Tag: women rights

  • ‘Transphobic organisations’: Trans model slams ‘Zartasha Couture’, Eman, Zara extend support

    ‘Transphobic organisations’: Trans model slams ‘Zartasha Couture’, Eman, Zara extend support

    Transgender model Anaya Rahimi has hit out at Zartasha Coutoure for not uploading a fashion shoot which featured Trans models.

    “Few glimpse of the shoot which me and my fellow trans divas did for the brand @zartashcouture” couture daughter of @hanifjewellers both are transphobic organisations how do I know this is the question well I met the owner and team few people are super cool but the owners aghhh they gave me weird feeling but as i told you all we have to give benefit of doubt in many case,” she wrote while sharing the pictures from the shoot.”

    She continued by adding that the fashion brand paid them, “equal to nothing.”

    “No contracts nothing it was just like hey we need to shoot the documentary today and shoot will be on this day. We did it leaving everything we were doing we did it because we were so happy that we were given this chance in real it became another disappointment when I came to know that they will not upload this shoot they uploaded the trailer which said coming soon but it never came on their story or any page,” she added.

    “I kept asking about the shoot and at one point they stopped replying and then one day i uploaded a story about it suddenly they started calling and texting me asking me to remove the story and all and i did but finally tonight I feel like this work should not be wasted hence here it is.”

    Models Eman Suleman and Zaea Peerzada showed their support to Anaya:

    Have a look at pictures from the shoot:

  • ‘Afghanistan is a matter of humanity and cannot be ignored’: Malala Yousafzai

    ‘Afghanistan is a matter of humanity and cannot be ignored’: Malala Yousafzai

    Nobel Peace Prize laureate and education activist Malala Yousafzai, during a conversation with Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath”, extensively spoke on how the Pakistani government should welcome and facilitate Afghan refugees, and provide education to the refugee children.

    Malala said that the safety of the people of Afghanistan is “a matter of humanity and cannot be ignored”.

    “These people have nothing to do with the war, so we must support them,” said Malala.

    “They are those people who lost their homes, their lives, or their loved ones. It is important we think of these people, especially children, a lot of whom have been born during the war. They are not able to understand why this is happening, why foreign wars are being fought on their land and why their own people are failing them in this fight for peace,” she said.

    “Every country has its own political interests but the people suffer the most,” she reiterated.

    “Neighbouring countries must open their borders and provide such people shelter.”

    “Children who are not feeling safe, they must be saved and must be provided education,” she emphasised.

    Malala said that several reports have surfaced that women are not being allowed to leave their homes or go to work.

    “I myself spoke to a journalist who told me that whenever she would leave the house to go to work, she would be sent back,” Malala said.

    She said that there is always this “excuse” presented that women will be allowed to go to work and school “when it is safe” for them.

    “I hope, when it comes to Afghanistan and Pakistan, we will be able to define within our own cultures, what equal rights are. And it is possible to safeguard women’s rights within our own culture,” said Malala.

    “So if we want to ensure our country succeeds, it is very important that women succeed. Their rights, their education (are ensured). This is not just a matter related to women, it pertains to humanity and the entire nation,” she said.

    Talking about her health and remembering the nine years-long journey to recovery, Malala said, “Early August I had my surgery and the very day news that the Taliban had taken Kunduz, the first major city to fall in Afghanistan.”

    “This made me think how many people have suffered. So many have lost their lives and home to this war. And the struggles still continue.”

  • #DoNotTouchMyClothes: Afghan women reject Taliban’s dress code for women

    #DoNotTouchMyClothes: Afghan women reject Taliban’s dress code for women

    Afghan women have started an online campaign using the hashtag #DoNotTouchMyClothes to challenge the Taliban’s conservative female clothing rules. Many Afghan women shared pictures of their colourful traditional dresses.

    Dr Bahar Jalali, a former history professor at the American University in Afghanistan, used hashtags #DoNotTouchMyClothes and #AfghanistanCulture to reclaim Afghan women’s traditional clothes.

    While posting a picture of herself on Twitter in a green Afghan dress, she stated: “This is Afghan culture. I am wearing a traditional Afghan dress.”

    Referring to the women who wore long, fully veiled black gowns, covering their faces and hands at pro-Taliban rally, she tweeted: “No woman has ever dressed like this in the history of Afghanistan. This is utterly foreign and alien to Afghan culture. I posted my pic in the traditional Afghan dress to inform, educate, and dispel the misinformation that is being propagated by the Taliban.”

    After that, women across Afghanistan started posting pictures of themselves.

    This campaign was also in reaction to a video in which many women holding a pro-Taliban rally in the capital were seen saying that Afghan women wearing make-up and in modern clothes do not represent the Muslim Afghan women and we don’t want women’s rights that are foreign, reports BBC.

    Afghanistan’s Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani said that universities will be segregated and veils made mandatory for all female students. Earlier this month, the Taliban announced an all-male interim government.

  • Pakistan should deny legitimacy to Taliban till they give rights to women, minorities: US

    The United States (US) has urged Pakistan that it should not recognise the Taliban government until it gives women their due rights and allows Afghans who want to leave the country to do so, reports Khaleej Times.

