Yassmin Abdel-Magied quiet on oppression of women on recent book tour
Speeches delivered by Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied during her taxpayer-funded tour of the Middle East and Africa did not include any mention of the oppression of women in the countries she visited.
The ABC employee’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade-sponsored book tour late last year took her to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, the West Bank, Israel, Egypt and Sudan.
DFAT has confirmed in a response to questions on notice from Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz that Ms Abdel-Magied did not speak out against practices such as female genital mutilation and the death penalty, which occur in some of the countries she visited. The department also confirmed that the $11,485 bill for Ms Abdel-Magied’s trip included $3246.20 for travel, $4605.87 for accommodation and $3632.93 for “incidentals”.
In Sudan, more than 90 per cent of women undergo forced genital mutilation, forced marriage is permissible, and polygamy is permissible for men. In Saudi Arabia women are flogged and stoned for adultery and not permitted to drive or leave the home without wearing the abaya, a sleeveless, full-body covering.
In the United Arab Emirates, women require the permission of a male relative to remarry, while in Qatar marital rape is not a crime.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied quiet on oppression of women on recent book tour
During a Senate estimates session on March 2, Senator Abetz asked DFAT secretary Frances Adamson and first assistant secretary Rob Tranter whether Ms Abdel-Magied “spoke against the death penalty or spoke against female genital mutilation at any stage or, indeed, the oppression of women at any stage in some of these countries”.
In a response published on DFAT’s website, the department responded “no”, adding: “Ms Abdel-Magied promoted Australia as a destination for investment and education and helped broaden knowledge and understanding of Australia’s modern, open, diverse and inclusive society.”
Yassmin Abdel-Magied quiet on oppression of women on recent book tour
“She also promoted the role of women in male-dominated industries such as science, technology and engineering, drawing on her background as a mechanical engineer.”
Ms Abdel-Magied’s Anzac Day Facebook post: “LEST. WE. FORGET. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine ...)”, which she subsequently deleted and apologised for, prompted calls for her sacking as host of the weekly Australia Wide ABC TV program and as a board member on the taxpayer-funded Council for Australian-Arab Relations, run by DFAT.
The activist’s tour was intended to promote her book, Yassmin’s Story.
