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womenempowerment

Iran’s Supreme Leader on Friday: “Try to be one of the country’s outstanding women”©

by Narges Mohammadi February 4, 2023

IRAN/ Ayatollah Khamenei hosted an Obligation (Taklif) Celebration [celebrating the time when a Muslim youth reaches the age of observing religious obligations] for primary School girls on Friday afternoon.

The Obligation Ceremony which is also known as the Taklif Celebration; is one of the most important ceremonies held by the Muslim population. Girls and boys who reach a certain age (Girls 9-13 years old, Boys 15 years old); celebrate their transition from a child to a mature human being; meaning that they are at responsible age; and have to perform religious duties in Islam such as wearing Hijab, saying prayers, and fasting.

At the beginning of this ceremony; the students had a performance and sang an anthem with the name “This is Iran”. In this anthem, they expressed their love and loyalty toward their country and religious values.

Ayatollah Khamenei, congratulating the girls on this great celebration; said: “My dear girls, this celebration is a true celebration because, at this moment, Allah now can talk to you and give you a duty to do; and this rank means “to be Allah’s addressee”, is a very valuable rate to reach in humanity.”

He added: “Obligation Ceremony means that you are no longer a child, but a teenager and responsible, and you can be effective in your family, school, and play environment with your friends and guide others to the right path, which is a responsibility of all of us.”

Relationship with Allah

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “With your bright, clear, and pure hearts from today you can become friends with Allah. One of the ways to be friends with Allah is to remember in prayer that you are talking to Allah, so learn the meanings and translations of the words of the daily prayer. Another way to be friends with Allah is to do what he told you to do and not to do what he forbade.”

Iran’s Supreme leader said: “The number of our prominent and responsible women in the scientific, practical; and charity sectors, which are a source of pride for the country, are many and more than in the past. Try to be one of the country’s outstanding women. How? Study your lessons well, do your homework well, work, think, and read books so that, God willing, you may be one of the great women in the country in the future.”

Final Word in the ceremony

In the end, Seyed Ali Khamenei said: “In this great battle that the Iranian Nation during the Islamic Revolution started against oppression, misery, and discrimination, you can have a great part as well. As many women played a role before, and today people are aware of their outstanding efforts during the years of the revolution by reading their great works in their novels and books”.

At the end of this ceremony, a group of the attendees; gathered around and had a friendly conversation with Iran’s leader. They were treated with absolute kindness by them.

Source: Khamenei.ir

February 4, 2023 0 comment

Culture North America

AMAZING; 10th Year of World Hijab Day ©

by Narges Mohammadi February 1, 2023

World Hijab Day is an annual event founded by Nazma Khan in 2013. Nazma Khan is an American-Bangladeshi Muslim woman living in New York. She wanted to foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting all women to experience the hijab for just one day.

This initiative which is entering its 10^th anniversary this year; happens broadly in 140 countries. The main purpose of this campaign is to educate and spread awareness on why the hijab is worn.

Critics of this huge day, consider this day as oppressive and a message sender that Hijab is a choice and not compulsory; this is false and untrue information.

Many also dislike it because it has been noted that 1 February was also the date Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Iran from his French exile, which subsequently led to the enforcement of wearing hijabs.

Hijab in Iran

First of all, when 99 percent of a country’s population follows one religion; they are all obliged to follow that religion completely. If Iranian women were against Hijab or in general Islam; the recent occurrences would have reached a result, but they didn’t. Their participation in all religious events, and their condemnation of the recent riots in Iran, show that the majority want Hijab. The majority want Islam and the Islamic Republic system.

If Iranian women get determined for something, they fight until they get it. They don’t need any foreign force to help them. So, all these accusations against the Iranian “REGIME” are false.

The system asks MEN and WOMEN to have proper clothing within the community; also it obliges men to withhold inappropriate looks from women and be civil in society.

World Hijab Day 2023

Now, let’s get back to World Hijab Day. This year, about a month before, the co-founders and organizers of this campaign, called all women around the world to join this movement by wearing a hijab; holding a sign with the hashtag #UnapologeticHijabi. They were asked to send their pictures and views about hijab also invitations to others around the world on joining the campaign.

