UAE Doctor, Dr. Farida Alhosani, Becomes First Emirati Woman to Join WHO Pandemic Advisory Group
New
Age Islam News Bureau
04
March 2022
• Tanzania’s
Women Entrepreneurs More Innovative in Online Market
• British-Lebanese
Human Rights Lawyer Amal Clooney Named Woman of the Year by Time Magazine
• Iranian
Ambassador to UK ‘Removed’ Over ‘Norm-Breaking’ Hijab Incident
• Saudi
Star Aseel Omran Named as Dior’s 1st Regional Ambassador
• World
Bank Calls for More Reforms to Improve Legal Equality for Women in Pakistan
• Women
Should Work Up Until Attaining Motherhood, Most Turks Say
• Gov’t
Works On New Reform to Stop Violence against Women: Erdoğan
• US
Seeks Muslim Nations' Help to Counter Taliban Views on Afghan Women
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/uae-farida-alhosani-pandemic/d/126506
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UAE
Doctor, Dr. Farida Alhosani, Becomes First Emirati Woman to Join WHO Pandemic
Advisory Group
Dr
Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson for the UAE health sector.
-----
4
Mar 2022
Dr
Farida AlHosani becomes the first Emirati female to join World Health
Organisation’s Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework Advisory Group
Dr
Farida Al Hosani, UAE’s official spokesperson for the health sector has joined
the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework
(PIP Framework) Advisory Group as a Member for the period 2022-2024.
Dr
Hosani is an infectious disease expert and executive director of infectious
diseases at the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (APHC), the region’s first
dedicated Centre protecting the physical, mental and social wellbeing of Abu
Dhabi residents by raising public and preventative healthcare awareness.
APHC
said in a press release that members of the advisory group are appointed by the
director-general of WHO.
“They
serve, in their personal, expert capacity, for a period of three years. The key
goal of the framework is to improve and strengthen the sharing of information
about influenza viruses with human pandemic potential, and to increase the
access to vaccines and other pandemic related supplies for developing
countries,” read the release.
The
PIP Framework is focused on the sharing of information around influenza viruses
and promoting the access to vaccines and other benefits. It was adopted in May
2011 by the 64th World Health Assembly which comprises 18 members drawn from
three Member States in each WHO Region.
Matar
Saeed Rashed Al Nuaimi, director-general, ADPHC, said, “This accomplishment
celebrates a distinguished career and is a source of pride for us all, given
the significant standing that the PIP Framework holds on an international
level.”
“Dr
Farida Al Hosani has been an active participant across global, WHO level activities,
as well as playing an integral role in the UAE’s response to the global
Covid-19 pandemic, becoming a pioneering figure and adding to a long list of
Emirati females engaged at an international level within their related fields,”
said Al Nuaimi.
He
added: “This would not have been possible without the support of our wise
leadership who have provided Emirati women with the tools and resources to
succeed, whilst also emphasising the efforts that Her Highness Sheikha Fatima
bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, has provided Emirati women, in-turn
becoming a global role model.”
Meanwhile,
Dr Hosani, said, “I am honored to be joining the WHO’s PIP framework advisory
group and to have the opportunity of contributing my expertise to addressing
global pandemics and advancing pandemic preparedness at a global level.”
“As
a proud Emirati woman, I want to share my deep appreciation for our leadership
and thank them for the support they have provided me in enhancing my skills and
attaining the highest qualifications in public health and healthcare policy. I
am looking forward to working closely with partners and experts from all over
the world to support international healthcare efforts and build a healthy
future for generations,” she said.
The
main purpose of the Advisory Group is to monitor the implementation of the PIP
Framework and provide evidence-based reporting, assessment and recommendations
regarding its functioning to the director-general of WHO.
