Iranian woman who stripped to underwear on university premises as protest detained
New Age Islam News Burereau
4 Nov 2024
· Iranian woman who stripped to underwear on university premises detained: Report
Waqf Bill: Parliament panel meets today to hear Muslim women group, others
· Express View on the silencing of Afghan women: Apartheid in Kabul
· A champion of women and peace: Slovenia's first female president makes inaugural UAE visit
· Africa observes Pan African Women’s Day
· Commercial Bank hosts exclusive women’s seminar in collaboration with CBFS and QSE
· Ipoh woman fined RM2,500 after supermarket slap causes elderly man’s unintentional death
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/waqf-bill-parliament-panel-muslim-women/d/133617
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Waqf Bill: Parliament panel meets today to hear Muslim women group, others
Nov 04 2024
Parliament, New Parliament (Photo: Shutterstock)
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The Joint Committee of Parliament (JCP) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is set to convene on Monday, which will include participation from various representatives, including, for the first time, a women’s group.
The meeting, chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Jagdambika Pal, will include participation from various representatives, including Jamaat-e-Islam-e-Hind and the Muslim Women Intellectual Group led by Shalini Ali.
In addition to these groups, the JCP will also hear from JamiyatHimaytul Islam, represented by QariAbrar Jamal, and the Shia Muslim community, led by MaulanaKokabMujtaba. The Vishwa Shanti Parishad, under National President Faiz Ahmad Faiz, will also present their views on the proposed amendments.
The committee will also convene on Tuesday to record suggestions from other stakeholders, including the AkhilBharatiyaAdhivaktaParishad, Anveshak, AnjumanShiateali Bohra, and senior academics from Aligarh Muslim University.
Last week, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya urged the committee to invite farmers from Karnataka's Vijayapura district, who are facing disputes with the Waqf Board regarding land ownership. Surya highlighted concerns that farmers who have cultivated their lands for decades are receiving notices claiming their properties are Waqf lands, often without sufficient evidence. He requested that these farmers be allowed to present their grievances directly to the committee and proposed a visit to the affected areas by the chairperson for a public hearing.
In response to the allegations from the farmers, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured that no evictions would take place and that any notices served would be retracted.
What is the Waqf Act and why is it being reformed?
The ongoing meetings of the JCP are part of a broader national initiative to reform the Waqf Act, which has faced criticisms of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, aims to amend the existing Waqf Act, 1995, with a focus on enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in managing Waqf properties.
The proposed Bill has received criticism with those opposed expressing concerns about increased government oversight and the potential dilution of Muslim representation in Waqf governance. Some critics are particularly wary of the inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf Boards and the Central Waqf Council, viewing this as a potential infringement on religious affairs.
In response to these concerns, the government formed the JPC to engage with stakeholders and hear their concerns.
Source:business-standard.com
https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/waqf-bill-parliament-panel-meets-today-to-hear-muslim-women-group-others-124110400368_1.html
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Iranian woman who stripped to underwear on university premises detained: Report
November 3, 2024
A female student who stripped to her underwear outside her university in Iran, in what students and rights groups say was a protest against the country's strict Islamic dress code, has reportedly been detained. CNN reported that the students, a mother of two, has been detained. A video shared by rights group Amnesty International shows the woman seated outside the university in her underwear and with her hair uncovered.
She gestures toward fellow students, many of whom are female and wearing headscarves, before strolling around the premises. Another video shows her walking down a road, in a state of undress, before a group of men surround her, bundle her into a car, and drive away.
Amnesty said on Saturday that the woman had been "violently arrested" after she protested the "abusive enforcement" of a dress code at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University. The woman had previously been harassed by members of Basij, an Iranian volunteer paramilitary group, inside the university grounds, an Iranian student social media channel, the Amir Kabir newsletter. It claimed that members of the force had ripped her headscarf and tore her clothes.
Citing eyewitnesses, state-run Fars news agency reported that the student took off her clothes after two security personnel "calmly talked" to her and warned her about flouting the dress code. The university’s public relations director said the woman was suffering from mental health issues.
CNBC-TV18 could not independently verify the report. Meanwhile, Mai Sato, the UN Special reporter on Islamic Republic of Iran, said on X that she would be "monitoring this incident closely, including the authorities' response."
Headscarfs are mandatory in public for women under Iran’s strict laws. Iranian women can be subjected to harsh punishments, even for minor infractions. Protests erupted across Iran in 2022 against the dress code following the death of MahsaAmini, a 22-year-old woman who died in the custody of the morality police after being arrested for allegedly not wearing her headscarf properly.
