The Iranian Women's Rights Movement (Persian: جنبش زنان ایران), is the social movement for women's rights of the women in Iran. The movement first emerged after the Iranian Constitutional Revolution in 1910, the year in which the first women's periodical was published by women. The movement lasted until 1933 when the last women's association was dissolved by the government of Reza Shah Pahlavi. It rose again after the Iranian Revolution in 1979.Sanasarian 1982, pp. 124–129Afary, Janet. The Iranian Constitutional Revolution, 1906 - 1911, Columbia University Press, 1996.
Between 1963 and 1979, the Iranian Women's Movement gained victories such as the right for women to vote in 1963, a part of Mohammad Reza Shah's White Revolution. Women were also allowed to take part in public office, and in 1975 the Family Protection Law provided new rights for women, including expanded divorce and custody rights and reduced polygamy. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, women's rights have been restricted, and several laws were established such as the introduction of mandatory veiling and a public dress code for women. In 2016, only 6% of Iranian parliament members were women, while the global average was about 23%.
The Women's Rights Movement in Iran continues to push for reforms, particularly with the One Million Signatures Campaign to End Discrimination Against Women.
After the Constitutional Revolution The Iranian Constitutional Revolution took place between 1905 and 1911. The early cores of consciousness of women's rights (or rather lack of rights) which led to establishment of societies and magazines started shortly after. The low status of women and the secret operation of many of their organizations and societies, have limited the amount of information on the subject. Women's writing in that era, mainly appearing in newspapers and periodicals, are one of the most valuable sources of information on the movement. Most important of these periodicals are listed below.Sanasarian 1982, pp. 32–37
Additionally, Iranian women were aware of women's conditions and educational opportunities elsewhere and were inspired by them.
Education Women activists determined that education was central to their cause. The argument they put forward was that providing women with education was an overall good for Iran, allowing mothers to raise better children for their country. At the beginning of the century, foreign missionaries founded the first school for girls, which was attended mostly by religious minorities. Haji-Mirza Hassan Roshdieh and Bibi Khanoom Astarabadi later also founded schools for girls, but both were quickly closed. Eventually, in 1918, after years of private and unregulated schools, the government provided funds to establish ten primary schools for girls and a teacher training college. From 1914 to 1925, women's publications expanded beyond discussions of education, addressing subjects such as child marriage, economic and social empowerment, and the rights and legal status of women.
Societies and organizations In 1906, despite the parliament refusing their request, women established several organizations, including the "Society for Women's Freedom", which met in secret until it was discovered and attacked. The Jam'iat e nesvan e vatan-khah (Patriotic Women's League) was founded approximately around 1918; it published Nosvan Vatankhah.
In 1922, Mohtaram Eskandari created the "Patriotic Women's Organization". She was arrested and her house was burned. Zandokht Shirazi, another women activist, organized the "Women's Revolutionary Association". During this early phase of the women's movement, women who became involved were typically the daughters, sisters and wives of well-known constitutionalists. Generally, they were from educated, middle-class families. The low status of women and the secret operation of many of their organizations and societies have somewhat limited the amount of information on the subject.
Early publications Women's writing in that era, mainly found in newspapers and periodicals, are one of the most valuable sources of information on the movement. Some of the most important periodicals of that era are listed below (the year of publication of the first issue is mentioned in parentheses, sometimes with the city of publication): Danesh (Knowledge, 1910) was the first weekly magazine, founded by a women's society, with a female editor; it was published by a doctor's wife and written for women. Shekoofeh (Blossom, 1913) was edited by a woman, Mariam Mozayen-ol Sadat. Its primary goal was the education of women against superstition and acquainting them with world literature. Zaban-e Zanan (Women's voice, 1919 in Isfahan), was one of the more hardcore publications, founded and edited by Sediqeh Dowlatabadi in 1919 in Isfahan. It was one of the harshest critics of veiling (hijab). Nameh-e Banuvan (Women's letter, created in 1921 and edited by Shahnaz Azad, was another critic of veiling. The purpose of the magazine, as stated below its title, was "awakening of the suffering Iranian Women". Peyk-e Saadat Nesvan (Women's Wellness, 1927 in Rasht), was published by the Peyk-e Saadat Nesvan Society. It was one of the first leftist journals in Iran. Roshanak Nodust (1894–1959) was one of its founders. Alam Nesvan (Women's Universe, 1920 in Tehran), was published by Association of Graduates of Tehran's American Girls' School. This magazine had a more informative than political tone, at least initially. Over time it became more critical and outspoken. It was a particularly Western-oriented paper. Alam Nesvan was one of the longer-lasting publications on women's issues. Its relative long survival (14 years) might have been due to its association with the above-mentioned school. Jahan Zanan (Women's World, 1921, initially in Mashhad), was published by Afaq Parsa. Despite its relatively moderate tone, the editor faced severe vindictiveness and animosity from local conservatives. Nosvan Vatankhah (Patriotic Women, 1922), published by Jamiat Nesvan Vatankhah Iran (Patriotic Women's League of Iran or Society of Patriotic Women) was a major advocate of women's rights. The publisher was Mohtaram Eskandari. Dokhtran Iran (Daughters of Iran, 1931 initially in Shiraz) was a newspaper published by Zandokht Shirazi, a prominent feminist, poet and school teacher, who was an activist from an early age. Jam'iyat-e nesvan by Molouk Eskandiari.
