New Age
Islam News Bureau
08 December 2023
·
New Era in
Saudi Arabian Football As Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ Get Their Wings
·
Malaysian
Minister Nancy Shukri Shocked To Find 88% Of Teens Sexually Active
·
Bangladesh:
5 Women To Receive ‘Begum Rokeya Padak’
·
Amnesty
International Urges Release Of Four Afghan Female Protestors From Prison
·
Bennett
Highlighted Restrictions on Afghan Girls, Women in Online Meeting
·
40th Day
After Teenage Girl’s Death Marked in Tehran Amid Tight Security
·
UK seeks
Fazl’s help for Afghan women’s education
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-arabian-football/d/131277
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New Era in Saudi Arabian Football As
Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ Get Their Wings
The Women’s
U20 National Team squad assembles in Riyadh. (SAFF)
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December 07, 2023
RIYADH: A new era in Saudi Arabian
football begins with the formation of the Women’s U20 National Team, which is
expected to play a crucial role in the development of young footballers in the
Kingdom.
This initiative is part of the SAFF’s
broader strategy to create sustainable and clear career paths for aspiring
women footballers, reflecting a commitment to the growth of the sport at all
levels.
The team, comprising talented players
from the senior national team and those advancing from the U17 squad, is
already engaged in their first training camp. The training camp is currently
taking place in Riyadh from 5-11 December 2023.
“A new chapter in Saudi women’s football
begins today with the launch of the U20 National Team. This team is a beacon of
hope and opportunity for our young athletes, illuminating the path to
international success,” said Head of the
Women’s Football Department at the SAFF Aalia Al Rasheed.
“We are confident that under the expert
guidance of Pauline Hamill, these young women will not only grow as players but
also become role models for future generations. Their journey represents our
unwavering commitment to elevating women’s football in Saudi Arabia and on the
global stage,” added AlRasheed.
Pauline Hamill, the newly appointed head
coach of the U20 team, brings a wealth of experience to the role. Her
distinguished career includes playing for the Scotland National team, earning
141 caps over 18 years, and coaching various youth teams within the Scottish
FA, including the U15s, U16s, U17s, and the Scotland Women’s U19s National
team.
Hamill’s appointment is a significant
boost to the team’s prospects and reflects the SAFF’s ambition to compete at
the highest levels in future regional and international competitions.
The team is eagerly preparing for its
first friendly match in March 2024, a key milestone in their preparation for
future competitions.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2422031/sport
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Malaysian Minister Nancy Shukri Shocked
To Find 88% Of Teens Sexually Active
Women,
Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri says she is
appalled at the findings of a national survey which showed 88% of teenagers
aged 13 to 18 are sexually active. – The Vibes file pic, December 8, 2023.
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08 Dec 2023
A NATIONAL survey among teenagers
coordinated by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has found
that up to 88% of children between 13 to 18 years old were sexually active.
The findings also showed the highest
teen pregnancies purportedly occur in Kelantan, Sarawak and Penang.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said
she was appalled by the results, which also showed many teens were unaware
about contraceptives, sexually transmitted diseases and physical and mental
health risks due to teen pregnancy.
Speaking during a gathering with women
and family groups in Sibu last night, Nancy said parents and society should be
concerned by the poll.
“The finding that 88% of teens aged
between 13 to 18 are engaged in sexual activities shows the incidence of
adolescent pregnancies is high.
“Kelantan has the highest number of
teenage pregnancies, Sarawak has the second highest and Penang has the third
highest,” she said.
“Kelantan has a 9.5% ratio of adolescent
pregnancies (among those surveyed), Sarawak has 9.1% and Penang has 8.9% based
on the findings.”
She expressed concern about the rise in
sexual activity among teenagers lead to heightened problems such as baby
dumping.
Nancy emphasised that sex with minors is
a crime. Police have noted an increase in rapes and sexual assault cases
involving teenagers.
She said the community and schools must
respond with more awareness campaigns to inform teenagers about the risks of
being sexually active.
She called on women’s groups and
religious bodies to work with her ministry to reach out to adolescents.
In May this year, the Health Ministry
reported that 33% of teenagers engage in sexual activity before reaching the
age of 14.
The findings were obtained from the
National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022. It had surveyed secondary school
students aged 13 to 17.
The survey, conducted from June 12 to
July 8 last year, showed 154,646 adolescents in Malaysia were sexually active,
raising significant concerns about youth wellbeing.
Of that figure, 33% or one-third of
teens – a startling 51,036 – fell into the category of engaging in sexual
activities at an exceptionally young age.
It was also reported that 75% of
sexually active teens reported recent sexual encounters. – The Vibes, December
8, 2023.
Source: thevibes.com
https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/100301/minister-shocked-to-find-88-of-teens-sexually-active
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Bangladesh: 5 Women To Receive ‘Begum
RokeyaPadak’
Dec 8, 2023
Women and Children Affairs Ministry
yesterday announced the names of five notable women as Begum RokeyaPadak
awardees for this year for their contribution to various fields.
State Minister for Women and Children
Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira announced the names at a press conference at
Secretariat.
