Were students of a UP college forced to take off the burqa? A newslaundry.com report
New
Age Islam News Bureau
1
February 2023
•
More Muslim women than men in higher education, shows AISHE data
•
Woman fighting against Muslim status goes to Federal Court
•
Denmark to grant asylum to all Afghan female applicants
•
Oscar-bound short film lifts veil on Iranian women rejecting male domination
•
Iranian female futsal player wants greater recognition of women in sport
•
Iran deplores ‘abhorrent’ Israeli assault on female Palestinian prisoners
•
Adelaide’s first hijab model Medina Abdirashid Ali on wearing headscarf for
empowerment
•
Afghan activist who survived Taliban attack says rules for women are 'against
Islam'
•
'Refusal' to appoint female Haj DG stirs controversy
•
Captain Ella, the first Arab woman promoted to IDF major, is outspoken
supporter of Israel
•
Saudi Arabia tourism body’s sponsorship of 2023 Women’s World Cup condemned by human
rights groups
•
Saudi Arabia to sponsor Women’s World Cup and tighten ties with Fifa
•
Afghanistan: Humanitarians await guidelines on women’s role in aid operations
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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Were
students of a UP college forced to take off the burqa? Here’s what we found
ByAvdhesh
Kumar
31
Jan, 2023
A
newly-enforced uniform at a government college in UP’s Moradabad is in the eye
of a storm after protests by the Samajwadi Party’s youth wing and media
reportage alleging that students wearing the burqa were not allowed to enter
the institute. Amid allegations that the move stripped Muslim women students of
their right to religious freedom, authorities at the Hindu College maintained
that the uniform was necessary to prevent the entry of outsiders.
The
uniform – white shirt and gray trousers for boys and gray kurta and white
pyjama for girls – has always been in place but never enforced. However, after
an attack on a faculty member by alleged outsiders, college authorities said they
announced that it would be strictly enforced from October 15 last year –
compliance has only been ensured since January 1 this year.
However,
a section of students, led by the Samajwadi Party’s youth wing launched a
sit-in outside the college gates in the first week of January, alleging that
Muslim girl students were being asked to take off their burqa at the entrance
and this made it difficult for them to attend classes. But authorities at the
college denied these allegations and claimed that a room near the entrance was
always allocated for this purpose – they said this was subsequently also named
as “changing room” amid the controversy in January.
“I
am not supporting this protest. The girls who are coming in a burqa have been
given space by the college administration. They never said that we should come
without a burqa. They just said to take off the burqa and then enter college.
They haven’t put restrictions on hijab,” said Iqra, a first year M Com student.
She
said they had been asked to fill out a form consenting to this uniform at the
time of admission, and that girl students and their families feel much better
about the lack of outsiders on campus.
Atoofa,
another student, alleged that protesters are “outsiders” and are wearing a
burqa just to avoid identification.
However,
several Muslim girl students who wore the burqa were also part of the protest.
They could not be reached for comment.
The
college’s chief proctor AP Singh said there is “no dispute” now. He claimed
there was a “misunderstanding” about students being told to take off their
burqa at the gate and this news was “broadcast everywhere”. “A changing room
has been made for this,” he said, adding that the college decided to strictly
enforce the uniform after professor AU Khan was assaulted at the college
entrance by alleged outsiders around six months ago.
“We
have no problem with the burqa. If the students wear it to the college, take it
off in the changing room and enter in their dress, who will have a problem?
This rule has been enforced strictly since January 1. Some youngsters from
outside protested against this, got their photos clicked, politicised it, and
walked away,” said Singh, adding that the uniform is for both girls and boys.
College
principal and professor Satyavrat Singh Rawat said the uniform is part of the
code of conduct and students and their parents had signed a form about the same
during admissions. He said there are 12,000 students in the college and the
step has been taken only to stop the entry of “outsiders” and “rising
hooliganism”.
“The
protesters are not college students. We don’t have a problem with anyone, they
can wear scarves or helmets but the uniform is compulsory. The burqa has to be
taken off in the changing room. Ultimately, we have a problem with those who
don’t want to wear the uniform.”
Was
the move legal?
Uttar
Pradesh Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyaya said, “The authority to
enforce a dress code lies with the principal.”
M
Com student Mehak Ansari said, “When there is a changing room then what problem
is there with taking off the burqa? It is a falsehood that they are being made
to take off the burqa on the road. I wear a burqa to college myself.”
Madhu
Mansha, another student, said, “Anyone used to enter the college before as there
used to be no ID card checks but now ID is also checked. Now only those with ID
cards and the uniform can enter.”
Professor
Anand Kumar, who teaches defence studies at the college, said a section of the
media ran “misleading stories”. “They wrote that hijab was banned but they
don’t know the difference between hijab and burqa. I have been teaching here
since 2001.”
Kotwali
SHO Viplav Sharma said, “The dress code has remained at the college since long.
The media is running misleading news stories saying that the burqa is the issue
when nothing of the sort is there.”
However,
the protesters, including the Samajwadi Party’s youth wing, alleged that some
students were forced to take off the burqa when the changing room was not set
up.
Aslam
Chaudhary, the district president of the party’s youth wing, and an alumnus of
the college, said they only objected to students being compelled to take off
the burqa and “never resisted the uniform”. “When there was no changing room
here, the girls were made to take off their burqa at the gate. It does not feel
right. Our demand was that students should be allowed to wear the burqa to
their classrooms and then they can change and go inside. But since they have
made the changing room at the gate, our demand has been fulfilled.”
Chaudhary
said they had submitted a memorandum to demand a changing room. The memorandum,
filed on January 18, does not mention a changing room, but demands that Muslim
girls be allowed to enter class in burqa.
