Women Cricketers Defy Threats to Play For Afghanistan
New
Age Islam News Bureau
07
December 2020
• Struggle To Overcome Gender-Based Transport Woes For Women Continues In Punjab, Pakistan
•
‘Women Power Run’: First Five KMs Women-Only Race Held in Karachi
•
Hyderabad Women Offer “Qunoot” Prayer Marking the 28 Anniversary Of Demolition
Of Babri Masjid
•
Saudi Fund Helps More Than 73,000 Women to Own Homes in the Kingdom
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/women-cricketers-defy-threats-play/d/123684
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Women Cricketers Defy Threats to Play For Afghanistan
Dec
7, 2020
Afghanistan
Cricket Board (ACB) has reformed the women's squad, buoyed by the success of
the men
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KABUL:
When she first started playing, Afghan cricketer Roya Samim could not even
dream that she would one day represent her country - not because she lacked
talent, but because there was no women's team.
While
Afghanistan's male cricketers have enjoyed a series of surprise successes on
the global stage since the fall of the Taliban, the national women's team was
quietly disbanded just a few years after it was formed in 2010, amid fears over
safety.
Now
the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has reformed the women's squad, buoyed by
the success of the men. It recently awarded contracts to 25 players following
trials at the Kabul International Stadium - and batswoman Samim was among them.
"When
I started (playing cricket), I did not know whether there would be a national
team because people's negative thoughts had me discouraged and disheartened.
But I did not give up," the 21-year-old told the Thomson Reuters
Foundation.
The
women will begin formal training under an international coach later this month
and Samim hopes to follow in the footsteps of her heroines, India's Smriti
Mandhana and West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor.
But
there are still plenty of hurdles in a country where many men are deeply
uncomfortable with the idea of their sisters and daughters competing in public.
ATTACKS
Even
within the ACB, not everyone thinks a women's team is a good idea, players and
officials told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Security
is a major concern, with foreign forces due to leave Afghanistan by May 2021 in
exchange for counter-terrorism guarantees from the Taliban.
The
Taliban, which banned girls from being educated when they ruled Afghanistan,
now control wide areas of the country and there has been an uptick in attacks
on prominent women.
No
direct threats against the cricketers have been made, but officials at the ACB
said recent attacks including a deadly assault last month on the Kabul
University campus had raised fears.
Announcing
the formation of the squad last month, the ACB stressed it was "adhering
to the traditional Afghan and Islamic values" and would hold its first
training camp in an Islamic country.
Chairman
Farhan Yusefzai said he was aware of opposition on the board to setting up a
women's team, but insisted he would not be deterred.
"Many
Muslim countries have their national women's teams," he said, citing
Pakistan, Kuwait and Oman.
"Here
in Afghanistan, we have the national football team, volleyball teams, swimming
team, so why not cricket," he said, crediting the women players with
"overwhelming" talent and enthusiasm for the game.
'Resistance
And Opposition'
For
many of the players, that enthusiasm has been tested.
Samim's
teammate Naheeda Sapand, an all-rounder in the new national squad, said that
even with the support of her parents, the journey had not been easy.
"Security
and cultural constraints remain our key challenges," she said. "Even
at school and university, I faced resistance and opposition, but my enthusiasm
never died."
The
players are scheduled to have their first overseas training this month, likely
to take place in a Gulf country, with the aim of playing their first
international match early next year.
They
hope to emulate the success of the men's squad, which includes such household
names as Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
The
men made their World Cup debut in 2015, when they notched up one win against
Scotland.
Two
years later, the country was admitted as a full member of the International
Cricket Council, a move seen as having spurred the reestablishment of a women's
team.
It
remains to be seen whether this one fares better than the last, but ACB
chairman Yusefzai is upbeat.
"I
call each player and member of the women department at the cricket board as my
sisters," he said. This is the extent of respect we have for them."
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/women-cricketers-defy-threats-to-play-for-afghanistan/articleshow/79607705.cms
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Struggle
To Overcome Gender-Based Transport Woes For Women Continues In Punjab, Pakistan
December
07, 2020
MULTAN:
Women riding
motorcycles in South Punjab’s cities is on rise
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The trend of women riding motorcycles in South Punjab’s cities is on rise.
Officials
from the Traffic Police Licence Branch say that 64 driving licences were issued
to female applicants during October. Society as well as parents should encourage
girls to drive motorcycles, they added.
Transport
is one of the main problems for working women as well as school, college or
university going girls in the culturally rich yet socially backward region of
South Punjab. The women of this region reportedly have to depend on their
family members, usually their fathers, brothers, or husbands, for most of their
outdoor movement.
Sometimes,
the working women have to hire vehicles for their routine outdoor work.
However,
they have to pay much more in case of using rented vehicles. For the last few
years, a positive development was being observed in South Punjab as women and
girls were seen using motorcycles independently.
The
motorcycle ride was one of the cheapest sources of transportation. Similarly,
women on motorcycles do not depend on other members of their family.
Sana
Hussain, a 24-year-old student pursuing her Masters in Mass Communication from
Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, told APP that she was using a motorcycle
for many years.
She
stated that in her family they were three sisters only. “I am the eldest and my
father not only allowed but also facilitated me to buy a motorcycle.”
She
revealed that she did not learn motorcycle riding from anyone but she tried
herself after observing other people practicing it.
“I
used to visit the bazaar on a motorcycle independently and without any
hesitation,” Sana claimed. Patrolling Police SP Huma Naseeb said that women
drivers were more careful while using roads. “Women were more law-abiding
citizens as compared to men. The women drivers keep complete documents with
them,” she claimed.
