BBC News Magazine
A POINT OF VIEW
Clive James
Women who believe liberal values exploit their sexuality have something much greater to fear - the jackboot of dictatorship, says Clive James.
In a week when the troubled parliament of Britain continued to swamp the front pages with tales of fiddle, fraud and the incredible disappearing Speaker, there wasn't much room for news about the parliaments of other countries, but there was one story in the middle pages that might have been calculated to remind us of why democracy really matters. The parliament in Kuwait has just acquired its first four women MPs.
Kuwait is by no means, a perfectly constituted democracy. As far as I can figure out, there is a ruling family whose Emir chooses the government and calls elections for parliament. But women have now been elected to the parliament, by popular vote. It should hardly need saying that this would have been unlikely to happen if Saddam Hussein had been allowed to continue to rule the country by terror, but let's leave his awful memory aside for a moment, if we can, and dare to put forward a general reflection.
Democracy is the best chance for women. Or if that sounds too naive, too pro-western perhaps, then let's put it this way. The absence of democracy is seldom good news for women. Or, to get down to bedrock, if women can't vote for women, then they haven't got many weapons to fight with when they seek justice.
My own view, which I'm ready to hear contested, is that this is the main reason why some feminists in the west have been so slow to get behind those women in the world's all too numerous tyrannies who have to risk their lives to say anything.
It's just too clear a proof that men have a natural advantage when it comes to the application of violence. When you say that women have little chance against men if it comes to a physical battle, you are conceding that there really might be an intractable difference between the genders after all.
Ideological feminists in the West were for a long time reluctant to concede this, because they preferred to believe that there was no real difference, and that all female handicaps were imposed by social stereotyping that could be reversed by argument. But this belief was really possible only in a society where the powers of argument had a preponderance over the powers of violence.
And since many western feminists are still convinced that the social stereotyping of the West is the product of fundamental flaws within liberal democracy itself, they have a tendency to believe that undemocratic societies are somehow valuable in the opposition they offer to the free countries which the feminists are so keen to characterise as not free enough.
I have to pick my words carefully here, because this is the touchiest theme I have ever tackled in these broadcasts, but I do think it's high time to say that if feminist ideologists find liberal democracy unfriendly, they might consider that the absence of liberal democracy is a lot less friendly still.
Helping to give me courage, here, finally, is that quite a lot of women are already saying it. But they tend not to be western pundits. They tend to be women out there, in the thick of a real battle not just an argument. Why their bravery doesn't shame more of our feminist pundits I hesitate to say. It certainly shames me.
This importance of democracy, or at any rate of an amelioration of tyranny, should have become clear when, after Saddam Hussein was deposed, the first provisional government in Iraq included women members. But it didn't become clear, because too many of our commentators wanted to call the provisional government a puppet government, under the control of the US.
Vote best hope
Even as it became steadily more clear that nothing in Iraq was under the control of the US, feminists in the West continued to do a stunning job of ignoring the risks that women in Iraqi public life were running. An Iraqi female MP could get murdered and it was held to be a natural result of US imperialism, almost as if she had been murdered by George W Bush in person.
But she hadn't been. She had been murdered by local men who were making an example of her. They feared what she would bring: the spectre of women claiming an importance equal to that of men.
Last year the excellent Australian feminist journalist Pamela Bone finally died of cancer, but while she was still fighting it she published, in 2005, in response to what she regarded as the thunderous silence that had greeted the stand taken by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, an article called "Where are the western feminists?" What Pamela Bone meant was, that she was amazed why so many of her colleagues couldn't see, or didn't want to see, that democracy was the best hope for women.
Pamela Bone was well aware that there is a necessary quarrel about how democracy can be brought about in countries that don't have it, and I hasten to concede that of the two possible main views about the invasion of Iraq, for example, my own view, in favour, soon became the minority view. But Pamela Bone couldn't see how there could be any doubt that women in the countries without democracy were in a battle that they were bound to lose if the men could prevail by force.
Men will always monopolise the means of violence if they can. Women can learn to shoot guns, but there are no all-female armies, and even the Amazons were probably a myth. Women, on the whole, would naturally like to do something else, whereas an army, for too many men, is a home away from home, and often their only home.
It's the only home for the junta in Burma. The junta is in the news again this week because it found a pretext for locking Aung San Suu Kyi into prison, instead of just leaving her helpless under house arrest. The terms of Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest were that she should receive no visitors, and some poor demented American
Slow martyrdom
Vietnam veteran made sure that the terms were violated by swimming to her front door.
Like many a head-case he probably just wanted to discuss his theories about how aliens control everything, but the all-male military junta in Burma really does control everything and here was their chance to dump Aung San Suu Kyi into jail until the next election is over.
Aung San Suu Kyi not only has the stature, she has the right, to lead the government of her county. If the public got a chance to say so, she would do so, and bring immeasurable improvement not only to Burma but the whole area.
I say all this because in some moment of optimism I allowed my name to get put on the masthead of the organisation in this country that campaigns for her release, the Burma Campaign, but I have done nothing else for her before today, mainly because I don't believe that my going to dinner with like-minded humanitarians is likely to help much.
What she needs is an invading army, but even if there were one available, armed intervention, since the Iraq incursion, has been out of fashion: no doubt with good reason, but those appalled by the moral cost of toppling a tyrannical regime are still stuck with counting the moral cost incurred by leaving it alone.
The regime in Burma will most likely go on being left alone. Aung San Suu Kyi's slow martyrdom makes the cost obvious. The current best plan for getting her sprung is to bring persuasion to bear on India so that India will bring pressure to bear on the junta, and so on until she grows old and grey.
A better world
Being who she is, she grows old slowly, and at the age of 63 she looks like her own daughter, but time is still against her. If time is all you've got going for you, it isn't much. What justice needs, when it is ranged against naked force, is a contrary force, and the fact that there isn't one is enough to reduce the onlooker to despair.
Despair can coarsen one's judgment. I knew enough about what Saddam Hussein and his talented son Uday were doing to women to want that regime toppled. The price of doing so might have seemed too high, but at least now, six years later, it is no longer official policy to rape a woman in front of her family. There may be unofficial forces still on the loose in Iraq who would like to do that, but the government no longer does it.
Fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan still seems worth it when you have read about what the Taliban want to do with any woman who seeks an education, but it's easy to despair when you think of how hard it is to stop them.
Sometimes despair overwhelms us when we read of just a single so-called honour crime in which the men of a family have ruined the life of a daughter for what seems no reason at all, and the men walk free because that's the culture, and the culture runs the government. I felt despair when Aung San Suu Kyi got taken off to jail, and for her I thought I had no despair left.
But heartbreak feels out of place when we see this news story about the four women MPs in Kuwait, and there's a photo of one of them, rejoicing with her friends. I'm looking at the photo right now. Her name is Aseel al Awadhi. She has a merry face and an exultantly elevated thumb. It will be a better world for all of us if women like her are free to do well, and if she could hear us it would be our simple duty to say good luck to you. And another duty, alas, to say: mind how you go.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
UAE: UNICEF to base child protection programme at GWU
WAM Abu Dhabi, 18th May 2009 (WAM) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has taken the premises of the UAE General Women's Union (GWU) as venue of its child protection programme.
The move falls under the cooperation agreement signed between the GWU and UNICEF.
Meanwhile, Noura Al Suweidi, GWU Director, received today Dr Ayman Abu Laban, UNICEF representative to the Gulf region, and Lara Hussein the UNICEF's Child Protection Officer in the UAE.
Al Suweidi said the GWU was ready to offer all possible assistance to enable the programme carry out strategy towards welfare of children being executed by the GWU with local stakeholders with assistance of the UNICEF.
The move falls under the cooperation agreement signed between the GWU and UNICEF.
Meanwhile, Noura Al Suweidi, GWU Director, received today Dr Ayman Abu Laban, UNICEF representative to the Gulf region, and Lara Hussein the UNICEF's Child Protection Officer in the UAE.
Al Suweidi said the GWU was ready to offer all possible assistance to enable the programme carry out strategy towards welfare of children being executed by the GWU with local stakeholders with assistance of the UNICEF.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Saudi Arabia: Shoura call raises virtual storm
Omaima Al-Fardan & Fatima Sidiya | Arab News
JEDDAH: Ahmad Al-Ghamdi, the head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Makkah region, is generally supportive of the Shoura Council’s call to include women as members of the commission. He said there was need for a “body that can penetrate women’s groups such as those in the education and business fields.”
“There is no other monitoring body that does this job (except the commission). I believe the presence of women, after educating them and teaching them the necessary procedures, would produce positive results,” he added.
The Shoura Council recently approved the inclusion of women members in the commission. The approval not only upset certain groups in the Kingdom but also sparked heated debates in Saudi society. Both women and men were quick to point out what they saw as the inherent contradiction in the move and they were vocal in their arguments against the recommendation.
The primary argument they presented was that the commission would go against itself by including women as members. The commission in general opposes women working and also considers the presence of women in public places as “khulwa” (unrelated men and women being together). How then could women serve as members of the commission? they asked.
The blatant inconsistency was pounced upon by Amina Kashgari, a Saudi columnist in Al-Watan newspaper. She asked: “Would it be necessary for a female commission member to have a legal guardian with her?”
Kashgari also raised the point that the commission is instrumental in opposing women working in the government sector and, more recently, it has also opposed women selling lingerie in shops.
She said that approving the Shoura’s recommendation was one thing but that its implementation could be catastrophic. It would give commission members an opportunity to go into women’s only groups and private ceremonies and would raise many questions about individual freedom. “If this recommendation is implemented, it will prove an obstacle for development and reform that the various (government) bodies in the country are working for,” added Kashgari.
A'azib Al-Misbil, the head of the Islamic, Judicial and Human Rights Affairs Committee in the Shoura Council, said such a recommendation cannot be implemented. "I, as head of the committee, voted against the recommendation, because the commission's work should be only fieldwork," Misbil said, adding that the council had approved the recommendation.
According to him, the recommendation to include women as commission members was made by three committee members, and was not a primary recommendation. Nonetheless, the council adopted it. Al-Misbil said the commission denied any plans to establish a women's section when asked about it in the Shoura Council.
The head of the Social, Family and Youth Affairs Committee of the Shoura Council, Talal Al-Bakri, also warned at the council session on Monday about approving the recommendation. Despite his objection, the recommendation was approved. Al-Bakri said that commission members would fall into the same trap they accuse people of concerning khulwa. Al-Bakri added that such a recommendation could not be implemented unless women were allowed to drive in the Kingdom.
Rights activist Suhaila Zain Al-Abidin said it would be a "disaster" if "conservative ignorant women" began going into women's sections and setting off "catastrophic incidents". She said Islam certainly allowed women to promote virtue; indeed, it is considered one of their rights. This is clearly stated in the Qur'an. But she raised her concern about the "selection of women."
"I fear they would be like those in the mosques of Makkah and Madinah. They are conservative and accuse others of being nonbelievers," she said, adding women commission members must know the Shariah and must be moderate and treat all with respect and consideration.
Zain Al-Abidin said that before approving the recommendation, there should be firm procedures and regulations put in place in order to prevent women from infringing public privacy and rights.
Ahmad Al-Ghamdi was cautious in his approval of the move. He said the recommendation would not be implemented unless it was approved by the ministerial council. Al-Ghamdi said when he backed the move, he realized that society needed "awareness and guidance" and not the commission itself. He added that every new idea needed "complete procedures and administrative comprehension."
The Shoura Council also approved an increase of 20 percent in the salaries of commission members who do fieldwork. Al-Ghamdi justified the pay hike, saying that the commission members' fieldwork was exhaustive and tiring. "There is a difference (in workload) between these commission members (who do field work) and others who only do administrative work."
Zain Al-Abidin, on the other hand, said that the pay hike might result in more unwelcome field inspections by the commission.
JEDDAH: Ahmad Al-Ghamdi, the head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Makkah region, is generally supportive of the Shoura Council’s call to include women as members of the commission. He said there was need for a “body that can penetrate women’s groups such as those in the education and business fields.”
“There is no other monitoring body that does this job (except the commission). I believe the presence of women, after educating them and teaching them the necessary procedures, would produce positive results,” he added.
The Shoura Council recently approved the inclusion of women members in the commission. The approval not only upset certain groups in the Kingdom but also sparked heated debates in Saudi society. Both women and men were quick to point out what they saw as the inherent contradiction in the move and they were vocal in their arguments against the recommendation.
The primary argument they presented was that the commission would go against itself by including women as members. The commission in general opposes women working and also considers the presence of women in public places as “khulwa” (unrelated men and women being together). How then could women serve as members of the commission? they asked.
The blatant inconsistency was pounced upon by Amina Kashgari, a Saudi columnist in Al-Watan newspaper. She asked: “Would it be necessary for a female commission member to have a legal guardian with her?”
Kashgari also raised the point that the commission is instrumental in opposing women working in the government sector and, more recently, it has also opposed women selling lingerie in shops.
She said that approving the Shoura’s recommendation was one thing but that its implementation could be catastrophic. It would give commission members an opportunity to go into women’s only groups and private ceremonies and would raise many questions about individual freedom. “If this recommendation is implemented, it will prove an obstacle for development and reform that the various (government) bodies in the country are working for,” added Kashgari.
A'azib Al-Misbil, the head of the Islamic, Judicial and Human Rights Affairs Committee in the Shoura Council, said such a recommendation cannot be implemented. "I, as head of the committee, voted against the recommendation, because the commission's work should be only fieldwork," Misbil said, adding that the council had approved the recommendation.
According to him, the recommendation to include women as commission members was made by three committee members, and was not a primary recommendation. Nonetheless, the council adopted it. Al-Misbil said the commission denied any plans to establish a women's section when asked about it in the Shoura Council.
The head of the Social, Family and Youth Affairs Committee of the Shoura Council, Talal Al-Bakri, also warned at the council session on Monday about approving the recommendation. Despite his objection, the recommendation was approved. Al-Bakri said that commission members would fall into the same trap they accuse people of concerning khulwa. Al-Bakri added that such a recommendation could not be implemented unless women were allowed to drive in the Kingdom.
Rights activist Suhaila Zain Al-Abidin said it would be a "disaster" if "conservative ignorant women" began going into women's sections and setting off "catastrophic incidents". She said Islam certainly allowed women to promote virtue; indeed, it is considered one of their rights. This is clearly stated in the Qur'an. But she raised her concern about the "selection of women."
"I fear they would be like those in the mosques of Makkah and Madinah. They are conservative and accuse others of being nonbelievers," she said, adding women commission members must know the Shariah and must be moderate and treat all with respect and consideration.
Zain Al-Abidin said that before approving the recommendation, there should be firm procedures and regulations put in place in order to prevent women from infringing public privacy and rights.
Ahmad Al-Ghamdi was cautious in his approval of the move. He said the recommendation would not be implemented unless it was approved by the ministerial council. Al-Ghamdi said when he backed the move, he realized that society needed "awareness and guidance" and not the commission itself. He added that every new idea needed "complete procedures and administrative comprehension."
The Shoura Council also approved an increase of 20 percent in the salaries of commission members who do fieldwork. Al-Ghamdi justified the pay hike, saying that the commission members' fieldwork was exhaustive and tiring. "There is a difference (in workload) between these commission members (who do field work) and others who only do administrative work."
Zain Al-Abidin, on the other hand, said that the pay hike might result in more unwelcome field inspections by the commission.
Saudi Arabia: Women may get jobs in judiciary
Saudi Gazette
By Adnan Shabrawi
JEDDAH – Justice Minister Muhammad Al-Issa revealed Tuesday a study into the possibility of allocating offices for women in courts and “channels for appointing women in the judiciary.”
The minister was speaking at a function organized by the National Committee for Lawyers here.
Office jobs in the judiciary can be as managers, supervisors, courtroom clerks, IT technicians and specialists, research librarians, etc.
So far no woman has been appointed as a judge in Saudi Arabia and Saudi scholars have said that women should not be burdened with such a job.
Al-Issa, in an interview with the Arabic daily Asharq Al-Awsat last week, was asked about the chances of a woman becoming a judge in Saudi Arabia, whether this was “possible or impossible.”
The minister replied: “The answer goes beyond possibility or impossibility; we all know that some countries that do not follow Islamic Shariah do not have female judges even today. In many countries there are only a few female judges in comparison to male judges, for well known reasons. It’s not due to any fault in women and does not reduce their importance. Only a short while ago we decided on the possibility of women becoming lawyers, which is an important profession, and takes into account scientific and mental potential, and other skills.”
Elaborating on “well-known reasons,” he said: “I mean the natural condition of women, and the family role that a woman plays that men are unable to fulfil. I am talking about the clear physiological differences between a man and a woman. This is why some countries that are not governed by Shariah law do not have any reservations with regard to their reluctance to allow women to become judges.”
Bahrain is the only Gulf country to allow women to become judges, and the UAE is reportedly considering such a move.
Saudi Arabia is in the early stages of implementing judicial reforms, starting with developing the infrastructure.
Al-Issa said Tuesday that the Ministry would float tenders for the construction of a series of specialist courts in the major cities – including labor, commercial and personal statute courts – in addition to housing complexes.
“The ministry has 2,000 vacant posts which will be filled by highly trained experts in the judiciary,” he said.
Al-Issa also said that the ministry is in the process of issuing a new regulation governing the selection of judges by the Higher Judiciary Council. – Okaz/ SG
By Adnan Shabrawi
JEDDAH – Justice Minister Muhammad Al-Issa revealed Tuesday a study into the possibility of allocating offices for women in courts and “channels for appointing women in the judiciary.”
The minister was speaking at a function organized by the National Committee for Lawyers here.
Office jobs in the judiciary can be as managers, supervisors, courtroom clerks, IT technicians and specialists, research librarians, etc.
So far no woman has been appointed as a judge in Saudi Arabia and Saudi scholars have said that women should not be burdened with such a job.
Al-Issa, in an interview with the Arabic daily Asharq Al-Awsat last week, was asked about the chances of a woman becoming a judge in Saudi Arabia, whether this was “possible or impossible.”
The minister replied: “The answer goes beyond possibility or impossibility; we all know that some countries that do not follow Islamic Shariah do not have female judges even today. In many countries there are only a few female judges in comparison to male judges, for well known reasons. It’s not due to any fault in women and does not reduce their importance. Only a short while ago we decided on the possibility of women becoming lawyers, which is an important profession, and takes into account scientific and mental potential, and other skills.”