SP
youth wing’s national secretary Durga Sharma said they had only demanded that
“they implement the dress code if it is in the university guidelines”. “When
the issue was highlighted, they made the changing room…now that the changing
room is there, we have no problem.”
A
similar controversy had erupted over the hijab in Karnataka’s Udupi last year.
It subsequently led to protests, counter-protests, barring of Muslim students
wearing the burqa from several campuses, litigation and several court orders.
The
Supreme Court delivered a split verdict in the case last year and the matter is
yet to be heard by a larger bench.
Source:NewsLaundry
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More
Muslim women than men in higher education, shows AISHE data
January
31, 2023
Women
constitute around 503 out of every 1,000 Muslim students enrolled for higher
education.
The
rise in women’s share of higher education comes amid a drop in overall
enrolment of Muslims during the pandemic. Female student figures declined
slower than that of their male counterparts, shows an analysis of data from the
government’s All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) for the year 2020-21,
which was released over the weekend.
The
pandemic is not the only reason for the figure, however. Muslim women’s share
has been rising over time, shows an analysis of data from previous reports. The
2019-20 report, for example, shows a 50.2 per cent share. It was 49.3 per cent
in 2018-19. The 2012-13 figure was 46.7 per cent.
The
total estimated enrolment in higher education rose 7.4 per cent over the
previous year to 41.4 million in 2020-21 across all categories. Higher
education includes undergraduate courses and other degrees, diplomas and
certificates. It fell 8.5 per cent for the Muslim community to 1.9 million.
Enrolment for Muslim men fell 8.8 per cent to 0.95 million. Muslim women enrolment
declined by a lower amount (8.3 per cent) to 0.97 million. Around 4.6 per cent
of the overall students were Muslim in 2020-21 compared to 5.5 per cent in the
previous year.
A
smaller share of many minority communities may make it to higher education
institutes, but women have a higher share among them. While it is 50.3 per cent
for Muslims, it was 50.6 per cent for the scheduled tribes and 54 per cent for
other minority communities. Other minority communities include Christians,
Sikhs, Buddhists, Jain and Zorastrians (Parsis).
The
share of women in higher education under the scheduled caste and other backward
classes categories is 49.2 per cent. It is 47.8 for economically weaker
sections, which do not belong to a reserved category but have an annual income
of less than Rs 8 lakh. The lowest share is for persons with disabilities,
where women constitute 37.6 per cent of the overall student population.
There
has been a larger global trend where the importance of educating the girl child
has been taking hold, including in West Asia, the Asia-Pacific region and North
Africa; according to data from the Washington-based Pew Research Centre.
“Muslim
women are generally making educational gains at a faster pace than Muslim men,
thus narrowing the gender gap,” according to a December 2016 study by the
agency.
The
state with the highest female share in higher education is Kerala (60.1 per
cent). Among Union Territories, it is 66.4 per cent for Ladakh and 78.5 per
cent for Lakshadweep. A major contributor in terms of absolute numbers is Uttar
Pradesh, India’s most populous state. Fifty-four per cent of Muslims enrolled
for higher education in the state are women. It is the only state among the top
six in terms of highest student enrolments to have more Muslim women than men
in higher education.
The
other states include Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and
Rajasthan. They have between 43 and 49.5 per cent female share among Muslim
students.
Source:BusinessStandard
--------
Woman
fighting against Muslim status goes to Federal Court
January
31, 2023
The
37-year-old woman wants the Federal Court to determine whether an ‘invalid’
shariah court order can be challenged ‘collaterally’ in the civil courts.
---------
PUTRAJAYA:
A woman who was recently reinstated as a Muslim is seeking to set aside a Court
of Appeal ruling that favoured the Selangor Islamic religious authority.
In
her leave application filed before the Federal Court yesterday, the woman wants
the highest court to determine whether an “invalid” shariah court order can be
challenged “collaterally” in the civil courts and whether Article 121(1A) of
the Federal Constitution is applicable. The provision touches on civil courts
having no jurisdiction in shariah matters.
The
37-year-old also wants the court to rule on whether Section 74(3) of the
Administration of Islamic Law Enactment (Selangor) bars the civil courts from
deciding on unilateral conversion cases involving children.
Earlier
this month, the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) won an appeal before
the Court of Appeal to reinstate her as a Muslim. Justices Yaacob Sam and
Nazlan Ghazali ruled in favour of Mais while Justice RavinthranParamaguru
dissented.
The
woman, who was born in 1986 and who originally professed the Hindu faith, was
still a child when she was converted to Islam unilaterally by her mother.
She
said her mother had unilaterally converted her in 1991 at the Selangor Islamic
religious department’s (Jais) office.
The
conversion took place while her parents were in the midst of a divorce, which
was finalised in 1992. Her mother went on to marry a Muslim man in 1993, and
her father died in an accident three years later.
The
woman contended that despite her conversion to Islam, her mother and stepfather
allowed her to continue leading life as a Hindu.
The
appeals court in its majority ruling held that civil courts were not empowered
to hear cases involving the renunciation of religion.
It
noted that she had previously filed a suit at the Kuala Lumpur shariah court,
seeking a declaration that she was “no longer a Muslim” but that this was
rejected. The woman came to the civil court after the shariah court’s decision.
Meanwhile,
in the minority judgment, Ravindran said the Selangor enactment applicable at
the time clearly stated that a person could only convert to Islam after the age
of 18.
Source:Free
Malaysia Today
--------
Denmark
to grant asylum to all Afghan female applicants
Ebad
Ahmed
31.01.2023
COPENHAGEN,
Denmark
Denmark
on Monday announced to grant asylum status to Afghan women “solely based on
their gender,” citing the worsening conditions in the current Taliban setup.
