‘My Answer to Taliban’: Razia Muradi, the Afghan Woman Wins MA Gold at Gujarat University in India
New Age Islam News Bureau
07 March 2023
• Iran's Judiciary Chief Vows Punishment for Violation
of Hijab Rules
• UN Secretary-General Says Women’s Right Are under
Threat
• Pakistan to Host 'Women in Islam’ Conference in New
York Tomorrow
• Women's Day in UAE: Meet the Emirati Woman Who
Founded Dubai Airport's Legal Department
• Private Banking Roles Can Be Such a Good Fit for
Middle East’s Women Talents
• Taliban’s Persecution of Women Could Be ‘Crime
against Humanity’: UN Report
• On International Women's Day, Kerala Muslim Couple to
Remarry for Daughters’ Sake
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/taliban-razia-muradi-afghan-gujarat/d/129267
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‘My Answer to Taliban’: Razia Muradi, the Afghan Woman
Wins MA Gold at Gujarat University in India
Razia Muradi, an Afghan woman
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Mar 7, 2023
SURAT: "I represent the women from Afghanistan
who are deprived of education. I want to convey to the Taliban that women can
also excel in any field if given the opportunity," says Razia Muradi.
Muradi, an Afghan national, won the gold medal in MA
(public administration) at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU)
convocation on Monday.
Muradi, who has not been able to meet her family in
Afghanistan for the past three years, got 8.60 cumulative grade point average
(CGPA), the highest score in the subject.
She completed her MA in April 2022 and is now pursuing
PhD in public administration. After arriving in India, she took up her studies
on online mode due to the Covid lockdown. Most of her classes and exams were
held online in the first two semesters.
Razia hopes to help students in education
"I attended the lectures regularly and focused on
my studies. I revised a few days before the exams," says Razia Muradi, who
stayed undisturbed not only by the Taliban but also by the global pandemic.
Besides the gold medal, she also won the Sharda Ambelal Desai Prize at the
convocation.
Hitting out at the Taliban, she says it is shameful
that they have banned girls and women from receiving formal education. "I
am thankful to the Indian government, ICCR, VNSGU, and people of India for
providing me with this opportunity," said Muradi who is hoping to return
the favour to VNSGU someday and help students reach their educational goals.
She says the occasion gives her a mixed feeling.
"I feel happy for the medal but I am sad for not being able to meet my
family for three years. I will inform them over phone, and they will be
happy," Muradi told TOI.
Around 14,000 students from Afghanistan are now
studying in India with scholarship support from Indian Council for Cultural Relations
(ICCR) and other institutions.
They came to India for higher studies after clearing
the qualifying exams. The majority of them, including men, have extended their
stay in India because of the current situation in their country.
Muradi came to India for the two-year MA programme but
could not return as the Taliban took over her country.
"Through my success, I want to create awareness
among people in Afghanistan. I also wish that the international community would
intervene and see that people in Afghanistan live their life the way people in
other countries live," she said."I wish to go back to Afghanistan if
the situation becomes normal and work for my motherland," she added.
Source: Times Of India
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Iran's Judiciary Chief Vows Punishment for Violation of
Hijab Rules
Representative Image
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Syed Zafar Mehdi
06.03.2023
TEHRAN, Iran
Iran's judiciary chief said Monday that the removal of
the mandatory veil is against the country's law and will be strictly dealt with.
Mohseni Ejei made the remarks at an event in central
Isfahan province, blaming the "enemy" for "supporting social
anomalies", including the removal of the Hijab, according to the
judiciary-affiliated Mizan News.
The debate over the issue of mandatory veil in Iran
was rekindled following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police
custody in mid-September. Amini had been detained for violation of the dress
code.
Her death triggered countrywide protests that were
marred by violence, resulting in the death of almost 200 people, according to
officials. Western human rigths bodies, however, have put the death toll above
500.
