Nida ul Nasser, The Grand-Daughter Of Third And Fourth Ahmadi Leaders Seek Leadership’s Explanation On Rapes
New
Age Islam News Bureau
19
January 2022
• Businesswoman
Kareema Muncey : End Discrimination Against Muslim Women In Jamaica
• UAE:
18 Private Sector Firms Pledge To Boost Gender Balance, Empower Women
• Saudi
Arabia’s Largest Women Walking Team With 700 Members Formed In Jubail
• UN
Rights Chief Urges Security Council To Protect Afghan Women
• Women-Led
Tourism Initiatives Are Changing The Way Egypt Is Seen, Experienced
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/nida-ul-nasser-ahmadi-leaders-rape/d/126191
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Nida
ul Nasser, The Grand-Daughter Of Third And Fourth Ahmadi Leaders Seek
Leadership’s Explanation On Rapes
Upal's
revelations came months after those of Nida Ul Nasser, 36, who alleged being
sexually assaulted from early childhood to the age of 25. Credit: iStock Photo
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Jan
19, 2022
The
cases went public last December when Nida Ul Nasser, 36, the grand-daughter of
both the third and the fourth Ahmadi leaders, revealed a long history of
alleged sexual abuse by her father and close family members of the incumbent
global leader of the community, who was recorded as telling her to produce four
witnesses to prove rape or stay silent, otherwise the Jamaat’s system would
take its course to deal with her.
Although
some of the signatories of the open letter are ex-Ahmadis, this letter is the
first of its kind as no culture of questioning policies of the Jamaat has existed
to date. The Jamaat office bearers closely monitor members on social media and
issuing warnings to those liking, tweeting, retweeting, or quoting tweets of
sex abuse survivors, including Nida and Dr Afzal Upal or those endorsing
hashtags such as #AhmadiMeToo or #JusticeForNida.
A
copy of the five-page letter started floating around on social media and
particularly in WhatsApp groups Monday when the initiator informed all
signatories that it had been sent electronically to the community head’s office
in the UK, and national executive bodies of the Jamaat in the US and Canada.
A
US-based female Ahmadi initiated the move, drafted the letter and put it on a
forum on Reddit on December 26 with a deadline for people to sign it by January
10. Only Ahmadis could access this letter by putting information about their
affiliation with the Jamaat. In the introductory post on Reddit, the initiator
said, “While I hope that Nida gets the justice she deserves, this open letter
calls on Jamaat leadership to address issues of rape and sexual abuse more
broadly. As the letter states, only registered Ahmadis are permitted to sign
the letter in order to protect our members who reside in countries where
Ahmadis are persecuted.”
The
signatories of the letter, out of whom 91 are women, belong to different cities
in the US, the UK, Canada, Pakistan, Germany, Mauritius, and Scotland.
The
letter says, “We believe that (the) recorded conversation has revealed
important considerations that extend far beyond this individual incident.” Our
concerns represent our desire to understand the community’s official
interpretation to facilitate allegations of sexual abuse – a universal topic of
concern, the letter said. We ask the central administration of the Ahmadiyya
community to provide answers to the questions like:
i –
Do rape survivors have to submit a requisite amount or type of evidence (e.g.
four witnesses) to bring forth a rape allegation?
ii –
Does this standard differ for other types of sexual abuse claims like child
molestation?
iii –
Are such allegations time-barred?
iv –
What protection, if any, does community leadership believe is providing to
minors who engage in community programming and events?
v –
Are there any preventive measures taken in situations where adults have access
to minors, such as screening and training?
vi –
Are there any examples of how community leadership reacted to reported
instances of sexual abuse to minors?
vii –
Are there any internal community policies or safeguards on sexual abuse conduct
that run parallel to the criminal justice system?
viii
– Are there any protocols on handling such allegations outside of reporting to
local law enforcement? If yes, do these policies apply differently if the
suspected abuser is an office holder?
