Dr Raja Al Gurg publishes an autobiography

Source: Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Women are playing a vital role in shaping the UAE’s future, making the country a shining example of women empowerment, according to Dr Raja Al Gurg, MD, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group and President of the Dubai Business Women Council.

Dr Al Gurg spoke at a celebration for her new book, Raja Al Gurg: An Autobiography, which was hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The new book charts how Dr Al Gurg became one of the region’s most influential female business leaders during a transformational period for the UAE, including her career milestones and the challenges she faced along the way.

In his welcome remarks, HE Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of Dubai Chamber described the book as compelling, inspiring and honest and said it includes lessons that everyone can learn from.

“By sharing her story with the world, the book draws attention to the important role that women in the UAE are playing in government, business, and all aspects of our society,” said HE Buamim, adding that Dubai Chamber is proud to have supported the establishment of the Dubai Business Women Council. The organisation has thrived under the leadership of Dr Al Gurg, who also serves as a board member of Dubai Chamber.

Dr Al Gurg said the decision to publish the book in English came from her intention to change perceptions about women in the Middle East among international audiences. This is particularly so as her story sheds light on how women in the UAE are driving progress as leaders and making a significant contribution the country’s economy.

She added that the value and importance of education should not be underestimated as it provides younger generations with the foundation they need to build successful careers and fulfil entrepreneurial aspirations.

Her message for aspiring women entrepreneurs is that there is no substitute for hard work. She also said that dedication and ambition are crucial to succeeding in business.

What ladies should know about Ramadhan: a talk by Muslim Youth Forum, Singapore

Muslim Youth Forum, Singapore (MYF), “a gathering of conversations” reflecting a renewed interest in Singapore Muslim youth community outreach efforts, is organising a talk for ladies ahead of Ramadhan.

What Every Lady Should Know About Ramadan by ustazah Shameem Sultanah will take place on 23 May 2017 at 8pm at Myspace at 62A Arab Street. Entry is free, and no registration is needed.

Hashtags: #SRC2017, #myfsg, #SingaporeRamadanCollective2017

Book discusses the trend of Indonesian women in politics

Source: NUS Press.

NUS Press has released Indonesian Women and Local Politics: Islam, Gender and Networks in Post-Suharto Indonesia by Kurniawati Hastuti Dewi, Senior Researcher, Research Center for Politics, Indonesian Institute of Sciences in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The book focuses on a significant social change in the history of Indonesia: the success of female Muslim political leaders in Java at direct local elections following the fall of President Suharto, the second president of Indonesia, in 1998. 

Indonesian Women and Local Politics shows that Islam, gender and social networks have been decisive in their political victories. Islamic ideas concerning female leadership provide a strong religious foundation for their political campaigns. However, their approach to women's issues shows that female leaders do not necessarily adopt a woman's perspectives when formulating policies. According to the author, this trend of Muslim women in politics will continue to shape the growth and direction of democratisation in local politics in post-Suharto Indonesia and will colour future discourse on gender, politics and Islam in contemporary Southeast Asia.

The paperback (ISBN: 978-9971-69-842-3) costs US$34 (S$38).

Digi sponsors calls to 24-hour Talian Nur and Childline hotlines

From left: Philip Ling, Project Manager for Safe Internet, Digi Telecommunications, Mohd Shamil Mohd Yusoff, Head, Outreach & Corporate Communications, Outreach & Capacity Building Division, CyberSecurity Malaysia, Dato' Sabariah Hassan, Secretary General, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), Dato’ Sri Rohani Abdul Karim, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), Joachim Rajaram, Head of Communications & Corporate Responsibility, Digi Telecommunications, and Datin PH Wong, Steering Committee member, Childline Malaysia.

Digi Telecommunications is offering free calls to the 24-hour helplines Talian Nur and Childline 15999 in partnership with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Malaysia (KPWKM) and Childline Malaysia.

This initiative is an extension to the CyberSAFE in Schools programme, a programme by CyberSecurity Malaysia in collaboration with the Ministry of Education Malaysia, Childline Malaysia and Digi. It is also in line with Digi’s aim to provide Safe Internet to families and children besides providing them easy access to an alternative support platform to turn to, in the event of an unpleasant online experience.