Here are some pictures:

Some of the participants had a few words to say about hijab

From the UK;

“Hijab is beautiful. It’s a command from our creator. So, we need to fulfill it. Alhamdulillah, I have been wearing it from a young age. It gives me modesty and confidence.As c I wear it, I will get rewards in eyes of Allah and I will also be protected by him. So, please wear it and feel the pride and protection! Let’s all become #UnapologeticHijabi!

Join me on #WorldHijabDay, February 1^st, by wearing a headscarf to show your support for Muslim women who experience discrimination.

From Kosovo;

What makes me an #UnapologeticHijabi?

My hijab is the honor and modesty of our Islam. Not just my Hijab, but the hijab of each one of us. From the age of 15, I wore the hijab, and now I am 24. I have never felt bad about my hijab. Even if others have tried to make me feel bad, I have always remembered that honor belongs to Allah, the Prophet, and all Muslims.

Therefore, don’t just raise your voice, but hold your head with honor, let’s raise our deeds according to pure Islam.

Join me on #WorldHijabDay.

Other activities

Furthermore, this campaign had a whole table in St. Peters Episcopal Church in Arkansas USA. Women came to the station and celebrated this day by trying on Hijab.

Some pictures:

Bert Church School in Canada was also host of this campaign.

**The armed forces of the Philippines chose to join this campaign as well.**

February 1, 2023 0 comment

Society South America

NEW; Female Authorities From Latin America Shared Thoughts On Centering The Planet

by Narges Mohammadi January 31, 2023

Latin America and the Caribbean Must Move Towards a Care Society that Puts the Sustainability of Life, and the Planet at the Center

Women’s Affairs Ministers and representatives of international organizations, academia, and civil society; are participating in the Special Meeting of the Presiding Officers; of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Points said in the Conference

An emphatic call to avert setbacks on gender equality; and women’s autonomy in today’s global crisis scenario and to move towards a caring society in the region; which would put the sustainability of human life and the planet at the center.

The event – held in the Summer of 2022- spanned two days and includes the participation of Ministers of Women’s Affairs; and authorities from Mechanisms for Women’s Advancement in Latin American and Caribbean countries; along with representatives of international organizations, academia, and civil society. Attendees prepared the XV Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on November 7-11, precisely with the main theme of “The caring society: horizon for a sustainable recovery with gender equality.”

Guest speakers at the Conference

Participating in the opening session of the conference we had Raúl García-Buchaca, Deputy Executive Secretary for Management and Programme Analysis of ECLAC; María-Noel Vaeza, Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Woman (UN Women); and Antonia Orellana, Minister of Women’s Affairs and Gender Equity of Chile, in her capacity as Chair of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the end, we have Ana Güezmes, Director of ECLAC’s Division for Gender Affairs, present progress on the drafting of the XV Regional Conference’s position document.

“The theme of this Regional Conference on Women was about how to move towards a caring society where time, work, resources, and power are redistributed. For this reason that a sustainable recovery with gender equality is urgently needed. We need to change the course of this configuration; which is based on inequality and adopt a different development pattern; one that would recognize people’s interdependence; and put the sustainability of human life and the planet at the center,” García-Buchaca affirmed.

María-Noel Vaeza, Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean of UN Women, likewise sustained: “Care is critical. If we do not have care systems; we will not have time to participate in politics, the economy, or the negotiating table, which is our right. We need academia, the private sector, civil society, and, primarily, the political will of States. Our hope this will be very present at the XV Regional Conference on Women.”

Ending

The Regional Gender Agenda encompasses the commitments to women’s autonomy and rights that the region’s governments; have approved at the Regional Conferences on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean; organized by women in the region and women’s and feminist organizations.

Source: UNWomen Website

January 31, 2023 0 comment

Asia Women Pioneers

AMAZING/Iranian Female Diver; From Breaking Records to Exhaling in Life©

by Narges Mohammadi January 30, 2023

IRAN/ Before, it may have seemed impossible to imagine the presence of women in mountaineering; football, paragliding, rock climbing, diving, motorcycling, or car racing. However, Iranian women have proven that sports have no walls or fences; preventing women from creating surprises by being present and winning medals in various sports fields.

She set two national records in the disciplines of “nofin to a depth of 30 meters” and “monofin to a depth of 35 meters”. Being part of the global rankings of the World Federation; the female diver from the south of Iran proved that women in the Islamic Republic of Iran; can compete in hard sports and gain success.

