Women's Social Advocacy in Iran: An Increase in Institutional Participation

1. Lucero Flores
Contemporary Middle East
Professor Spath 215-001
29 March 2016
Women’s Social Advocacy in Iran: An Increase in Institutional Participation
INTRODUCTION:
“The basis of western culture is that women should be presented in society as a product, an object that
men can benefit from,” stated supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, a few weeks ago on Twitter
in regards to this year’s annual International Women’s Day.
Young Iranian woman, Elham Dezfouli, views her identity and with that the hijab, the Muslim
headscarf, through a different perspective. Elham like many other Iranian women view the headscarf as
both part of their daily wear and or a security tool to protect themselves from the government and a
series of punishments including: fines, arrests or lashes. The dress code is at the mercy of women in
Iran. The dress code is an inseparable part of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Today, these women express
their perspective on social norms, specifically to the hijab, by choosing whether or not to wear it and
cover their hair and visage.1
Today women like Elham in Iran are fighting a war to move forward with women’s rights since the
climatic event that took place twenty-seven years ago in 1979, the Iranian Revolution. This revolution
was predominately against the Shah between 1978-1981 and it transitioned the political atmosphere
from a left wing party to a government that upholds the importance of implementing conservative social
values aligned with political ideology intertwined with Islam. Before the revolution, women would wear
their hijab to the mosques and daily wear during the day. Today the government views women and
because of their restrictions, the government authorities challenge them and this will affect the new
generations to come.
This political Islamic ideology has therefore put structural conditions that are constraining the Iranian
women’s vision for the future. Although women have begun to protest, what is the biggest challenge is
the divide among these women who are protesting and advocating versus the women who are fully
abiding to their government and the implemented. Today the women that are abiding to the government
and law are being able to fully enact in the workforce and therefore obtain a position within parliament.
In order to move forward with women’s rights, Iranian women are creating and participating in a series
of social advocacy movements that will lead Iran into a new societal change. These reforming women
are not only participating to advocate for women’s rights but in addition to increase their level of
institutional participation, regarding their entitlement to political leadership. With their lack of freedom
of speech, implemented in the law, how will women initiate a social advocacy movement to participate
in politics and become leaders in the international community? But most importantly how will they ever
be able to make meaningful change in their society? Today, women are demonstrating their visibility
through movements, partnering with organizations and most importantly women are demonstrating to
1 Bajoghli, Narges. “How women, the Green Movement and an App Shaped Iran’s Elections.” The
Washington Post, March 2016.

2. the international community that they are not leaving behind their cultural traditions but bringing back a
cultural norm established before the Iranian Revolution.
INSTITUTIONAL PARTICIPATION:
The Iranian Revolution in 1979 became a climatic mark in Iranian society. After the revolution, it is
recorded that the fifth parliament after it had the highest number of women enter the Iranian Parliament,
a total of 14 women. Based on the latest results, total amount of 20 women can enter into today’s Iranian
Parliament. The political participation rate has increased and there are currently nine women being
appointed into the Parliament. These current nine women are appointed in the state legislature, majlis,
which contains 290 member seats. What is essential to note is that although these women are currently
participating in parliament, most of these women uphold conservative social values in regards to the
reformation of women’s social movements and being preliminary voted in. They are abiding to their
government and religion while the other women are at the foot of grass root organizations. These
women are being recruited by the government, but are also being secluded in their homes. Although
there is a divide between the perspectives of these women and the fact that there is a continuation of
conservative women in parliament, the women elected in the government are being named under the
“list of hope.” Today, women are continuing to advocate for their place in a variety of different
leadership positions including not only parliament, but their city councils, ministries and mid-ranking to
executive positions within economic organizations. 2
SOCIAL ADVOCACY MOVEMENTS:
Remarkably The Women’s Rights Movement in Iran has been the longest and most sustained movement
for change in the Islamic Republic in history. One of the most vital social movements in accordance
with the increase in political participation of women is the preexisting network of the women’s rights
movement. CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, Alyse Nelson, previously stated on March 9th
, 2016
at “The Network Effect” panel at the British Embassy “Communicating the power of networking will
take women’s leadership to the next level.” This statement was in regards to why women’s networks are
essential to fostering women’s leadership. Women’s organizations began organizing meetings for the
elections in November of 2015. Of these women’s social campaigns they included:
o Campaign for Women to Win 100 Seats
o One Million Signature’s Campaign for Equality
o #Watch4Women
Through the “Campaign for Women to Win 100 Seats,” women would meet and release videos to
encourage women to register for candidates pushing for a 30 percent increase in the seats for women.
This campaign also featured activists from across the political spectrum coming together for one goal, to
gain seats for women who would fight for pro-equality gender issues. In addition to this campaign, the
Iranian women have begun the “One Million Signature’s Campaign for Equality.” This movement was
launched in 2006 in order to secure one million signatures on petitions demanding equal rights for
women in all spheres, not just political. Although the government has attempted to demolish this
campaign, they have not succeeded through the determination of women to win their place in not only
2 Kamali, Saeed Dehghan. “Iran Set to Elect Record Number of Women in Parliament.” The Guardian,
February 2016.