The five awardees are -- first woman vice
chancellor of Buet Prof Khaleda Ekram (posthumous) for women education; Dr
HalidaHanum Akhter of Rangpur for establishing women's rights; Kamrunnesa
Ashraf Dina of Netrakona for her contributions in socio-economic development of
women (posthumous); NishatMazumder of Lakshmipur and Ronita Bala of Thakurgaon
for rural development.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand
over the award at an event at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka at 10:00am on
December 9.
Source: thedailystar.net
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/gold-worth-tk-44cr-seized-dhaka-airport-3489031
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Amnesty International urges release of
four Afghan female protestors from prison
Fidel Rahmati
December 8, 2023
Amnesty International has expressed
concern over the detention and alleged torture of women activists in Taliban
prisons, demanding the immediate release of Zholia Parsi, ManizhaSeddiqi,
NedaParwani, and ParisaAzada. The organization stated on Thursday that these
women have no access to defense lawyers or medical facilities.
Amnesty International’s South Asia
Regional Office sent a letter to Abdul Haq Wasiq, the head of Taliban
intelligence, expressing concern about the arbitrary detention of women human
rights defenders. The head of this office also mentioned that these four women
activists and their families are denied visits.
Since the Taliban’s resurgence in August
2021, female protesters opposing the Taliban’s severe policies have encountered
grave hardships. They have been forcibly disappeared, arbitrarily detained, and
subjected to torture and other forms of abuse.
Among the victims of this dire situation
are four prominent women human rights defenders: ParisaAzada, NedaParwani,
Zholia Parsi, and ManizhaSeddiqi. They were unjustly apprehended between
September and November 2023, enduring detention without access to legal counsel
or regular family visits.
Meanwhile, the detention of family
members of protesters and their torture in Taliban detention centers is another
concern highlighted by this office. Amnesty International’s South Asia Regional
Office states that these detentions are inconsistent with international human
rights laws, including civil and political rights and international
conventions.
Amnesty International’s findings also
indicate that these women have no access to defense lawyers and medical
services. The international organization has raised concerns that these women
activists are at risk of torture and other forms of mistreatment.
In the letter, the organization has
called on the Taliban to align the conditions of detention for these women
activists with international standards, including access to defense lawyers and
permission for family visits.
Earlier, United Nations Assistance Mission
in Afghanistan (UNAMA) had reported that between January 2022 and January 2023,
half of the 1,600 human rights violations in Taliban prisons included “torture
or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.”
According to the findings of the UN’s political
representation, women during protests have been subjected to verbal violence,
including insults, humiliation, threats, and intimidation by Taliban armed
forces.
In addition to this, some journalists
covering women’s protests have also been arbitrarily detained and mistreated.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/amnesty-international-urges-release-of-four-afghan-female-protestors-from-prison/
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Bennett Highlighted Restrictions on
Afghan Girls, Women in Online Meeting
December 7, 2023
The UN special rapporteur for
Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, in a Zoom session highlighted the restrictions on
“how the Taliban have really clamped down and imposed a system of widespread
discrimination against women and girls.”
The session was held by the Conservative
Friends of Afghanistan under the name of "Gender apartheid" and the
human rights crisis in Afghanistan.
“They [Taliban] have closed schools and
universities and schools above six grade for girls and have also restricted
women’s ability in employment,” Bennett said.
But the Islamic Emirate’s spokesman,
Zabiullah Mujahid, said that the rights of women are ensured in Afghanistan and
that 23 percent of the women are working in various organizations.
“Unfortunately, Bennett's reports have
always been based on selfishness and ignored the realities. For example, he has
mentioned that women have been eliminated while it is not true. Currently,
[women] are active around 23.40 percent within the Islamic Emirate system. Some
of them are working and receive salaries,” he said.
However, Suraya Paikan, a women’s rights
activist, expressed the challenges that the Afghan women are facing as: “The
government of the Taliban has yet to be ready to take the decision about the
rights of women, social issues, women’s work and education."
Since the Islamic Emirate came to power,
the girls and women in Afghanistan have been banned from going to schools,
universities, work in NGOs and recreation areas.
Source: tolonews.com
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186387
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40th Day After Teenage Girl’s Death
Marked in Tehran Amid Tight Security
DECEMBER 7, 2023
A ceremony marking the 40th day since
the death of 16-year-old Armita Geravand was held at Tehran’s Behesht Zahra
cemetery on December 6 amid heavy security presence.
After the ceremony, authorities
apprehended a Tehran resident named Ariana Akbari and took him to an
undisclosed location.
Akbari had previously been detained
during nationwide protests that rocked Iran last year.
Armita fell unconscious on the platform
of a Tehran metro station on October 1 after being assaulted for not wearing a
mandatory headscarf. She was taken to a hospital where she remained in a coma
for 28 days.
Anti-government chants could be heard
across Tehran, Karaj, Shiraz and other Iranian cities on the evening of her
death.
During Armita’s October 29 burial,
authorities assaulted mourners and arrested dozens of people, including
prominent human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh.
Security forces have prevented the
Geravand family and friends from speaking to the media, while journalists have
faced reprisals for reporting on the teenager’s situation.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/news/123283-40th-day-after-teenage-girls-death-marked-in-tehran-amid-tight-security/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-arabian-football/d/131277