The
draft of the letter expect answers to all these questions through a statement
published on an official community website such as alislam.org; an email from
national community presidents; and in a Friday sermon by Mirza Masroor Ahmed,
the community head.
The
Reddit post so far has 40 comments most of them expressing fear of consequences
if they sign the letter. One comment read, “I would never sign that letter
because once they find out who you are, I would dread to think how you would be
treated. I feel that the Jamaat has never made anybody feel as though they have
a voice. One rule fits all whether you like it or not.” Another comment said,
“People are too scared to sign it. The problem with women rights in our jamaat
is deeply rooted and embedded in our system.” A comment says, “Qaza (Jamaat’s
internal court system) was a nightmare for domestic abuse victims. A Lajna
lawyer tried to get misogynistic ‘qazis’ to ensure the women get their rights
but she wasn’t very successful. Men in our Jamaat have a hard time listening to
women about anything, especially women rights. Lots of times women went to the
community head and typically nothing was done. Of the women I know personally,
they ended up going to courts to get their rights. But many were in homeless
shelters with no support from qaza.”
Another
comment said, “I want to organize a protest outside Bait ul Islam mosque in
peace village (Jamaat’s Canada headquarter). Anyone who wants to join me from
the GTA, please inbox me.”
Another
comment said, “I signed it. Come what may. The worst of they can do is kick me
out for asking questions. I don’t want to be a part of a system that can’t
withstand constructive criticism.”
The
writer is based in Canada. He can be reached @RanaTanver
Source:
Samaa TV
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Businesswoman
Kareema Muncey : End Discrimination Against Muslim Women In Jamaica
Muslim
businesswoman Kareema Muncey wants the Government to implement a
no-discrimination policy in workplaces and schools to protect Muslim women
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January
18, 2022
BY
JASON CROSS
LOCAL
businesswoman Kareema Muncey has called on the Government to implement a
no-discrimination policy in the workplace and in schools to protect the rights
of women who identify themselves as Muslims in Jamaica.
Muncey,
the chief executive officer of Home Choice Enterprises Limited, during an
interview with the Jamaica Observer, bemoaned the fact that Muslim women are
frequently ostracised because of the hijab or head covering they appear with in
public. The hijab forms part of their religious outfit.
Muncey
also recommended that Jamaica begin to recognise World Hijab Day, which is
observed on February 1 each year in 190 countries since 2013. The World Hijab
Day movement was started by New York resident Nazma Khan.
“She
came out because of discrimination at school. They kept pulling her hijab off.
It started like that and 190 other countries came on. In the workplace we have
been ostracised a lot and especially in the schools. In the primary schools,
the girls are afraid to wear the scarf because people will pull it off.
“First
of all, the principals would tell you that you cannot wear it and then it would
cause a big problem. People do end up at the ministry and then they have to
abide. We want to have freedom of our rights. I am Jamaican 100 per cent, but
sometimes you would go on the road, especially since 9/11 [September 11, 2001]
and people say go back where you come from. You go Champs and they ask if I
have a bomb in my bag, and all those things. Muslims face a lot of stereotype,”
she stressed.
She
said that Muslims are no less Jamaicans than any other citizen and do make
great contributions to the economy. She also pointed out that Muslim women play
vital roles in Jamaican society, and that includes herself, as the CEO of Home
Choice Enterprises.
“I
employ up to 55 persons in my home manufacturing business. Indirectly, we are
looking at 100 persons. We have our first Muslim judge Amina Maknoon, who was
appointed judge a few years ago and she is a full Hijabi.
“We
want to highlight the positive part of our contribution to the economy itself.
We have nurses on the front line who are Hijabis and they work in hospitals
non-stop during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have girls in high school who excel
and are on the honour roll. We have girls that are heads of Kiwanis and youth
services Jamaica. All of these outstanding girls need to be highlighted,” she
pointed out, while also noting that the Muslim population in Jamaica is around
5,000, which includes expatriates from Nigeria and Arabia.