In the last five months, the absence of a morality
police force on the streets in Tehran and other cities has fueled speculation
that mandatory Hijab rules have been relaxed by Iranian authorities.
The judiciary chief, without specifically mentioning
any country, said the "enemy" supports social anomalies that are
"against public modesty, against Shariah and against the country's
laws," referring specifically to the relaxation of Hijab rules.
Ejei said this "category" of crime is
different from "individual mistakes and sins" with the "role of
enemy obvious in it," adding that “measures” will be taken soon in
coordination with other institutions.
He said the parliament, executive authority and
judiciary are all "prepared to deal with those who destroy public
order," without providing details about the "measures" to be
taken.
The top judiciary official also commented on the issue
of the serial poisoning of schoolgirls in recent months in Iran, calling it an
example of "corruption on earth" and warning of exemplary punishment
to those involved.
Source: Anadolu Agency
The crime of “corruption on earth” carries death
sentence under Iran's law.
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UN secretary-general says women’s right are under
threat
March 07, 2023
UNITED NATIONS: Women’s rights are being “abused,
threatened and violated” around the world and gender equality won’t be achieved
for 300 years on the current track, the United Nations secretary-general warned
Monday.
Antonio Guterres told the opening session of the
Commission on the Status of Women — the UN’s premiere global body fighting for
gender equality — that progress won over decades is vanishing because “the
patriarchy is fighting back.”
The UN chief pointed to Afghanistan where “women and
girls have been erased from public life,” and said that in many countries
women’s sexual and reproductive rights are being rolled back.
He also said girls going to school risk kidnapping and
assault in many places, and he complained that there are police preying on
vulnerable women they are supposed to be protecting.
“From Ukraine to the Sahel, crisis and conflict affect
women and girls first and worst,” Guterres said.
In other setbacks, he said, maternal mortality is
rising and COVID-19’s impact is forcing girls into marriage and keeping them
out of school, while keeping mothers and caregivers out of paid work.
During its two-week session, the Commission on the
Status of Women is focusing on closing gender gaps in technology and
innovation. The secretary-general said the topic couldn’t be more timely
because women and girls are being left behind as technology races ahead.
“Three billion people are still unconnected to the
Internet, the majority of them women and girls in developing countries, (and)
in least developed countries just 19 percent of women are online,” Guterres
said. “Globally, girls and women make up just one-third of students in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics.
Men outnumber women two to one in the tech industry
and in the growing field of artificial intelligence only about one in five
workers is a woman, he said.
He said “big data” is the foundation of political and
business decisions, “but it often ignores gender differences — or turns a blind
eye to women altogether — resulting in products and services that bake in
gender inequality from the start.”
Guterres called for urgent action to equalize power
between men and women.
He said there must be increasing education, employment
and income for women and girls, especially in developing countries. He called
for women’s full participation and leadership in science and technology to be
promoted “from governments to board rooms and classrooms.”
Guterres also said a safe digital environment must be
created that eliminates “misogynistic disinformation and misinformation” and
“gender-trolling” on social media.
Sima Bahous, executive director of UN Women, told the
commission’s opening meeting that “the digital divide has become the new face
of gender inequality.” She said that last year there were 259 million more men
than women online.
She also cited a survey of women journalists from 125
countries that found three-quarters had experienced online harassment in the
course of their work and a third had engaged in self-censorship in response.
In Afghanistan, Bahous said, women who spoke out
through YouTube and blogging had their doors marked by the Taliban and many
fled the country to ensure their safety. In Iran, many women continue to be
targeted for participating in online campaigns, she said.
She said the challenge is “to fix the institutions and
harmful gender stereotypes surrounding technology and innovation that fail
women and girls” and ensure that online spaces are free of abuse and
perpetrators are held accountable.
“If we do not leave this session having said
collectively, unambiguously, `Enough, no more,’ then we will have failed,”
Bahous said.
