UN Report: Pakistan Tops the List of Countries Having Prejudiced Views Against Women
New Age Islam News Bureau
05
September 2020
• WARDC Trains Grassroots Women in Lagos, Enugu And Akwa Ibom States on Corrupt Practices
•
Ayşe Hümeyra Ökten: Pioneer of Modern Muslim Women
•
Saudi Arabia: Missing Hyderabadi Woman Found After 11 Months
•
Policies to Empower Pakistani Women
•
Bangladesh's First Female Photographer Sayeeda Khanam Passes Away
•
Emirati Women Are True Support for Homeland: Mansour Bin Zayed
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/un-report-pakistan-tops-list/d/122797
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UN Report: Pakistan Tops the List of Countries Having Prejudiced Views Against Women
04-Sep-2020
Pakistan
tops the list of countries having prejudiced views against women, according to
a 2020 UN report.
The
Gender Social Norms Index report from the UN Development Program (UNDP) shows
about 99.81% of people in Pakistan have at least one sexist bias against women.
Qatar
and Nigeria follow Pakistan with 99.73%.
As
of 2014, 143 out of 195 countries guarantee gender equality in their
constitutions but discrimination against women still persists through laws and
policies, gender-based stereotypes, social norms, and practices, according to
the United Nations.
The
UNDP report measured "how social beliefs act as a hindrance to gender
equality" in topics like politics, work and education, according to the
Economic Times.
The
report found Andorra had the least sexist beliefs with 27.1%, followed by Sweden
with 30.1% and the Netherlands with 39.75%.
Deutsche
Welle reports Pakistan ranks sixth on the list of the world's most dangerous
countries for women.
Why
is it dangerous for women?
"Women
police stations and other facilities are set up in cities while the majority of
the violence cases take place in villages," said Mukhtaran Mai, a
Pakistani women's rights activist.
Farzana
Bari, another women's rights activist, told DW she believes patriarchal
attitudes are a systemic issue in Pakistan, that can be improved through
education.
"It
can be done by educating women in rural areas, empowering them economically and
raising their representation in the legislature. If women constitute more than
45% of the population, why should they not have the same representation in the
economy, employment and government?"
But
according to Gulf News, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) and the Pakistan
Alliance for Girls Education (PAGE) are partnering to improve girls' education.
The
partnership's goal is to focus on innovative program, projects and research
methodologies.
They
also aim to implement the basic right to education for all children, build more
schools, train teachers and improve coordination among departments.
https://newsus.cgtn.com/news/2020-09-04/UN-Report-Gender-equality-missing-in-Pakistan-TuTGX1ShnG/index.html
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WARDC
Trains Grassroots Women In Lagos, Enugu And Akwa Ibom States On Corrupt
Practices
05
September 2020
A
cross section of grassroots women after the quaterly network meeting organised
by WARDC in Enugu
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Grassroots
women in Lagos, Enugu and Akwa Ibom states have recounted their efforts at
eradicating corrupt practices during the COVID-19 lockdown and beyond in their
communities.
They
identified lack of palliatives, rape, violence against women, widowhood
practices and drug abuse as inherent cases that needed urgent attention, which
they have made efforts to mitigate.
This
was the thrust at a quarterly network meeting of Women Advocates, Research and
Documentation Centre (WARDC) in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria/United
Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) in implementing the
Strengthening Citizens’ Resistance Against Prevalence of Corruption (SCRAP-C)
project designed to address corruption through change in social norms and
public attitudes that support corruption.
These
grassroots women cover various spheres in the society. including market
association, Spinal Cord Injury Association, International Federation of
Nigerian Women Lawyers, Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria
(FOMWAN), Enugu chapter, Nigeria Labour Congress, Hair dressers association and
Christian women associations. They understand corrupt practices, stand up
against this vice and have been able to implement it in their homes, work, and
businesses and extend to other women around their locality.
Founding
Director, WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said the project, in the last
three years, had seen a reduction in corrupt practices perpetuated at the women
associations’ level.
This
was so because we relentlessly made efforts to build the capacities of these
women, which in turn resulted in change of attitudes that increasingly
disapproved corrupt activities.
These
associations are now organised to take actions towards resisting corruption and
enhancing anti-corruption efforts at their associations and communities’ level.
The
project has put in place a Gender and Accountability Anti-Corruption Coalition
to strengthen the fight against corruption and bring women at the front burner
of the campaign against corruption. We also conducted a national survey on the
distribution of palliatives and through this, a national discourse arose for
government to be accountable for the money spent on palliatives.
