"I Was Shattered": Deepfakes Target Women Leader, Azma Bukhari, In Pakistan
New Age Islam News Bureau
3 December 2024
· "I Was Shattered": Deepfakes Target Women Leader, Azma Bukhari, In Pakistan
· Medical Institutes In Afghanistan Closed To Female Students: New Order
· A ‘Medieval Law’: Iran’s New Hijab Bill Cracks Down On Women
· Sabah Maternity Leave Bill: Contract Workers To Get 98 Days’ Leave, Paternity Leave Also Introduced
· Iran's President Criticises New Hijab Law
· For Iranian Women, Can A Revolution Take Place At Home?
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/women-leader-azma-bukhari-pakistan/d/133910
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"I Was Shattered": Deepfakes Target Women Leader, Azma Bukhari, In Pakistan
Dec 03, 2024
Deepfakes are now prevalent across the world. (Representational image)
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Lahore:
Pakistani politician Azma Bukhari is haunted by a counterfeit image of herself -- a sexualised deepfake video published to discredit her role as one of the nation's few female leaders.
"I was shattered when it came into my knowledge," said 48-year-old Bukhari, the information minister of Pakistan's most populous province of Punjab.
Deepfakes -- which manipulate genuine audio, photos or video of people into false likenesses -- are becoming increasingly convincing and easier to make as artificial intelligence (AI) enters the mainstream.
In Pakistan, where media literacy is poor, they are being weaponised to smear women in the public sphere with sexual innuendo deeply damaging to their reputations in a country with conservative mores.
Bukhari -- who regularly appears on TV -- recalls going quiet for days after she saw the video of her face superimposed on the sexualised body of an Indian actor in a clip quickly spreading on social media.
"It was very difficult, I was depressed," she told AFP in her home in the eastern city of Lahore.
"My daughter, she hugged me and said: 'Mama, you have to fight it out'."
After initially recoiling she is pressing her case at Lahore's High Court, attempting to hold those who spread the deepfake to account.
"When I go to the court, I have to remind people again and again that I have a fake video," she said.
'A very harmful weapon'
In Pakistan -- a country of 240 million people -- internet use has risen at staggering rates recently owing to cheap 4G mobile internet.
Around 110 million Pakistanis were online this January, 24 million more than at the beginning of 2023, according to monitoring site DataReportal.
In this year's election, deepfakes were at the centre of digital debate.
Ex-prime minister Imran Khan was jailed but his team used an AI tool to generate speeches in his voice shared on social media, allowing him to campaign from behind bars.
Men in politics are typically criticised over corruption, their ideology and status. But deepfakes have a dark side uniquely suited to tearing down women.
"When they are accused, it almost always revolves around their sex lives, their personal lives, whether they're good mums, whether they're good wives," said US-based AI expert Henry Ajder.
"For that deepfakes are a very harmful weapon," he told AFP.
In patriarchal Pakistan the stakes are high.
Women's status is typically tied to their "honour", generally defined as modesty and chastity. Hundreds are killed every year -- often by their own families -- for supposedly besmirching it.
Bukhari describes the video targeting her as "pornographic".
But in a country where premarital sex and cohabitation are punishable offences, deepfakes can undermine reputations by planting innuendo with the suggestion of a hug or improper social mingling with men.
In October, AFP debunked a deepfake video of regional lawmaker Meena Majeed showing her hugging the male chief minister of Balochistan province.
A social media caption said: "Shamelessness has no limits. This is an insult to Baloch culture."
Bukhari says photos of her with her husband and son have also been manipulated to imply she appeared in public with boyfriends outside her marriage.
And doctored videos regularly circulate of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif -- Bukhari's boss -- showing her dancing with opposition leaders.
Once targeted by deepfakes like these, women's "image is seen as immoral, and the honour of the entire family is lost", said Sadaf Khan of Pakistani non-profit Media Matters for Democracy.
"This can put them in danger," she told AFP.
Fighting the fakes
Deepfakes are now prevalent across the world, but Pakistan does have legislation to combat their deployment in disinformation campaigns.
In 2016, a law was passed by Bukhari's party "to prevent online crimes" with "cyberstalking" provisions against sharing photos or videos without consent "in a manner that harms a person".
Bukhari believes it needs to be strengthened and backed up by investigators. "The capacity building of our cybercrime unit is very, very important," she said.
But digital rights activists have also criticised the government for wielding such broad legislation to quash dissent.
Authorities have previously blocked YouTube and TikTok, and a ban on X -- formerly Twitter -- has been in place since after February elections when allegations of vote tampering spread on the site.
Pakistan-based digital rights activist Nighat Dad said blocking the sites serves only as "a quick solution for the government".
"It's violating other fundamental rights, which are connected to your freedom of expression, and access to information," she told AFP.
Source: ndtv.com
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/deepfakes-target-women-leaders-in-pakistan-i-was-shattered-7160902
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Medical Institutes in Afghanistan closed to female students: New Order
By Fidel Rahmati
December 3, 2024
The leadership of the Taliban has recently ordered the closure of all medical institutes for women and girls, effective from today, Tuesday, December 3.
