Sali Al-Harbi, A Teenage Science Prodigy Hopes To Win Saudi Arabia’s First Nobel Honour For Her Work In Chemistry And Renewable Energy
New Age Islam News Bureau
29 September 2024
• Sali Al-Harbi, A Teenage Science Prodigy Hopes To Win Saudi Arabia’s First Nobel Honour For Her Work In Chemistry And Renewable Energy
• Muslim Women Break Taboos Navigating East London's Waterways
• University Of New Haven Launches Afghan Women Scholars Program
• 'Inter-Faith Couple' Clash: Minority Girl Says ‘Will Wait To Turn 18, Marry My Friend’
• A Child Bride Won The Right To Divorce - Now The Taliban Say It Doesn't Count
• Women Over 50 In Turkey Face Gender, Age-Based Discrimination In The Workforce, Report Reveals
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sali-al-harbi-saudi-arabia-nobel-chemistry/d/133313
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Sali Al-Harbi, A Teenage Science Prodigy Hopes To Win Saudi Arabia’s First Nobel Honour For Her Work In Chemistry And Renewable Energy
Sali Al-Harbi, Mulhum Foundation CEO. (Supplied)
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Waad Hussain
September 28, 2024
RIYADH: A 17-year-old from a small Saudi Arabian town is hoping to become the Kingdom’s first Nobel Prize winner one day.
Sali Al-Harbi, from Al-Qawara in Qassim, has gained national recognition for her work in chemistry and renewable energy. She is also the founder and CEO of the Mulhum Foundation, a youth platform dedicated to community service and raising awareness about volunteer work.
Al-Harbi gained further recognition by becoming the youngest winner of an award for social responsibility, sponsored by Prince Faisal bin Mishaal, for her work with the Mulhum Foundation. (Supplied)
“I was inspired by Marie Curie, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in chemistry,” Al-Harbi told Arab News. “I aim to be the first Saudi woman to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.”
Al-Harbi gained further recognition by becoming the youngest winner of an award for social responsibility, sponsored by Prince Faisal bin Mishaal, for her work with the Mulhum Foundation.
“This award recognized my efforts, including the foundation I started, which focuses on volunteering for ages 11 to 25,” she said. “I plan to participate again this year with new projects and aim to secure first place once more.”
Balancing a demanding schedule of studies, research and leadership roles is no mean feat, but Al-Harbi applies the “8x8x8 rule” — her day is divided into eight hours each for work, rest and personal time.
Sali’s dedication has been recognized through numerous awards and honors from various organizations, including the Minister of Education, the Misk Foundation, and the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Foundation.
Her role in the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Award for Excellence in Education, which includes schools across the Gulf Cooperation Council, represents another step in her journey.
“Participating in this award is a significant opportunity for me to showcase my work and contribute to the field of education,” she said. “My research aims to explore innovative methods for renewable energy, aligning with global and local sustainability goals.”
Despite the challenges, Al-Harbi remains steadfast in her pursuit of excellence. She said: “The balance between academics, research, and leadership requires strong time management and perseverance, Staying organized and focused helps me achieve my goals and contribute effectively to my community.”
Her story is just one example of the potential of Saudi youth. Her achievements are an inspiration to others and demonstrate the impact of dedication and hard work.
“My advice to other young people is to seize opportunities, participate in local programs and competitions, develop skills, and build community relationships wherever possible,” she said.
Source: Www.Arab News.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573148/saudi-arabia
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Muslim Women Break Taboos Navigating East London's Waterways
Paddle dipped gently below mossy water, Dilruba Begum guided the kayak and a trainee sat in front of her down a canal in east London.
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Akshata KAPOOR
29 September 2024
Paddle dipped gently below mossy water, Dilruba Begum guided the kayak and a trainee sat in front of her down a canal in east London.
Two years ago, when Dilruba, 43, was swamped with mothering duties, a friend told her about a free, women-only programme to learn paddle sports near her home.
Now she is a qualified paddle sport instructor, after taking part in the programme run by local housing and community regeneration body Poplar HARCA.
Dilruba and her fellow paddlers are breaking new ground, encouraging women from London's less advantaged eastern neighbourhoods to embrace water sports that many felt were inaccessible to ethnic minorities like them with stretched resources and limited leisure time.
Nine of them, including Dilruba and Atiyya Zaman, 38, have qualified as instructors and started London's first boat club with an all-female, Muslim committee.