Samira Kamalfard, despite starting a family and having a child; continues to be proud of herself and encourages young and teenage girls in this way.

Details about her field of sports

She explains her sport saying: “The field of no fin is a specialized field in which having a record in it is very important. The choice of the meter (water depth) is in the hand of the athlete; we must go to the depth we chose without using any equipment. Only by holding our breath and returning without making any mistakes and not holding the rope along the way. When we reach the bottom, we bring the desired mark with us to the surface of the water. In this field, I went to a depth of 30 meters; and came back and was able to set a record.”

Her other record was the 35-meter depth Monofin; which in this discipline is a container that accompanies a diver and has to go back and forth to the depth with the movement of a dolphin; a record that has not yet been set among men.

Since childhood, she pursued swimming intending to become a champion; but she was always interested in diving and therefore went entered this field. Considering that swimming is done in a closed and safe environment, but diving deals with the infinite sea, her family was against it, but she was able to accompany them with all these problems.

Although she is currently the mother of a 5-year-old child, she is more interested in this activity with the support of her husband and family.

Remembering that she has been diving since she was 16 years old and her husband is still engaged in freediving; Kamalfard believes that the presence of women in the championship is a reflection of disciplines. She is more enthusiastic when her family sees her active and disciplined despite having family and children to take care of.

Source: IRNA Agency

January 30, 2023 0 comment

Asia Politics

INTERESTING; US envoy claims “PROGRESS” made on Afghan women’s situation

by Narges Mohammadi January 30, 2023

AFGHANISTAN/UN delegation Amina Mohammed, who held talks with the Taliban, tells Al Jazeera some progress in the health sector made but much remains to be done.

A UN delegation, which held talks with senior Taliban officials in Afghanistan, has made headway on women’s rights. The UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said a week ago, cautioning that much remains to be achieved.

The high-level meeting earlier this week comes amid widespread criticism of the governing Taliban; for banning women from universities and NGOs last month. Millions of high school girls have already been confined to their homes as schools remain shut. The Taliban has gone back on its promises of women’s rights; and media freedom since they stormed to power in August 2021 after the West-backed government collapsed.

What did the UN delegation say?

“There has been some progress. Some exemptions have been made to the edicts that have covered the health sector,” Mohammed, who led the delegation, said, referring to the resumption of work by three NGOs last week.

“I think that’s because the international community, and particularly the partners who are funding this; were able to show the implications and the impact of the woman-to-woman services, particularly childbirth,” she added.

Not enough, she said, adding that was just the very beginning. “We’ve opened up a crack and we hope that through the reversals we can eventually get to a stage. A stage where you neutralize those edicts; and women are back in school and girls and of course in the workplace.”

The 61-year-old UN diplomat said her delegation met with cabinet members; including the foreign minister, deputy prime minister, and the minister of refugees and returnees.

The group also met the governor of Kandahar, as well as the Shura; (leadership council) that is responsible for taking many key decisions in the country.

“I was always very clear that I am going there as an opportunity to air the voices of Afghan women. We heard from young women who said; ‘We do not need your voice, what we need is you amplify ours,’” Mohammed said in an interview.

“I was very focused on getting those messages across.”

‘Important to have a conversation

Mohammed, the UN’s top-ranking female official, described the current laws on women’s education; and workplace as an “aberration” to the teachings of Islam but emphasized the need to engage with the Taliban.

“It’s very important to go in there and try to have a conversation with them, and they did,” she added.

“What we did see was an understanding … of how important it was for girls’ rights and women’s rights in education. They all didn’t … didn’t push back on that. But what they said was that … it is a work in progress and they’re going to come back to us with the new framing; around which they would protect women that would be accessing education and also the workplace,” Mohammed, said.

Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the “unprecedented, systemic attacks on women’s and girls’ rights”; which he said, “are creating gender-based apartheid”.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the spokesman for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; said some NGOs were trying to create what he called ‘social change’ in Afghanistan.

But he says the Taliban is allowing organizations to operate if they align with the country’s values.

Those NGOs which were committed to the “cardinal principle of NGO work [such as] impartiality and neutrality” were given exemptions in some areas, including health, Balkhi said last week.

