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Islam, Women and Feminism ( 3 Sept 2022, NewAgeIslam.Com)

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Zubeida, a Muslim Woman Is At Helm of Ganapati Seva Samiti at Chikkamagaluru

New Age Islam News Bureau

03 September 2022

• Saudi Woman Embarks On Journey from Riyadh to Hejaz on Camel

• Jihadist Group in Idlib Blocks Married Women from Studying

• Saudi Women Excel in Hotel Management after Training in Europe

• Abu Dhabi to Host Women, Peace and Security Conference Next Week

• UAE Women Have Taken To the Skies, Female Police Pilot Sheikha Mozah Says In Rio

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:    https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/zubeida,-muslim-ganapati/d/127870

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Zubeida, a Muslim Woman Is At Helm of Ganapati Seva Samiti at Chikkamagaluru

 

Zubeida celebrates Ganapathi pooja with the help of youth of her village. She says that her family has not taught her any restrictions with regards to religion. She says that, “we should not impose religious restrictions on the youth. Let the caste, traditions be at home. It should not affect the peace and communal harmony.”

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Sep 02 2022

Chikkamagaluru, Sep 2: A Muslim woman, who is the president of Ganapati Seva Samiti for the past 13 years, is doing commendable work towards promoting communal harmony by partaking in Ganapati pooja activities.

Zubeida, a native of N R Pura of the district is the president of Panchayat as well. She is the president of Ganapati Seva Samiti of Rajiv Nagar since the last 13 years. This year also Lord Ganesha idol has been venerated under her Presidentship.

Zubeida does pooja herself during the Chaturthi festival. In the Muslim community women are not allowed to work. Partaking in social works is prohibited. However, Zubeida has violated the norms of her community and is participating in Ganapati pooja for the last two decades.

Zubeida celebrates Ganapati pooja with the help of youth of her village. She says that her family has not taught her any restrictions with regards to religion. She says that, “we should not impose religious restrictions on the youth. Let the caste, traditions be at home. It should not affect the peace and communal harmony.”

This year along with the Ganapati idol, photo of late Kannada cine actor Puneeth Rajkumar has also been venerated. In Muslim community women are not allowed to go to the cemetery. However, Zubeida herself has helped people in conducting final rites of many orphan dead bodies.

Locals have high respect for Zubeida. They say that more people of Zubeida’s mentality are required for this country and state at the moment.

Source: Daiji World

https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=995858

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Saudi Woman Embarks On Journey from Riyadh to Hejaz on Camel

 

Nadia al-Fawaz & Amani Hamad, Al Arabiya English

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02 September, 2022

Saudi camel owner Rasha al-Qurashi embarked on a journey from the Kingdom’s capital Riyadh to Hejaz on Wednesday after vowing to do so if she doesn’t win at King Abdul Aziz Camel Festival.

“I made a vow that if I don’t win, I will return from [Riyadh] to Hejaz on my camel,” al-Qurashi told Al Arabiya.

She added that after losing at the festival around six months ago, she began preparing for her journey and issuing all the necessary permits.

The journey, which entails 14 stops, is expected to last 20 days.

Al-Qurashi, who arrived in al-Hefnah on Friday en route to al-Qassim province, said that she stops to rest every 50 kilometers.

She also said that despite the difficulty of the journey, it represents a tangible lesson about the life of her ancestors who traveled on camels in the desert.

“I am the daughter of the desert. I was raised on loving camels… and I seek to prove that women can participate in camel breeding as they are capable of [exploring] all fields and succeeding,” she added.

King Abdul Aziz Camel Festival, which brought together camel owners from Gulf countries, the US, Russia and France, kicked off on December 1, 2021, and lasted for 40 days.

It was set up on an area of 32 square kilometers and located nearly 100 kilometers north-east of Riyadh.

In addition to competitions in 19 categories, the festival also included various entertainment and cultural activities to present it as a global carnival that provides around 5,000 jobs and stands as a destination for tourists from across the world with more than 100,000 visits a day.

Source: Al Arabiya

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2022/09/02/Saudi-woman-embarks-on-journey-from-Riyadh-to-Hejaz-on-camel

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Jihadist group in Idlib blocks married women from studying

Mouneb Taim

September 3, 2022

Women in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib face daily violations of their rights at the hands of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls the province. The group’s members have been repeatedly accused of violations and restrictions against the people of Idlib.