On a rain-soaked September afternoon, the pair led their first session, teaching a small group of women how to use kayaks and inflatable paddle boards.
Life vests secured, they demonstrated different manoeuvres to participants on a small pontoon before lowering themselves into kayaks to begin the session on Limehouse Cut.
One aim of the initiative is to improve local people's access to "blue spaces" in Poplar, which lies at the heart of 6.5 kilometres (3.7 miles) of uninterrupted waterways.
"I live next to the canal, and I used to see people going (on it) all the time. I did always wonder how it would feel if I could do that?" said Atiyya, bobbing up and down on an orange kayak.
Jenefa Hamid, from Poplar HARCA, said many people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds that make up most of the local community "thought water sport was not something that's typically for them".
This could be due to a fear of drowning, as well as cultural and religious reasons. "I think it is just feeling socially excluded," she added.
According to Sport England data from 2017 to 2019, less than one percent of Asian (excluding Chinese) adults participated in water sports, and all BAME communities were under-represented in swimming activities.
Naseema Begum, 47, who was part of the initial cohort and is now an instructor, said there was a "taboo" preventing Asian women and those wearing headscarves from taking part in water sports.
Wearing a niqab, Naseema wanted to show that "you can wear anything and go in the water. As long as you've got the right equipment... anyone can take part".
Women were also attracted by the affordability. Private boating clubs are "quite unaffordable if you've got a family to maintain", said Naseema, adding that she could not justify spending the amount on her own "leisure".
Naseema now chairs the "Oar and Explore" boat club. With Atiyya and Dilruba, they hope to raise enough funds to acquire their own boats and a storage space by a new pontoon planned for the area.
"The way I felt, the enjoyment and the confidence that I've built from this, I want to pass it on to others and tell them there's more to life," said Dilruba.
Atiyya agreed. "During Covid, it was quite hard with three young children at home, and then with work, it was very stressful. This was a way to escape," she said.
"They have lifted us up and made us into some new people, with new experiences... new skills we never thought we would have," she said.
Source: Times Of India
https://www.barrons.com/news/muslim-women-break-taboos-navigating-east-london-s-waterways-fccc92aa
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University Of New Haven Launches Afghan Women Scholars Program
By Brian Zahn
Sep 29, 2024
WEST HAVEN — The University of New Haven announced a scholarship program for 14 Afghan women funded by a seven-figure gift from Danish web entrepreneur Henrik Nielsen.
The program will cover four years of tuition for 10 undergraduate students and two years of tuition for four graduate students as well as support for room, board and educational expenses.
"Our focus is on supporting students with the demonstrated drive and work ethic to use a college degree as the launching pad to a successful and fulfilling life — economically, socially, culturally, and personally," said UNH President Jens Frederiksen in an emailed comment.
Frederiksen said the university is seeking students to begin in the spring 2025 semester with the expectation that all 14 scholars will have started by the fall semester of the 2025-2026 academic year.
"Our primary mission, which I believe is the true essence of higher education, is to transform lives. There are many hard-working individuals across the country and the globe who are deserving of support," Frederiksen said.
The focus on women from Afghanistan was sparked by the country's political environment under the Taliban. Last year the United Nations deemed it "the most repressive country in the world regarding women’s rights."
“Friends of mine approached me about the prospect of creating this pipeline program, and I was delighted to support it,” Nielsen said in a statement. “The impact this will have on the lives of these remarkable women is inspiring, and I look forward to seeing their stories unfold.”
Frederiksen, a fellow Dane, said he "had numerous conversations" with Nielsen "about his passion for giving back and creating educational pathways for deserving students."
"We crafted this initiative to maximize his investment and the impact it will have on the wonderful students this program will support," he said.
Frederiksen's term as the University of New Haven's seventh president began at the conclusion of the last academic year. He said the Afghan women's scholarship program reflects UNH's "focus on local students from all over the world, whose goals and perspectives are global."
Source: Www.Nhregister.Com
https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/university-of-new-haven-afghan-women-scholars-19788947.php
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'Inter-Faith Couple' Clash: Minority Girl Says ‘Will Wait To Turn 18, Marry My Friend’
Sep 29, 2024
DEHRADUN/BAREILLY: After authorities intervened and separated the inter-faith couple that was at the centre of the communal clash that erupted at Dehradun railway station late Thursday night -- sending the minor girl back to her family in Budaun and relocating the man to an undisclosed location in Dehradun with his brother -- the girl, a member of the minority community, was adamant about marrying the man even after reaching home.
