U.K. Panel Calls for Ban on Images of Unveiled Muslim Women
New Age Islam News Bureau
9 April 2025
· U.K. Panel Calls for Ban on Images of Unveiled Muslim Women
· Odisha’s 1st Muslim MLA, Congress’s Sofia Firdous Is Making Even Rivals Take Note
· North’s Ruling Coalition ‘Govt’ Re-Legalises Wearing of Hijabs at Schools
· Under The Patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Emirati Women Chapter On boards Second Cohort of 62 Participants
· UAE Women Embrace Entrepreneurship
· Saudi Arabia Ranked First Globally in Empowering Women InAI
· France's Hijab Ban Debate Continues
· USAID Halts Scholarships Program for 208 Afghan Women, Leaving Students’ Futures InLimbo
· IranWire Journalist Details Alarming Rise in Executions to European Parliament
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/uk-muslim-unveiled/d/135107
-----
U.K. Panel Calls for Ban on Images of Unveiled Muslim Women
Lawmakers in the United Kingdom are considering a law that would criminalize possession of images of unveiled women, even when such images are taken in public. (Shutterstock)
------
April 8, 2025
Possessing non-consensual images of a Muslim woman who is not wearing face covering should be classified as a criminal offense—even if the photos are taken in public—according to a new parliamentary committee report.
The report, issued by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC), charged with holding government agencies “to account on equality law and policy,” urges Britain’s Parliament to classify the possession of such images as non-consensual intimate image (NCII) abuse and treat it with the same legal consequences as possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Under current legal definitions enunciated in the Online Safety Act (OSA), such intimate images include people being partially or fully nude, engaging in sexual acts, or using the bathroom.
Proponents of the proposed law say it would protect women from honor violence perpetrated by Muslims offended by the appearance of their female relatives in public without veils.
Opponents argue that passing such a law could mean the introduction of sharia law through the backdoor, with the U.K. Parliament playing the role of an Islamic court that endorses an extremist interpretation of Islamic law on the hijab.
Photos of Unveiled Women Have ‘Catastrophic Implications’
The definition of NCII abuse should be expanded “to include material that is considered ‘culturally intimate’ for the victim, such as a Muslim woman being pictured without her hijab,” the report on Tackling Non-consensual Intimate Image Abuse, published on March 5, stressed.
“In some countries and communities: based on culture, based on religion, just merely being photographed or taken in an image with your arm around somebody has catastrophic implications for them,” the 66-page report noted, explaining that the committee was now using the language of “non-consensual intimate image abuse, not non-consensual sexual image abuse.”
Citing testimony collected at a committee meeting, the report stated that a complaint involving a woman “in a compromising position culturally” or “not wearing a hijab” would be grounds for legal action, even if the image was not “sexual in nature.”
“What counts as intimate for one person can be very different for someone else. It can also be different between different communities and groups,” the report added. In her testimony before the committee, Alex Davies-Jones, who serves as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, said that another governmental body, the Law Commission, had considered calling for the ban of non-consensual images of unveiled women, but refrained from doing so because “it could result in overcriminalization.” She added that when such images of unveiled women are uploaded to the internet, the uploaders could be prosecuted for blackmail or harassment. “But we are keeping this area of law under review and will not hesitate to act if there are gaps,” she said.
Similar Law Imposed in Australia to Prevent Honor Violence
The WEC parliamentary committee recommended basing the proposed legislation on existing Australian civil law, which defines intimate images to include “the person’s religious or cultural background” and the consistent use of a “particular attire of religious or cultural significance.”
The Australian eSafety Commissioner issued an update on the government website in mid-March, asking victims to report “abuse” involving images “without clothing of religious or cultural significance” normally worn in public “such as a hijab or turban.”
However, the final report on image abuse submitted to Australia’s Criminology Research Advisory Council in March 2019 rejected calls to criminalize “cultural standards” like “the non-consensual distribution of an image showing a Muslim woman without her hijab.”
Witnesses in favor of criminalizing non-consensual image sharing of unveiled Muslim women cited the example of a Muslim girl who becomes the victim of an honor punishment because she is out clubbing without her father’s permission and is photographed without her hijab.
Nevertheless, Australia’s Online Safety Act 2021, while not explicitly referring to Islam or the hijab, made it illegal to share non-consensual images if “the person consistently wears particular attire of religious or cultural significance whenever they are in public.”
The U.K. committee report concluded by recommending that “the government should bring forward amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to make possession of non-consensual intimate images an offense.”
Opposition to the Law
“I don’t think it’s appropriate to treat images which offend religious sensibilities but which of themselves have no sexual content as comparable in some way to images that involve sex or sexual exploitation,” Richard Scorer, head of abuse law & public inquiries at Slater & Gordon, told Focus on Western Islamism (FWI).
“The two things are very different and should not be conflated. To conflate them is to diminish the seriousness of sexual abuse,” Scorer emphasized.
Gavin Ashenden, former chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II, told FWI that the effect of the new legislation “is to introduce sharia law without explicitly admitting it.”
“It is well known that the Labour government depends upon the Islamic community to keep it in power, and consequently has begun to preference Islamic culture through a form of two-tier legislation,” warned Ashenden, a scholar who taught Islam at postgraduate level at the University of Sussex.
