In the Name of Allah
The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
In February 1979, a revolution, religious in nature, happened in Iran. This revolution, “spirit of the spiritless world” as referred to by Michel Foucault, occurred in an era when all political, economic and cultural spheres were exposed to a phenomenon called “Globalization”.
Occurrence of the Islamic Revolution in this era had a deep impression on the existing mentality. Those who were taking secularism as truism in the global arena, and those who condemned religion as to be “opiate of the people”, spontaneously and as a result of the occurrence of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, encountered a frightening shock: a new power had appeared in the global arena that was talking about another reality and denying both the dominant materialistic ideas in the East and the prevalent secular capitalist thought in the West.
The Islamic Revolution clearly challenged the globalization empire and became the flag bearer of the religious thought in the world. It focused on fulfilling the rights of the oppressed, practicing social justice, and uprooting poverty and class discrimination.
This was a new model, on the basis of the teachings of Islam, planned by the late Imam Khomeini (may his soul rest in peace) the founder of the Islamic Revolution, and followed by Ayatollah Khamenei, the present supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Regarding woman's issue, the Islamic Revolution founded a new basis: the powerful and impressive presence of woman in national and international arenas and at the same time maintaining her chastity and Islamic beliefs.
Thus, one can claim that the individual and social status of women in Iran after the Islamic Revolution is not at all comparable with that of the previous regime of Iran. Women who were manipulated by the owners of wealth and power before the Islamic Revolution, all of a sudden and by the occurrence of this great revolution, became heroines who played a pivotal role in political and social fields, either during the process of the victory of the Revolution, during the Sacred Defense – the 8-year imposed war by Saddam Hossein – or in reconstructing their country after the war.
In other words, Islamic Revolution, brought about deep and substantial enhancement in women's status in the Iranian society and paved the way for their active and effective participation.
Imam Khomeini, with his unique attitude, expanded the scope of women's thinking and accelerated their move towards perfection. He maintained that “in an Islamic system, a woman as a human being can actively participate along with men in establishing the Islamic society” and “ the role of women in the world has a special characteristic; vices and virtues in a society are originated from those of women in that society”.
Regarding the pivotal role of women in the family and society, he believed that: "a woman is a unique creature that can render those kinds of people to the society whose blessings will bring solidarity and high humanistic values to that society or it could be the vice versa".
The present supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, while reiterating and confirming the highly valued positions of the late Imam Khomeini on the great role of Iranian women in the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, maintains that “if there were not the Muslim women's endeavors and sense of responsibility based on Islamic teachings, this revolution would not have happened in Iran.” He also emphasizes on the necessity of women's effective presence in different arenas: “When women, out of their sense of responsibly, enter any field, the progress will be multiplied in that field”. This attitude paved the way for effective presence of women in society.
In the International arena, Ayatollah Khamenei challenges the West in respect to women's issues. He maintains that the West, “by pushing men and women into the field of sexual temptations, by adding fuel to the fire of sexual indulgence in society, and by exhibiting women in center of the field”, is betraying the humanity as a whole and women, in particular. He emphasizes that: “the Western world must be held accountable; for they have denigrated women, violated their rights, degraded their values, and thus betrayed them in the name of advocating their rights”.
Considering the fact that the situation of women in the Islamic Republic of Iran is depicted as negatively as possible by the Western media, I would like to take this opportunity to briefly explain the policies, institutions, organizations, and platforms shaped after the Islamic Revolution, in order to create suitable grounds for the promotion of women's potentialities and enhance their status.
Legislation
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic, while contemplating on common social rights and responsibilities of men and women, endows women with exclusive rights. These rights can be classified into individual, family, and social rights, some of which are as following:
- Prohibition of working in hard and harmful situations for women
- 6-month maternity leave
- Allowing breast-feeding women to have breaks during working hours
- Providing suitable facilities for breast-feeding women at workplace
- Enjoying the right of job security during pregnancy and breast-feeding
- Supporting part-time job for women
- Providing some facilities for women in certain jobs
- Prohibition of compelling women to attend armed conflicts
- Supporting lone women and children
Women's Socio-Cultural Council
In the second decade of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei proposed the establishment of Women's Socio-Cultural Council. Affiliated to the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution as the highest cultural policy-making institution in Islamic Republic of Iran, this council is considered to be the first policy-making council in women's affairs. Advisor to President on women and family affairs, female representatives of the parliament, advisors to ministers in women and family affairs, and a group of seminary and academic scholars are among members of this council.
