By Peter Yeung Last month, the French Senate voted in favour of banning girls under 18 from wearing the hijab in public spaces. It was the latest in a series of legislative moves officially intended to crack down on religious “extremism” in France, … Continued
BY: CLAUDIA SEISE Many Muslim women living in non-Muslim majority countries like Germany know the uncomfortable stares. The looks that seem to pity them. The whispers, the outspoken words. And all of this because Muslim women cover their heads and dress … Continued
Saynab Abdikarin has ventured into an industry that was exclusively male-dominated in conservative Somalia. By Noor Mohamed and Hamza Mohamed Saynab Abdikarin turns heads everywhere she goes in Mogadishu. The 28-year-old is the first woman to drive a rickshaw taxi in the streets … Continued
A local women’s group in central Somalia says it has seen a decrease in the number of girls being subjected to full female genital circumcision (FGM) following an awareness campaign. The women’s association of Adado has been informing communities about … Continued
Mohammed Dhaysane MOGADISHU, Somalia, The United Nations on Saturday reiterated its call for Somalia’s government to pass legislation to end the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country. “FGM is a harmful practice that scars girls and women … Continued
by Mohammed Omer Women’s groups welcome move, but say implementing it in time for Feb. 8 vote will be challenging GAROWE, Somalia,(Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Nearly a third of Somalia’s parliamentary seats will be reserved for female lawmakers in an election … Continued
The South Westerlies star Orla Brady has told RTÉ Entertainment that she was moved to tears on her first day of filming A Girl from Mogadishu, the story of Irish-Somali activist Ifrah Ahmed and her campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM). The just-released biopic … Continued
LUKE AWICH “I am a victim. We must not shy away from it. It is not a good thing. We must call Female Genital Mutilation a national disaster.” That’s what Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Gedi said on Tuesday when she … Continued
By Caroline Le Marechal A leadership programme designed by and for Somali women in Bristol has proved such a success it is now running its second course. Horumar, which means “going forward”, was set up after a council BAME course … Continued
MARIB (Reuters) – When Um Feras realised there were no leisure spaces for women in her city in Yemen, she founded her own cafe and hopes to change attitudes about women-led businesses. “There were no places for women to gather … Continued
by Nita Bhalla and Mohammed Omer NAIROBI/GAROWE, Women’s rights groups, prominent businesswomen and female politicians in Somalia are urging the country’s male-dominated parliament to pass a bill reserving 30% of seats for women in next year’s general election. Women hold 24% … Continued
DUBAI (Reuters) – Rights groups want participants in a G20 women’s meeting starting in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to seek the release of detained female activists and call out the kingdom for its record on rights. As current chair of … Continued