“The proposed legislation making it a crime to possess a photograph of a Muslim woman without her hijab rests upon the invention of the category of ‘cultural intimacy’ which is an entirely novel phenomenon under English law,” Ashenden, a lawyer by training, observed.
“In pursuing this course, the government is imposing a particularly strict and unusual form of Islamic culture on what is otherwise a mixture of Christian and secular cultural norms,” he added.
The pattern is similar to the government “promoting radical fundamentalist interpretations of the Qur’an” by accepting the “modern, strictest possible interpretation” of sharia-compliant finance, as Islamic expert Tim Dieppe observed in his recent book, The Challenge of Islam: Understanding and Responding to Islam’s Increasing Influence in the UK.
The Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World explains how the hijab is controversial even among Muslim women, with some Muslim women claiming that wearing the veil is unnecessary and that modesty of the heart is what matters, while others cover their face only when praying, or when outside their homes, or in the presence of men who are not relatives.
“In the early twentieth century, many middle-class, urban Muslim women gave up the veil. In more recent times, movements of cultural pride and religious reassertion have prompted many Muslim women to don it again,” it notes.
David Spencer from the Policy Exchange think tank warned that “the government should be cautious about creating yet more criminal offenses” and should not expect the police “to wade into so-called ‘cultural’ issues when officers are already struggling to deal with the volume of stabbings, sexual assaults and thefts that occur every day.”
Mugshot Retaken
The debate over criminalizing images of unveiled Muslim women has been fueled by reports of a police force reissuing a mugshot of an Islamic State (IS) supporter after she complained she was not wearing a niqab in it.
Farishta Jami, 36, was found guilty of terrorism offenses on February 13 for planning to fly to Afghanistan to join IS and “martyr herself,” the Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) website reported. The article about Jami’s conviction was illustrated with a photograph of Jami without a face veil.
However, Jami’s barrister, Matthew Brook KC, told Leicester Crown Court that his client objected to the photograph showing her full face for religious reasons.
“This has caused her some considerable distress and the police are going to release a different image. We would request that it is used instead,” Brook said. In response, West Midlands Police issued a photograph of Jami without a face veil.
“If you have a woman who wears a hijab or niqab in her everyday life, if she’s pictured in revealing clothes, it is a violation for her and can cause major repercussions, but the law doesn’t recognize that,” argued SafaYousaf from Amina: The Muslim Women’s Resource Centre.
Source: meforum.org
https://www.meforum.org/fwi/fwi-news/u-k-panel-calls-for-ban-of-images-of-unveiled-muslim-women
--------
Odisha’s 1st Muslim MLA, Congress’s Sofia Firdous Is Making Even Rivals Take Note
Sofia Firodus: The First Ever Muslim Woman MLA of Odisha (image@sofiafirdous1)
-----
MOUSHUMI DAS GUPTA
08 April, 2025
New Delhi: It was on a hot April afternoon last year that a Supreme Court order changed the course of Sofia Firdous’ career. She had just started making a name for herself in the male-dominated real estate business in Odisha.
Her father, Mohammed Moquim, then a first-time Congress MLA from Barabati-Cuttack assembly seat, had filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court challenging a High Court order that had cancelled his bail in a loan fraud case involving the Orissa Rural Housing Development Corporation.
He was handed three-year imprisonment by a special vigilance court in Bhubaneswar on 29 September, 2022. The apex court suspended Moquim’s sentence on 23 April
but did not stay his conviction, gutting his hope of contesting the 2024 assembly elections.
Moquim had nurtured his constituency well, and was popular. When he returned to Cuttack with daughter Sophia, there was a general gloom among his supporters. Elections were just a month away. There was not much he could do. His conviction disqualified him from contesting for the next six years.
At this juncture, Moquim’s supporters and party workers approached Sofia and urged her to contest. They knew her from the time she had campaigned for her father and been with him sometimes during public engagements.
“They kept telling me that I should take it as a challenge. I was initially not sure if I would be able to handle the rough and tumble of elections. But seeing their enthusiasm, I went to my father and told him that I will contest,” Sofia told ThePrint.
Her father, she says, approved of her decision like he had done back in 2013 when she told him about her wish to join his real estate business.
Moquim is the founder and managing director of the Metro Group, a prominent real estate player in Odisha. Sofia joined Metro as a director soon after finishing her civil engineering degree from Bhubaneshwar’s Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT).
“My gender was never a stumbling block in my not so usual career choices. My family has always given me the freedom to pursue what I want,” she says.
Sophia went on to win the Barabati-Cuttack seat with a margin of 8,001 votes defeating BJP’s P.C. Mahapatra, and, in the process, became the first Muslim woman MLA in the Odisha assembly.
There has been no looking back since then. The 33-year-old from a party that has been relegated to a corner, has in 10 months, made heads turn with her pointed interventions in the assembly, asking questions, raising issues of public interest and participating in discussions.
In the just concluded budget session, Sofia along with other party MLAs were at the forefront of protests against the ruling government over the growing cases of atrocities against women. The protests led to the Speaker suspending all 14 Congress MLAs from the assembly. The Congress, political observers said, overshadowed the presence of the principal opposition party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) inside the House.
