Noof al-Maadeed Wiki
Noof al-Maadeed Biography
Who is Noof al-Maadeed ?
A woman who escaped to Britain from Qatar after enduring years of alleged domestic abuse has mysteriously disappeared after returning to her homeland.
Fears are mounting for the safety of 23-year-old Noof al-Maadeed, who was last heard from four days ago when she spoke of being in danger and receiving threats.
She said in a video posted online: “If you don’t see any posts from me in the next few days, that means my family has been turned over against my will.”
With the situation unclear, a news report yesterday claimed that she told police that she was subjected to “assassination attempts” at the hotel where she was staying in the capital Doha.
Another suggested she was “fine,” but her friends, who posted her concerns on social media along with the hashtag #WhereisNoof, are deeply skeptical.
The alarm was raised after she suddenly went silent Wednesday afternoon and did not respond to messages. There has been nothing from her since.
How old is Noof al-Maadeed ?
She is 23 year old.
Research
Rothna Begum, senior women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: “We do not know her current whereabouts, if she is safe, and if she can communicate with the outside world.”
She added that Noof’s case is “emblematic for many women, who face violence at the hands of their families or threats to their lives.”
She and she urged the Qatari authorities to ensure that Noof is “safe from any form of violence, that she is free to live her life as she wishes and that she can access the outside world.”
Noof applied for asylum in the UK in 2019, but she returned to Doha two weeks ago after Qatari authorities apparently assured her that she would be safe.
His case, which highlighted the discrimination faced by women in the authoritarian Gulf state, became a cause of celebrity two years ago when a video documenting his trip to Britain went viral.
He focused on Qatar’s male guardianship system, in which women depend on men for permission to marry, travel, pursue higher education and access reproductive health care.
Family
In March, Noof appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, stating that she suffered constant “physical and emotional abuse” at the hands of “some of my family members.” Her freedom of movement was also restricted.
His decision to return to Qatar took many by surprise. In a video she said: ‘I had a normal life in the UK, until that day when I felt that I did not belong there, and that I wanted to live in my home country, but there were many difficulties, fears and dangers if I wanted to return to myself. country. “She added:” I am still the same Noof who ran away defending women’s rights. ”
Social Media
Ms. Begum said she had not heard “anything to verify that she is indeed okay … so until we hear from her, we will remain concerned.” She added that Noof normally updated her followers daily on social media. “It is very difficult for people who are away from home in this way; sometimes people are tricked into going back to their country,” she said.
Qatari government regulations prohibit single women under the age of 25 from traveling abroad without the permission of their male guardian.
So in November 2019, after 21 years, Noof picked up her father’s phone and used a government app to process an exit permit. She then she went out through the window of her room to go to the airport.
With her permission, she flew first to Ukraine and then to the UK, where she applied for asylum.
A message on Instagram from an anonymous group of women read: “Noof is our sister and we are united by this vulnerable young woman. She had sent a message online saying that she was unsure and that there had been suspicious activity on her online accounts since then. The last we heard from her was when she sought refuge with the local authorities because she feared for her life.
“We urge everyone to keep asking where Noof al-Maadeed is until they inform us that she is safe and sound.”
In a full report released earlier this year, Human Rights Watch said opaque rules on male guardianship leave women in Qatar without basic freedoms.
The researchers found that women cannot be the primary caregivers of their children, for example, even if they are divorced or the children’s father has passed away. If the child does not have a male relative to act as guardian, the government assumes this role.
Last week, a British woman abandoned by her Qatari husband told The Mail on Sunday that she cannot return to the UK with her children because he refuses to give her permission.
Human Rights
The woman, who lives in Doha, said: “Society and the law are on your side. She always favors the man, however he was abusive during our marriage and he beat me up for some perceived slight.
“He hasn’t seen me or the children for years, but he still wields this power over me. I’m trapped here.”
The women told Human Rights Watch how their guardians denied them permission to drive, travel, study, work, or marry someone of their choice. Some spoke of how this had affected their mental health, contributing to self-harm, depression, stress, and suicidal thoughts. Others reported that they were asked for a marriage test to access some s*xual and reproductive health services, including prenatal care and smear tests.
After her arrival in Britain, Noof spoke of her life in Doha and said that she “was only allowed to go to school and back”. She would do anything else [and she could] expect a beating. ”
Of the Human Rights Watch report, Noof said: “I was very pleased that someone got real data on what we were going through because, even as Qataris, we can’t get as much information and see a clear picture.
“Now that the report is released, I hope there will be some real change and real help is provided to women and the rights to travel and do everything normally, as we should.”
Human Rights Watch is hopeful that change will come through international pressure, as well as changing attitudes within Qatar.
Ms. Begum said: “I am optimistic because women have spoken. Women are sick of it, younger women are very frustrated, and this is a modern country.
“Women have a high level of education in many cases. With the World Cup approaching, there will be a lot of focus on rights there. ”
Noof al-Maadeed Quick and Facts
- Noof al-Maadeed, 23, escaped to Britain after years of alleged domestic abuse
- She mysteriously vanished four days ago after returning to her homeland, Qatar
- Friends raised the alarm after she suddenly went quiet on Wednesday afternoon
Source: WikiSoon
