Hindu Doctor, Dr Saveera Parkash, Feels Touched By Muslim Support In Pakistan Polls
New Age Islam News
Bureau
05 February 2024
·
Hindu Doctor, Dr Saveera Parkash, Feels Touched
By Muslim Support In Pakistan Polls
·
Israeli Reservist, Shari Mendes, Peddles Lies
About Hamas ‘Sexual Violence’ And Gets Away With It
·
Doha Al Mujadilah Centre and Mosque for Women
Opens Doors To Public
·
Japan And UN Women Partner To Strengthen Afghan
Women’s Resilience
·
Shaheen Bagh NGOs Help Poor Women Facing
Domestic Violence
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/hindu-saveera-muslim-pakistan/d/131660
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Hindu
Doctor, Dr Saveera Parkash, Feels Touched By Muslim Support In Pakistan Polls
Saveera Parkash with PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
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Feb 5, 2024
BATHINDA:
Whichever way Pakistan votes on Feb 8, country's first Hindu woman to run for
national assembly, Dr Saveera Parkash, will rejoice in how her Muslim
constituency, restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, and Islamic republic
accepted someone from minority community as 'Buner Ki Beti' (daughter of
Buner).
When Dr
Saveera graduated from Abbottabad International Medical College in 2022, she
aspired only to compete for the Central Superior Services (CSS). However,
Pakistan People's Party picked this Hindu doctor as its candidate for Buner's
PK-25 seat. The polyglot who knows six languages wants to be a bridge between
India and Pakistan, besides upgrading Buner's hospitals for safer and
affordable deliveries, building girls' colleges, creating income support for
women, and providing people with clean drinking water.
Reforming
a conservative society that keeps its women in burqa (Islamic veil) isn't going
to be easy for anyone, and she's a non-Muslim, too. Asked to describe the
challenges, she said: "There's space in Pakistani politics for minorities
and women, which is why the PPP fielded me from a general seat."
Elders
in the mosques and children in the madrassas pray for her success, while the
common Muslims run her election campaign. Her father, Dr Om Parkash, is
associated with the PPP since 1995. As evidence of her father's commitment to
PPP, she recalls how bitterly he cried when Pakistan's former PM Benazir Bhutto
was assassinated in December 2007.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/hindu-doctor-in-pakistan-elections-muslim-support-touches-her/articleshowprint/107411338.cms
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Israeli
Reservist, Shari Mendes, Peddles Lies About Hamas ‘Sexual Violence’ And Gets
Away With It
04
February 2024
Appearing
on a prime-time Sky News show earlier this week, Israeli military reservist
Shari Mendes again resorted to her favourite activity – peddling lies about the
Palestinian resistance.
“It
seems like there was a systematic genital mutilation of women,” Mendes told
show host Yalda Hakim while discussing the events of October 7 when Hamas
launched the unprecedented military operation dubbed ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Storm’
(Al-Aqsa Flood).
“The
halls were lined to the ceiling with body bags, the smell was unimaginable. I
can't tell you the shock and despair that struck all of us,” she added,
repeating the claim made by Israeli officials.
The
Israeli military reservist noted that women were “shot in the crotch and the
genitals.”
Her remarks
were in line with a report by the New York Times, which accused the Gaza-based
Hamas resistance group of “weaponizing” rape on October 7, which the group
dismissed flatly.
Hamas
politburo member Basem Naim said the claims were “biased to what the Israeli
propaganda says [in terms of] lies and slanders against the Palestinians and
their resistance.”
A
Mondoweiss report on December 1 also debunked a report by veteran CNN
journalist Jake Tapper that claimed “rape crimes” against Israeli women on
October 7.
“The
most concerning aspect of the report is the fact that every single witness and
“expert” in the CNN report proves to either be lacking in credibility or have
ties to Israeli government officials and institutions,” the report stated.
Journalist
Jonathan Cook in an article published on October 18 asserted that the
allegations against Hamas were not backed by evidence and were being used to
justify genocide in the besieged territory.
“However,
unlike the lack of evidence that Hamas ordered rape as a weapon of war, we do
have evidence – from the Israeli media – that an Israeli military leader
encouraged Israeli soldiers to rape Palestinian women to “boost morale”,” he
wrote, referring to Col. Eyal Karim, Israeli military’s rabbi who suggested
last month that rape “was permissible” in times of war.