The main responsibilities of Women's Socio-Cultural Council are as following:
1. Making policies to support the family foundation, facilitating establishment of family, and observing its sacredness
2. Proposing research on important socio-cultural issues related to women to the authorized academic centers and coordinating the research programs
3. Preparing proposals for increasing public awareness and literacy of women and deliberation of proper policies and methods on women's education, training, and higher education
4. Making policies for utilizing the spare times of girls and women
5. Encouraging the expansion of women's cultural relations with female societies of other countries, especially Muslim ones
The main macro policies related to women's issues, approved by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, are as following:
- Policies concerning employment of women in Islamic Republic of Iran
- Socio-cultural policies related to women’s sports
- Rules and regulations of research policies on women's issues
- Policies regarding Woman's Day
- Policies concerning optimum utilization of spare times for girls and women
- Women's International Affairs policies
- Charter of rights and responsibilities of women in Islamic Republic of Iran
- Rules and Regulations on practical methods to expand the culture of chastity and hijab
- Policies for establishment, consolidation and promotion of family in Islamic system
- Policies for promotion of participation of women in higher Education
Executive Branch
There are three institutions within the executive branch that are responsible for implementation of macro policies on women's issues:
1. the Center for Women and Family Affairs under the Presidential Office
2. Office for women and family affairs under the ministries and governmental organizations
3. Office for women and family affairs under governors in each province
Center for Women and Family Affairs under the Presidential Office
The need for implementing and supervising the policies concerning women and family led to the establishment of the Center for Women and Family Affairs under the Presidential Office.
Three points have been considered on this establishment:
Observing dignity of women in Islam;
Emphasizing on the positive role of women in decision-making, legislation, and execution; and
Emphasizing on the pivotal role of women as center of love and affection in the family with due consideration to their responsibility for bringing up highly-valued human beings.
Head of this center is advisor to President on women and family affairs and, at the same time, a member of the State Cabinet.
Some of the most significant objectives of this center are:
1. Enhancing women's participation in social and family arenas through academic research on the issue and presenting the achieved results to the Cabinet, Parliament, Women's Socio-Cultural Council, and other law-making organizations, in order to enact laws and regulations and adopt macro policies
2. Promoting the correct concepts on women’s issues based on the precise information on the current situation of women
3. Consolidating the foundation of family as the center of love and affection, the most suitable ground for growth of eligible and highly valued humans, and the sustainer of health and morality in society
4. Presenting “Muslim Woman” as an example for freedom of thought, chastity, and devoutness, and as an influential figure on the political, social and cultural decision making processes, and supporting her managerial and training role in various national and international fields
5. Inspecting the issues and problems of women in family, society, and workplace and proceeding the amendment of the concerning laws or enacting new laws
Office for Women and Family Affairs in Ministries and Governmental Organizations
In order to specifically address the issues related to women and family, there exist advisors/directors general to all ministers on women and Family affairs.
Offices for Women and Family Affairs in Provinces
The need to address women and family issues more precisely in provinces of Iran has led to the establishment of an office directly under the governors, who are the highest executive and decision-making authorities in the provinces, under the name of Office for Women and Family Affairs.
It is noteworthy that responsibilities of all these offices, in ministries, organizations, and provincial headquarters are somehow subsidiary to those of the Center for Women and Family Affairs of the Presidential Office.
The Judiciary
The development of events after the Islamic Revolution led to a remarkable increase in women's participation in the Judiciary, as one of the three main branches of power. According to the Article 163 of the Constitution which maintains that eligible women, with judiciary qualifications similar to men, can work in counselor positions in Court of Administrative Justice, Especial Civil Courts, Judiciary Office, or to be inspecting judges, women working in the Judiciary are able to assume the position of a judge.
