‘Monsoon brides’: Extreme weather fuels Pakistan child marriages

In this photograph taken on August 3, 2024 newly married underage monsoon bride Amina (2L), with their husband Mohammad Usman (L) arrives at the Khan Muhammad Mallah village in Main Nara Valley, Dadu district, Sindh province. (AFP)
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Updated 16 August 2024
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‘Monsoon brides’: Extreme weather fuels Pakistan child marriages

  • The high rate of marriages for underage girls had been inching lower in Pakistan in recent years
  • But after unprecedented floods in 2022, rights workers warn such weddings are now on the rise

DADU: As monsoon rains were about to break over Pakistan, 14-year-old Shamila and her 13-year-old sister Amina were married off in exchange for money, a decision their parents made to help the family survive the threat of floods.
“I was happy to hear I was getting married... I thought my life would become easier,” Shamila told AFP after her wedding to a man twice her age in hope of a more prosperous life.
“But I have nothing more. And with the rain, I fear I will have even less, if that is possible.”
Pakistan’s high rate of marriages for underage girls had been inching lower in recent years, but after unprecedented floods in 2022, rights workers warn such weddings are now on the rise due to climate-driven economic insecurity.
The summer monsoon between July and September is vital for the livelihoods of millions of farmers and food security, but scientists say climate change is making them heavier and longer, raising the risk of landslides, floods and long-term crop damage.
Many villages in the agricultural belt of Sindh have not recovered from the 2022 floods, which plunged a third of the country underwater, displaced millions and ruined harvests.




This aerial photograph taken on August 3, 2024, shows a settlement along the banks of a canal at Khan Muhammad Mallah village in Main Nara Valley, Dadu district of Sindh province. (AFP)

“This has led to a new trend of ‘monsoon brides’,” said Mashooque Birhmani, the founder of the NGO Sujag Sansar, which works with religious scholars to combat child marriage.
“Families will find any means of survival. The first and most obvious way is to give their daughters away in marriage in exchange for money.”
Birhmani said since the 2022 floods, child marriage has spiked in villages in Dadu district, one of the worst-hit areas that for months resembled a lake.
In Khan Mohammad Mallah village, where Shamila and Amina were married in a joint ceremony in June, 45 underage girls have become wives since the last monsoon — 15 of them in May and June this year.
“Before the 2022 rains, there was no such need to get girls married so young in our area,” said village elder Mai Hajjani, 65.
“They would work on the land, make rope for wooden beds, the men would be busy with fishing and agriculture. There was always work to be done.”
Parents told AFP that they hurried the marriage of their daughters to save them from poverty, usually in exchange for money.




In this photograph taken on August 3, 2024 Sabahi Ali (L), a monsoon bride who was married underage, reacts alongside her husband Dilsher Ali at Khan Muhammad Mallah village, Dadu district in Sindh province. (AFP)

Shamila’s mother-in-law, Bibi Sachal, said they gave 200,000 Pakistan Rupees ($720) to the young bride’s parents — a major sum in a region where most families survive on around one dollar a day.
Najma Ali was initially swept up in the excitement of becoming a wife when she married at 14 in 2022 and began living with her in-laws, as is tradition in Pakistan.
“My husband gave my parents 250,000 rupees for our wedding. But it was on loan (from a third party) that he has no way of paying back now,” she said.
“I thought I would get lipstick, makeup, clothes and crockery,” she told AFP, cradling her six-month-old baby.
“Now I am back home with a husband and a baby because we have nothing to eat.”
Their village, which lies on the banks of a canal in the Main Nara Valley, is barren and there are no fish left in the polluted water — its stench overwhelms the area.
“We had lush rice fields where girls used to work,” said Hakim Zaadi, 58, the village matron and Najma’s mother.
“They would grow many vegetables, which are all dead now because the water in the ground is poisonous. This has happened especially after 2022,” she added.
“The girls were not a burden on us before then. At the age girls used to get married, they now have five children, and they come back to live with their parents because their husbands are jobless.”