Elaborating on “well-known reasons,” he said: “I mean the natural condition of women, and the family role that a woman plays that men are unable to fulfil. I am talking about the clear physiological differences between a man and a woman. This is why some countries that are not governed by Shariah law do not have any reservations with regard to their reluctance to allow women to become judges.”
Bahrain is the only Gulf country to allow women to become judges, and the UAE is reportedly considering such a move.
Saudi Arabia is in the early stages of implementing judicial reforms, starting with developing the infrastructure.
Al-Issa said Tuesday that the Ministry would float tenders for the construction of a series of specialist courts in the major cities – including labor, commercial and personal statute courts – in addition to housing complexes.
“The ministry has 2,000 vacant posts which will be filled by highly trained experts in the judiciary,” he said.
Al-Issa also said that the ministry is in the process of issuing a new regulation governing the selection of judges by the Higher Judiciary Council. – Okaz/ SG
Yemen: SCER, IFES discuss electoral cooperation ties
SABA- 13 May 2009
Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) discussed here on Wednesday aspects of the bilateral cooperation in the fields of democracy and election. SCER members Mohammed al-Sayani and Abdu al-Jandi held talks with the director of IFES office in Yemen Peter Williams on the possibility of supporting the SCER plans and programs during the next phase in fields of institutional building, training, rehabilitation and electoral awareness as well as promoting women's participation in the elections.
Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) discussed here on Wednesday aspects of the bilateral cooperation in the fields of democracy and election. SCER members Mohammed al-Sayani and Abdu al-Jandi held talks with the director of IFES office in Yemen Peter Williams on the possibility of supporting the SCER plans and programs during the next phase in fields of institutional building, training, rehabilitation and electoral awareness as well as promoting women's participation in the elections.
Kuwait: Al-Naki hosts political symposium on women's rights
Kuwait Times
By Nawara Fattahova
KUWAIT: Lawyer and former candidate Najla Al-Naki held an electoral symposium with candidates and intellectuals at her office in Salmiya on Monday evening. The symposium was related to the coming elections and the discussions focused mainly on women's rights. The speakers also focused on some of the mistakes made by the previous parliament.
According to some of the speakers, approving women's political rights did not come at the right time. Women gained their political rights in the summer of 2005 and they had less than two months to prepare for elections, which, according to writer Ghaneema Al-Fahad was "mission impossible." "If we want to paint a room, it needs more than a month to dry. The elections are always held in summer," Al-Fahad said.
Kuwaiti women are oppressed in comparison to men. "Men always receive support, such as those candidates who received checks from outside Kuwait. Meanwhile, nobody is supporting the female candidates. Why doesn't the government support women? There are many creative Kuwaiti women who were not supported. If any woman is elected in this election, it will be thanks to her tribe that supports her. But the tribe doesn't give me a house or salary. We are proud to be loyal to the tribe, but our main loyalty must be to Kuwait," she added.
Although there is democracy in the West, women still have not reached equal status with men. "In European countries, the number of female politicians in parliaments is much less than men, although the women there have reached senior positions such as the post of prime minister. In Kuwait, women also occupy many key positions, and I expect that they will reach the parliament in this election," said Farhan Al-Farhan.
The speech of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was very emotional and impressed many people. "I was impressed by the Amir's speech so I decided to run in this election. I think we need new people to enter the parliament. I didn't prepare a plan and I don't have political ambitions, but I believe I can help in making a positive change. There are many MPs who caused strain, problems and corruption in parliament, and this is wrong and has to be changed," said Manal Al-Ahmad, candidate from the secon
d district.
Manal has an opinion in regard to solving some of the political problems. "We should start with the family, and the woman is at the center of it. Women should take their rights; in this way, she will be able to help successfully raise coming generations. The second step is to choose qualified teachers for our children, especially in the first grades of education. The bedoon issue is a time bomb that should be solved. They don't have any other country besides Kuwait, and they don't have the Kuwaiti national
ity. They should at least be given basic human rights. Finally, the problem of citizens with two nationalities is a catastrophe and should be solved," she added.
Voters must make the right decision by voting for the better candidate. "To have a good parliament, our choice must not be based on sectarian or tribal aspects. Each voter has the right to vote for four different people. So, if the husband or father of any woman told her to vote for a certain person related to her, she can give him one vote and she still has three votes that can be used according to her beliefs," said Abdullah Al-Hajiri, candidate in the third district.
People complain about the parliament's performance, but they were the ones who voted for them. "We can blame ourselves for the problems happening now. About 56 percent of the voters are women, and not a single one of them succeeded in winning. Fifty MPs are men who succeeded in winning although men make up only 44 percent of voters. There are certain traditions followed in Kuwaiti society that makes the woman a follower of the man, but she doesn't have to be without an opinion at all. It is not true if the
y say that she was pulled to vote for a certain candidate because she has free will in front of the ballot box, where nobody sees her except God. There she can make the right choice," said political activist Dr Ayid Al-Mana.
By Nawara Fattahova
KUWAIT: Lawyer and former candidate Najla Al-Naki held an electoral symposium with candidates and intellectuals at her office in Salmiya on Monday evening. The symposium was related to the coming elections and the discussions focused mainly on women's rights. The speakers also focused on some of the mistakes made by the previous parliament.
According to some of the speakers, approving women's political rights did not come at the right time. Women gained their political rights in the summer of 2005 and they had less than two months to prepare for elections, which, according to writer Ghaneema Al-Fahad was "mission impossible." "If we want to paint a room, it needs more than a month to dry. The elections are always held in summer," Al-Fahad said.
Kuwaiti women are oppressed in comparison to men. "Men always receive support, such as those candidates who received checks from outside Kuwait. Meanwhile, nobody is supporting the female candidates. Why doesn't the government support women? There are many creative Kuwaiti women who were not supported. If any woman is elected in this election, it will be thanks to her tribe that supports her. But the tribe doesn't give me a house or salary. We are proud to be loyal to the tribe, but our main loyalty must be to Kuwait," she added.
Although there is democracy in the West, women still have not reached equal status with men. "In European countries, the number of female politicians in parliaments is much less than men, although the women there have reached senior positions such as the post of prime minister. In Kuwait, women also occupy many key positions, and I expect that they will reach the parliament in this election," said Farhan Al-Farhan.
The speech of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was very emotional and impressed many people. "I was impressed by the Amir's speech so I decided to run in this election. I think we need new people to enter the parliament. I didn't prepare a plan and I don't have political ambitions, but I believe I can help in making a positive change. There are many MPs who caused strain, problems and corruption in parliament, and this is wrong and has to be changed," said Manal Al-Ahmad, candidate from the secon
d district.
Manal has an opinion in regard to solving some of the political problems. "We should start with the family, and the woman is at the center of it. Women should take their rights; in this way, she will be able to help successfully raise coming generations. The second step is to choose qualified teachers for our children, especially in the first grades of education. The bedoon issue is a time bomb that should be solved. They don't have any other country besides Kuwait, and they don't have the Kuwaiti national
ity. They should at least be given basic human rights. Finally, the problem of citizens with two nationalities is a catastrophe and should be solved," she added.
Voters must make the right decision by voting for the better candidate. "To have a good parliament, our choice must not be based on sectarian or tribal aspects. Each voter has the right to vote for four different people. So, if the husband or father of any woman told her to vote for a certain person related to her, she can give him one vote and she still has three votes that can be used according to her beliefs," said Abdullah Al-Hajiri, candidate in the third district.
People complain about the parliament's performance, but they were the ones who voted for them. "We can blame ourselves for the problems happening now. About 56 percent of the voters are women, and not a single one of them succeeded in winning. Fifty MPs are men who succeeded in winning although men make up only 44 percent of voters. There are certain traditions followed in Kuwaiti society that makes the woman a follower of the man, but she doesn't have to be without an opinion at all. It is not true if the
y say that she was pulled to vote for a certain candidate because she has free will in front of the ballot box, where nobody sees her except God. There she can make the right choice," said political activist Dr Ayid Al-Mana.
Kuwait: Kuwaiti women win first parliamentary seats
KUWAIT CITY – Official results announced on state television show that Kuwaiti women have won parliamentary elections for the first time, garnering four seats. The Victory is resounding in this conservative Persian Gulf country where parliaments have been men-only for almost five decades.
Women were granted political rights in 2005. They failed to make any gains in two previous elections.
According to partial official results read by judges Sunday, Massouma al-Mubarak, the country's first female Cabinet minister, became a lawmaker. She is an independent Shiite. The other winners were Westernized liberal Aseel al-Awadhi, women's rights activist Rola Dashti, and independent university teacher Salwa al-Jassar.
Women were granted political rights in 2005. They failed to make any gains in two previous elections.
According to partial official results read by judges Sunday, Massouma al-Mubarak, the country's first female Cabinet minister, became a lawmaker. She is an independent Shiite. The other winners were Westernized liberal Aseel al-Awadhi, women's rights activist Rola Dashti, and independent university teacher Salwa al-Jassar.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Saudi Arabia: Saudi judge says it's OK for men to beat wives
The Associated Press
By ABDULLAH SHIHRI – May 11, 2009
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — A Saudi judge told a conference on domestic violence that a man has the right to slap a wife who spends money wastefully and said women were as much to blame as men for increased spousal abuse, a Saudi newspaper reported.
The remarks do not carry the weight of law, as they were made out of court. But such public pronouncements by Saudi judges — who are also Islamic clerics — are often widely respected.
A rights activist decried the remarks and said she and other campaigners viewed them as the latest setback in women's efforts to gain the right to vote, drive, freely participate in politics and be protected from violence. Activists have become more vocal in recent years in their criticism of cases involving women's rights, including what many see as the religious police's harsh enforcement of the segregation of sexes.
"If a person gives 1,200 Saudi riyals ($320) to his wife and she spends 900 riyals ($240) to purchase an abaya (head-to-toe robe) from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment," Judge Hamad Al-Razine was quoted as saying by the English-language Arab News newspaper on Sunday.
The comments at a recent conference were given as part of an explanation for an increase in domestic violence in the country. The judge said women were equally responsible for the increase, the newspaper quoted him as saying.
The paper did not say exactly when the conference was held. The judge could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Women in the audience loudly protested the judge's remarks, the newspaper said.
Saudi Arabia bars women from voting, except for chamber of commerce elections in two cities in recent years, and no woman can sit in the kingdom's Cabinet. Women also cannot drive or travel without permission from a male guardian.
Sohaila Zenelabideen Hammad, spokeswoman of the Saudi National Center for Human Rights, told the Associated Press on Monday that the judge's remarks are reason for concern for being "too extreme."
"It is not acceptable, it is even forbidden in Islam to beat a woman on her face. ... No matter what the woman does, the man has no right whatsoever and under any circumstances to beat his wife on the face," said Hammad, who was not at the conference.
"Regrettably, there is a common understanding in the Arab and Islamic world that man is the master who looks down on the woman and has the right to do whatever he wants to her. This is wrong," Hammad said.
She said she was to attend a meeting later Monday with members of UNICEF, the U.N. agency for children, to discuss the issue.
Associated Press Writer Omar Sinan contributed to this report from Cairo.
By ABDULLAH SHIHRI – May 11, 2009
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — A Saudi judge told a conference on domestic violence that a man has the right to slap a wife who spends money wastefully and said women were as much to blame as men for increased spousal abuse, a Saudi newspaper reported.
The remarks do not carry the weight of law, as they were made out of court. But such public pronouncements by Saudi judges — who are also Islamic clerics — are often widely respected.
A rights activist decried the remarks and said she and other campaigners viewed them as the latest setback in women's efforts to gain the right to vote, drive, freely participate in politics and be protected from violence. Activists have become more vocal in recent years in their criticism of cases involving women's rights, including what many see as the religious police's harsh enforcement of the segregation of sexes.
"If a person gives 1,200 Saudi riyals ($320) to his wife and she spends 900 riyals ($240) to purchase an abaya (head-to-toe robe) from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment," Judge Hamad Al-Razine was quoted as saying by the English-language Arab News newspaper on Sunday.
The comments at a recent conference were given as part of an explanation for an increase in domestic violence in the country. The judge said women were equally responsible for the increase, the newspaper quoted him as saying.
The paper did not say exactly when the conference was held. The judge could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Women in the audience loudly protested the judge's remarks, the newspaper said.
Saudi Arabia bars women from voting, except for chamber of commerce elections in two cities in recent years, and no woman can sit in the kingdom's Cabinet. Women also cannot drive or travel without permission from a male guardian.
Sohaila Zenelabideen Hammad, spokeswoman of the Saudi National Center for Human Rights, told the Associated Press on Monday that the judge's remarks are reason for concern for being "too extreme."
"It is not acceptable, it is even forbidden in Islam to beat a woman on her face. ... No matter what the woman does, the man has no right whatsoever and under any circumstances to beat his wife on the face," said Hammad, who was not at the conference.
"Regrettably, there is a common understanding in the Arab and Islamic world that man is the master who looks down on the woman and has the right to do whatever he wants to her. This is wrong," Hammad said.
She said she was to attend a meeting later Monday with members of UNICEF, the U.N. agency for children, to discuss the issue.
Associated Press Writer Omar Sinan contributed to this report from Cairo.
Saudi Arabia: Workshops offer over 500 women top business tips
Walaa Hawari | Arab News
RIYADH: More than 500 Saudi businesswomen and investors are attending four training workshops here today and tomorrow.
Consultants in international trade and international law will conduct them at the 4th Saudi Businesswomen Forum entitled “Active Direction in the Business Environment to Face Economic Changes.”
The workshops have been organized by the women’s branch of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and will include outlining procedures for cooperation with international companies as promising investing opportunities for Saudi women. “The forum aims at enhancing the qualifications of the Saudi businesswomen and investors in the face of the rapid changes the Saudi economy is undergoing through activating the powerful economic elements in the Kingdom and achieving development and economic ambitions on the long run,” said Huda Al-Juraisi, director of the organizing committee of the forum. Legal trainers will introduce international trade law, issues pertaining to contracts, content of trade contracts and means to solve disputes in international trade contracts.
According to Al-Juraisi, the forum is considered one of the biggest women’s economic, educational and cultural gatherings in the Kingdom.
“This year’s generous gesture by the businesswomen of sponsoring 150 students to attend the workshops and benefit from the presentations and experiences of the businesswomen free of charge, reflects the understanding of social responsibility which is part of the forum’s mission to support those interested in entering the business and investment world,” said Al-Juraisi.
Areej Bint Homoud Al-Ibraheem, owner of Nawart Najd PR Company — one of the sponsors — praised the Chamber’s efforts to involve businesswomen in economic progress.
Yet as a response to whether the forum is an opportunity for the businesswomen to put forward their demands, Al-Ibraheem says this forum is more of an educational experience.
“The forum is an occasion to present new visions and educate businesswomen about the recent economic status and inform them of the proper ways and means to face them,” explained Al-Ibraheem indicating that there are other events and conferences concerned with coming up with proposals and recommendations and forwarding them to officials.
Amal Zahed, owner of Secas Trading, said the forum offered a chance to sound the voice of Saudi businesswomen. “Such meetings reflect on the demands and needs of businesswomen, and the observation is passed on to the decision-makers to review,” says Zahed. “We should try and make ourselves heard through forums and meetings.”
RIYADH: More than 500 Saudi businesswomen and investors are attending four training workshops here today and tomorrow.
Consultants in international trade and international law will conduct them at the 4th Saudi Businesswomen Forum entitled “Active Direction in the Business Environment to Face Economic Changes.”
The workshops have been organized by the women’s branch of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and will include outlining procedures for cooperation with international companies as promising investing opportunities for Saudi women. “The forum aims at enhancing the qualifications of the Saudi businesswomen and investors in the face of the rapid changes the Saudi economy is undergoing through activating the powerful economic elements in the Kingdom and achieving development and economic ambitions on the long run,” said Huda Al-Juraisi, director of the organizing committee of the forum. Legal trainers will introduce international trade law, issues pertaining to contracts, content of trade contracts and means to solve disputes in international trade contracts.
According to Al-Juraisi, the forum is considered one of the biggest women’s economic, educational and cultural gatherings in the Kingdom.
“This year’s generous gesture by the businesswomen of sponsoring 150 students to attend the workshops and benefit from the presentations and experiences of the businesswomen free of charge, reflects the understanding of social responsibility which is part of the forum’s mission to support those interested in entering the business and investment world,” said Al-Juraisi.
Areej Bint Homoud Al-Ibraheem, owner of Nawart Najd PR Company — one of the sponsors — praised the Chamber’s efforts to involve businesswomen in economic progress.
Yet as a response to whether the forum is an opportunity for the businesswomen to put forward their demands, Al-Ibraheem says this forum is more of an educational experience.
“The forum is an occasion to present new visions and educate businesswomen about the recent economic status and inform them of the proper ways and means to face them,” explained Al-Ibraheem indicating that there are other events and conferences concerned with coming up with proposals and recommendations and forwarding them to officials.
Amal Zahed, owner of Secas Trading, said the forum offered a chance to sound the voice of Saudi businesswomen. “Such meetings reflect on the demands and needs of businesswomen, and the observation is passed on to the decision-makers to review,” says Zahed. “We should try and make ourselves heard through forums and meetings.”
Kuwait: Al-Awadhi expresses her support for the bailout plan
Kuwait Times
Published Date: May 12, 2009
By Nisreen Zahreddine, Staff writer
KUWAIT: Third district candidate Aseel Al-Awadhi renewed her refusal to write off debt during an open debate at Ahmad Al-Adwani School in Al-Adailiya. In a statement to her supporters, Al-Awadhi defended the bail-out plan presented by the government and refused to describe it as a "Whales Law" and complained that the final grilling to the government by some MPs did not actually hold a valuable enough case to be worth it.
Al-Awadhi explained that there was no justice in debt write-off for the loans of citizens because they varied in value, furthermore it opened the door for similar steps later on and it would cause loss in government funds. She went further to remind the audience that if President Barack Obama implemented what he said about finding a new trend that doesn't depend totally on GCC oil, Kuwait would be one of the major countries facing a huge drop in revenues, tightening the government's budget. She advised peo
ple to save government money instead of thinking about how to spend it on them without referring to just laws organizing monetary issues.