The
Danish Refugee Appeals Board, Flygtningenævnet, after an extraordinary meeting
issued a statement stating that it has changed its practice for this decision.
The
appeal board quoted a report from the EU’s Agency for Asylum. The EU report
said that “accumulation of various measures introduced by the Taliban, which
affect the rights and freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan, amounts to
persecution.”
“Such
measures affect their access to healthcare, work, freedom of movement, freedom
of expression, girls’ right to education, among others.”
There
are as many as five ongoing asylum cases involving Afghan female nationals in
review. The board said that the persons can “in principle be granted residence”
under new asylum rules. It further announced to reopen all (10) Afghan female
applicant cases for asylum that were rejected since August 16, 2021.
The
appeal board members have also set a new precedent by announcing that it will
also assess to reopen the cases of as many as 30 Afghan male asylum seekers
that were rejected since August 16, 2021.
The
recent decision has been welcomed by the Danish and international human rights
organizations.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/denmark-to-grant-asylum-to-all-afghan-female-applicants/2802474
--------
Oscar-bound
short film lifts veil on Iranian women rejecting male domination
01st
February 2023
Image
used for representational purposes. (Express Illustrations)
MAMER:
Short movies nominated for an Oscar often don't get wide public attention. But
when one is about an Iranian girl seeking freedom from male domination by
taking off her veil, interest is sure to spike.
That's
the premise of "The Red Suitcase", a 17-minute movie that, at the
Oscar ceremony in Los Angeles on March 12, will shine a bright light on the
protests that have gripped Iran since last September.
Set
in Luxembourg's airport, it tells the story of a 16-year-old Iranian girl
freshly arrived from Tehran who, with trepidation, takes off her veil to escape
an unhappy fate dictated by men.
For
director Cyrus Neshvad, born in Iran but of Luxembourgish nationality, the
Oscar nomination is a chance to highlight what the "virus" of the
Islamic regime is doing to the "beautiful body" of his birth country.
"Once
we get this virus out, the body will be flourishing again," he told AFP.
The
demonstrations in Iran were sparked by the September 16 death in custody of a
young Iranian woman, MahsaAmini, who was detained for incorrectly wearing the
headscarf mandated by the country's religious rulers.
Since
then they have spread to become one of the most serious popular challenges to
the hardline Islamic theocrats who took power in 1979.
The
regime has responded by cracking down on the protesters with arrests and
executions -- but also turning against those voicing support, among the
country's sportspeople and filmmakers.
'Take
your hijab off'
For
Neshvad, "The Red Suitcase" wasn't born of the current uprising in
Iran -- it was filmed a year before it started.
But
it has its roots in the injustices faced by his family -- of the Bahai
religion, systematically persecuted in Iran -- as well as those long
experienced by Iranian girls and women before Amini's death brought them to
global attention.
"For
me, it (the movie) was about a woman, which are the women in Iran being under
domination of the man," said the director, aged in his 40s.
In
Iran, "If a woman wants to do something, or go visit something, the man
(her father or husband) has to consent and write the paper and sign it,"
he said.
For
the girl in his movie to take her veil off, it was a moment of
"courage" -- for her to rebel against a path forced upon her, but also
to inspire those watching.
"It
will be a message: 'Follow me -- like me, take your hijab off, don't accept
this domination, and let's be free, at least have the free will to
decide'," Neshvad said.
His
actress, NawelleEvad, 22, isn't Iranian and used a dialogue coach to deliver
the few lines in Farsi required.
But
as a French-Algerian, the issue of women and Islamic headscarves -- and the
debate in the West around them -- was familiar to her.
"I
had a Muslim upbringing and I used to wear it," she told AFP in Paris,
where she lives.
But
for her "it was never an obligation" to wear one, she noted.
And
even for her character in the movie, when she takes her headscarf off,
"It's not of her will, it's despite herself that she removes it -- I think
there are many women in Iran, and elsewhere, where the headscarf is an
extension of themselves."
Criticism
of West too
In
the film though, by removing the headscarf, her character ultimately
"chooses herself".
"That's
what I find so beautiful in this film... the doubts that anybody, in any
country, in any culture, faces... What do I choose for myself? Do I listen to
my family? Am I making my own choices?"
Neshvad's
French scriptwriting partner, Guillaume Levil, also suggested that the
sexualised airport ads in the film underline that the West, too, can be
criticised for exploiting women and their public image.
The
final image of the movie, an ad showing a blonde model with abundant curly
hair, was emblematic of both social diktats, the director said.
"The
closer we go with the camera on her face, slowly we see that she's not happy,
and when we are very, very close, we see that (she) is even frightened,"
he said.
"And
with this, I wanted to finish the movie. So to have both sides, not only one
side, but both sides."
Source:
New Indian Express
--------
Iranian
female futsal player wants greater recognition of women in sport
01.02.2023
TEHRAN,
Iran
Iranian
female futsal player and coach MahbubeNimeti voiced her wish Tuesday that women
in her country receive more recognition for the sport.
Nimeti,
36, who plays for Mehr Azam in the Iranian Women's Futsal League, has been
coaching for the last 10 years.
She
told Anadolu that she spent more time coaching the NovinMeshal team in the
Tehran Super League.
Street
sport
Nimeti
said her interest in sports did not come from her family but started on the
streets.
“I
have no brothers and my father is not interested in sports, however, I always
wanted to chase after the ball whenever I saw the boys play in the street,” she
said.
Nimeti
said after some time, she started to catch the attention of children when she
picked up the ball.
"Maybe
I couldn't get high because of society's prejudices but I found myself in this
field. I noticed futsal when I was 16 and got into the country's high school
team at the time,” said Nimeti. “At the same time, I participated in the
national team auditions, but I couldn't make it because I didn't have a coach.”
