Saudi Woman, Lana Nazer, On A Mission To Empower Saudi Community With Yoga
New
Age Islam News Bureau
10 February 2024
·
Saudi Woman, Lana Nazer, On A Mission To
Empower Saudi Community With Yoga
·
Zeinab Jalalian, The Longest-Serving Female
Political Prisoner In Iran Deprived Of Medical Care
·
No Phone Calls, No Visits: Punitive Measures Against
Jailed Iranian Nobel Winner, Narges Mohammadi
·
British Muslim Woman, Fouzia Younis, Who Saw 'Only
Two Routes' Is First To Get Prestigious Job
·
Veiled In Strength: Coralville's World Hijab Day
Encourages Pride, Empowerment
·
Women’s Healthcare Requires 75 Percent Female
Workers: Ebad
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-lana-nazer-yoga/d/131692
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Saudi
Woman, Lana Nazer, On A Mission To Empower Saudi Community With Yoga
Lana
Nazer aims to inspire others to embark on their yoga journey and experience the
healing and empowerment it can provide. (Instagram/lananazer_
official/Supplied)
------
February
09, 2024
JEDDAH:
Having unlocked the transformative power of yoga in her own life, certified
instructor Lana Nazer is now driven by the genuine desire to empower the Saudi
community reach their full potential with the physical and mental benefits of
the practice.
Her
introduction to the realm of yoga began with her mother’s influence. She grew
up seeing her do yoga and was drawn to the beauty and simplicity of the
positions.
She
recalls how, as a child, she used to watch a yoga lesson on a DVD player,
laying the groundwork for a practice that blossomed during her teenage years in
Canada.
Nazer
shared her inspiring journey through yoga with Arab News, from her early
exposure to the practice to becoming a certified instructor.
When
asked about how it all started, she said she has been practicing yoga for over
33 years. “Thanks to my mom introducing it to me when I was a kid. It’s not
just about poses; it’s like my daily joy boost, keeping me peaceful, joyful and
optimistic through life's twists,” she said.
“Since
then, my yoga path has taken me to various trainings across the US, UK, and
Europe.”
The
Saudi Yoga Committee has played a crucial role in promoting yoga. Their efforts
have contributed to the growth of yoga in the Kingdom, fostering awareness, and
creating a supportive environment for practitioners.
Lana
Nazer, Yoga instructor
While
life took her on different paths, including college and work, yoga remained a
constant presence in the background. “My journey with yoga has been intertwined
with a lifelong exposure to the practice. Initially, it was merely a workout
routine for me. The pivotal moment came at 15 when I joined a hot yoga class
with my mom, sparking an instant obsession.
“Through
college, it evolved into a daily necessity. After college, a job opportunity
led me to the US, where I decided to embark on teacher training — not initially
to teach but to deepen my understanding of yoga. Over nine months, I immersed
myself in the practice,” she explained.
Yoga
also proved beneficial for Nazer’s mental health. “It wasn’t just the physical
challenge that captivated me, but the profound mental well-being I experienced
post-class. As a naturally fiery person, yoga became my go-to tool for calming
my mind and managing my thoughts,” she said.
Nazer’s
journey with yoga took another pivotal turn when she decided to share this
transformative practice with her community in Saudi Arabia.
It
was a decision that did not come lightly, but was rooted in a desire to deepen
her connection with yoga and share its transformative power with her own
people.
She
founded her own brand, Karama Yoga. “I started with a home studio for seven
years before opening our new space last Ramadan. Back then, yoga wasn’t popular
in the region, but my journey from personal practice to sharing it locally has
been a rewarding evolution.”