At the same time, Al-Awadhi opposed calling the government stimulus plan a "Whales Law" and advised her supporters to be above personal interests for the sake of the public's interest. She explained that this plan would save the economy as a whole and that it did not aim to save certain companies. Moreover, the plan helps companies that have liquidity problems as a result of the drop in assets' value which is not a result of their bad performance but one of the effects of the global economic crisis on the
country's economy. Besides, this plan assists the banking sector and spares its drop, she said.
Regarding the grilling presented by MPs to the government, Al-Awadhi commented that those grillings were meaningless and empty and did not hold any valuable cause, though grilling is an MP right guaranteed by the Kuwaiti constitution. Al-Awadhi suggested establishing a parliamentary assembly called the "Values Assembly" which would watch the legislative corruption and suggest suitable punishments.
Al-Awadhi referred to some laws that are unfair regarding women and promised to work in the parliament to amend such laws to guarantee women's rights.
Published Date: May 12, 2009
By Nisreen Zahreddine, Staff writer
KUWAIT: Third district candidate Aseel Al-Awadhi renewed her refusal to write off debt during an open debate at Ahmad Al-Adwani School in Al-Adailiya. In a statement to her supporters, Al-Awadhi defended the bail-out plan presented by the government and refused to describe it as a "Whales Law" and complained that the final grilling to the government by some MPs did not actually hold a valuable enough case to be worth it.
Al-Awadhi explained that there was no justice in debt write-off for the loans of citizens because they varied in value, furthermore it opened the door for similar steps later on and it would cause loss in government funds. She went further to remind the audience that if President Barack Obama implemented what he said about finding a new trend that doesn't depend totally on GCC oil, Kuwait would be one of the major countries facing a huge drop in revenues, tightening the government's budget. She advised peo
ple to save government money instead of thinking about how to spend it on them without referring to just laws organizing monetary issues.
At the same time, Al-Awadhi opposed calling the government stimulus plan a "Whales Law" and advised her supporters to be above personal interests for the sake of the public's interest. She explained that this plan would save the economy as a whole and that it did not aim to save certain companies. Moreover, the plan helps companies that have liquidity problems as a result of the drop in assets' value which is not a result of their bad performance but one of the effects of the global economic crisis on the
country's economy. Besides, this plan assists the banking sector and spares its drop, she said.
Regarding the grilling presented by MPs to the government, Al-Awadhi commented that those grillings were meaningless and empty and did not hold any valuable cause, though grilling is an MP right guaranteed by the Kuwaiti constitution. Al-Awadhi suggested establishing a parliamentary assembly called the "Values Assembly" which would watch the legislative corruption and suggest suitable punishments.
Al-Awadhi referred to some laws that are unfair regarding women and promised to work in the parliament to amend such laws to guarantee women's rights.
Kuwait: Women benefit from media coverage
Kuwait Times
KUWAIT: Two lecturers at Kuwait University agreed that women were the ones who mostly benefitted from media coverage of parliamentary campaigns, because it was an easy option for those who found it difficult to attend rallies. Mass communication professor Dr Khalid Al-Qihs said that there was a close link between democracy and media, which helped many women in their evaluation of the agenda of candidates. "The conservative nature of many Kuwaiti families makes the movement of women among campaign circles l
imited in some cases, which gives importance to media coverage of rallies and gatherings," he explained.
Al-Qihs noted that democracy and free media were two faces of a single coin, and media helped voters make the right decision and provided them with all the necessary information about those involved in the race and the performance of the government. Moreover, he said that the district system amendment made it more difficult for a candidate to communicate directly with voters, which in turn prompted many to seek the media. On her part, mass media professor Dr Heba Al-Musallam explained that although women a
ccounted for the greatest percentage of people benefiting from media coverage of campaigns, it remained "an insufficient source (of information).
She noted that different media outlets were government by their own policies and thus focused on the candidates that fell in line with these policies, explaining that the "media framing" theory revolved around the media's focus on one aspect and overlooking others. Al-Musallam also noted that the short campaigning time was not enough for candidates to present their agendas to voters in a thorough manner, and again the media offered a suitable alternative. The launch of satellite channels that were speciali
zed in following candidates' campaigns and seminars is also useful, she said. - KUNA
KUWAIT: Two lecturers at Kuwait University agreed that women were the ones who mostly benefitted from media coverage of parliamentary campaigns, because it was an easy option for those who found it difficult to attend rallies. Mass communication professor Dr Khalid Al-Qihs said that there was a close link between democracy and media, which helped many women in their evaluation of the agenda of candidates. "The conservative nature of many Kuwaiti families makes the movement of women among campaign circles l
imited in some cases, which gives importance to media coverage of rallies and gatherings," he explained.
Al-Qihs noted that democracy and free media were two faces of a single coin, and media helped voters make the right decision and provided them with all the necessary information about those involved in the race and the performance of the government. Moreover, he said that the district system amendment made it more difficult for a candidate to communicate directly with voters, which in turn prompted many to seek the media. On her part, mass media professor Dr Heba Al-Musallam explained that although women a
ccounted for the greatest percentage of people benefiting from media coverage of campaigns, it remained "an insufficient source (of information).
She noted that different media outlets were government by their own policies and thus focused on the candidates that fell in line with these policies, explaining that the "media framing" theory revolved around the media's focus on one aspect and overlooking others. Al-Musallam also noted that the short campaigning time was not enough for candidates to present their agendas to voters in a thorough manner, and again the media offered a suitable alternative. The launch of satellite channels that were speciali
zed in following candidates' campaigns and seminars is also useful, she said. - KUNA
Kuwait: NA candidate organizes symposium for women
Kuwait Times
Published Date: May 12, 2009
By Nawara Fattahova, Staff writer
KUWAIT: Former MP and third district candidate Adel Al-Sarawi held a symposium for women at his diwaniya in Keifan on Sunday evening. He was a member of the parliament in 2003, 2006 and 2008.
Kuwait has the ability to be better than it is today. "We now have the depressive feeling of the present situation that came from the poor performance of both the parliament and the government. People are now wondering what the future strategies are for work in the coming period," Al-Sarawi said during the symposium.
Optimism is the first step to change the current situation. "We won't discuss who is responsible; we want to learn from our mistakes and not repeat those we have made in the past. I believe we should be optimistic about the qualified manpower and good legislation we have in Kuwait. We should believe that better times are coming," he added.
The Kuwaiti Constitution was issued in 1962. "The average age of those who wrote the Constitution was about 40, which means they were born around 1920. At that time, their education level was not high, but the Constitution is so complex that it can solve all of our present problems. We must deal with it seriously and we must protect this heritage so that it can be passed on to the next generations," Al-Sarawi said.
The negative political situation has caused many people to become frustrated. "The people feel resentment from all the problems. Some think they can affect the voters and persuade them not to vote, and this is a great mistake. I'm very optimistic and I believe that these elections will witness even greater participation than before. The challenge is not to give them the chance to destroy the democracy by not voting," he noted.
The future period is important for the nation. "Wrong practices in the parliament reflected a view of legislative corruption. There is no control over MPs. Many of them don't attend sessions of parliament or committee meetings, so where do they go? Some of them just say they discussed certain issues but they do not give any details because they did not make any effort," Al-Sarawi maintained.
He then proposed some solutions to avoid repeating the previous problems. Saying that there should be a strong government that is able to defend its opinions and not back down. He concluded, "We should have ministers that participate in making decisions and who are responsible for those decisions, not just their execution. The parliament and the government must cooperate according to Article no. 50 of the Constitution. As there are no political parties, the government should have the majority of the parlia
ment. It's not possible to carry out any projects without applying Article 50 by cooperating between the powers.
Published Date: May 12, 2009
By Nawara Fattahova, Staff writer
KUWAIT: Former MP and third district candidate Adel Al-Sarawi held a symposium for women at his diwaniya in Keifan on Sunday evening. He was a member of the parliament in 2003, 2006 and 2008.
Kuwait has the ability to be better than it is today. "We now have the depressive feeling of the present situation that came from the poor performance of both the parliament and the government. People are now wondering what the future strategies are for work in the coming period," Al-Sarawi said during the symposium.
Optimism is the first step to change the current situation. "We won't discuss who is responsible; we want to learn from our mistakes and not repeat those we have made in the past. I believe we should be optimistic about the qualified manpower and good legislation we have in Kuwait. We should believe that better times are coming," he added.
The Kuwaiti Constitution was issued in 1962. "The average age of those who wrote the Constitution was about 40, which means they were born around 1920. At that time, their education level was not high, but the Constitution is so complex that it can solve all of our present problems. We must deal with it seriously and we must protect this heritage so that it can be passed on to the next generations," Al-Sarawi said.
The negative political situation has caused many people to become frustrated. "The people feel resentment from all the problems. Some think they can affect the voters and persuade them not to vote, and this is a great mistake. I'm very optimistic and I believe that these elections will witness even greater participation than before. The challenge is not to give them the chance to destroy the democracy by not voting," he noted.
The future period is important for the nation. "Wrong practices in the parliament reflected a view of legislative corruption. There is no control over MPs. Many of them don't attend sessions of parliament or committee meetings, so where do they go? Some of them just say they discussed certain issues but they do not give any details because they did not make any effort," Al-Sarawi maintained.
He then proposed some solutions to avoid repeating the previous problems. Saying that there should be a strong government that is able to defend its opinions and not back down. He concluded, "We should have ministers that participate in making decisions and who are responsible for those decisions, not just their execution. The parliament and the government must cooperate according to Article no. 50 of the Constitution. As there are no political parties, the government should have the majority of the parlia
ment. It's not possible to carry out any projects without applying Article 50 by cooperating between the powers.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Saudi Arabia: Saudi judge: It's OK to slap spendthrift wives
By Mohammed Jamjoom
CNN
(CNN) -- Husbands are allowed to slap their wives if they spend lavishly, a Saudi judge said recently during a seminar on domestic violence, Saudi media reported Sunday.
It is OK to slap Saudi women who spend too much, a judge has told an audience.
Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily newspaper based in Riyadh, reported that Judge Hamad Al-Razine said that "if a person gives SR 1,200 [$320] to his wife and she spends 900 riyals [$240] to purchase an abaya [the black cover that women in Saudi Arabia must wear] from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment."
Women in the audience immediately and loudly protested Al-Razine's statement, and were shocked to learn the remarks came from a judge, the newspaper reported.
Arab News reported that Al-Razine made his remark as he was attempting to explain why incidents of domestic violence had increased in Saudi Arabia. He said that women and men shared responsibility, but added that "nobody puts even a fraction of blame" on women, the newspaper said.
Al-Razine "also pointed out that women's indecent behavior and use of offensive words against their husbands were some of the reasons for domestic violence in the country," it added.
Domestic violence, which used to be a taboo subject in the conservative kingdom, has become a hot topic in recent years. Groups like the National Family Safety Program have campaigned to educate the public about the problem and help prevent domestic abuse.
Saudi women's rights activist Wajeha Al-Huwaider told CNN that Saudi women routinely face such attitudes.
Don't Miss
Report: Saudi girl granted divorce
"This is how men in Saudi Arabia see women," she said in a telephone interview from the Saudi city of Dahran. "It's not something they read in a book or learned from a friend. They've been raised to see women this way, that they're less than a person."
Al-Huwaider added that "I'm not surprised to see a judge or a religious man saying that - they've been raised in the same culture - a culture that tells them it's ok to raise your hand to a woman that this works."
Another Saudi judge, in the city of Onaiza, was the source of a separate recent controversy: he twice denied a request from the mother of an 8-year-old girl that the girl be granted a divorce from her 47-year-old husband.
Last month, after human-groups condemned the union, the girl was granted the divorce.
CNN
(CNN) -- Husbands are allowed to slap their wives if they spend lavishly, a Saudi judge said recently during a seminar on domestic violence, Saudi media reported Sunday.
It is OK to slap Saudi women who spend too much, a judge has told an audience.
Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily newspaper based in Riyadh, reported that Judge Hamad Al-Razine said that "if a person gives SR 1,200 [$320] to his wife and she spends 900 riyals [$240] to purchase an abaya [the black cover that women in Saudi Arabia must wear] from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment."
Women in the audience immediately and loudly protested Al-Razine's statement, and were shocked to learn the remarks came from a judge, the newspaper reported.
Arab News reported that Al-Razine made his remark as he was attempting to explain why incidents of domestic violence had increased in Saudi Arabia. He said that women and men shared responsibility, but added that "nobody puts even a fraction of blame" on women, the newspaper said.
Al-Razine "also pointed out that women's indecent behavior and use of offensive words against their husbands were some of the reasons for domestic violence in the country," it added.
Domestic violence, which used to be a taboo subject in the conservative kingdom, has become a hot topic in recent years. Groups like the National Family Safety Program have campaigned to educate the public about the problem and help prevent domestic abuse.
Saudi women's rights activist Wajeha Al-Huwaider told CNN that Saudi women routinely face such attitudes.
Don't Miss
Report: Saudi girl granted divorce
"This is how men in Saudi Arabia see women," she said in a telephone interview from the Saudi city of Dahran. "It's not something they read in a book or learned from a friend. They've been raised to see women this way, that they're less than a person."
Al-Huwaider added that "I'm not surprised to see a judge or a religious man saying that - they've been raised in the same culture - a culture that tells them it's ok to raise your hand to a woman that this works."
Another Saudi judge, in the city of Onaiza, was the source of a separate recent controversy: he twice denied a request from the mother of an 8-year-old girl that the girl be granted a divorce from her 47-year-old husband.
Last month, after human-groups condemned the union, the girl was granted the divorce.
Yemen: Program of supporting women's access to parliament launched
SANA'A, May 10 (Saba) - The Cultural Development Foundation in cooperation with the Partnership Program of the European Union inaugurated here on Sunday the program of supporting women's access to parliament.
Chairwoman of the foundation Raufah Hassan reviewed the situation of the women political participation and activities of the foundation in order to promote this participation.
She also pointed out to the objective of establishing "supporters networks" which was set up to create awareness over the importance of women participation in political life as well as to increase the number of women candidates for elections.
For his part, the European Commission charge de affairs Michele Cervole d'UrSo noted to the important role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in finding solutions to support the representation of the women in Parliament.
The executive director of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Peter Williams reviewed the experiences of a number of European and third world countries in this area, affirming the need to seek a support for the Yemeni women regardless of the electoral support.
He considered the Quota system is the best in Yemen.
FJ/AH
Saba
Chairwoman of the foundation Raufah Hassan reviewed the situation of the women political participation and activities of the foundation in order to promote this participation.
She also pointed out to the objective of establishing "supporters networks" which was set up to create awareness over the importance of women participation in political life as well as to increase the number of women candidates for elections.
For his part, the European Commission charge de affairs Michele Cervole d'UrSo noted to the important role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in finding solutions to support the representation of the women in Parliament.
The executive director of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Peter Williams reviewed the experiences of a number of European and third world countries in this area, affirming the need to seek a support for the Yemeni women regardless of the electoral support.
He considered the Quota system is the best in Yemen.
FJ/AH
Saba
Kuwait: Road to Assembly I
Kuwait Times
Published Date: May 10, 2009
By B Izzak, Staff Writer
KUWAIT: Kuwaitis go to the ballots on May 16 to elect the 13th National Assembly and the second in a year. Sixteen women are among 210 candidates competing for the 50 seats in five constituencies. Each constituency elects 10 members while each voter is allowed to cast a maximum of four votes.
Here is a detailed analysis on each electoral district, highlighting the main races, political groups, main candidates and other issues.
First Constituency
Sharq-Rumeithiya-Salmiya
The first constituency has 19 residential areas starting from Sharq in Kuwait City to Mishref in the south. The main areas are Rumeithiya, Salwa, Salmiya, Bayan, Hawally, Dasma, Shaab and Daiya. The district has 69,132 voters, including 37,519 women and 31,613 male voters. The largest area in terms of voters is Rumeithiya with 15,752 voters, Salwa with 12,333 and Bayan with 10,838 voters. The constituency is the third largest in terms of size of voters after the fifth and fourth districts.
Forty-five candidates are contesting the elections including all the 10 MPs in the outgoing National Assembly in addition to three former MPs from previous assemblies. There are also two female candidates - former minister Maasouma Al-Mubarak and prominent women activist Fatima Al-Abdali.
The constituency is divided almost equally between Sunni and Shiite voters. It has a large contingent of tribal voters from the Awazem tribe. The constituency also has a good number of liberal and Sunni Islamist voters, and a strong presence of well-known Kuwaiti families like the Awadhi and Roumi.
Two main lists are fighting the election officially. Both are Shiite while the rest are contesting on individual bases. The National Islamic Alliance (NIA) and its allies are fielding four candidates. They are former MPs Adnan Abdulsamad and Ahmad Lari of the NIA, former minister and MP Youssef Al-Zalzalah and the representative of the Hasawi Shiites Hamad Taher Buhamad.
The list is tipped to bag at least three seats because it has strong support among Shiite voters. The addition of Zalzala's and Buhamad's supporters to the NIA voters has the list in a very strong position. The second list is Peace and Justice which is fielding former MP Saleh Ashour and Hassan Naseer, the secretary general of the group. The list also has a strong following among Shiite voters and is tipped to win at least one seat. Other Shiite candidates include former MPs Hassan Jowhar and Hussein Al-Qa
llaf, who are running as independent and have strong chances of maintaining their seats.
On the Sunni side, all five former MPs are seeking re-election. They include Mukhled Al-Azemi who is backed by Islamists and from his Awazem tribe. Hussein Al-Huraiti, a former justice minister, is also banking on support from his Awazem tribe. Others include Abdulwahed Al-Awadhi and Abdullah Al-Roumi, who are backed by the strong support of their respective families.
Former MP Mohammad Al-Kandari is the official candidate of the Islamic Salaf Alliance and is drawing support from his large Kandari family. But he has two other contenders from the same family, Abdullah Al-Kandari and Jassem Al-Kandari, who was a member in the 2006 Assembly.
The Awazem tribe did not hold its tribal primary like last year and thus its votes are expected to be divided. Besides Mukhled and Huraiti, former MP Ahmad Al-Shuhomi, Mubarak Al-Harees and Mohammad Hamad Al-Rasheed are other leading Awazem candidates. Rasheed is also backed by the Islamic Constitutional Movement. Wasmi Khaled Al-Wasmi, the son of former MP Khaled Al-Wasmi, is a liberal candidate also banking on support from the Awazem and liberals.
