“‘Let me grow as an artist or I will become President of Pakistan and rule this country.” – Veena Malik is loud and clear and she sure doesn’t mince her words.

Love her, or hate her and you’d have teeming support from thousands of others on either side of the fence. The fiesta Ms. Malik’s appearance on Indian reality TV Show Bigg Boss has ignited an avalanche of public debate among Pakistani society.

Some, like TV anchorman anchor Kamran Shahid and Mufti Abdul Qavi deem the Pakistani siren the shame of their nation, yet Veena’s defiance and self-defence as a modern, worldly woman have attracted admiration and adoration… after all, let’s face it, she’s not exactly hard on the eye.

V for Vendetta

There’s an interesting analysis of Veena’s turbulent trajectory in the Express Tribune. The big bang came in response to her attitude, attire and interaction with other contestants on Bigg Boss. It sent ripples across her homeland, attracting mud slinging from the moral police and much debate splashed across news headlines.

But Veena didn’t take it lying down. Instead she went live on national TV to fight her corner, asking the host, audience, and Pakistan, why such a big deal was being made about her TV show conduct when the nation had bigger fish to fry.

Fair point, regardless of how it was executed.

Then, to add a little fat to the flame, Veena took Mufti Qavi to task for allegedly rampant child abuse in madrassas.

Fight for Your Right to Entertain

“I am not a coward and can’t act like one,” Veena tells the Express Tribune, in an interview at her home in Pakistan.

Her dreams are far from humble, seems Ms Malik has been tempted by elevation to the giddying echelons of politics and won’t be dissuaded by those who deem her treasonous:

These few people are not the real Pakistan. I just want them to understand that I represent the entertainment industry of this country. Let me grow. Let me go places as an ambassador of this country’s entertainment industry.” She says.

Flying or Fanning the Flame?

“I would like to be the President of Pakistan, even if I am asked to pick the presidency of any country in the world.” Veena’s clearly on a mission.

Patriotic, she certainly is, although I can’t quite envisage a female Reality TV star with a penchant for stilettos making the Pakistani Presidency just yet. But then again, there are stranger things in heaven and earth:  nobody envisaged California’s governor either.

Flame or Shame of a nation? It all depends on how you look at Veena Malik, but she’s far from dull or dumb. Her passion and moxie are admirable and I’m curious to see where she crops up again when the dust from this particular TV typhoon settles.

British Muslim author and blogger Shelina Zahra Janmohamed has a confession to make. Or so she’s been telling The Guardian….

She, like me and countless other young Muslim women  love girly books. Call it what you will, chick lit, a la Bridget Jones and all manner of other everyday female heroines floats our boats and offers a welcome alternative to wrapping the ol’ grey matter around more taxing themes.

To cut a long story short: loving girly books don’t mean we’re dumb.

Muslim, She Wrote…

Riveting reads on the highs and lows of live, love and the universe for Muslim women don’t exactly spill off the shelves. You can find a fair selection of books by Muslim women about arranged marriage, and in the oh-so-true words of the author: “shelves and shelves of misery memoir and all these women in black veils with camels walking in the background and titles like I Was Sold Into Marriage.”

However, peruse for chronicles of everyday existence for Miss Modern Muslim in any major mainstream bookstore and you’ll come up with slim pickings.

This is why I for one would like to run up to Ms Janmoahamed, throw my arms around her and give her a big fat kiss for taking the time to sit down and scribe Love in a Headscarf. Half way between girly-book and memoir, Shelina’s candid, sincere and sometimes rib-tickling account of her arranged marriage is a joy to the eyes and mind.

Wanted: Muslim Prince, RSVP to My Parents…

From introduction to honeymoon and beyond, Love in a Headscarf is a gorgeously-written account from a woman who always knew her marriage would be arranged, However, it still radiates the desire of women of all faiths and backgrounds: to find that special Mr.

“I noticed when I started reading [chick lit] it that it was very much about ‘How do you find the prince?’ And what I wanted to do was tell that universal story, but from the perspective of being a Muslim woman.”  Shelina tells The Guardian.

A Many-Sided Saga

From her parents’ emigration from Tanzania to London, to her liberal but believing upbringing and Oxford education, the author approaches the issue of faith and feeling with warmth and poise.  She dives headfirst into the deep en don issues such as radicalism and women’s rights without preaching or falling into stereotypes or clichés.