The announcement was made by the Ministry of Public Health, under the direction of Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Radio Azadi reported that a doctor, attending the meeting, revealed that Bakhtur Rahman Sharafat, Deputy Minister of Health, informed the heads of all medical institutes about the Taliban’s order to delay or halt girls’ education in both private and public institutes.
Many girls, whose education in other fields was restricted over the past three years, had turned to medical studies as an alternative. This new directive will greatly impact those who sought to pursue careers in health-related fields such as nursing, midwifery, and dental studies.
There are 164 private medical institutes across Afghanistan, in addition to the Ghaznfar Institute in Kabul and 10 government-run institutes in the provinces. Many of these institutes employ female teachers.
The new decision prohibits women from enrolling in private medical institutes for courses such as midwifery, dentistry, nursing, and laboratory sciences. This decision has been implemented despite upcoming semester exams for female students in many institutes.
Afghanistan’s clinics and hospitals are already facing a severe shortage of female doctors and nurses. This lack of medical professionals has led many people to seek medical treatment in neighboring Pakistan, where health services are more accessible.
The closure of medical institutes for women comes at a time when Afghanistan’s healthcare system, particularly for women, is already struggling with a severe shortage of medical personnel. With the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighboring countries, the healthcare sector is under even more pressure.
The closure of medical institutes for women is a significant blow to women’s access to education and professional opportunities in Afghanistan, particularly in healthcare.
The international community will likely continue to monitor the situation closely, as the restrictions on women’s education and employment further isolate Afghanistan from the global community, and the long-term effects of these policies remain to be seen.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/medical-institutes-in-afghanistan-closed-to-female-students-new-order/
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A ‘Medieval Law’: Iran’s New Hijab Bill Cracks Down on Women
Dec 2, 2024
• Iran Unveils New Hijab Law: Tehran on November 30 released the full text of a new bill that would increase punishments on women who refuse to wear the mandatory hijab, or headscarf, in public. Iran’s parliament originally passed the law in September 2023, but the text has undergone multiple revisions since then as a consequence of the requests of the regime’s 12-member, unelected Guardian Council, which vets all statutes to ensure their consistency with Tehran’s Islamist ideology. The council gave final approval to the bill in October 2024.
• Draconian Penalties: Under the law, initial “offenses will incur fines ranging from 20 million tomans ($285) to 80 million tomans ($1,140), while subsequent violations will attract higher fines, between 80 million tomans and 165 million tomans ($2,350),” the UK-based news outlet Iran Wire reported on December 2. The bill also punishes Iranians merely for encouraging defiance of the law or insulting women who obey it. These penalties could include the denial of exit permits to leave Iran, prison sentences of two-to-six years, and 74 lashes.
• Law Sparks Public Anger: The legislation has spurred “nationwide outrage,” Iran Wire reported. In a December 1 statement, prominent Iranian activists Nasrin Sotoudeh and SedighehVasmaghi called the bill “shameful,” a “ridiculous show,” and a “medieval law.” The UK-based news outlet Iran International received hundreds of voice messages condemning the law, many of which described it as economic extortion aimed at funding Iran’s proxies across the Middle East and suppressing dissent.
FDD Expert Response
“Over a decade ago, the Iranian Liberal Students organization launched the bold ‘No to Mandatory Hijab’ campaign, drawing 60,000 supporters on Facebook — a small number but a groundbreaking achievement for its time. Today, Iranian women openly defy the hijab law every single day, standing as a testament to a tech-savvy generation that refuses to be shackled by archaic rules. The regime has already lost the battle over the hijab, clinging desperately to a relic of a bygone era. Its latest hijab law is nothing more than a futile, panic-driven attempt to maintain control in the face of inevitable change.” —Saeed Ghasseminejad, Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor
“The Iran regime’s continued war on women will play a major role in its eventual downfall. The people of Iran despise the regime over its oppression of women — oppression that sparked the largest uprising in the regime’s history just two years ago. Rationality would argue against this law, but here, religious extremism and ideology trump rationality.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor
“Iran’s new hijab law reflects the regime’s desperation. Mindful that its violent suppression of nationwide protests has failed to quell dissent, Tehran now seeks to enforce its radical Islamist creed by imposing financial hardships and additional punishments on ordinary Iranians. Yet this effort is likely to fail as well. Most Iranians seek nothing less than regime change, and they will continue to challenge the Islamic Republic until they achieve their goals.” — Tzvi Kahn, Research Fellow and Senior Editor
“This highlights that both ‘reformist’ and ‘hardliner’ administrations of the Islamic Republic are united in their pursuit of domestic repression. The regime’s exploitation of Iranian women as a source of revenue underscores its desperate efforts to offset a mounting budget deficit. Washington should leverage Tehran’s two critical vulnerabilities — its faltering economy and its dismal record on women’s rights — in confronting the regime.” — JanatanSayeh, Research Analyst
Source: fdd.org
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2024/12/02/a-medieval-law-irans-new-hijab-bill-cracks-down-on-women/
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Sabah Maternity Leave Bill: Contract Workers To Get 98 Days’ Leave, Paternity Leave Also Introduced
03 Dec 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3— The increase in maternity leave from 60 days to 98 days under the Labour Ordinance of Sabah (OBS) (Amendment) Bill 2024 will apply to all female employees in the state’s private sector, whether permanent or contract-based.
Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad, when winding up the debate on the bill in the Dewan Negara yesterday, said the extension aligns with the International Labour Organisation’s Convention, which recommended a minimum of 14 weeks of maternity leave.
“The amendment also introduced a seven-day paternity leave provision (unrecorded leave) for married male employees, capped at five childbirths, thus ensuring private sector male employees enjoy benefits similar to those provided to civil servants.
“The ministry views this facility as essential to enable husbands to support their wives during childbirth, stabilise their emotional well-being, care for the newborn and handle other matters such as birth registration,” he said.
During the debate, Senator Datuk JudietFidilis @ Noraini Idris sought clarification on whether the extended maternity leave provision applies to all female employees in Sabah.
The Senate then passed the bill with a majority voice vote after being debated by four senators.
Also passed was the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease (Amendment) Bill 2024, aimed at bolstering the country’s preparedness against future infectious disease threats.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk LukanismanAwangSauni said the amendments include a clause empowering health officers to use “force” to ensure compliance with their directives.
“The ‘force’ strictly refers to verbal instructions or orders. It does not involve physical actions such as hitting, coercing or detaining individuals and remains consistent with fundamental rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“Authorised officers are trained personnel who must act within enforcement guidelines to prevent power abuse. Therefore, I urge officers to adhere to these guidelines and not exceed their authority,” he said while winding up the debate on the bill.
The bill, which also empowers officers to order individuals infected with an infectious disease to undergo isolation or surveillance, was passed after debates by 15 senators, including Senator Dr Lingeshwaran R. Arunasalam.
The Dewan Negara sitting will resume today. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/12/03/sabah-maternity-leave-bill-contract-workers-to-get-98-days-leave-paternity-leave-also-introduced/158739
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Iran's president criticises new hijab law
Dec 3, 2024
TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed doubts about new legislation imposing tougher penalties on women who flout mandatory hijab regulations.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women in Iran have been required to cover their hair in public.
However, increasing numbers are appearing without hijabs, especially since protests erupted following Mahsa Amini's death in custody in September 2022. She had been arrested for allegedly violating the dress code.
Parliament has approved the new "hijab and chastity" law, but it requires the president's signature on December 13 to take effect.
"As the person responsible for promulgating this law, I have many reservations about it," Pezeshkian told state television late Monday.
The text has not been officially published, but Iranian media reports say the legislation imposes fines equivalent to up to 20 months' average salary for women who improperly wear a hijab or forgo it altogether in public or on social media.
Violators must pay within 10 days or face travel bans and restrictions on public services, such as obtaining driving licences.
"We risk ruining a lot of things in society because of this law," said the Iranian president, adding that leaders must avoid actions that could alienate the public.
The morality police, who arrested Amini before the protests, have largely vanished from the streets since then, though the unit has not been officially abolished.
Pezeshkian, who became president in July after campaigning to remove the morality police, has yet to announce whether he will sign the law.
Source: indiatimes.com
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/irans-president-criticises-new-hijab-law/articleshow/115929868.cms
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For Iranian Women, Can a Revolution Take Place at Home?
Dec 2, 2024
In the wake of the Women, Life, Freedom movement, one of the most significant political uprisings in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iranian society experienced a period of upheaval. The movement began in 2022 when Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman accused of disobeying the hijab law, died after being arrested by the morality police. Many Iranians supported the protesters, who called for greater freedom for women and the end of compulsory veiling; the regime responded with brutal crackdowns.
I grew up in a family where women are compelled to wear the hijab — even at intimate gatherings — because of pressure from our more religious family members. I respect their beliefs, but forcing them on the entire family felt like a type of authoritarianism that mirrored the strict rule of the theocratic regime. When the protests erupted, it was important for me to take a stand among my family.
The Iranian regime and other authoritarian leaders benefit from pitting religious and nonreligious people against each other, leading them to believe that peaceful coexistence is not possible. In this short documentary, “A Move,” I wanted to show how resistance rooted in love and respect can lead to understanding; how there is room for disagreement and nuance without violent confrontation or alienation from “the other side.”
I have been inspired by women fighting for their rights around the world, and I made this film to encourage others to not succumb to pressure if their freedom of choice has been taken away, even if it’s by their loved ones. I hope everyone around the world gains more understanding about the importance of coexistence and refraining from imposing our beliefs on one another.
Source: nytimes.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/opinion/iran-women-hijab.html
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/women-leader-azma-bukhari-pakistan/d/133910