Karama
Yoga represents not just a physical space but a flourishing testament to the
collective growth and impact of yoga’s potential, especially in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking
about what drives her, she said: “What kept me going on my yoga journey,
especially as a Saudi woman offering yoga in Saudi Arabia, boils down to two
reasons. Firstly, the name ‘Karama’ draws inspiration from ‘karamat,’ denoting
one’s inherent gifts. I firmly believe that everyone possesses a unique gift,
and teaching happens to be mine. (Secondly,) I’m not just an instructor, I’m an
avid student of yoga, seamlessly integrating it into every aspect of my life.”
As
Nazer continues to deepen her practice and build confidence in her teaching
skills, she envisions a future where she can share the transformative power of
yoga with a broader audience.
She
said: “My commitment is deeply rooted in a genuine desire to serve my
community. Even before the popularity of yoga and wellness in Saudi, I
recognized the profound need within my community for a practice that promotes
holistic health — physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
She
aims to inspire others to embark on their yoga journey and experience the
healing and empowerment it can provide.
Teaching
yoga at Karama Yoga enables her to stay connected to the people around her and
improve the well-being of her community.
“My
goal is to unite, empower and inspire women to be proud of their heritage, love
themselves as they are, and improve their relationship with their health and
wellness through yoga,” she said.
Nazer,
who is considered a pioneer of yoga in Saudi Arabia, praised the role of the
Ministry of Sports in recognizing it as a sport and establishing the Saudi Yoga
Committee. “It marks a significant shift. It has brought support from the
Ministry of Sports and showcases the growing acceptance and importance of yoga
in the Kingdom. The entire health and wellness scene is booming in Saudi
Arabia. I can finally say that yoga isn’t just a trend, it’s becoming an
everyday staple for many community members,” she said.
“The
Saudi Yoga Committee has played a crucial role in promoting yoga. Their efforts
have contributed to the growth of yoga in the Kingdom, fostering awareness, and
creating a supportive environment for practitioners,” she added.
The
certified trainer in eight styles of yoga pointed out that Saudis are
increasingly drawn to yoga due to its benefits.
“Back
then people joined purely for physical reasons, to strengthen their bodies,
gain flexibility and soften the stiffness in their bodies. Now, there is a huge
shift — students are mostly joining for the mental and emotional benefits: to
relieve stress and cope with everyday challenges.”
Recently,
Nazer took part in AlUla Wellness Festival and she feels proud to be part of
it.
“Being
part of the AlUla Wellness Festival was a dream realized. The opportunity to
showcase Karama Yoga and contribute to the wellness community aligned
seamlessly with the festival’s positive energy and vision.”
Her
advice to someone who has never tried yoga? “Two minutes of yoga a day will
change your life.”
Source:
arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2457211/saudi-arabia
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Zeinab
Jalalian, The Longest-Serving Female Political Prisoner In Iran Deprived Of
Medical Care
Kurdish-Iranian
Political Prisoner Zeinab Jalalian
------
FEBRUARY
9, 2024
Zeinab
Jalalian, the longest-serving female political prisoner in Iran, is facing dire
conditions as she marks the end of her sixteenth year behind bars without proper
medical attention.
Despite
suffering from multiple physical ailments, Jalalian has been denied furlough
and has not been segregated from common prisoners according to regulation in
Yazd prison.
According
to reports from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) citing
a source close to Jalalian's family, she was supposed to be transferred to Yazd
hospital for the treatment of an eye infection on Tuesday. However, due to
negligence from prison authorities, she was not sent to the hospital.
Jalalian's
health continues to deteriorate, with her vision severely declining due to the
progression of the eye infection. Additionally, she suffers from kidney and
digestive diseases, but she has not received proper medical care.
Arrested
in 2008, Jalalian was initially sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court
on charges of belonging to an armed opposition group. The sentence was later
commuted to life imprisonment in 2011.
Throughout
her detention, Jalalian has repeatedly denied the accusations and has spoken
out about torture and harassment she has endured, including physical assaults
and threats of sexual assault.
