Friday Links | August 10, 2012

A Catholic-run school in Zamboanga, a Muslim-Christian city in the southern Philippines, bans the headscarf, causing controversy in the country.

Last week it was announced in Iran that female students will be banned from 77 areas of study at 34 universities, in fields like accounting, counseling and chemistry.

The parents of Shafilea Ahmed, who was murdered in 2003, have been found guilty of killing their daughter by suffocation, after an argument about her dress. They will serve a life sentence in prison. Another young British woman of Pakistani descent says that like her, many girls in her community live a double life, in order not to upset their family and the community.

According to researchers and activists, the common practice of early marriage is obstructing (social) development in Yemen.

Eurasianet.org features an article on female entrepreneurs in Tajikistan, and obstacles they face establishing a successful business.

Last week an episode aired of a Jordanian stand-up comedy show focusing on women’s rights, which attacked Jordan’s campaign combating discrimination against women and was full of sexist content. It was not very well received, and said to be devoid of any humor or wit.

After she (violently) refused an ID check, because she was wearing a face veil, a young French Muslim woman has been charged with assault and inciting a riot.

Indonesia is hoping to become a Mecca for Islamic fashion. More Indonesian women chose to wear the hijab these days and not only for religious reasons; it is in fashion to do so too.

Saath Saath is a new matchmaking service, focusing on divorced or widowed Muslims in India. It is especially hard for divorced Muslim women to remarry, as they are often blamed for the divorce.

Raheela Sehto, a 22-year-old Pakistani woman, has been gunned down in court by her brother, a lawyer, for marrying without the permission of the family.

According to Dr. Samia Al-Amoudi, many people believe that Saudi women need permission of their male family members to receive health care treatment, even though this not required according to Saudi law.

The Guardian features a piece on Kenya’s NGO-fueled obsession with Mama Sarah Obama, the US President’s grandfather’s third wife.

The question whether or not pre-marital sex should be allowed in Morocco, has turned in a heated debate and a “death fatwa”.

Ramadan is not only a time when people fast; there is suddenly also a focus on dress code. In the UAE, residents complain about a lack of respect for the “Ramadan dress code”, whatever that might be. In Nigeria, the coming of Ramadan pushes up the sale of hijabs. On the island of Zanzibar, a woman has been harassed for not wearing a headscarf, a dress code that is only in place during the month of Ramadan.

Christiane Amanpour featured an item on child marriage in her program, mainly focusing on child marriage in Muslim countries, such as Yemen and Afghanistan.