Among the two women, Maasouma Al-Mubarak is tipped to make history by becoming the first female MP after she made history in 2005 by becoming the first Kuwaiti female minister. Shiites had all their five members from this constituency and are expected to maintain their numbers or even increase it by a sixth seat.
Published Date: May 10, 2009
By B Izzak, Staff Writer
KUWAIT: Kuwaitis go to the ballots on May 16 to elect the 13th National Assembly and the second in a year. Sixteen women are among 210 candidates competing for the 50 seats in five constituencies. Each constituency elects 10 members while each voter is allowed to cast a maximum of four votes.
Here is a detailed analysis on each electoral district, highlighting the main races, political groups, main candidates and other issues.
First Constituency
Sharq-Rumeithiya-Salmiya
The first constituency has 19 residential areas starting from Sharq in Kuwait City to Mishref in the south. The main areas are Rumeithiya, Salwa, Salmiya, Bayan, Hawally, Dasma, Shaab and Daiya. The district has 69,132 voters, including 37,519 women and 31,613 male voters. The largest area in terms of voters is Rumeithiya with 15,752 voters, Salwa with 12,333 and Bayan with 10,838 voters. The constituency is the third largest in terms of size of voters after the fifth and fourth districts.
Forty-five candidates are contesting the elections including all the 10 MPs in the outgoing National Assembly in addition to three former MPs from previous assemblies. There are also two female candidates - former minister Maasouma Al-Mubarak and prominent women activist Fatima Al-Abdali.
The constituency is divided almost equally between Sunni and Shiite voters. It has a large contingent of tribal voters from the Awazem tribe. The constituency also has a good number of liberal and Sunni Islamist voters, and a strong presence of well-known Kuwaiti families like the Awadhi and Roumi.
Two main lists are fighting the election officially. Both are Shiite while the rest are contesting on individual bases. The National Islamic Alliance (NIA) and its allies are fielding four candidates. They are former MPs Adnan Abdulsamad and Ahmad Lari of the NIA, former minister and MP Youssef Al-Zalzalah and the representative of the Hasawi Shiites Hamad Taher Buhamad.
The list is tipped to bag at least three seats because it has strong support among Shiite voters. The addition of Zalzala's and Buhamad's supporters to the NIA voters has the list in a very strong position. The second list is Peace and Justice which is fielding former MP Saleh Ashour and Hassan Naseer, the secretary general of the group. The list also has a strong following among Shiite voters and is tipped to win at least one seat. Other Shiite candidates include former MPs Hassan Jowhar and Hussein Al-Qa
llaf, who are running as independent and have strong chances of maintaining their seats.
On the Sunni side, all five former MPs are seeking re-election. They include Mukhled Al-Azemi who is backed by Islamists and from his Awazem tribe. Hussein Al-Huraiti, a former justice minister, is also banking on support from his Awazem tribe. Others include Abdulwahed Al-Awadhi and Abdullah Al-Roumi, who are backed by the strong support of their respective families.
Former MP Mohammad Al-Kandari is the official candidate of the Islamic Salaf Alliance and is drawing support from his large Kandari family. But he has two other contenders from the same family, Abdullah Al-Kandari and Jassem Al-Kandari, who was a member in the 2006 Assembly.
The Awazem tribe did not hold its tribal primary like last year and thus its votes are expected to be divided. Besides Mukhled and Huraiti, former MP Ahmad Al-Shuhomi, Mubarak Al-Harees and Mohammad Hamad Al-Rasheed are other leading Awazem candidates. Rasheed is also backed by the Islamic Constitutional Movement. Wasmi Khaled Al-Wasmi, the son of former MP Khaled Al-Wasmi, is a liberal candidate also banking on support from the Awazem and liberals.
Among the two women, Maasouma Al-Mubarak is tipped to make history by becoming the first female MP after she made history in 2005 by becoming the first Kuwaiti female minister. Shiites had all their five members from this constituency and are expected to maintain their numbers or even increase it by a sixth seat.
Kuwait: Protesters slam 'infidel' charge
Kuwait Times
Published Date: May 10, 2009
By Hussain Al-Qatari, Staff Writer
KUWAIT: A number of Kuwaitis held a rally in front of the National Assembly yesterday to protest recent accusations by an Islamist candidate. Thawabet Al-Ummah, a religious movement led by fourth constituency candidate Mohammad Hayef Al-Mutairi, issued a statement on Wednesday in which it claimed that what was said by third constituency candidate Dr Aseel Al-Awadhi in a widely-watched YouTube video makes her an "infidel" and that she must "repent and beg for forgiveness.
The YouTube video that appeared on May 5 shows a still picture of Al-Awadhi and edited audio clips previously recorded without permission during one of her classes at Kuwait University where she teaches. In the audio clips, she makes a reference to a verse in the Holy Quran that talks about hijab (the Islamic head cover) and its historical context in accordance with Tafsir Al-Tabari, a commentary and exegesis book on the Holy Quran written by prominent historian and scholar Muhammad Al-Tabari. Many extremi
sts accused her of corruption and immorality, the latest of which was a column in a newspaper calling her "irreligious".
Expressing irritation towards such allegations, first constituency candidate and former minister of health Dr Massouma Mubarak said at the rally yesterday that Kuwaiti women were slandered for asking for their political rights in 2005, and were attacked for running for elections in 2006 and 2008, but it is time for such accusations to stop. "They said that a woman who votes without taking permission of her husband or father is a sinner. This is not acceptable. We have to tell them to stop. Stop implementin
g religion to your own desire. Stop messing up democracy. Stop marginalizing humans for your own gain," she said to the applause of the protestors.
Political activist Ali Khajah objected the random and biased accusations of Al-Awadhi being an infidel, stressing that Kuwait is a democratic country. He said that everyone is entitled to have their opinion, but no one has the right to use religion for their own needs and to make such decisions regarding whether someone is an infidel or a Muslim, or whether they are going to heaven or hell. He warned against such extremist behavior, saying that it can lead to murder. "Kuwait is Kuwait of freedom. Kuwait is
Kuwait of culture, of advancement. Yes, there are dark aspects, but they will go away and Kuwait will come back as it was. Kuwait, my country, may you be safe and glorious!" he said.
A representative of Kuwait's National Democratic Alliance, Anwar Juma, said that the accusations of extremist Islamists must be answered to with the same level of ruthlessness. "They have not one speck of respect for Kuwaitis and nationalism. They attacked harshly with their statements." He elaborated that such religious affiliations have no positive stances to be remembered with, giving examples of how when they were in control of Kuwait University's students union, they simply called the invasion of Ira
q to Kuwait a "disagreement between the two countries." Juma asked "Is this how they describe the barbarian actions by Iraqi soldiers against Kuwait's citizens and residents?
Former MP Meshari Al-Osaimi in his speech predicted the end of extremist Islamic powers in Kuwait in the field of politics. "They only issued this fatwa because their faction is dying. It is dying, and they have noticed that people are leaning more towards nationalism after extremist Islamism failed to take the country anywhere towards advancement." He said that this does not mean Kuwaitis have no respect for religion, drawing the line between Islam as a religion and Islamism as the political employment of
Islam for political interests. "This is not the first time that women participate in the elections. But now that they (extremists) sensed the threat of women on their position, they felt the need to do anything in order to curb voters from supporting female candidates," he said.
Published Date: May 10, 2009
By Hussain Al-Qatari, Staff Writer
KUWAIT: A number of Kuwaitis held a rally in front of the National Assembly yesterday to protest recent accusations by an Islamist candidate. Thawabet Al-Ummah, a religious movement led by fourth constituency candidate Mohammad Hayef Al-Mutairi, issued a statement on Wednesday in which it claimed that what was said by third constituency candidate Dr Aseel Al-Awadhi in a widely-watched YouTube video makes her an "infidel" and that she must "repent and beg for forgiveness.
The YouTube video that appeared on May 5 shows a still picture of Al-Awadhi and edited audio clips previously recorded without permission during one of her classes at Kuwait University where she teaches. In the audio clips, she makes a reference to a verse in the Holy Quran that talks about hijab (the Islamic head cover) and its historical context in accordance with Tafsir Al-Tabari, a commentary and exegesis book on the Holy Quran written by prominent historian and scholar Muhammad Al-Tabari. Many extremi
sts accused her of corruption and immorality, the latest of which was a column in a newspaper calling her "irreligious".
Expressing irritation towards such allegations, first constituency candidate and former minister of health Dr Massouma Mubarak said at the rally yesterday that Kuwaiti women were slandered for asking for their political rights in 2005, and were attacked for running for elections in 2006 and 2008, but it is time for such accusations to stop. "They said that a woman who votes without taking permission of her husband or father is a sinner. This is not acceptable. We have to tell them to stop. Stop implementin
g religion to your own desire. Stop messing up democracy. Stop marginalizing humans for your own gain," she said to the applause of the protestors.
Political activist Ali Khajah objected the random and biased accusations of Al-Awadhi being an infidel, stressing that Kuwait is a democratic country. He said that everyone is entitled to have their opinion, but no one has the right to use religion for their own needs and to make such decisions regarding whether someone is an infidel or a Muslim, or whether they are going to heaven or hell. He warned against such extremist behavior, saying that it can lead to murder. "Kuwait is Kuwait of freedom. Kuwait is
Kuwait of culture, of advancement. Yes, there are dark aspects, but they will go away and Kuwait will come back as it was. Kuwait, my country, may you be safe and glorious!" he said.
A representative of Kuwait's National Democratic Alliance, Anwar Juma, said that the accusations of extremist Islamists must be answered to with the same level of ruthlessness. "They have not one speck of respect for Kuwaitis and nationalism. They attacked harshly with their statements." He elaborated that such religious affiliations have no positive stances to be remembered with, giving examples of how when they were in control of Kuwait University's students union, they simply called the invasion of Ira
q to Kuwait a "disagreement between the two countries." Juma asked "Is this how they describe the barbarian actions by Iraqi soldiers against Kuwait's citizens and residents?
Former MP Meshari Al-Osaimi in his speech predicted the end of extremist Islamic powers in Kuwait in the field of politics. "They only issued this fatwa because their faction is dying. It is dying, and they have noticed that people are leaning more towards nationalism after extremist Islamism failed to take the country anywhere towards advancement." He said that this does not mean Kuwaitis have no respect for religion, drawing the line between Islam as a religion and Islamism as the political employment of
Islam for political interests. "This is not the first time that women participate in the elections. But now that they (extremists) sensed the threat of women on their position, they felt the need to do anything in order to curb voters from supporting female candidates," he said.
Kuwait: Women see hope in upcoming elections
Kuwait Times
Published Date: May 10, 2009
By Hussain Al-Qatari, Staff Writer
KUWAIT: As May 16 draws near, hopes seems to be presiding the views of female voters. Even after the issuance of the recent fatwa forbidding voting for women, the supporters of the female a great majority still sees that change is only possible if women reach the Parliament. Kuwait Times conducted a survey to find out about the various views and reasons behind women's support in female candidates.
The young generation of Kuwaiti women believe that for women to win the elections is a statement that needs to be made. Fay Al-Najjar believes it is a leap towards change and acceptance of development. "Before we think of solutions, we have to locate the roots of the problems that we have. Radical solutions for problems are much needed in our country. We treat the crises we are undergoing, which I can best describe as a gushing wound, with a sorry Band-Aid," she said.
Fay explained what she described as a 'gushing wound,' saying, "There is tension between sects, between tribals and non-tribals and between conservative extremists and liberal extremists. This is not something to readily accept. We need to fix this and promote tolerance, and Kuwait cannot do that if it keeps its women stuck where they are." Aisha Al-Suwaidan thinks the female presence will add more sophistication to previous MPs dialogue. "This will make male representatives rethink their strategies and th
e way they debate," she said, adding jokingly that the presence of women will in any case make things better.
Batool Al-Baloushi, 33-year old, echoed Aisha's sentiment. She said she is going to vote for a woman because she strongly believes that Kuwait desperately needs to have women in its Parliament. This conviction stems from her seeing how dialogue has deteriorated immensely in the National Assembly throughout the previous decade. She mused, "Generally speaking, men don't act all crazy in the presence of women, or when dealing with women. So I believe we will be able to listen to more articulate dialogue rathe
r than screaming and fighting in parliamentary sessions when women make it (in).
Sarah Al-Qallaf believes that more than one woman will make it in this year's elections. She said if she could, she would have an all-women parliament. "Men have proved to us over the years that they are hard- headed and not accepting of other views. This is not something that I have made up; watch their debates in parliament and see with your own eyes," she said.
Sarah, 31, says that the demands of her generation are generally career- related. She said that throughout her eight years of work, she saw male colleagues who have come after her get promotions and increments, while she makes less than them and works harder. "When people see that women are capable of making decisions and representing others in the parliament, I hope that their view of us will change and they will treat us as equals at work," she said. She says that she has seen women be more active and in
volved this year than the previous years.
Even her mother, a woman in her seventies, has been attending different candidates' seminars and debating about the country's politics. Salma Al-Enezi, 56-year- old retired teacher says that she is certain of women's presence in the next parliament, but she is worried that many of the female candidates, especially the ones she called 'educated' would waste time competing with men. She said that she wishes those female candidates will prove to be deserving of the voters' trust. Female future MPs should not
waste their time competing with men, but rather focus on what Kuwaiti women want and need. She said, "Some educated candidates I met in person speak my language, but there are other ones who only blabber with big terms and jargon about economy and financial stimulus plans.
Published Date: May 10, 2009
By Hussain Al-Qatari, Staff Writer
KUWAIT: As May 16 draws near, hopes seems to be presiding the views of female voters. Even after the issuance of the recent fatwa forbidding voting for women, the supporters of the female a great majority still sees that change is only possible if women reach the Parliament. Kuwait Times conducted a survey to find out about the various views and reasons behind women's support in female candidates.
The young generation of Kuwaiti women believe that for women to win the elections is a statement that needs to be made. Fay Al-Najjar believes it is a leap towards change and acceptance of development. "Before we think of solutions, we have to locate the roots of the problems that we have. Radical solutions for problems are much needed in our country. We treat the crises we are undergoing, which I can best describe as a gushing wound, with a sorry Band-Aid," she said.
Fay explained what she described as a 'gushing wound,' saying, "There is tension between sects, between tribals and non-tribals and between conservative extremists and liberal extremists. This is not something to readily accept. We need to fix this and promote tolerance, and Kuwait cannot do that if it keeps its women stuck where they are." Aisha Al-Suwaidan thinks the female presence will add more sophistication to previous MPs dialogue. "This will make male representatives rethink their strategies and th
e way they debate," she said, adding jokingly that the presence of women will in any case make things better.
Batool Al-Baloushi, 33-year old, echoed Aisha's sentiment. She said she is going to vote for a woman because she strongly believes that Kuwait desperately needs to have women in its Parliament. This conviction stems from her seeing how dialogue has deteriorated immensely in the National Assembly throughout the previous decade. She mused, "Generally speaking, men don't act all crazy in the presence of women, or when dealing with women. So I believe we will be able to listen to more articulate dialogue rathe
r than screaming and fighting in parliamentary sessions when women make it (in).
Sarah Al-Qallaf believes that more than one woman will make it in this year's elections. She said if she could, she would have an all-women parliament. "Men have proved to us over the years that they are hard- headed and not accepting of other views. This is not something that I have made up; watch their debates in parliament and see with your own eyes," she said.
Sarah, 31, says that the demands of her generation are generally career- related. She said that throughout her eight years of work, she saw male colleagues who have come after her get promotions and increments, while she makes less than them and works harder. "When people see that women are capable of making decisions and representing others in the parliament, I hope that their view of us will change and they will treat us as equals at work," she said. She says that she has seen women be more active and in
volved this year than the previous years.
Even her mother, a woman in her seventies, has been attending different candidates' seminars and debating about the country's politics. Salma Al-Enezi, 56-year- old retired teacher says that she is certain of women's presence in the next parliament, but she is worried that many of the female candidates, especially the ones she called 'educated' would waste time competing with men. She said that she wishes those female candidates will prove to be deserving of the voters' trust. Female future MPs should not
waste their time competing with men, but rather focus on what Kuwaiti women want and need. She said, "Some educated candidates I met in person speak my language, but there are other ones who only blabber with big terms and jargon about economy and financial stimulus plans.
Iran: Roxana Saberi released from prison: Judiciary spokesman
Mehr News
TEHRAN, May 11 (MNA) – The Judiciary spokesman confirmed on Monday that Iranian-U.S. national Roxana Saberi has been released from jail.
“The appeals court overturned the verdict on Roxana Saberi,” Alireza Jamshidi told the Mehr News Agency.
Saberi, 32, was sentenced to an eight-year prison term last month on espionage charges.
The appeals court reduced her jail term on Monday to a two-year suspended sentence.
PA/PA
END
MNA
TEHRAN, May 11 (MNA) – The Judiciary spokesman confirmed on Monday that Iranian-U.S. national Roxana Saberi has been released from jail.
“The appeals court overturned the verdict on Roxana Saberi,” Alireza Jamshidi told the Mehr News Agency.
Saberi, 32, was sentenced to an eight-year prison term last month on espionage charges.
The appeals court reduced her jail term on Monday to a two-year suspended sentence.
PA/PA
END
MNA
Iran: Iran could elect first female president
presstv.ir
More than 40 women have registered as prospective candidates for Iran's tenth Presidential elections, a top election official says.
"Of the 475 who signed up as candidates, 433 are men and 42 are women," Kamran Daneshjoo, the head of Iran's election committee told reporters on Sunday.
That means the Islamic Republic could see a woman as its head of state, becoming the first Muslim country to have a female president.
However, the four candidates with the highest chance to win the race to the Presidential palace are incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's last prime minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi, two times parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi and the Secretary of Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei.
Hours after registration closed in the country's capital of Tehran, Daneshjoo said the oldest Iranian to seek the presidency was an 86 year-old, while the youngest was a 19-year-old teenager.
"From among the candidates one had obtained a high ranking clerical degree, one was a professor, 35 people had a PhD. and 216 were post graduates," he added.