“I
am convinced it is a step at eradicating corruption because we can’t fully
eradicate it, if we do not involve women in all processes. This is so because
women are the highest beneficiaries of the negative impacts of corruption and
efforts to eradicate corruption must be inclusive, must target persons across
states and across all levels of the society. The project has, therefore, put
measures in place in ensuring that rural women and their associations are fully
engaged and equipped with the necessary tools to challenge and eradicate
corruption.”
Akiyode-Afolabi
added that while COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown by the government saw an
increase in corrupt practices, women and girls were mostly hit by the lockdown
effects, however, the project kept track of the gender-based abuses and
measures were taken and are still being taken at ensuring that justice is done
and perpetuators are held accountable for their wrongs.
According
to SCRAP-C Project Officer and Lawyer at WARDC, Nkechi Obiagbaoso-Udegbunam,
the network meeting was targeted at women to embrace a corrupt-free society, by
being ambassadors for integrity, honesty and transparency. Hence, these
activities were implemented in Lagos, Borno, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Kano, Kaduna and
Federal Capital Territory.
She
said: “Corruption has eaten into the fabric of the society and it is being
perpetrated even at the remotest localities. The organisation, through the
project, is trying its best to eradicate corrupt practices through change in
attitudes; less will be achieved if all hands are not on deck. Therefore, for
us to properly address these gaps, we must start from our homes, communities,
associations and ourselves to get it right.”
Obiagbaoso-Udegbunam
stressed that more women should desist from corrupt practices and also campaign
against social norms that escalate its incidences. Women need to know that the
effect of corruption is much felt by them and they are the highest
beneficiaries of the negative impacts of corruption in the society.
Beneficiaries
of the training over the last three years shared some of the gains. For NLC
representative, Nwokeabia Ifeoma, the project has helped her to be bold and
confident to speak up about challenging issues. “Recently, I was in a bus park,
I saw a woman who was battered by her husband, I intervened. Anyone, who has
gone through the trainings organised by WARDC, will be bold enough to stand for
justice. It spurred me to distribute palliatives during the total lockdown and
also monitored the areas, where palliatives were distributed to ensure those
who deserved got them.
“The
challenges of women is not being bold enough to come out of their shell, so we
want to ensure that more women are bold enough to confront their challenges
because a problem shared is a problem solved.”
Chairperson
International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Enugu branch, Sylvia Abandi,
said the project has taught her accountability which is key when dealing with
groups and associations. She however said that widowhood practices, which are
still in practice, should stop as it demeans the dignity and respect. While
Amina Ali, a representative of the Federation of Muslim Women Association, Enugu
chapter, said the project has afforded her the opportunity to educate women
especially from her home state, Borno on the essence of family planning and
getting basic education.
In
Akwa Ibom, Helen Eyebe representing the Anglican Communion Diocese’ of Uyo said
that women and girls should be involved in capacity building to help them
understand and value their worth. “If a woman does not know her worth, then she
cannot know how to handle the vices she encounters. We want to stop the slogan,
‘she is just a woman’, which makes the society demean womanhood. We want to
teach our women and girls to have self esteem by teaching them financial
security, right to inheritance and ownership of inheritance.”
Eyebe
added that in building self-esteem, women should have self-confidence, engage
in self-evaluation and assessment to again financial security, which assures
independence. “Women should learn how to have control of their money and have
access to it instead of allowing the men control and run their account. Women
should take charge; they have a right to own properties.
“A
lot of women don’t know that they have rights to their properties and even
their husband’s properties, men would get their wives to become witnesses to
their properties when being purchased, and at the end of the day, these women
do not have access to the properties. We need women to understand legal terms
when buying properties and ensure that their full names are boldly spelt and
imprinted in the ownership space, this guarantees their rights to the
properties.”
While
Udeme Boniface representing Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ)
Akwa Ibom chapter stressed that women should leave their comfort zone and speak
up on corrupt practices, they should stop waiting on their husbands, step up
and be a voice for themselves especially on domestic violence. “Women should
begin to speak up when there are cases of violence, thankfully, the wife of the
Akwa Ibom state governor, Martha Emmanuel, is concerned about the domestic
violence and rape related issues, we should report and shame whoever victimizes
them, that way this trend will reduce.”
https://guardian.ng/guardian-woman/wardc-trains-grassroots-women-on-corrupt-practices/
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Ayşe
Hümeyra Ökten: Pioneer of Modern Muslim Women
SEP
04, 2020
Following
her Turkish red Crescent (Kızılay) assignment as a doctor for the hajj, Ayşe
Hümeyra Ökten settled in Medina for the rest of her life.