In fact, after the first assembly session concluded last year, Sophia was named the only first-time MLA, who raised the highest number of questions.
She is among the more visible and vocal faces of the moribund Congress in and outside the Assembly today in Odisha. Political veterans in opposition parties have taken note of her assembly debut and talk about her potential. She is giving competition to her party seniors, with journalists queuing up to get her views on important issues.
However, there are others in the opposition camp who allege that Sofia has had it too easy. “No doubt that she is smart and aggressive. But she got everything on a platter. Her real estate foray started with her father’s business. Same with her political debut from a seat, where her father’s command rules,” a former BJD leader, who did not want to be named, said.
The first-time MLA admits that her father was a big factor behind her win. “Without his support, I would not have won. He is behind me like a rock. But he never spoon-fed me. Not in politics, nor in real estate business.”
Moquim recalls that back in 2013, when his daughter joined the real estate business, she was the first woman in the family and in the state to do so. “She has a very different character, bold and fearless. As a child when anybody asked her what she would become when she grows up, her answer always was ‘Mai Metro builder banoongi (I will become a metro builder)’,” he tells ThePrint, sitting in his Bhubaneswar office.
Swadesh Routray, president, Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (CREDAI), Odisha chapter says that Sofia is better than many of the men in the business. “She used to go to project sites, stood under the sun for hours to oversee construction. She could have easily taken up an office job but she chose to be in the field,” he says.
‘Charges flew thick & fast’
But, transitioning from real estate to politics was not easy. It was not just charges of nepotism. “From the word go, I could feel the pressure. During my campaigning, people used to say in front of me that they are not voting for me but for Moquimsahab (my father) and once I win, my father will be the one who will lead, I am just a face,” Sofia recalls.
That was the general perception about her. “But I have surprised them. I took my job as an elected MLA very seriously. My thing was if people have elected me, blessed me, I cannot just run away from my responsibility. Merathakimujhe 100 percent denahai. (My thing was that I have to give my 100 percent),” she says.
And she did work hard. Before the first assembly session was to begin, her party seniors told her to prepare questions well. Sofia says she bought the book of rules and procedures to be followed in the legislative assembly. “I read the entire book, page by page. When the first session ended, I did not feel like I was a first-timer,” she says.
First-time MLA who raised maximum questions
After the session was over, the assembly secretariat came out with the rankings of how legislators performed. According to the rankings, Sofia was the only MLA, who raised the highest number of questions as a first-timer. There are 80 debutant MLAs in the Odisha assembly.
She admits she gained a lot of visibility after her assembly performance. “I prepared my own questions. I understand policy, regulations well, so I could easily pick up the gaps.”
Sofia says there are many who still think that her father is handholding her at every step. “But my father is a person, who likes to empower everybody. In business also, my father gave me a free hand.”
“This helped develop my skill. I also got freedom to explore on my own and think… maybe my father also wanted to see my interest in politics.”
Sofia says she is enjoying politics now though it’s very different from the corporate lifestyle she had in real estate.
Her confidence grew with each subsequent assembly session. So much so that Sofia says now people come to her from adjoining constituencies and request her to raise their issues. “Surprisingly people have got to know that I ask a lot of questions. Bahut door se bhi log aatehain mere pas umeedlekar (People come from afar with a lot of expectations).”
Her debut assembly performance did not go unnoticed by the political veterans from the opposition parties in the Odisha assembly. Prasanna Acharya, deputy leader of BJD legislature party, says Sofia is one of the brightest young MLAs in the assembly. “She is serious in her approach and comes to the house fully prepared,” he says.
The Congress MLA is quick to acknowledge that within the Congress also, the CLP leaders support the young MLAs. “That’s how we got the chance to perform in the assembly, otherwise if seniors won’t allow, how will you speak.”
Sofia says her family, especially her mother-in-law, are surprised at how she has evolved. “She keeps asking me how do I speak so well on such a host of issues so confidently and whether I prepare what I say,” she says with a chuckle.
She says she is lucky to have a very supportive family. “We are a very progressive Muslim family. Nobody in my or my in-laws’ family ever told me to stay inside the house. My mother-in-law was a school teacher herself.”
Sofia has been married for 10 years now. Her husband, Sheikh MairajulHaque, has his own real estate business.
Born in Cuttack, Sofia and her younger sister, a doctor, grew up in a joint family. “My father lost his two elder brothers at a young age. He raised their families,” she says.
Her initial schooling was from Cuttack’s St. Joseph Girls High school followed by Ravenshaw Junior College. “Though we came from a business daily, my parents raised us in a very humble way. Our pocket money was limited. There were big cars at home, but we kids used to go to school in an autorickshaw.”
A couple of years after joining her father’s real estate business, she did an executive management programme from IIM Bangalore.
Sofia says that when she joined her father’s business and decided to handle operations, there was no role model for her. “I was the first woman developer in the state. I don’t know why my father chose me for the business, alongside him.”
Initially, she says she faced a lot of leg-pulling from her contemporaries and seniors in the realty sector. “I was very conscious and worked extra hard to prove myself. I prepared well.. read up on the real estate regulations… RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) had just come in. I became a pro in regulations, my visibility grew.”