Jalalian's
case highlights the broader issue of the lack of medical attention given to
political prisoners in Iran and the denial of their right to proper treatment
by prison authorities. Many political prisoners, including activists like
SasanNiknafs and Behnam Mahjoubi, have lost their lives in similar
circumstances, with the Islamic Republic refusing to accept responsibility for
their deaths.
Source:
iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202402098386
---
No
Phone Calls, No Visits: Punitive Measures Against Jailed Iranian Nobel Winner,
Narges Mohammadi
FEBRUARY
9, 2024
For
more than two months, Iranian authorities have deprived Narges Mohammadi, an
imprisoned human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, of her
right to telephone calls and visits, her family says.
The
restrictions were imposed in retribution for “her activities within the prison
& sending letters outside,” reads a statement posted on Mohammadi’s
Instagram account.
“As
of 29 Nov 2023, NargesMohammadi’s phone calls & visits have been cut off by
prison authorities,” the statement says.
“It
had been arranged that from February 4th, 2024, her phone calls and visits
would resume, but the head of the women’s ward in [Tehran’s] Evin prison has
declared a new deprivation.”
Mohammadi
is serving multiple sentences amounting to 12 years and three months in prison,
154 lashes, two years of exile and various social and political restrictions.
While
behind the bars, she has continued accusing the authorities of systematic
rights violations and remained a vocal opponent of mandatory hijab.
In a
letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres last month, Mohammadi
urged the world body to “declare gender and sex apartheid as a crime against
humanity in international legal documents.”
“For
decades, Iranian women’s lives have faced various forms of sex and gender-based
discrimination under the shadow of the Islamic Republic government,” the
activist wrote behind the walls of Evin prison.
“Systematically
and purposefully, the Islamic Republic has advanced the subjugation of women
through the use of all instruments and powers of the state, particularly
through legislation, perpetuating the denial of women's human rights.”
Source:
iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/125196-no-phone-calls-no-visits-punitive-measures-against-jailed-iranian-nobel-winner-extended/
---
British
Muslim Woman, Fouzia Younis, Who Saw 'Only Two Routes' Is First To Get
Prestigious Job
10
FEB 2024
Husna
Anjum
When
Fouzia Younis was growing up in the 1990s, the options for a British Asian girl
seemed limited. Her ambitions in early life were limited to getting married and
working at the local sewing factory.
Step
forward three decades, and she has smashed some cultural glass ceilings. Now,
the Black Country local has become the first British Muslim woman to be made
head of a UK diplomatic post.
Recently
made British Consul General to Toronto, she is responsible for representing the
UK's interests overseas to Ontario, Canada. The jet-setting career allows
Fouzia to change lives globally in areas such as education, climate change and
business.
Sayings
you only know if you're from Birmingham or the Black Country - how many do you
know?
The
glamorous job had its knockbacks but with Fouzia not fitting the typical image
of a diplomat. She recalls raised eyebrows whenever she introduced herself, not
seeing anyone look like her in meetings.
If a
white man stood next to her, visitors assumed his hand was the one to shake,
she felt. It brought about uncomfortable memories of racist graffiti sprayed
across her family home back in Stourbridge.
Yet
the diplomat refused to back down, priding herself on leading the wave of
diversity in the Foreign Office. So how did a girl from the Black Country rise
to represent the face of modern Britain on the global stage?
"I
came from a very traditional family where daughters were not meant to be
educated," Fouzia said. "Both my parents didn't read or write
English, local aunties would ask why I was going to college or wearing
trousers.
"They
thought I was becoming too westernised but I saw myself as a changemaker at a
young age. I went to a school in Stourbridge that was not very diverse in 90s,
there were only nine Asian girls in the whole school year out of 220 pupils.
"I
had only two routes, work at sewing factory and get married, or run away from
home. I didn't want to do either."
The
family also endured racism such as fireworks thrown into their letterbox and
graffiti sprayed across their house. Despite barriers within and outside of her
community, she found power in the pen by excelling at her studies and landing
prestigious degrees at the University of Birmingham and Cambridge.
