Oppression of Women in Iran
Every few weeks, a story comes out about a brave woman in Iran who stands up to the “Morality” Police. Many of these women are punished for daring to show their face in public without a hijab covering their hair. Often, these stories end tragically and remind the Western world that ever since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, women in Iran have been facing immense discrimination and oppression.
Under the country’s Islamist regime, women have lost the right to dress freely, work in their career of choice, or dance and sing in public. They are even prohibited to ride bicycles around the streets of Iran. Violations of any of these laws can result in imprisonment, public lashing, stoning, or execution.
Sharia Law, the religious and moral code of Islam, is derived from the Quran and includes corporal punishment and capital punishment. Not only did Iran’s leadership implement Sharia Law within their borders, but they also want to globalize this brutal, discriminative ideology using their network of terrorist proxy groups throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa.
Today’s reality makes it difficult to remember that Iran was once on the path to becoming a more progressive nation. In 1963, women acquired the right to vote and run for parliament, and then, through the Family Protection Law of 1975, women gained the ability to petition for divorce and gain child custody. During the 1960s and 1970s, women dressed in Western-style clothing, kept their hair uncovered, received free education, and steadily increased their participation in the Iranian workforce.
The progress made in the 60s and 70s was quickly reversed following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini implemented a new Islamic regime and established Sharia Law. In 1983, hijabs were mandated, requiring all women to cover their hair in public. This law is reinforced by the “Morality” Police, who have the right to punish any woman who is “improperly” dressed. The Family Protection Law was suspended, creating inequality in marriage, divorce, and child custody, and women lost professional and educational rights, restricting them from holding governmental positions or any sort of employment outside the home.
In 1984, America designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism. To this day, the regime continues to support various terrorist organizations across the Middle East and North Africa, supplying them with financial assistance, weapons, training, and safe havens. These jihadist proxy groups include violent terrorist militias, notably Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Gaza’s Hamas, and Yemen’s Houthis. By funding these terrorist groups, Iran has managed to sow worldwide destruction and terror.
Not only does the inequality in Iran violate the fundamental human rights of millions of women, but Iran's support for radical extremist terrorist organizations also threatens global security. Therefore, the international community must come together to stand against terrorism and the repressive indignities facing Iranian women, who deserve to have their fundamental rights and freedoms protected.
Talia Berman
