Friday Links | July 11, 2014

As Israel continues its offensive on Gaza, the death toll is rising fast; many of them are women and children.

Nigeria’s military has released the news that it has arrested several female Boko Haram recruiters. As well, about 60 women escaped their presumed Boko Haram captors earlier this week. The escaped women were captured mid-June of this year; the hundreds of girls captured in April remain missing.

The UNHCR has published a report on Syria’s refugee women titled Woman Alone: The Fight for Survival by Syria’s Refugee Women, which focuses on the hardships and extreme challenges refugee women face.

Activists have reacted positively on the decision of India’s top court that fatwas issued by Sharia courts are illegal, claiming that this decision will protect women and girls.

A woman votes in Indonesia’s presidential election on July 9. This election has been the tightest and most divisive presidential election Indonesia has seen since the fall of dictator Suharto. Image by Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images.

A leading Muslim organization in Sri Lanka is hoping that by persuading local Muslim women to give up their black garb and veils for more colourful attire, the public opinion of Muslims in general will improve and fear will be alleviated.

One Canadian woman shares her experiences as a war widow in Syria, who travelled to the war torn country only to actively join the “jihad.”

One reporter travels back to Western Myanmar to report on the Rohingya women she has interviewed previously, and states that the women continue to suffer.

Police in Tajikistan have started a scheduled crackdown on prostitutes; activists are worried, especially because many women are unable to find different employment and cannot otherwise support their families.

A three-year-old Pakistani girl has been killed in an attempted rape; the police have detained a suspect.

Al-Monitor features an article on the Iranian ban on women attending male sports events.

A British court is hearing the case of a young British woman, who was caught travelling to Turkey with 20,000 euros in her underwear, allegedly to aid the rebels in Syria.

Public Radio International features an article on the religious school for transgender women in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The Spanish region of Catalonia says it will push forward with their plans to ban the face veil, after the European Union ruled a ban would not violate the human rights of Muslim women.

Two Muslim mothers in France have been denied access to a public beach for wearing the headscarf.