Source:
Khaleej Times
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-doctor-becomes-first-emirati-woman-to-join-who-authority
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Tanzania’s
Women Entrepreneurs More Innovative In Online Market
Representative
Image
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Kizito
Makoye
04.03.2022
DAR
ES SALAAM, Tanzania
With
smartphones in their hands, a growing number of innovative women entrepreneurs
in the East African country of Tanzania are using their strong social media
presence to streamline their enterprises, market their products, and reap
profits.
As
the internet becomes the key societal fabric now, at least in urban areas,
tech-savvy entrepreneurs use Facebook and Instagram to market their products
and expand their consumer base.
On
a typical humid Saturday morning, Kariakoo -- a traditional shopping
destination in the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam -- is a beehive of
activities.
However,
some digital-savvy women entrepreneurs have realized they do not need to be
there to eke out a living.
A
smartphone and a social media account to post pictures of the products they
want to sell are all they need.
According
to these entrepreneurs, all the customer has to do is to open the catalog,
select an item, and send a message to the seller.
For
Lilian Shayo, a tech-savvy entrepreneur in Mwenge, the click of a camera
shutter is a good start.
She
photographs shoes and apparel she has purchased from other countries with a
professional camera and posts them on Facebook and Instagram for her customers
to browse through.
“It
is much easier to search on Instagram than to rove from one shop to another
looking for a product, which takes a lot of time,” she told Anadolu Agency.
Shayo
has been managing her retail business without a store for the past two years.
She keeps her inventory at home and delivers it to consumers directly.
"For
me, social media works well as owning a shop is too expensive," she
explained.
Her
customers can shop online without having to sign up for a website or use a
credit card, which is a rare luxury for most Tanzanians.
The
adoption of social media platforms has revolutionized the way women
entrepreneurs operate their enterprises.
According
to a 2021 survey conducted by the Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship
Development, nearly half of Dar es Salaam consumers would likely spend more in
the future because of a brand's presence on social media.
“Women
entrepreneurs are fast to see the value of social media for branding and
marketing their products,” said Donatus Olomi, CEO of the Institute of
Management and Entrepreneurship Development.
According
to him, the use of social media as a marketing tool has created a favorable
environment for business and has been a boon to women entrepreneurs who have
struggled to promote their businesses.
“Women
have not always had the easiest path to enter the realm of entrepreneurship and
gain financial independence,” Olomi explained. “However, with the help of
online tools, they see a glimmer of hope.”
In
the bustling metropolis of Dar es Salaam, women who have traditionally been
discouraged from starting their own enterprises are now establishing
micro-businesses that rely on online tools.
With
a population of 60 million, Tanzania has 15.15 million internet users by 2021,
with approximately 5.4 million using various social media platforms.
Social
media is a key tool for women entrepreneurs who take advantage of its
affordability to reach their target audiences.
The
entrepreneurs are also leveraging social media as a promotional tool, posting
and sharing photos of their products on regularly.
“They
are incredibly creative. They know how to build trust and customers’ loyalty
without the need for expensive advertising campaigns,” she added.
Lydia
Charles, who leads the local charity HerInitiative, which helps women become
financially independent, believes that the digital space is critical for
aspiring women entrepreneurs to succeed in business.
“If
you want to grab the market as an entrepreneur, you must have a strong social
media presence,” she said.
According
to her, one of the most powerful aspects of social media is the potential for
relatability and the personal loyalty that the customers can develop for a
brand.
“Your
online presence begins with connecting with your friends and friends of friends
in the way that your products can start to get noticed,” she said.
Flora
Magabe, a well-known gospel singer and the founder of Flora Bridal, saw the
thousands of “likes” she receives on her Instagram page every day as a rare
business opportunity she could not pass up.
She
regularly posts pictures of her shop on Instagram, leveraging her celebrity and
a large number of followers.
Using
Instagram has expanded her reach on a regional scale. Her page has now 1,500
followers.
“Many
of my customers see the products we sell on my Instagram page,” she said.
Magabe’s
business was relatively small when she began three years ago, but when she
started sharing images of the outfits she sells on her Instagram page, she
attracted many customers.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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British-Lebanese
Human Rights Lawyer Amal Clooney Named Woman of the Year by Time Magazine
March
04, 2022
DUBAI:
British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has been named Women of the
Year by Time Magazine.