Source: Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2263676/world
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Pakistan to host 'Women in Islam’ conference in New
York tomorrow
March 07, 2023
Pakistan, in its capacity as Chair of the OIC Council
of Ministers, will host a one-day conference on “Women in Islam: Understanding
the rights and Identity of women in the Islamic World” in New York on
Wednesday.
The conference will be held at the UN Headquarters on
the sidelines of the 67th Session of the United Nations Commission on the
Status of Women.
It is the initiative of Foreign Minister Bilawal
Bhutto Zardari, as an effort to bridge the gap between perception and reality
on status of women in Islam.
The Conference aims to counter gender stereotypes,
harmful social norms, and cultural barriers towards empowerment of Muslim
women.
It will showcase how Muslim women are breaking new
grounds in their respective fields and acting as agents of change.
Source: Radio
https://radio.gov.pk/07-03-2023/pakistan-to-host-women-in-islam-conference-in-new-york-tomorrow
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Women's Day in UAE: Meet the Emirati woman who founded
Dubai Airport's legal department
by Nasreen Abdulla
6 Mar 2023
When Mona Al Abdoli joined Dubai Airport in 2004, she
had no idea how she would be influential in shaping the future of the
organisation. The Emirati lawyer, who joined as a fresh graduate trainee, went
on to form the airport’s legal department.
“It has been a very interesting journey,” she said.
“There has been a mix of good and bad times, but now when I think back about
the bad times, I realise that it all happens for a reason. I have learnt so
much from it, and I have learnt to convert my challenges to opportunities.”
Today, Mona is Senior Vice President of Corporate
Assurance at Dubai Airport and has three departments reporting to her. “It is a
very intense job, but I enjoy it, and I love the team that works for me,” she
said.
Single-handed determination
As a young student, studying law had always interested
her. Mona changed three universities to find the branch of corporate law she
sought. Armed with a fresh degree and a few months of work experience, she
joined the Dubai Airport. Her determination and work ethic helped her to climb
the ranks as a contracting officer quickly and then manager.
While there, she had an idea of having an in-house
legal department for Dubai Airport. “At the time, we had a senior leader in the
company who believed in me,” she said. “He asked me to present my idea. I put
together a presentation that outlined why it was important to have an in-house
legal department as opposed to outsourcing it because an outsourced entity will
never have the same understanding of the operations of an airport.”
Impressed by her pitch, the management accepted her
proposal and tasked her with setting up the legal department. She
single-handedly began the department in 2010, giving it a solid base and
structure. Over the next two years, she added two legal officers to the
department.
The legal department, which changed how an employee's
right was perceived, was the first of its kind policy at the airport level. It
protected public funds and circulated an effective system of preserving the
right of the corporation, thus winning both Mona and her employer several
awards for their groundbreaking work.
One of her achievements has been the ability of Dubai
Airports to sign MoUs with four major audit bodies in the country. "This
means that auditors will communicate with us a general timing of their visits
and offer us some flexibility if we request for it," she said. "We
have managed to do this by building years of trust and open communication. This
is a huge blessing because when auditors arrive unannounced, a lot of our work
gets piled up. If it is during a month when we are busy, it interferes with our
productivity and work because all our files get held up."
Team comes first
As a leader, it is important for Mona to make sure her
team also grew in their career. One of the first legal officers she hired now
heads a department under her. “When you have a great team, you should make them
a priority,” she said. “You cannot grow without a team. Everything that I have
been able to achieve is because I had a great team. So, it is important for me
that provide them with a healthy support system. I need to have a plan for each
of them, a roadmap for their career so they can also grow.”
Having been a part of the Mohammed bin Rashid
Leadership Development Program, Mona says she has come to realize the huge
responsibilities on her shoulders. “There are youngsters looking up to you as
role models,” she said. “We need to inspire them. It is our duty to do so.”
