In Saudi Arabia, Seera, An All-Women Psychedelic Rock Band Jams It Out
New Age Islam News Bureau
21 May 2024
·
In
Saudi Arabia, Seera, An All-Women Psychedelic Rock Band Jams It Out
·
Girls
In N Waziristan Return to School Blown Up by Terrorists
·
Saudi
Arabia To Sponsor Women’s Tennis Rankings—In Third Major Deal This Year
·
UN
Envoy Urges Progress on Women's Rights Legislation in Iraq
·
‘Material
Woman’ Exhibition in London Creates Synergy of Arab Women’s Fashion and Art
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-arabia-seera-psychedelic-band/d/132358
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In Saudi
Arabia, Seera, An All-Women Psychedelic Rock Band Jams It Out
In Saudi Arabia’s capital, Seera - an all-women psychedelic rock band
that blends traditional Arabic melodies with the resurgent psychedelia of bands
like Tame Impala - expresses itself through the arts in a nation long
associated with ultraconservative Islam and the strict separation of the sexes.
(May 20)
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21 May
2023
RIYADH:
Leaning into the microphone in Saudi Arabia's capital, Nora let loose a primal
scream. Guitars wailed and drums throbbed as part of a set with her bandmates
at a recent show.
The
performance by Seera, an all-women psychedelic rock band that blends
traditional Arabic melodies with psychedelia, would have been unthinkable years
earlier.
But as
Saudi Arabia liberalises some aspects of its society, Seera represents the way
women now are finding their voice.
"We
didn't know how people would react," said Meesh, the bassist, who like
other members asked to be identified by their stage names. The band's name
means "life" or "biography" in Arabic.
Seera's
music style revolves around the life experiences of the four-member band. They
are quick to point out they aren't the first female band in the kingdom and
said they plan to release their debut album later this year. They've also
booked their first international concert in Dubai.
Source:
economictimes.indiatimes.com
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/saudi-arabia/in-saudi-arabia-all-women-rock-band-jams-it-out/articleshow/110280973.cms?from=mdr
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Girls In
N Waziristan Return to School Blown Up by Terrorists
Afia Girls School has reopened its doors after undergoing reconstruction
on May 20, 2024. — X/@81ShahbazRana
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May 20,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Monday reopened a
girls' school in North Waziristan that was blown by the terrorists a week ago.
"We
are thrilled to share the news that, by the grace of Almighty, we have
accomplished our mission,” said the Ministry of Federal Education and
Professional Training in a message.
The Afia
Girls School has reopened its doors after undergoing reconstruction.
“Today,
our little angels returned with smiles on their faces, brimming with hope and
enthusiasm," the ministry added.
It also
said that just a week ago, this same school faced destruction at the hands of
extremists.
"We
stood firm in the face of adversity, and today, we celebrate the triumph of
perseverance and determination. We celebrate the resilience of our daughters
and the nation's commitment to education."
According
to the ministry of education, in the latest tragic incident in North
Waziristan, a private girls' school fell victim to unidentified militants who
mercilessly targeted it, causing destruction and fear in the community.
Despite
the attackers' efforts, no lives were lost, but the psychological and
educational impact is significant.
This is
not the first time such violence has struck educational institutions in the
region, highlighting a disturbing trend of targeting education, particularly
for girls.
However,
amidst the darkness, there is a glimmer of hope as the Ministry of Federal
Education has rebuilt the school in a record one week.
The
ministry sources confirmed that the 120 girls are back in their classes today
(Monday) morning.
The
statement further added that the act “symbolises resilience, defiance against
extremism, and a firm commitment to providing education for all, especially for
the daughters of the nation”.
“Stay
tuned for the inspiring story of rebuilding and national solidarity," the
ministry added.
It is to
mention here that a private girls’ school was blown up by unidentified
militants in Tehsil Shewa of North Waziristan district on Wednesday night, the
police sources said.
They
said the militants first tortured the school watchman and later blew up two
rooms of the school.
There
was, however, no loss of life in the explosion.
Similar
attacks took place in May of last year when two government schools for girls in
Mirali were blown up.
No loss
of life was reported in the incidents.
Local
sources said that it was the only private girls’ school in the area and its
administration had received multiple threat letters in the past.