Nimeti
said her university’s team was the reigning regional champion for three years.
The
Iranian athlete said she was considering studying abroad to fulfill her dream
of being an excellent coach. But because of her financial situation, she will
not be able to do it.
“Girls
who are new to futsal have more opportunities than before since some prejudices
have changed,” she said.
“Fathers
used to believe that girls can’t play football which forced many talented girls
to leave their high school teams,” she said. “Now girls are supported by their
families.”
Nimeti
said, “Futsal attracts new players both in the country and in the
world."
We
have to fight for futsal
Nimeti
criticized the policy of not allowing women in stadiums in Iran and considered
it a “painful situation.”
“I
hope that women in our country can also go to watch this sport. My students are
not satisfied with this situation either. They want to be able to follow futsal
closely,” she said.
Women's
futsal continues in a closed circuit in all leagues in Iran, according to
Nimeti.
“Videos
are only allowed during top league competitions where only one cameraman is
allowed in,” she said. “Even your father or brother is prohibited from entering
women's futsal competitions.”
“Iranians
should fight for the sports they love,” she said. “My biggest wish is that the
sport that I love receives the attention it deserves and that women are as
visible as men,” said Nimeti.
The
Iranian athlete said she did not have enough information regarding Women’s
Futsal in Türkiye, however, she noted that “many Iranian women are headed to
Türkiye to follow their careers in Futsal.”
“There
are many Iranians who settled in Türkiye where they now play and coach. Our
country is in the top ranks of the world when it comes to the technicalities of
sports, however, since Türkiye has better economical conditions, many Iranians
head there for income," she said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
--------
Iran
deplores ‘abhorrent’ Israeli assault on female Palestinian prisoners
01
February 2023
Iran’s
Foreign Ministry spokesman has strongly condemned Israeli forces’ brutal
aggression against Palestinian women at Damon Prison in the occupied
territories, after a report said the female detainees were assaulted and beaten
violently.
“Beating
female Palestinian inmates in #ZionistRegime’s Damon Prison [is] abhorrent,”
Nasser Kan’ani tweeted late on Tuesday.
Kan’ani
also denounced the Western governments’ double standards on human rights and
women’s rights.
“Do
self-proclaimed rights defenders in Europe & US believe #HumanRights and
women’s rights apply to Palestinian prisoners in Israel’s horrifying jails?” he
asked rhetorically.
Earlier
in the day, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said in a statement that
officers from the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) had violently assaulted and
beaten female Palestinian detainees inside Damon Prison.
The
NGO further noted that Israeli prison authorities imposed several repressive
measures against the female prisoners, including confiscation of their
electronic devices and personal items.
A
state of tension prevailed in Damon Prison after Israeli officers assaulted the
prisoners’ representative Yasmine Shaaban and placed her in solitary
confinement, the PPS added.
Hamas
condemns vicious assault
The
report also prompted the Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement to denounce the
vicious assault on Palestinian inmates, warning that the Israeli regime’s
increasing violations against Palestinian inmates will not go unpunished.
The
movement said the Palestinian nation will not leave the prisoners alone in
their battle and called on young Palestinians to confront Israeli crimes
through all available means.
More
than 7,000 Palestinian prisoners are currently held in some 17 Israeli jails,
with dozens of them serving multiple life sentences.
Over
500 detainees, including women and minors, are being held under the so-called
administrative detention in various Israeli prisons, with some of whom being
held in that condition for up to 11 years without any charges brought against
them.
The
detention takes place on orders from a military commander and on the basis of
what the Israeli regime calls “secret” evidence.
Palestinian
detainees have continuously resorted to open-ended hunger strikes in an attempt
to express their outrage at the detentions and harsh conditions in Israeli
jails.
Senior
Palestinian officials say Israel must be held accountable for its persecution
of Palestinian people, including its mass and arbitrary detentions.
Palestinian
inmates have also been subjected to systematic torture, harassment and
repression all through the years of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian
territories.
Israeli
jail authorities also keep Palestinian prisoners under deplorable conditions,
lacking proper hygienic standards.
Source:
Press TV
--------
Adelaide’s
first hijab model Medina Abdirashid Ali on wearing headscarf for empowerment
SowaibahHanifie
While
models backstage get their hair styled, Medina Abdirashid Ali proudly wraps her
hijab, hoping her role in the fashion industry will encourage more people to
see women in headscarves differently.
Ali
became Adelaide’s first hijab model when her current agent saw her Instagram
pictures and signed her to Pride Models in 2021.
She
made her debut at Melbourne Fashion Week last year, walking in five shows,
including one featuring Australian and international designers at Emporium
Melbourne.
“Wearing
my hijab makes me feel beautiful. It connects me more with God,” Ali said.
“I
want people to know about my hijab, that it’s my choice and a source of
empowerment.”
The
21-year-old model started wearing a headscarf at 14 and said it was an act of
faith that, if forced upon someone, would diminish a person’s sincerity.
Muslim
women observe the hijab in different ways across the world, but generally, they
wear it around males who are not their immediate family as a sign of modesty.
For
World Hijab Day 2023 on February 1 Ali said she wanted people to know the hijab
was a form of female “empowerment” that symbolised women deserved “respect” and
their bodies were to be “valued” and not used as commodities.
“A
woman’s body is often seen as an object or a source of propaganda on billboards
... With your hijab you don’t have to showcase your body, you show the world
that there is so much more to you,” she said
“It
gives you confidence from within ... it’s a way of showcasing myself and my
identity to the public.”