The subsequent violent crackdown by the Iranian regime killed hundreds of people, reports said. Since then, many Iranian women have protested by removing their headscarves in public. Amnesty called for the immediate and unconditional release of the Azad University student and demanded she be given access to her family and lawyer.
Source:cnbctv18.com
https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/iranian-woman-who-stripped-to-underwear-in-university-premises-detained-report-19503068.htm
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Express View on the silencing of Afghan women: Apartheid in Kabul
November 4, 2024
The latest decree in Afghanistan is not just another transgression of the fundamental rights of an individual, it strikes at one of the last few comforts available to women in public spaces in the country
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A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not, and a woman may not in public,” actor Meryl Streep had spoken of the plight of Afghanistan’s women under the Taliban regime at the UN General Assembly in New York in September. She urged the international community to take action against the systematic leaching of the freedoms of women and girls in a country where “a squirrel has more rights” than them. In the three years since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, women have been barred from secondary and higher education, access to public parks, employment and reproductive rights. They cannot leave home unless fully covered, nor sing or speak aloud in public. The Taliban has now appended another diktat to this draconian repression — they cannot be heard praying by another woman even in passing because a woman’s voice is meant to be “awrah” (private).
The scars of such totalitarianism run wide and deep. A UN policy paper released in August estimates “that the Afghan economy will lose USD 9.6 billion, equivalent to two-thirds of today’s gross domestic product, by 2066 if the suspension of women’s access to higher education remains in place”, that there may be “correlations between the bans on women’s and girls’ education and an increase, by 2026, in early childbearing among Afghan girls by 45 per cent and risk of maternal mortality by at least 50 per cent”. But more than that, this targeting of the rights, lives and bodies of women points at a culture that seeks to corrode their resilience and existence.
The latest decree in Afghanistan is not just another transgression of the fundamental rights of an individual, it strikes at one of the last few comforts available to women in public spaces in the country — the solidarity of an amorphous sisterhood, the solace of a voice raised in prayer. And yet, from Malala Yousafzai’s defiance — her determined pursuit of education in Swat Valley became the reason for her to be shot at by the Taliban in Pakistan as she returned from an examination in 2012 — to the Iranian women’s assertions of jinjiyanazadi (women, life, liberty) in the wake of the death in police custody of MahsaAmini in 2022 — she was arrested for an alleged breach of the Iranian government’s dress code for women — if there is anything that history has shown, it is this: That years of rage and deprivation will make themselves felt; that gender apartheids are not merely about women’s rights but about universal dignities. And that the caged bird will continue to “sing of freedom”.
Source:indianexpress.com
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/express-view-on-the-silencing-of-afghan-women-apartheid-in-kabul-9651962/
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A champion of women and peace: Slovenia's first female president makes inaugural UAE visit
Sarah Forster
November 04, 2024
During a historic first official bilateral visit to the UAE, Slovenia’s President, Natasa Pirc Musar, shared a clear vision for the future – one marked by ethical technology, gender equity and a commitment to global peace.
Speaking to The National on Sunday, Slovenia’s first female head of state emphasised the urgent need for responsible AI governance, echoing the European Union’s stance on prohibiting artificial intelligence for purposes such as profiling, surveillance and autonomous weaponry. She also cited Slovenia’s own innovations, including an AI-driven sustainability tool for the tourism sector.
"Certain topics, certain freedoms, should not be connected to artificial intelligence," said MsMusar. "Artificial intelligence should not be used to profile people, to follow them outside of their homes, nor in the autonomous weapons industry. This is no-go."
Slovenia has one of the highest rates of AI experts per capita in the world, said MsMusar, with one in every 7,000 citizens being an authority on the subject. The International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence, under the auspices of Unesco, has its headquarters in Slovenia.
"We are really, really into digital," said MsMusar. "There is an app in its test phase already, a special AI app which is telling hotels how much food to buy to feed so many people. You know, it's very green. Slovenia tries to be green. We love that we are one of the best regarding circular economy in the world. We want to have sustainable tourism so we are really very into this."
Teaching children critical thinking needs to be a priority, according to MsMusar, who believes that the spread of disinformation is the biggest threat to democracy today. "I'm pretty sure that we will never be able to eliminate it. It will always be there because it was present hundreds of years ago. It was just distributed much more slowly. Today in the modern digital world, the distribution of this information is easy. This is why we have to teach kids in primary schools about it.