It was this open-minded fresh approach the spawned and spurred her successful blog (as spirit21), the predecessor to Love in a Headscarf, a book  I’d bet by bottom donut any woman anywhere will love. This is precisely what Shelina Zahra Janmohamed hoped to achieve with her book, as she reveals to The Guardian:

“When I sat down to write it I realised I didn’t want to write a story that was ‘This is Islam and these are the pillars . . .’ People can read that in a text book. I thought I wanted to tell a universal story and the best story to tell is the story of love”.

And it is exactly what she has succeeded in creating. Bravo!

Afghanistan is set to give young women cricketers and their families a boost by creating a national team to compete at international level.

Afghanistan's women's cricket team during their practices

Sporting women have come on leaps and bounds in Afghanistan, since the 2001 fall of the Taliban. 2011 will see the creation and training of the team with a view to participation in the Asia Cup. Diana, women’s cricket development officer at the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) sees the new team as an exciting and progressive step for her beloved country, as she told AFP:

“We love our country and hope to support it through our sport. Seeing a women’s cricket team in the Asian Cup will do so much to raise the hopes of many women here.”

Great Expectations

The ACB also announced that the female cricket team’s participation in February’s short-format Twenty20 tournament in Kuwait would be the first time Afghan women participate in matches abroad.

Four girls’ schools, a “women only” park and an orphanage in Kabul have been designated for team training and coaching, and a women’s tournament will decide the national side for the Kuwait competition, organized by the Asian Cricket Council.

Plans for team development include the construction of a cricket academy for women in the capital Kabul that, according to the ACB would provide the “culturally appropriate situation for women cricketers”.

A Hop, Skip and Jump Forward

There’s still a ways to go before women’s sports become commonplace in Afghanistan. Football and basketball teams have sprung up in some cities, but have yet to appear in rural areas.

Over 100 young women currently play cricket in Kabul and three attended umpire training courses in Autumn 2010. The ACB has also launched coaching sessions to boost the numbers of young women who pick up the sport.

“Women’s cricket provides an opportunity for Afghan young women to be fit and have healthier and more active lives,” ACB chief executive Hamid Shinwari told AFP.

“The ACB has a strong commitment to developing the game for women in a way that is good for them and, at the same time, respects our Islamic and Afghan values.

Fitting In with Cultural Codes

The official women’s cricketing uniform includes a hijab and is modelled on the one worn by the United Arab Emirates’ women’s side.

Afghan female sprinter-turned-lawmaker Robina Jalali made it to the Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008, competing in a hijab both times.

Photo by Abigail Hauslohner for TIME.

Technology is a marvellous thing, isn’t it? I mean without it you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation…

It’s must be said, that while CCTV might seem invasive to some, technology protects as well as informing and entertaining us. Egypt is taking this a step further by launching  Harrassmap, a website with a mission to  keep Egyptian women safer on the streets.

Digital Danger Alerts

Harrassmap: Aimed at protecting women

According to an interesting article in The National, Harrassmap, which will be launched in the coming months, will enable women to beam home instances of harassment via text message or Twitter.

The info will then be loaded onto a digital map of Cairo to show potentially dangerous hotspots and areas for women to walk alone. This data will be shared with activists, media, and police.

“The whole idea is to have user-generated information,” Engy Ghozlan, one of the program’s volunteer activists told The National.

Simply feeling that she is not alone, Ms Ghozlan said, can help a woman who is feeling powerless. “It’s actually encouraging to know that,” she said.

A High-Tech Answer

A 2008 survey by the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights found that 83% of Egyptian women and 98% of foreign women living in Cairo claimed to have  been harassed in some way.

But until recently, the issue was seldom dealt with publicly. Technology brought it to light as web videos of women being harangued on the streets leaked. This led to a bill outlining criminal punishment for sexual harassment being put before the Egyptian parliament. It is awaiting a vote by the house.

A Safer World

Organizers of Harassmap affirm that no mountain is being made out a molehill and that women are avoiding the streets regardless of what they wear. They hope the new platform will make it easier for women to speak out.

Harassmap will be anonymous. After sending an SMS message to the site, women will receive encouragement, safety tips, and instructions on how to file a police report.

Harassmap is a chip off the cyber-block of a worldwide site called Hollaback, where women write about incidents where they felt violated or harassed. Hollaback has gained popularity and kudos for its solidarity and posts often involve sassy language and a cell-phone picture of the perpetrator.

As the headscarf debate peaks and troughs around Europe, splattered across the press on a seemingly daily basis.  I must confess I got to a point as a Muslim gal where I just said to myself “alright, enough already, I’ve heard all this before!”