Tearfully,
she recalls her parents endless support, saying: "I would not be where I
am today without the help of my dad. I'd write my essays and my dad would sit
there for hours with me.
"He'd
drop me off at Digbeth coach station for interviews. Dropping me off at the
airport, giving me money for lunch even though I was earning a salary.
"My
mum was an incredibly wise woman, she told me to be financially independent and
don't take no for an answer. When I was at school a teacher went to the USA and
came back with Halloween pencil, it was the first time I got present from
another country.
"I
looked at it and had questions about Halloween, USA and was inspired to get job
working around the world."
This
pencil revelation inspired Fouzia to apply for the Foreign Office who were
looking to diversify at the time. Landing the job she was initially the
Communication Director for the Pakistan Network.
Her
previous achievements include supporting the UK's security and humanitarian
efforts in Bangladesh and holding a diplomatic post in Sri Lanka. She has been
nominated for several awards and also worked at 10 Downing Street.
Now
based in Canada, Fouzia works on a range of different activities such as trade,
business and climate change, striving to build connections between the UK and
Ontario. She said: "When I joined the foreign office there was nobody in
the room who looked like me and nobody on the walls that looked like me.
"Sometimes
I'd walk into a room with a white male, deputy and they would assume he was the
diplomat. However next time they see a woman of colour it will seem normal.
"Now
51% of the workforce are women around the world, there is still some way to go
but that is still powerful. We have many ethnic minorities at the Foreign
Office and it matters to us to reflect diversity in the workforce.
"Being
a woman of colour I say 'this is me, this is modern, diverse Britain of 2024'
which is a priority of mine. How are we representing ALL of the UK?"
Despite
her global presence, Fouzia is still that woman from Stourbridge who throws
'tara-a-bit', 'I'll be there in a jiffy' and 'mucker' into conversations. Her
advice to the next up and coming girl is: "Be authentic and be yourself as
there is only one of you.
"Follow
your passion and be consistent, community leaders or people will say no. We can
have self-doubt but women should persevere.
Source:
birminghammail.co.uk
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/british-muslim-woman-who-saw-28577980
----
Veiled
in strength: Coralville's World Hijab Day encourages pride, empowerment
09.02.2024
Dozens
of Iowa City-area Muslim women gathered Feb. 1 in the Coralville Public Library
to celebrate their religion and culture and debunk the misinformation and
bigotry they often face.
About
250 people, including many friends and family of the women, as well as curious
community members, attended World Hijab Day at the library. Organized and
co-hosted by the library and the Mariam Girls' Club, a local group with a
mission to connect, unite and empower young Muslim women, Hijab Day involved
displays about the history of the faith-inspired head covering, conversations
aimed at creating understanding and time to build solidarity.
Women
arrived in an array of hijabs with different backgrounds and connections to the
Muslim faith.
VianaQadoura,
45, of Iowa City, is the local Mariam Girls’ Club founder and director. She
helped organize the Coralville World Hijab Day event on Feb. 1.
A
symbol of empowerment
The
hijab, worn to demonstrate modesty and faith, is empowering, not oppressive, to
women of the Muslim faith, said 45-year-old VianaQadoura of Iowa City, founder
and director of Mariam Girls’ Club .
"Usually,
the Western World, they write our narrative," Qadour said. She is a Muslim
woman who lived in Burlington before moving to Iowa City. "We are here. We
have loud voices. We can write our own narrative and speak."
Event
promotors used the hashtag #veiledinstrength to advertise the World Hijab Day
activities at the library.
There
is misinformation surrounding the wearing of the hijab, often connected to the
false contention that Muslim women are something less than men in the religion
and culture, Qadoura said.
The
hijab, in fact, releases women from a confining modern culture in which they
are treated as physical objects, Qadoura said.
"You
are forced just to listen to my voice to understand who I am as a person, and
not to judge me by my appearance or anything like that," Qadoura said.