The
44-year-old barrister, who is the wife of US actor and filmmaker George Clooney,
was among 12 other female leaders in the publication’s list, including US poet
Amanda Gorman, American actress Kerry Washington, US singer Kacey Musgraves,
Afghan reporter Zahra Joya, and American athlete Allyson Felix.
Clooney,
who has four-year-old twins with her husband, told Time about how she balanced
her family and career.
She
said: “Marriage has been wonderful. I have in my husband a partner who is
incredibly inspirational and supportive, and we have a home filled with love
and laughter. It is a joy beyond anything I could ever have imagined. I feel so
lucky to have found a great love in my life, and to be a mother — this is how I
get my balance.”
On
her humanitarian work, she pointed out how she tried to turn the spotlight on
what was important.
“If
I am at a work function and reporting of it focuses on irrelevant issues,
there’s not much I can do about that. Since I can’t control it, my approach is
just not to dwell on it and just get on with my work and my life and hope that
attitudes will catch up,” she added.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2035981/lifestyle
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Iranian
ambassador to UK ‘removed’ over ‘norm-breaking’ hijab incident
3
March, 2022
New
Delhi: Iran’s ambassador to the UK, Mohsen Baharvand, has been reportedly
dismissed after a video circulated showing an embassy event at which some women
did not have their heads covered.
Iranian
Labour News Agency (ILNA), a daily that belongs to a labour union controlled by
the Iranian government, reported about Baharvand’s return to Tehran last week.
The
ceremony in London was held in early February to commemorate Iran’s 1979
Revolution. News of the ambassador’s dismissal came two weeks after.
Kayhan,
an Iranian newspaper whose editor-in-chief was appointed by Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei, had also reported on 26 February that the ambassador has been
dismissed from his post over a “norm-breaking” ceremony held at the embassy.
ILNA
also reportedly quoted foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying
that Baharvand was “on the change list along with 37 other ambassadors”.
The
Iranian government, however, is yet to officially disclose the reason behind
Baharvand’s removal.
Baharvand
was posted as ambassador to the UK in July 2021. He had previously served as
the deputy head of the legal department in Iran, under former foreign minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif.
His
dismissal comes at a time when Iran is negotiating whether to revive the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action, generally known as the Iran nuclear deal, at
Washington’s behest. If revived, the deal would see the lifting of many
sanctions on Iran.
‘Pianist
without head covering’
In
the viral video, a woman musician can be seen playing the piano for guests without
wearing a hijab. However, other women who attended the event can be seen with
their heads covered.
Iranian
officials often attend events outside the country where the hijab is not worn.
In
Iran, however, wearing a headscarf and covering all parts of the body was made
mandatory for women after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
Iran’s
morality police, known as Gasht-e Ershad or ‘Guidance Patrol’, have powers to
chastise and even arrest people for failing to meet what might be called the
modesty test. This includes women who leave part of their heads uncovered while
out in public.
Source:
The Print
https://theprint.in/world/iranian-ambassador-to-uk-removed-over-norm-breaking-hijab-incident/856559/
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Saudi
star Aseel Omran named as Dior’s 1st regional ambassador
March
04, 2022
DUBAI:
Saudi actress and singer Aseel Omran was on Thursday named as the first Middle
East ambassador for French luxury label Dior.
The
Khobar-born star shared the news on her Instagram with her 6 million followers.
She
said: “I’m proud to share with you a partnership that is dear to my heart.
Today, I’m officially the first @dior ambassador in the Middle East and I cannot
begin to express my excitement level.
“Dior
is a brand I was genuinely a big fan of growing up. I can’t wait to show you
what the rest of the year holds,” she added.
TV
presenter Lojain Omran celebrated her younger sister’s new partnership on
Instagram by writing to her, “proud of you little angel.”