OIC Cooperation

Mohammed, a former minister of environment in the Nigerian government, before she visited Kabul; reached out to the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which expressed concern about restrictions on women.

The OIC, the grouping of Muslim nations; issued a statement saying that what is happening in Afghanistan is against the holy Quran and Islam.

Moreover, Mohammed, said she was “surprised” by the Taliban’s “need and want to be recognized”.

To date, no country in the world has recognized the Taliban-led government since they stormed to power 17 months ago weeks in advance of the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces after 20 years of war and occupation.

Asked if the UN itself would recognize the group, Mohammed, the UN envoy, said, “I hope there is a day that we do recognize this government, provided it is based on the principles that they need to understand and uphold as part of the international family.”

“But I do fear that what we are doing is having women and girls caught in the crossfire, and it’s really important we don’t do that. We heard the stories of many Afghan women who, because of this, are not able to feed their children,” she added.

“They’re painful stories of women who don’t know where the next meal is coming from.”

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) the humanitarian crises in the country were affecting 28 million people.

Dozens of Afghans have died in the severe cold wave sweeping the country.

Source: Al-Jazeera

January 30, 2023 0 comment

Europe Society

NEW; A revolutionary surgical OBJECT that “smells tumors”

by Narges Mohammadi January 29, 2023

Exclusive: iKnife can reliably diagnose endometrial cancer and help thousands of healthy women get the all-clear quicker A revolutionary surgical knife that “smells tumors” can diagnose womb cancer within seconds. Researchers have found in a breakthrough that could enable thousands of healthy women to get the all-clear quicker.

Womb cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women and affects about 9,000 a year only in the UK. Now experts at Imperial College London have discovered that the iKnife, can accurately detect it and any other endometrial cancer.

What is iKnife?

“The iKnife reliably diagnosed endometrial cancer in seconds, with a diagnostic accuracy of 89%, minimizing the current delays for women whilst awaiting a histopathological diagnosis,” the team of researchers wrote in the journal Cancers. “The findings presented in this study can pave the way for new diagnostic pathways.”

The iKnife uses electricals to differentiate between cancerous and healthy tissue by analyzing the smoke that is emitted; when the biopsy tissue is vaporized after it has been removed from the womb.

The researchers said its effectiveness was proved using biopsy tissue samples from 150 women with suspected womb cancer; and the results compared with current diagnosis methods. The team plans to launch a major clinical trial, which could lead to its use becoming widespread.

Athena Lamnisos, the chief executive of the Eve Appeal cancer charity, which funded the research, said: “Waiting for test results is stressful; especially if that test is to find out whether or not you have cancer. When you hear that the ‘c-word is even a possibility, the days can’t pass quickly enough until a clinician gives you the all-clear.

iKnife & tumors womb

“Womb cancer has one ‘red flag’ symptom of postmenopausal bleeding; that should always get checked out on a two-week referral from your GP. Waiting a further two weeks for the results can be hard for patients.

“There are many reasons for abnormal vaginal bleeding after menopause – womb cancer is just one of them; the ability to provide a diagnostic test that rules cancer in or out immediately; and with accuracy, could make such a positive difference.

“This Eve-supported research has the potential to create a step change in faster diagnosis; and for the 90% of women with postmenopausal bleeding that isn’t cancer, a effective way to put their minds at ease. We know how important this is for patients.”

Comments from diagnosed patients

Alison, a 57-year-old from west London who had symptoms of womb cancer earlier this year; but eventually got the all-clear, said the iKnife would have made a huge difference to her experience.

“Thankfully, I was one of the people with postmenopausal bleeding lucky enough to find out it wasn’t caused by cancer. It was frustrating waiting for the results, which was almost three weeks for me.

“I was asked to go in person to receive the results too, which to me was a clear indication that it was bad news and I did have womb cancer. It was terrifying.

“It would have made such a difference to know straight away that I didn’t have cancer and not have to wait three weeks.”

Prof Sadaf Ghaem-Maghami, who led the research at Imperial College London, said getting a diagnosis within seconds; could enable women confirmed to have cancer to start treatment sooner, while those deemed healthy would avoid weeks of anxiety.

Accuracy

“With its high diagnostic accuracy of 89% and positive predictive value of 94%, one could immediately reassure the person of the very low likelihood of having cancer if the iKnife result is negative and expedite further tests and scans and treatment for people whose biopsies indicate the presence of cancer. This could happen whilst await confirmation from standard pathology, which can take up to two weeks.”