Routray, CREDAI Odisha president, says Sofia has a strong determination to succeed.
“When she joined her father’s business, we wondered what such a young girl would do. But we have been proven wrong. She is smart and very disciplined. She picked up the rope quickly, read a lot. She is an expert in housing policies and real estate regulations.”
Sofia has also become the first woman president of CREDAI’s Bhubaneswar chapter. “She is now emerging as a vocal MLAs also raising issues of public good,” he says.
In the ten months that she has been an MLA, Sofiya says her father gave the freedom to work as per her style, “It was not like I copied him, tried to emulate him. I can speak my mind out.”
Growing up, Sofia says she has been exposed to public life. One of her uncles was a Pradesh Congress Committee secretary. Her father became an MLA in 2019. “I have seen how my father handles the public, how well behaved he is with every person coming to our home. That culture, that upbringing I learnt at home,” she says.
She says she is aware that she has become an MLA at a time when Congress’ position has weakened considerably. From once ruling the state to winning just 14 out of the total 147 seats, the party’s numbers have continued to decline.
But she says the party’s mindset is now seeing a shift. “The inertia is gone under the leadership of the new PCC president Bhakta Charan Das. He has been able to enthuse the party cadre.Everybody is now working to revive the party. The way we cornered the BJP in the just concluded Assembly session over issues like growing atrocities against women is an example.”
Though an optimist, Sofia says she has not made any long-term plans yet. “Politics is very uncertain. We are currently focussing on short-term goals. All of us are working hard to ensure the party comes to power in 2029.”
Source: theprint.in
https://theprint.in/politics/real-estate-dynamo-to-odishas-1st-muslim-mla-congresss-sofia-firdous-is-making-even-rivals-take-note/2582243/
---------
North’s Ruling Coalition ‘Govt’ Re-Legalises Wearing of Hijabs at Schools
09 April 2025
The north’s ruling coalition on Tuesday night for the second time legalised the wearing of hijabs by children at public schools in the north.
Following a cabinet meeting, ‘government’ spokesman OzdemirBerova explained that at middle schools, the decision over whether the wearing of hijabs would be allowed would rest with the schools’ administrations, but that at high schools, girls are allowed to attend wearing hijabs.
The new regulations state that the school uniforms themselves “cannot be covered up in any way”, thus precluding the wearing of a chador, as one pupil at Trikomo’sBekirpasha high school attempted to do last month.
Berova added that the north’s ‘education ministry’ will now “determine the colour, shape, size, and patterns of certain clothes which will be compatible with the school uniform”, and that the ‘ministry’ would then send a circular to all public schools in the north advising them of the new regulations’ details.
The new regulation immediately appeared in the north’s official gazette.
The decision came as an estimated 13,000 Turkish Cypriots took to the streets of northern Nicosia to protest against the change, with high-profile figures from across the Turkish Cypriot political spectrum in attendance.
Cyprus Turkish secondary education teachers’ union (Ktoeos) leader Selma Eylem addressed the crowds at the end of the protest, telling demonstrators, “we have filled the squares once again to say ‘no way’ to the hands which reach out to try to grab our will, our secular society, our schools, our girls, our women, and our future”.
“Society’s will is here. To the government which made this decision, you no longer represent this society. Resign! … We will not recognise your regulation or you! Go away, already, go away!”
The ruling coalition had initially legalised the wearing of hijabs in schools midway through March, but following a strong backlash from staunchly secular Turkish Cypriot teachers, among others, withdrew amendment a week later.
Teachers were keen to show their displeasure at the amendment and their view that the Turkish embassy in Nicosia had played a role, with some even believing it was put down to deliberately sow division in Turkish Cypriot society.
At the protest, Eylem called on ambassador Ali Murat Basceri to “go home”, with footage of her speech now having gone viral in Turkey, where political tensions are heightened for separate reasons.
Tatar had demanded that legal action be taken against teachers who “disturbed our peace” during the protests, saying that he would meet with Turkish Cypriot police chief KasimKuni and chief public prosecutor SarperAltincik and “request that legal steps be taken”.
On Thursday night, Tatar had been forced to deny that a meeting he had held with Turkish ambassador Ali Murat Basceri and the north’s ‘prime minister’ UnalUstel was called over the matter of hijabs.
Source: mail.com
https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/04/09/north-govt-re-legalises-wearing-of-hijabs-at-schools
----------
Under The Patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Emirati Women Chapter On boards Second Cohort of 62 Participants
April 09, 2025
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood (SCMC), Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), and Mother of the Nation, and in partnership with the General Women’s Union, PureHealth, the largest healthcare group in the Middle East, announced the on boarding of the Emirati Women Chapter’s (EWC) second cohort for 2025, welcoming 62 participants.
The onboarding follows the announcement of the expansion of the EWC programme, introducing a new track specifically tailored for senior Emirati women, while also ensuring the integration of People of Determination within the programme. The second cohort has attracted more than double the participants compared to last year, reflecting the growing demand for the EWC’s transformative programme. This year, the programme expands its impact by fostering a more inclusive and dynamic environment, with a particular focus on senior Emirati women and People of Determination. Over nine months, participants will engage in a comprehensive experience that combines personal coaching, mentorship, and immersive learning opportunities, equipping them with the skills and insights to drive meaningful change in their communities and beyond.
