Women in Iran find little freedom
Women’s rights violations in Iran continue to mount, especially where children are given to their fathers after divorce because of legislation based on religious laws.
Sabri Bahman, a women’s rights activist in eastern Kurdistan, said “women in eastern Kurdistan and other parts of Iran are not equal in their rights.” Women’s families in Iran prevent them from making their own decisions; they do not enjoy economic freedom and they are forced to divorce, said Bahman. “Women are not allowed to practice politics and join women’s organizations; working in these fields for them is regarded as a violation of the law.”
However, Bahman, who attended a women’s rights workshop in Duhok on September 15, said activities for women’s liberation by the Kurdish opposition Komala Party continue. “Women have been active in this party since 1978 and have tried several times to publish a newspaper that was closed. They opened Web sites and are filtered now,” said Bahman. Still, she said, women’s conditions have worsened in the last few years.
“Since Ahmadinejad, the pressure increased. Threats were made to women’s organizations, especially Kurdish ones working on human and women’s rights,” said Bahman. She said conditions were better during the reign of Iran’s former president, Muhammad Khatami.
“Nonetheless, women’s activities haven’t stopped. There is currently a campaign to collect signatures to protest the law that gives children to their fathers after divorce and to defend rights of female prisoners. It has collected one million signatures so far.”
Bahman complained about her country’s laws: “Legislation springs from religious legislation, causing violations against women. They are not allowed to become judges; they cannot defend their rights and polygamy continues. Mothers have no rights to their children after divorce and the divorce rate is escalating.”
Bahman continued: “The nature of the religious system has closed several gates. Another problem is that several other issues proclaimed as religious have worsened the laws and created more social problems.” International organizations must support Iranian women’s organizations and help to defeat such laws in her country, said Bahman.
http://www.kurdishglobe.net/displayArticle.jsp?id=6FA8313D3F43D231FCF8EC78C8402364
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