A former member of Iran's 290-seat parliament, Rafat Bayat is considered the most prominent female figure to register for the elections, scheduled for June 12.
The Sociologist, whose last bid for presidency was rejected four years ago, has announced that if elected, her first deputy will be a woman.
After registering at the Interior Ministry on Saturday, Bayat criticized the Ahmadinejad administration for missing so many 'golden opportunities', a reference to the government's failure to take advantage of skyrocketing oil prices last year.
Under the Islamic Republic constitution, candidates for the presidency be among "rejal", a word meaning 'men' in Arabic but translates into renowned political figures in Persian.
The word has caused controversy in the past, with some interpretations claiming that the constitution bars women from running for president.
However, Iran's constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council, declared in April that there is no restriction on women standing in this year's presidential elections.
"The council has never put an interpretation on the word 'rejal'," Abbas-Ali Kadkodaye, a spokesman for the Guardians Council said.
MT/MMN
More than 40 women have registered as prospective candidates for Iran's tenth Presidential elections, a top election official says.
"Of the 475 who signed up as candidates, 433 are men and 42 are women," Kamran Daneshjoo, the head of Iran's election committee told reporters on Sunday.
That means the Islamic Republic could see a woman as its head of state, becoming the first Muslim country to have a female president.
However, the four candidates with the highest chance to win the race to the Presidential palace are incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's last prime minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi, two times parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi and the Secretary of Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei.
Hours after registration closed in the country's capital of Tehran, Daneshjoo said the oldest Iranian to seek the presidency was an 86 year-old, while the youngest was a 19-year-old teenager.
"From among the candidates one had obtained a high ranking clerical degree, one was a professor, 35 people had a PhD. and 216 were post graduates," he added.
A former member of Iran's 290-seat parliament, Rafat Bayat is considered the most prominent female figure to register for the elections, scheduled for June 12.
The Sociologist, whose last bid for presidency was rejected four years ago, has announced that if elected, her first deputy will be a woman.
After registering at the Interior Ministry on Saturday, Bayat criticized the Ahmadinejad administration for missing so many 'golden opportunities', a reference to the government's failure to take advantage of skyrocketing oil prices last year.
Under the Islamic Republic constitution, candidates for the presidency be among "rejal", a word meaning 'men' in Arabic but translates into renowned political figures in Persian.
The word has caused controversy in the past, with some interpretations claiming that the constitution bars women from running for president.
However, Iran's constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council, declared in April that there is no restriction on women standing in this year's presidential elections.
"The council has never put an interpretation on the word 'rejal'," Abbas-Ali Kadkodaye, a spokesman for the Guardians Council said.
MT/MMN
Iran: Many Try to Run for President in Iran, but Few Will Be Allowed
By NAZILA FATHI
Published: May 10, 2009
TEHRAN — With Iran’s presidential elections a month away, the Interior Ministry said Sunday that a total of 475 people had registered as candidates, including 40 women, and that the registrants ranged in age from 19 to 86. But an oversight panel of conservative mullahs and jurists is almost certain to disqualify most of them, leaving only a handful.
The total number of candidates, announced at the end of a five-day registration period, was less than half the 1,014 who had registered for the last presidential elections, in June 2005. Of that total, the oversight panel, known as the Guardian Council, disqualified all but six.
The Guardian Council, which screens all candidates for their religious and political qualifications and is known for its conservative Islamist views, is expected to announce the winnowed list of candidates for the June 12 elections on May 22.
There is a widespread expectation that the council will disqualify most or all challengers who favor more political and social openness. But the council’s choices will still be scrutinized because the incumbent candidate, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a religious conservative widely blamed for Iran’s increased economic isolation, has lost many influential allies.
The most likely challengers are the three who had already declared their intention to face Mr. Ahmadinejad before the registration period. They are Mir Hussein Moussavi, a moderate politician and former prime minister; Mehdi Karroubi, another moderate politician and former speaker of Parliament; and Mohsen Rezai, a former head of the Revolutionary Guards.
The focus of the campaign so far has been Iran’s economy, but the target of the challengers is Mr. Ahmadinejad, whom they have sharply criticized.
The most unusual criticism came last week from Mr. Rezai, who, like Mr. Ahmadinejad, had opposed more political and social openness in the past. He said in a news conference that if Mr. Ahmadinejad was re-elected, “he would drag the country over a cliff.” He called the president’s foreign policy “provocative” and “adventurous” and blamed him later in the week for $1 billion in missing oil revenue.
Mr. Karroubi has criticized Mr. Ahmadinejad’s comments on the issue of the Holocaust. Mr. Ahmadinejad has repeatedly denied the Holocaust, but because of the country’s animosity toward Israel, the subject was dealt with quietly until Mr. Karroubi brought it out in the open. He said that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s statements had harmed the country and undermined the country’s position on the global stage.
Mr. Moussavi, who could be Mr. Ahmadinejad’s most serious rival, has lashed out at the Guidance Patrol, the police force that was set up under Mr. Ahmadinejad, and was responsible for harassing women deemed to be violating Islamic dress codes.
Politicians and activists are also taking advantage of a more tolerant atmosphere before the elections. Women’s groups have formed a coalition and announced at a news conference last month that they wanted discriminatory laws against women to be amended — a demand that has been confronted harshly by the authorities. Many female activists have been jailed in the past year.
Mr. Ahmadinejad once had the backing of influential clerics, but they have refrained from supporting him publicly in his re-election campaign, casting some doubt on his prospects for a second term.
The supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, once his most prominent supporter, scolded him in a public letter last week after Mr. Ahmadinejad announced he was making a close ally the head of the state bureau for pilgrimages to Mecca.
Mr. Ahmadinejad may still be re-elected. He has traveled everywhere around the country as president, giving money and promising to help. Many voters point to his generosity and willingness to ease government bureaucracy.
“I will vote for him because he wrote a letter and exempted us from paying a fine for illegal construction when he was mayor,” said Nader Abolqasemi, a 33-year old civil servant, referring to the time when Mr. Ahmadinejad was the mayor of Tehran before he was elected president.
His supporters portray him as a Spartan and pious man who wants to serve his country. In a book about his life titled “The Son of People,” he still cultivates the small garden at his home and his newly married daughter lives in a small rental apartment.
The candidate registration announcement coincided with news that an imprisoned Iranian-American journalist in Iran, Roxana Saberi, had appealed her conviction for espionage. News services reported that her lawyer was optimistic that the eight-year sentence would be reduced.
The lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, talked to reporters after his client’s five-hour, closed-door appeals hearing. He said that he had been allowed to defend Ms. Saberi and that he expected the court to rule in the coming days.
The case has caused tensions between the United States and Iran at a time when President Obama has said he wants to engage the Iranian government after a 30-year estrangement. Washington has called the spying conviction baseless.
Iran had promised a review of the case on appeal and insisted that Ms. Saberi would be allowed to provide a full defense. Officials have suggested that her prison term could be reduced or the conviction overturned. Ms. Saberi, who grew up in Fargo, N.D., was convicted last month after a closed-door hearing.
Published: May 10, 2009
TEHRAN — With Iran’s presidential elections a month away, the Interior Ministry said Sunday that a total of 475 people had registered as candidates, including 40 women, and that the registrants ranged in age from 19 to 86. But an oversight panel of conservative mullahs and jurists is almost certain to disqualify most of them, leaving only a handful.
The total number of candidates, announced at the end of a five-day registration period, was less than half the 1,014 who had registered for the last presidential elections, in June 2005. Of that total, the oversight panel, known as the Guardian Council, disqualified all but six.
The Guardian Council, which screens all candidates for their religious and political qualifications and is known for its conservative Islamist views, is expected to announce the winnowed list of candidates for the June 12 elections on May 22.
There is a widespread expectation that the council will disqualify most or all challengers who favor more political and social openness. But the council’s choices will still be scrutinized because the incumbent candidate, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a religious conservative widely blamed for Iran’s increased economic isolation, has lost many influential allies.
The most likely challengers are the three who had already declared their intention to face Mr. Ahmadinejad before the registration period. They are Mir Hussein Moussavi, a moderate politician and former prime minister; Mehdi Karroubi, another moderate politician and former speaker of Parliament; and Mohsen Rezai, a former head of the Revolutionary Guards.
The focus of the campaign so far has been Iran’s economy, but the target of the challengers is Mr. Ahmadinejad, whom they have sharply criticized.
The most unusual criticism came last week from Mr. Rezai, who, like Mr. Ahmadinejad, had opposed more political and social openness in the past. He said in a news conference that if Mr. Ahmadinejad was re-elected, “he would drag the country over a cliff.” He called the president’s foreign policy “provocative” and “adventurous” and blamed him later in the week for $1 billion in missing oil revenue.
Mr. Karroubi has criticized Mr. Ahmadinejad’s comments on the issue of the Holocaust. Mr. Ahmadinejad has repeatedly denied the Holocaust, but because of the country’s animosity toward Israel, the subject was dealt with quietly until Mr. Karroubi brought it out in the open. He said that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s statements had harmed the country and undermined the country’s position on the global stage.
Mr. Moussavi, who could be Mr. Ahmadinejad’s most serious rival, has lashed out at the Guidance Patrol, the police force that was set up under Mr. Ahmadinejad, and was responsible for harassing women deemed to be violating Islamic dress codes.
Politicians and activists are also taking advantage of a more tolerant atmosphere before the elections. Women’s groups have formed a coalition and announced at a news conference last month that they wanted discriminatory laws against women to be amended — a demand that has been confronted harshly by the authorities. Many female activists have been jailed in the past year.
Mr. Ahmadinejad once had the backing of influential clerics, but they have refrained from supporting him publicly in his re-election campaign, casting some doubt on his prospects for a second term.
The supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, once his most prominent supporter, scolded him in a public letter last week after Mr. Ahmadinejad announced he was making a close ally the head of the state bureau for pilgrimages to Mecca.
Mr. Ahmadinejad may still be re-elected. He has traveled everywhere around the country as president, giving money and promising to help. Many voters point to his generosity and willingness to ease government bureaucracy.
“I will vote for him because he wrote a letter and exempted us from paying a fine for illegal construction when he was mayor,” said Nader Abolqasemi, a 33-year old civil servant, referring to the time when Mr. Ahmadinejad was the mayor of Tehran before he was elected president.
His supporters portray him as a Spartan and pious man who wants to serve his country. In a book about his life titled “The Son of People,” he still cultivates the small garden at his home and his newly married daughter lives in a small rental apartment.
The candidate registration announcement coincided with news that an imprisoned Iranian-American journalist in Iran, Roxana Saberi, had appealed her conviction for espionage. News services reported that her lawyer was optimistic that the eight-year sentence would be reduced.
The lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, talked to reporters after his client’s five-hour, closed-door appeals hearing. He said that he had been allowed to defend Ms. Saberi and that he expected the court to rule in the coming days.
The case has caused tensions between the United States and Iran at a time when President Obama has said he wants to engage the Iranian government after a 30-year estrangement. Washington has called the spying conviction baseless.
Iran had promised a review of the case on appeal and insisted that Ms. Saberi would be allowed to provide a full defense. Officials have suggested that her prison term could be reduced or the conviction overturned. Ms. Saberi, who grew up in Fargo, N.D., was convicted last month after a closed-door hearing.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Tunisia: Tunisian First Lady says presidency of regional Organization will promote status of Arab women
Tunisia Online News
Tunis, May 7, 2009- In an interview to the Tunisian monthly opinion magazine “Roua”, Tunisia’s First Lady, Mrs Leila Ben Ali said that Tunisia’s presidency of the Arab Women Organization (AWO) for the next two years “will follow up on the implementation of the Organization’s mechanisms and programs so as to give Arab women larger opportunities and wider prospects for participation.”
Mrs Ben Ali, who will act as the Chairperson of the Organization for the next two years, as part of the Organization’s rotational leadership, vowed to promote the status of Arab women while “enhancing their role in building advanced Arab societies.”
Asked about the privileged status Tunisian women enjoy, Mrs Ben Ali said that “the achievements and gains accomplished by Tunisian women are a source of pride for all Tunisians”.
In Tunisia she added, “we longer speak of women’s liberation but of fully fledged partnership.” Tunisian women represent 30% of the working population and can be found in all professions she said, stressing the fact that women represent 33% of judges, 31% of lawyers, one third of university teachers, a quarter of the country’s journalists, two thirds of pharmacists. Moreover 99% of six year old girls attend school and over 59% are university students.
She also highlighted the fact that Tunisian women are also active in political life as they represent 23% of the Chamber of deputies, 19% of the Chamber of Advisors, 27, 6% in municipal councils, including the presence of 5 women as mayors. 20% of diplomatic positions are also held by women added Mrs Ben Ali, who pointed out that more than 10,000 businesswomen are running their own projects.
Stressing the role of civil society in further empowering women Mrs Ben Ali said that nearly 30 associations concerned with women’s affairs are active in Tunisia.
“The New Era has offered women the conditions propitious for a larger participation in all fields of development. Having accomplished significant gains, unprecedented in our cultural and geographic environment, Tunisian women are now a fundamental element in the building and growth of society”, she said.
The interview also focused on Mrs Ben Ali’s responsibilities in the social and humanitarian sectors, especially in her capacity as the president of the BASMA association for the promotion of employment among disabled people.
The Tunisian First Lady also told “Roua” that the media are called upon to adopt amore constructive role in reflecting the genuine role of women in life. She slammed a certain Arab press and television for giving “stereotyped images of women” which discard women’s political, economic, cultural and scientific roles. She said she was fully convinced that “the most pressing task is to continue to change mentalities and mindsets, as a prelude to changing the image of women in society”, in addition to the “responsibility incumbent upon Arab women themselves to change their own image”, she added.
To a question on the scourge of violence against women that plagues many Arab societies, the Tunisian First Lady stressed the importance “to enact tough and binding laws” to discourage such practises. She also insisted on the importance of the role of educational institutions in setting up programs “free from any ideology that belittles women and their status.”
Mrs Ben Ali noted that the education of children is a noble mission which should be carried out to the best of ones’ abilities, given the fact that the future of children is the future of humanity as a whole. Pointing out to the plight of Palestinian children, Mrs Ben Ali said that as a Chairperson of the Arab Women Organisation, she will set up new approaches and programs to promote the rights of Palestinian children.
Tunis, May 7, 2009- In an interview to the Tunisian monthly opinion magazine “Roua”, Tunisia’s First Lady, Mrs Leila Ben Ali said that Tunisia’s presidency of the Arab Women Organization (AWO) for the next two years “will follow up on the implementation of the Organization’s mechanisms and programs so as to give Arab women larger opportunities and wider prospects for participation.”
Mrs Ben Ali, who will act as the Chairperson of the Organization for the next two years, as part of the Organization’s rotational leadership, vowed to promote the status of Arab women while “enhancing their role in building advanced Arab societies.”
Asked about the privileged status Tunisian women enjoy, Mrs Ben Ali said that “the achievements and gains accomplished by Tunisian women are a source of pride for all Tunisians”.
In Tunisia she added, “we longer speak of women’s liberation but of fully fledged partnership.” Tunisian women represent 30% of the working population and can be found in all professions she said, stressing the fact that women represent 33% of judges, 31% of lawyers, one third of university teachers, a quarter of the country’s journalists, two thirds of pharmacists. Moreover 99% of six year old girls attend school and over 59% are university students.
She also highlighted the fact that Tunisian women are also active in political life as they represent 23% of the Chamber of deputies, 19% of the Chamber of Advisors, 27, 6% in municipal councils, including the presence of 5 women as mayors. 20% of diplomatic positions are also held by women added Mrs Ben Ali, who pointed out that more than 10,000 businesswomen are running their own projects.
Stressing the role of civil society in further empowering women Mrs Ben Ali said that nearly 30 associations concerned with women’s affairs are active in Tunisia.
“The New Era has offered women the conditions propitious for a larger participation in all fields of development. Having accomplished significant gains, unprecedented in our cultural and geographic environment, Tunisian women are now a fundamental element in the building and growth of society”, she said.
The interview also focused on Mrs Ben Ali’s responsibilities in the social and humanitarian sectors, especially in her capacity as the president of the BASMA association for the promotion of employment among disabled people.
The Tunisian First Lady also told “Roua” that the media are called upon to adopt amore constructive role in reflecting the genuine role of women in life. She slammed a certain Arab press and television for giving “stereotyped images of women” which discard women’s political, economic, cultural and scientific roles. She said she was fully convinced that “the most pressing task is to continue to change mentalities and mindsets, as a prelude to changing the image of women in society”, in addition to the “responsibility incumbent upon Arab women themselves to change their own image”, she added.
To a question on the scourge of violence against women that plagues many Arab societies, the Tunisian First Lady stressed the importance “to enact tough and binding laws” to discourage such practises. She also insisted on the importance of the role of educational institutions in setting up programs “free from any ideology that belittles women and their status.”
Mrs Ben Ali noted that the education of children is a noble mission which should be carried out to the best of ones’ abilities, given the fact that the future of children is the future of humanity as a whole. Pointing out to the plight of Palestinian children, Mrs Ben Ali said that as a Chairperson of the Arab Women Organisation, she will set up new approaches and programs to promote the rights of Palestinian children.
Mauritania: Religious Leaders call for Ending Corporal Punishment in Mauritania
UNICEF
By Christian Skoog and Brahim Ould Isselmou
ATAR, Mauritania, 6 May 2009 – In the first hour after his arrival at a mahadra (Koranic school) in Atar, Ahmed was beaten several times. Over the next four months, he suffered daily.
His ‘Cheikh’, or teacher, used many different tools to punish Ahmed and his friends. Some of the boys who are considered troublemakers were tied up to the trunks of trees and left outside for hours, suffering from the heat and hunger.
“I pray to Allah that I no longer have to wear my torn shirt to cover the scars on my back,” said Ahmed.
Turning to the Imams’ Network
In this country, as in many others, corporal punishment is widespread in mahadras and secular primary schools, and within families. It is considered a suitable and effective educational method.
UNICEF Mauritania analyzed this widespread phenomenon in order to find the best way to address it. Given the pre-eminent position of religious leaders in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, a partnership with the Imams’ and Religious Leaders’ Network for Child Rights was deemed an appropriate entry point.