Although
World Hijab Day isn't officially recognised by the Government of Jamaica,
Muslim women on the island have been observing it each year since its inception
in 2013.
Due
to the pandemic, there were no activities marking the day last year. February 1
this year will fall on a Tuesday and will see small groups of Muslim women
walking and educating people on what the hijab is, as well as other aspects of
Islam.
“Leading
up to that day, we should have a hijab challenge and people will wear the hijab
to work. It should be fun. You will get an idea of what people will say to you.
When you put it on, some people are going to say you are a mad woman and you
are crazy.”
Muncey
added that on February 1, booths will be set up in malls in Portmore, Spanish
Town and Kingston. Interested passersby and other persons will receive the
opportunity of wearing their own hijabs.
She
added: “That is actually a way of interacting with the public. Girls will have
placards saying no to discrimination in the workplace. Leading up to World
Hijab Day, on Saturday, January 29, we want to be at Devon House and
Emancipation Park advertising about World Hijab Day. We will be in Pavilion
Mall, definitely.”
Source:
Jamaica Observer
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UAE:
18 private sector firms pledge to boost gender balance, empower women
18
Jan 2022
About
18 leading local and multinational companies from diverse sectors have signed a
pledge to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.
This
pledge by the private sector aims to increase gender balance in the workplace,
with an emphasis on increasing the representation of women in leadership
positions to 30 per cent by 2025.
Companies
that signed the pledge include Majid Al Futtaim Holding LLC, Masdar, Dubai
Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Dubai Holding, Unilever, Standard Chartered
Bank, MasterCard, Michelin, UPS, General Motors, Schneider Electric, PepsiCo,
Mondelez International, BASF, Mars, Nestle, and General Mills.
Each
of the signatories committed to taking key actions before 2025 to strengthen
gender balance in leadership positions, including by: Ensuring equal pay and
fair compensation; promoting gender equitable recruitment and promotion;
mainstreaming gender balance through policies and programmes; and being
transparent about progress with fellow signatories and government.
Sheikha
Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance
Council and President of Dubai Women Establishment, commended the voluntary
initiative.
She
affirmed that gender balance is a key priority for the government. She said the
pledge will be an inspiration for the region and the world.
“The
UAE is highly committed to the Sustainable Development Goals of 2030 and has
integrated them into its strategic plans, and prioritised them in its local and
international partnerships.
“A
national committee for these goals was established in 2017, comprising several
ministries and federal agencies, which share the responsibility of implementing
these goals at the national level.
“The
UAE Gender Balance Council also launched a host of local and global initiatives
to accelerate the implementation of SDG 5 (Gender Equality), in cooperation
with government entities and international organisations.”
Leading
the world
These
efforts have enhanced the country’s rankings in global competitiveness reports
on women and gender balance. It climbed to the 18th place globally in gender
equality in a report issued by the United Nations Development Programme.
“We
have witnessed other notable successes, which include ranking first in Middle
East and North Africa in the ‘Women, Business and the Law’ 2021 report issued
by the World Bank, and first in the Arab world in the Global Gender Gap Report
2021, issued by the World Economic Forum, as well as successfully ranking first
globally in 9 competitive indicators related to the progress in achieving the
fifth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2021,” said Sheikha Manal.
Mona
Al Marri, Vice-President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and Chairperson of
the Global Council on SDG 5, said that the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated
the need to work together to come up with innovative solutions to some complex
challenges.
“It
has also demonstrated the extent to which women are affected by crises … There
are real gender gaps in leadership positions across the world, with women
occupying only 22 per cent of CEO-level leadership positions. We need to
escalate efforts to increase the number of women in senior and middle
management roles, as more women in leadership means stronger organisational
performance and thriving economies.”
