Stories that Matter

Nasim Akhtor: Creating history as a woman mountaineer from North East Submitted by  admin3  on 17 March 2011 - 12:29pm Indian Muslim   Women Guwahati: ‘If you want to achieve something in life, all you need is to have a desire, a vision and a dream’, said Nasim Akhtor, a woman of substance. Nasim Akhtor is going to make history forthcoming August 16, 2011 by leading the first ever team from North East to step into Mount Everest. She is a teacher by profession and her passion made her the first ever woman mountaineer from North East India and she still continue to hold this glory at the age of 54. Nasim Akhtor On being asked how she nurtured the desire of being a mountaineer. Nasim’s answer hinted her fancy free extrovert nature. ‘I loved adventure since my child hood. I enjoyed climbing trees and was rebuked for such ‘male’ nature in me. I loved nature and was grounded into nature. But never thought this ‘love’ will take the shape of my passion called mountaineering. 50 years ago,

Sharmila ritual again. she was released on 9th March and back to state custody again for 'attempt to suicide'. Some one rightly said, 'its a crime to attepmt to commit suicide in Manipur but killing is permitted under the shadow of AFSPA'. Irom Sharmila: the 10-year fast against the AFSPA Submitted by  admin3  on 2 November 2010 - 9:47pm Articles   India News   Indian Muslim Special series on Irom Sharmila--Part-1 By Anjuman Ara Begum, TwoCircles.net, Irom Sharmila personifies struggle to protect civil and human rights. Here is Independent India’s unmatched tireless selfless movement for the noble cause. As she completes 10 years of her fast against excessive powers to khaki, TwoCirlces.net presents a 3-part series on her struggle and life – Editor On November 2, 2000, ten people were killed when a paramilitary force opened fire at a bus-stop near Malom in Manipur. Most of those killed were women and students. The firing was followed by a brutal combat operation a

Situation of Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) in North East India Submitted by  admin4  on 20 January 2011 - 12:10pm Articles   Women By Anjuman Ara Begum, TwoCircles.net, The term ‘human rights defender’ is derived from the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (UNHRD Declaration), 1998. Article 1 of the declaration says that to be a human rights defender, a person can act to address any human right (or rights) on behalf of individuals or groups. Human rights defenders seek the promotion and protection of civil and political rights as well as the promotion, protection and realization of economic, social and cultural rights. The defender can work in different sectors not only in NGOs but even in government agencies, lawyers, journalists, doctors etc irrespective of whether they are working full time or part time or as a volunteer or in paid capacity. Representation before the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Ms. Margaret Sekaggya on January 14, 201

Muslim women and right to work Submitted by  admin4  on 7 March 2011 - 3:57pm Articles   Indian Muslim   Women By Anjuman Ara Begum, TwoCircles.net, Today is International Women’s Day. Every year since 1911 March 8 has been observed as the day to highlight issues, rights and problems of women across the globe. To mark the special day, Anjuman Ara Begum of TwoCircles.net has written this story highlighting one of the most important issues before Muslim women: Should they work to earn? Is it permissible in Islam and acceptable to Muslim society? –Editor ‘Islamic’ customs practiced over Muslim women all over the world hardly reflect the spirit of Quranic guidelines or the traditions of Prophet Muhammad – the two source of Islamic Shariah. For example, it has been accepted by many scholars of Islam that women in Islam have more property rights than any other religion or belief. But in reality women rights to property and inheritance are heavily restricted or nonexistent in many parts o