Songstress
Omran rose to fame following her participation in reality TV shows “Gulf
Stars,” and “Hiya wa Huwa.”
The
32-year-old musician and fashion star has partnered with other international
brands such as cosmetics company L’Oreal Paris and Italian luxury fashion house
Bulgari.
She
is also known for her roles in TV shows including Netflix’s “Black Crows,”
“Qabel Lil Kaser,” “Harun Al-Rashid,” and “Akoun Aw La.”
Her
first album “Khajlanah” was released in 2007, followed by a second “Allah
Yhannini” the next year, and a third “Mo Bessahel” in 2011.
In
July 2020, Omran became a UNHCR agency high-profile supporter and has worked
with the refugee organization on major campaigns including the winter and
monsoon appeals for Rohingya refugees.
She
has collaborated with the UN agency on many other occasions, such as taking
part in a field visit to the Zaatari camp in Jordan and most notably a day she
spent getting to know a young refugee girl called Esraa.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2036001/lifestyle
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World
Bank calls for more reforms to improve legal equality for women in Pakistan
Amin
Ahmed
March
3, 2022
A
new World Bank report, published ahead of International Women’s Day (March 8),
has suggested that Pakistan should bring more reforms to improve legal equality
for women in the country.
While
presenting an index covering 190 economies and structured around the life cycle
of working women, the report, “Women, Business and the Law 2022” put the score
for Pakistan at 55.6 out of 100, which was lower than the regional average
observed across South Asia.
Within
the South Asian region, the maximum score observed in Nepal was 80.6 out of
100. The Women, Business and the Law (WBL) index measures explicit
discrimination in the law, legal rights, and the provision of certain benefits
— areas in which reforms can bolster women’s labour force participation.
Pointing
out areas for improvement, the report said when it came to constraints on
freedom of movement, laws affecting women’s pay, constraints related to
marriage, laws affecting women’s work after having children, constraints on
women starting and running a business, gender differences in property and
inheritance, and laws affecting the size of a women’s pension, Pakistan could
consider reforms to improve legal equality for women.
Citing
an example, the report said one of the lowest scores for Pakistan was on the
indicator measuring laws affecting women’s work after having children. To
improve the parenthood indicator, Pakistan may wish to consider making the
government administer 100 per cent of maternity leave benefits, making paid
leave available to fathers, making paid parental leave available and
prohibiting the dismissal of pregnant workers.
The
report also pointed out that Pakistan did not allow women to register a
business in the same way as men.
On
a positive note, the report said when it came to laws affecting women’s decisions
to work, Pakistan got a perfect score of 100. Mentioning recent reforms, the
report said during the past year, from October 2020 to October 2021, Pakistan
lifted restrictions on women’s ability to work at night.
The
World Bank estimated that globally, differences between men’s and women’s total
expected lifetime earnings was $172.3 trillion, equivalent to twice the world
GDP. As such, adopting laws that strengthened women’s rights and opportunities
was an essential first step towards a more resilient and inclusive world.
The
report revealed that around 2.4 billion women of working age were not afforded
an equal economic opportunity and 178 countries maintained legal barriers that
prevented their full economic participation. In 86 countries, women faced some
form of job restriction and 95 countries did not guarantee equal pay for equal
work.
Globally,
women still had only three-quarters of the legal rights afforded to men — an
aggregate score of 76.5 out of a possible 100, which denotes complete legal
parity. However, despite the disproportionate effect on women’s lives and
livelihood from the global pandemic, 23 countries reformed their laws in 2021
to take much-needed steps towards advancing women’s economic inclusion,
according to the report.
The
Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa regions showed the largest
improvements in the WBL Index in 2021, though they continued to lag behind
other parts of the world overall.
Globally,
the highest number of reforms was made in the Parenthood, Pay, and Workplace
indicators. Many reforms focused on protecting against sexual harassment in
employment, prohibiting gender discrimination, increasing paid leave for new
parents and removing job restrictions for women.