Source:
Khaleej Times
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Saudi
Arabia’s largest women walking team with 700 members formed in Jubail
January
13, 2022
JUBAIL
— A Saudi woman, Abeer Al-Dayel, has formed Saudi Arabia’s largest women's
walking team, comprising 700 members, in the Eastern Province city of Jubail.
According
to Al-Arabiya channel, walking reduced the weight of 70 percent of the team
members, and 15 percent of them reported recovery from certain chronic diseases
they previously suffered from.
The
founder of the team, Abeer Al-Dayl, said what motivated her to form the team
was her personal belief that Jubail’s city structure is well-designed for all
types of sports activities on the beaches, neighborhoods and parks.
She
additionally pointed out that in the past four years, the team has conducted
more than 100 initiatives in health awareness.
Source:
Saudi Gazette
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UN
rights chief urges Security Council to protect Afghan women
18
Jan 2022
The
UN high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, urged the UN Security
Council on Tuesday to hold “to account” rights abusers in Afghanistan,
especially those targeting women and children.
“I
ask all states to use their influence with the Taliban to encourage respect for
fundamental human rights,” Bachelet told a special Security Council meeting
organised by Norway focusing on violence against women.
She
noted that “denial of the fundamental rights of women and girls is massively
damaging” the Afghan economy, while the country is “facing a humanitarian
disaster of unprecedented proportions”.
Since
the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August, “women human rights defenders,
journalists, lawyers and judges have been forced to flee or to go into hiding —
often after repeated threats,” she explained.
“I
ask all states to use their influence with the Taliban to encourage respect for
fundamental human rights,” Bachelet told a special Security Council meeting
organised by Norway focusing on violence against women.
She
noted that “denial of the fundamental rights of women and girls is massively
damaging” the Afghan economy, while the country is “facing a humanitarian
disaster of unprecedented proportions”.
Since
the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August, “women human rights defenders,
journalists, lawyers and judges have been forced to flee or to go into hiding —
often after repeated threats,” she explained.
“I
further call on states to create safe pathways and resettlement programmes for
Afghan women human rights defenders, and to immediately halt the deportation of
Afghan women who seek protection.”
Bachelet
further demanded the UN include a robust human rights component in its
assistance programme in Afghanistan, known as UNAMA, which is slated to restart
in mid-March.
Following
her, the director of the NGO Woman and Children Legal Research Foundation,
Zarqa Yaftali, proclaimed that it was time for the Security Council to break
its silence on the millions of Afghans deprived of their rights.
Source:
Khaleej Times
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/un-rights-chief-urges-security-council-to-protect-afghan-women
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Women-led
tourism initiatives are changing the way Egypt is seen, experienced
Marc
Espanol
January
18, 2022
Marwa
Hafez, an Egyptology graduate at the faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management in
Suez, was hired in 2006 to work at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo as part of a
group of 26 new guides. Of all of them, however, Hafez was the only woman, a
position that, just as she was entering the labor market, made her feel lonely
and, at times, intimidated. “It was not easy at all, for a young woman in her
20s, to be around them,” she recalled.
Coming
from a small village in Sharqiya governorate, Hafez managed to carve out a
niche for herself over the years, until she was eventually able to take the
leap and open her own business as a tour guide in what’s still a rare move. “In
the [tourism industry] most workers are men, there was no real support,” Hafez
told Al-Monitor. “Preparing tours is a business: tickets, hotels, cars,
drivers. And all of these are just male, male, male and male,” she added.
Yet
looking back and comparing the situation to now, Hafez said there is some
change, albeit slow, and that she perceives some greater presence of women in
the sector beyond being just tour guides in big companies. “Now I have a stable
life, I need to help others,” she said. “I try to support women in their
career, to push other women to come and join.”
Like
her, more women are gradually breaking into Egypt’s tourism sector and
launching their own projects, often promoting along the way a new type of
experience away from the commercial programs and mass tourism model that
characterizes the country and that dives into lesser-visited locations and
often overlooked activities.