------
Islam
has not been the main social institution for Turkish society for centuries, but
it has been one of the major ways of self-expression for individuals. Islam’s
resistance against secularism has depended on both aspects. This may be an
explanation for why female university students, who had been admitted at
secular educational institutions, began to resist the clothing code of such
institutions by wearing headscarves in the early 1980s, which remained one of
the main conflicts in Turkish politics for decades.
Though
headscarf-wearing among educated women rose and was popularized in the 1980s,
there were earlier examples of such behavior. Writer and journalist Şule Yüksel
Şenler and Dr. Gülsen Ataseven were pioneers of headscarf-wearing among
educated women in the 1960s. However, there was an earlier example in the
public sphere, namely Dr. Ayşe Hümeyra Ökten, who worked at a public hospital
while wearing a headscarf in the 1950s.
Early
life
Ayşe
Hümeyra Ökten was born in October 1925 in Istanbul's Fatih district. Her father
was Mahmut Celalettin Ökten, who was originally from the northern province of
Trabzon. He graduated from the Darülmuallimin-i Aliyye (Teachers’ College) and
was admitted to the Literature Department of Darülfünun (Istanbul University).
He was a friend of the Islamists of the Second Constitutional Era, including
mudarris (professor) Ahmet Naim and Mehmet Akif Ersoy, best known as the author
of the lyrics of Turkey's national anthem. He became a scholar of Islamic
knowledge by receiving private lessons and taught Turkish literature, logics
and philosophy at high schools in Istanbul. He founded and administered the
first Imam Hatip High School, vocational schools that follow a religion-focused
curriculum, in Istanbul. He also taught Islamic theology at the Yüksek Islam
Enstitüsü (Higher Institute of Islamic Sciences), which later became the
Faculty of Theology.
Ayşe
Hümeyra Ökten’s sister was a chemist, while her little brother, Sadettin Ökten,
is a famous civil engineer and public intellectual writing about city planning,
civilization and the history of Turkish architecture.
Ökten
was a brilliant student, while her father Celalettin taught her basic Islamic
knowledge, including worship, Islamic history and the life of the Prophet
Muhammad. She continued worshipping during school, though it was a problem for
the school's administration, and the students were not allowed to worship. Yet,
since she was one of the best students in any school where she enrolled, there
were always some who supported her right to worship. In fact, an Armenian
employee at the School of Medicine used to prepare a secret place for Ökten to
practice her Islamic worshipping.
Religious
woman doctor
Ökten
lived her childhood and youth in Istanbul. She graduated from the Cerrahpaşa
School of Medicine in 1949 with high honors. Though her professors encouraged
her to stay and teach medicine at the faculty, she chose to work in the field
mostly because she wanted to wear her headscarf not only in her private life
but while working as well. So, she decided to open a private clinic in
Istanbul. She ran clinics in various neighborhoods of Istanbul including
Beyoğlu, Sarıyer and Çarşıkapı. Halil Nimetullah Bey, a family friend of the
Öktens, defined her as the first-ever religious female doctor with talent in
Istanbul. Thanks to her talent and religious manner, people not only from
Istanbul but also from Anatolia asked for her services.
Ökten
was the first female medical doctor assigned by the Turkish Red Crescent for
the hajj worship. She first traveled to Mecca and Medina as part of this duty
in 1953. This marked a milestone in her life since she decided to settle in
Medina for the rest of her life. Her family didn’t like the decision; however,
they agreed to let her live half of the year in Medina and the other half in
Istanbul.
Turkish
doctor in Hejaz
At
the time, Saudi Arabia did not issue settler visas to foreigners. So, Ökten had
to wait until 1960 to settle in Medina. Saudi Arabia initiated a special visa
for foreign workers, and Ökten applied for and received the visa to work as a
medical doctor in Hejaz. She moved to Medina with her father, who would return
to Istanbul soon after and die in his homeland.
Ökten’s
life in Medina included only two things: treating patients and praying beside
al-Rawdha al-Mutahhara (the graveyard of the Prophet Muhammad). She was also a
Sufi, an aspect she kept to herself for her whole life because of Sufi ethics.