Social
Welfare Department District Officer Muhammad Ahmed Chishti stated, “In the
past, motorcycles were given to women on subsidised prices under an initiative
of Punjab government.
Punjab
Bank, Traffic Police, Punjab Social Welfare Department and a private motorcycle
company facilitated the motorcycle delivery and drive training process among
women.”
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2274934/women-on-wheels-but-barriers-remain-in-south-punjab
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‘Women
Power Run’: first Five KMs Women-Only Race Held in Karachi
Shazia
Hasan
07
Dec 2020
‘Women Power
Run’
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KARACHI:
‘Women Power Run’, the first-ever all women five-km race organised by the
Born2Run Pakistan turned out to be an exciting start to a chilly Sunday morning
for all the participants and those cheering them on.
It
was still quite dark at 6am as participants started arriving in DHA Phase-8
where the race was to take place, from Ramada Creek to Savor and back, and
started briskly pacing up and down the roads or warming up on the vacant plots
ahead of the race. There were over 50 of them ranging from ages 13 up to 50
plus.
Dozens
of women including teenage girls take part in five-km race
All
have been lucky to be trained for free by Sohail Sardar, a lone runner until
three years ago when he started free training for men, women and children just
to join him and be a part of the race.
“Early
morning is the best time to run. It helps begin your day well and it remains
that way for the entire duration of the day,” the coach told Dawn.
“I
have been training runners for so long now so I decided to motivate them
further in their fitness journey by holding a competitive event with medals and
prizes for them. I am doing everything without any sponsors,” he said before
showing the gold plated medals and other consolation prizes and gifts he had
set up on a table for the runners near the finish line.
The
runners were also up for the challenge.
One
of them, Shahrezad Samiuddin, who was there with her 13-year-old daughter,
Dina, said she has been running for two years now.
“I
used to walk before but then I ran into Sardar at a park where I used to go for
walks. He was there motivating people to start running and I started running
with his group regularly after that,” she said.
Another
one, Ayesha, said that she started running because she wanted to lose weight
and get fit. “And now I am into various sports including mixed martial arts and
cycling,” she shared.
Isma
Khan, about whom everyone was saying that she is like a bullet, said that she
started running about two months ago. “I started running because I was tired of
sitting at home during the Covid-19 lockdown. Now doing my personal best is
more important for me than winning the competition,” she said.
Then
as the race started, one got to see some really fast runners and several slow
ones, too. Some of them were also slowing down a bit when they got tired in
order to save energy and then pick up their pace again. Some had headphones on
as they listened to music while they ran.
Faiza
said she was listening to heavy metal and Mahnoor said that she was listening
to some really fast music.
What
was important was finishing the race actually, as Sardar pointed out. He even
gave away the first consolation prize to the girl who finished last, Areeba.
“Because my job is to motivate you to run and get better and better at it,” he
said. “It’s my reward to see your enthusiasm and coming here and run,” he
added.
The
fastest runner, the one who won the race, was Haani Mazari, who said that she
didn’t realise that she was ahead of everyone while running. “I was a little
distracted and even made a wrong turn by mistake but then I was guided back to
the correct course with no one before me so I assumed that maybe I was way at
the end,” she laughed.
Meanwhile,
the runner-up, Sidra Khalid Khan, said that she knew very well that she was
second because she could see Haani up ahead. And the second runner-up, Shiza
Saquib, said that she also knew that she was third because she had two others
ahead of her in view.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1594373/excitement-in-the-air-as-first-women-only-race-held-in-karachis-dha
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Hyderabad
Women Offer “Qunoot” Prayer Marking the 28 Anniversary Of Demolition Of Babri
Masjid
SM
Bilal
5th
December 2020
Hyderabad:
A group of Muslim women on Saturday offered ‘Qunoot-E-Nazila’ (Special prayers)
at Hazrat Ujale-Shah Eidgah grounds in Saidabad.
Marking
the 28 anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid, the women in Saidabad offered
prayers for re-building the Masjid at Ayodhya.
A
group of women belonging to Saidabad and other adjoining areas joined the
Qunoot prayers.
The
protesting women said that on December 6, 1992 the Historic Babri Masjid was
razed illegally and as per a larger conspiracy. Despite that land belonging to
Masjid was handed over for the construction of Ram Temple in a legal manner,
but the Muslim community will never forgive the alleged perpetrators of
demolition.
“There
will be consistent efforts by the community members till the Babri Masjid is
re-built at the same place” said one of the women protester.
https://www.siasat.com/hyderabad-women-offer-qunoot-prayers-for-re-building-babri-masjid-2039094/
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Saudi
Fund Helps More Than 73,000 Women to Own Homes in the Kingdom
December
07, 2020
RIYADH:
More than 73,000 Saudi women in the Kingdom have benefited from mortgage loans
provided by the Real Estate Development Fund (REDF) as part of its efforts to
enable women to own their first home.
The
general supervisor of REDF, Mansour bin Madhi, said that enabling Saudi women
to own housing had been part of the fund’s policy since its inception, as they
constituted half of society and were the foundation of accelerating
development.
He
said that the fund worked on facilitating and simplifying real estate financing
procedures to empower all citizens to receive subsidized mortgage loans through
electronic and immediate procedures.
The
policy enabled women to own housing in accordance with the subsidized mortgage
loan scheme’s terms to achieve the goals of the housing programs — one of the
Saudi Vision 2030’s initiatives — which includes raising the rate of citizens’
home ownership to 60 percent by the end of 2020 and 70 percent by 2030, he
said.]
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1773461/saudi-arabia
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