” and circulated online by
unknown activists.
There is
no suggestion that The Muslim Vote was involved in these particular attacks on
candidates and it did not comment on how it supported the independents.
Source: thenationalnews.com
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2024/07/05/labours-muslim-women-mps-tell-of-campaign-of-intimidation-and-abuse/
--------
Indonesian
police reveal how Newcastle woman Rebecca Ode lost an eye in Bali
06-07-24
Indonesian
police believe a Newcastle woman found with horrific head injuries had crashed
a scooter into a parked motorcycle.
Rebecca
Ode, 36, was found on Nusa Lembongan in the early hours of Tuesday morning and
rushed to hospital in Denpasar where she was treated for a brain haemorrhage as
well as shattered eye socket, cheekbone and collarbone.
She lost
an eye in the ordeal and is now recovering from 14 hours of surgery.
How she
sustained those injuries had remained a mystery but a police report obtained by
the ABC states she had driven a Yamaha scooter into a parked motorcycle in
Jungutbatu Village.
The
report says it was a clear night with a dark sky and little traffic around.
Dr
BagusMahadewa from the Ngoerah General Hospital where Ms Ode was treated said
while she was now able to speak after her extensive surgeries, she was unable
to remember what happened.
"She
is now fully conscious and asking what happened to her body. She is
experiencing retroactive amnesia," he said.
"She
cannot remember the incident that happened to her but she can remember her
name."
Dr
Mahadewa said Ms Ode's injuries were consistent with a road accident.
"The
accident that likely caused these injuries would have been a heavy traffic
accident with high impact," he said.
"We
decided to operate right away that night, first on her broken skull, draining
liquid from her brain and also working together with a plastic surgery
specialist to fix the damage to her face and nose, while an eye surgeon focused
on her right eye and an orthoepic surgeon put plates in her skull."
Repatriation
journey complicated, doctor warns
Ms Ode's
family was contacted by a friend in the early hours of Tuesday morning and
rushed to be by her side.
Ms Ode's
sister's partner Jesse Wilton previously told the ABC that following the
surgery, the family's focus was on bringing her home.
"It's
turned into a mission of, how do we get her home into Australian care?"
Mr
Wilton said medical bills reached more than $60,000 in the first few days of treatment
and a flight home in her present condition could cost up to $135,000.
An
online fundraiser organised by the family has raised more than $130,000 to help
cover Ms Ode's medical and transport costs.
Dr
Mahadewa said repatriating her now is complicated given the nature of her
injuries.
"If
the family want to evacuate her right now, she would need to transported with
an air ambulance, because there may be some fluid trapped inside the
skull," he said.
"If
she can wait longer here, she could fly in two weeks in business class so it is
up to the family and insurance company.
"With
air ambulance she could be back in Australia in three to four hours but if she
waits two weeks we will scan her skull again to make sure the liquid trapped in
her skull has gone and she can travel lying down in comfort."
Accident
occurred on extended Bali trip
Mr
Wilton said Ms Ode had been in Bali on an extended holiday since January,
following the death of her father.
"She'd
been on a bit of a rebuilding mission while in Bali, focusing on herself,
getting her health right," he said.
"She'd
been the best version of herself in two years since losing a father — and had
met a new community over there.
"Life
was really good, and then this has happened."
Source: abc.net.au
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-06/indonesian-police-reveal-how-australian-woman-lost-eye-in-bali/104066300
--------
Saudi TV
personality Sara Murad launches her own fragrance brand
July 05,
2024
DUBAI:
Saudi media personality Sara Murad has been a mainstay in Arab households for
more than a decade, most recently as the presenter of MBC morning show “Sabah
AlkhairYa Arab.”
“When
someone tells me that I made a change in their life, it feels so rewarding and
makes me want to give more,” Murad tells Arab News.
As part
of that effort to ‘give more,’ Murad decided last year to launch her own
fragrance brand, By Sara Murad.
“I’ve
always wanted to be a businesswoman; I just never had the time or the right
team to take the step. Putting everything together feels so exciting and gave
me the drive to launch a brand,” Murad, who is now a Dubai resident, says.
“Everyone
loves fragrance, it’s embedded in our culture. And I have always been
passionate about collecting them. But with By Sara Murad, I wanted to create
something that would showcase our culture with a modern twist that could reach
the world. And I wanted to create something with my name that I’ve been working
on for so long,” she added.
The
first fragrance from her brand — Black Oud — is “a harmonious melding of French
elegance and the pride of Saudi Arabia,” according to the publicity blurb,
“blending notes of Oud, amber, wood and leather.”
“Saudi
Arabia is all the inspiration — including the change, the openness and
invitation to the world, the inspiration that the country is giving to the
youth and the empowerment that is giving us as women,” she says. “To see the
Kingdom’s growth has been fascinating and makes me so proud. To see the
opportunity that’s been given to women and men… it’s definitely a chance for
the young to grow.”
When she
was a young adult, Murad would have never imagined she would find a career as a
TV presenter. She graduated as a graphic designer and was interested primarily
in advertising and production work.
“I never
thought of (trying to get) a job in front of the camera. I believe everyone
gets an opportunity but sometimes it is so out of our comfort zone that we
reject it,” she says. “When I got offered the job, I challenged myself to try
it, thinking that I had nothing to lose and that it would be an experience. And
here I am,12 years later.”
