Independent but Impoverished: The Foundation for Women's Research in Iran

Last month, a cinema in the heart of Tuscany in Florence, Italy, a city where the Renaissance emerged, became a meeting point for Iranian women who gathered from near and far to once again address a feminine renaissance in the 21st century. More than 300 activists and advocates for gender equality came together from June 9 to 21 to form the 28th conference of the Foundation for Women's Research. Golnaz Amin, one of the founders of this foundation, considers the participants to be members of one family: "The foundation today is a large family that has been shaped by the individuals you see here. Each of these women, as I see them, I say that each has been and continues to be a foundation stone for the foundation. I never thought that I have advanced this work. This is a work that has progressed with the cooperation of all the women and men over the past 28 years." In her opening speech on the second day of the seminar, Golnaz Amin stated that there are men who truly believe in gender equality, but more than them, there are women who are defenders of patriarchal structures more than men. She also spoke of women who see the success of any woman as a threat to themselves. Those who, according to Ms. Amin, only see women as bodies. Nevertheless, she emphasized that it is these women who can institutionalize egalitarian thinking within the family and thus promote equality in society. This point was also emphasized by Mariza Niki, a member of the Italian Parliament and a special guest at the seminar, who interpreted it as an effort for a sense of freedom. She said: "Patriarchy is a global discourse that exists in all geographies of the world. The fact that we face it more in conservative countries does not mean that it does not exist in other countries. Let me talk about glass ceilings in Italy. There are many efforts in Italy to limit women and keep them away from political power. The responsibility for housework and childcare still falls on two-thirds of Italian women, which causes them to face many discriminations." Ms. Niki added: "It is enough to think about how women's bodies are used in this country. Mandatory dress codes and naked consumerism are two sides of a coin that questions human dignity." Although the initial foundation of the Foundation for Women's Research was established in 1993 by three individuals, Afsaneh Najmabadi, Golnaz Amin, and Emma Delkhaniyan, Golnaz Amin has been carrying the main burden of the foundation for years. Amin considers the foundation to be a non-profit organization that is not dependent on any political or religious group and strives to look at Iranian history, which has been written by men, through a feminine lens and to preserve and promote the works of Iranian women to the best of its ability. This has led to one of the foundation's regular programs being the recognition of the woman of the year. This year, Shahla Shafigh, an Iranian sociologist residing in France who recently received the Legion of Honor medal from that country, was chosen as the woman of the year. Farzaneh Milani, a professor of Persian literature and women's studies at the University of Virginia, explained the reason for Shahla Shafigh's selection: "Shafigh's works, even when they are not overtly political, challenge concepts of politics and power structures and expand their boundaries. She knows that oppression and injustice are not limited to the ruling system and lawmakers; one must also seek its roots in the realm of everyday affairs and personal relationships. She knows that it is not only the government and its leaders that obstruct democracy and freedom. She understands that the solution to cultural-political problems lies in cultural change within society, not just in replacing this government or that party. The essence of her works lies in the deep understanding that a democratic society cannot be achieved without a democratic family, and to fight against an undemocratic order, one cannot use the criteria and methods of that same backward order and become part of it." The foundation serves as a bridge between Iranian women activists on both sides of the border. The second and third days of the foundation's conference were dedicated to various panels and speeches, although two speakers could not attend the sessions due to visa issues, both the speeches and the related Q&A sessions were held via Skype. However, the Q&A sessions displayed another facet of the discussions, where disagreements even extended to fundamental and basic interpretations of the topics, showing how years of living away from Iran and in a different cultural space have influenced the views of Iranians abroad, while life in Iranian society, with all its scientific and cultural limitations, has created new necessities for women residing in Iran. I asked Golnaz Amin whether the emergence of these differences would lead to changes in the conference proceedings and whether the foundation could serve as a bridge between Iranian women activists on both sides of the borders. Golnaz Amin replied: "We members of this large family have a very close relationship. Those who initially came from Iran and we tried to maintain these bridges, but sometimes difficulties arise in this path. I myself have not been in Iran for a long time since my youth, and I wish to go back. But I know that this will not happen. However, I always ask everyone to invite the children of Iran to join us because we want to be alongside them and learn from them, as despite all the limitations and events that have occurred, I see what great spirits they have and how much positive energy they possess. I always hope that this relationship will continue and improve day by day, but with these limitations, we cannot do anything. The continuous holding of 28 sessions of the Foundation for Women's Research conference has also raised sensitivities regarding the foundation's activities. Among the questions are issues of funding the foundation, inviting guests from different countries, and covering ancillary costs, a question that Golnaz Amin answers as follows: "We do not receive help from anywhere. Only this $100 entry fee for the conference, which has remained the same for 28 years. In America and Europe, the entry fees for such conferences reach $450 to $500, but we have kept the same $100 and have tried to hold this conference with that amount because we do not want to receive help from places where the help is not appropriate, and we want to be independent. However, independent foundations like Heinrich Böll helped us when we held the conference in Germany. We want to continue our important work very cleanly and correctly. Although we have been very poor so far. We have carried out this work with a very limited budget and do not want to be dependent on anyone.