Noor D'Izar, the hijab fashion label based in Belgium

Then I discovered Noor D’Izar – a Belgian label started in 2009 by two savvy Belgian women that have turned the hijab into a fashion accessory for all women: Muslim or non-Muslim. I had to smile – what a brilliant idea…  to bring the hijab to the high street in a new light and dispel some of the headscarf hullabaloo, which is, let’s face it, largely based on fear of the unknown.

According to CNN, Noor D’Izar sells its designs from Paris to Dubai, even appearing at this year’s Paris Fashion Week where the high-fashion headscarves got everyone talking.

Hijabs for Her, Wherever She Hails from

Founders Fatima Rafiy and Inge Rombouts are a Muslim and Non-Muslim duo and aim their versatile, practical, and stylish designs at ladies like themselves.

“I would love for two women, Muslim and non-Muslim, to look at our website and think they can both wear the scarves,” Rombouts told CNN.

Orders from non-Muslims have been steadily rising. Around 10 percent come from non-Muslims. As they launch their new winter collection, Rombouts and Rafiy anticipate their fan base will continue to grow – insisting, “It’s not about politics. It’s about fashion.”

It’s a Wrap!

Most of the headscarves are made of T-shirt-style material and come with built-in headbands so they don’t require pins or complicated wrapping, and can be put on or removed effortlessly.

Just one of Noor D'Izar's designs

“I think the European women that have bought it like the practical side of it,” said Rombouts. “I wear it ’cause it’s just fun.”

Noor D’Izar may have its work cut out in Belgium, where many schools and offices have banned the Hijab, which makes wearing one by choice quite controversial.

“The wearing of the veil doesn’t have to be controversial,” Aziz Saliha, who stocks Noor D’Izar products in her Brussels clothing store, told CNN.

“The debate around the veil is much politicized and it’s just clothes, so that’s what we want to do, bring the headscarf back into the fashion world where it belongs,” She said.

During my amazing three month stay in New York, I’ve had the honour of meeting some extraordinarily inspiring movers and shakers determined to re-stabilize the world’s axis and better the balance for those less fortunate.

One of the most potent of these meetings was a lunch with Catinca and Amanda of womensvoicesnow.org, which provided me with ample food for thought. Through its online platform and events, their budding organization focuses on giving a voice to underrepresented women throughout Muslim majority and minority countries.

Collaborating for Change

Women’s Voices Now was born to highlight women’s struggle for civil, economic, and political rights. It collaborates with women of all faiths in countries with a Muslim presence in order to provide online content including news, articles, blogs and a film festival.

As a platform, the WVN website provides fertile ground for a network of real women’s voices that want to speak to an international audience and empowers those who wish to bring gender equality to local communities around the world.

Essentially, we’re talking about a virtual venue where women can communicate with each other, exchange views and elevate the dialogue on women’s rights.  The site seeks to incorporate multitude of views from diverse national, economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. After all, as WVN affirms, who could possibly be better equipped to present the issues facing women of the Muslim world to an international audience than those who live and breathe them each day?

Voice and Vision

In February 2011, shortly after its first birthday, WVN will host Women’s Voices from the Muslim World, a short-film festival in LA. The organizers welcome submissions from women of all faiths living in Muslim-majority countries, as well as Muslim women living as minorities around the globe.

The film festival aims to present a neutral, and uncensored account of what life is like through the eyes of women within these countries. Submissions selected to participate will be made available for online viewing, facilitating dialogue between the women who create and feature in them and anyone who wishes to watch, listen and join the cause.

Calling Women Everywhere

Cash prizes will be awarded to the winning films, which will be screened at the main WVN Festival in Los Angeles and in venues around the world. Guest speakers will be invited to provide further insight and context to the pieces and situations that spawned their creation.

The festival is an ambitious undertaking in its aspirations to deploy short films through an online outlet and catalyse social change whilst not altering the voice of those telling their stories. But then again, nothing immense ever got off the ground without a boatload of ambition, now did it?

To find out more about WVN – visit their website or drop them a line at info@womensvoicesnow.org

“The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it; but also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it.” Madame de Stael

There can be little disputing that Malalai Joya, also known as “the bravest woman in Afghanistan”, has earned her name and reputation.

The brave and outspoken Malalai Joya

An Afghan activist for women’s rights (among other relevant issues) is presently on tour to promote her incredible book A Woman Among Warlords: The Extraordinary Story of an Afghan Who Dared to Raise Her Voice.

At the age of 25, she stood up at a 2003 constitutional assembly in Kabul and denounced Afghanistan’s warlords. In 2005,  Malalai went on to become the youngest person ever elected to Afghanistan’s new Parliament. Two years later she was suspended from parliament for her relentless denunciation of her country’s warlords and drug barons.