In this photograph taken on August 4, 2024 social workers at NGO Sujag Sansar take part in a theater practice ahead of their performance, intending to create awareness on dangers of child-marriages at the NGO office in Johi, Dadu district of Sindh province. (AFP)

Child marriages are common in parts of Pakistan, which has the sixth-highest number of girls married before the age of 18 in the world, according to government data published in December.
The legal age for marriage varies from 16 to 18 in different regions, but the law is rarely enforced.
UNICEF has reported “significant strides” in reducing child marriage, but evidence shows that extreme weather events put girls at risk.
“We would expect to see an 18 percent increase in the prevalence of child marriage, equivalent to erasing five years of progress,” it said in a report after the 2022 floods.
Dildar Ali Sheikh, 31, had planned to marry off his eldest daughter Mehtab while living in an aid camp after being displaced by the floods.
“When I was there, I thought to myself ‘we should get our daughter married so at least she can eat and have basic facilities’,” the daily wage laborer told AFP.
Mehtab was just 10 years old.




In this photograph taken on August 3, 2024 Shamila (L) and Salma Zameer, monsoon brides who were married underage look on at Khan Muhammad Mallah village, Dadu district in Sindh province. (AFP)

“The night I decided to get her married, I couldn’t sleep,” said her mother, Sumbal Ali Sheikh, who was 18 when she married.
An intervention from the NGO Sujag Sansar led to the wedding being postponed, and Mehtab was enrolled in a sewing workshop, allowing her to earn a small income while continuing her education.
But when the monsoon rains fall, she is overcome by dread that her promised wedding will also arrive.
“I have told my father I want to study,” she said. “I see married girls around me who have very challenging lives and I don’t want this for myself.”


Michael Buble to perform in Abu Dhabi

Updated 08 November 2024
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Michael Buble to perform in Abu Dhabi

DUBAI: Globally acclaimed artist Michael Buble will perform in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 16, 2025, during the second edition of Saadiyat Nights.

The Canadian singer-songwriter joins an impressive lineup for the three-month outdoor concert series.

The performers include pop icon Robbie Williams on Dec. 28, Iranian music legend Ebi on Jan. 4, American vocal harmony group Boyz II Men on Jan. 25, Egypt’s renowned composer Omar Khairat on Feb. 1, and US pop sensation Christina Aguilera on Feb. 15.

Buble, celebrated for his signature blend of swing and jazz, has delighted fans around the world with hits including “Home,” “Sway,” and his rendition of “Feeling Good.”

The Grammy Award-winning artist has sold over 75 million albums globally, making his upcoming performance a highly anticipated event.

 

 


Saudi artist Fatimah Al-Nemer discusses her female-centric works and the ‘universe within’ Arab women

Updated 08 November 2024
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Saudi artist Fatimah Al-Nemer discusses her female-centric works and the ‘universe within’ Arab women

DUBAI: Saudi artist Fatimah Al-Nemer has devoted herself to depicting narratives of women through her multimedia art, which merges collage, photography and tapestry. From childhood, her life was shaped by the female presence, she says, whether that meant family members or characters in legends.  

Al-Nemer comes from Al-Qatif in the Eastern Province, one of the oldest cities in the Kingdom. “Imagine,” she says, “it’s an area that existed 600 years before Jesus.” She now lives on Tarout Island just off the coast of Al-Qatif. The island’s name is possibly derived from Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess of love and war — it was here that she was expelled, abandoned by her community.  

“Color of Life.” (Supplied)

Al-Nemer claims that every household in her hometown holds some form of artist within its walls. “Al-Qatif’s rich cultural history affected us all,” she says. “It was a magical city, attracting tradespeople from Persia and Anatolia. We grew up with these stories.”  

Her mother, who had an eye for design, was her earliest supporter. She provided her daughter with art materials and didn’t even scold her for painting on the walls of their family home. “She even paid for my art classes,” Al-Nemer says. “She always called me the artist of the family. If my mother wasn’t by my side, it would have been impossible for me to become an artist.”  

For the young Al-Nemer, drawing and painting was her only outlet for self-expression. “As a child, I was fearful and endured social anxiety, so I would only express myself through art,” she says. “It boosted my confidence. I used to draw on walls and on paper. If I was sad or happy, I would draw about what was making me feel that way. I was impacted by art and it became a language for me.”  