    Testifying before Congress on the Taliban victory in Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “What we have to look at is an insistence that every country, to include Pakistan, make good on the expectations that the international community has of what is required of a Taliban-led government if it’s to receive any legitimacy of any kind or any support.” He said the priorities included ensuring the Taliban let out people who want to leave Afghanistan and respect the rights of women, girls and minorities, as well as adhere to promises that the country not again become “a haven for outward-directed terror”.

    “Pakistan’s policies have been on many occasions detrimental to our interests, on other occasions in support of those interests. It is one that involved hedging its bets constantly about the future of Afghanistan, it’s one that’s involved harboring members of the Taliban … It is one that’s also involved in different points cooperation with us on counterterrorism,” Blinken said.

    “This is one of the things we’re going to be looking at in the days, and weeks ahead – the role that Pakistan has played over the last 20 years but also the role we would want to see it play in the coming years and what it will take for it to do that,” he said.

    Commenting on the US-Taliban relationship, Blinken said, “We achieved our objectives in Afghanistan,” adding that it was time to end the two-decade-long war.

    “The US will continue to play its role to promote anti-terrorism in the region,” he said, adding that the Taliban had also promised to not let Daesh and Al-Qaeda use the country for militant activities. 

    Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the practice of human rights by the Taliban in Afghanistan was connected to economic pressures, reports Dawn.

    “Ensuring sustainable development and promoting respect for human rights requires political stability and peace in Afghanistan. And peace cannot consolidate unless Afghanistan is provided the necessary economic and fiscal space,” said Qureshi in a video statement made at the UN conference on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

  • Gohar Rasheed pens a note for ‘abusive’, ‘spineless’ men, cites a scene from ‘Laapata’

    Gohar Rasheed pens a note for ‘abusive’, ‘spineless’ men, cites a scene from ‘Laapata’

    Actor Gohar Rasheed has penned a long note for abusive men who think “physically abusing women is fine.”

    Sharing a clip from his drama serial Laapata, the Digest Writer star turned to social media and wrote: “I hate the display of physical abuse on television. This is why I have always refrained from doing it in at least my own characters. It’s unfortunate but it has been done so frequently on our television that it’s almost become a subconscious reality for us.”

    The Mann Mayal actor further added: “Apparently, physically abusing women is “fine” and any misogynistic, spineless man can get away with it, just like Daniyal thought in yesterday’s episode of Laapata. It may sound strange but The Thappad scene was the only reason as to why I took up the character of Daniyal.”

    “To prove that oppression is a choice. If any insecure man with his fragile ego tries his so called muscles on you, make the choice that Falak did, without any fear! One tight slap back from a brave woman to such weak man in our society would be a giant leap for women kind”, he concluded.

    “Girls like Falak rock. Men like Daniyal shock,” concluded Rasheed.

    In the video, husband (Danyal) slaps wife (Falak) and she slaps him back with a warning to break his hands if he’ll think of doing that again.

    Featuring a far-famed cast of Ayeza Khan, Sarah , Ali Rehman Khan and Gohar , Laapata airs on Hum TV. The drama is written and directed by Khizer Idrees.

  • PM Khan briefs nation on three years of Naya Pakistan

    PM Khan briefs nation on three years of Naya Pakistan

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday presented a charter of his party’s performance so far at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad.

    Talking about his career as a cricketer, PM Khan explained how his life as a sportsman, “where there are standing ovations one moment and curses the next”, prepared him for a life of struggles.

    “Until you go through struggles, you cannot do anything big,” the prime minister said. “No leader became big with a shortcut. Quaid-e-Azam was a big leader. He struggled in his life and people will always remember him [for that].”

    Mentioning Pakistan’s clash with India in the aftermath of the Pulwama incident, PM Khan thanked the army for effortlessly protecting the people of Pakistan.

    “I appreciate our army and air force. As they (Indian fighter jets) came into our territory and launched an offensive, we realised the [power] of our army,” said the premier.

    The premier blamed a “mafia” for defaming state institutions. “I also criticised the army in the past,” he said. “Judiciary and army also make mistakes but it doesn’t mean we should [expect] them to topple the democratic government.”

    “We know the Indian lobby is trying hard to defame Pakistan Army. They are implying that the Taliban won because of Pakistan Army.”

    “The NCOC (National Command and Operation Center) team comprising Asad Umar and Dr Faisal [Sultan] took great decisions and we survived the worst of Covid.”

    “In our tenure, Punjab’s anti-corruption has recovered Rs450bn so far,” he claimed. “NAB (National Accountability Bureau), in its 18 years before we came to power, had recovered Rs290bn and in the last three years, they recovered Rs519bn. All hue and cry are because of this reason.”

    The premier reminded his audience of the efforts made to “empower women” in rural areas and stressed the need to educate women, adding that “this is what we are trying to do”.

    “We are also working on inheritance laws to ensure women get their due share in the property,” he added.

