This week, three Muslim women are elected to the British Parliament, an all-women’s concert is planned in Abu Dhabi, Fatima Bhutto speaks her mind to CBS News, Qatari women will soon have a soccer league of their own, and a Mali imam is fearful after voicing his support of a controversial family law.
Ummid.com reported that three Muslim women were elected to the British Parliament this week. Of the three women, two were of Pakistani descent and one was of Bangladeshi descent. The three women are also the first Asian women to be elected to the parliament.
The National reported that Lebanese singer Najwa Karam is planning a winter concert in Abu Dhabi exclusively for women. The reported motivation behind the event is to provide a venue for conservative women to enjoy a night out. According to the paper, the news of Karam’s upcoming show has been well received.
CBS News interviewed Pakistani journalist and writer Fatima Bhutto , niece of the late Benazir Bhutto, about her newly published memoir Songs of Blood and Sword: A Daughter’s Memoir, which details the history of the Bhutto family from 1947 on. In the interview, Fatima openly criticizes her late aunt’s two terms as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The Canadian Press reported that Qatar plans to form a women’s soccer league this year. According to the story, Qatar hopes that the league will increase its profile in its bid to host the 2022 World Cup. There are six other countries vying for the Cup.
BBC reported that an Imam in Mali is under pressure to resign and has received threatening phone calls after publically supporting a proposed family law that states that men and women owe each other loyalty and protection, and does not explicitly state that women must obey their husbands. The law has been returned to parliament by Mali’s president in the interest of national unity. The proposed legislature has angered many of Mali’s 90% Muslim population.
Rabea Chaudhry is an Associate Editor of Altmuslimah