Al-Nemer with “Malak,” one of her works. (Supplied)

By the time she was 18, Al-Nemer had shifted from taking art classes to teaching them, and had already participated in some exhibitions. She also worked as a jewelry designer in a gold factory. And in 2009 she took the decision to travel abroad to further her studies. 

She went to Jordan, where she enrolled as an interior design student at the Philadelphia University in Amman, exposing herself to a cultural openness offered by the capital city.  

“In Jordan, people were highly cultured. Its environment was rich with artists and poets. You’re not just studying art there, you’re also going to the theater. I even performed there,” she says. 

In the early days of her art career, Al-Nemer experimented with oil paintings and charcoal, depicting classical, surrealistic and symbolist scenes. At one point, she was solely making self-portraits, which she says caused some issues with family members and others, particularly when they were published in magazines and newspapers.  

“Gold.” (Supplied)

“I think I was saying: ‘I am Fatimah. Accept me for who I am. I am an artist and I represent this identity and my culture and I am proud of it,’” she explains.  

Eventually, though, she expanded her focus to include women other than herself. She has been inspired by personal stories from fellow Saudi women. “I used to listen and live their stories as if I was the heroine of their tales,” she says. 

In her large, detailed, carpet-like artworks, which are full of ornamentation and native cultural symbols, she pays tribute to Saudi and Arab women, adorned in traditional attire while holding objects related to her homeland, such as a musical instrument or an incense burner. They reflect her attachment to her roots.

“Princess of the North 1.” (Supplied)

“I try to embody the Arab woman with certain admirable qualities. She is the butterfly, the mother, the sister, the doctor. She is the giver,” says Al-Nemer. “She is not just a figure; there is a universe within her. It is like a letter of appreciation for all that she stands for and has given to society.”   

She also treats these images, which she started making nearly a decade ago, as research-like documentation of traditional Saudi dress and cultural symbolism, focusing on specific areas of the Kingdom (beginning, of course, with her own hometown).  

Often, she depicts women with their mouths or eyes covered. In part, this is to encourage viewers to focus on the details surrounding the women in her portraits, but it also reflects some of the creative limitations she experienced when younger, when it was frowned upon to make figurative art in the Kingdom. Now, however, as Saudi Arabia opens up, she feels more free in her practice.  

“As artists, our lives have changed 180 degrees,” she says of the current Saudi cultural scene. “Art has become more than a profession.”  


Off the beaten track in Sri Lanka 

Updated 08 November 2024
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Off the beaten track in Sri Lanka 

  • New visa rules have made it easier than ever for Gulf tourists to visit the island nation 

TORONTO: Sri Lanka has long been a favored destination for visitors from the Gulf. Easy access, budget-friendly offerings, and diverse experiences – from cultural and historic landmarks to idyllic beach resorts and scenic treks – make it an ideal getaway destination. And now, there’s one more reason for Saudis to take a trip to the island nation. Last month, the Sri Lankan government announced that residents of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and 31 other countries can now visit without a visa.  

The capital, Colombo, is probably the most popular destination in Sri Lanka, along with Kandy and Ella, but the less-frequented areas in the central and southern regions of the country are well worth considering.  

The Summerville Bungalow in Hatton. (Supplied)

My Sri Lanka trip started in Hatton, in the Nuwara Eliya region. Often called “Little England,” the region is a reminder of the country’s former colonial rule, with Tudor-style architecture and sprawling tea estates named after their former British proprietors.  

The central province is home to Sri Lanka’s renowned tea highlands. Tea is an integral part of the island’s history and culture — as its former name, Ceylon, suggests. 

My encounter with Ceylon tea starts at the Dunkeld Tea Factory, owned by The Dilmah Group, a family-run business that has become a global name. The tea is single-origin — meaning it is picked, cultivated, and packed from the lush, rolling terraces of the region. The tour takes guests through the history of Ceylon tea, which actually began with coffee plantations in the 18th century. But leaf disease devastated those plantations, leading to the demise of the short-lived coffee industry in Sri Lanka. In 1867, James Taylor, a Scottish man, planted the first tea clearing in Kandy. By the late 19th century, the country had become one of the largest tea producers in the world. Guests are also invited to a tea-tasting experience, including the Orange Pekoe, the robust tea blend that is a specialty of the region. 