Source: The Guardian

January 29, 2023 0 comment

Asia Women Pioneers

SMALL businesses, BIG dreams; These are Iraq’s female entrepreneurs

by Narges Mohammadi January 28, 2023

IRAQ/The sewing machines and fabric that surround Alaa Adel at her “Iraq couture” studio in Baghdad; are a testament to her success in deeply patriarchal Iraq.

Adel, 33, counts herself among a limited number of female entrepreneurs; in a country where most women don’t work outside the home.

“We have a social tradition that prevents many women from working,” Adel said at her studio in Baghdad’s Karrada commercial district.

Even for those who do, “it is not always that easy,” she added.

The International Organization for Migration said in an October report; that “prevailing customs and traditions… limit women’s activities to their domestic and nurturing role”.

Adel said such prejudices, as well as practical difficulties, posed a challenge to fulfilling her dream.

A graduate of the University of Baghdad who specialized in fashion and design; Adel wanted to create her own fashion house.

“I went to see the patrons of organisations that support art and culture. But my idea was systematically rejected because I had no experience in the conception of projects,” she said.

Thanks to an Iraqi foundation, The Station, and its “Raidat” (Female Entrepreneurs) programme financed by the French embassy in Baghdad; Adel got training which, she said, gave her the confidence to start her own business.

Obstacles

Iraq’s private sector is still embryonic, making more tedious and lengthy the steps to set up a company.

The country, which is trying to move past four decades of war and unrest, is also plagued by endemic corruption, widespread unemployment and a poverty rate of around 30 per cent.

Almost 38 per cent of people with jobs work in Iraq’s public sector — one of the highest rates in the world, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). Adel eventually secured a loan from a private bank and created her “Alaa Adel” brand last summer.

In the beginning, she had to deal with sexism from some fabric suppliers who were reluctant to do business with a woman, she said.

Then there was a lack of public childcare facilities, in a country where tradition says children should be taken care of at home — by the mother — until they go to school.

Adel got help from family members who look after her two boys, aged nine and four, while she is at work. Iraq has 13 million employment-aged women “yet only around one million are working”, said ILO country coordinator Maha Kattaa, presenting a report in July last year.

Complications in business

The female labour force participation rate “was particularly low” at 10.6 per cent, the ILO report said, compared with 68 per cent for men.

In contrast, neighbouring Saudi Arabia — until a few years ago one of the world’s most restrictive countries for women — had a female workforce participation rate of 35.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2022.

Most of Iraq’s working women are teachers or nurses. A rare few are members of the police or armed forces.

For Shumoos Ghanem, men “dominate numerous sectors whereas women are relegated to the margins”.

The 34-year-old is the owner of a dietary food business and founder of the Iraqi Women in Business initiative; which provides professional guidance to women online. She is also a mother to a 14-month-old son.

Ghanem says most of those she advises are mothers. Mothers who have been out of the workforce and “wonder if society will accept them” again as working women. Over the past five or six years, Iraqi women have had increased opportunities; she said, but the space for them “to develop is very limited still”.

“Some regions are more traditional than others,” she added, which further restricts women’s chances to have “careers or to open projects”.

Surrounded by men, Ghanem said she experienced sexism and was worried about harassment.

“When I went to see suppliers for the first time, I saw how complicated it was,” she recalled.

Now she works from home, but she too has a dream ; to have her health, conscious restaurant where she can help bolster the ranks of female Iraqi businesswomen.

“I want to make it a place to support women who want to work in this sector,” she said.

Source: Al-Monitor

January 28, 2023 0 comment

Europe Society

by Narges Mohammadi January 28, 2023

FRANCE/ The assessment of the French advisory body published on Monday shows that the level of misogyny, discrimination; and violence against women in this Western European country has sharply increased to an alarming level.

The results of the High Council for Equality (HCE) surveys of 2,500 French citizens; indicate that many young men in this country consider discriminatory and violent behavior against women to be acceptable.

Sylvie Pierre-Brousslet, head of HCE, has asked the French authorities to pay attention to the attitudes and behaviors of men from an early age; including extensive action in education and the approval and implementation of stricter regulations in social media.