Interestingly,
the Israeli military failed to gather forensic evidence to substantiate the
allegations of rape against Hamas, and even an Israeli military spokesman
retracted the statement.
So, the
claim repeated by Mendes holds no water, according to independent observers.
Sky News, after a barrage of comments calling out the lie of the “serial liar”,
blocked comments on the post on X.
It’s not
the first time Mendes has made such baseless claims about “sexual violence”
against Hamas.
On
October 20, she claimed, without a shred of evidence, that a baby was “cut out
of a pregnant woman and beheaded, and then the mother was beheaded.”
“There
is evidence of mass rape so brutal that they broke their victims’ pelvis – women,
grandmothers, children,” the Israeli military reservist stated in a report
published by the Daily Mail.
“I heard
stories about Auschwitz as a child growing up in New Jersey. But what I have
seen here with my own eyes is worse than the Holocaust,” she claimed – a claim
that turned out hollow.
Two days
later, on October 22, the Christian Post repeated the same unsubstantiated
claim of a baby being “cut out of a pregnant woman and beheaded and then the
mother was beheaded.”
It was
followed by her interview with The Jewish Insider, in which the Israeli
military reservist rehashed the same worn-out claims: “Pelvises were broken,
and it probably takes a lot to break a pelvis. This was also among grandmothers
down to small children... We saw these bodies with our own eyes.”
On Nov
25, in an interview with The Washington Post, Mendes claimed to see "many
women with bloody underwear, with broken bones, broken legs, broken pelvises.”
The
report was scandalously headlined – “rape as a weapon of air” – an attempt to
vilify Hamas.
On
December 4, she appeared at a press conference, representing the Israeli
regime, at the United Nations, making the make allegations.
The
world body was slammed for providing the stage to a hate-monger who defends the
regime that has been responsible for the killing of hundreds of UN workers in
the besieged Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.
On
December 28, speaking with the New York Times, Mendes said she saw four people
with signs of sexual violence, including some with “a lot of blood in their
pelvic areas".'
Last
month, speaking at an event in Westminster organized by the All Party UK-Israel
Parliamentary Group, Mendes claimed to have fled a morgue as “bodies were
coming in booby-trapped."
“We
didn’t want to leave them [the dead women] but we were told ‘it’s dangerous,
you have to get out’... The whole staff had to leave [the morgue] until it was
safe to go back in.”
Her
claims have been debunked by the Israeli military officials themselves, albeit
privately, and no independent investigation has so far proved the credibility
of what she continues to say in interviews.
A report
by the Electronic Intifada website in December deconstructed the “deceptive
campaign based not on evidence but emotional manipulation, outlandish claims,
distortion.”
“Its
purpose is to demonize them and soften up public opinion to tolerate or support
Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza,” the report stated.
Mondoweiss,
in a report published on December 8, stated that the Israeli claim of “sexual
violence” consists of only one eyewitness testimony that was shown exclusively
to Israeli journalists.
On the
other hand, what is known to the world are the testimonies of Israeli female
captives themselves, who spoke highly of their captors after being freed in a
swap deal.
Daniel
Aloni, one of the elderly captives, even wrote to thank Hamas’s armed wing
Al-Qassam Brigades before being released along with her daughter Emilia, which
grabbed headlines.
“I will
forever be thankful that she doesn’t leave here with trauma,” she wrote. “If
only in this world we could truly be good friends.”
Source: presstv.ir
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/02/04/719477/israeli-reservist-peddles-lies-about-hamas-sexual-violence-gets-away
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Doha Al
Mujadilah Centre and Mosque for Women Opens Doors To Public
04 Feb
2024
Doha,
Qatar: Al Mujadilah Centre and Mosque for Women unveiled its facilities to the
public during a special event yesterday.
The
occasion showcased the centre’s amenities, introduced instructors and staff,
and presented an overview of the various programmes available to provide
attendees with a glimpse into the offerings of the centre.
They
were also invited to explore Al Mujadilah’s mosque, library, communal spaces,
cafe, and gardens, all of which are accessible to the public.
Al
Mujadilah Centre and Mosque for Women is founded by H H Sheikha Moza bint
Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, with the aim of reinforcing Islamic
identity among Muslim women and creating a space for their active participation
in public debate and enriching contemporary Islamic discourse. While scheduled
programming begins on February 6, women can also visit the centre without
registering for a programme between 10am and 8pm to enjoy the public
facilities.
