Dubai brings sexual abuse of children into the open

Dubai campaign seeks to address the sexual abuse of children.

Although the number of children affected cannot be verified, it is believed that there has been a rise of cases of abused children in the UAE. On Thursday, 1st April, in attempts to create awareness, the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children launches a month-long Protect Childhood Campaign in schools, businesses and malls to speak with people about what they can do to protect children. 

Malaysia drops caning sentence for beer-drinking Malysia women

On Thursday, Reuters reported that Malaysia has officially dropped a caning sentence imposed on women for drinking beer, a practice which has raised concerns about intolerance in the Muslim country. 

According to Reuters, the canings reflected growing conservatism in the country and was beginning to become of concern to investors.

Malaysia practices a dual-track legal system, with Islamic criminal and family law applicable to Muslims and non-Muslims, who comprise about 45% of the population, are subject to civil law.

Iranian gays increasingly fleeing their country

According to The Washington Post, about 300 gay people have fled Iran since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became president and particularly after June's crackdown. Many of them have reportedly joined the 2,000 Iranian dissidents and political refugees in secular Turkey, where homosexuality is tolerated. Refugees in Turkey are dispersed throughout various smaller cities as they seek permanent asylum through the UN in countries such as the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Others experiencing pressure from the Iranian government are student groups, journalists, human rights activists, and artists.

Belgium moves to ban burqa and niqab in public

It seems that Belgium is not following suit (France, the Netherlands) to ban burqa and niqab in public. 

According to The Guardian, the Home affairs committee of Brussels federal parliament voted unanimously to ban partial or total covering of faces in public. 

"It is necessary that the law forbids the wearing of clothes that totally mask and enclose an individual. Wearing the burqa in public is not compatible with an open, liberal, tolerant society."

If the vote is ratified in April, as expected, Belgium will become the first European country to ban the burqa and niqab in public.

Major Development, France: PM against total Islamic veil ban

On Tuesday, the French Prime Minister advised the government that any total ban on face-covering Islamic veils could be unconstitutional. (I am in complete agreement here. The ban encroaches on human rights.) 

According to BBC, Prime Minister Francois Fillon asked the State Council for a legal opinion before drawing up a law on the subject. The State Council said a ban could be justified in some public places. Moreover, those drafting the legislation could ignore Tuesday's ruling, which stipulates that any law could be in violation of the French constitution as well as the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

What do you think? Should the law be passed or not?