"The only thing that stopped me from marrying him was my age. I will wait till I turn 18 so that I can marry him and live together," the girl said. She added, "Currently, I am happy to stay with my family. I hope that he is safe wherever he is right now." Speaking to TOI from her home in Budaun, she expressed her strong feelings for the man, a resident of her village, whom she had met while in Class 9. They eventually entered into a relationship, with the man promising to marry her before he came to Dehradun to work as a fruit-seller.
Meanwhile, the girl's family said they were unaware of the communal unrest in Dehradun that followed a clash at the railway station. "We returned to Budaun with our daughter Thursday night, escorted by local police. We later learned about the railway station incident through media reports but were unaware of the protests by right-wing groups the following day. We never expected that the incident would escalate to such a scale. We appeal to everyone to maintain peace and harmony," her father said.
The 21-year-old man, who was confronted by members of the minority community at the Dehradun railway station, has been moved to a safe location after being handed over to his brother by police. Authorities said they found no fault on his part, and no complaint was lodged against him.
Police had earlier registered cases against 14 named individuals, including Vikas Verma, local functionary of the Bajrang Dal, and Asif Qureshi, president of the city unit of the Azad Samaj Party, as well as 100 unidentified others, for their involvement in the clash. Eight of the 14, including Verma and Qureshi, were detained but later released on Friday evening after serving notices under Section 35(3) of the BNSS.
Source: Times Of India
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshowprint/113772336.cms
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A child bride won the right to divorce - now the Taliban say it doesn't count
Mamoon Durrani
29-08-2024
There is a young woman sheltering under a tree between two busy roads clutching a pile of documents to her chest.
These pieces of paper are more important to Bibi Nazdana than anything in the world: they are the divorce granted to her after a two-year court battle to free herself from life as a child bride.
They are the same papers a Taliban court has invalidated - a victim of the group’s hardline interpretation on Sharia (religious law) which has seen women effectively silenced in Afghanistan’s legal system.
Nazdana’s divorce is one of tens of thousands of court rulings revoked since the Taliban took control of the country three years ago this month.
It took just 10 days from them sweeping into the capital, Kabul, for the man she was promised to at seven to ask the courts to overturn the divorce ruling she had fought so hard for.
Hekmatullah had initially appeared to demand his wife when Nazdana was 15. It was eight years since her father had agreed to what is known as a 'bad marriage', which seeks to turn a family "enemy" into a "friend".
She immediately approached the court – then operating under the US-backed Afghan government - for a separation, repeatedly telling them she could not marry the farmer, now in his 20s. It took two years, but finally a ruling was made in her favour: "The court congratulated me and said, 'You are now separated and free to marry whomever you want.'"
"At the court, the Taliban told me I shouldn't return to court because it was against Sharia. They said my brother should represent me instead," says Nazdana.
"They told us if we didn't comply," says Shams, Nazdana's 28-year-old brother, "they would hand my sister over to him (Hekmatullah) by force."
Her former husband, and now a newly signed up member of the Taliban, won the case. Shams' attempts to explain to the court in their home province of Uruzgan that her life would be in danger fell on deaf ears.
When the Taliban returned to power three years ago, they promised to do away with the corruption of the past and deliver "justice" under Sharia, a version of Islamic law.
Most were criminal cases - an estimated 40% are disputes over land and a further 30% are family issues including divorce, like Nazdana's.
Nazdana’s divorce ruling was dug out after the BBC got exclusive access to the back offices of the Supreme Court in the capital, Kabul.
AbdulwahidHaqani - media officer for Afghanistan’s Supreme Court - confirms the ruling in favour of Hekmatullah, saying it was not valid because he "wasn’t present".
"The previous corrupt administration's decision to cancel Hekmatullah and Nazdana's marriage was against the Sharia and rules of marriage," he explains.
The Taliban have also systematically removed all judges – both male and female – and replaced them with people who supported their hardline views.
"Women aren't qualified or able to judge because in our Sharia principles the judiciary work requires people with high intelligence," says Abdulrahim Rashid, director of foreign relations and communications at Taliban's Supreme Court.
Former Supreme Court judge Fawzia Amini - who fled the country after the Taliban returned - says there is little hope for women’s protections to improve under the law if there are no women in the courts.
