Cyclist Fariba to Taliban from Paris Olympics: Look at Other Muslim Countries, Give Freedom to Afghan Women
New Age Islam News Bureau
03 Aug 2024
·
CyclistFariba to Taliban from Paris Olympics: Look
at Other Muslim Countries, Give Freedom to Afghan Women
·
Woman Converts to Islam, Arrestedin Connection
with A Forced Religious Conversion Case in Maharashtra
·
Egyptian Screenwriter Mariam Naoum to Mentor
Young Saudi Female Filmmakers
·
Iranian Police Deport Afghan Researcher
KobraGhulami Over Hijab Dispute
·
Women in Afghanistan Set Up Secret Salons to
Overcome Economic Hardship and Taliban Restrictions
·
Tunisian Olympic Hero Ines BoubakriSays Arab Fencers
Can Now Beat Anyone
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
CyclistFaribato
Taliban from Paris Olympics: Look at Other Muslim Countries, Give Freedom to
Afghan Women
02.08.24
Afghanistan
cyclist Fariba Hashimi, who escaped from Taliban rule to Italy and prepared for
2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France.
PTI
picture.
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From a
secret initiation into the world of cycling, enduring the indignities of being
a female athlete to escaping the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and realising their
Olympic dreams, FaribaHashimi and her sister Yulduz have traversed a remarkable
journey.
Fear was
a constant companion for the Hashimi sisters in Faryab, a province in
Afghanistan, where the Taliban has banned women from pursuing sports.
Even
before the Taliban usurped power in 2021 following the collapse of the Afghan
National Security Forces and the fall of the government, life was not easy for
Fariba and Yulduz.
Their
adventure began when an advertisement for a cycle race drew their attention.
Keen to give it a shot they borrowed a cycle from a neighbour. Then a
14-year-old, Fariba and Yuldez, 17, finished one-two, using false names.
They had
discovered their wings and refused to let anyone ground them, yet they had to
conceal their identities with scarves while cycling through the streets of
Faryab, even keeping their passion a secret from their parents at first.
Gradually,
they gained their parents' support, but one day Yulduz was attacked for
engaging in what was deemed a "boys' activity." Despite winning
races, the Taliban's takeover left them no choice but to flee the country,
where their basic freedoms and rights were severely restricted.
"I
left my country for Italy because my life was in super danger," the
21-year old Fariba told PTI.
"When
I started cycling, my family was so stressed for me. They were scared for my
life when the situation (Taliban takeover) happened in 2021." With the
help of former Italian world champion cyclist Alessandra Cappellotto, they left
Afghanistan.
"It
was not easy for me, leaving my home, family, going to a new country. Starting
a new life was hard for me. The Italian government, Alessandra Cappellotto
helped a lot." Upon reaching Italy, Fariba realised how different life
could be. There was love, support and most importantly freedom.
"I'm
living a different life, new life, language and culture." Fariba has been
to Pakistan, Qatar, Dubai and other Muslim countries and was glad to see that
women are not barred from sports or education.
"I
want to say, please, look at other Muslim countries. I've been there and saw
what is the life for people there. When I look at my country, it's a big
difference.
"They
want to close the women from everything. People want freedom in Afghanistan. I
want to say please, please it's not correct, you need to give every single
opportunity for the women in Afghanistan, they can do everything, everything,
even Olympics." Fariba says participating at the Paris Games is certainly
huge for her but she also wants to use the biggest sports platform to say that
20 million women living in her country need support.
Afghanistan's
National Olympic Committee (AOC) was also replaced by the Taliban but
International Olympic Committee (IOC) continues to recognise the Afghan
officials living in exile.
Hafizullah
Wali Rahimi, President of the AOC is hoping that international pressure on
Taliban may yield some positive results. "Thanks to the IOC and OCA, we
had over 20 athletes preparing for the Olympics. We had scholarships through
IOC, and most of them were training under good coaches abroad," Rahimi
said.