This approach is also in line with the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against Children, which urges close collaboration with community and religious leaders.
No basis in the Koran
For its part, the Imams’ Network carried out a study to assess whether corporal punishment is allowed in Islam. The evidence was overwhelming: The study found that violence has no place in the Koran.
UNICEF Representative in Mauritania Christian Skoog, local authorities and the President of the Imams’ and Religious Leaders’ Network for Child Rights, Hademine Ould Saleck, attend a workshop on ending corporal punishment.
The results of the study will now form the basis of a fatwa (religious edict) barring physical and verbal violence against children in the educational system, including in the home.
“The evidence that corporal punishment is forbidden by Islam is clear and abiding for all of us,” declared Imams’ Network President Hademine Ould Saleck. “Let us stop arguing. We don’t have a choice, and we must apply Sharia [Islamic law], which fully protects children”.
‘A powerful tool’
A regional workshop to validate the study was held 20-21 April in Atar. Among the participants were 30 Imams from the Adrar and Inchiri regions, as well as UNICEF Representative in Mauritania Christian Skoog.
“We have to use this fatwa prohibiting corporal punishment as a powerful tool to disseminate and put an end to violence in mahadras, schools and religious events,” said Mr. Skoog.
This child-rights initiative coincides with the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the scaling up of the country programme in Mauritania. In fact, the regional workshop kicked off a series of commemorative events.
By Christian Skoog and Brahim Ould Isselmou
ATAR, Mauritania, 6 May 2009 – In the first hour after his arrival at a mahadra (Koranic school) in Atar, Ahmed was beaten several times. Over the next four months, he suffered daily.
His ‘Cheikh’, or teacher, used many different tools to punish Ahmed and his friends. Some of the boys who are considered troublemakers were tied up to the trunks of trees and left outside for hours, suffering from the heat and hunger.
“I pray to Allah that I no longer have to wear my torn shirt to cover the scars on my back,” said Ahmed.
Turning to the Imams’ Network
In this country, as in many others, corporal punishment is widespread in mahadras and secular primary schools, and within families. It is considered a suitable and effective educational method.
UNICEF Mauritania analyzed this widespread phenomenon in order to find the best way to address it. Given the pre-eminent position of religious leaders in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, a partnership with the Imams’ and Religious Leaders’ Network for Child Rights was deemed an appropriate entry point.
This approach is also in line with the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against Children, which urges close collaboration with community and religious leaders.
No basis in the Koran
For its part, the Imams’ Network carried out a study to assess whether corporal punishment is allowed in Islam. The evidence was overwhelming: The study found that violence has no place in the Koran.
UNICEF Representative in Mauritania Christian Skoog, local authorities and the President of the Imams’ and Religious Leaders’ Network for Child Rights, Hademine Ould Saleck, attend a workshop on ending corporal punishment.
The results of the study will now form the basis of a fatwa (religious edict) barring physical and verbal violence against children in the educational system, including in the home.
“The evidence that corporal punishment is forbidden by Islam is clear and abiding for all of us,” declared Imams’ Network President Hademine Ould Saleck. “Let us stop arguing. We don’t have a choice, and we must apply Sharia [Islamic law], which fully protects children”.
‘A powerful tool’
A regional workshop to validate the study was held 20-21 April in Atar. Among the participants were 30 Imams from the Adrar and Inchiri regions, as well as UNICEF Representative in Mauritania Christian Skoog.
“We have to use this fatwa prohibiting corporal punishment as a powerful tool to disseminate and put an end to violence in mahadras, schools and religious events,” said Mr. Skoog.
This child-rights initiative coincides with the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the scaling up of the country programme in Mauritania. In fact, the regional workshop kicked off a series of commemorative events.
Algeria: El Moudjahid Forum on Women
La Tribune, 5.7.09
A debate yesterday, organized by the daily El Moudjahid, centered on the presence of women in the public sphere. Mrs. Francoise Halimi, Vice President of the Association of Women Heads of Enterprise, noted that the emancipation of women, and an active public life, has permitted them to ameliorate their families’ standard of living.
A debate yesterday, organized by the daily El Moudjahid, centered on the presence of women in the public sphere. Mrs. Francoise Halimi, Vice President of the Association of Women Heads of Enterprise, noted that the emancipation of women, and an active public life, has permitted them to ameliorate their families’ standard of living.
Saudi Arabia: Saudis Debate Ban on Women Drivers
The New York Times
By Robert Mackey
Updated | May 8 A young Saudi woman has launched an online campaign using YouTube, Facebook and Flickr to get Saudis to discuss, and possibly reconsider, the ban on women drivers in the Kingdom.
As an article published last month in the English-language Saudi newspaper Arab News explained, the project, called “We the Women,” was started by Areej Khan, a 24-year-old Saudi woman currently studying design in the United States. According to Arab News, she started thinking about how onerous the ban was when she saw that her retired father was forced to spend much of his time “chauffeuring her, her mother and three sisters.”
The core of the campaign is a set of stickers, in the form of speech bubbles and bumper stickers, which Saudi men and women are encouraged to download from Flickr, fill in with their thoughts, and then display. Some people are also taking pictures of what they write on their stickers and then adding those photographs to the project’s Flickr set of “Declarations.”
Printed at the foot of each sticker is the simple message: “To drive, or not to drive, that is the question.”
As the project description on Flickr explains, Ms. Khan wants to hear other voices, not just amplify her own:
We the Women is a campaign that aims to raise the issue of women driving in Saudi Arabia and to start a real, public conversation. The We the Women declaration bubbles and bumper stickers were created as a space for self expression. Feel free to fill it out with your opinion on the issue and stick it wherever you feel it needs to be.
An image posted on the We the Women “Declarations” set on Flickr.
The images of the speech bubbles posted on Flickr so far have already sparked debate. Here is part of an exchange Ms. Khan had in the comments thread beneath a speech bubble that said, simply, “I don’t like the backseat!” with two other Flickr users, calling themselves Mac Moo and Mr. Nice 2009 (web punctuation intact):
Mac Moo says:
lol….my dear….u are goood at writing,,,but its for your own safety… women must not left alone…in islam…and thats for good of both man and women…. you know how exactly west world is…..i think the government is doing it rite.
N7nu - We the Women says:
just to clarify…This is a user submission. I did not write this. Secondly, do you think that if women were allowed to drive we would be westernized as a society? How come women in the time of the prophet were allowed to ride camels. Isn’t that the same thing?
Mr. Nice 2009 says:
how pleasure it’s to be drived. the roads in the kingdom need fast driving and braveness. if u got some1 to do for u the driving, u should be proud of. i am against that if woman drive there is alot of dangers, but my confidence in saudi women is high. not driving does not mean u r denied right, but means u r well cared of. Thank ur creator for that.
Other speech bubbles posted on Flickr include: “God did not say I can’t drive” and “I saved 1500 SR by driving myself around Saudi.”
In addition to the back and forth on Flickr, the campaign’s Facebook page has 1,100 fans, who are engaged in an active debate of whether the ban should be lifted, and comments have appeared on the promotional video for the campaign posted on YouTube (the version embedded above is in English, other are in Arabic). The video was shot in Oregon, but Ms. Khan told Arab News “I had to make look like it was in Saudi.”
According to Arab News, there is apparently wide support in Saudi Arabia for ending the ban: “Although there are no specific statistics on the number of people who are for or against women driving, most women believe it is their God-given right to drive.”
By Robert Mackey
Updated | May 8 A young Saudi woman has launched an online campaign using YouTube, Facebook and Flickr to get Saudis to discuss, and possibly reconsider, the ban on women drivers in the Kingdom.
As an article published last month in the English-language Saudi newspaper Arab News explained, the project, called “We the Women,” was started by Areej Khan, a 24-year-old Saudi woman currently studying design in the United States. According to Arab News, she started thinking about how onerous the ban was when she saw that her retired father was forced to spend much of his time “chauffeuring her, her mother and three sisters.”
The core of the campaign is a set of stickers, in the form of speech bubbles and bumper stickers, which Saudi men and women are encouraged to download from Flickr, fill in with their thoughts, and then display. Some people are also taking pictures of what they write on their stickers and then adding those photographs to the project’s Flickr set of “Declarations.”
Printed at the foot of each sticker is the simple message: “To drive, or not to drive, that is the question.”
As the project description on Flickr explains, Ms. Khan wants to hear other voices, not just amplify her own:
We the Women is a campaign that aims to raise the issue of women driving in Saudi Arabia and to start a real, public conversation. The We the Women declaration bubbles and bumper stickers were created as a space for self expression. Feel free to fill it out with your opinion on the issue and stick it wherever you feel it needs to be.
An image posted on the We the Women “Declarations” set on Flickr.
The images of the speech bubbles posted on Flickr so far have already sparked debate. Here is part of an exchange Ms. Khan had in the comments thread beneath a speech bubble that said, simply, “I don’t like the backseat!” with two other Flickr users, calling themselves Mac Moo and Mr. Nice 2009 (web punctuation intact):
Mac Moo says:
lol….my dear….u are goood at writing,,,but its for your own safety… women must not left alone…in islam…and thats for good of both man and women…. you know how exactly west world is…..i think the government is doing it rite.
N7nu - We the Women says:
just to clarify…This is a user submission. I did not write this. Secondly, do you think that if women were allowed to drive we would be westernized as a society? How come women in the time of the prophet were allowed to ride camels. Isn’t that the same thing?
Mr. Nice 2009 says:
how pleasure it’s to be drived. the roads in the kingdom need fast driving and braveness. if u got some1 to do for u the driving, u should be proud of. i am against that if woman drive there is alot of dangers, but my confidence in saudi women is high. not driving does not mean u r denied right, but means u r well cared of. Thank ur creator for that.
Other speech bubbles posted on Flickr include: “God did not say I can’t drive” and “I saved 1500 SR by driving myself around Saudi.”
In addition to the back and forth on Flickr, the campaign’s Facebook page has 1,100 fans, who are engaged in an active debate of whether the ban should be lifted, and comments have appeared on the promotional video for the campaign posted on YouTube (the version embedded above is in English, other are in Arabic). The video was shot in Oregon, but Ms. Khan told Arab News “I had to make look like it was in Saudi.”
According to Arab News, there is apparently wide support in Saudi Arabia for ending the ban: “Although there are no specific statistics on the number of people who are for or against women driving, most women believe it is their God-given right to drive.”
Kuwait: Controversy over voting for women gets heated
The National
James Calderwood, Foreign Correspondent
Last Updated: May 07. 2009 10:59PM UAE / May 7. 2009 6:59PM GMT KUWAIT CITY // Waleed al Tabtabai, who served in Kuwait’s last parliament, stoked controversy this week when he agreed with a member of the Salafi Movement in saying it would be a sin to vote for women in the elections on May 16.
Mr al Tabtabai, who said he is an independent Salafi, was speaking on the sidelines of an election rally on Tuesday.
Fuhaid al Hailam of the Salafi Movement (SM) had started the row on Monday when he said it would be a sin to vote for one of the country’s 19 female candidates, Al Arabiya reported. Salafism is an austere branch of Islam that rejects innovation and believes in a strict, literal reading of the Quran.
“In Islam, the heads of the state should only be men, and we think the parliament is part of the head of the state,” Mr al Tabtabai said. “Other things are OK for women but not to be a part of the parliament.
“It’s an old fatwa,” he said referring to Mr al Hailam’s remarks. “Some of the public are not aware of it, but it was issued 20 or 30 years ago by the ministry of awqaf [Islamic Affairs].
Mr al Tabtabai is likely to regain his seat – polls suggest he will finish in the top 10 in his constituency, earning him a place in the 50-member parliament.
The women who are trying to reach parliament for the first time lambasted the statements.
Naeema al Hai, a Third Constituency candidate, said yesterday: “Those guys say it’s OK for them to take the vote of a woman, but not OK for women to vote for each other. That’s very wrong. That’s not the freedom and democracy that the Quran gave us.”
Ms al Hai said some men are frightened of the idea of sharing power with a woman in parliament.
Kuwait’s mainstream Salafi party, the Islamic Salafi Alliance (ISA), was the largest political group in the last parliament with four seats. Kuwait’s MPs are mostly independent or belong to small political groups. This year they are fielding five candidates. The SM has no presence in the forthcoming election.
The emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, dissolved the last assembly and called for new elections in May when some MPs tried to question the prime minister, Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who is a royal.
Mr al Tabtabai was involved in the previous political crisis in November as it was his request to question the prime minister that led to the resignation of the cabinet.
Two of the ISA’s candidates, Khalid Sultan bin Essa and Abdullatif al Ameeri, did address an exclusively female audience at a rally on Tuesday. The women passed questions to the former MPs on cards, but did not ask about the fatwa.
Instead, they focused Mr bin Essa’s involvement with supermarkets that sold pork and alcohol overseas. Mr bin Essa said he did not establish the companies, he bought into them, and they have now withdrawn the products.
Mr al Ameeri distanced his party from Mr al Hailam of the SM but did not take sides on the fatwa. “The Salafi Movement is different from us,” Mr al Ameeri said.
“For example, the alliance considers bin Laden as a criminal. They consider him a hero.
“We don’t know what the origin of the fatwa is,” he said. “This is not right. We have to find the correct origin in the Quran and Sunnah.”
Mr bin Essa clarified his party’s position in an interview yesterday. He said voting for women was not a sin. “We separated ourselves from the fatwa. We issued a statement that undermines theirs.”
But some of the women at the rally agreed with the fatwa. Waheeda Abdulwahab, a sister of Mr al Ameeri, said she supportsedit because nobody in her religion would issue a fatwa that was untrue, as doing so would be a serious sin.
Another woman at the event, Sheikha al Fahad, who is involved in running the ISA’s campaign, said: “I don’t agree with the fatwa 100 per cent, maybe 30 per cent. I know what they mean when they say it’s a sin. It’s too soon for Kuwaiti women to enter the parliament – maybe in a few years.”
At another campaign rally this week, a former MP and candidate for the ISA, Ali al Omair, said his religion did not permit women to serve in the assembly but “if a lady is either elected or nominated by the government, we have to deal with her.
“We can’t isolate ourselves because there is a woman in the parliament”.
This will be the third attempt by women to reach the National Assembly since they received full political rights in 2005. The polls predict three women will win seats in the next parliament.
James Calderwood, Foreign Correspondent
Last Updated: May 07. 2009 10:59PM UAE / May 7. 2009 6:59PM GMT KUWAIT CITY // Waleed al Tabtabai, who served in Kuwait’s last parliament, stoked controversy this week when he agreed with a member of the Salafi Movement in saying it would be a sin to vote for women in the elections on May 16.
Mr al Tabtabai, who said he is an independent Salafi, was speaking on the sidelines of an election rally on Tuesday.
Fuhaid al Hailam of the Salafi Movement (SM) had started the row on Monday when he said it would be a sin to vote for one of the country’s 19 female candidates, Al Arabiya reported. Salafism is an austere branch of Islam that rejects innovation and believes in a strict, literal reading of the Quran.
“In Islam, the heads of the state should only be men, and we think the parliament is part of the head of the state,” Mr al Tabtabai said. “Other things are OK for women but not to be a part of the parliament.
“It’s an old fatwa,” he said referring to Mr al Hailam’s remarks. “Some of the public are not aware of it, but it was issued 20 or 30 years ago by the ministry of awqaf [Islamic Affairs].
Mr al Tabtabai is likely to regain his seat – polls suggest he will finish in the top 10 in his constituency, earning him a place in the 50-member parliament.
The women who are trying to reach parliament for the first time lambasted the statements.
Naeema al Hai, a Third Constituency candidate, said yesterday: “Those guys say it’s OK for them to take the vote of a woman, but not OK for women to vote for each other. That’s very wrong. That’s not the freedom and democracy that the Quran gave us.”
Ms al Hai said some men are frightened of the idea of sharing power with a woman in parliament.
Kuwait’s mainstream Salafi party, the Islamic Salafi Alliance (ISA), was the largest political group in the last parliament with four seats. Kuwait’s MPs are mostly independent or belong to small political groups. This year they are fielding five candidates. The SM has no presence in the forthcoming election.
The emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, dissolved the last assembly and called for new elections in May when some MPs tried to question the prime minister, Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who is a royal.
Mr al Tabtabai was involved in the previous political crisis in November as it was his request to question the prime minister that led to the resignation of the cabinet.
Two of the ISA’s candidates, Khalid Sultan bin Essa and Abdullatif al Ameeri, did address an exclusively female audience at a rally on Tuesday. The women passed questions to the former MPs on cards, but did not ask about the fatwa.
Instead, they focused Mr bin Essa’s involvement with supermarkets that sold pork and alcohol overseas. Mr bin Essa said he did not establish the companies, he bought into them, and they have now withdrawn the products.
Mr al Ameeri distanced his party from Mr al Hailam of the SM but did not take sides on the fatwa. “The Salafi Movement is different from us,” Mr al Ameeri said.
“For example, the alliance considers bin Laden as a criminal. They consider him a hero.
“We don’t know what the origin of the fatwa is,” he said. “This is not right. We have to find the correct origin in the Quran and Sunnah.”
Mr bin Essa clarified his party’s position in an interview yesterday. He said voting for women was not a sin. “We separated ourselves from the fatwa. We issued a statement that undermines theirs.”
But some of the women at the rally agreed with the fatwa. Waheeda Abdulwahab, a sister of Mr al Ameeri, said she supportsedit because nobody in her religion would issue a fatwa that was untrue, as doing so would be a serious sin.
Another woman at the event, Sheikha al Fahad, who is involved in running the ISA’s campaign, said: “I don’t agree with the fatwa 100 per cent, maybe 30 per cent. I know what they mean when they say it’s a sin. It’s too soon for Kuwaiti women to enter the parliament – maybe in a few years.”
At another campaign rally this week, a former MP and candidate for the ISA, Ali al Omair, said his religion did not permit women to serve in the assembly but “if a lady is either elected or nominated by the government, we have to deal with her.
“We can’t isolate ourselves because there is a woman in the parliament”.
This will be the third attempt by women to reach the National Assembly since they received full political rights in 2005. The polls predict three women will win seats in the next parliament.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Morocco: In Morccco, breaking down barriers in the Arab world
boston.com Passport
By Fatema Haji-Taki
May 5, 2009
IFRANE, Morocco -- For the past five days, a group of Moroccan students and young-adult activists from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria have been working intensely together in workshops building bridges among themselves and improving skills for creating interfaith community programs in their own countries.