Most recently, married women have been deprived of their right to education. On Aug. 15, the Education Directorate of the Salvation Government, HTS’ civilian arm, issued a decision banning married female students from attending public schools and universities.

The decision deprived dozens of married women of their basic rights to education and to continue their studies, as part of HTS’ systematic policy of tightening the noose on residents of Idlib province.

All attempts by Rawan al-Atrash, from Binnish city in the countryside of Idlib, to be admitted to school and fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher in the future were unsuccessful.

Atrash, 16, told Al-Monitor, “I am one of dozens of married students who were deprived of education in Syria because of the decisions of the Education Directorate of the Salvation Government to prevent married female students from pursuing their studies.”

On a more personal level, she said that her father forced her to drop out of school when she was in sixth grade because she was his eldest daughter and had to help her mother and learn sewing, cooking and housework in order to get married.

When she turned 14, she was coerced by her family into marrying her cousin. After two years of marriage and a child and another on the way, her husband agreed to her completing her education in ninth grade. However, she was surprised by the refusal of the school administration in Binnish to admit her. She did not disclose the name of the school out of fear for her personal safety.

Shortly after, her married friend Aisha told her that several married students had been rejected at the same school, and they had been given the same reason by the school principal — that there were no spots available.

Atrash said that denying her the possibility of completing her education deeply affected her, especially as the first rejection came from her family at a young age. Once she had convinced her husband to allow her to pursue her studies, since the school was nearby and all her married friends would be in the same class, she was rejected by the Education Directorate.

In 2019 statements, Mahmoud al-Maarawi, the first Sharia judge in Damascus, who heads the religious court that oversees personal status issues in Syria, said that the percentage of underage marriage during the Syrian war rose to 13%, compared to 3% before the war. Most marriages were concluded as per customary contracts, according to Maarawi.

Speaking to Al-Monitor, Raghad al-Jassem, a 19-year-old woman from Idlib, said she was deprived of her right to education, which would have helped her become more independent and self-sufficient.

She was unable to continue her studies after her husband was killed two years ago during battles with HTS in Idlib’s countryside, as she was forced to drop out of school and tend to her family.

This year, she decided to go back to school. But although she is not technically married, but rather a widow, she is trying to hide her status at the Education Directorate through her inside contacts to circumvent the recent decision, and be able to finish her high school studies and achieve her dream of becoming a nurse.

Jassem described HTS’ recent decision as unjust and arbitrary, adding that there is no article or clause preventing married women from education in the Syrian Constitution, Syrian laws or even in Islam.

For years, the education sector in Idlib and its countryside has been suffering from great difficulties that have encumbered thousands of male and female students from education.

On the other hand, a school principal in Maarrat Misrin, in the north of Idlib, told Al-Monitor that she was recently asked by the Education Directorate of the Salvation Government not to enroll married female students in public schools that are affiliated with the directorate.

The source, who refused to reveal her name and the name of the school, said that the decision was not in writing, but it was verbally mentioned to her.

She said that she would be held accountable if any married student is enrolled at her school, and she would be punished.

She noted that the decision applies to all schools in Idlib and its countryside that are affiliated with the Education Directorate.

The school principal said she was also asked to tell married women seeking education that there are no available spots.

The source said she is personally implementing this mandatory decision, as she believes the most suitable place for a woman is her husband's house and raising her children. She noted that a married woman would take the place of another student because she would have to suspend education during pregnancy and childbearing for an extended period, and that would deprive an unmarried student of the spot.

She said that the way unmarried and married female students think is totally different, especially when it comes to marital conversations in school. This might affect other girls’ thinking.

She concluded by saying that, as a school principal, she believes the decision is correct, and any married woman should abide by it and by her husband’s opinion completely.

An Idlib-based activist who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity said that banning married women from enrolling in public schools is arbitrary and unjust, amid lack of justifications, except for HTS’ control of the area and its systematic crackdown on citizens and education of women, married or unmarried, but mainly the married ones.

Women have bigger responsibilities and burdens, and education can boost their self-confidence and empower them to interact with others and with society, she said, adding that depriving women of education negatively affects their lives, weakens their character and robs them of economic independence.

HTS is trying to completely control the education sector in Idlib and indoctrinate students with its ideas and beliefs by luring them to its religious schools and offering them benefits.

There are several religious schools affiliated with HTS in Idlib, like Dar al-Wahi al-Sharif, which is one of the largest in Idlib. HTS funds its religious schools from its own resources.