Nearly 80% of the French female citizens questioned in this survey said that they thought they were treated less well because of their gender.

The Assessment

The assessment of this institution adds: “Although most of the respondents to this survey condemn the principle of sexism, they do not refuse to implement it in practice. Despite the increasing awareness of French citizens about gender inequality, which is partly due to the movement “Me Too“; prejudice, sexual and gender stereotypes, and sexism are all still going on in daily life.

Brousslet also called for the creation of a high-level independent public institution; to combat gender-based violence in the world of politics. Further, he added to allocate more financial and human resources to the fight against domestic violence in France.

Based on this assessment; French society is still highly prone to gender bias in all aspects; and even some of the most violent manifestations of gender bias have intensified. While older men still adhere to conservative views about the roles of men and women in society, younger men sometimes show aggressive “ideological male superiority” tendencies.

This institution has also recommended the banning of gender toys for children; and the allocation of subsidies from the public resources of the government to companies obliged to progress and improve in the field of gender equality.

Actual Statistics

Nearly 20 percent of men aged 25 to 34 in this survey found it necessary to brag about sexual issues to gain respect in society, and 23 percent said that men must sometimes use violence to gain respect.

A quarter of the men asked, underestimating the importance of sexual violence, said that sexual assault is overstated.

Source: IRNA

January 28, 2023 0 comment

Australia and Oceania Politics

by Narges Mohammadi January 26, 2023

Jacinda Ardern announced her resignation from the position of Prime Minister and leader of the New Zealand Labor Party. She said that more than 5 years of leadership have exhausted her and she can no longer continue. This female politician will resign by early February at the latest and seek re-election.

While trying to hold back tears, Ardern said that she had spent five and a half years as prime minister; she is also human and needs to step down.

Ardern, 42, said in a news conference: “This summer, I was hoping to find a way to prepare not just for another year, but for another term; but impossible. I know that after this decision there will be many discussions about what is the real reason for my work. The only interesting thing you will find is that after six years of some big challenges is that I am also a person; politicians are humans too. We give everything we can, as long as we can, but in the end, the time comes. And for me, the time has come.

This role needs responsibility

“The responsibility is to know when you are the right person to lead and when you are not,” Ardern told attendees at a Labor party meeting in Napier. I know what it takes. And I know I don’t have enough left to do justice. it’s simple.

Support for New Zealand’s Labor Party is at its lowest since Ardern took office in 2017 as the world’s youngest female head of government, a recent poll shows.

Ardern will leave the prime minister’s office by February 7 at the latest, with the New Zealand Labor Party voting for a new leader on Sunday. The party leader will be the prime minister until the next general election. Ardern’s leadership period will end on February 7 at the latest, and the general election will be held on October 14.

Future of the Labor Party

Ardern said she believed Labor would win the next election.

Grant Robertson, New Zealand’s deputy prime minister who also serves as finance minister, said in a statement that she is not seeking to be the next leader of the Labor Party.

Ardern’s successor as party leader and prime minister faces a tough test in a general election, with the country expected to plunge into recession in the next quarter.

Commentators point to several of Ardern’s ministers as possibilities for the role, including former Covid minister and current education and police minister Chris Hipkins and current justice minister Kerry Allen.

Ardern said she was not resigning because the job was difficult, but because she believed others could do a better job.

She addressed her daughter Niv, who was looking forward to her mother’s presence when she started school this year; and told her longtime partner Clarke Gifford that it was time for them to get married.

Ardern entered the world stage in 2017 as the youngest female head of state in the world at the age of 37. She passionately fought for women’s rights and to end child poverty and economic inequality in the country.

Eight months after becoming the prime minister, her child was born; and she was the second elected leader of Pakistan, after Benazir Bhutto, who became a mother during the country’s presidency.

Great Leader with a big heart

Her compassionate leadership style was reinforced by her response to the mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch; in 2019 that left 51 dead and 40 injured. Fareed Ahmed, a survivor, and husband of a Christchurch attack victim said: “Her global call for human unity with compassion made me cry with joy then; and it makes me cry now.

He added: “Her kindness, wisdom, and efforts for a peaceful world have been remarkable examples for world leaders. I understand that she needs to rest and I wish her the best in life”.