In addition, women are also able to be present at courts as counselors and lawyers.
Some of other main activities of the Judiciary for the improvement of women's situation are as following:
- Establishing family courts
- Creating offices for judicial supporting of women and children nationwide
- Establishing Judiciary Collaboration and Guidance at courts
- Establishing Especial Courts and Public Prosecutor's Office for children
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Status of women in Iran based on statistics
Health
In Iran, as one of the oldest human civilizations, consideration to the health and well-being of people has always been a cultural and a religious obligation. Accordingly, due to deep respect for motherhood, taking care of women in family life has been remarkably important to the Islamic administration and its attempts have been concentrated on drawing health patterns for women and children. These attempts have been to the extent to make very positive changes in all health indicators.
In 2009, life expectancy was estimated 74.93 years among women and 70.17 years among men. Variation of this factor for women compared to 1996 was +5.03 years and compared to three decades ago – before the Islamic Revolution – was +18.73 years.
The noticeable increase in this factor during the past three decades shows a remarkable increase in the level of health in the country, especially for women.
Fatality rate of mothers, which is an indicator of development and health in the world, has been 27 per every 100.000 births in 2006 that has decreased 88.61 percent compared to three decades ago.
Fatality rate of newborn babies, which is another indicator of development and health, has been 25 per every 1000 births in 2006 that has decreased 81.48 percent compared to three decades ago.
Comparative distribution of female doctors in medical centers affiliated to the state universities in 2006 was 39.5 percent of all doctors working in these centers, which has increased 56.8 percent compared to three decades ago.
Economic Sphere
Considering the transcendent Islamic objectives for perfection of human beings in both material and spiritual aspects, Islamic Republic of Iran has paid special attention to women's empowerment and effective presence in the society. Iranian Women play a remarkable role in economic fields as well.
Some evidence is as following:
- Employment rate of women, reported 84.6 percent in 2008, which has increased 13.5 percent in comparison with two decades ago.
- 31.6 percent of working women are in service sector, 31.8 percent in industrial sector, and 31.6 percent in agricultural sector. Besides, 59.7 percent of working women are in private sector and 37.3 percent in public sector.
- The number of employed women within and beyond the country's employment law is reported 786145 women in 2007, which is 34.3 percent of the total government employees and has increased 14.2 percent compared to a decade ago.
Scientific Sphere
Significant increase in literacy rate of women during the years after the Islamic Revolution indicates the attention paid by officials to this vital issue.
- Comparative distribution of literate women to total population of women above 6-year old was reported 80.34 percent in 2006, which has increased 126.44 percent compared to three decades ago.
- Literacy rate of women between 6 to 29 years old was estimated 95.16 percent in 2006, while that of men was 96.48 percent.
- The number of women's admission to the state higher education centers was reported 285634 in the academic year of 2006-2007, which is three times higher, compared to 1996-1997, and twenty times higher, compared to three decades ago.
- In 2007, the percentage of women's admission to the state universities compared to total admissions was 63.4 percent at bachelor’s degrees, 42.3 percent at master’s degrees, and 44.7 percent at PhD.
- The number of educated women in state higher education centers in academic year of 2005-2006 was reported 93686 (52.7 percent), which is 2.3 times compared to 2006-2007, and 6.7 times compared to three decades ago.
- In 2006, comparative distribution of female professors to total professors, in medical sciences, in state universities has been 40 percent, which has increased 166 percent, compared to three decades ago.
Socio-cultural fields
There are now numerous non-governmental organizations in the Islamic Republic of Iran in which the role of women is very remarkable. In 2007, there were some 980 women's NGOs, which is 16 times higher compared to1996.
There has also been noticeable progress in cultural arena for women, some figures are as following:
- By 2006, out of total 3420 periodical publications in the country, women were publishing 369 of them, which is 11 percent.
- From 2004 to 2007, the number of women proprietors authorized to publish was 101, i.e. 16.09 percent increase compared to the period between 2000 and 2003 and 19 percent increase compared to the total authorized women before 1987.
