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How the UN betrayed the women of Iran
Dalia Al-Aqidi Iranian women wear face masks in Iran s capital Tehran. (File/AFP)
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When Iran was elected by the UN Economic and Social Council to its Commission on the Status of Women, concerns were raised about the kind of message the international organization was sending to the world.
Since the commission’s job is the global promotion of equality and women’s empowerment, the minimum requirement for membership should be respect for women and their right to make their own decisions. As a woman who was born and raised in the Middle East and has spent most of her adult life fighting for women’s rights in this troubled region, I was insulted and flabbergasted by this outrageous move, given Iran’s poor record in that area and many others.
Brief Analysis
Interest in a strong military president is growing in unexpected sectors, but such an outcome is more likely to strengthen Khamenei’s power than drastically reform the system.
To paraphrase
The Communist Manifesto, a specter is haunting Iran: the specter of Bonapartism, an ideology that hearkens back to the reign of Napoleon by advocating a centralized military dictatorship with a charismatic strongman as the head of government. As an Islamic Republic, Iran already has its “Supreme Leader” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Yet much speculation has emerged that he and various elements within the regime are looking for a strong military man to succeed President Hassan Rouhani in the June 18 election. Perhaps less well known is the fact that Bonapartism is becoming a popular political ideology even among Iranians who have little or no relation to the country’s military and security bodies.
Min
Nazenin Ansari joins IWF Visiting Fellow Ellie Cohanim in this She Thinks Podcast pop-up for Women’s History Month. They discuss the role of women in ancient Persian civilization and the landmark legal rights women attained during the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi in 20th Century Iran, only to see women’s status in society regress starting with the 1979 Islamic Revolution in the country. Today, under the Islamic Republic of Iran, women are facing a gender apartheid.
Transcript
Beverly Hallberg:
Hey everyone, it’s Beverly Hallberg. Welcome to a special pop-up episode of She Thinks, your favorite podcast from the Independent Women’s Forum, where we talk with women and sometimes men, about the policy issues that impact you and the people you care about most. Enjoy.