Source: thenews.com.pk
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1191199-girls-in-north-waziristan-return-to-school-blown-up-by-terrorists
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Saudi
Arabia to Sponsor Women’s Tennis Rankings—In Third Major Deal This Year
May 20,
2024
TOPLINE
Saudi Arabia is set to sponsor the Women's Tennis Association's rankings for
the next five years in the third major tennis deal to be struck in the Kingdom
this year, as the country continues its high-dollar push into the world of
sports that has so far included a partnership with the PGA, hosting a Formula
One Grand Prix and signing the world's highest-paid soccer player, among other
moves.
Saudi
Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the national sovereign wealth fund of the
country, became the naming-rights partner for the WTA on Monday, multiple
outlets reported.
The deal
comes one month after the association announced its championship series would
be held in Riyadh for the next three years and that its prize money would be
bumped to a record-breaking $15.25 million, up 70% from 2023.
The
decision to host the finals tournament in the Kingdom was a controversial move
criticized by fans and groups who saw the partnership as a blow to women
considering Saudi Arabia’s history of human rights abuses and female
oppression.
In
February, it was announced Saudi Arabia would also sponsor the ATP men's
rankings for the next five years and the ATP tour moved its leading tournament
for 21-and-under players, set for November, to Jedda.
At the
start of the year, top player Rafael Nadal was announced as an ambassador for
the Saudi Tennis Federation, an organization aimed at growing the sport in the
region.
IgaŚwiątek,
the No. 1 ranked female tennis player in the world, has remained relatively
neutral on the WTA’s partnerships with Saudi Arabia but did say she thought
players "do not have any decision-making power" when it comes to the
WTA's deals.
American
player Coco Gauff, currently world No. 3, has said while she doesn't support
the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia, "I hope that we’re able to make
change and improve the quality and engage in the local communities and make a
difference.”
KEY
BACKGROUND
Saudi
Arabia has made a series of sudden and expensive moves in the sports world over
the last five years, trading massive sums of money for influence and
participation on the world stage. Since 2020, the Public Investment Fund, which
claims to have $925 billion under management, made investments that established
a new Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah, launched a new golf tour called LIV
that later merged with the PGA, took control of four domestic football clubs
(including Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr), sponsored the 2023 Women’s World Cup
and hosted a boxing match between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. Saudi Arabia
also made an unsuccessful joint bid with Greece and Egypt to host the 2030
Men’s World Cup. Critics have accused the moves of being an attempt to
"sportswash" the country's human rights abuse history while trying to
enhance its reputation as a world player. The World Economic Forum ranks Saudi
Arabia 131st out of 146 countries in its 2023 Global Gender Gap Report, four
places lower than it ranked in 2022. A so-called "Personal Status
Law" implemented in 2022, codified a number of rules that require women to
have a male guardian's permission to marry or divorce. The country also does
not recognize LGBTQ rights and homosexuality is still punishable by
imprisonment, death and beating. Saudi Arabia has made recent strides towards a
more equitable gender treatment—a decades-old ban on female drivers was lifted
in 2018 and child marriages were banned in 2019—but still lags far behind other
nations.
BIG
NUMBER
$6.3
billion. Saudi Arabia has spent at least that much on sports deals since 2021.
CHIEF
CRITIC
A number
of current and former tennis players have spoken against the partnerships
struck by Saudi Arabia in the world of tennis, particularly women's tennis.
Martina Navratilova, a legendary player who won 59 major titles in the 1970s
and 80s, and her greatest rival Chrissie Evert together wrote an op-ed for the
Washington Post titled, “We did not help build women’s tennis for it to be
exploited by Saudi Arabia.” Minky Worden, director of global initiatives for
Human Rights Watch, wrote “the idea that women’s tennis would go to repressive
Saudi Arabia, where the male guardianship system denies women basic human
rights, is an offense to the pioneers who made women’s tennis popular. Given
the poor state of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, women’s tennis should not
contribute to covering up repression in the country." Others who did not
support the partnerships with Saudi Arabia include Daria Kasatkina, an openly
gay player who regularly vlogs her travels with her girlfriend.
CONTRA
Billie
Jean King, a pioneering tennis player who threatened to boycott the U.S. Open
in 1973 if it didn't pay its male and female winners equally for their
victories, last summer said she supported talks between the women's tour and
Saudi Arabia. She said hosting WTA events in the country could help further its
women's rights movement. In October, when it appeared a deal between the tour
and Kingdom was likely, she added, "The thing I'm concerned about is the
women, I want change if we go. But I'm big on engagement and inclusion so it's
a tough one."