From working to ease interfaith tensions in Egypt and Yemen to advancing women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, these activists are dedicated to sharing their expertise and acquiring new skills on how to effectively plan events, launch campaigns, and secure funding for their field work to promote religious and political freedom in their countries. The workshops emphasize how to translate their online activism to real-world organizing and leadership skills that participants can put to work in practical ways in their home communities.
Ironically, some participants were unable to attend because their visa applications were not approved in time, or, in the case of a prominent Baha’i activist from Egypt, it became too dangerous for her to travel. The empty seats were a stark reminder of the lack of religious and political freedom in most Arab countries.
Jesse Sage, Nasser Weddady and Lauren Murphy from Hands Across the Middle East Support Alliance, a Boston-based nonprofit, and I organized and are facilitating the conference, “Interfaith Leadership Seminar: From the Virtual to the Real World,” at Al Akhawayn University, an English-language college in Ifrane.
Jewish in the Arab world
During the conference the participants met Moroccan Raphael Elmaleh, believed to be the only Jewish tour guide in the Arab world. He is also a founder of the only Jewish museum in the Arab world in Casablanca. Elmaleh’s passion in life is to research the Jewish heritage of Morocco and restore the synagogues and other sites that were left behind by the Jews more than 40 years ago.
“I’m proud to be a Jew in an Arab country,” he says. On Sunday, all the participants had a chance to visit Fez while he showed us the old Jewish Quarter and the cemeteries and the synagogues left behind. For many, this was the first time they had been exposed to the Jewish heritage in an Arab country. By the end of the day, the bond that he created with the rest of the group was heartening.
At first, he acknowledged he was nervous talking about his work to a group of Arab young people from across the Middle East whom he had never met before. But working with the group for two days has changed his mind and he is excited to talk about how Jews and Muslims coexisted peacefully in Morocco and what that means for the future. During dinner yesterday, all of the participants gave him a standing ovation for his dedication while the Moroccan students sang the national anthem. The expression on Elmaleh’s face was invaluable.
Freedom of the press in Yemen
Unfortunately, on Monday, we also learned that an independent newspaper run by one of the Yemeni participants, Abdullah Abdulwahab Naji Qaid, was shut down by Yemeni authorities. Abdullah is a founding member and the General Activity Supervisor of the al-Tagheer Organization for Rights and Freedom Defense, an NGO based in Yemen. He has previously participated in seminars on religious freedom which addressed discrimination against Yemen's Zaidi community.
(Fatema Haji-Taki/UUSC photo)
Yemeni journalist Abdullah Abdulwahab Naji Qaid
When the news broke, the mood among all of us turned solemn. It was a grave reminder of the difficult circumstances these activists work in and the challenges ahead of them after they return home. As the night wore on, the solidarity between all of us for Qaid’s work was palpable. Many are working to organize a campaign for him while others are planning to spread the word through Facebook, their blogs and other online networks.
As a non-Arab Muslim-American human rights activist, I am humbled by the work of my peers. Through the last few days, I’ve seen them work together, debate their differences, sing and dance together. They have created a support network for each other. They are all invested in each others’ success because they all are committed to religious and political freedom in the Arab world.
What they have experienced together as a team will stay with them for the rest of their lives. As they go back, they will face obstacles and there will be times when they will want to give up. My only hope is they will remember the solidarity they experienced this past week and keep soldiering on because they are the future leaders of the Arab world.
By Fatema Haji-Taki
May 5, 2009
IFRANE, Morocco -- For the past five days, a group of Moroccan students and young-adult activists from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria have been working intensely together in workshops building bridges among themselves and improving skills for creating interfaith community programs in their own countries.
From working to ease interfaith tensions in Egypt and Yemen to advancing women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, these activists are dedicated to sharing their expertise and acquiring new skills on how to effectively plan events, launch campaigns, and secure funding for their field work to promote religious and political freedom in their countries. The workshops emphasize how to translate their online activism to real-world organizing and leadership skills that participants can put to work in practical ways in their home communities.
Ironically, some participants were unable to attend because their visa applications were not approved in time, or, in the case of a prominent Baha’i activist from Egypt, it became too dangerous for her to travel. The empty seats were a stark reminder of the lack of religious and political freedom in most Arab countries.
Jesse Sage, Nasser Weddady and Lauren Murphy from Hands Across the Middle East Support Alliance, a Boston-based nonprofit, and I organized and are facilitating the conference, “Interfaith Leadership Seminar: From the Virtual to the Real World,” at Al Akhawayn University, an English-language college in Ifrane.
Jewish in the Arab world
During the conference the participants met Moroccan Raphael Elmaleh, believed to be the only Jewish tour guide in the Arab world. He is also a founder of the only Jewish museum in the Arab world in Casablanca. Elmaleh’s passion in life is to research the Jewish heritage of Morocco and restore the synagogues and other sites that were left behind by the Jews more than 40 years ago.
“I’m proud to be a Jew in an Arab country,” he says. On Sunday, all the participants had a chance to visit Fez while he showed us the old Jewish Quarter and the cemeteries and the synagogues left behind. For many, this was the first time they had been exposed to the Jewish heritage in an Arab country. By the end of the day, the bond that he created with the rest of the group was heartening.
At first, he acknowledged he was nervous talking about his work to a group of Arab young people from across the Middle East whom he had never met before. But working with the group for two days has changed his mind and he is excited to talk about how Jews and Muslims coexisted peacefully in Morocco and what that means for the future. During dinner yesterday, all of the participants gave him a standing ovation for his dedication while the Moroccan students sang the national anthem. The expression on Elmaleh’s face was invaluable.
Freedom of the press in Yemen
Unfortunately, on Monday, we also learned that an independent newspaper run by one of the Yemeni participants, Abdullah Abdulwahab Naji Qaid, was shut down by Yemeni authorities. Abdullah is a founding member and the General Activity Supervisor of the al-Tagheer Organization for Rights and Freedom Defense, an NGO based in Yemen. He has previously participated in seminars on religious freedom which addressed discrimination against Yemen's Zaidi community.
(Fatema Haji-Taki/UUSC photo)
Yemeni journalist Abdullah Abdulwahab Naji Qaid
When the news broke, the mood among all of us turned solemn. It was a grave reminder of the difficult circumstances these activists work in and the challenges ahead of them after they return home. As the night wore on, the solidarity between all of us for Qaid’s work was palpable. Many are working to organize a campaign for him while others are planning to spread the word through Facebook, their blogs and other online networks.
As a non-Arab Muslim-American human rights activist, I am humbled by the work of my peers. Through the last few days, I’ve seen them work together, debate their differences, sing and dance together. They have created a support network for each other. They are all invested in each others’ success because they all are committed to religious and political freedom in the Arab world.
What they have experienced together as a team will stay with them for the rest of their lives. As they go back, they will face obstacles and there will be times when they will want to give up. My only hope is they will remember the solidarity they experienced this past week and keep soldiering on because they are the future leaders of the Arab world.
Yemen: Yemen escapes Worst of the Worst list of not free countries
Yemen Times
By: Nadia Al-Sakkaf and Freedom House
May 6 — Maintaining the same position as last year in the Freedom House annual survey on the state of global political rights and civil liberties, Yemen has escaped the list of 42 countries designated as “not free.”
Each year 193 countries are judged based on events from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. As last year Yemen is described as “partially free” with a rating of five for both political rights and civil liberties rates, and an average combined rating of five based on a 1 to 7 scale, with 1 representing the most free and 7 the least free.
“We are publishing this report to assist policymakers, human rights organizations, democracy advocates, and others who are working to advance freedom around the world. We also hope that the report will be useful to the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council,” announced the team behind the report.
Of the 51 “not free” territories and countries, 17 countries and four territories were selected as Worst of the Worst due to systematic and pervasive human rights violations. With an average combined political rights and civil liberties ratings of 6.5 or 7, these countries comprise 10 percent of the world’s nations and 24 percent of the world’s population. Six of those 17 countries are Arab: Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
None of the Arab countries were categorized as free, while only seven countries including Yemen were defined as partially free: Djibouti, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Morocco and Kuwait. The remaining 13 countries in addition to the Palestinian territories were defined as not free.
According to the report, at the beginning of 2009, of the 193 countries in the world, 89 countries -46 percent- are free and can be said to respect a broad array of basic human rights and political freedoms. An additional 62 countries -32 percent- are partly free, with some abridgments of basic rights and weak enforcement of the rule of law.
In all, some 3 billion people -46 percent of the world’s population-live in free states in which a broad array of political rights are protected.
“The fundamental violations of rights presented in this report are all the more alarming because they stand in sharp contrast to the significant expansion of human liberty over the last three decades. In that period, dozens of states have shed tyranny and embraced democratic rule and respect for basic civil liberties,” said Jennifer Windsor, executive director at Freedom House.
The survey rates each country and territory on a seven-point scale for both political rights and civil liberties, with 1 representing the most free and 7 the least free, and then assigns each country and territory a broad category status of free (for countries whose ratings average 1.0 to 2.5), partly free (3.0 to 5.0), or not free (5.5 to 7.0).
The ratings process is based on a checklist of 10 political rights and 15 civil liberties questions. The political rights check list includes questions about the electoral process, political pluralism and participation, functioning of the government and other discretionary political rights questions. The civil liberties checklist includes questions about freedom of expression and belief, associational and organizational rights, rule of law, and personal autonomy and individual rights.
“The Freedom in the World ratings are not merely assessments of the conduct of governments, but are intended to reflect the reality of daily life,” reads the report. “Freedom can be affected by state actions as well as by non-state actors. Thus, terrorist movements or armed groups use violent methods which can dramatically restrict essential freedoms within a society. Conversely, the existence of non-state activists or journalists who act courageously and independently despite state restrictions can positively impact the ability of the population to exercise its freedoms.”
Consequently, Freedom House and UN Watch strongly urge United Nations members to block seven countries from obtaining seats on the Human Rights Council, including China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia rated among the world’s most repressive regimes.
The non government organizations released a report in New York this week that indicates that nearly two-thirds of the 20 countries running for seats in next week’s election either have poor or questionable human rights records.
The study found seven countries not qualified: Azerbaijan, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The governments of three of those countries—China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia—rank among the world’s most repressive regimes, suppressing nearly all fundamental political rights and civil liberties, according to Freedom House’s Worst of the Worst report. An additional six countries have questionable or mixed human rights records: Bangladesh, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria and Senegal.
The report raised further concern that a majority of the candidates may gain seats on the influential council despite their records, because of a lack of competition from democratic states. However, each candidate must first secure an absolute majority of the General Assembly, or 97 votes, to win a seat.
“General Assembly members who care about human rights must not resign themselves to approving these noncompetitive slates,” said Paula Schriefer, Freedom House advocacy director. “We urge member states to restore credibility to the council by rejecting those nations that do not uphold basic standards for human rights.”
On May 12, the UN General Assembly is expected to elect 18 new countries to the Human Rights Council, more than a third of its total membership. Each regional group is apportioned a specific number of seats. However, in three of the five regional groups—Asia, Latin America and the Western European and Others group—the number of countries running does not exceed the number of open seats.
The General Assembly is instructed to elect council members based on their ability to “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights” and their ability to “fully cooperate” with the council.
As a result, UN Watch and Freedom House evaluated each of the 20 candidates based on its record of human rights protection at home and its record of human rights promotion at the UN.
The evaluation included the countries’ rankings in Freedom House and UN Watch analyses, as well as reports from Reporters San Frontières, The Economist Democracy Index and the Democracy Coalition Project.
By: Nadia Al-Sakkaf and Freedom House
May 6 — Maintaining the same position as last year in the Freedom House annual survey on the state of global political rights and civil liberties, Yemen has escaped the list of 42 countries designated as “not free.”
Each year 193 countries are judged based on events from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. As last year Yemen is described as “partially free” with a rating of five for both political rights and civil liberties rates, and an average combined rating of five based on a 1 to 7 scale, with 1 representing the most free and 7 the least free.
“We are publishing this report to assist policymakers, human rights organizations, democracy advocates, and others who are working to advance freedom around the world. We also hope that the report will be useful to the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council,” announced the team behind the report.
Of the 51 “not free” territories and countries, 17 countries and four territories were selected as Worst of the Worst due to systematic and pervasive human rights violations. With an average combined political rights and civil liberties ratings of 6.5 or 7, these countries comprise 10 percent of the world’s nations and 24 percent of the world’s population. Six of those 17 countries are Arab: Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
None of the Arab countries were categorized as free, while only seven countries including Yemen were defined as partially free: Djibouti, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Morocco and Kuwait. The remaining 13 countries in addition to the Palestinian territories were defined as not free.
According to the report, at the beginning of 2009, of the 193 countries in the world, 89 countries -46 percent- are free and can be said to respect a broad array of basic human rights and political freedoms. An additional 62 countries -32 percent- are partly free, with some abridgments of basic rights and weak enforcement of the rule of law.
In all, some 3 billion people -46 percent of the world’s population-live in free states in which a broad array of political rights are protected.
“The fundamental violations of rights presented in this report are all the more alarming because they stand in sharp contrast to the significant expansion of human liberty over the last three decades. In that period, dozens of states have shed tyranny and embraced democratic rule and respect for basic civil liberties,” said Jennifer Windsor, executive director at Freedom House.
The survey rates each country and territory on a seven-point scale for both political rights and civil liberties, with 1 representing the most free and 7 the least free, and then assigns each country and territory a broad category status of free (for countries whose ratings average 1.0 to 2.5), partly free (3.0 to 5.0), or not free (5.5 to 7.0).
The ratings process is based on a checklist of 10 political rights and 15 civil liberties questions. The political rights check list includes questions about the electoral process, political pluralism and participation, functioning of the government and other discretionary political rights questions. The civil liberties checklist includes questions about freedom of expression and belief, associational and organizational rights, rule of law, and personal autonomy and individual rights.
“The Freedom in the World ratings are not merely assessments of the conduct of governments, but are intended to reflect the reality of daily life,” reads the report. “Freedom can be affected by state actions as well as by non-state actors. Thus, terrorist movements or armed groups use violent methods which can dramatically restrict essential freedoms within a society. Conversely, the existence of non-state activists or journalists who act courageously and independently despite state restrictions can positively impact the ability of the population to exercise its freedoms.”
Consequently, Freedom House and UN Watch strongly urge United Nations members to block seven countries from obtaining seats on the Human Rights Council, including China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia rated among the world’s most repressive regimes.
The non government organizations released a report in New York this week that indicates that nearly two-thirds of the 20 countries running for seats in next week’s election either have poor or questionable human rights records.
The study found seven countries not qualified: Azerbaijan, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The governments of three of those countries—China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia—rank among the world’s most repressive regimes, suppressing nearly all fundamental political rights and civil liberties, according to Freedom House’s Worst of the Worst report. An additional six countries have questionable or mixed human rights records: Bangladesh, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria and Senegal.
The report raised further concern that a majority of the candidates may gain seats on the influential council despite their records, because of a lack of competition from democratic states. However, each candidate must first secure an absolute majority of the General Assembly, or 97 votes, to win a seat.
“General Assembly members who care about human rights must not resign themselves to approving these noncompetitive slates,” said Paula Schriefer, Freedom House advocacy director. “We urge member states to restore credibility to the council by rejecting those nations that do not uphold basic standards for human rights.”
On May 12, the UN General Assembly is expected to elect 18 new countries to the Human Rights Council, more than a third of its total membership. Each regional group is apportioned a specific number of seats. However, in three of the five regional groups—Asia, Latin America and the Western European and Others group—the number of countries running does not exceed the number of open seats.
The General Assembly is instructed to elect council members based on their ability to “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights” and their ability to “fully cooperate” with the council.
As a result, UN Watch and Freedom House evaluated each of the 20 candidates based on its record of human rights protection at home and its record of human rights promotion at the UN.
The evaluation included the countries’ rankings in Freedom House and UN Watch analyses, as well as reports from Reporters San Frontières, The Economist Democracy Index and the Democracy Coalition Project.
Saudi Arabia: Municipal councils ‘not ready to employ women’
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – The time is not ripe for municipal councils to employ women, a city council official here said.
Hassan Al-Zahrani, vice chairman of the municipal council here said that the councils are still in their inception stage and need time before involving females in their work.
Overly hasty moves to open the door to women’s participation could have negative consequences, he said.
The issue of men and women sharing responsibilities is not up for debate, Al-Zahrani said, as each one has their responsibilities specified in Shariah Law.
He said women were taking part in extensive areas of society that are suited to their nature, citing social issues and district centers and other societies.
More women working in those areas would have a positive effect on the structure and cohesion of society, Al-Zahrani added. – Okaz/SG
JEDDAH – The time is not ripe for municipal councils to employ women, a city council official here said.
Hassan Al-Zahrani, vice chairman of the municipal council here said that the councils are still in their inception stage and need time before involving females in their work.
Overly hasty moves to open the door to women’s participation could have negative consequences, he said.
The issue of men and women sharing responsibilities is not up for debate, Al-Zahrani said, as each one has their responsibilities specified in Shariah Law.
He said women were taking part in extensive areas of society that are suited to their nature, citing social issues and district centers and other societies.
More women working in those areas would have a positive effect on the structure and cohesion of society, Al-Zahrani added. – Okaz/SG
Kuwait: Kuwaiti women aim for third time lucky in Assembly polls
Arab Times
KUWAIT CITY, May 6, (AFP): Women in Kuwait aim to make it third time lucky as they contest seats in parliament after two failed attempts in legislative elections. US-educated candidate Maasouma Al-Mubarak already made history by becoming the first female minister in Kuwait in 2005, right after women were granted full political rights following a 40-year struggle. “I am very optimistic that a Kuwaiti woman will reach parliament this time. I was the first female minister and I am looking to become the first female member of parliament,” she said after registering her candidacy. Early polls have been called for May 16, after parliament was dissolved for the third time in as many years. “This time we are contesting for a third time more determined, more optimistic and more aware ... I believe the path is ready,” for women to enter parliament, Mubarak added. “Third time lucky,” the US-educated candidate told AFP.
Women voters make up 54 percent of the 385,000 eligible voters in Kuwait, but they overwhelmingly voted for male candidates in the previous elections since 2005.
