Politicians And Commenters Criticize Ukraine's Plan For Female Cadets To March In High Heels
July 5, 2021, 4:11 am

Politicians And Commenters Criticize Ukraine's Plan For Female Cadets To March In High Heels

According to NBC, Ukraine's defense ministry has been heavily criticized over plans for female cadets to march in high heels at a parade celebrating the country's independence next month.

Photos published by the ministry on Facebook Thursday showed the women from the Military Institute at the Taras Shevchenko National University in the country's capital, Kyiv, marching in the shoes, along with camouflage pants, shirts and hats.

NBC reported, citing the ministry as saying in a post alongside the pictures, the cadets have been practicing twice daily, for an average of four hours a day. The Aug. 24 parade in Kyiv will mark the 30th anniversary of the country’s independence.

The images were met with outrage online, with some commenters questioning the choice of footwear and calling it "torture."

Politicians also criticized the plans.

Elena Kondratyuk, the vice speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, known as the Verkhovna Rada, called the pictures "ferocious trash" in a Facebook post.

Citing the country’s constitution which guarantees equality between men and women, she also called for Defense Minister Andriy Taran to conduct an investigation.

Former defense minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk called it “a step towards North Korea," in a Facebook post.

Opposition lawmaker Iryna Gerashchenko also called it “humiliation” for women in the Ukrainian army, in a statement posted on Facebook. She added that she originally thought the idea was a hoax.

“The contribution of Ukrainian women to the country's defense capabilities is invaluable,” she said, adding that she was preparing an inquiry on the matter for President Volodymyr Zelensky, who also serves as Commander-in-Chief of the country's military, with other female parliamentarians.

According to NBC, the defense ministry said earlier this year that 31,757 women were serving in the country's armed forces — more than 15 percent of the total number. Politicians

The country has been embroiled in a six-year conflict with Russian-backed separatists in the east, which has claimed at least 13,000 lives, with women involved in active duty.

In another Facebook post following the outrage on Friday, the defense ministry said the heels were part of the official parade uniform. It also shared photos of female soldiers in other countries marching in parades while wearing heels.

Taran visited the female cadets featured in the photos to have a discussion about parade uniforms on Saturday, the ministry said in a press release on its website.

It said he had ordered an inquiry into whether an “experimental shoe model,” that’s more ergonomic and improved, can be developed for next month’s parade. Should the new shoe design be successful, it could be implemented for all female troops, he said.

Photos accompanying the release showed Taran meeting female cadets wearing boots, not heels. Politicians

levant

Source: NBC

Image source: AFP-Getty Images-NBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.