Today, she continues to fight the good fight: the fight for the good of all her fellow Afghans. In the process, she has survived four assassination  attempts, is chaperoned by armed guards and can only sleep in designated safe houses.

Activism in the Blood

This amazing young woman grew up in refugee camps in Iran and Pakistan. The daughter of an activist, Malalai was inspired to follow in her father’s footsteps and taught in the cellars of secret girls schools in Afghanistan.

She hid her books under her burqa to stop the Taliban wouldn’t discover them and helped set up a free medical clinic and orphanage in her impoverished home province of Farah.

Malalai’s path hasn’t been an easy one – like so many of her fellow Afghans who have lost loved ones, she lost one of her orphans who was sold into marriage by family members.

A Journey Into Afghanistan

In Woman Among the Warlords, Malalai Joya takes her readers by the hand and leads us into Afghanistan,  revealing desperate everyday situations Afghans face.

She  highlights some of the many acts of rebellion that are helping to change the country. These include amazing women who bravely take to the streets in peaceful protest. And it’s not just female resistance to the regime:  men who step forward and claim “I am her mahram,” so fundamentalists won’t punish a woman for walking alone. Finally, she applauds the families that convert their basements into classrooms for female students.

40 Bahraini women have joined a Jordanian initiative to defend the rights of Palestinian children in Jerusalem. This educational project will renovate rundown schools in East Jerusalem and was started by Queen Rania last month, in tandem with the launch of the Arab Women’s Network.

The Power of Combined Talent and Strength

The AW network is made up of women from all over the Arab world, who will organise functions and charity events to raise funds for the project.  Forty Bahraini women have taken on the task of raising awareness for the initiative and the status of education for Palestinian children in East Jerusalem.

Queen Rania is an avid speaker for the rights of people living in the Middle East, particularly those in Palestine.

Each Bahraini team member was hand picked by Queen Rania’s office, which oversees the project in accordance with the schools listed for renovation, sponsored by Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.

An Honorable and Inspiring Initiative

Bahraini chapter member Dalia Kanoo spoke to the Gulf Daily News about her pride in being part of the initiative:

“When I received the call to be part of the network, it was an amazing feeling because Queen Rania is an inspiration to us all,” She said.

“Everyone in the chapter is honoured to be working for this cause and they are ready to do the necessary to make the initiative a success.”

It seems that the women have a clear goal-oriented game plan:

“In Bahrain we are working towards organising events to collect donations, which will be used for the children of Palestine and to raise awareness on the condition of education there.” Dalia affirmed.

Helping Palestinian Children: Every Arab’s Responsibility

Dalia hopes all Bahrain residents will pitch in and help with the initiative to improve the lives and education of these Palestinian children, citing it as the responsibility of each and every Arab.

“It doesn’t matter what religion they are or where they live, we need to take on this cause as an Arab initiative and help those whose voices can’t be heard,” she said.

“It’s high time we stepped up and did the right thing because education for them is the most important thing… This is an issue of the Arab community as a whole and it’s our responsibility to take a stand.”

Fighting the Good Fight

The women join Palestinian, Jordanian and Lebanese counterparts who will work to inform all layers of society about the precarious situation faced by Palestinian children when it comes to education.

“People might know what’s going on in the political arena, but they don’t know the details of how children fight on a daily basis just to reach their schools and get an education in a proper environment. Despite all their efforts, they are still not receiving the education they deserve. So how can we know this fact and not do something about it?” Dalia told GDN.

FUNdraising!

The Bahrain chapter has already organized two successful events to collect donations and are planning a third, a Gala dinner on May 29^th 2010, sponsored by Royal Charity Organisation (RCO) chairman and Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first vice-president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Chapter member and Jordanian Ambassador’s wife Enas Majali will host the event, and entertainment will be provided by Bahraini singer Najma Abdulla and Lebanese singer Jehad Aqeel.  An auction of paintings will be held, featuring pieces by renowned Bahraini artists, plus a raffle with the opportunity to win airline tickets, Blackberries and Tiffany’s jewellery among other goodies.

You can find more info on the initiative at: www.madrasati.org.

“It was the most joyful moment in my life… tears flew down my cheeks, and I bowed to Allah right there.”

Naseem Hameed

These are the words of a triumphant, Naseem Hameed, the Pakistani Muslim athlete who became the pride of her nation when she won gold in the 100m sprint at the 11th South Asian Games in Bangladesh, in February 2010.