Ardern was quick to call the attacks terrorism, and the day after the attack; she donned the hijab in a meeting with the Muslim community, telling them the entire country was united in grief. She promised to carry out fundamental reforms in the gun law within a month.

Responses from other politicians

“Jacinda Ardern showed the world how to lead with reason and strength. She has shown that empathy and insight are powerful leadership qualities”, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.

Ardern has been praised across the political spectrum for her handling of the Covid-19 pandemic; which saw the country face some of the toughest measures globally but resulted in one of the lowest casualties.

Her popularity also declined last year. As inflation has reached its highest level in three decades; the central bank has sharply increased interest rates and crime has increased.

The country has become increasingly politically divided over issues such as the government’s overhaul of its water infrastructure; and the introduction of a plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Ardern and Labor have seen support slip away in the polls. Political commentators say Ardern’s resignation will strengthen the national opposition Conservative Party; but could also give Labor a chance to reconsider and change its position before the election.

Former Labor candidate Josie Pagani said: “There is the potential for a Labor leader to come in and return Labor to a party that focuses on the issues that voters care about; the cost of living, inflation, and making sure that wage earners; the more they receive, the more concentrated it is”.

Source: ISNA News Agency

January 26, 2023 0 comment

Asia Society

by Narges Mohammadi January 22, 2023

The first international congress of influential women was held in Tehran on Friday, January 20, 2023; with the official welcome of Iran’s vice president for women’s affairs guiding to the honorable guests of this event.

In this ceremony the current, former 1st and 2nd ladies of Armenia, Burkina Faso, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Guinea, and Niger attended. Adding to that, the special envoy of the 1st lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the wife of Sri Lanka’s ruling party’s leader; and representatives from Syria and Turkmenistan attended.

In the session of the first day of this congress, which started on Thursday, January 19, 300 foreign guests, including 70 female officials and activists from various fields, including ministers, vice presidents, and parliamentarians, had come to Iran, without the retouching of Western media listened to Iranian women.

Foreign women who participated in this congress were active in various fields, including science, research, innovation, economy, health and treatment, art, social and economic activism, civil activists, environmental activists, lawyers, media activists, etc.

In this specialized meeting, 1^st ladies and prime ministers of foreign countries commented on the field of women and how to implement the joint memorandum. In this meeting, women emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran has an effective role and great potential for the global community.

Matters that were discussed

Defending women’s rights and expanding the opportunity for their presence, in political, economic, and social fields; and fighting injustice against women; were other approaches mentioned by the participants.

The respected women stated in this congress that we should unite to overcome women’s problems and prepare a proper road map. All speakers reminded that women need a big view instead of an isolated view to cooperate.

In this specialized meeting, the spouses of the heads of state of foreign countries said that we must find a solution for peace. The participants thanked the president of our country. They believed that Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raisi recognized the great and important role of women in society.

In this meeting, there was a discussion about establishing of the International Association of Influential Women.

The Iranian vice presidential office of women and family affairs is trying to establish a connection between influential women around the world and influential Iranian women to create synergy for the country’s progress.

Appreciation of top and influential women in the international congress

At the end of the program, seven outstanding women from different countries were awarded. They were:

Mrs. Lee; an outstanding researcher in the field of chemistry and a professor at the University of Thailand
Sudeh Ghafouri; a doctor of medical genetics from Iran
Mrs. Elina; one of the leading ladies in Russia
Zahra Imam Juma; an Iranian scientist
Maria Beatriz Yunes; the influential woman of Argentina
Mojgan Zandi; the author of various articles in the field of Iranian chemical industries
Panabe Shiami from China

The wife of Armenia’s prime minister, the wife of Burkina Faso’s president, the first lady of Kyrgyzstan, the wife of Serbia’s president; and the 2^nd lady of Iran the wife of the Iranian president, Dr. Jamila Alamolhoda were on the stage to present the awards. Zeinab Nasrallah, the daughter of the secretary general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, was also a special guest of this ceremony.

In the end, on behalf of all Iranian women (living in Iran!!!), we would like to give our gratitude great ladies that accepted the invitation and came to hear our voice. Thank you for not falling for the media propaganda against Iran and choosing to come and see the true Iranian women. The women who are strong and successful; but silenced and censored by the western media.

Source: ISNA News Agency

January 22, 2023 2 comments

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