- Muslim women in Jaipur, India, came out to vote in large numbers last week.
- Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil plans to run against Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz for the post of Wanita Umno chief in Malaysia at the party polls next March.
- The Guardian profiles photographer Haleh Anvari.
- Last week Bangladesh celebrated Begum Rokeya Day.
- The National highlights female racers organizing a charity drive in the U.A.E.
- IslamOnline covers the E.U.’s backing of the hejab ban.
- The Deccan Herald discusses the new marriage contract for Muslim Indian women.
- At a get-together in Riyadh organized by the Hidayah Women’s Foundation, the head of HWF stated that “unearthing the skills and talents of the Muslim women and empowering them in the mainstream within the framework of Islamic principles, is the need of the hour.”
- The Sydney Morning Herald chronicles the proposed ending of gender segregation in Australian mosques.
- OneWorld.net profiles the issues of nationality laws, legal underrepresentation, and a waning feminist movement in Lebanon.
- A public pool in BorĂ¥s, Sweden, will rent out burkinis.
- Last week, Russia held a “Miss Muslim 2008” contest. This week, the winner of said contest states that she feels beauty contests do not contradict Islam.
- Muslims in Sacramento, California will have a Muslim match-making service soon.
- Women’s eNews covers Islamic feminists and Iranian women’s rights activists’ reactions to Hillary Clinton’s post as U.S. Secretary of State. Meanwhile Arab women have high hopes for her appointment.
- Catholic Relief Services aims to increase women’s political participation in Egypt.
- Muslim women in Cary, North Carolina organize women’s-only swimming lesson classes.
- A Muslim women describes her experience as a “living book.”
- The story of Aqsa Parvez’ grave.
- Malaysian women propose the creation of a bureau in the Malaysian government that will look after Muslim women’s welfare. More here.
- Iran opens the world’s first skydiving center for women.
- KABOBfest profiles the weirdness of Dolly Chahine and Rouwaida El Mahroqe.
- The Age profiles the notorious Abu Ghanem clan after another of their kin goes missing. Via Progressive Muslima News.
- Vatican officials discourage intermarriage with Muslims.
- The U.K. government sponsors an initiative that threatens those responsible for forced marriage with prison time.
- Hijab Style posts pictures from Jakarta’s Fashion Exploration 2009 last week.
- French Elle chose Syria’s Asma al-Assad as the most stylish lady in international politics.
- Afghan women in politics highlight the danger they face.
- The Feminist School puts up a page in honor of Nasrine Sotoudeh, explaining how Sotoudeh was forbidden to leave Iran to receive her human rights award, and features an article from Sotoudeh about hanging juveniles in Iran.
- Drug counselors in Afghanistan struggle to treat women.
- A group of Iranian students gathered to protest gender apartheid, censorship, and harassment of students.
- Aziz Poonawalla profiles an Afghan victim of the acid attacks who is determined to finish her education.
- A British doctor is being held against her will so that she will marry. May God protect her. Via Jezebel.
- The U.N. posthumously awards Benazir Bhutto with a human rights award.
- On the dangers of sexual assault for Somali women.
- A popular marriage site in Iran has been shut down on the grounds that it “promotes prostitution.” More from The Telegraph. Via Jezebel.
- Meet Syrian painter Hala Faisal. Via Arabisto.
- Indonesian domestic workers face abuse in other parts of Asia, too.
- According to Asharq Al Awsat, 18 female Al Qaeda fighters in northern Iraq turned themselves in to U.S. forces rather than conduct suicide bomb attacks.
- More on Saudi Arabia’s Rahma campaign, which highlights abuse of foreign workers.
- The Independent reviews The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie, which Yusra covered Wednesday. Via DeenPort.
- Spirit21 looks at what she’s done all year.
- MidEast Youth profiles Anousheh Ansari and bedouin women’s weaving.
- More coverage on Iraqi women feeling safer and more confident about driving.
- Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nahda Philanthropic Society for Women wins a U.N. human rights award. Barikallah!
- Menassat covers the coverage of Heba & Nadine.
- Payvand News reports that Iranian women lead men in higher education, the Change for Equality petition receives the Reporters Without Borders Jury Prize, a new Amnesty International film that’s making waves, and an interview with women’s rights activist Hoda Aminian.
- Iktimal Hage-Ali is embroiled in some nasty stuff.
- A mosque for Muslim women in Shillong, India.
- Algerian Cherifa Kheddar is the recipient of the 2009 International Service – Human Rights Award for the Defence of the Human Rights of Women.
- Two Canadian sisters are harassed in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks.
- Aftonbladet takes a look at policewomen who wear hejab and where it all started.
- In Nigeria, the Muslim Women Peace Forum group worries over the fate of women and children during the last crisis in Jos.
- The Hijablog highlights designer Itang Yunasz’s comeback collection.
- Speaking of collections, Muslim American designer Nzinga Knight will be having a cool presentation Thursday, December 18th. If you’re in the Brooklyn, New York area, hit her up! Information here.
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