Source:
forbes.com
https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/05/20/saudi-arabia-to-sponsor-wta-womens-tennis-rankings-sportswashing-tournament-coco-gauff-iga-swiatek/?sh=71f9aef82357
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UN Envoy
Urges Progress on Women's Rights Legislation in Iraq
21-05-2024
Jeanine
Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the United Nations
Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for
Iraq (UNAMI), convened a meeting with civil society representatives and Women
Advisory Groups (WAG) members from Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region,
alongside Ajay Madiwale, UN Women Country Representative. The gathering
provided a platform to discuss ongoing efforts and lingering challenges in
advancing women’s rights in Iraq.
Participants
underscored the pivotal role of civil society in promoting women’s empowerment
and stressed the urgency of advancing key legislation to safeguard women’s
rights, such as the Anti-Domestic Violence Law. They emphasized the importance
of women's full participation in decision-making processes and highlighted the
unique challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities and those from
minority groups.
SRSG
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert emphasized the imperative of ensuring that pending
legislation prioritizes the protection of women and girls. She commended the
advocacy efforts of Iraqi women and men in pushing for legislation conducive to
the empowerment of women and girls, stressing that legislation related to
children should always prioritize the best interests of the child.
Expressing
concern over the exclusion of women from decision-making processes, SRSG
Hennis-Plasschaert emphasized the need for substantive empowerment beyond
symbolic gestures. She reiterated the importance of an active and empowered
civil society in driving progress on women’s rights.
In
closing, SRSG Hennis-Plasschaert affirmed UN Iraq's commitment to supporting
the Government of Iraq and civil society in advancing the country's commitments
to women's protection and empowerment, aligned with the Sustainable Development
Goals.
Source: devdiscourse.com
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/2944977-un-envoy-urges-progress-on-womens-rights-legislation-in-iraq
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‘Material
Woman’ exhibition in London creates synergy of Arab women’s fashion and art
May 20,
2024
LONDON:
The worlds of fashion and art from Arab female creatives converged this week at
the “Material Woman” exhibition in London.
The
exhibition, held from May 17 to May 19 at Soho Revue, is the brainchild of the
art collective Hayaty Diaries, in collaboration with the fashion platform and
pop-up series 3eib.
Featuring
an eclectic mix of sculptural art, mixed media, projection installations,
fashion and jewelry, the exhibition explored craftsmanship and materiality.
“Each
element came together to tell a cohesive and beautiful story about how women
use their hands to craft their destinies and honor their heritages through both
creative worlds of art and fashion,” Lebanese curator and Hayaty Diaries
co-founder, Christina Shoucair, told Arab News.
The
curatorial process began with the pairing of artists and designers, creating a
harmony between the works.
Bahraini
artist Zayn Qahtani’s shrine-like objects, featuring delicate ethereal drawings
on date paper, explore themes of venerative mourning. These are paired
alongside a series of rustic sculptures and draped garments by Egyptian
designer Nadine Mos.
Lebanese
artist Yasmina Hilal’s photo sculptures, which incorporate her distinctivve
metalwork and soldering technique, are complemented by a curated display of
contemporary silver and gold accessories by Celine Dagher, a Lebanese jewelry
designer.
Meanwhile,
Egyptian artist Hanya Elghamry examines the process of remembering by
graphically recreating various details and narratives in her installation
“Abandoned Projection.” Set as a backdrop against her floating “Tampered Redux”
series, along with Moroccan designer Hanan Sharifa’s mesh and delicate dresses,
the space offers visitors an immersive experience.
“Christina and Kinzy presented the vision for
The Material Woman and I loved the idea of blending the worlds of fashion and
art together and utilizing the theme of materiality as a vehicle of creative
empowerment and liberation,” 3eib founder, Dania Arafeh, told Arab News.
Hayaty
Diaries, which focuses on celebrating the artwork of Arab women, marked its
debut last December with its inaugural exhibition, “Through Their Eyes:
Perspectives Unveiled,” in the British capital.
“Our
Hayaty Diaries journey has been incredible. We’ve had the privilege of meeting
many creatives from the region and have felt the warmth and support of the
community. We are immensely grateful for all the encouragement we have received
along the way,” Egyptian-Saudi curator and Hayaty Diaries cofounder Kinzy Diab
told Arab News.
The
London-based collective is now preparing for its exhibition “Levitate,” which
will run from June 6 to June 16 and center around themes of fantasy and
imagination.
Source:
arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2513806/lifestyle
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-arabia-seera-psychedelic-band/d/132358