The
Egyptian government has also been particularly keen in recent years to push for
greater participation of women in its tourism industry, one of the country’s
most dynamic economic sectors. In November 2018, the Tourism Reform Program
drawn up by the Ministry of Tourism stated its commitment to increase the
workforce of women in the sector by cooperating with tourism faculties to
address the low school-to-work transition, providing anti-harassment training
at workplaces and promoting female role models.
In
May 2019, Egypt also became the first country in the world to introduce the
Gender Equality Seal program, developed by the United Nations Development
Program, in tourism, as part of its National Strategy for the Empowerment of
Egyptian Women 2030. The Ministry of Tourism has also set up a Closing the
Gender Gap Accelerator aimed at increasing women’s participation in the
workforce to achieve parity, advancing more women into management positions and
closing gender gaps in remuneration.
“This
has been done through the restructuring of the Equal Opportunities Unit after
merging the ministries of Tourism and Antiquities [in 2019], including members
from all sectors of the ministry and its affiliated bodies,” Ghada Shalaby,
deputy minister for tourism, told Al-Monitor. “The unit is designated to
support women and achieve equal opportunities at the ministry and handle
gender-based discrimination.”
She
said, “The number of women working in the tourism sector is 12,446, which
represents 10% of the workforce in the industry. This number includes 2,447
female tour guides, which reflects the safe atmosphere of this field."
One
such initiative established in 2016 is Bellies En Route. Its founders, Laila
Hassaballa and Mariam Nezar, are passionate about food anthropology and
organized their own travels around food culture, until they realized that no
one in Egypt had thought of launching a food tour yet. They then decided to
take the lead and design one in Cairo. “Many tourists come here and leave
without actually trying our food, actual Egyptian food, which is not part of
their trip,” Nezar told Al-Monitor.
Although
other, less ambitious initiatives have popped up since then, mostly linked to
Airbnb experiences, Bellies En Route is still the only specialized food tour
company in Egypt. And its founders are hoping to be able to grow in 2022, develop
other tours, expand to other cities and design products also directed at
Egyptians. “We want food to be the vehicle that we use to teach people our
culture,” Hassaballa told Al-Monitor.
Also
aiming to show the public a lesser-visited side of Cairo, Asmaa Khattab
launched in 2015 the initiative Walk Like An Egyptian. Before doing so, Khattab
used to work as a tour guide with the more commercial tour programs offered by
big travel agencies. But she quickly felt disappointed as most tours were basic
and not designed to get the tourist experience what she considers to be “the
real Egypt.” She told Al-Monitor, “I thought tourism was about hospitality, and
Egypt and Egyptians are famous for hospitality."
By
the end of 2013, Khattab also felt a social responsibility toward those who had
been most hard-hit by the collapse of tourism in the wake of the country’s
post-2011 instability. And she decided to take a step forward shorty after. “My
idea was to support local communities, and I saw that we have in Egypt untouched
and very rich potential for heritage and culture that is not used in tourism.
It was also about improving the quality of culture tourism in Egypt. I thought
cultural tourism deserved a better place,” she said.
Even
further off the most frequent tourist tracks in Egypt, the award-winning Sinai
Trail, a 550-kilometer (342-mile) hiking trail across southern Sinai Peninsula
through the territories of eight Bedouin tribes, launched in 2019 a new
initiative where hikes are led, for the first time, by local Bedouin women,
creating new opportunities and showcasing new narratives of the little-visited
region. Sinai Trail, which has been severely affected by the coronavirus
pandemic, aims to integrate in the hike the particular experiences of Bedouin
women.
“People
of the village and I were very happy because when people come, they bring work
and money to us,” Umm Yasser, one of the guides in the first hike, told
Al-Monitor back then. “I am especially glad for the younger generations because
I am already old. I would like to see [more] people come and visit this place
to help other women,” she added.
Source:
Al Monitor
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/nida-ul-nasser-ahmadi-leaders-rape/d/126191