The Minister of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), Dato’ Sri Rohani Abdul Karim said, “Nowadays, we can see how the Internet has become ubiquitous with more people embracing it as part of their lifestyles. Unfortunately cyber threats are increasing in tandem with the prevalence of the Internet. Hence, we have to take all the necessary precautions to ensure our children’s safety when they are on the Internet. This effort is a fine example of how the public and private sectors can come together and collaborate in addressing key issues that are affecting the nation. We also applaud Digi’s continuous commitment towards safeguarding our children who are susceptible to Internet threats and risks.”

Effective immediately, affected families - especially children, can now make free calls to 15999 Talian Nur and Childline from all Digi prepaid and postpaid numbers. Talian Nur is a hotline link to enable early intervention for victims of domestic violence and natural disasters, while 15999 Childline is a confidential 24-hour helpline for children and young people to seek information, share feelings and get needed help.

According to Philip Ling, Digi’s Project Manager for Safe Internet, Digi has been a strong advocate for child safety and the right of the child to be protected on the Internet. “With the increasing rate of cybercrimes particularly targeting children, we want to make sure that they are adequately protected against possible danger on the net. This includes providing easy access to ways in which they can seek help. 

"We were inspired to do this by the recent CyberSAFE in Schools survey, which indicated that some children were not aware of the availability of online or phone-in help centres like Childline that can provide them with a safety net for problems related to the Internet. Now, children can easily make calls to get help without worrying about the costs, while the portability of mobile phones offers them greater privacy when discussing their concerns with the trained Childline 15999 call centre operators.”

Datin PH Wong, Steering Committee member of Childline Malaysia said that this initiative is great news for 15999 Childline as in many cases, children are unable to seek help because calls are currently chargeable. “Child helplines are a vital mechanism for countries to listen directly to children giving first hand data on issues that matter to them and are impacting their lives especially on Internet safety. We will continue to advocate for a totally free 24-hour child helpline. We applaud Digi’s commitment to make calls free to 15999 Childline as it will now give children a lifeline to access help anywhere and anytime,” she added. 

Childline Malaysia, initiated by the Malaysian Children TV Programme Foundation (MCTF), is a member of Child Helpline International.

Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab, Chief Executive Officer, CyberSecurity Malaysia said, “The CyberSAFE programme is one of the initiatives developed by CyberSecurity Malaysia to educate and enhance the awareness of the general public on the technological and social issues facing Internet users, particularly on online dangers and cyber threats. In order to ensure the continuation of cyber safety and Internet security awareness as well as educational activities for children, all parties must come together and collaborate. 

"We foresee that as cyber security incidents increase dramatically each year, children are also being exposed to various cyber threats and may potentially become victims of cybercrimes in Malaysia. We are certainly delighted with the support given by Digi in taking the CyberSAFE programme to the next level. It is indeed an intelligent collaboration that reaches out to children nationwide.”

Look out for the rise of the Mipster

Source: JWT website.

JWT, the well-known marketing communications brand, has identified 'Mipsters' as one of the 100 trends in The Future 100, which offers original analysis and insights on 100 key trends and cultural shifts to watch in the year ahead. 

“It’s never been more important for brands to understand change, where it’s headed and what it means,” says Lucie Greene, Worldwide Director of JWTIntelligence. “The fast-paced digital world, instantly accessible information, globalisation and social media have accelerated the pace of trends exponentially. Meanwhile, the speed of innovation is requiring brands to take both a short-term and a long-term view, planning strategies not just for the next year but the next 20.” 

The Future 100 connects the dots between the “what” and the “why,” spanning categories including culture, beauty, brands, food and drink, innovation, lifestyle, luxury, retail, sustainability and technology. 

 In culture, the report spotlights the rise of the Mipsters (Muslim + hipster), a new breed of young Muslim women who are redefining feminity. There are hijabatas and hijabsters, in addition to Mipsters, says JWTIntelligence, and they are entrepreneurial, fashion conscious, connected and very visible in pop culture. From the New York Times to adidas, Madonna and the Tonight Show, marketers are already taking notice of these young women, JWTIntelligence says. 

As Islamic-centric countries become more influential, marketers cannot ignore this market segment, the company advises.

Find the full report on the “2015 and beyond” section of JWTIntelligence.com and on SlideShare.