The Status of Women in the Islamic Republic of Iran | ||||
PDF (1601 K) | ||||
![]() | ||||
Women form an important part of society and have a role in the progress or backwardness of human societies. The colonialists and those who owe their lives to the exploitation of others have always tried to exploit women. Sometimes this issue takes place by taking advantage of their sexual attractiveness and at times by using them as the cheap labor force. Interestingly, the same abusive powers falsely claim to be proponents of women’s rights in order to exploit women as much as possible. By resorting to the slogan of women’s freedom they, in fact, pursue women’s nudity and turning them into sexual commodities. Similarly, they use the slogan of defending women’s presence in social activities and their equality with men, they seek laborers with minimum wages. Today, a large number of Western women who are trapped by the seemingly beautiful slogans of these so-called proponents of human rights, feel that they are in the worst conditions of slavery, discrimination, and injustice. They, nevertheless, feel that they have no way to escape modern slavery and in order to survive and have access to minimum livelihood, they have no choice but to submit to the illegitimate demands of the neocolonialists of the Western world. The Elevation of the Status of Women in Iran after the Victory of the Islamic Revolution Prior to the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the same Western trajectory was followed about the women of Iran. But after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, in which Iranian women participated courageously, women found a different identity and restored their dignity. inspired by the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the school of Ahl al-Bayt (AS), the Islamic Revolution, defined an irreplaceable role for women in the management of society. This achievement took place so that unlike what is happening in the Western world women could - while maintaining their dignity - have an active presence in social affairs. In this way, Iranian women achieved significant positions in the pure atmosphere of Islamic society; something that had not been provided to them in history. Just like boys, Iranian girls pursued schooling and adorned themselves with the ornament of literacy, and the result was that according to the World Bank report, the illiteracy rate of Iranian women decreased from 50 to 60 percent to less than 10 percent in 2009. Also, according to the report of the World Economic Forum, the Islamic Republic of Iran has won first place in the world in educational justice between girls and boys. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, arrangements were also made for greater participation of girls in higher education as a result of which the percentage of girl university students in higher education has increased from less than 25 percent in the pre-Islamic Revolution to more than 50 percent. The Islamic Revolution created such conditions for women to achieve any position they deserve - based on their qualifications and capabilities - without facing any obstacles or discrimination and within the limits of Islamic laws. The presence of women in social activities increased day by day and they established a large number of institutions with cultural-educational, entrepreneurial, charitable, and even research approaches. According to reliable statistics provided by the Department of Women and Family Affairs more than 2,700 organizations related to women’s affairs had been operating in different provinces of the country in 2017. Sports Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, sports in the country, especially women’s sports, underwent many changes. The increase in infrastructure and sports facilities, even in the most remote areas of the country, created positive conditions for participation in sports activities. According to the available statistics, the number of sports halls in the villages, which stood at 5 in 1379 has increased considerably, and presently more than 400 villages have sports halls. This figure does not include the sports turf fields that have been built in many villages. The number of women’s sports disciplines increased from 7 in 1379 to 38 in 2004. The number of female sports coaches has also increased from 9 to 35,000, and the number of female referees has increased from 7 to 16,000, which shows a 2,000-fold increase. Also, the number of dedicated women’s stadiums has increased 30 times. In this regard, it must be noted that the structure and organization of women’s sports has also improved to a very high extent. After several changes in the structure of women’s sports, the Department of Women’s Sports was eventually established finally in the year 2017. The construction of special sports venues and facilities for women, for sports such as swimming, indoor games, etc., is among the measures that are unprecedented in many countries. Numerous medals won by Iranian women in international competitions is one of the great honors achieved after the victory of the Islamic Revolution. Women’s Health Great leaps were made in the field of women’s health after the victory of the Revolution of which mention may be made of the increase in the life expectancy of women from 57.6 years to 77.8 years. Female specialist doctors increased from 15 percent to 40 percent. Female specialist doctors increased from 9% to 30%. The ratio of female specialist doctors in the field of obstetrics and gynecology has grown from 16% to 98%. In this context, the rate of maternal mortality at childbirth has decreased by 90%. Women and Political and International Activities The most important indicator of political participation is the right to vote and hold political positions. After the victory of the Islamic revolution, women have considerably grown in both areas. After the victory of the Islamic revolution, women have assumed many executive responsibilities. The presence of women in the Islamic Parliament of Iran and city and village councils shows their special position in the system of the Islamic Republic. This is despite the fact that women hardly had any position in the administration of the country during the Pahlavi era. Legal Rights of Women in the Islamic Republic of Iran Special attention has been paid to women and family affairs in Iran’s 2025 Vision Statement. The rights envisioned for women in this document have been adopted in accordance with the capabilities of women and Islamic standards. In the field of legislation, women have the same rights as men. An example of this right is in the Islamic Parliament of Iran and city and rural councils, where women have the same rights as men. Culture and Art In the Pahlavi era women’s art was mostly defined within the context of sensuality and immorality. Shiraz Art Festival is a clear example of boundless moral corruption in the field of art and culture for women. The Shiraz Festival of Arts was a clear example of boundless immorality with regard to the role of women in art and culture. With the advent of the Islamic Revolution, women’s artistic activities underwent a major change, and women have found an active presence in all artistic fields by observing Islamic dress and standards. The films and serials made and the roles played by women in them are indicative of this increasing presence and status. A large number of girls study in specialized fields of art in universities and have created thousands of works of art. In a report titled “Iranian Women Novelists, Stars of Iran”, The New York Times, reported the stunning progress of women writers in Iran after the victory of the Islamic Revolution and wrote: “The number of women writers in Iran has increased by 13 times during the last decade and is almost equal to the number of men today... The 1979 Islamic Revolution was a turning point for Iranian women in all fields.” All these achievements and the active presence of women in different fields have been with Islamic cover. This precious experience shows that not only hijab is not a deterrent for women, but also provides the basis for their active and constructive presence as much as possible. The presence of a woman in different activities, side by side observing hijab is proof that engagement in social activities does not require discarding dignity. What the enemy is proposing and encouraging the young girls of society to go without the hijab is exactly in opposition to the social rights of women and the constructive role of this large section of society. Not only hijab is far away from being a burden but is also a means for protecting chastity and at the same time being active and productive. | ||||
Statistics View: 207 PDF Download: 88 |
||||