Mother to an 8-year-old, Mona says she strives to
balance her personal and professional life. “Whenever I get a break, I whisk my
husband and daughter off and travel somewhere,” she said. “During my vacation,
I switch off completely and devote my time to my family. It helps me recharge
and give my work my full energy when I return.”
According to Mona, the biggest blessing has been the
leader of this country. “I have worked closely with the Prime Minister’s office
and the leaders,” she said. “We, Emirati women, have received exceptional
support from them. They have believed in us and have empowered us to become
decision-makers. They encourage us to participate in all fields actively, so I
feel like it is our duty to make them proud.”
Source: Khaleej Times
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Private banking roles can be such a good fit for
Middle East’s women talents
March 07, 2023
Yasmeen Hayat and Tania Shammas
According to a survey by Euromoney, 66 per cent of
private banks are looking to recruit more women. With the Middle East booming
and the wealth management industry growing fast, more women in the region are
getting into the lucrative private banking sector.
This will have significant benefits for private banks,
their clients and society as a whole.
Increasing women’s wealth
Globally, women are expected to control over 34 per
cent of the world’s wealth this year, according to research by Boston
Consulting Group (BCG), adding $5 trillion to the global wealth pool; and
women’s wealth is outpacing overall growth. The Middle East is no exception. In
the UAE alone, women are projected to control assets worth $140 billion by year
end.
This reflects a broader story of female empowerment
across the region. Women outnumber men at university in 15 of 22 Arab countries.
And women increasingly lead major organisations in the region. such as First
Abu Dhabi Bank, the Saudi Tadawul Group, Arab Bank and Morocco’s Capital Market
Authority.
According to Accenture, there is evidence that
globally women are likely to become the major beneficiaries of the largest
inter-generational wealth transfer in history in the next 25 years as many
women outlive husbands and daughters receive more inheritance.
Attitudes to wealth management
As wealth increases, evidence suggests women want an
advisory style that works for them. According to WealthiHer, a network for
ultra-high networth women, nearly 75 per cent of women believe men have
different investment attitudes and styles, and they prefer to have more
information before making investment decisions. BCG also found that 64 per cent
of female investors take ESG factors into account in their investment
decisions.
Women face specific wealth challenges. They have a
longer life expectancy and are more likely to have career breaks. Their
earnings are likely to peak in their 40s (men’s peak in their 50s), meaning
there is a relatively short timeframe for women to save. These factors can
impact women’s wealth, ability to achieve financial goals and leads to a
potential pensions gap.
Research from Accenture also shows women tend to be
more conservative long-term investors than men, their goals focussed on
safe-keeping and saving for the long-term. In fact, this may be why investments
held by women tend to perform better. A study by Warwick Business School shows
women’s returns are nearly two percentage points higher than men’s.
Women wealth managers
According to an Insured Retirement Institute study, 70
per cent of women prefer to work with a female financial advisor. With
fast-growing female wealth, this puts female wealth managers at the centre of
the private banking industry in the future.
Yet, it is important to emphasise female wealth
managers are not hired only to serve female clients. All clients can benefit
from increasing numbers of female wealth managers. There is strong evidence
that women are able to synthesise complex financial data and develop creative
solutions to meet clients’ exacting needs. Women also score better than men on
emotional intelligence, an invaluable skill when dealing with clients facing
significant challenges in their lives and finances.
Despite the growing number of women in private
banking, BCG suggests that only 22 per cent of senior management roles are held
by women. However, this is changing, as more women achieve leadership positions
in the industry.
Now many employers offer greater flexibility. A
McKinsey 2022 survey shows that private banks plan to triple their investment
in technology in response to remote working and clients’ needs. In addition,
many private banks are supporting female employees through leadership
development programmes; and offer career comeback programmes for those who have
taken a career break.
All clients, whatever their gender, are set to benefit
from the influx of women into the private banking industry. The importance of
both strong technical knowledge and relationship building skills make wealth
management an excellent career for talented women.