The terraces of a tea plantation around the Ceylon Tea Trail. (Supplied)

I stayed at Summerville, one of the five palatial bungalows once home to English plantation owners which have now been refurbished into boutique properties by the Ceylon Tea Trails Hotel under the Resplendent Ceylon Group. Perched at nearly 4,000 feet and set across 2,000 hectares, the bungalows are perfect for those seeking a slow, luxurious vacation. Guests can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the emerald hilltops from various vantage points or unwind in the several tranquil lounge spaces scattered throughout the bungalows. Or — with a private chef and butler on hand — choose to indulge in a five-course dinner that features the likes of a Yatawatte tea-infused roasted chicken or the Earl Gray fondant. 

The tea trails, ranging from four to 15 kilometers long, connect the various bungalows, offering scenic hikes through the valleys. For those seeking adventure, the newly-inaugurated Pekoe Trail (a 300-km route with 22 phases) allows tourists to explore the rich biodiversity of the area. This trail can be experienced on foot or by rail. 

The Wild Coast Tented Lodge in Sri Lanka. (Supplied)

The next leg of my trip was drastically different. As we were making our way down from the central region to Sri Lanka’s southern tip, the hilltops, winding roads, and cool weather gave way to palm trees, speedy tuk-tuks, and tropical weather. 

In the Hambantota district, the biggest draw is undoubtedly Yala National Park, the second largest national park of the country, and the one with the highest density of leopards. An early morning or afternoon game drive provides ample opportunities to spot wildlife, including the elusive leopard, sloth bears, and elephants.  

After the adrenaline rush of a wildlife safari, I head to our ‘glamping’ lodge — the Wild Coast Tented Lodge, another one of Resplendent Ceylon’s properties. The luxury camp is unfenced and wildlife will often wander into the premises from the park, giving guests a sometimes-gleeful, sometimes-terrifying experience.  

The lodge itself is an architectural delight, focusing on sustainable design and the use of organic materials, including bamboo. It includes 28 “cocoons” or pods scattered throughout the jungle wilderness. The interiors feature rustic touches like cooper hardware, a leopard-claw bathtub, and vintage leather furniture. 

It’s also here that the jungle meets the Indian Ocean. As I wandered along the rugged coastline or enjoyed a sundowner, I was once again reminded of the serenity that Sri Lanka has to offer. 


Best and Worst: Saudi gamer Xzit Thamer talks gaming, favorite shows

Updated 08 November 2024
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Best and Worst: Saudi gamer Xzit Thamer talks gaming, favorite shows

DUBAI: The Saudi gamer, streamer and social media personality talks gaming, favorite shows and how to have a productive day. 

Best TV show you’ve seen? 

“The Walking Dead.” They knew how to make a story about zombies and survival horror in a very good way. I've watched a lot of things related to zombies, but the story for “The Walking Dead” was perfect. 

Worst TV show you’ve seen? 

“Friends.” It felt very fake. I hate it so much. 

Best advice for an up-and-coming gamer/streamer? 

Don’t give up. Consistency is the key. I've been creating content for more than 11 years now. It took me six years to get to a million followers — it took me so many years to succeed. But I didn't give up. And I was consistent. So keep trying. Keep pushing. 

Worst advice for an up-and-coming gamer/streamer? 

To change what you’re doing. Like, I'm a gamer; if I change my content to something else that I don't love, I wouldn’t succeed. 

Best advice you've ever been given?  

Don’t overthink. You know what you know. Just get started. 

Worst advice you've ever been given? 

I was told I was wasting my time. 

Best game you’ve ever played? 

“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.” It has the best storyline. It’s about someone who left home to start a new life and then his mom dies and he has to come back to try and fix things. It also has cool gameplay and it’s the game that made me famous on streaming. 

Worst game you’ve ever played? 

I hate all horror games. I played “Resident Evil” when I was very young and it was so scary that I threw the disc off the top of my building. I was so traumatized. 

Best gaming console? 