In February, teachers who volunteer at schools affiliated with Idlib and Hama education directorates closed schools until they have paid their outstanding wages, as part of a general strike. Teachers in Idlib, who were forced to work as volunteers after years of unpaid salaries, had been protesting in recent years the deteriorating conditions of schools in Idlib. But their demands continue to fall on deaf ears.

Source: Al Monitor

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/08/jihadist-group-idlib-blocks-married-women-studying

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Saudi women excel in hotel management after training in Europe

TAREQ AL-THAQAFI

September 02, 2022

MAKKAH: Women in Saudi Arabia are rising to the top in hotel management after taking part in intensive training programs in Europe.

The Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with leading international training institutions, has been funding overseas initiatives designed to meet the needs of the Kingdom’s burgeoning tourism labor market.

And many of those participating in a range of training and mentoring programs aboard have gained invaluable practical experience in the industry while learning relevant hospitality and management skills.

In central Makkah alone, more than 1,400 hotels provide accommodation for pilgrims and visitors to the holy city, employing thousands of foreign-trained Saudi men and women in jobs including reception, room and kitchen service, supervision, management, and bookings.

Sarah Niazi, a Fairmont Gold assistant manager, recently returned from an intensive training course at Les Roches international school of hotel management in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

She said that the experience had exposed her to the high levels of service required to meet international standards in the tourism sector.

“The main goal in our field is to ensure guest satisfaction and quality services. Both the Ministry of Tourism and Fairmont Gold have supported and facilitated everything so that we could go through this experience and return equipped with skills that make us more efficient as Saudi youth to serve guests coming from all over the world,” she added.

Reham Zahid, guest relations supervisor at a hotel in Makkah, said: “I thank King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Saudi Ministry of Tourism for providing this opportunity, training young men and women to develop their tourism skills.

“They have exerted all efforts to achieve the ambition of creating 1 million jobs for all by 2030, allowing the pioneers of the tourism sector to contribute to the prosperity of the local economy by 10 percent, and qualifying them to form a vibrant society by receiving 1 million visitors to the country by 2030.

“I am proud to be one of the pioneers of tourism and participate in the largest international training. I joined the program launched by the Ministry of Tourism in August and I was among the first to receive intensive training at Les Roches in hotel management and global hospitality with the most skilled specialists, who kindly shared their experiences with us.

“I returned home more qualified, as per international standards, and I look forward to achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aims for tourism, hotel management, and hospitality.

“I am pleased to be a young leader in the empowerment of Saudi women so that my country shines among the countries of the world. I look forward to contributing to this sector’s growth and providing the best services, offering comfort for tourists and a sense of reassurance inside Saudi Arabia,” she added.

Source: Arab News

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2155251/saudi-arabia

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Abu Dhabi to host Women, Peace and Security conference next week

September 02, 2022

Abu Dhabi: Under the patronage of Mother of the Nation Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, Abu Dhabi will host a high-level International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security next week.

Organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, the General Women’s Union, UN Women, the League of Arab States and the Abu Dhabi Ports Group, the conference will take place from September 8 to 10.

The conference will review the achievements and challenges relating to the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which emphasises the importance of equal participation of women and their full involvement in all efforts to maintain peace and security in conflict areas around the world, and also in post-conflict construction. The conference also will also seek to achieve consensus on specific procedures to implement the UAE’s National Action Plan.

On this occasion, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said that the UAE’s organisation of the conference stems from its belief in the important and pivotal role that women play in all fields and their contribution to society’s prosperity.

Sheikh Abdullah recognised the UAE’s firm commitment to achieving gender equality and enhancing the role of women in society and extended his appreciation to Sheikha Fatima for her pivotal role in supporting women as true partners in the progress of the UAE and for her patronage of this high-level conference.

The minister emphasised the important role the UAE plays in supporting the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda within the frameworks of the United Nations, especially in light of its current non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

350 women military-trained

Mohammed Ahmed Al Bawardi Al Falasi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, stated the leadership of the UAE, especially Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, had supported and endorsed the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda, since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in 2018 between the General Women’s Union and UN Women.

“All stakeholders worked to develop the military capabilities of women and their knowledge of the foundations of peacekeeping. The Ministry of Defence has supported the training of more than 350 women from various Arab, Asian, and African countries at the Khawla Bint Al-Azwar Military School with great success and we will continue to implement these training programmes to maintain security, peace, and stability,” he said.

Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union, said: “We are pleased to express our full confidence in the capabilities of the participants in the conference’s activities to come up with a practical set of outputs and recommendations to enhance the activation of the influential role of women in building peace around the world.”

Bringing decision-makers together

Dr Mouza Al Shehhi, Director of the UN Women Liaison Office for the GCC, said: “Advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda is a priority for UN Women, as women have long been doing important work in peace building in many conflict zones, but there is a sharp contrast with their participation in formal peace negotiations, where women still largely do not play any formal roles. Between 1992 and 2019, on average, only 13 per cent of negotiators were women, although studies show that women’s participation increases opportunities for sustainable peace and lead to agreements containing more provisions that benefit women and men equally. The conference aims, through its various sessions, to bring together decision-makers and stakeholders from different countries to analyse the role of women in peace and security, in line with the objectives of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325.”

The conference will highlight the great efforts made by the UAE on the level of Women, Peace, and Security, and setting specific procedures to implement the UAE’s national plan to implement the UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

It will also focus on discussing ways to achieve the ambitious goals set by the UN to increase the participation of women in UN peacekeeping forces, such as increasing their percentage in units with military missions to about 15 per cent, and in forces with police missions to 20 per cent by 2028.

Women in uniform

In 2000, the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was adopted, establishing the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda, and recognised women’s leadership in promoting international peace and security as well as their contributions to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding. Progress has been achieved throughout the years.

In 1993, women made up one per cent of deployed uniformed personnel. However, after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the number of women in peacekeeping personnel rapidly rose. Female staff officers and military observers climbed from 12.3 per cent to 17.8 per cent between 2018 and 2021, while female police officers increased from 22.3 per cent to 30.4 per centand women in established police units increased from nine per cent to 14.8.

Source: Gulf News

https://gulfnews.com/uae/abu-dhabi-to-host-women-peace-and-security-conference-next-week-1.90262427

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UAE women have taken to the skies, female police pilot Sheikha Mozah says in Rio

September 02, 2022

Abu Dhabi: Sheikha Mozah bint Marwan Al Maktoum, First Lieutenant Pilot at Dubai Police, on Friday attended the Women in Tech LATAM Awards in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

Sheikha Mozah delivered a keynote speech at the event, highlighting the UAE’s journey in women’s empowerment and the country’s efforts to boost their participation across various fields. In her address, Sheikha Mozah also discussed women’s contribution to aviation throughout history and shared her experience as a First Lieutenant Pilot at Dubai Police.

“The UAE has provided women with all the support needed to succeed and considers them active partners in the country’s development journey. Thanks to the leadership’s commitment to gender balance and women empowerment, women in the UAE today enjoy leading positions across all fields and are assuming roles that were once believed to be only suitable for men. The support women continue to receive in the UAE has allowed them to excel in different industries, including aviation,” Sheikha Mozah said.

She reiterated that skills are not gender-specific and that excelling in aviation requires passion, commitment, and determination. Reaffirming her commitment to supporting more women in aviation, she said the “opportunity to fly an aircraft belongs to everyone and is not limited to any specific gender”.

Dubai ceremony

The Women in Tech LATAM Awards is the first of a series of regional awards organised by Women in Tech, an international non-profit organisation on a mission to close the gender gap and help women embrace technology. Dubai is set to host the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) edition of the Awards at the iconic Museum of the Future on October 13 to honour winners across eight categories.

Sheikha Mozah presented the Youth Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award to the winners in Rio De Janeiro.

“Youth are the reason I do what I do. I am motivated to help the next generation embrace all challenges as great opportunities to strive, grow and achieve their full potential,” she said.

Sheikha Mozah’s collaboration with Women in Tech began in May this year when she was invited to discuss her experience as a female pilot during the first Women in Tech Summit in Paris. Her story resonated with women across the global tech community. The resulting collaboration benefits youth and the Women in Tech mission of empowering women through technology.

On the sidelines of the event, Sheikha Mozah met with Cris Dos Prazeres, founder of VaiNa Web, a Women in Tech project launched in Morro Dos Prazeres in Rio De Janeiro. The meeting discussed how technology and coding are creating new youth opportunities.

Source: Gulf News

https://gulfnews.com/uae/uae-women-have-taken-to-the-skies-female-police-pilot-sheikha-mozah-says-in-rio-1.90287617

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URL:    https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/zubeida,-muslim-ganapati/d/127870

 

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