PLIGHT OF IRANIAN WOMEN

Woman who rocks the cradle can also rule the world.But this axiom is uncommon in case of iranian women who writhed and rolled in the dungeon of darkness.Born in the conservative setting, women were never valued, trusted or respected.Their status was not tantamount to men. But before delving deep into the subject i must turn the clock backward. In the pre-islamic era women used to hold a prominent position in political and social spheres.The writings of Michael H. Dodgeon and Samuel N.C. Lieu (Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian wars (AD 226-363) echoed the fact.With the coming of Islam to power the position of women relegated to the background.Some reactionery clerics formed the shi'is rule and imposed compulsory veling on women.The shi'is orthodoxy was further strenghtened in the Qajar rule.During this time women led a dismal life in a secluded cocoon.They were left in utter dismay.They had no right to vote or education.They were cloaked in veil and were excluded from public domain.Young girls sometimes became victims of child-marriage, exploitation and venereal diseases.If they were thrown out of their house after marriage then these poor girls lived in destitute or took up prostitution.Such was the plight of women in the early 20th cent. The constitutional revolution of Iran (1906-1911) provided a new platform to women to engage in public affairs.According to J.Afary (Iranian constitutional revolution( 1906-11) women held important positions in journalism and school associations. Some notable ladies of this time were Bibi Khatoon,Astarbadi.Many women-centric journals appeared; like Danesh (knowledge) was the first Iranian women journal that appeared in 1910.Other journals like- Alam-e-Nesvan,

Jahan-e-Janan, Jaban-e-Janan came into being.These womencentric journals shed immense light on the decadent plight of women.They demanded emancipation of women, right to schooling, unveiling of women.The defeat of constitutionlist (1921-25) and the consolidation of power by Reza Shah destroyed women's journals and groups.Their freedom of expression was curbed and their activities were dismantled.With his coming to power in 1926, Reza Shah started women's reforms from above.He curtalied women's freedom of speech and expression through journals and himself maintained a pro-woman attitude.The women's reforms didn't remain simply as liberal reforms but those were inextricabely tied to the mainstream reform movement of Iran. Reza's shah modifed the civil code in 1928 and laws pertaining to familiar issues like marriages and divorce were revived.He never deviated from the main sharia law as he feared ulemas.The only difference he brought was that (.) increasing the marriageable age of girls to 15 years. (.) registration of divorce and marriage so to keep a check on polygamy (.)women could make application for divorce in the court.(.) production of medical certificate stating the fact that the groom was not suffering from any veneral diseases. His major achievement was the unveiling of women or bihezabi.In 1936 he made a formal declaration of unveiling of women.But unlike Ataturk of Turkey, Reza shah applied coercion and forced women to adopt the practise.Despite the stiff opposition of the ulemas he conducted the liberal reforms very well.After banning the women journals the state took the women cause more seriously.Ladies centre was founded and progressive ladies lectured on the merits of unveiling.Women training college and dozens of girl's schools in Iran and Tehran delivered lectures on the merits of un-

veiling. Women started their university courses from 1937.Despite all these some elderly women like -Fatmeh Ansari disapproved un-veiling while liberals like Delshud Khanum lauded Reza Shah's reforms.Reza Shah, doubtless, rescued women from the slumber of darkness.He brought a ray of hope in the sombre picture by founding many girl's schools and women's training college in Tehran.But the authoritarian character had spoilt his progressine venture.If any woman was caught unveiled then she would be detained by police.He forcibly un-veiled women and asked them to wear western garments like- coat, gloves and hat. The only exception was the Rural district Ajerbaijan where the toiling women could wear head-sacrf or rusari. His son Md. Reza Shah Pahlavi introduced more liberal reforms.He maintained the practise of un-veiling or bihezabi.He granted women suffrage in 1963 and from 1967 onwards women were appointed in majlis or council.Many progressive reforms were made centring round women.Women were liberated from the clutches of ulemas during the pahlavi era.This era had set a new paradigm for Iranian women.They were many notable ladies who became scientists, doctors, engineers, professors, pilots and also lawyers, judges.Thus, the literacy rate was subsequently increasing and women were raised from social debility. However, with the downfall of the Pahlavi regime and the start of Islamic Republic women's prominent status again receeded to the background.They were put back in veil and as Sohaila Sharifi (women's liberation in iran and stuggle against sexual aparthied) says that if the woman's body was not covered except face and hand then she would be imprisoned for six months and the make-up face would be burnt by throwing acid.Thus, women started a demonstation against this forced veiling in 1979.What is happening in Iran

in the 21st cent. is horrendous and unthinkable.In Iran in the 21st cent. also women remain subservient and spineless creatures lurking in darknes.The legalised sexual apartheid is torturing women to death. Thus seeing the pros and cons, i must say that Iranian women too some extent were emancipated.During the Pahlavi era they were recovered from the garb of darkness.But that era also exhibited certain flaws like the coercion of Reza shah and the problem of dispersing top-up reforms throughout Iran.The same problem occured during his son's time; the direct state reforms failed to permeate the whole country.Above all women's freedom of expression was curbed heavily.In the 21st cent. in the Islamic Republic of Iran women are facing sexual apartheid which is legistimised.Thus, for a long time women are subjected to exploitation and torture in the name of religion.Still now, they are not properly emancipated or got full respite.There are some prejudices which couldn't be overcome. works cited Jasamine Rostam Kolayi : Expanding agendas for the 'new' Iranian woman
Ardizzoni, Michela. Unveiling the Veil: Gendered discourses and the (in)visibility of the female body in France. Womens Studies. 33.5, 629-649.

Sohaila Sharifi : women's liberation in Iran and struggle against sexual apartheid