The PlayStation 5. I don’t see the PS5 as a console, I see it as a family member or, like, a teacher. I learned to speak English back in the day because of the PlayStation. I kept a small dictionary with me — this was before I had the internet — so I could understand the games I was playing. Now, after all these years, I’m part of the PlayStation Playmakers team. 

Worst gaming console? 

It’s not a console but I don’t enjoy PC gaming. It’s got great graphics and everything but it’s not very comfortable for playing games. It’s not as fun. 

Best subject at school? 

Sports. I loved playing football. And, to be honest, I loved sports because then I didn’t have to be studying. 

Worst subject at school? 

I sucked at maths. Never got it. 

Best holiday destination? 

My favorite city is Dubai. I love going there. I’ve been there more than 30 times. I just can’t get enough. It’s the perfect city. 

Worst holiday destination? 

I went to Italy and I found it so boring. Plus, the food wasn’t great and, if you’re travelling, good food is a must. 

Best way to have a productive day? 

Wake up early. If I wake up late, I’m in a bad mood. I’m usually up between 5 or 6 a.m. 

Worst way to have a productive day? 

Overthinking. If you get stuck thinking about a bad interaction or incident, you know you’re going to kill your time. 


Sotheby’s to stage first live auction in Saudi Arabia in February 2025

Updated 07 November 2024
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Sotheby’s to stage first live auction in Saudi Arabia in February 2025

  • The inaugural auction and public exhibition will take place in the Saudi heritage site of Diriyah

DUBAI: Sotheby’s has announced it will stage the first ever live auction in Saudi Arabia in February 2025. Taking place in the historic town of Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of the Saudi state, located northwest of Riyadh, the auction will offer modern and contemporary artworks, Islamic objects, jewelry, watches, cars, sports memorabilia and handbags, among other items. 

Titled “Origins,” the live auction will take place on Feb. 8, 2025, presenting global offerings and fine art by both home-grown Saudi artists and leading names in international art history.

Ahmed Mater, Untitled (Diptych from The Illumination Series), Offset lithograph and gold leaf on paper with tea and pomegranate toning, 174 by 225cm, 2012. (Courtesy Sotheby's)

The auction will take place as a two-part evening auction and will be preceded by an exhibition of the contents of “Origins,” that will be showcased in a free, public exhibition, open from Feb. 1 – 8.

“This auction - and indeed our incorporation - is the culmination of many years of supporting cultural initiatives in the Kingdom, and a natural evolution of our business,” Edward Gibbs, chairman of Sotheby’s Middle East & India, told Arab News. 

“We have been travelling to Saudi for a number of years, working with clients who are based there, as well as meeting new collectors in the region, and have been supporting the Ministry of Culture’s exciting endeavors –not least with all of the editions of the biennale, where we have provided an educational component, with specialist talks and tours,” he added.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Sotheby's (@sothebys)

Increasingly, said Gibbs, Sotheby’s saw that Saudi Arabia was a space rife for a growing art market and live auctions, proven by its fast paced development, young demographic, growing collector base and the increasing presence of the regional and international art community.

“The auction comes hand in hand with our opening of an office in Riyadh, so marks a new chapter in our activities in Saudi — a phase that we are entering with great optimism and ambition,” Sebastian Fahey, managing director of Sotheby’s Global Fine Arts, told Arab News. “Alongside the inaugural sale, our activities will also continue to include educational offerings around art, luxury and collecting, as this is something we strongly believe in.”

The auction and exhibition will be staged in the historic Diriyah, the ancestral heart of the nation, where the
First Saudi State was inaugurated just under two decades before Sotheby’s was established in 1744. (Supplied)

“The art market has never been quite so international, and this opening complements our global network, particularly in the Middle East, which has long been a region we have believed in and invested in,” stressed Fahey.

Diriyah is a significant place to stage Saudi Arabia’s first-ever live auction. In the historic town, now developing as one of the Kingdom’s gigaprojects, the First Saudi State was inaugurated just under two decades before Sotheby’s was established in 1744. 

At present, Diriyah is transforming into a local and global hub for art, culture and high profile events in the Kingdom, connecting its past and present through heritage and creativity.