Her Excellency Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary General of GWU, said, “The continued success of the Emirati Women Chapter is a powerful testament to the strength of collaboration and the shared commitment to advancing women’s roles in society. I am proud to witness the increasing involvement of senior Emirati women, whose wisdom and experience are invaluable in shaping the future of our society. Together, we are paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future for all Emirati women.”
Her Excellency Al Rym Abdullah Al Falasi, Secretary-General of SCMC, said, “The EWC programme brings together Emirati women who are eager to grow, connect, and contribute. It’s inspiring to see senior participants join this journey, sharing their experiences and making a meaningful impact on future generations.”
Shaista Asif, Group Chief Executive Officer of PureHealth, said, “The Emirati Women Chapter continues to be a powerful force for growth and empowerment, and welcoming this exceptional group of women to the second cohort is truly inspiring. Their dedication, experiences, and drive to create change will not only shape their own journeys but also inspire future generations, leaving a lasting impact on community. We are honoured to have the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, whose unwavering commitment to empowering Emirati women continues to inspire this programme. We also extend our gratitude to the General Women’s Union and the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood for their invaluable support in nurturing this initiative.”
Sheikha Moza bint Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Nahyan has been appointed as the Ambassador of the Senior Emirati Women Programme, a key initiative that strengthens the EWC programme and contributes to the Year of Community. She will play a key role in preserving and passing on the rich traditions of Emirati culture, ensuring they continue to inspire future generations. Her involvement highlights the programme’s tangible impact, supporting elder-focused initiatives in collaboration with key stakeholders. At the onboarding event, Sheikha Moza reinforced her commitment to empowering senior Emirati women and ensuring their contributions remain integral to society.
With the onboarding of its second cohort, the Emirati Women Chapter continues to grow as a platform for leadership, inclusivity, and social impact. This year’s expanded programme not only strengthens the role of senior Emirati women but also integrates People of Determination, reinforcing a vision of a more connected and empowered society. As participants embark on this transformative journey, they are poised to lead initiatives that will contribute to the Year of Community 2025, shaping a future driven by collaboration, resilience, and meaningful change.
About PureHealth:
PureHealth is the largest healthcare group in the Middle East with an ecosystem that challenges lifespans and reimagines health spans. With 100+ hospitals, 300+ clinics, multiple diagnostic centres, health insurance solutions, pharmacies, health tech, procurement, investments and more, its groundbreaking innovations are at the forefront of healthcare as the company is on a mission to unlock time for humankind. By advancing the Science of Longevity, PureHealth is introducing the healthcare of the future from the United Arab Emirates to the rest of the world.
PureHealth’s network comprises:
SEHA – One of the largest healthcare networks of hospitals and clinics in the UAE
SEHA CLINICS - Delivering comprehensive community-based healthcare services
Daman (The National Health Insurance Company) – The UAE’s leading health insurer
The Medical Office – Overseeing Sheikh Khalifa Hospitals and healthcare facilities established under the initiatives of H.H. The President of the UAE
Rafed – The UAE’s largest healthcare Group Purchasing Organisation
PureLab – Managing and operating the largest network of laboratories in the region
One Health – A network that provides end-to-end medical solutions to a base of over 300 healthcare service providers
The Life Corner – Abu Dhabi’s first holistic pharmacy, serving the health and wellness establishment
Ardent Health Services – The fourth largest privately held acute care hospital operator in the US
Circle Health Group – The largest independent operators of hospitals in the UK
Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG) - the largest private healthcare provider in Greece and Cyprus
PureCS - A leading cloud and technology services provider, specialising in IT management and consulting solutions, cybersecurity, cloud services and AI information systems
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) – The UAE’s largest healthcare complex, delivering integrated complex care
Source: globenewswire.com
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/04/09/3058203/0/en/Emirati-Women-Chapter-Onboards-Second-Cohort-of-62-Participants.html
--------
UAE Women Embrace Entrepreneurship
8th April 2025
By Maggie Mancini
Women in the United Arab Emirates are increasingly embracing entrepreneurship, with 84% considering starting their own business, according to research from Mastercard. As more women step into the world of business, opportunities to enhance access to capital, strengthen business networks, and boost financial confidence will further accelerate their success and long-term growth.
In the UAE, a nearly equal proportion of men and women identify as entrepreneurs (47% of men and 49% of women), reflecting the country’s evolving business landscape. The study further reveals that financial independence, flexibility, and social impact are the top motivators for women pursuing entrepreneurship. The industries in which women in the UAE are most likely to launch businesses include food and drink (26%), online selling (22%), and cosmetics (19%), reflecting opportunities in consumer-driven markets.
Women-led businesses are also optimistic about growth, with 98% of women expecting revenue to increase over the next five years, surpassing male business owners (85%).