Last
year there were widespread protests in Iran after a young Iranian woman,
MahsaAmini, died while in the custody of the country’s morality police who
claimed she’d worn her scarf too loosely.
When
women were filmed tearing off their hijabs in defiance of Iran’s hijab laws,
Ali said she felt sad that a gesture sacred to many Muslims had become a tool
of repression used against women.
“Our
society really fixates on what women wear, and it’s completely wrong. It
dismisses all the other qualities we (women) possess.”
That
fixation was also experienced by “hijabi” women within the Muslim community, who
Ali explains are either subjected to criticism around how they should wear a
headscarf, or are considered not faithful if they do not.
“(Hijab
is about) a personal relationship between the person and God ... If someone
wants to not wear it, we should not force them.”
In
Islam, Muslim men are also required to adhere to guidelines of modesty by
covering their body from their naval to their knees.
Ali
said the religion’s focus on modesty went beyond clothing and included other
aspects of life.
“It
encompasses someone’s moral code. Modesty reflects someone’s kindness, how they
treat people, how they go about carrying themselves in society.
“It
keeps me in check. If I wear my hijab I know if go out in public ... I need to
act a certain way, I’m representing my religion and showcasing it’s a positive
religion,” Ali said.
While
the hijab has become an integral part of Ali’s identity, she explained being
visibly Muslim was a challenge because people often had assumptions about her
abilities and worldviews.
“(People)
assume that we’re coerced into wearing it, it limits us from reaching our goals
... that we’re voiceless,” she said.
“When
it comes to university people won’t think I’m able to do things because of my
hijab or I’m unable to understand things.
“(I
have to) go the extra mile to justify that I’m capable of doing this.”
Despite
facing these challenges, the 21-year-old said she committed to modelling so
Muslim women would see themselves reflected in advertising, and for the broader
community to become familiar with the headscarf.
Ali
said it helped her earn “respect” from her peers and also her mother who was
initially worried modelling could impact her daughter’s self-confidence and
commitment to the Islamic faith.
“It’s
a daily challenge. Every day you put on an outfit and think it would look
better if you took your hijab off.
“I’ve
drawn a closer connection to my hijab and what it means. (I’m) showing people I
don’t need to change what I believe in to fit their idea of success.”
She
said the fashion industry had some way to go to reflect Australia’s diversity,
but designers and photographers had so far been supportive of her choices,
taking on board her feedback when it came to styling outfits.
Ali
has a big year ahead of her, having already booked a number of major campaigns
that were currently confidential.
She
hopes to continue portraying a more balanced and realistic view of Muslim women
in public.
“Once
they come across someone and have an actual conversation, they can learn rather
than taking what the media picks,” she said.
Source:
7news
--------
Afghan
activist who survived Taliban attack says rules for women are 'against Islam'
By
MICHAEL KNOWLES
Jan
31, 2023
Activist
Sveto Muhammad Ishoq accused the hardline Islamist group of ignoring core
messages of the religion. She urged more Afghan men to stand up to the
draconian rules imposed by the Taliban leadership.
Activist
Sveto Muhammad Ishoq said: “For example, if you look at education, Afghan women
and girls are not allowed to go to secondary school.
“It
is a complete contradiction. It has no basing in Islam. Even the first word in
our religion is Ikar, which is ‘read’.
“It
is compulsory for every Muslim man and every Muslim woman to seek knowledge.
“The
fact they are not allowing women and girls to go to school and university to
seek education and get knowledge, they are doing against what God says to us.
“All
Afghans want their basic Afghan rights and their basic human rights.”
Miss
Ishoq described how militant fighters targeted the American University of
Afghanistan, killing 15 of her friends and classmates. Another 50 were injured,
MPs heard.
She
told MPs on the International Development Committee: “When I compare that,
nothing compares to losing my country. It is so difficult, it is so challenging.
“We
cannot expect Afghanistan to be like the UK overnight. It will take a lot of
time and a lot of support.
“Resistance
should have its own strategy. We shouldn’t become radical. If you look at other
countries, it is not effective. We have to be very careful about our strategy.”
Last
month, the country’s Islamist rulers banned all women from working for
non-governmental organisations.
Since
seizing back control of the country last year, the Taliban has steadily
restricted women’s rights - despite promising its rule would be softer than the
regime seen in the 1990s.
As
well as the ban on female university students - now being enforced by armed
guards - secondary schools for girls remain closed in most provinces.
Women
have also been prevented from entering parks and gyms, among other public
places.
Source:Express
UK
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1728902/afghan-women-Talibans-islam-education-ban
--------
'Refusal'
to appoint female Haj DG stirs controversy
ISLAMABAD:
The
National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR) on Tuesday claimed that the ministry
of religious affairs had rejected a candidate for the slot of the Haj director
general, allegedly because she was a female.
Expressing
“serious concerns”, the NCHR noted that the eligibility criteria for the
position of Haj director general did not exclude women.
In
a tweet, the commission pointed out that Saima Sabah, a BS-20 officer of
Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service, was the highest-scoring candidate for the
position by obtaining 71 marks.
It
added that there was a precedent of a woman serving as Saudi Arabia’s Haj
director general for 19 months.
“Why
should Pakistan impose restrictions on the best qualified candidate Saima Sabah
just because she is a woman?” it questioned.
The
commission further tweeted that while the Saudis were encouraging women to
manage Haj pilgrims, the country's religious affairs ministry was “rejecting
qualified candidates on basis of gender”.
In
December last year, Sabah, had moved the Islamabad High Court, pleading that
she had secured first position in a written test for the slot of the Haj
director general by obtaining 71 marks out of 100 but was rejected because of
her gender.
In
her petition, she had maintained that Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony
Minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor had passed “strange” remarks against her on the
basis of her gender during the interview process.