“Al
Mujadilah is a centre and mosque that offers religious, developmental and
social programming to Muslim women of all ages and backgrounds to study,
dialogue and worship together… (it) aims to be a gathering place for Muslim
women to address contemporary issues and provide them a space for
conversation,” said Dr. Sohaira Siddiqui, Director of Al Mujadilah Centre and
Mosque for Women speaking to the media during a tour held prior to welcoming
the public.
The
women’s mosque in Al Mujadilah provides a space to pray in tranquillity and it
can accommodate around 800 individuals. The other areas of the building can
accommodate about 400 women at any given time.
“It’s a
women only space - idea on building on the tradition of women leading one
another in prayer,” said Dr. Sohaira, adding that Friday prayers and Tarawih
prayers will be held during the holy month of Ramadan.
Al
Mujadilah Centre and Mosque for Women offers around 30 programmes in different
streams and research work.
“In terms of our programming, we have social
programming, religious programming, developmental programming and research
programming. All of our programming was created in conversation with Muslim
women; we spoke and identified what are the issues that they want to discuss
about,” said Dr. Sohaira, adding that have research workshops and conferences
will be held in the future.
One of
the key features of Al Mujadilah is a library with an extensive collection
covering Islamic history, the history of women, and a collection of fiction and
nonfiction books by Muslim female authors.
According
to Dr. Sohaira, Al Mujadilah will have two book clubs in Arabic and in English
which will feature conversations with authors.
The learning spaces are specially designed to give a positive experience
to the women.
“All our
learning spaces have been designed in a way that facilitates conversation and
discussion, which are key to all of our programming, because we want to have
Muslim women continuously engaged. You can register for our programming online
at almujadilah.qa, and we really hope that Muslim women take advantage of the
range of programmes that we’re offering,” Kholood Nooh, Programmes and Impact
Specialist at Al Mujadilah said. Another important feature is the garden area,
which is specially designed for women to relax and get involved in discussions.
It has several sculptures including a stone sculpture depicting women as the
foundation of knowledge.
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com
https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/04/02/2024/al-mujadilah-center-and-mosque-for-women-welcomes-community
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Japan
and UN Women partner to strengthen Afghan women’s resilience
5
February 2024
Afghanistan
— On 17 January 2024, the Government of Japan and UN Women signed a partnership
agreement to launch a new programme aimed at strengthening women's resilience
in Afghanistan.
After
supporting UN Women in the delivery of lifesaving services for Afghan women and
girls in 2022 and the protection and empowerment of crisis-affected Afghan women
and girls in 2023, this contribution reaffirms Japan’s commitments to gender
equality and women’s empowerment in Afghanistan for the third consecutive year.
The
one-year programme aims to reduce the disproportionate risks and negative
impact of socio-economic and political shocks on Afghan women, including those
who are the most marginalized and in vulnerable and disaster-prone settings. In
line with the 2023 Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan, the programme
focuses on investing in women’s leadership at the community level, while
contributing to meeting their basic human needs.
The
programme was designed in response to the impact of two consecutive years of
natural disasters in Afghanistan, exacerbated by restrictions on women’s
rights, including their rights to movement and mobility and economic
participation.
“We are
proud to count on the Government of Japan as a longstanding ally of UN Women
since the entity’s establishment, supporting women and girls’ rights and
resilience in Afghanistan.” said, Shoko Ishikawa, UN Women’s Deputy, Director -
Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division and UN Women Special
Representative for Afghanistan a.i.
Source: asiapacific.unwomen.org
https://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/stories/news/2024/02/japan-and-un-women-partner-to-strengthen-afghan-womens-resilience
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Shaheen
Bagh NGOs Help Poor Women Facing Domestic Violence
Aasha
Khosa
Feb 4, 2024
Ghaus
Sivani
Naseema,
a native of West Bengal works as a housemaid in Southeast Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh
area. She takes care of her two young children with her income, and her
husband, who drives a cycle rickshaw spends most of his earnings on drugs and
alcohol.
He also
regularly abused his wife and children and didn't pay for their upkeep. A wise
woman, Naseema was worried about this situation and wanted to live a normal
life.
Luckily,
one day, she came in contact with the Mahila Panchayat, a group of volunteers
who help people like Naseema. The Mahila Panchayat intervened and tried to
persuade her husband, but it had no impact on her husband. Finally, the group
sought legal help and Naseems’s life changed for the better. Her husband still
uses drugs but he is quiet and home and doesn’t resort to violence.