Other
Muslim women at the two-hour event expressed the same sentiments.
Raneem
Hamad, 23, director of cultural narrative for RSFIC (Resilient Sustainable
Future for Iowa City), a Muslim woman with roots in Sudan, has been in Iowa
City for 14 years.
The
hijab does not signify oppression, she said.
"I
would say that is a dominant narrative and folks need to start questioning why
that narrative exists," Hamad said. "That's a narrative that's been
pushed to us by certain entities. It's there to basically divide and separate,
to not want to get to know each other. Instead of jumping to those conclusions,
focus on building relationships."
Rayan
Saad, 15, a freshman at Iowa City West High School, is a member of the Mariam
Girls' Club. She was not wearing a hijab that night but plans to wear one soon.
"That's
a big part of our religion," Saad said, wearing a shorter head wrap.
"Personally, I believe that all women should be modest and cover
themselves and wear the hijab. Hopefully, that will be my next step, and
hopefully, I will wear that soon."
Rayan
Saad, 15, and Omnia Ali, 15, are members of the Mariam Girls' Club, a local
group with a mission to connect, unite and empower young Muslim women.
A
community within a community
Several
people at the Coralville Library hijab event are involved with the Mariam
Girls' Club.
"It's
young Muslim girls, we come together and help around the community," said
Omnia Ali, 15, also sophomore at Iowa City West High School.
Hamad
said hijabs also indicate some differences in backgrounds within the Muslim
faith.
"I
love seeing the different colors and different designs," Hamad said.
One
of the lead organizers, Samira Abdalla of Coralville, community resources
navigator for the City of Coralville, said the Coralville event marked the
second-annual World Hijab Day celebration at the lending and community center.
"I
wanted to show how diverse Coralville is," Abdalla, 25, said of her city,
which has a growing Muslim population.
Abdalla,
a Muslim woman who grew up in Iowa City, where she moved with her family at the
age of 7 from Ethiopia, said she was bullied in middle school and high school
for wearing the hijab. Her father, fearing for Abdalla's safety, told her she
could remove the hijab if its absence made her feel less of a target.
But
Abdalla kept wearing the hijab.
World
Hijab Day is part of an effort to make all Muslim women feel more secure in
following their faiths and wearing hijabs, she said.
"I
want to reduce the stigma and normalize the hijab," Abdalla said.
Source:
press-citizen.com
https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2024/02/09/coralvilles-world-hijab-day-celebration-promotes-culture-community/72536440007/
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Women’s
healthcare requires 75 percent female workers: Ebad
February
9, 2024
Acting
Minister of Public Health Qalandar Ebad has said that the country’s health
sector needs 75 percent female workers to provide health services to women.
Speaking
in a debate program on Ariana News, Ebad said that the health sector has made
progress but it is still facing some challenges.
According
to him, after the political change in Afghanistan, access to health services
has increased, but in provision of quality services, Afghanistan’s health
sector is facing a shortage of female health workers, specialized medics, new
technological equipment and medicines.
“I
have said in many occasions that we need 75 percent presence of female workers
for women’s healthcare. That means, if 75 percent of our sisters are not
present in this area, we may not be able to reach the target,” Ebad said.
He
also stated that there are about 70 specialty hospitals and 11,000 beds across
the country, but 45,000 beds are needed to access standard health services.
According
to him, the pharmaceutical industry in the country is very weak and only about
three percent of the needed medicines are produced domestically.
Ebad
admitted that there are problems in the field of cancer treatment. He said that
Afghanistan needs international license for radiotherapy.
A
large number of Afghans travel to other countries, especially to Pakistan and
India, for the purpose of treating their patients, with expenses reaching
millions of dollars.
Source:
ariananews.af
https://www.ariananews.af/womens-healthcare-requires-75-percent-female-workers-ebad/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-lana-nazer-yoga/d/131692