Sabah
had also attached a copy of the transcript of that interview with her petition.
She
had asked the IHC to direct the religious affairs ministry to declare her the
successful candidate and notify her as the Haj director general.
A
single member bench of the IHC had dismissed her plea, following which Sabah filed an intra-court appeal.
The
IHC reserved its decision on her appeal on Thursday last week.
An
audio clip of the interview, allegedly between the minister and Sabah, has
surfaced on social media, in which a man believed to be Shakoor is telling a
woman, purportedly the candidate, that Haj was completely dependent on its
director general and if the appearance as well as personality of the person
holding that post was not according to the Sunnah, what message would it give
(the Muslim world) about Pakistan’s mission.
To
this, the woman can be heard saying that she and her father were both Muslims.
The
voice of the man believed to be that of the minister replied that he was
talking about her and covering the head with a scarf was compulsory for a woman
in Islam.
The
woman replied that she agreed with him but would use a dupatta to cover her
head when necessary.
The
man then asked the woman if she comprehended the importance of hijab and the
consequences of her choice of not wearing one.
“What
impression would it give to countries around the world?” he asked.
Later,
in a statement issued on his Twitter account, the minister raised questions
about the authenticity of the audio clip.
He
claimed that he could not even think of committing gender discrimination while
occupying a constitutional office.
He
added that informal talk after the interview was edited and presented in the
audio clip.
Shakoor
said he respected Sabah despite her “baseless allegations”.
The
minister added that he would accept whatever the court decided, and asked the
IHC to reach a verdict on the issue soon.
Shakoor
claimed that Sabah had tried to use political influence for her appointment
before levelling her allegations.
Source:Tribune
Pakistan
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2398793/refusal-to-appoint-female-haj-dg-stirs-controversy
--------
Captain
Ella, the first Arab woman promoted to IDF major, is outspoken supporter of Israel
February
1, 2023
“Captain
Ella” Waweya, a 33-year-old native of Qalansawe, Israel, and the first Arab
woman to reach the rank of major in the Israel Defense Forces, is a living
testimony to Israel’s diversity.
Waweya
is a decorated army officer, who received the President’s Award of Excellence
in 2015 and the Outstanding Award from the Head of Operations Division in 2018.
Yet, the major initially concealed her military service from her family and
friends.
The
first person Waweyatold about her IDF service was her brother, who she invited
to attend the President’s Award ceremony, where she was honored a year and a
half after her enlistment.
“He
didn’t understand what I was talking about,” she recalled.
So,
she sent him a picture of herself in uniform.
“I
heard in his voice that he was shaking,” she said. After telling her brother
that she had been in the military already for a year and a half, he agreed to
come to the ceremony.
“I’ll
be with you but don’t tell anyone,” he told her.
Despite
promises to keep her identity secret, after her story was published in the
Yediot Ahronoth newspaper and website, her military service in the IDF became
known.
At
first, Waweya said her family was shocked. She recalled that her mother threw
away her uniform the first time she found it.
However,
her family came to accept her decision to serve, and when "Captain
Ella" was made an officer, her mother did attend the ceremony.
“We
hugged each other for 15 minutes on the stage and just cried,” she said. “We
had never bonded as much before.”
Now
Waweya is the face of the IDF for the Arab society in Israel and outside its
borders, with videos and information being shared about her on social media
(here and here). She no longer hides her service and regularly posts about the
Israeli military on her social media accounts.
But
Ella Waweya didn’t dream about entering the IDF. She recounted having an
identity crisis when she was young.
Although
she was raised in a religious Muslim family, she wanted to part of Israeli
society. She said she remembers asking herself if she was Palestinian or
Israeli.
She
also said she recalls watching the Qatar-based Arab news channel Al Jazeera
during the Second Intifada and being upset over the coverage of Israel. She
wanted to be able to show the side of Israel that she knew.
“When
I saw Arabic media I thought, ‘Someone needs to give a different perspective on
this,’” she said.
For
Waweya, the turning point came when she received her Israeli ID card at age 16.
Then, she knew she was an Israeli.
She
said she remembers seeing Israeli soldiers at bus stops and wanting to be a
soldier herself.
“I
didn’t know I could join the IDF as an Arab Muslim,” she said in an interview.
Instead,
she volunteered in an Israeli hospital for her year of national service, and
also enrolled in an Israeli university to study communications, with the goal
of becoming a journalist.
It
was while working at the hospital, chatting with a Bedouin security guard, when
her understanding changed. The guard, who had served in the military, asked her
why she chose national service over the IDF. That was when she realized it was
possible to enlist as an Arab Muslim.
Shortly
afterwards, she was invited to attend a media conference in Eilat as part of
her studies. The conference became the turning point in her life.
She
said she recalls that there was a panel discussion at the conference about
conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews. A member of the audience was explaining
why the ultra-Orthodox should not serve in the army. Waweya raised her hand and
explained that she disagreed. She felt that all Israelis should serve in the
army and that she herself would like to serve.
“All
of a sudden – I did not understand why – everybody got up on their feet and
applauded me,” she said. “I was very young and innocent.”
An
Israeli military reporter, Roni Daniel from Channel 12, and IDF spokesman Brig.
Gen. Yoav “Poli” Mordechai, who were attending the conference, approached her
afterwards and congratulated her.
Mordechai
instructed the head of his office to take her details and, two days later,
Waweya received a summons for an interview at the IDF Spokesperson’s office in
Tel Aviv. Not too long afterwards, she enlisted and started working for the
military press office.
Waweya
said that, up to that point, she was not even aware that the military had
non-combat positions.
