Yasmine Idriss A Female Saudi Cyclist Pedals Her Way To Glory
New Age
Islam News Bureau
08 July 2023
• Yasmine Idriss A Female Saudi Cyclist Pedals
Her Way To Glory
• Brazilian Women Football Team Pays Tribute To
Iran Protesters
• Number Of Arab Women Graduates Doubles In A
Decade
• Fitriya Mohamed Creates Muslim Women’s
Basketball League In Toronto To Promote Inclusivity And Diversity In Sports
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/yasmine-idriss-female-saudi-cyclist/d/130166
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Yasmine
Idriss A Female Saudi Cyclist Pedals Her Way To Glory
Following on the path of the pursuit of one’s own dreams, Yasmine
Idriss’s nordic ring road adventure is to inspired others to pursue their
personal goals. (Supplied)
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July 07,
2023
RIYADH:
Months ago, Yasmine Idriss saw herself in a dream, surrounded by cascading
waterfalls, lush greenery, and the high peaks of mountain ranges. Although it
was only a vague vision, she knew it was Iceland.
On
Tuesday, Idriss began her attempt to cycle around Iceland’s Ring Road or Route
1, a nearly 1,400 km road that goes around the country, a popular route for
tourists who want to explore.
It is a
journey of a lifetime and should she complete it, she would become the first
Arab and Saudi woman to do so.
She told
Arab News: “If I had no obstacles in my way, what would I do? This is what came
up. I wanted to take time to be on a real adventure — a difficult one. One that
would push me to my limits and force me to grow.”
As a
self-supported explorer, she is cycling with around 32 kg of camping gear and
equipment, water, and other essentials for the trip.
Idriss
plans on using camp grounds for accommodation and will stop at hotels along the
way to freshen up.
For the
next three weeks, including four rest days, she will be cycling an average of
80 km daily.
However,
plans can easily change when facing the elements: “The thing with Iceland is,
it’a open. It’s all (mostly) flat, there are no obstacles and there are no
trees — which is why it’s so windy, because there’s nothing to stop the wind.
“What
people tell you about these things is that you’re never really ready. You can
try to simulate the experience as much as you want. But the real deal is always
going to be tougher, and there’s nothing I can do to simulate the wind,” she
said.
Idriss,
who is sharing updates from the journey on her Instagram account @yasidriss,
wrote in the first post that she is on the road with peak winds of 24-48 km/h.
As a
novice biker, the Nordic landscape serves as the perfect doorway for
cross-country exploration. “It’s such a raw country … I’m excited to just be at
the mercy of the elements, in a way, as a primitive, primal way of being and
exploring a country,” she added.
Idriss
dived into the newness of it all with determination. She spent the first half
of the year preparing for the adventure with training sessions with a cycling
coach four times a week and strength training three times a week.
The
training gave her new biking skills like clipping in, riding one handed, and
swiftly mounting on and off.
Idriss
noted that these are things that someone who grew up riding bicycles could do
in their sleep, but she had to take the time to learn.
While
new to the pedals, Idriss has previously trekked across Spain, parts of Europe,
and Southeast Asia. She described feeling a sense of euphoria when the fatigue
would set in after a long day and she would have no choice but to rest for the
night.
Recalling
that experience, she said: “That’s when something switches. Whether it’s our
survival instinct, or something spiritual … You feel something that I can’t
really name that takes over. That’s the prize that you win for putting yourself
through this kind of stuff.”
She
seems to hold a deep admiration for the opportunities that lie in going on adventures,
testing the body’s strength, and being close to nature.
“There
is something to gain from discomfort, and it is growth. It’s how we’ve survived
for millions of years as human beings. It’s how we grow and expand our hearts
and our minds. That’s really what I’m after.”
There
have been a number of Saudi women who have taken up challenging endeavors in
nature. In 2019, Mona Shahab climbed Mount Everest and used the ascent to raise
money for underprivileged children in Egypt. In 2016, Mariam Saleh Binladen
crossed the English Channel, as part of a series of ultimate endurance
challenges to raise awareness of the plight of Syrian orphan children.
“It
feels like a Saudi woman today has no obstacles in front of her. If you think
about everything from government and businesses to the service industry, women
are at the forefront everywhere and I think there’s never been a better time
for the Arab woman to shine,” she noted.
Following
on the path of the pursuit of one’s own dreams, Idriss’s Nordic Ring Road adventure
is to inspired others to pursue their personal goals. It’s like the self-care
airplane analogy states: you must put on your own oxygen mask before you assist
others.
“I think
I purposely am doing this without a cause to encourage people to do things for
themselves … I’m just excited to see what’s waiting for me there. I know I’m
supposed to learn something I’m supposed to grow in a certain way that I’ll
only find out after the trip.”
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2334021/saudi-arabia
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Brazilian
Women Football Team Pays Tribute To Iran Protesters
Photo: Women's Agenda
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Avishka Tandon
07 Jul
2023
The
women's rights protests in Iran are still not over as the government continues
to arrest protesters. Amid the protests, Brazil's football team landed in
Australia for the Women's World Cup and showed their support towards Iranian
protesters.
Iran has
completed 100 days of public protests for women's rights. The Iranian
government is not ready to acknowledge women's rights over their bodies and
freedom to choose their attire. Hence, there have been nationwide protests and
violent demonstrations in the country. The people are protesting against the
morality police and the strict hijab rules leading to several arrests and
execution in the country. Brazil displays solidarity with the protesters in
Iran on arrival at Women's FIFA World Cup in Australia.