"They have to read books, then they will be able to distinguish disinformation from the real information. Debunking disinformation is really very essential for a country, the state cannot do everything on behalf of every single individual."
Speaking about the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, MsMusar said there was a "tug of war" between the real facts and those created and spread online. "The whole European Union is now very cautious about disinformation. The war between Russia and Ukraine is sadly still going on, and we are facing also a hybrid war behind the scenes. This is the war with disinformation."
Women in international relations
Having been described as a "career ambitionist", a label equally baffling and comical to MsMusar, she has remained an outspoken advocate for gender equity, and touched on Slovenia’s strides in women’s representation on the global stage and her efforts to increase female leadership within international bodies, notably the United Nations.
"In Slovenia, we have the so-called zipper rule which means that every other candidate on the electoral list should be a woman," she said referring to a mid-2000s decision to adopt legislative changes determining gender quotas in different types of elections.
"Today, in Slovenian parliament, we have 40 per cent women, including the first female speaker of the house in the history of Slovenia. So we are breaking the glass ceilings. I broke one huge glass ceiling being the first female president of my country. It was not easy. It was really not easy, believe me."
MsMusar is relentless in her gender equity mission, lauding the achievements of her country while pushing for changes across the board. Having discovered that there have only ever been four female presidents of the UN General Assembly, she aims to bring a bold new rule to that branch of the UN.
"I'm a fervent supporter of ongoing efforts to promote better representation of women in UN bodies. I was quite specific in my address before the UN General Assembly that a woman should hold the UNGA Presidency every other year.
"I believe I was among the very, very few who raised this point. But it seems that the call has resonated. I expect some concrete steps internationally by the end of this year. I will discuss this with the President of the UAE on Monday. Our two countries speak the same language on this topic so I look forward to our exchange of thoughts and ideas.
"The head of the Slovenian mission is also going to give a speech about gender equity. The United Nations calculated that we will need 140 years more to reach gender parity. I don't want to wait for 140 years."
MsMusar also founded the She Knows platform, which lists readily available female experts to talk about a wide range of subjects in the media and at public events.
War
MsMusar describes her country as "an honest broker with no hidden agendas" and highlighted Slovenia’s active role in international security and peace efforts as a newly seated non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. "Slovenia has recognised Palestine. I was very in favour of that, because if we are advocating a two-state solution, how can we not recognise one of the conflicting parties?"
MsMusar also advocates for "aggressive" structural reforms in the UN, calling for limitations on the veto power of the Security Council’s permanent members, the United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, to foster fairer resolutions.
"It's not just the Middle East right now. Of course, it's Russia and Ukraine. It's the war in Sudan, in Yemen. There are currently 55 armed conflicts around the globe, and this is the highest number after the Second World War. It's devastating.
"Now it's the time to discuss one big problem; the veto power of the P5 countries inside the UN Security Council. We are seeing a hybrid war inside the Security Council. We are fighting with vetoes, and the United Nations is paralysed, totally paralysed because of that."
Among MsMusar's proposals would be to either scrap veto power completely, especially for mass atrocities, or limit its use and remove voting power from any country involved in the conflict. "That would be a huge step forward, but we need to be vocal about it. We have to discuss this. This is what Slovenia is doing."
US elections
A former attorney, MsMusar spoke about her relationship with Slovenian ex-model and former first lady Melania Trump. On the eve of another historic US election, she said they stay in touch mostly for formalities.
"We congratulate each other for birthdays every year and for the new year, but I'm [more] in touch with her father, who regularly comes to Slovenia, also with her mother, before she passed away. Now [with Ms Trump] not so often, but still, she's a wonderful lady."
Pressed for her opinion on the imminent election, MsMusar maintained her diplomatic line. "It's tight. Very tight. Whoever wins, we will have to co-operate, that's for sure. We will have to work with Republicans and Democrats. The United States is still the biggest economy in the world. Maybe with one person it will be a bit easier than with the other, but nevertheless, we will have to co-operate."
Source:thenationalnews.com
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2024/11/04/a-champion-of-women-and-peace-slovenias-first-female-president-makes-inaugural-uae-visit/
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Africa observes Pan African Women’s Day
November 04, 2024
31 July is Pan African Women’s Day and 2019 marked the 57th anniversary of the Pan-African Women’s Organization (PAWO), the Specialised Agency of the AU dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment
In his statement to commemorate the day, the AU Commission Chairperson Moussa FakiMahamat noted amongst other things the import of the day pointing out that Pan African Women’s Day is a day to celebrate and acknowledge the Foremothers of Africa who gallantly fought for the liberation and development of this continent. He also reiterated the important role of African women who continue to be the backbone of our economies as farmers, entrepreneurs, traders, scientists and leaders in many other sectors.