"There's
already a lot of discussion and we are hoping through the international
community, we can see all the women go back to schools, universities, the
workplaces. And back to their sports clubs and join their brothers in sports
activities," said Rahimi, who did Masters in Economics and PhD from the Delhi
University.
Mohammad
Farid Naseem, who trains Fraiba and Yulduz, says he does not fear Taliban and
will continue to support his riders.
"I
am proud to help them and I support Afghanistan women in the sport events. I am
proud to represent Afghanistan in the big events and I will continue
forever," he said.
IOC has
played a crucial role in supporting Afghani athletes.
With the
support of the relevant International Federations and the relevant host NOC,
IOC was instrumental in evacuating athletes from Afghanistan.
"The
IOC has been in continuous dialogue with the Afghan NOC and the Afghan sports
authorities, with the aim of overturning the current restrictions on women to
access and practise sport," in 2021," an IOC spokesperson said
responding to an email query from PTI "The current framework of the IOC EB
decision of 6 December 2022 permits a continuous dialogue to be maintained with
the Afghan sports authorities, with the very clear objective of reversing the
current restrictions as early as possible." The Afghanistan flag has
become a symbol of resistance as the Taliban attempted to replace it.
Afghan
athletes will compete under their national flag and Fariba will have the
tri-colour stickers on her bike when she paddles her way during the road race
event on August 4, with a message loud and clear that the fight for rights will
continue.
Source: telegraphindia.com
https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-look-at-other-muslim-countries-give-freedom-to-afghan-women-fariba-to-taliban-from-paris-olympics/cid/2038202
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Woman
Converts to Islam, Arrestedin Connection with A Forced Religious Conversion
Case in Maharashtra
3 August
2024
Image
for representation
------------
A woman
and another person have been arrested in connection with a forced religious
conversion case in the Ulhasnagar area of Thane district, Maharashtra,
following a complaint by the woman's mother.
The
Vithalwadi police station official said an Ulhasnagar resident lodged a
complaint on Thursday alleging her daughter was forcibly converted to Islam.
"As
per the complaint, the woman, under the influence of a family nearby and after
watching videos of a controversial Islamic preacher, renounced Hinduism. The
conversion took place when the complainant was in London in June 2022. She has
also claimed her daughter went missing later," the official said, quoted
by news agency PTI.
The
complainant claimed her daughter went missing and later found a letter from the
Ulhasnagar and Ambernath Masjid Trust confirming the conversion.
"The
woman has also said post the conversion, her daughter withdrew funds from her
father's account. She has told us her daughter has been brainwashed and may be
coerced into taking part in illegal activities," the official said.
A case
was registered on Thursday on the woman's complaint under Indian Penal Code for
promoting enmity between different groups (153-A), injuring or defiling places
of worship (295, 295-A), making offensive statements (298), causing harm with
dangerous weapons (324) apart from cheating, forgery, criminal intimidation and
other offences.
"The
complainant's daughter has been arrested along with one more person, while
eight are absconding. The duo was produced in court today and were remanded in
police custody for three days. Further probe into the case is underway,"
the Vithalwadi police station official said.
Source: outlookindia.com
https://www.outlookindia.com/national/maharashtra-woman-converts-to-islam-arrested-after-mother-files-police-case
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Egyptian
screenwriter Mariam Naoum to mentor young Saudi female filmmakers
August
02, 2024
JEDDAH:
Fifteen new and emerging female filmmakers from Saudi Arabia are about to get
the opportunity of a lifetime: mentorship from famed Egyptian screenwriter Mariam
Naoum, as part of a new training program from
Netflix run in
partnership with Naoum’sSard Writing Room and
NEOM Media Industries.
The
first of the Saudi Female Future Filmmakers Program’s two phases will launch in
September.