Activist Badriya Al-Awadhi found in a study published this week that only three percent of women voters cast their votes for women candidates in the 2008 polls.
In the 2006 and 2008 elections, a total of 54 women candidates stood in the polls but without success although a number of them made a strong showing.
A liberal candidate, Aseel Al-Awadhi, who is running again in this month’s election, came in 11th place last year, just behind the first 10 in her constituency who won seats. Nineteen women are standing in this year’s election, of whom all but two have contested previous elections.
Analysts attribute women’s failure in the previous two elections to several reasons, such as the conservative nature of Kuwait society, absence of support from political groups, and lack of experience.
The head of the Women’s Development Institute, Kawthar Al-Juaan, believes the chances of women on May 16 have improved after they gained experience in the previous two polls.
Chances
“I believe the chances of Kuwaiti women candidates this time are very strong ... Kuwaiti voters are more favourable to women than before,” Juaan told AFP.
She said the constant political crises in the the country and infighting within men-controlled political groups would make it easier for women to win seats.
The date of the elections falls on the fourth anniversary of a parliamentary vote on May 16, 2005 that gave women full political rights.
Candidate Thekra Al-Rasheedi, who last year suprisingly secured 2,200 votes in a tribal constituency where voters do not favour women, said this year the outlook is much better.
“Last year, I struggled to visit diwaniyas (traditionally all-male gathering places) simply because I am a woman. This year, I have been invited by so many diwaniyas that I don’t have the time to visit them all,” lawyer Rasheedi said.
A local hardline Islamic group, however, has issued a fatwa, or a religious edict, saying that voting for women candidates was prohibited under Islam.
The Salafi Movement argued that by becoming members of parliament, women would occupy a public office, something “which, under Islamic rules, is prohibited for women.”
Several female candidates, many of whom are highly educated and work in top professions, slammed the fatwa as “politically-motivated.”
Kuwaiti women account for 44.5 percent of the national workforce of about 336,000 — the highest proportion in any Arab state in the Gulf region — but only a few hold top posts in government.
The 16-member cabinet has two women ministers.
KUWAIT CITY, May 6, (AFP): Women in Kuwait aim to make it third time lucky as they contest seats in parliament after two failed attempts in legislative elections. US-educated candidate Maasouma Al-Mubarak already made history by becoming the first female minister in Kuwait in 2005, right after women were granted full political rights following a 40-year struggle. “I am very optimistic that a Kuwaiti woman will reach parliament this time. I was the first female minister and I am looking to become the first female member of parliament,” she said after registering her candidacy. Early polls have been called for May 16, after parliament was dissolved for the third time in as many years. “This time we are contesting for a third time more determined, more optimistic and more aware ... I believe the path is ready,” for women to enter parliament, Mubarak added. “Third time lucky,” the US-educated candidate told AFP.
Women voters make up 54 percent of the 385,000 eligible voters in Kuwait, but they overwhelmingly voted for male candidates in the previous elections since 2005.
Activist Badriya Al-Awadhi found in a study published this week that only three percent of women voters cast their votes for women candidates in the 2008 polls.
In the 2006 and 2008 elections, a total of 54 women candidates stood in the polls but without success although a number of them made a strong showing.
A liberal candidate, Aseel Al-Awadhi, who is running again in this month’s election, came in 11th place last year, just behind the first 10 in her constituency who won seats. Nineteen women are standing in this year’s election, of whom all but two have contested previous elections.
Analysts attribute women’s failure in the previous two elections to several reasons, such as the conservative nature of Kuwait society, absence of support from political groups, and lack of experience.
The head of the Women’s Development Institute, Kawthar Al-Juaan, believes the chances of women on May 16 have improved after they gained experience in the previous two polls.
Chances
“I believe the chances of Kuwaiti women candidates this time are very strong ... Kuwaiti voters are more favourable to women than before,” Juaan told AFP.
She said the constant political crises in the the country and infighting within men-controlled political groups would make it easier for women to win seats.
The date of the elections falls on the fourth anniversary of a parliamentary vote on May 16, 2005 that gave women full political rights.
Candidate Thekra Al-Rasheedi, who last year suprisingly secured 2,200 votes in a tribal constituency where voters do not favour women, said this year the outlook is much better.
“Last year, I struggled to visit diwaniyas (traditionally all-male gathering places) simply because I am a woman. This year, I have been invited by so many diwaniyas that I don’t have the time to visit them all,” lawyer Rasheedi said.
A local hardline Islamic group, however, has issued a fatwa, or a religious edict, saying that voting for women candidates was prohibited under Islam.
The Salafi Movement argued that by becoming members of parliament, women would occupy a public office, something “which, under Islamic rules, is prohibited for women.”
Several female candidates, many of whom are highly educated and work in top professions, slammed the fatwa as “politically-motivated.”
Kuwaiti women account for 44.5 percent of the national workforce of about 336,000 — the highest proportion in any Arab state in the Gulf region — but only a few hold top posts in government.
The 16-member cabinet has two women ministers.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Kuwait: Barrak blasts govt, stimulus
Kuwait Times
Published Date: May 06, 2009
By B Izzak, Staff Writer
KUWIAT: Former opposition lawmaker Musallam Al-Barrak launched a scathing attack on the government and its supporters and strongly criticized the economic stimulus decree, which he said was issued to aid highly influential rich people. Barrak claimed that the bill will provide hundreds of millions of dinars in public funds to private companies, adding that the bill was tailored to serve the interests of a number of companies battered by the global financial crisis.
Meanwhile, leading female candidate Aseel Al-Awadhi yesterday filed a lawsuit with the public prosecutor over a YouTube video showing her telling her university students that Islam does not require women to wear the hijab. The lawsuit named no one but described the clip as an attempt to distort her ideas. Awadhi had earlier explained in a statement that the Youtube clip was illegally filmed while she was giving university students a class and was actively involved in a debate with them over certain issues.
She said the film was completely taken out of context and showed as if she had said that hijab was not required for Muslim women, "which is completely untrue as I was only initiating a debate among the students and not expressing my personal views". Awadhi, holder of a doctorate degree in political philosophy from Texas University in Austin, said that she was only raising controversial questions to her students in a bid to urge them to debate a particular issue.
The posting of the film on YouTube appears to be intended to harm Awadhi's chances of winning the first seat for Kuwaiti women in the Assembly. In her first bid last year, Awadhi came in 11th position, just behind the first 10 winners in the third electoral district.
In another development, Kuwait University administration yesterday scrapped its decision to ban political symposia at the university campus. The decision came after a meeting with the Kuwait Students Union and following strong criticism by political groups and candidates. Meanwhile, the number of candidates still in the fray for the May 16 general elections dropped to 248 including 19 women after a total of 40 candidates have so far pulled out. Withdrawals remain open until Friday and more candidates are e
xpected to drop out.
Barrak, spokesman of the Popular Action Bloc, blamed the government of obstructing development in the country along with a number of former MPs who have been beating the drums for the government. He revealed that he has a "black file" that he will reveal to the Kuwaiti people, regardless of the consequences.
Barrak defended himself against accusations that he always shouts in the Assembly. "I shout because of the pain and if they call me the shouting member, they are the rubber-stamp MPs," he said. He accused the government of lying to the people and forging facts while using "corrupt media and drum-beating MPs to cover up for the whales who have exploited the property of the Kuwaiti people".
Barrak alleged that some influential people have managed to "convince some members of the ruling family that the constitution is a stumbling block before their ambitions." "These influential people are assuring members of the ruling family that they are capable of confronting the people through a security clampdown if the National Assembly is suspended," he said.
He revealed that the Green Island, which is worth KD 2 billion, was about to be given to two investors for an annual rent of just KD 300,000. The Popular Bloc foiled the project, he said. Barrak also criticized the Central Bank for its role on the economic stimulus package and refusal to write off people debts. He ridiculed those who claim that the Kuwaiti economy would collapse if the stimulus law was rejected by the new Assembly, saying that the debt of only seven companies is KD 3.2 billion.
Speaking at the rally, former MP Marzouk Al-Hubaini warned against wide-ranging vote-buying practices which he described as the most serious threat in the elections. Hubaini said that the assault on him and other opposition MPs by calling them "members who instigate crises" is because "we have stopped three main suspicious projects saving more than $25 billion of public funds." He was referring to the K-Dow joint venture, the fourth refinery and electricity contracts.
Published Date: May 06, 2009
By B Izzak, Staff Writer
KUWIAT: Former opposition lawmaker Musallam Al-Barrak launched a scathing attack on the government and its supporters and strongly criticized the economic stimulus decree, which he said was issued to aid highly influential rich people. Barrak claimed that the bill will provide hundreds of millions of dinars in public funds to private companies, adding that the bill was tailored to serve the interests of a number of companies battered by the global financial crisis.
Meanwhile, leading female candidate Aseel Al-Awadhi yesterday filed a lawsuit with the public prosecutor over a YouTube video showing her telling her university students that Islam does not require women to wear the hijab. The lawsuit named no one but described the clip as an attempt to distort her ideas. Awadhi had earlier explained in a statement that the Youtube clip was illegally filmed while she was giving university students a class and was actively involved in a debate with them over certain issues.
She said the film was completely taken out of context and showed as if she had said that hijab was not required for Muslim women, "which is completely untrue as I was only initiating a debate among the students and not expressing my personal views". Awadhi, holder of a doctorate degree in political philosophy from Texas University in Austin, said that she was only raising controversial questions to her students in a bid to urge them to debate a particular issue.
The posting of the film on YouTube appears to be intended to harm Awadhi's chances of winning the first seat for Kuwaiti women in the Assembly. In her first bid last year, Awadhi came in 11th position, just behind the first 10 winners in the third electoral district.
In another development, Kuwait University administration yesterday scrapped its decision to ban political symposia at the university campus. The decision came after a meeting with the Kuwait Students Union and following strong criticism by political groups and candidates. Meanwhile, the number of candidates still in the fray for the May 16 general elections dropped to 248 including 19 women after a total of 40 candidates have so far pulled out. Withdrawals remain open until Friday and more candidates are e
xpected to drop out.
Barrak, spokesman of the Popular Action Bloc, blamed the government of obstructing development in the country along with a number of former MPs who have been beating the drums for the government. He revealed that he has a "black file" that he will reveal to the Kuwaiti people, regardless of the consequences.
Barrak defended himself against accusations that he always shouts in the Assembly. "I shout because of the pain and if they call me the shouting member, they are the rubber-stamp MPs," he said. He accused the government of lying to the people and forging facts while using "corrupt media and drum-beating MPs to cover up for the whales who have exploited the property of the Kuwaiti people".
Barrak alleged that some influential people have managed to "convince some members of the ruling family that the constitution is a stumbling block before their ambitions." "These influential people are assuring members of the ruling family that they are capable of confronting the people through a security clampdown if the National Assembly is suspended," he said.
He revealed that the Green Island, which is worth KD 2 billion, was about to be given to two investors for an annual rent of just KD 300,000. The Popular Bloc foiled the project, he said. Barrak also criticized the Central Bank for its role on the economic stimulus package and refusal to write off people debts. He ridiculed those who claim that the Kuwaiti economy would collapse if the stimulus law was rejected by the new Assembly, saying that the debt of only seven companies is KD 3.2 billion.
Speaking at the rally, former MP Marzouk Al-Hubaini warned against wide-ranging vote-buying practices which he described as the most serious threat in the elections. Hubaini said that the assault on him and other opposition MPs by calling them "members who instigate crises" is because "we have stopped three main suspicious projects saving more than $25 billion of public funds." He was referring to the K-Dow joint venture, the fourth refinery and electricity contracts.
Iran: Rezaei taps Imam's granddaughter as advisor
Presstv.ir
Iranian presidential hopeful Mohsen Rezaei has selected one of the granddaughters of the late Imam Khomeini as his campaign advisor on women's issues.
Leili Boroujerdi, a child of the Imam's eldest daughter Zahra Mostafavi, was appointed on Tuesday as Rezaei's advisor on women's issues, a statement issued by the hopeful's camp revealed Tuesday.
"With regards to your outstanding experience, I wish to use your guidance on issues pertinent to women," reads the statement.
Law graduate Leili Boroujerdi is currently the head of the Expediency Council's special committee on youth and women.
Rezaei, a Principlist critic of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's policies, has previously indicated that if elected, he would appoint a female to fill in the critical post of foreign minister.
“I will appoint a woman as my foreign minister to challenge [US Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton,” he told reporters on Monday.
After months of leaving his bid for presidency in a haze of ambiguity, Secretary of Iran's Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaie on Wednesday announced his bid for the presidency.
Incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is also feeling the heat, as his main rival, former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi and the country's ex-parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi have declared they are willing to face Ahmadinejad head-on.
Iran's presidential elections are scheduled to take place on June 12. It will be the tenth presidential vote to take place since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979 ended the reign of the pro-US monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
MT/AA
Iranian presidential hopeful Mohsen Rezaei has selected one of the granddaughters of the late Imam Khomeini as his campaign advisor on women's issues.
Leili Boroujerdi, a child of the Imam's eldest daughter Zahra Mostafavi, was appointed on Tuesday as Rezaei's advisor on women's issues, a statement issued by the hopeful's camp revealed Tuesday.
"With regards to your outstanding experience, I wish to use your guidance on issues pertinent to women," reads the statement.
Law graduate Leili Boroujerdi is currently the head of the Expediency Council's special committee on youth and women.
Rezaei, a Principlist critic of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's policies, has previously indicated that if elected, he would appoint a female to fill in the critical post of foreign minister.
“I will appoint a woman as my foreign minister to challenge [US Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton,” he told reporters on Monday.
After months of leaving his bid for presidency in a haze of ambiguity, Secretary of Iran's Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaie on Wednesday announced his bid for the presidency.
Incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is also feeling the heat, as his main rival, former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi and the country's ex-parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi have declared they are willing to face Ahmadinejad head-on.
Iran's presidential elections are scheduled to take place on June 12. It will be the tenth presidential vote to take place since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979 ended the reign of the pro-US monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
MT/AA
Morocco: Child Marriage in Morocco Criticized
Magharebia
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 05/05/09
[Getty Images] Extreme poverty leads families to marry off their underage daughters, experts in Morocco say.
Moroccan associations and human rights organisations want the practice of child marriage to stop. Campaigners from various associations recently criticised the way the Moudawana (Family Code), which was intended to limit child marriages, has been applied.
The legal minimum age for marriage in Morocco is 18 years, although family judges are empowered to allow exceptions. This loophole has enabled thousands of families to marry off their daughters prematurely.
According to figures from the justice ministry, over 31,000 under-age girls were married in 2008, compared with 29,847 in 2007.
Fouzia Assouli, chair of the Democratic League of Women's Rights, stressed that reform of the family code must take place now to restrict and clearly define the judges' powers regarding child marriage.
"Five years after the new family code was passed, Moroccans have certainly grasped the great importance of women's rights, but we're still lagging behind society's expectations," she said.
Samira Boufaracha, who belongs to the association Together for Women's Development, stated that the basis upon which exemptions are granted by judges is often unclear. "Almost every request is granted, which just encourages families to continue this practice, even though when the Moudawana first came in, we thought things would change."
The Moroccan Women's Democratic Association's legal chair Saïda Amrani Idrissi said that the law gives judges tremendous room for manoeuvre.
The justice minister says that judges are not automatically granting permission for child marriages, citing the 7% of requests that are rejected.
"The fact that some requests are rejected proves that approval is not a foregone conclusion. Requests are granted according to the particular social situation of the girls concerned," stated Justice Minister Abdelwahed Radi.
Jamal Badaoui, a sociologist, explained to Magharebia that it is proving difficult to change Moroccan attitudes overnight, particularly in rural areas. "Mindsets are much harder to change than laws. Parents living in the midst of poverty and illiteracy continue to believe that girls must be married off as soon as possible. They can't imagine a future outside marriage."
He added that things would not change unless there are targeted public awareness campaigns to explain the harm caused by early marriage and to stress the importance of learning in girls' lives, both in urban and country areas. "An improvement in families' economic circumstances will also help to limit the phenomenon. In fact, there is a series of causes on which the authorities and civil society must take action to change the situation."
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 05/05/09
[Getty Images] Extreme poverty leads families to marry off their underage daughters, experts in Morocco say.
Moroccan associations and human rights organisations want the practice of child marriage to stop. Campaigners from various associations recently criticised the way the Moudawana (Family Code), which was intended to limit child marriages, has been applied.
The legal minimum age for marriage in Morocco is 18 years, although family judges are empowered to allow exceptions. This loophole has enabled thousands of families to marry off their daughters prematurely.
According to figures from the justice ministry, over 31,000 under-age girls were married in 2008, compared with 29,847 in 2007.
Fouzia Assouli, chair of the Democratic League of Women's Rights, stressed that reform of the family code must take place now to restrict and clearly define the judges' powers regarding child marriage.
"Five years after the new family code was passed, Moroccans have certainly grasped the great importance of women's rights, but we're still lagging behind society's expectations," she said.
Samira Boufaracha, who belongs to the association Together for Women's Development, stated that the basis upon which exemptions are granted by judges is often unclear. "Almost every request is granted, which just encourages families to continue this practice, even though when the Moudawana first came in, we thought things would change."
The Moroccan Women's Democratic Association's legal chair Saïda Amrani Idrissi said that the law gives judges tremendous room for manoeuvre.
The justice minister says that judges are not automatically granting permission for child marriages, citing the 7% of requests that are rejected.
"The fact that some requests are rejected proves that approval is not a foregone conclusion. Requests are granted according to the particular social situation of the girls concerned," stated Justice Minister Abdelwahed Radi.
Jamal Badaoui, a sociologist, explained to Magharebia that it is proving difficult to change Moroccan attitudes overnight, particularly in rural areas. "Mindsets are much harder to change than laws. Parents living in the midst of poverty and illiteracy continue to believe that girls must be married off as soon as possible. They can't imagine a future outside marriage."
He added that things would not change unless there are targeted public awareness campaigns to explain the harm caused by early marriage and to stress the importance of learning in girls' lives, both in urban and country areas. "An improvement in families' economic circumstances will also help to limit the phenomenon. In fact, there is a series of causes on which the authorities and civil society must take action to change the situation."
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