Women of Iran Continue to Fight for Equality
Staff writer
The 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution is being celebrated by the clerical regime in Iran. During the past four decades, the people of Iran have lived under extreme suppression that most people in free and democratic countries can simply not fathom.
Women in Iran have particularly been targeted by the regime and the oppression of women has affected society as a whole.
The NCRI’s Women’s Committee has highlighted the plight of women and works to improve the rights for women in Iran in conjunction with women’s rights organisations across the world.
It has drawn attention to the regime’s ideology, showing that the misogyny dates back to well before the Islamic Revolution. In 1962, Khomeini wrote to the Shah advising that the “interests of the state are better served by preserving the religious teachings of Islam and calmness of the heart”, concluding that the right for women to vote should not be allowed.
In 1979, almost immediately after the February revolution, Khomeini abolished the Family Protection Law – the law that gave women family rights. Very soon after, social services for women were cancelled and female judges were stopped from working in the judiciary.
Over the years, the regime cracked down on the obligatory veiling allowing women who were deemed improperly covered to be attacked in the street. The Women’s Committee recalled that in 2014 there were a number of acid attacks and stabbings of women. Worse, these attacks were carried out by gangs backed by the government.
Since current President Hassan Rouhani took office, it is believed that at least 87 women have been executed. During the eighties, tens of thousands of women – members of the PMOI – were killed. Simply for carrying out their right to freedom for expression. Many of these women were elderly mothers and grandmothers, some were pregnant and others were just teenagers.
Despite the regime’s attempts to silence women, the women of Iran have made it very clear that they will continue to make their voices heard despite the consequences. Iranian society as a whole benefits from the input of the strong and determined Iranian women.
The NCRI also values women, with the female leader – Mrs. Maryam Rajavi – ensuring that they will never be excluded from being heard and treated as equals. Women in Iran, with the full support of the Iranian Resistance, are “paying the price for freedom and turn the page of history in their homeland”. They are ensuring that their daughters and granddaughters in years to come will be able to enjoy a rightful place in society alongside their male counterparts.
The Women’s Committee and the women, and men, on the streets in Iran are fighting against violence towards women, against forced marriages of young girls, and for the protection of women.
Khomeini said that equality between women and men is “in fundamental violation of some of the most crucial rulings of Islam and in defiance of some of the explicit commandments of the Quran”. The NCRI has criticised the regime for such a misogynistic interpretation of Islam.
Under the rule of clerical regime in Iran violence against women and other forms of misogyny is still systemic in many places.
To the rest of the world, the Iranian Regime pretends that they are committed to women’s rights but this could not be further from the truth. In reality, misogyny runs rampant, women are considered the property of their closest male relative and have no legal rights.