Now,
almost a decade later, Waweya not only has achieved acclaim and promotions,
becoming the highest ranking Arab Muslim woman in the Israeli military, but she
also has gained the respect of the Arab press around the world and become an
inspiration for other Arabs to enlist or do national service.
“One
man told me, if you as a woman were not afraid to go and enlist, how should I
as a man be?” she said.
Waweya
said she is encouraged by the 2020 Abraham Accords and the warming relations
between Israel and various Arab nations.
“I
feel that there is a change, but there is so much more work to do,” she said.
“This is my place, to change the image in the Arab society and to show the
togetherness of the State of Israel.”
Source:AllIsrael
--------
Saudi
Arabia tourism body’s sponsorship of 2023 Women’s World Cup condemned by human
rights groups
Mostafa
Rachwani
1
Feb 2023
Human
rights advocates have condemned the decision to allow Saudi Arabia’s tourism
authority to sponsor the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand,
calling it a “textbook case of sports-washing”.
Visit
Saudi is set to join international brands such as Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa in
attaching their names to the 32-team tournament that is due to kick off on 20
July at Auckland’s Eden Park.
Despite
Saudi Arabia’s history of oppressing women’s rights, Fifa has decided to ratify
the deal under the new “commercial partnership structure” dedicated to
developing revenues specifically for the women’s game.
But
the announcement has sparked criticism from human rights groups in Australia.
A
spokesperson from Football Australia said they were seeking clarification from
Fifa.
“We
are very disappointed that Football Australia were not consulted on this matter
prior to any decision being made,” they said.
“Football
Australia and New Zealand Football have jointly written to Fifa to urgently
clarify the situation.”
The
director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, Minky Worden, said the
decision showed a “shocking disregard” for the status of women in Saudi Arabia.
“It
is a shocking disregard of the suffering and ongoing repression of courageous
women’s rights defenders in Saudi Arabia, to award the Saudi state tourism
company sponsorship of the 2023 Women’s World Cup,” Worden said.
“It
is worth remembering that, as recently as 2018, women and girls in Saudi Arabia
were not allowed to play sport in schools – or even to watch sports in
stadiums.
“Instead
of sports-washing with sponsorships to attempt to rehabilitate its global
image, it would be far better for Saudi Arabia to undertake fundamental human
rights reforms, including to uphold basic rights for women and girls.”
A
number of legal changes have been introduced in recent years in Saudi Arabia,
including ending the ban on women driving and making amendments to the
oppressive guardianship law that would allow, for the first time, women to
apply for official documents such as a passport and to travel abroad
independently.
However,
women still have to obtain male guardian permission to get married, leave
prison, or obtain some forms of sexual and reproductive healthcare. Male
guardians can also bring legal action against women for “disobedience” and
being absent from home.
There
are still reports of arrests of peaceful dissidents, public intellectuals and
human rights activists.
Dozens
of Saudi human rights defenders and activists continue to serve long prison
sentences for criticising authorities or advocating for political reforms.
Nikita
White, an Amnesty Australia campaigner, criticised Saudi authorities’ human
rights record.
“It
would be quite the irony for Saudi’s tourism body to sponsor the largest
celebration of women’s sport in the world when you consider that, as a woman in
Saudi Arabia, you can’t even have a job without the permission of your male
guardian,” she said.
“The
Saudi authorities have a horrendous record of human rights abuses – including
cracking down on women’s rights defenders.
“The
campaign of so-called reform leader Mohammed bin Salman has been on is nothing
more than a publicity stunt to try to diversify the economy. The Saudi
authorities sponsoring the Women’s World Cup would be a textbook case of
sport-washing.”
The
director at the Australian Human Rights Institute, Prof Justine Nolan,
condemned the move.
“It
is evident that Fifa seems to have adopted a flexible approach to applying its
human rights policy and that it is not taking a rigorous and holistic approach
to respecting rights,” she said. “Its policy to respect universal human rights
does not apparently extend to its sponsorship arrangements.
“The
acceptance of Saudi Arabia as a sponsor of the Women’s World Cup – a country
where women’s rights are expressly inhibited – ensures rights take a backseat
to money and sponsorship.”
The
2023 Women’s World Cup hopes to accelerate the growth of the women’s game
across the world, with an expanded competition and a tournament split over two
countries for the first time.
On
Monday, Fifa announced it had moved the opening match of the Australian leg to
the 83,500-capacity Accor Australia stadium due to the huge demand for tickets.
Fifa
was contacted for comment.
Source:TheGuardian
--------
Saudi
Arabia to sponsor Women’s World Cup and tighten ties with Fifa
Paul
MacInnes
31
Jan 2023
Saudi
Arabia’s tourist authority is to sponsor football’s Women’s World Cup in
Australia and New Zealand this year, despite the country’s history of
oppression of women’s rights.
Fifa
is expected to confirm that Visit Saudi will join international brands such as
Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa in attaching its name to the 32-team tournament that
will kick off in front of an expected 50,000 supporters at Auckland’s Eden Park
on 20 July.
The
deal has been agreed under Fifa’s new “commercial partnership structure”
dedicated to developing revenues specifically for the women’s game, with funds
generated from the World Cup going back into the sport. There will be some
scepticism over the suitability of the arrangement, owing to repression of
women’s freedoms in the Gulf state.
A
number of legal changes have improved women’s rights in Saudi Arabia in recent
years, including the end of a ban on driving and amendments to the oppressive
guardianship law that would allow, for the first time, women to apply for
official documents such as a passport and to travel abroad independently.
The
guardianship law has not been abolished, however, and women still need the
consent of a man to get married and obtain certain forms of healthcare. Male
guardians can also bring legal action against women for ‘disobedience’ and
being absent from home.