Despite strong ambition, women in the UAE recognise areas where additional support could help them accelerate their success. The study highlights that:
women are three times more likely than men to cite a lack of confidence as a barrier to starting a business;
more than two-thirds (67%) of women in the UAE state that not having enough funding is the primary challenge to starting a business; and
nearly 40% of female founders say that not knowing where to start with a business plan or accessing key infrastructure are challenges.
Women in the UAE are increasingly leveraging side hustles to gain financial independence. More than half (56%) of women currently have an extra source of income, compared to 52% of men, with freelancing, tutoring, and content creation ranking among the most popular income streams.
Source: hrotoday.com
https://www.hrotoday.com/news/ticker/uae-women-embrace-entrepreneurship/
--------
Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in empowering women in AI
April 9, 2025
RIYADH - Saudi Arabia has achieved a new global milestone in artificial intelligence, as highlighted in the AI Index Report 2025 by Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI).
In addition to leading globally in women’s empowerment in AI—based on the female-to-male ratio—the Kingdom made significant progress in AI job growth, talent attraction, and the development of leading AI models.
The Stanford AI Index is a trusted international reference for policymakers, researchers, and industry experts seeking to understand the current state and emerging trends of AI worldwide.
Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in empowering women in the field of AI, reflecting the success of ambitious national policies and initiatives aimed at promoting women's participation and leadership in the technology sector. This achievement is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and is supported by advanced training programs and professional development initiatives, which have enhanced the presence of female talent in the Kingdom's AI ecosystem.
The Kingdom also ranked third globally in AI job growth for 2024 and fourth in the number of leading AI models. According to the report, Saudi Arabia is among seven countries that have published advanced AI models, alongside the United States, China, France, Canada, and Korea.
Saudi Arabia placed eighth globally in attracting AI talent, underscoring its growing appeal as a hub for innovation and its ability to foster a stable, supportive environment for research and development in the field.
These accomplishments reflect the Kingdom's strategic efforts to establish global leadership in AI, led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). By building national capabilities, advancing policy frameworks, promoting investment, and driving innovation, SDAIA continues to elevate the Kingdom’s standing in data and AI. The authority also focuses on strengthening digital infrastructure and accelerating the adoption of AI technologies across key sectors to fulfill the goals of Vision 2030.
In the area of women's empowerment, SDAIA has implemented several high-impact initiatives. Among them is the “Elevate” program—developed in partnership with Google Cloud—which aims to empower more than 25,000 women in technology and AI fields. Additional efforts include specialized training camps and capacity-building programs that have positioned Saudi women to lead locally and internationally in AI.
https://www.zawya.com/en/business/technology-and-telecom/saudi-arabia-ranked-first-globally-in-empowering-women-in-ai-je8q751l
---------
France's hijab ban debate continues
By Daniel Soriano
9 April 2025
With just over 37,000 Instagram followers, Sylvie Eberena's digital presence reflects her remarkable athletic journey; one that saw her become amateur weightlifting national champion at 43 (she's now 44), despite only discovering the discipline shortly after breaking the 40-year barrier. Beyond the platform, she's carved out multiple roles as a 'Fit Sister'—personal coach, blogger and social media advocate. Her content carries particular focus on Muslim women's rights, ranging from nutrition advice during Ramadan to campaigning for hijab rights in competitive sports.
It is precisely this battle that gained renewed urgency in recent weeks, following France's 18 February approval of legislation banning religious symbols in both amateur and professional competitions. Eberena's story has been widely covered by both international and national media, with her 4 March interview for StreetPress particularly resonating across social platforms. Her viral statement cuts to the heart of the controversy, "They claim this law fights communitarianism and closed-off attitudes. Although what it will actually achieve is the exact opposite."
Otherwise, the resurgence of veil-banning legislation doesn't "shock" her after Paris 2024's case, yet she upholded this contentious debate would inevitably heighten, and now calls the situation, which is already in the hands of the Senate, "more serious" and that it further "limits the freedom" of women who wear the veil. Usually, as she reports in networks, her barbell may hold 80kg during workouts, but her platform bears the more heavy load of representing herself and other women athletes. "All we want to do is play sport," she also told French news agency AFP last week.
Indeed, the nation's strict secularist model, laïcité, already bars public servants, teachers, students, and athletes representing France abroad from displaying visible religious symbols—whether Christian crosses, Jewish kippahs, Sikh turbans, or Islamic headscarves. The proposed law seeks to extend this suspension to all domestic sports competitions.
Supporters argue it will standardise inconsistent regulations, reinforce secular principles, and curb extremism. Critics, however, warn of discrimination, particularly against visibly observant Muslim women. Nicolas Cadène, former rapporteur for the Observatoire de la Laïcité, told Midi Libre in a recent dialogue, "We can't deny radicalisation exists in sport, as in any sphere," but stressed that "the hijab cannot be conflated with radicalism."
The French Senate approved the bill in February, and it now awaits debate in the National Assembly. Hardline backers claim it will counter an "Islamist invasion" in a country scarred by jihadist attacks. Yet a 2022 Interior Ministry report found "no structural or even significant radicalisation trend" in French sports.