The Chairperson noted that one of his priorities remains the full implementation of the policy organs’ call to have gender parity in the workforce of the AU by 2025 and committee that he will continue to demand dignity and protection for all women and girls who have been forcibly displaced in Africa; remarking that it is the collective responsibility of Africans to hold themselves and their leaders accountable to deliver on the gender equality and women’s empowerment commitments.
Source:au.int
https://au.int/en/articles/africa-observes-pan-african-womens-day
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Commercial Bank hosts exclusive women’s seminar in collaboration with CBFS and QSE
04 Nov 2024
Doha: Commercial Bank, a leader in innovative digital banking solutions in Qatar, hosted a ladies’ exclusive seminar in collaboration with Commercial Bank Financial Services (CBFS) and Qatar Stock Exchange on Qatar’s stock market for premium banking customers to empower women’s financial independence on 22 October 2024 at CBFS, D-Ring Road, ground floor.
The seminar featured insights from industry experts, offering attendees a comprehensive understanding of the Qatar Stock Market, its fundamentals, and potential opportunities.
Participants had the chance to explore smart investment strategies, enabling them to make informed decisions to grow their wealth.
Furthermore, the seminar provided valuable guidance on achieving financial independence, equipping attendees with the confidence and expertise to take full control of their financial journey, which was well received by the audience from their feedback and their questions asked during the panel.
Hamad Al Shahri, General Manager of Commercial Bank Financial Services, said: “Commercial Bank has placed a five-year strategic plan upon which every course of action is determined. Hosting this seminar marks a step forward in our vision, specifically our commitment to Culture and Creativity and Innovation, as we strive to empower women as active participants in the financial sector. By enhancing their financial experiences, we gain valuable insights into what it takes to advance Qatar’s banking sector to newer heights.”
RehamSabriThawabi, AGM, Senior Director of Premium Banking of Commercial Bank, said: “As a woman in the banking sector, I am proud to take part of Commercial Bank’s seminar as it served as a motivator and an eye-opener to the many investment opportunities and tools that are at our disposal. Having a good financial partner by your side makes you realize your full potential and enables you to feel empowered and confident to make informed financial decisions.”
The panel was moderated by RehamSabri, with the panel consisting of Hamad Al Shahri from CBFS, and Sulaiman Al Haidar, Venture Market Manager of Qatar Stock Exchange; Maryam Al Sulaiti, Senior Website and Social Media Officer of Qatar Stock Exchange; and SamerAbouZaghla, Education Manager of Qatar Stock Exchange.
Source:thepeninsulaqatar.com
https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/04/11/2024/commercial-bank-hosts-exclusive-womens-seminar-in-collaboration-with-cbfs-and-qse
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Ipoh woman fined RM2,500 after supermarket slap causes elderly man’s unintentional death
04 Nov 2024
By Malay Mail
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — A 24-year-old woman has been fined RM2,500 by the Magistrate’s Court in Ipoh after pleading guilty to unintentionally causing the death of a 64-year-old man outside a supermarket last week.
National daily Harian Metro reported that Magistrate Siti Nora Sharif imposed a two-month prison sentence on SitiNuridahJumli, to be served if she fails to pay the fine.
SitiNuridah was charged, along with an accomplice who remains at large, with causing the death of AbdKamar Mat Sarin between 4:20pm and 5:30pm on October 25 in front of a supermarket in Klebang.
The charge was filed under Section 304A of the Penal Code.
The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor NuranisahIsmah Muhammad Husaini, while SitiNuridah was represented by lawyer Robert Gnanarajan from the National Legal Aid Foundation.
The court heard that SitiNuridah and her accomplice acted impulsively, slapping AbdKamar on the side of the face and back, leading to his death without any intent to kill.
Medical reports indicated that the victim had a pre-existing heart condition and had not sought treatment at a hospital prior to the incident.
In a prior report, it was revealed that police had reclassified the case from murder to unintentional killing.
The altercation is believed to have arisen from ongoing disturbances caused by the victim towards the female suspect.
Source:malaymail.com
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/11/04/ipoh-woman-fined-rm2500-after-supermarket-slap-causes-elderly-mans-unintentional-death/155783
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/waqf-bill-parliament-panel-muslim-women/d/133617