"We played an important role," she says. "For example, the Elimination of Violence against Women law in 2009 was one of our achievements. We also worked on the regulation of shelters for women, orphan guardianship and the anti-human trafficking law, to name a few."
"If a woman divorces her husband and the court documents are available as evidence then that's final. Legal verdicts can't change because a regime changes," says Ms Amini.
Instead, they largely rely on Hanafi Fiqh (jurisprudence) religious law, which dates back to the 8th Century – albeit updated to "meet the current needs", according to Abdulrahim Rashid.
"The former courts made decisions based on a penal and civil code. But now all decisions are based on Sharia [Islamic law]," he adds, proudly gesturing at the pile of cases they have already sorted through.
"I have a question for the Taliban. Did their parents marry based on these laws or based on the laws that their sons are going to write?" she asks.
Source: Www.Bbc.Com
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx24evnk5d2o
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Women over 50 in Turkey face gender, age-based discrimination in the workforce, report reveals
29 September 2024
A new report highlights the gender and age-based discrimination faced by women over the age of 50 in Turkey's labor market, shedding light on the challenges they endure, from lower wages to insecure working conditions. The report, titled “Gender-Based Discrimination Against Women Over 50 in Paid Employment and Proposed Solutions”, was presented to the public at the AynalıGeçit Meeting Hall in İstanbul’s Beyoğlu district.
Compiled by researcher HelinMetin and edited by NeclaAkgökçe from Kadın İşçi (Women Workers), the report is based on in-depth interviews with 24 women who shared their personal experiences. Their testimonies reveal a pattern of systemic discrimination, where women are not only marginalized due to their gender but also because of their age.
"Due to my age, and because of the company I retired from and the school I graduated from, it was extremely hard for me to find work. They would always tell me, ‘We can't hire you because of your age; you’re too educated for this job, and we might not be able to meet your expectations.’ But I think these were just excuses. I believe they were simply finding reasons not to hire me because of my age or because I am a woman.”
"Behind my back, they would tell the students, ‘Her age is advanced, her reflexes are slower, let’s assign you to a younger, more energetic teacher.’ They tried to tarnish my reputation.”
"You work with younger people, and they start to call you ‘old’ behind your back. They can’t say it to your face because I’m senior to them, but they imply it. They act like there’s an age gap, as if I’m too slow or not keeping up. They hint that a younger team would be better.”
Age and Gender Discrimination: Women over 50 face compounded discrimination based on both their gender and age. Employers often perceive them as less productive and prefer younger workers, especially men, for the same positions.
Wage Inequality: These women are often paid less than their male counterparts in the same roles. As they age, their working conditions worsen, and they are forced to accept lower wages.
Insecure Employment: Many women over 50 are employed without social security or insurance benefits. Employers frequently find excuses to avoid providing insurance, making it harder for these women to secure their retirement benefits.
Harassment and Mobbing: Older women in the workforce are frequently subjected to workplace harassment and mobbing, both from employers and colleagues, further complicating their professional lives.
Burden of Care Work: The report also highlights how the responsibility of unpaid care work at home negatively affects these women’s participation in formal employment, often limiting them to insecure and part-time jobs.
Poverty in Retirement: Many women are either unable to retire due to insufficient contributions to the social security system or forced to survive on meager pensions. Even those who do retire often have to continue working to make ends meet.
Limited Employment Opportunities: Women over 50 are often confined to a narrow range of job opportunities that align with traditional gender roles, restricting their access to a broader spectrum of professions.
Health Challenges: Older women in the workforce face increasing health issues but often struggle to access adequate healthcare, particularly in underfunded public hospitals.
Unfair Workload: Women are frequently given additional tasks without corresponding pay increases, and despite carrying heavier workloads than their male colleagues, they receive lower wages.
Lack of Social Security: A significant number of these women have worked without insurance at some point in their lives, leaving them more vulnerable to economic instability in their later years.
The report calls for a range of policy changes to address these challenges, including stricter enforcement of labor laws, improved access to social security and healthcare, and initiatives to combat both gender and age discrimination in the workplace. It also emphasizes the need for greater public awareness around the issue to ensure women over 50 are treated with dignity and equality in the labor market.
"Women over 50 are a valuable part of the workforce. Ignoring their contributions and subjecting them to discrimination based on age and gender does a disservice not only to these women but to society as a whole."
Source: Bianet.Org/Haber
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sali-al-harbi-saudi-arabia-nobel-chemistry/d/133313