Prime Minister Bayrou, initially a proponent of the initiative, tempered his stance over time. On Tuesday, he expressed reservations about the bill's adoption. His shift could potentially lead to the resignation of Justice Minister GéraldDarmanin, who indicated two weeks ago that he would step down if concessions regarding the hijab in sports are made. Darmanin asserts that if the government fails to uphold secularism, it "will be strengthening the far right."
Precisely, the far right, vehemently opposed to the hijab, is experiencing its own turmoil. Since 31 March, Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National (RN), has been barred from holding public office for five years. She was also sentenced to a $108,000 (€100,000) fine and four years in prison for "embezzling public funds," effectively sidelining her from the 2027 presidential elections, where she was a leading contender.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, has been unequivocal in his opposition to religious symbols in sports as well. He described the hijab as "a symbol of submission." Lately, during National Assembly debates, Bayrou faced challenges from right-wing representatives but explicitly distanced himself from the Senate-approved law. Patrick Mignola, Minister for Parliamentary Relations, hinted that the initiative might not be included in the legislative agenda. "We must not stigmatise our 9 million Muslim compatriots," Bayrou stated, as reported by BFMTV earlier in the week.
On the other side, international fault-finding has been mounting. Last year, United Nations experts and Amnesty International labelled these regulations as "disproportionate and discriminatory." It is difficult to estimate how many athletes would be excluded if the new law is passed, although the impact is already beginning to be felt, according to the testimony of some Muslims.
Karim Bellahcène, president of the 3MTKD club in Montpellier, which combines taekwondo and football, describes a troubling reality due to the political metamorphosis against religious attire: "We are firm in the prohibition. We explain it, and many accept it. When girls start wearing the hijab, some remove it, as in schools, but others stop practising, which is problematic. We also know of these situations in football. If all sports spoke in unison, it would be easier."
The issue of athletes abandoning their beloved disciplines due to external issues has been well-documented by AFP, which collected harrowing testimonies from women affected by similar regulations. SamiaBouljedri, a 21-year-old footballer of Algerian descent, had played for four years at her local club in Moutiers when she chose to wear a headscarf after leaving school. Though initially allowed to continue playing, her club soon faced weekly fines for permitting her to compete in a hijab. Ultimately, they presented her with a final requirement: remove it or leave the team. "To have my happiness destroyed like that, over a scarf, broke my heart," she confessed.
Equally telling is the case of Audrey Devaux, a 24-year-old from Oise, north of Paris. After converting to Islam, she knocked off competing in basketball but continued coaching her former team. Despite her role, she's barred from the bench during matches if wearing a head covering—relegated to watching from the stands. "At school, I learned secularism meant living together and accepting everyone's right to practice their faith," she reflects. "Now it feels like they're rewriting the definition."
France's laïcité stems from a 1905 law enshrining "freedom of conscience," separating church and state, and mandating institutional neutrality. The constitution declares France a secular republic—a principle defended passionately by figures like Nathalie Heinich, a CNRS sociologist and member of Union Laïque, confessed, "Our model is envied globally as a legacy of the Revolution and Enlightenment. It guarantees freedom of worship and freedom from worship."
This view is echoed, albeit more cautiously, by Sports Minister Marie Barsacq, who warned at the end on March of the "confusion" that can arise when the hijab is equated with radicalisation in sport. It's a nuance not always present in the broader political discourse, where symbols are often conflated with ideologies. Amid the intensifying exchange of views, Jean Gracia, President of the French Athletics Federation, encapsulated the dilemma of many sporting bodies, "We will comply with the legislator's decision, but we hope it does not stigmatise any particular religion, group or community. The implementation methods must leave no room for interpretation, which could pose a legal risk for the federations."
The place of religious symbols in French sport has become a recurring flashpoint. This latest resurgence has been propelled by a legislative proposal from Senator Michel Savin of Les Républicains, whose draft proposal passed in the Senate with 210 votes in favour and 81 against. At present, regulations vary considerably across disciplines. French sports federations operate with a significant degree of autonomy, leading to a fragmented landscape of inconsistent rules. Football, the country's most prominent sport, enforces a ban on the hijab, while others, including athletics and handball, allow it. The fate of the bill will determine whether this patchwork of policies endures or is replaced by a single binding national standard.
Once again, it will be time—and the evolving public discourse—that ultimately will act as the gavel shaping this ruling. As debate endures over how the law represents the values of La République, athletes like Eberena are left waiting, balancing training with uncertainty, to see whether they'll be allowed to compete without compromising their faith, or whether adherence to secular standards will take precedence.
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1152712/freedom-or-secularism-frances-hijab-ban
---------
USAID halts Scholarships Program for 208 Afghan women, leaving students’ futures in Limbo
By Fidel Rahmati
April 9, 2025
USAID has suspended its scholarship program for 208 Afghan women, leaving students in uncertainty about their educational future.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has abruptly halted its scholarship program for 208 Afghan women. This decision was announced on Sunday, April 6, and was communicated to students via email. The program was ended “due to a review and misalignment with current agency priorities.”
The scholarship program, initially launched in 2018 with a $50 million investment from USAID, was managed by the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF). It covered tuition and living expenses for Afghan women studying in Afghanistan, Qatar, and Oman in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
This initiative provided Afghan women with a vital opportunity to pursue higher education following the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education. Many of the scholarship recipients were studying either online or in-person, enabling them to continue their studies despite the difficult political climate.
