The Status of Women's Rights and Freedoms in Iran on International Women's Day

March 8th, corresponding to Esfand 18th in the Iranian calendar, is International Women's Day according to the United Nations. This year, the UN has chosen the slogan 'World 50-50' for this day. The UN calls for the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, urging increased efforts to achieve the goals of its Sustainable Development Agenda by 2030. International Women's Day is recognized in many countries around the world. But what is the situation in Iran? To what extent has International Women's Day been effective for Iranian women and contributed to improving their status in a society that women’s rights activists consider patriarchal? Mehrangiz Kar, a lawyer and women's rights researcher in the US, and Mohsen Kadivar, a writer, Islamic scholar, and professor of religious studies at Duke University in North Carolina, are guests on a special roundtable of Radio Farda for International Women's Day. Mehrangiz Kar begins by discussing the status of women in today's Iranian society, stating: 'The status of women is the result of their own efforts, especially in the last 37 years, as they have been striving to establish this status towards equality. Unfortunately, they have not yet succeeded in reflecting this hope and rightful demand in the country's laws. March 8th, as International Women's Day, has always taken on a special form with the political ups and downs following the revolution. From the very beginning of the revolution, March 8th became a new chapter of struggles for Iranian women, one could say, with Iranian lawmakers, as in Esfand 57, less than two months after the revolution's victory, many Iranian women were forced to react to the abolition of many laws that had improved women's legal status during the Shah's era, particularly to say no to compulsory hijab.' Mehrangiz Kar adds that 'therefore, International Women's Day for Iranian women is not just a name but the basis of a now 37-year history of challenging legislation and policymaking in Iran. A challenge that has always been suppressed.' Why, after 37 years of the Islamic Republic, is the issue of women's rights a red line for the Islamic Republic? Mohsen Kadivar also begins to answer this question on Radio Farda, saying, 'International Women's Day is, after all, an opportunity to revisit women's issues. However, why is this still a red line in the Islamic Republic? This question needs to be analyzed. The issue of women is one of several issues that still face problems in the Islamic Republic, such as political, cultural, and social freedoms. The issue of women must be viewed alongside these issues, but women have a compounded problem, as historically, it has been men who wrote the laws, men who interpreted the laws, and even men who interpreted or narrated religious texts; therefore, the issue of women has not been seen clearly, transparently, or fairly. Perhaps if women had been present in these social positions, we would have witnessed a more humane interpretation.'