  • Woman assaulted by hundreds of unidentified men at Minar-e-Pakistan

    Trigger warning: The following content contains allegations of sexual abuse and might be triggering for some readers

    A viral video shows a woman being sexually assaulted by a large group of men at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on 14 August, Pakistan’s independence day. The incident has been confirmed after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered.

    The FIR was registered under sections 354 A, 382, 147 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code against hundreds of unidentified persons for assaulting and stealing from a female TikToker and at least five other people, Dawn has reported.

    The complainant stated: “I was stripped and my clothes were torn apart,” adding that she cried for help but no one came to her rescue. She also alleged that her gold ornaments, cash and mobile phone were also snatched by the mob.

    The complainant further stated that she along with six companions were attacked by 300 to 400 people while filming a video near the Minar. “The unidentified persons assaulted us violently.”

    “The suspects should be traced with the help of footage,” said Lahore DIG Operations Sajid Kiyani in a statement.

    Read more– ‘It was her fault, Poor 400 men’: Female stars and politicians express anger on the ‘Minar-e-Pakistan’ incident

    Those who “violated a woman’s honour and harassed them will be brought within the ambit of the law”, the statement added.

    The video had been making rounds on social media in which a group of men can be seen groping, assaulting and carrying the woman.

    https://twitter.com/OutOnAbudget/status/1427406677154975744

  • Amnesty International calls upon Pakistani authorities to grant permission to Aurat March Faisalabad

    Amnesty International South Asia has called upon Pakistani “authorities to grant Aurat March Faisalabad all necessary permissions and provide them security”.

    “The right to peaceful assembly is protected by all major human rights conventions and the Constitution of Pakistan,” added the statement.

    ‘Aurat March’ in Faisalabad was called off on Sunday, reportedly due to pressure from the municipal administration, which refused to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the organisers, reports Dawn.

    As per some people on social media, Assistant Commissioner Faisalabad did not grant the permission to hold the march.

    https://twitter.com/ayeshaanaz/status/1421793166425006116

    However, journalist Benzair Shah asked Assistant Commissioner Faisalabad City Ayub Bukhari about the reported news to which he replied, “I don’t give permissions, the deputy commissioner (DC), who is my boss, will give permission. If they [the organisers] get permission, well and good.”

    He also denied giving any comments on Noor Mukadam’s murder.

  • German gymnasts wear full-body suits at Olympics to promote freedom of choice

    German gymnasts wear full-body suits at Olympics to promote freedom of choice

    The German women’s gymnastics team wore full-body suits in qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday instead of their traditional bikini cut version to encourage all women to wear what makes them feel comfortable and to promote freedom of choice, reports Reuters.

    According to the German Gymnastics Federation, this act is against sexualisation in gymnastics. The aim is to present aesthetically- without feeling uncomfortable, they added in a tweet.

    The International Gymnastics Federation said that attire with full or half sleeves and leg coverings are allowed in the competition, as long as the colour matches the leotard (one-piece garment with no legs).

    Sarah Voss, one team member, first wore the suit while competing for the European championships in April.

    “We want to make sure everyone feels comfortable and we show everyone that they can wear whatever they want and look amazing, feel amazing, whether it is in a long leotard or a short one,” she said.

    After this, the entire team decided to participate in the multi-international sports event in red and white unitards and leggings extending to the ankles, in contrast to the costume worn by many other female gymnasts.

    Moreover, their mutual decision earned them praise from fellow competitors in Tokyo.

    Until now women and girls have only covered their legs in international competitions for religious reasons.

  • Domestic violence surges in England after a football match ends: Study

    The National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) UK, which provides a free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic abuse, reported that incidents of domestic violence in England increase during major sporting events.

    “Not everyone is looking froward to the match tonight, Instances of domestic abuse increase 26% when England play and 38% if they lose,” the tweet said.

    A study in 2014 by academics at Lancaster University looked at the number of reports of abuse to a police force in the north-west of England during three football World Cups. They found that such reports increased by 26 per cent when the national team won or drew, and by 38 per cent when the team lost (other studies suggest abuse is worse when England wins). A new study, published on July 4, goes much further. Ria Ivandic, Tom Kirchmaier and Neus Torres-Blas of the Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) have analysed 523,546 domestic-abuse incidents reported to the Greater Manchester Police between 2012 and 2019, alongside detailed information on 780 games played by Manchester City and Manchester United in that period. They have been able to disentangle why intimate partner violence increases after games and to create a timeline of when women are most at risk.

    Research from the London School of Economics’ Centre for Economic Performance indicated a match increased the risk of family violence.

    The study suggested that although domestic abuse declined during the two-hour period when a game is played, it started to increase afterwards and peaked between 10 and 12 hours later.

    Meanwhile, a study released in Australia also found out the link between the major sporting events and domestic violence. The study revealed that domestic violence increased 40.7 per cent in New South Wales on State of Origin game days.

    On July 11, England and and Italy faced each other in Euro Cup Final 2020, which was considered as one of the biggest games in the world of sports. Italy defeated England to become champions of Europe again, for the first time since 1968, breaking English hearts in the process at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.