Dear Farnaz:

Thank you, still unwell, but not too bad.

“We are pissed that they are somehow representing us as Iranian in the world, another issue with them, exactly like any oppressive government using religion as a weapon and that made all us hate our religion“-  it is a shame that they use Islam as a weapon against their own people (and/ or against anyone). There are wonderful principles in Islam, principles like modesty that I personally prefer. If it was practiced ethically and in moderation, it would have been an excellent guide to living in a society that I would personally prefer.

“The most important issue is unemployment. I’m from north and if you search in internet, you may find that we are known for being open minded, and not in religion, and women are living with more freedom than other provinces, they are more educated too, but there are not that many factories or companies where  these women can work… I’m lucky because the health system is still understaffed that’s why I could  have a job“-

Marville College, Global Affairs/ Women’s Rights in Iran, Nov 2014: “Women’s rights in Iran today have provided very little change. Men are still considered heads of the household, giving him power over the wife’s right to work and travel. Domestic violence is a hush-hush issue swept under the rug. Any laws put in place to promote equality are rarely enforced or followed. Women’s rights in Iran remain among the most restricted in the world. There are more Iranian women in the work force today than five years ago, but few ever advance beyond entry-level positions. Many Iranians believe women are only hired to fill government quotas. Women continue to earn significantly less than men in the same level of work with the same level of education and experience. While more women are receiving educations in Iran today, they are encouraged to follow traditionally feminine disciplines such as nursing or teaching younger children. Women are required to have higher grade point averages than men to attend the same schools. Most families promote their daughters and wives to stay at home… There are multiple solutions to the lack of women’s rights in Iran. The first would of course be finding an alternative to the Islamic Republic. As all countries shift forms of government in hopes of finding a better one, it is time Iran make such a shift. Another solution, is of course education. The rest of the world needs to be aware of the inequality occurring in the Middle East. On a personal level, one may help the problem by being aware why women migrate to other countries in search of education or freedom to marry who they choose. If the rest of the world can pressure countries like Iran to change their ways, we are giving voices to the women of Iran who cannot speak up”.

“For example, my dad was paying my tuition fee and there was no way I could afford it myself, so how could I stop him abusing his power? And imagine a woman with no income trapped with an abusive husband and she doesn’t have her family’s support, how she can save herself. It’s not possible to avoid the people who abuse their power, especially when you are kid and  sometimes even in adulthood“- true, and like it says in the article I quoted from above, it would have taken a heavy duty global education and political activism about abuses of power against women, so to change things.. it is a shame that the internet is filled with so much disinformation and misinformation that there is.. hardly any space for the right kind of information and education, as well as political activism based on accurate information.

“I think by being financially independent, not being isolated, being emotionally strong and have a purpose in life you can somehow manage the situation with power hungry people, when you can’t avoid them. ..so I believe being strong mentally and emotionally would help a lot. What do you think?“- I agree of course with what you wrote here, absolutely!

anita