“The
first phase is an intense introduction to the processes of writing, directing
and production. It will involve extensive time being spent with all the
participants taking them through the basics,” Naoum tells Arab News. “And then
the second phase will be more hands-on work done in groups. The participants
will be separated or grouped into teams of four or five, and each group will
write their own projects or their own short film.”
Participants
will then be given the opportunity to pitch their scripts to a panel of experts
in a simulation pitch exercise at the upcoming Red Sea International Film
Festival. They will also be guests at the festival, attending workshops and
panel discussions as well as networking events.
Sard, or
the Sard Writing Room, was founded by Naoum in 2016 and is a “dedicated hub”
for scriptwriters that has so far spawned 17 TV series and a feature film.
Sard is billed as “a safe space for aspiring screenwriters
to develop their projects, improve their writing skills, and practice their
creative freedom.”
Netflix
previously partnered with Sard to launch the Because She Created writing
program in Egypt to train women in writing and develop their storytelling and
creative expression skills.
“Sard
believes that expressing oneself through writing is the first step to
self-discovery and we’re proud to have discovered talent through this program
that we feel will one day become the scriptwriters of the future,” Naoum said
at the time.
When
asked about the kind of talent they are looking to attract for the new Saudi-based
program, Naoum said: “We are looking for passionate participants. We want to
discover indie filmmakers or women who are now looking at filmmaking as a
career option and are looking to discover their abilities to express themselves
through writing, directing and production.
“We are
looking for women who want to tell their own authentic stories, and through the
application process, we are trying — through the questions — to discover that
with them. The application form features questions like their favorite films,
their favorite books, their favorite story that changed the lives, a moment in
their life that they appreciate… We are trying to discover them as humans and
discover their passion and the reason behind why they are looking into this.”
Naoum —
known for her work on films like “One-Zero” and “Between Two Seas,” as well as
TV series including “Take Care of Zizi” — has garnered acclaim for writing
stories that focus on issues facing everyday people, especially women. Most of
her work is based on true stories.
“I think
this is my way to reflect on what is happening in the region and my feelings
toward the society I am living in. I’m always reflecting on current happenings,
how we arrived here — how did Egyptians end up at this point in this kind of
situation in society? And then I want to share my thoughts with the audience,”
she says.
Naoum is
bullish about the prospects for the Saudi entertainment industry. “I think it
has great potential because there is a will for doing
things and creating opportunities and there is a true wealth in terms of a young generation of filmmakers. And
I can see how they are investing in studying cinema with workshops and more.
And I think this will lead to a new wave,” she says.
Applications
for the Saudi Female Future Filmmakers Program are open until August 10 for
women aged 21 and over, residing in Saudi Arabia with no prior experience
working in the film and TV industry.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2561091/lifestyle
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Iranian
Police Deport Afghan Researcher KobraGhulami Over Hijab Dispute
August
2, 2024
Iranian
police have summoned and subsequently deported KobraGholami, an Afghan social
researcher, for not adhering to the Islamic Republic’s dress code.
On
August 2, Gholami was summoned to the passport office after receiving multiple
warnings about her hijab. She was detained by police and deported to
Afghanistan within hours, without the chance to contact her family.
Despite
having legal residency documents, her deportation was reportedly without legal
justification.
Social
media users and friends have expressed concern about her fate, launching a
campaign with the hashtag “#BringKobraBack” to advocate for her return to Iran.
Iranian
social media user, ShimaVaezi, posted on X, stating that Gholami was on a bus,
unable to say goodbye or contact her loved ones. Vaezi highlighted that Gholami
had valid residency documents and was pursuing a master’s degree at Alzahra
University. Last year, Gholami spoke at the 6th Social-Cultural Research
Conference in Iran on “Femininity and Social-Cultural Transformation,”
criticizing the treatment of Afghan migrant women in Iran.
The
plight of Afghan migrants, especially women, in neighboring countries like
Pakistan and Iran continues to worsen amid rising restrictions and economic
hardships. Many face severe difficulties, including inadequate access to basic
needs and lack of legal protection.