- From 2004 to 2007, the number of authorized female editors in chief was 148, i.e. 19.35 percent increase compared to the period between 2000 and 2003 and 20 percent increase compared to the total authorized women before 1987.
- By 2007, the comparative distribution of female editors in chief and proprietors to total editors in chief and proprietors were 10 percent.
- In 2007, the number of published books on women and family issues was 407, which has increased 180.70 percent compared to 1996.
- In 2007, the number of books published by women was 5378 which is 416.123 percent higher than 1996.
- In 2007, the comparative distribution of published books by women to total published books was reported 23.24 percent, which has increased 58.42 percent compared to 1996.
- In 2007, the number of female authors was reported 3643, which is almost five times compared to 1996.
- In 2007, the comparative distribution of female authors to total authors was reported 16.66 percent, which has increased 78.56 percent compared to 1996.
- In 2007, the number of female translators was reported 1365 women, which has increased 250 percent compared to 1996.
- In 2007, the comparative distribution of female translators to total translators was reported 23.73 percent, which has increased 47.3 percent compared to 1996.
- In 2007, the comparative distribution of women with selected works of the year to total owners of selected works of the year was reported 17.14 percent, which has increased 174.24 percent compared to 1996.
- In 2007, the number of plays carried out by female directors was 12 which has increased 140 percent compared to 2005.
- In 2007, the comparative distribution of plays carried out by female directors to total number of plays carried out was reported 44.44 percent, which has increased 51.10 percent compared to 2005.
- In 2007, the number of art exhibitions with the subject of women and family have been 500, which is 3 times compared to 2003.
- In 2007, the number of visual arts exhibitions held by women has been 6, which has increased 20 percent compared to 2003.
- In 2007, the number of selected works of women in national art festivals was 30, which has increased 200 percent compared to 2003.
- In 2007, the comparative distribution of selected works of women in national art festivals to total selected works was reported 68.16 percent, which has increased 9.1 percent compared to 2005.
It is noteworthy that Iranian women are very brilliant in Quranic activities, as well, to the extent that now a remarkable percentage of recitors, memorizers, and researchers in this field are women.
- By 2007, 10,000 research on holy Quran has been done, out of which 6000 titles belongs to women.
Women’s Sports
Since the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, women's sports, while maintaining the basic values of Islam, such as hijab, have always been of focal consideration. Accordingly, there has been remarkable progress in this field and the following figures prove it:
- In 2006, the number of female athletes under the state sport organizations was reported 3246810 which has increased 2 times and 16 times compared to 1996 and 1986, respectively.
- In 2006, the number of coaches and referees of female sports of the country was reported 71649 which has increased three times compared to 1996.
As it is obvious, during recent years, the trend of women's presence in sports has been increasing both at professional and non-professional levels which is considered a positive step toward the promotion of physical and spiritual health of women and girls.
Political Arena
Political participation of Iranian women has been remarkably important both in the process of the victory of the Islamic Revolution and in its continuation. Presence of women in numerous demonstrations, elections, etc. shows that they are determined to play their pivotal role in their society.
- The number of women nominated to be members of the Eighth Parliament has been 585, which has increased 7 times compared to the First parliamentary elections.
- The number of female representative of the eighth parliament is 8, which has increased twice compared to the first one.
- The number of women members of the Third urban and rural Islamic Councils was reported 1491, which has increased 8.44 percent compared to the first one.
It should be mentioned that all the progress in Iranian society after the Islamic Revolution, including the progress in Iranian women’s situation, has been gained in an atmosphere where there has been an 8-year war imposed to our country by Iraq with the help of the Western world as well as the East – the Soviet Union. In addition, there have always been imposed sanctions from the U.S. government and its European allies throughout these thirty years.
But by the help of the Almighty Allah, in the light of Islam, and thanks to the appropriate leadership of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei, Muslim Iranian men and women could have their country reached to that level of political independence, cultural transcendence, and scientific brilliance that it is not at all comparable to those neighboring countries with the same situation.
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Massoumeh Mohammadi
International Section
Office for Women and Family Affairs
Islamic Culture and Relations Organization
Islamic Republic of Iran
09/06/2010