Women’s
football in the country has seen unequivocal change. A decade ago, Saudi
officials were calling for a ban on the hijab in football, which would have
prevented observant women from playing the game, and in 2017 women were still
banned from attending matches as spectators. Last year, however, Saudi Arabia
were supported by many female fans at the men’s World Cup in Qatar and the
first nationwide league for women in Saudi Arabia was established in 2020.
Saudi
hosted and won a four-team tournament this month, which earned the women’s
national team their first placing on Fifa’s rankings.
The
Women’s World Cup hopes to accelerate the growth of the women’s game across the
world, with an expanded number of competing nations and a tournament split over
two countries for the first time. Fifa announced on Monday it had relocated the
opening match in the Australian leg of the tournament to the 83,500-capacity
Stadium Australia because of high demand for tickets.
“Fifa’s
mission is to organise the biggest and best Women’s World Cup in history this
year and fans, those who bring colour, passion and atmosphere to stadiums will
be such an integral part of the tournament’s success,” said Fifa’s secretary
general, Fatma Samoura. “With this in mind, we have taken a decision that will
enable over 100,000 fans to attend the opening match day”
Source:TheGuardian
--------
Afghanistan:
Humanitarians await guidelines on women’s role in aid operations
January
31, 2023
NEW
YORK — A UN-led group of humanitarians are hoping that the Taliban will allow
Afghan women to again work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on the
ground following last month’s ban, four senior aid officials told journalists
in New York on Monday.
Representing
the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), they stressed that the world’s
largest humanitarian operation — supporting some 28 million people in
Afghanistan — simply cannot function without women staff.
The
officials reported on their mission to the country last week, in the wake of
the edict prohibiting Afghan women from working with local and international
aid agencies, announced on Dec. 24.
Days
later, the de facto Taliban authorities authorized women to continue working in
healthcare.
A
similar exception was made in education, though focused on the primary level as
Afghan girls and women have been barred from attending high school and
university.
In
their meetings with the Taliban, the IASC mission expressed opposition to the
ban, which they hoped would be rescinded, and advocated for exemptions in all
aspects of humanitarian action.
They
were told that guidelines are being developed, and were asked to be patient,
said Martin Griffiths, UN relief chief and the IASC chair, speaking during a
press conference at UN Headquarters.
“I’m
somebody who doesn’t like to speculate too much, because it is a matter of
speculation. Let’s see if these guidelines do come through. Let’s see if they
are beneficial. Let’s see what space there is for the essential and central
role of women in our humanitarian operations,” he said.
“Everybody
has opinions as to whether it’s going to work or not. Our view is that the
message has clearly been delivered: that women are central, essential workers
in the humanitarian sector, in addition to having rights, and we need to see
them back to work.”
Humanitarians
will require $4.6 billion to fund their activities in Afghanistan this year.
Three
years of drought-like conditions, economic decline, and the impacts of four
decades of conflict, have left roughly two-thirds of the population, 28 million
people, dependent on aid, with six million on the brink of starvation.
Women
comprise 30 percent of the 55,000 Afghan nationals working for NGOs in the
country, according to JantiSoeripto, president and chief executive officer of
Save the Children.
“Without
women on our teams, we cannot provide humanitarian services to millions of
children and women,” she said.
“We
won’t be able to identify their needs; communicate to female heads of
households, of which there are many in Afghanistan after years and years of
conflict, and to do so in a safe and culturally appropriate way.”
Furthermore,
many women aid workers are themselves the sole breadwinners for their families,
which means many more households will go wanting.
“We’ve
made it very clear that humanitarian aid must never be conditional, and it
cannot discriminate,” said Soeripto. “We were not there to politicize aid. We
cannot do this work without women in all aspects of our value chains.”
The
loss of these valuable workers also comes as Afghanistan is facing its coldest
winter in 15 years, with temperatures falling to nearly -30 degrees Celsius,
resulting in numerous deaths.
The
IASC mission visited a clinic on the outskirts of the capital, Kabul, run by
the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and a local partner.
Critical
health and nutrition services there are up and running again now that women
staff are back on board, said Sofía SprechmannSineiro, secretary general of
CARE International.
The
clinic’s staff also shared a horrific statistic, as 15 percent of the children
who seek help suffer from severe acute malnutrition.
“So,
let there be no ambiguity. Tying the hands of NGOs by barring women from giving
life-saving support to other women will cost lives,” she said, speaking from
Kabul.
During
their meetings with the de facto authorities, the humanitarian chiefs also
pushed for the full inclusion of girls and women in public life.
More
than one million Afghan girls have lost out on learning due to the order
banning them from secondary school, which has added to losses sustained during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
The
university ban, announced last month, has further crushed their hopes, said
Omar Abdi, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Programs.
“We
are very concerned about girls’ and women’s development and particularly their
mental health. In 2023, if secondary school education remains closed, an
estimated 215,000 girls who attended grade six last year will once again be
denied the right to learn,” he said.
Despite
the bleak outlook, Abdi pointed to a few positive signs. Since the ban, some
200,000 girls continue to attend secondary schools in 12 provinces, and women
secondary school teachers continue to receive their salaries.
“The
officials we met in Kabul...reaffirmed that they are not against girls learning
in secondary schools, and again promised to re-open once the guidelines are
approved by their leader,” he said.
Meanwhile,
the number of community-based education classes in private homes and other
locations has doubled to 20,000 over the past year, serving some 600,000
children, more than half of them girls.
“These
positive signs are the results of both the commitment from the de facto
authorities and pressure from local communities to keep schools and community
schools open,” said Abdi.
“As
long as communities continue to demand education, we must continue to support
both public and other forms of education, community-based classrooms, catch-up
classes and vocational training.” — UN News
Source:
Saudi Gazette
--------
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