Afghan
women migrants are particularly vulnerable, facing exploitation and
discrimination while struggling to secure their livelihoods. International
organizations and refugee agencies have been criticized for insufficient
protection and support for these individuals.
Despite
the pressing humanitarian crisis, international responses have often been
inadequate, leaving Afghan refugees, particularly women, at risk and without
adequate resources or protection.
The
global community is urged to address these issues with greater urgency,
ensuring that Afghan migrants receive the necessary support and protection to
overcome their challenges and secure their basic rights.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/iranian-police-deport-afghan-researcher-kobra-ghulami-over-hijab-dispute/
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Women in
Afghanistan Set Up Secret Salons to Overcome Economic Hardship and Taliban
Restrictions
August
2, 2024
Several
female beauticians have told The Guardian that they have been forced to
establish secret beauty salons due to economic hardships.
The
Guardian reported on Thursday that female beauticians under Taliban rule are
living in fear and anxiety. One woman told the newspaper, “They stone and whip
us, but I continue to work as a beautician.”
Following
a Taliban order that led to the closure of women’s beauty salons, more than
12,000 salons have been shut down, resulting in over 60,000 women losing their
jobs.
In July
2023, the Taliban banned and closed all women’s beauty salons across
Afghanistan. The Guardian noted that this directive led to the closure of over
12,000 salons, with an estimated 60,000 women losing their jobs.
Now,
under economic pressure, some female beauticians have started underground
salons, operating in secrecy and fear.
One
beautician in Kabul told The Guardian that she “never imagined she would have
to work secretly.” She is worried about being fined or imprisoned if her salon
is discovered.
Some
women have set up beauty salons in their homes. To avoid detection, they use
various techniques to manage client visits, purchase beauty supplies, and
navigate their own movements.
One
beautician explained, “We use techniques to avoid arrest. For example, my
clients wear a special-colored burqa so I know they are customers.”
She
added, “I avoid using the same route and try to travel at irregular hours.”
Concerns
are high that neighbors, beauty supply vendors, or fake clients who might be
Taliban informants could expose them, leading to arrests.
One
beautician lamented to The Guardian, “We are all prisoners of the Taliban.
Being born a woman is my greatest crime.”
The ban
on women’s beauty salons has faced widespread backlash. In late July, the UN
Special Representative condemned the ban as a setback for poverty reduction and
economic improvement.
The
International Labour Organization also warned that the ban would significantly
reduce women’s employment opportunities.
The
plight of women in Afghanistan extends beyond the closure of beauty salons. The
Taliban’s restrictions on education and employment have severely impacted
women’s lives, confining them to limited roles and stifling their opportunities
for economic independence.
The
escalating insecurity and rising militant groups in the region further
exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. Women are increasingly vulnerable to
violence and repression amid the deteriorating security situation, highlighting
the urgent need for international support and intervention.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/women-in-afghanistan-set-up-secret-salons-to-overcome-economic-hardship-and-taliban-restrictions/
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Tunisian
Olympic hero Ines Boubakri says Arab fencers can now beat anyone
02
August, 2024
In a
sport previously dominated by Europeans, Arab fencers have risen through the
ranks and established themselves among the world’s best over the past 12 years.
Egypt’s
AlaaeldinAbouelkassem became the first athlete representing an African or Arab
nation to win an Olympic medal in fencing when he took silver in men’s foil in
London 2012.
Four
years later, Tunisian Ines Boubakri made history as the first African or Arab
woman to secure an Olympic fencing medal by securing bronze in women’s foil.
In the
opening two days of the Paris Olympics, Arab fencers clinched two medals, with
Tunisian Fares Ferjani leaping to silver in the sabre and Egyptian Mohamed
Elsayed grabbing bronze in the epee.
There is
currently at least one Arab man ranked in the world’s top four in each of the
three weapons (sabre, foil, and epee).