Her
success was hard-won. “Honestly, it’s not a field where you meet people who
want to help you grow, so I counted on myself and learned a lot — most of it
the hard way,” she says.
In the
beginning, there were people who were surprised to learn that she was a Saudi
woman. “But now the whole world knows what a Saudi woman is capable of,” she
adds.
Juggling
a full-time job with a new business is, of course, no mean feat, and Murad
makes it work by being organized at all times.
“My days
are never (the same). My schedule is always changing. There is always something
new happening, whether it is the show I’m presenting, or a photo shoot, or
working on a new fragrance. There is nothing typical about my life. But I try
to manage as far as I can to give everything my full attention. So, I’m very,
very organized. And working with a great team also helps a lot to reach my
goals,” she says.
“When it
comes to de-stressing, I try to take it easy. I shut down work. I mean, I never
shut down, who am I kidding? But I play the piano — that helps,” she continues.
“I like to read, that also helps. And I like to travel a lot and change scenery
as well, even if it’s for work.”
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2543706/lifestyle
--------
Saudi
actress Mila Al-Zahrani joins Boucheron’sQuatre collection anniversary campaign
July 04,
2024
DUBAI:
Saudi actress Mila Al-Zahrani has been selected as one of the new faces of
Boucheron’sQuatre collection, joining the French brand as it celebrates the
collection’s 20th anniversary.
This
year marks two decades since the jewelry house introduced its Quatre
collection, which features four patterns from the Boucheron archives and three
shades of gold.
To
commemorate the milestone, Boucheron has released a new campaign featuring
Al-Zahrani alongside three other women from the Middle East: Romanian Jordanian
footwear designer Amina Muaddi, Lebanese singer Dana Hourani, and Turkish
actress Dilan ÇiçekDeniz.
“Once a
Quatre girl, always a Quatre girl. Our family is growing,” Al-Zahrani wrote on
Instagram, sharing a picture of herself adorned in wide, cuff-style bracelets
with parallel band designs.
Hourani
wrote on Instagram: “So happy to announce that I have joined the
@BoucheronQuatre family. Proud to be part of this new partnership with a
visionary brand known for its innovation and cutting-edge designs. Lots
happening this year, excited for what’s coming.”
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2543481/lifestyle
--------
Ola
Farahat spotted as Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Dolce & Gabbana
July 03,
2024
DUBAI:
From a Max Mara showcase to this week’s Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda show,
Dubai-based influencer Ola Farahat has been on a high-fashion spree in Italy.
The
fashion icon, who is Palestinian, was spotted at Italian luxury label Dolce
& Gabbana’s Alta Moda show on Tuesday, looking regal in a flowy,
off-the-shoulder grey chiffon dress paired with a glitzy tiara. She completed
the look with a silver clutch.
The
event was held at the Nora Archeological site in Sardinia and was attended by a
number of A-list stars, including Halle Bailey, Maluma, Rosie
Huntington-Whiteley, Alessandra Ambrosio, Kitty Spencer, Lucien Laviscount and
Naomi Campbell, to name a few.
The show
celebrated the culture, folklore and artistic heritage of various Italian
regions through gold and gemstone creations.
Models
on the runway, including part-Saudi star Amira Al-Zuhair and British Moroccan
model Nora Attal, wore luxurious black garments adorned with intricate, oversized
gold jewelry that showcased Italy’s cultural legacy.
Inspired
by Sardinia’s deep cultural tapestry, the designs featured hand-woven tubular
fabrics with gold threads, creating three-dimensional patterns that graced
corsets, bras, jewel-encrusted bodices, and belts. The collection also
transformed mikado and velvet organza with elaborate patterns and intricate
designs, further embellished with sequined motifs.
Al-Zuhair
wore a prominent necklace and matching earrings, embellished with red
gemstones. She also showed off a sleek black wig styled in a short, blunt cut,
adding a modern edge to the ensemble.
“Loved
my look for last night Dolce & Gabbana Alta Gioielleria,” she captioned one
of her stories.
The
social media star, with 1.3 million followers, has been spending her summer in
Italy with her family.
In a
short video shared on Instagram, she posed with her husband and daughter in
matching outfits. In another post, she
posed by the beach wearing a summery, backless white dress with yellow and
green floral detailing. She complemented her outfit with a matching scarf on
her head. “Happy to be back in Italy for #DGAltaModa,” she wrote.
In June,
Farahat was spotted at the Max Mara Resort 2025 show, which took place at
Palazzo Ducale overlooking Piazza San Marco in Venice. She wore a one-shoulder
green satin gown with a draped, asymmetrical design.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2542621/lifestyle
--------
Pak Govt
to Continue Unflinching Support to Minority Community: Senator Rubina Khalid
July 06,
2024
Benazir
Income Support Programme Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid has said that the
government will continue unflinching support to the minority community.
Talking
to Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Provincial Assembly Anthony Naveed in Islamabad,
she said BISP's core initiatives are designed to provide substantial benefits
to the minority community, ensuring they receive the necessary support and
relief.
Source: radio.gov.pk
https://www.radio.gov.pk/06-07-2024/govt-to-continue-unflinching-support-to-minority-community-rubina
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/nhrc-jharkhand-forced-sex-uts/d/132648