Reza Pahlavi era (1925–1941) Women's first strides were in education: in 1928, they were provided with financial support to study abroad; in 1935 they were admitted to Tehran University, and in 1944 education became compulsory. In 1932, the Second Congress of Women of the East was organized in Tehran, and Iranian women activists met with activists from Lebanon, Egypt, India and Iraq. Dowlatabadi was the secretary. In 1936, Reza Shah Pahlavi set the mandatory unveiling of women known as Kashf-e hijab – a highly controversial policy which caused many conservative women to simply stay inside the house rather than go out in a veil and be subjected to harassment from the police, but also caused desegregation in some sectors of society. The reform was supported by many of the leading women's rights activists, who campaigned for it via the women's organisation Kanoun-e-Banovan.P. Paidar, Women and the Political Process in Twentieth-Century Iran, Cambridge, U.K., 1995.
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi era (1941–1979)
The 1940s saw a heightened consciousness of the role of women in society; and the 1950s the birth of numerous women's rights organizations, among which Rah-e Now (New Path) founded by Mehrangiz Dowlatshahi in 1955, and Women's League of Supporters of the Declaration of Human Rights founded by Safieh Firouz in 1956. In 1959 fifteen of those organizations formed a federation called the High Council of Women's Organizations in Iran. The High Council decided to concentrate its efforts on women's suffrage.
Despite much opposition by clerics, the suffrage was gained in 1963 when a national referendum reflected general support for the 6-point reform program known as the White Revolution which included women's right to vote and to stand for public office. Six women were elected to Parliament (Majlis). In the late 1960s, women entered the diplomatic corps, the judiciary and police force, and the revolutionary service corps (education, health and development): in 1968, Farrokhroo Parsa became Minister of Education. She was the first woman to hold a cabinet position; in 1969 the judiciary was opened to women and five female judges were appointed, including future Nobel prize winner Shirin Ebadi. Women were elected to town, city and county councils.
Looking for a way to achieve a more viable organization structure for women's activities, a coalition of women's groups forms the Women's Organization of Iran in 1966.
The Women's Organization of Iran Though the WOI was patroned by Princess Ashraf (the Shah's twin sister), Iranian women and the WOI had to fight for every improvement in their lives. The Women's Organization of Iran was a non-profit grassroots organization working mainly through volunteers. Its goals were to encourage women's education for change, to work towards securing economic independence for women, and at the same time to remain within the spirit of Islam and the cultural traditions of the nation. It worked through local branches and Women's Centers, which provided useful services for women – literacy classes, vocational training, counseling, sports and cultural activities and childcare.
One of the major victories of the WOI was the Family Protection Law of 1975. It granted women equal rights in marriage and divorce, enhanced women's rights in child custody, increased the minimum age of marriage to 18 for women and 20 for men, and practically eliminated polygamy.
Abortion was also made legal without arousing much public attention, by removing the penalty for performing the operation embodied in a law dealing with medical malpractice. All labor laws and regulations were revised to eliminate sex discrimination and incorporate equal pay for equal work. Women were encouraged to run for political office.
By 1978 nearly 40% of girls six and above were literate; over 12,000 literacy corps women were teaching in villages; 33% of university students were women, and more women than men took the entrance exam for the school of medicine. 333 women were elected to local councils, 22 women were elected to parliament, and 2 served in the Senate. There were one cabinet minister (for women's affairs), 3 sub-cabinet under-secretaries, one governor, an ambassador, and five women mayors.
Iran has also established itself as playing a leading role for women's rights among developing countries, introducing ideas and funds for the UN Regional Center for Research and Development for Asia and the Pacific, and the International Center for Research on Women.
After Islamic Revolution