Ökten
lived for six decades next to the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb and masjid. Ökten
died on Aug. 30, 2020. Her funeral was held and her body was buried in Medina.
https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/portrait/ayse-humeyra-okten-pioneer-of-modern-muslim-women
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Saudi
Arabia: Missing Hyderabadi woman found after 11 months
5th
September 2020
By
Sameer
Hyderabad:
A 23-year-old Hyderabadi woman, Syeda Wajiha Waheed who went missing while
performing Umrah in Makkah, Saudi Arabia in October 2019 has been found on 4th
September 2020.
As
per the details provided by the family members of the woman, she was last seen
in Haram Sharif, Makkah, Saudi Arabia on 9th October 2019 at around 8:00 p.m.
Woman
contacted family
On
4th September 2020, she contacted her family. Police officials and Indian
Embassy were immediately informed about the whereabouts.
Police
officials took the woman into custody after finding her in Makkah province.
Investigation
Cops
are investigating the case and Indian Embassy officials are in coordination
with them.
Meanwhile,
family members of the girl are happy as the woman is in good health condition.
They also thanked everyone who stood with them during the hard times and prayed
for the safety of the woman.
https://www.siasat.com/saudi-arabia-missing-hyderabadi-woman-found-after-11-months-1965759/
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Policies
to empower Pakistani women
Saad
Gul
SEPTEMBER
3, 2020
Since
International Women’s Day (IWD) began in 1911, much progress has been recorded
in women’s political and economic empowerment. The world has witnessed
formidable women leaders from Benazir Bhutto – who became the first female
leader of Pakistan in 1988 – to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, who has made
history as the only woman to start and run a major commercial airline, Vietjet
Aviation. Although we’ve marked major milestones in giving women the same
opportunities as men, there’s still much more to be done. Particularly in low
income and developing nations.
In
Pakistan – where nearly half the country’s population is female – How have we
fared since Bhutto’s appointment? There has been little to no progress in
unleashing women’s potential – they’ve been unable to contribute to the GDP and
still remain elusive to the economy. Although some progress has been recorded
in overcoming the persistent challenges of discrimination, gender-based
violence and women’s unequal access to resources and decision-making, progress
has been painfully slow.
Among
the numerous cultural and traditional hurdles that keep women deprived in low
income countries, the lack of will from and capacity of policy makers to
empower women remains a concern. Additionally, low quality research and weak
implementation of pro-women legislation are also serious concerns that impede
women’s economic and political empowerment. The way forward?
IMF
research suggests in developed economies, when policy makers keenly formulate
and promote policies to increase female labour force participation, more women
do indeed join the labour force, increasing overall productivity. Given that we
can leverage our strengths by prioritizing the agriculture sector, this would
be a great starting point.
Moreover,
Canada, for instance, observed a significant increase in women’s paid work when
it began taxing individuals instead of families. Perhaps Pakistan should
approach income taxation from this lens to enhance trust between the state and
its citizens. Taxpayers should feel comfortable and confident that the state
will deliver results against the tax deductions.
Similarly,
for low-income nations, programs aimed at reducing gender gaps in (secondary)
education, have catalysed more economic opportunities for women. Pakistan has a
huge opportunity because more than half of the population is under the age of
thirty. There should be a unanimous, long-term agreement on improving the
quality of and access to schools, colleges and universities. Systematic and
thorough training, education and capacity building in the agricultural,
manufacturing, renewable energy and IT sectors are the need of the hour.
Additionally,
other effective fiscal policies, such as improved infrastructure, decreased
time spent on unpaid work, while providing more women the access to and choice
of entering into paid employment. Investments in roads, introducing new revenue
measures, or offering free, high-quality childcare are some note-worthy
examples. Governments must not only consider what happens to per capita GDP,
but also how these policies can reduce income and gender inequality.
Backed
by the law and the Judiciary, these policies require implementation in order to
create an enabling environment for women. Ranging from poor – to lack there-of
– of legislation preventing sexual harassment in public places or at work, to
discrimination in policies related to social security and protection, and
inequities in pay for work of equal value, there are numerous legal challenges
that women face.
In
order to achieve gender parity in Pakistan, we will have to start implementing
dynamic, gender-sensitive fiscal policies, run awareness campaigns around
gender-biased social norms to empower women in the country. Last but not the
least, we will have to unlearn conventional approaches to basic rights for
women and replace them with newer belief systems, values, traditions, laws and
policies.
Our
cultural and patriarchal societal structure cuts through these politically
correct ideals. However, this is exactly why we must challenge these
preconceived notions of suppressing women financially and politically just like
the Chinese (Qing Dynasty) did in the early 1900’s.