Brazil
World Cup Team Tribute To Iran
The
Brazilian women's football team landed in Australia for FIFA Women's World Cup
2023. The first thing everyone noticed was the flight's tail. The tail of the
plane on which the team travelled had a picture of Mahsa Amini, the Iranian
woman whose death in police custody sparked nationwide protests in Iran. The
other side of the tail had a picture of Amir Nasr Azadani, the Iranian
footballer who was arrested for protesting against Amini's death. The plane
also had the quote, "No woman should be forced to cover her head"
written on it. The quote was in reference to Mahsa Amini's death in police
custody for wearing a hijab in public.
Iran is
facing immense backlash for ignoring human rights. Not only Iranian celebrities
like ShervinHajipour, Saman Yasin, Ali Daei, and Sardar Azmoun but celebrities
across the world like Angelina Jolie, Priyanka Chopra, Jada Pinkett Smith, and
Juliette Binoche have shown their support for women's rights protests in Iran.
There
have been reports of a rise in the number of executions in Iran which has
raised concerns over human rights.
Source: shethepeople.tv
https://www.shethepeople.tv/viral-video/brazil-world-cup-team-tribute-to-iran
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Number
of Arab women graduates doubles in a decade
5 Jul,
2023
Holding
an academic degree translates into greater participation in the workforce and
higher pay.
According
to the Labor Market Report for 2022 released today by the Ministry of Labor,
Social Affairs and Social Services, over a decade, there has been a dramatic
rise in the number of Arab women acquiring higher education, which has
translated into greater participation in the labor market.
In 2020,
the report states, a quarter of Arab women aged 30-34 held academic degrees,
double the proportion in 2010, when just 13% of Arab women in this age group
held degrees. In the 29-31 age group, the proportion of those with degrees
reached 27% in 2020.
The
figures are in line with those of the Council for Higher Education in Israel,
which also show a substantial rise in the number of female Arab students. The
proportion of women among Arabs studying for a first degree has remained steady
in recent years at about 69%, but the proportion of Arabs in the undergraduate
student body as a whole has risen from 16% in 2014 to 20% today, almost the
same as their proportion in Israel’s population.
There is
a correlation between higher education, participation in the workforce, and
level of pay for those in work. People with academic degrees are found to earn
more than those without, even after control for variables such as occupation,
industry, gender, ethnic group, and location. According to a study by the Taub
Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel, a degree yields 45% higher pay,
which means that higher education is an important avenue for advancement for
weak sections of the population such as Arab women.
The
general level of participation in the workforce by Arab women, which
historically has been very low in comparison with women in other sections of
the population, has also risen significantly. According to the Labor Market
Report, in 2014, the rate of participation in the workforce by Arab women was
just 33%. This compared with a rate of 69% among haredi (ultra-Orthodox Jewish)
women, and 78% among non-haredi Jewish women. By 2022, the rate of
participation among Arab women jumped to 42%.
Ministry
of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services director general Israel Uzan said,
"The future of the Israeli labor market is dependent on the ability of
different populations to participate in it in general, and particularly in
areas with high demand that offer high pay, and that is the task before us. In
the past decade there has been a noticeable improvement in employment among
Arab and haredi women alongside a sharp rise in education levels. Among haredi
women, the proportion with academic degrees has risen from 9% to 15%, and among
Arab women the proportion has doubled to 25%. These are encouraging figures. We
are working to strengthen and broaden the accessibility of institutions of
higher education and training to all sectors, including engineering studies and
professional training, so that they will continue to help in matching workers
qualifications to the demands of the market."
Source: en.globes.co.il
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-number-of-arab-women-graduates-doubles-in-a-decade-1001451410
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Fitriya
Mohamed creates Muslim Women’s Basketball League in Toronto to promote
inclusivity and diversity in sports
Jul 7,
2023
Toronto:
Fitriya Mohamed, a passionate sports enthusiast, has taken a remarkable
initiative to create a basketball league exclusively for Muslim women and
allies in Toronto. Fueled by her own experiences of struggling to find suitable
tournaments and leagues as a Muslim girl, Fitriya aims to increase
participation rates and promote diversity within the sport.
The
Muslim Women’s Basketball League, founded and led by Fitriya, has garnered
significant attention and support since its inception. The league serves as a
platform to encourage young Muslim girls to engage in basketball and provides
them with the necessary space and opportunities to develop their skills.
In an
interview with Olympics.com, Fitriyaemphasised the importance of
representation, stating, “Representation is truly so important. I realised that
with more visibility we have in spaces, more young Muslim girls are coming to
play basketball.” By offering a supportive and inclusive environment, the
league aims to inspire and empower its participants, fostering a sense of
community and belonging.
The
success of Fitriya’sendeavour has been evident as the league prepares for its
second edition, scheduled to commence in August 2023. The positive impact it
has had on the young girls involved is particularly notable. Fitriya expressed
her desire for the league to have existed during her own basketball journey, as
it would have provided her with the inspiration and support she needed to
excel. Witnessing the enthusiasm and support from the community surrounding the
young girls participating in the league is a testament to the positive impact
of the initiative.
The
Muslim Women’s Basketball League not only offers a platform for Muslim women to
showcase their skills and love for the sport but also paves the way for a new
generation of women and girls in Toronto and beyond. By breaking down barriers
and creating opportunities, Fitriya is instrumental in creating a more
inclusive and diverse landscape in the world of basketball.
Source: english.janamtv.com
https://english.janamtv.com/news/63264/fitriya-mohamed-creates-muslim-womens-basketball-league-in-toronto-to-promote-inclusivity-and-diversity-in-sports/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/yasmine-idriss-female-saudi-cyclist/d/130166