Boubakri,
who has now retired and is part of beIN Sports panel of experts for Paris 2024,
believes this is no coincidence.
“As an
Arab, I was super proud of Fares and Mohamed, not to show the people that we
are capable, but to make the Arab world feel that we can do it, whatever the
circumstances,” Boubakri told The National.
“We used
to say that fencing is just for Europeans, but now, no, we made a change. We
started the change with the medal of AlaaAbouelkassem in London 2012, and then
in Rio with my medal.
“It was
a surprise for everyone but for us, the athletes, we are working for many
years, it’s not a surprise for us because we know inside of us, we believe in
ourselves that we can do it.
“We will
do it and we can do it. And the proof is that eight years later (from Alaa’s
success), we are still here, Arab fencing is still here in Paris 2024, not only
with one medal but with two medals.”
Boubakri,
35, is a four-time Olympian and has witnessed first-hand the evolution of world
fencing.
“For
sure fencing is improving and it has become a universal sport,” she explained.
“In the
past we used to only see Europeans at the top, France, Italy, Romania, Hungary
… now we have two Olympic champions from Hong Kong in fencing.
“So
everyone can beat everyone and this is because many people changed their
mentality and have an open mind now. Everyone can train with everyone, they are
doing a lot of training camps all over the world.
“In the
past, fencers from the same country trained by themselves, they didn’t accept
to interact with the world. Now it changed. Now all the fencers know each other
and we can see many surprises at the Olympics.”
One of
those surprises was ZiadElsissy’s fourth-place finish in the sabre. The
Egyptian arrived in Paris ranked No 1 in the world and primed for a medal. He
won three bouts before falling to Ferjani in the semi-finals and lost to
Italian Luigi Samele in the bronze medal clash.
“Honestly,
I feel so sad for Ziad because he deserves to have a medal at least. I think he
has a lot of pressure, he’s No 1 in the world. I think Fares managed very well
his bout because he was very calm, I was impressed by his maturity, he fenced
very, very good all day. So he deserved his medal.
“But I
feel sorry for Ziad, he was top of the world, everyone was waiting for him. But
I think he didn’t control as well his stress, the pressure. But hopefully he’ll
keep his motivation to look for LA 2028, he’s still young. We’re waiting for
him for LA inshallah.”
Held at
the iconic Grand Palais, fencing has taken centre stage in Paris and stole the
show on several occasions, but perhaps no more than when news broke that
Egyptian sabre fencer Nada Hafez beat the No 7 seed then lost in the second
round all while being seven months pregnant.
“What
she did is amazing, it’s brave of her,” beamed Boubakri.
“She is
an example for all women, and also for the people who judge women. We can be
pregnant and practise sport and practise a high level of competition, and
nothing can stop us.
“Also if
we speak about women in general, we have many women athletes who have given
birth and come back to competition. In fencing, we had many examples, like
Valentina Vezzali, Laura Flessel, they gave birth and after four months they
came back to competition and won Olympic medals.
“And
recently we have Arianna Errigo, she’s an Olympic champion. She stopped before
the Olympics for one year. She kept training, we saw a lot of photos of her
pregnant and training. She never gave up and came back four months after giving
birth and she won a medal at the World Championship in Milan in 2023 and she
qualified for the Olympics.
“She
lost to a top-eight fencer 15-14 but she did a great job in Paris. It’s a big
message for the world that as women, we are so strong.”
There
are still two more days of fencing action in Paris, with Arabs once again in
the mix. The Algerian women’s sabre team will take on France on Saturday and
the Egyptian men’s foil team is scheduled to face USA on Sunday.
Source: thenationalnews.com
https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/olympics/2024/08/02/tunisian-olympic-hero-ines-boubakri-says-arab-fencers-can-now-beat-anyone/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/taliban-paris-olympics-muslim-afghan-freedom/d/132855