Saad
Gul is an Islamabad based writer and entrepreneur. He can be reached at
saad.gul2@gmail.com
https://dailytimes.com.pk/662137/policies-to-empower-pakistani-women/
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Bangladesh's
first female photographer Sayeeda Khanam passes away
August
18th, 2020
In
1956, she started her career as a photojournalist in Begum
Sayeeda
Khanam, the first female professional photographer of Bangladesh, passed away
in Dhaka early Tuesday.
She
was 83.
The
photographer, who had been suffering from old age complications, breathed her
last at her residence in Banani around 3am.
Meanwhile,
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of
Sayeeda Khanam.
In
a condolence message, the premier said Sayeeda Khanam will live forever in the
heart of people through her works.
Sheikh
Hasina prayed for eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy
to the bereaved family.
KM
Khalid, state minister for cultural affairs, also expressed deep shock and
sorrow at the demise of the famed photographer.
Born
on December 29, 1937 in Pabna, Sayeeda Khanam completed her masters in Bengali
literature and Library Science from the Dhaka University.
Being
inspired to pursue photography from her aunt poet Mahmuda Khatun Siddique, she
started photography at the age of only 13.
In
1956, she started her career as a photojournalist in Begum, the only newspaper
dedicated to women at that time. Her photographs were published in many
national and international newspapers including the Observer, Morning News, and
Ittefaq. She also captured many important events of the Liberation War of
Bangladesh in 1971.
She
covered many national and international events. She worked as a photographer
with renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray in three of his films.
Khanam
worked as a librarian in seminar library of Bengali Literature Department of
the Dhaka University from 1974 to 1986.
After
the war, she volunteered as a nurse in Holy Family Hospital for a while.
Khanam
had her first international exhibition in 1956 after participating in the
International Photo and Cinema Exhibition, Cologne.
In
the same year, her works were displayed in an international photography
exhibition held in Dhaka and later exhibited in international competitions in
Japan, France, Sweden, Pakistan, and Cyprus.
Her
works on Mother Teresa, Rabindra Sangeet singer Konika Bandopadhaya, and
Satyajit Ray were also exhibited in Dhaka.
In
1960, she received an award in All Pakistan Photo Contest and in 1985 she was
honored with Unesco Award for photography.
She
received many other awards from several national and international
organizations and was a lifetime member of Bangladesh Mahila Samity and Bangla
Academy.
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2020/08/18/bangladesh-s-first-female-photographer-sayeeda-khanam-passes-away
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Emirati
women are true support for homeland: Mansour Bin Zayed
August
28, 2020
ABU
DHABI — Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister
of presidential affairs, has stated that Emirati women, thanks to Sheikha
Fatima Bint Mubarak, chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), president
of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of
the Family Development Foundation (FDF), are true support for the homeland and
key partners in building the country's future, which is preparing for the next
50 years of its history.
In
a statement, he made to mark Emirati Women’s Day, Sheikh Mansour said, "On
this day when our country is marking Emirati Women's Day, we extend greetings
and congratulations to Sheikha Fatima "Mother of the Nation" whose
efforts resulted in providing care to women, their social and financial
well-being, constitutional protection of their rights, political empowerment,
full participation in decision-making and accomplishing achievements.
“Thanks
to these efforts, Emirati women today represent true support for the nation and
key partners in building the future of the country while preparing to the next
50 years of its history."
"Every
year, Aug. 28 is the day on which we salute the Emirati mothers, sisters,
daughters, housewives and mothers of martyrs. On this day we glorify their
roles in all walks of life and domains where they are full partners to men with
competence, excellence and success," he added.
Sheikh
Mansour said, "On this day, that coincides with the 45 anniversary of
establishing the GWU, we appreciate and pray to Allah Almighty to rest the soul
of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan in Paradise
as he said, 'Nothing pleases me more than seeing women playing their
distinguished role in society.'"
He
noted, ''Now, women are on the frontlines and playing their role in society
thanks to the unstinted support and care from President Sheikh Khalifa Bin
Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president, prime
minister and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince
of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the
Supreme Council members, rulers of the Emirates."
''Emirati
women will always be the pillar of stability and solidarity, together, we will
work to place our country among the top 25 countries on the Gender Balance Index
by 2021 to achieve the UAE Vision 2021. We greet Emirati women in their day
under the logo, 'Planning for the next 50 years ...Women are the support of the
homeland.'" he said. — WAM
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/597225
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