One Afghan student, referred to only as Zahra for security reasons, spoke to US National Radio, saying, “This scholarship was everything to me, a light in the darkest days of my life.” She mentioned that she had completed half of her curriculum but now faces an uncertain future due to the sudden end of the program.
An official from the program, who wished to remain anonymous due to a lack of official authorization, mentioned attempts to extend the scholarship program until 2030. However, they have yet to receive a clear response from the US Department of State or USAID.
The abrupt end to this scholarship program has left many Afghan women in limbo, particularly those who had invested significant time and effort into their studies. This decision raises concerns about the future of international support for Afghan education, especially for women and girls.
The move has sparked criticism from both students and advocates who see it as a setback for Afghan women’s rights and access to education. While USAID has stated the decision was made due to shifting priorities, many are questioning the lack of a clear plan for the affected students.
As the situation continues to unfold, there are growing calls for more transparent communication from USAID and the US government regarding their future plans for supporting Afghan women in education.
https://www.khaama.com/usaid-halts-scholarships-program-for-208-afghan-women-leaving-students-futures-in-limbo/
--------
IranWire Journalist Details Alarming Rise in Executions to European Parliament
APRIL 8, 2025
IranWire’s chief correspondent, Aida Ghajar, addressed EU Parliament members on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. She presented evidence of escalating human rights abuses in Iran, including a 14 percent increase in executions over the past year.
The journalist, who lives in exile, began her address with a personal reflection.
“What if I hadn’t gone into exile? What if I had stayed in Iran?” Ghajar asked the chamber. “What would have become of my 22-year-old son - the young man who is now studying for a Master’s degree in International Criminal Law?
“Would he have been shot and killed as a child, like Kian Pirfalak, the 9-year-old boy whose only crime was dreaming?”
She then presented alarming execution statistics, telling parliamentarians, “In 2024, at least 972 people were executed in Iran.
“This number shows a 14 per cent increase compared to 2023. Among those executed, at least 30 were women.”
According to Amnesty International data cited by Ghajar, “Iran accounted for 64 per cent of all recorded executions worldwide in 2024.”
The pace has not slowed in 2025.
“In the first three months of 2025, at least 230 people have been executed,” Ghajar said, citing the recent assessment of UN Special Rapporteur Mai Sato, who described these numbers as “alarming.”
“In March, 59 people were executed - 59 human beings who, if Iran were not under the control of the mullahs, would be speaking freely like you and me, playing with their children, and saying goodnight to them at bedtime,” she said.
She highlighted the Islamic Republic’s specific targeting of protesters from the Woman, Life, Freedom movement that erupted after MahsaAmini died in custody in September 2022.
“In the past two years, following the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, at least nine protesters have also been executed in Iran,” she reported. “I would like to say their names,” she added, before mentioning Mohammad Hosseini, 39 years old, a sports coach and worker.
She also named JavadRouhi, 35, who “was sentenced to death three times. Under torture, he lost his ability to speak, and he died on the way to the hospital due to delayed medical attention.”
The crackdown has driven some activists to suicide, including “KianoushSanjari, a journalist who had been living in exile.
“He could not bear the pain of exile and returned to Iran. He was kept under constant surveillance by intelligence agents. On November 24, 2024, he died by suicide.”
Six more protesters currently face execution.
MiladArmoon, AlirezaKafaee, Amir Mohammad Khosh-Eghbal, NavidNajaran, Hossein Nemati, and AlirezaBarmazarpournak - all of them were protesters.
“They were arrested, sentenced to death without any evidence, and are still on death row today.”
Ghajar identified three women facing execution: SharifehMohammadi, 46 years old, a social worker, mother of a child, and daughter of a worker; PakhshanAzizi, 40 years old, a social work activist; and VareishehMoradi, 39 years old, a political activist.
The women’s sentences, according to human rights defenders, represent “revenge by the Islamic Republic for the Woman, Life, Freedom movement.”
Ghajar said, “The regime wants to send a message: that when it comes to executions, it makes no distinction between women and men.”
She also detailed sexual violence against protesters, including a 21-year-old student whose “breasts were squeezed” by an interrogator while “she screamed in agony.”
After her release, the young woman returned to protests and was shot with a paintball gun, losing sight in one eye.
According to Ghajar, this was “the same fate that befell at least 580 protesters who lost one or both of their eyes.”
“Let me speak about journalists,” Ghajar added. “Vida Rabhani, Reza Vali Zadeh, ZhinaModaresGorji, and Mostafa Nemati are in prison simply for their commitment to exposing the truth.”
Ghajar warned that Iran’s repression extends beyond its borders. “Islamic Republic repression is not just within Iran; it has also reached us abroad,” she said.
“According to statistics from the Broumand Foundation, in the 45 years of the Islamic Republic’s rule, at least 903 extrajudicial killings have taken place outside Iran’s borders by the IRGC and Ministry of Intelligence agents, or under their orders.”
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/features/140177-iranwire-journalist-details-alarming-rise-in-executions-to-european-parliament/
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/uk-muslim-unveiled/d/135107