Naseema
also gets some financial help from the Mahila Panchayat for meeting financial
emergencies at home.
Thanks
to the intervention of Mahila Panchayat, about 3,000 women like Naseema are out
of the are living in peace and dignity. The Mahila Panchayat not only
extricates these women from a situation of domestic violence but also helps
them financially.
The
Mahila Panchayat works under the supervision of the Social Pride Welfare
Society of Shaheen Bagh and is supported by the Delhi Government.
Firdous Begum of the Mahila Panchayat says
that women come up to them with a lot of problems but the majority of the cases
are of domestic violence. She says that the number of women victims of domestic
violence is more than we could imagine.
“Usually
women suffer violence at home silently and they approach us only after it turns
serious and chronic,” she said.
She says
that so far the Mahila Panchayat has addressed more than 3000 cases of domestic
violence. “Usually, in such cases, we try to solve the problem by counseling.
When the counseling doesn’t help, we also take the help of the police.”
Dr.
Kamal Ahmed, President of the Social Pride Welfare Society says that many women
victims of domestic violence also need treatment that the Society provides.
Dr.
Ahmed explains that the key problems that women face at home can be solved by
empowering them. For that, the Society tries to train women and girls in
self-defense.
The
society also runs a skill training center for women at Jaitpur, Badarpur area
of Delhi where women learn tailoring and cutting and applying henna. So far
more than 300 women have been trained in the center and others are enrolled in
it.
Dr Ahmad
said that crimes against women are increasing across the country. The data
shows that India’s capital Delhi is at the top of the cities where crimes
against women are high. To deal with this alarming situation, the society also
organized a self-defense program for women in collaboration with the Delhi
Women's Commission.
In the
camp, the trainers try to explain the importance of self-defense to women and
girls. While women are taught the art of self-defense, the camp also prepares
them for using force."
Dr.
Ahmed says that Delhi has great facilities for free treatment in hospitals and
yet the common people don’t understand how to avail of these. Most of the women
victims of domestic violence are uneducated and therefore unaware of their
rights. Therefore the Pride Society helps them. Some women are also referred to
neighborhood clinics and government hospitals.
The
Social Pride Welfare Society also organizes free medical and health checkup
camps and has set up about 200 such camps in the Delhi NCR so far where more
than 40,000 patients have been treated. Generally, these camps are organized
close to the slums and areas inhabited by poor people.
He said
a large number of Nepalis who live with their families and work as domestic
helpers are very poor and they need medical treatment. Similarly, Rohingya,
refugees from Myanmar living in Sharm Vihar and Kanchan Kunj also need similar
help.
“Our
society tries to help them with medical treatment,” he said.
S
meeting of the Social Pride Family WelfareDr. Kamal Ahmed says poor people
often neglect the education of their children because of the lack of money and
awareness. The society provides basic training and guides the children of
garbage pickers and Rohingyas to enable them to get admission into government
schools.
He tried
to open a school for such children but it did not work because of the lack of
resources. Besides, he said Rohingyas in particular don’t show interest in
educating their children.
Firdous
Begum Awazdi, the caretaker of Mahila Panchayat told Awaz-the Voice that any
problem a family faces - poverty, disease, or natural calamity - affects women
the most. “We cannot free women from all their problems, but we can and do try
to reduce their problems.” The society also arranges food and clothing for needy
families.
Ration
kits with rice, flour, lentils, oil, salt, tea, etc. are regularly distributed
to poor families and during Ramazan extra goodies are added to the kit for
Muslims to enable break their fast. During the Holy month,.
The
society has distributed ration kits to more than 4000 families so far. The
Society was very active during the Covid-19 pandemic. It also helped the
victims in Madanpur Khader and Kanchan Kunj during the Yamuna floods of 2023.
The society cooked and distributed to more than 3000 people. It also
distributes blankets and warm clothes to the needy in winter.
On their
plans, Firdous Begum says that there is a lot of work to be done but the lack
of resources comes in their way. “We get support from well-wishers and it keeps
us going. We want to keep focus on women and children. We want to build a
shelter for women victims of domestic violence and destitute elderly women,”
she said.
Source: awazthevoice.in/
https://www.awazthevoice.in/women-news/shaheen-bagh-ngos-help-poor-women-facing-domestic-violence-26924.html
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/hindu-saveera-muslim-pakistan/d/131660