Running to Make History

Naseem not only won the race, but also set a new South Asian record with 11.81 seconds, making her the fastest woman in South Asia. To top it all off, she also became became the first ever woman gold medalist in the 62-year history of Pakistan.

“I have no words to be thankful to Allah. It is just because of His grace and the prayers of my parents, that I have achieved this all,” she said in an article in IslamOnline.net.

Victory Through Dedication and Faith

This inspirational female athlete is a devout Muslim turned  national celebrity. Her story is one of rags to riches and fame through dedication and faith.

A massive crowd gathered at the Quad-I-Azam International airport to welcome Naseem home from Bangladesh chanting: “Long live Naseem Hameed” and “Welcome sprint queen.”

The rally lasted hours as the heroine made her way home from the airport to her tiny house in a low-income area of Karachi, where her proud family was anxiously waiting to welcome her.

Gifts Galore for the Golden Girl

Pakistani President Asif Zardari hosted a reception in Naseem’s honor and awarded her Rs 1 million ($12,000). Cash rewards worth million of rupees and a house have also been bestowed by the Pakistani provincial government, state-owned corporations, private businessmen and the army.

“It is only because of Allah that I have got wealth and fame together.” – was her humble response to the showering gifts that rained down on her.

Alongside her faith, Naseem also believes her family has made her what she is today: a symbol of faith and hope for Pakistan:

“My father is a laborer with asthma. He worked so hard for us, and my mother equally supported him by making paper envelopes at home. It’s they who should actually be credited for whatever I am,” the Muslim girl said humbly.

Nearly 2000 athletes from 8 countries competed in 23 different sports in the 11th South Asian Games from January 29th to February 8th. India won 175 medals, including 90 gold medals, followed by Pakistan and host Bangladesh.

Out of true respect to her Muslim values, Naseem the sprint queen ran the 100-meter race in full dress: wearing a green shirt and white trousers to emulate the colours of the Pakistani flag.

Niqab-wearing Saudi Muslim housewife Hissa Hilal caught the attention of the Arab world this month, when she shot to the finals of televised Arabic poetry competition, Million’s Poet.

The bizarre hit reality TV show is based on Nabati, an obscure form of Gulf Arabian poetry with ancient Bedouin roots, which is now delivered in modern Gulf dialect. Surprisingly enchanting, Million’s Poet attracts 70 million viewers from across the Arab world.

Versus Verses

The popularity of Nabati poetry has been boosted of late by heavy funding from Gulf governments and ongoing dissemination of Gulf culture throughout Arab World. What’s more, a backlash against all forms of televised entertainment echoing from the Levant and Egypt has given Million’s Poet a risqué edge and a cult following.

Hissa Hilal came third in the finals, but stole the hearts of the audiences and viewers. This plucky housewife earned kudos from the jury and audience, in what could be viewed at a pinch as the poetic equivalent of Saudi Arabia’s Got Talent…

Yet, Hissa’s road to poetic glory and stanza stardom has not been without its fair share of obstacles, as the verses she composes and recites criticize the Saudi Arabian religious establishment.

Rhyme and Reason

Despite the controversy her appearance has roused, Hissa (whose name poignantly means “lesson” in Arabic) and her resonant talent and voice have done wonders for the advancement of women in the Gulf region.

This brave Saudi Muslim woman spoke out to millions from behind her veil to present and defend one of the poems she recited:

“The subject of my poem today requires some courage. Many are afraid, many keep silent in the face of the dangers that encircle our nation, many poets are preoccupied with personal and temporary concerns but platforms such as this are the stage for more critical subject matter”.  – She declared.

Despite receiving death threats and online slander, Hissa has been bolstered by the staunch support of her husband, her family and millions of voters who helped her advance to the final.

Ironically, she also got flack for removing her niqab in order to appear on TV, to which she responded: “It doesn’t cancel my mind, thoughts or art”.

The Saudi poetess asked people not to judge her on her choice of attire, asking that the matter “be kept to one side”, in order to focus audience attention on her poetry.

Pan-Arab Prime Time

There’s an interesting article on Hissa’s eloquent endeavours in The Guardian. It compares and contrasts her appearance on Million’s Poet to the misery endured by contestants on Lebanon-based Star Academy.

This pan-Arab offering, labeled “one of the most depressing programmes on Arab television” by The Guardian hand picks young Arab men and women and plonks them in a shared house.

Whilst living communally, contestants are taught to dance, act and perform everything from classic Arabic songs to the latest Rihanna hit single. Victory is conceded to he or she who emerges from the Star Academy experience with a short-lived pop or acting career.

Give me poetry any day…