3. politics but in Iran. 3
While the political participation number of women has increased, women are
continuing to participate in social advocacy movements. The Human Rights Watch partnering with the
International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran developed one of the most prominent social
movements called #Watch4Women, taking initiative on Twitter. 4
Today women are being discriminated
and are therefore restricted of watching sports at sports stadiums, which means that they are violating
Iranian society’s social norms. If women show up to a sports game, it gives a connotation of repression
in Iranian society, even volleyball, more so at men’s volleyball tournaments, Iran’s most valuable sport.
In addition to forming this campaign, the Human Rights Watch is advocating for this social movement
to allow the tournaments to take place only if women are allowed to attend these sport events.
STRUCTURAL CONDITIONS:
These structural constraints are predominately due to the state’s government institutions. For many
decades, the hijab, has been a traditional and cultural piece that women wear. Today, the Supreme
Leader of Iran, Khamenei, has agreed that by de-linking the, hijab, from politics, the Iranian government
will surrender a central tenet of the ideology they claim to serve, in regards to politics and the Islamic
religion, which serves as an instrument or tool in their society. In addition, former President of Iran, Ali
Akbar Hashemi Rasfanjani, said “The less you see under the scarves of women in the streets of Tehran,
the stronger the hold of the theocracy’s most rigid elements.” 5
Supreme leader continues to state that
““enemies” promise that #Iran will be totally different in 10 years,” amid of all of those series of
speeches framing a cultural war as the next phase in the competition between the Islamic Republic and
the West, they will not allow those evil prospects. Not only is the Supreme leader in control of
overseeing society, but is also preventing gender equality by overseeing Iran’s judicial courts and
media.6
The greatest social constraint is of the Iranian governmental law that is implemented. Today not only
women are being discriminated but advocates including: journalists, bloggers and social activists are
facing the trial of going to jail or prison. It was after the 1979 Iranian Revolution that the theocracy’s
suspension of the Family Law was enacted under the monarchy and therefore the implementation of the
Sharia Law. Through this decision-making, women were once again put at the mercy of men in their
families and in society by giving men the ability to:
o Divorce their wives without any justification
o Child custody at the favor of men
o Properly dressed meant “forced veil”
Because of these social norms and the law, women are not being entitled to make their own decisions. It
isn’t only creating issues with the family dynamic but within also within their right to seek an education
and employment. Women in addition are being used as a tool like the Supreme leader stated to increase
the population rate, while the government either allows or forbids women to have pregnancy options or
voluntary medical procedures. Women and advocates are undergoing this discrimination but it
3 Mouri, Leila. “The Iranian Women’s Movement in the 21st
Century.” The Muftah, August 2010.
4 “Women’s Rights in Iran.” Human Rights Watch, October 2015
5 Vick, Karl. “Is Iran Finally Ready for a Change.” TIME Magazine, November 2015
6 Chastain, Mary. “Iran: Ayatollah Celebrates International Women’s Day by Condemning Western
Freedom.” Breitbart, March 2016.

4. imperative to understand that these women and advocates also have ethnic and religious roots that are
also being discriminated, for example anyone who belongs to the Kurds and Balochs ethnicity group and
the Baath party faith religion. These social norms demand for a cultural change in Iranian society, one
day Iranian women reformists hope that they will be allowed make their own personal decisions on each
of these issues and are continuing to advocate for women’s rights. 7
CONCLUSION:
Women are the prominent key figure in social movements in Iran. What is the most important question
is where do we see the next generation of women, the young Iranian girls, and their social status in
society. Today, young Iranian girls have to wear the hijab in order to go to elementary school. Iranian
women and girls are on a journey to advocate for their freedom and a cultural change in Iranian society
and earn their entitlement to a voice in the international community. Women and girls ought to be aware
that although they are taking meaningful change in society, there is room for them grow and challenge
themselves to coordinate tools to take on a more meaningful change. Whether these women are
religious, secular, modern or traditional, they can make for a more meaningful change if they unite,
spread awareness and empower women in Iran. What is different about their movement today is that
they are enhancing activism through education and modern technology. Through networking, education
and technology, women will be able to speak with other women about how they want to see the future of
Iran with the next presidential election being held on June 14th
, 2016. This is the reformist women’s
motivating factor for the next change in Iranian society. There is only one thing that Iran has to expect,
that these women are the prominent force in society and for creating meaningful change: whether
younger, secular or unveiled, women will have the ability through their resources to begin a visionary
social change. 8
7 “Iran: Joint Letter to Member States of the UN Human Rights Council.” Human Rights Watch, March
2016.
8
Mahdi, Ali Akbar. “The Iranian Women’s Movement: A Century Long Struggle.” Iranian Women’s
Movement. The Muslim Movement. 1, no. 84 (2004): 440-445.

5. Bibliography
Bajoghli, Narges. “How women, the Green Movement and an App Shaped Iran’s Elections.” The
Washington Post, March 2016.
Chastain, Mary. “Iran: Ayatollah Celebrates International Women’s Day by Condemning Western
Freedom.” Breitbart, March 2016.
“Iran: Joint Letter to Member States of the UN Human Rights Council.” Human Rights Watch, March
2016.
Kamali, Saeed Dehghan. “Iran Set to Elect Record Number of Women in Parliament.” The Guardian,
February 2016.
Mahdi, Ali Akbar. “The Iranian Women’s Movement: A Century Long Struggle.” Iranian Women’s
Movement. The Muslim Movement. 1, no. 84 (2004): 427-448.
Mouri, Leila. “The Iranian Women’s Movement in the 21st
Century.” The Muftah, August 2010.
Nouri, Simin. “Where Do Women Stand in Iran’s Upcoming Elections.” The World Post, February
2016.
Vick, Karl. “Is Iran Finally Ready for a Change.” TIME Magazine, November 2015.
“Women’s Rights in Iran.” Human Rights Watch, October 20159
.