The
Pay and Parenthood indicators had the lowest average scores in the index, but
they increased in the last year, rising 0.9 and 0.7 points, respectively, with
average scores of 68.7 and 55.6. The gains in the Parenthood indicator were
largely around paternity leave and shared parental leave, but the low score
highlighted the need to accelerate reforms in this area.
Across
the world, 118 economies guaranteed 14 weeks of paid leave for mothers. More
than half (114) of the economies measured mandated paid leave for fathers, but
the median duration was just one week.
Source:
Dawn
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Women
should work up until attaining motherhood, most Turks say
March
04 2022
A
survey about women’s employment showed that most Turkish people think women
should work but only till the time she becomes a mother, the daily Milliyet has
reported.
The
survey held by a global women’s organization and a Turkish university indicated
that “Turks believes that university education is more important for men than
women.”
People
think women should be in business, but this positive sense disappears when the
subject comes to “child care.”
More
than half of the public thinks that a child can be cared for best by the
mother. Every one in two persons believes that a child will lack “mother’s
love” if their mothers work.
According
to a report by the daily on March 3, 40 percent of people think that a child
will be unhappy if raised by a caretaker.
Also,
some 39 percent think that a working mother will not be able to raise her child
well.
Nearly
59 percent of people think that men should afford the family expenses. The
percentage of people thinking the opposite is 32.5.
The
survey also showed that 41.4 percent of the public thinks that a woman earning
more money than her husband will “cause some marriage problems.”
However,
the daily pointed out a part of the survey concerning Generation Z . “The age
group between 18 and 24 react strongly against all common myths of the public,”
the daily said.
“Generation
Z’s approach to women’s employment and social roles is totally different,” it
added.
Source:
Hurriyet Daily News
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Gov’t
works on new reform to stop violence against women: Erdoğan
March
04 2022
The
government is working on a new reform package aiming to end violence against
women, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, informing that good conduct
abatement will not be automatically applied on suspects and that harsher
sentences will be given in case of deliberate assaults against women.
“A
drafted reform package on combating violence against women by the Justice
Ministry has been completed. We will soon submit it to the parliament,” Erdoğan
told at an event by the Women and Democracy Association (KADEM) on March 4 in
Istanbul.
“With
the new regulation, any behavior of the perpetrators that do not contain a concrete
expression of regret will not be accepted as a reason of good conduct abatement
in cases of violence against women,” Erdoğan said.
Many
women associations and civil societies were complaining that courts were
applying good conduct abatement to the perpetrators when they appear before the
court in suits and good behavior.
Wearing
suits and ties as well as theatrics in a courtroom will no longer lead to a
reduction in sentences, Erdoğan said, informing, “If crimes such as deliberate
killing, deliberate injury and torture are committed against women, penalties
will be increased even more. The lower limit of penalties to be given to the
crimes of threat against a married or divorced spouse will be increased from
six months to nine months.”
Persistent
physically tracking and stalking a woman through social media means will be
prosecuted with up to two years in prison, Erdoğan said, adding that in certain
cases an arrest warrant may be issued for these crimes.
Hurting
spouses or ex-spouses will be included in catalog crimes so that detention
decisions will be much more facilitated, the president said. He also stressed
victims will be able to ask for free-of-charge attorney assistance from the bar
associations.
Recalling
that Turkey has one of the most effective laws to protect women against
violence, Erdoğan said: “Femicide rates in our country are lower than most
European countries. However, we cannot consider ourselves to have done our duty
until we fully eliminate these incidents.”
Source:
Hurriyet Daily News
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US
Seeks Muslim Nations' Help to Counter Taliban Views on Afghan Women
March
03, 2022
Ayaz
Gul
ISLAMABAD
—
The
United States has initiated talks with Muslim-majority countries to encourage
them to take the lead in pressing Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers not to exclude
the country’s women from public life in the name of religion.