The rise of female wealth managers in the Middle East
looks set to pay dividends for the region’s clients, wealth management firms
and wider society.
Source: Gulf News
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Taliban’s persecution of women could be ‘crime against
humanity’: UN report
March 6, 2023
GENEVA: The Taliban’s treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan
could amount to a crime against humanity, according to a UN report presented on
Monday at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The Taliban seized power in August 2021, drastically
curtailing women’s freedoms and rights, including their ability to attend high
school and university.
In a report covering July to December 2022, the UN
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard
Bennett, found that the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls “may amount to
gender persecution, a crime against humanity”.
“The Taliban’s intentional and calculated policy is to
repudiate the human rights of women and girls and to erase them from public
life,” Bennett told the United Nations Human Rights Council. “It may amount to
the international crime of gender persecution for which the authorities can be
held accountable.”
A spokesperson for the Taliban-run information
ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The Taliban have
in the past said they respect women’s rights in line with their interpretation
of Islam and Afghan culture and that they plan to open schools in future once
they establish certain conditions for girls.
Bennett said the Human Rights Council should send a
strong message to the Taliban that the “abysmal treatment of women and girls is
intolerable and unjustifiable on any ground, including religion”.
“The cumulative effect of the restrictions on women
and girls has a devastating, long-term impact on the whole population, and it
is tantamount to gender apartheid,” he said.
In December, the Taliban banned most female aid
workers, prompting many aid agencies to partially suspend operations in the
midst of a humanitarian crisis unfolding during the cold winter months.
Source: Pakistan Today
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On International Women's day, Kerala Muslim couple to
remarry for daughters’ sake
06th March 2023
By M P Prashant
KOZHIKODE: They
could not have chosen a more appropriate date. C Shukkur, a prominent lawyer
from Kanhangad, and his wife Dr Sheena, former pro-VC of Mahatma Gandhi
University, will remarry on March 8 — International Women’s Day — to ensure
their daughters get their entire property.
For this, the couple, who got married under Sharia law
on October 6, 1994, have now chosen the Special Marriage Act.“We are constrained
to take this step to ensure our three girl children get our property,” Shukkur
told TNIE.
According to the Muslim Personal Law prevailing in the
country, daughters will get only two-thirds of the share of a father’s
property, with the rest going to his brothers, said Shukkur, who even acted in
the 2022 film Nna Thaan Case Kodu.
“The inheritance certificate issued by the tahsildar
has my brothers as heirs. This happens because we have no male progeny. This is
blatant violation of women’s rights and brazen discrimination,” he said.
‘Regrettable that right to equality is denied to a
Muslim’s daughters’
“As per Section 14 of the Constitution, all have equal
rights irrespective of religion, caste or gender. It is highly regrettable that
this right is denied to the daughters of a practising Muslim,” Shukkur said. “I
have met with accidents twice, from which I had narrow escapes. This had me
thinking about what would happen after I left the world. I want my girl
children to be the sole heirs of my property,” he said.
Shukkur says that according to the Principles of
Muhammadan Law written by D H Mulla, which is the basis of court orders on
Muslim inheritance, girl children will get two-thirds of the father’s property
while his brothers will get the remaining portion. He believes the only
solution for Muslims to overcome this is to opt for the Special Marriage Act
passed by Parliament in 1954.
“Our marriage was solemnised by the late Panakkad Syed
Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal at Naseema Manzil in Cheruvathur in 1994. We will
perform the marriage again at the Hosdurg sub-registrar office on March 8 in
the presence of family members and friends. The Special Marriage Act says that
the succession to the property of any person solemnised under the Act will be
governed by the Indian Succession Act,” he said.
Shukkur said he had given 30 days’ notice, which is
mandatory for marriages under the Special Marriage Act, on February 3. “All are
equal before Allah and our Constitution. Let equality spread in every aspect of
life,” said Shukkur.
Source: New Indian Express
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