Rina
Amiri, the U.S. special envoy for Afghan women, girls, and human rights, told a
seminar in Washington Wednesday that she is leading the diplomatic initiative
to have an “alignment of position” among all international stakeholders on the
issue.
The
envoy, speaking virtually to a seminar hosted by the Center for Strategic and
International Studies, said she visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar last week and
intends to travel other Muslim-majority nations to engage them on “the
regressive practices” the Taliban are enacting to curtail women’s freedom.
“What
I noted to them is what the Taliban are saying about women's rights and making
the argument that it's on the basis of Sharia, is not just bad for Afghanistan
and for Afghan women -- it's bad for Islam,” Amiri said of her talks with Saudi
and Qatari officials.
“The
actors that need to be leading and countering that narrative [are] the Muslim
majority countries,” she added.
Amiri
noted that many regional and Islamic countries maintain a diplomatic presence
in Afghanistan and, in their engagement with the Taliban, they advocate for
political as well as ethnic inclusion in the government, but “very little” is
being said about women’s inclusion.
“When
they engage the Taliban, what I've asked them to do is include women in their
delegation show that women are playing prominent and strong roles in their own
countries,” Amiri said.
The
Islamist group took over Afghanistan in August and installed a male-only
interim government including mostly Pashtuns, the country’s largest ethnic
group, like the Taliban themselves.
Critics
say the insurgency-turned-government has rolled back women’s rights in almost
every area, including crushing women’s freedom of movement, over the past six
months, despite Taliban pledges they would not bring back harsh policies of
their previous rule from 1996 to 2001, when women were banned from education
and work.
Women
are not allowed to share transportation with men or take long trips without a
close male relative, and taxi drivers are told not to offer a ride to female
passengers who are not wearing hijabs.
“The
vast majority of girls’ secondary schools are closed. Universities recently
reopened, with new gender segregation rules. But many women are unable to
return, in part because the career they studied for is off limits now, as the
Taliban banned women from most jobs,” said Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch
in a statement Wednesday.
The
Taliban dismiss criticism of their government, saying it meets all requirements
to be recognized as the legitimate entity and it is not allowing terrorist
groups to operate on Afghan soil. They also strongly defend restrictions on
women, saying they are in line with Islamic principles. The radical group has promised
to open secondary schools for all girls in Afghanistan this month.
Taliban
leaders have traveled abroad, including to Qatar, in recent weeks for talks
with representatives of Western and Islamic governments. But they have failed
to win diplomatic legitimacy for their government because of concerns about
human rights, political inclusivity and terrorism.
Amiri
said she recently also held talks in Qatar with Taliban delegates who
reiterated that Kabul wants to improve its relationship with the West.
“My
response has been, ‘Don't just focus on improving your relationship with the
West, improve your relationship with Afghans inside the country, build
confidence not just by having inclusivity of a few actors from different ethnic
groups but an inclusive process that is transparent, that engenders confidence
among the population,” Amiri said.
Amiri
said she also warned the Taliban that their return to power has only paused the
Afghan conflict and it will not come to an end in the absence of inclusivity.
Critics
are skeptical whether conversations with the Taliban to challenge their
extremely restrictive view of Islam would produce the desired outcomes.
"I
don’t think there are a lot of people who can influence the Taliban from the
outside,” Anne Richard, a former U.S. diplomat, told the viral seminar. “But I
think who can, U.N. officials, special envoys, potentially certain governments,
I think we really have to ensure that their efforts are taken seriously and are
pursued and we get as much information to them then from the people who are
inside Afghanistan as we can.”
Afghanistan’s
immediate neighbors, including Pakistan and Iran, as well as regional
countries, have all cautioned the Taliban that the country’s economic and
humanitarian troubles may intensify unless they live up to international
expectations.
Last
month, diplomats from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council met in Doha with
representatives from Afghanistan’s de facto authorities and underscored the
need for a national reconciliation plan that “respects basic freedoms and
rights, including women’s right to work and education.”
Source:
VOA News
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/uae-farida-alhosani-pandemic/d/126506