Press Release
Wednesday February 13th 2008 -- Olof Palme Prize 2007 goes to Parvin Ardalan, frontfigure for the Iranian Women's movement. Her commitment and insistent work represents a path of democracy and dialogue in a region filled with conflict. Parvin Ardalan has succeeded in making the demand for equal rights for men and women a central part of the struggle for democracy in Iran [See One Million Signatures Campaign]. As a result, the women’s movement for civil rights and liberties has, to a great extent, spread geographically as well as socially. Despite persecution, threats and harassment, Parvin Ardaln has been persistent in her struggle and never compromised her ideals. Through constantly more ingenious methods, she and her fellow sisters have managed to increase the support for equal rights. The ongoing campaign for a million signatures against discrimination is an excellent example. Their intensive work deserves international recognition as a path to democracy and peace in this region of turbulence and conflict.
* * * * *
The Olof Palme Memorial Fund for International Understanding and Common Security was established by Olof Palme’s family and by the Social Democratic Party to honour Olof Palme’s memory. The Fund’s purpose is, through scholarships and grants, to give opportunities to young people for international exchange and for studies of peace and disarmament, to support work against racism and hostility toward immigrants and to foster in other ways work for international understanding and common security.
THE OLOF PALME PRIZE is awarded annually for an outstanding achievement in the spirit of Olof Palme chosen by the Fund’s Board.A Prize ceremony will be held at the van der Nootskapalatset in Stockholm March 6th 2008, at 16.00.
PRESS CONTACT
For comments on this years prize winner, please contact:
-- Pierre Schori, Chairman, telephone +46 (8) 70 - 958 38 38,
-- Joakim Palme, vice Chairman, telephone +46 (0) 70 - 399 03 54.
Person | About | Day |
---|---|---|
نسرین ستوده: زندانی روز | Dec 04 | |
Saeed Malekpour: Prisoner of the day | Lawyer says death sentence suspended | Dec 03 |
Majid Tavakoli: Prisoner of the day | Iterview with mother | Dec 02 |
احسان نراقی: جامعه شناس و نویسنده ۱۳۰۵-۱۳۹۱ | Dec 02 | |
Nasrin Sotoudeh: Prisoner of the day | 46 days on hunger strike | Dec 01 |
Nasrin Sotoudeh: Graffiti | In Barcelona | Nov 30 |
گوهر عشقی: مادر ستار بهشتی | Nov 30 | |
Abdollah Momeni: Prisoner of the day | Activist denied leave and family visits for 1.5 years | Nov 30 |
محمد کلالی: یکی از حمله کنندگان به سفارت ایران در برلین | Nov 29 | |
Habibollah Golparipour: Prisoner of the day | Kurdish Activist on Death Row | Nov 28 |
Dear Parvin,
by An Iranian who loves all God's creatures (not verified) on Sat Sep 06, 2008 07:13 PM PDTDear Parvin, Never mind what is going on in Majlis, Never mind what is being taught in Islam or Christianity, Judaism or other religions, Never mind what is going on in any man's heart, who desire to look down on a woman, oh never mind, oh never, never mind ... Parvin, you mothers, you wives, you sisters, you women walking in everywhere on this planet, on any inch of this beautiful world are all queens of our hearts, our souls, our minds. Parvin, who can even think of denying your rights? This world can not exist without you all. Who are we to tell what you are allowed to do, what you are not allowed to do. You are all so beautiful in our beloved Iran, Asia, America, Africa, Europe, Venus, Mars or anywhere in this beautiful world. We can not even imagine the day that we might imagine to talk about your rights. You are queens of our existence. I, an Iranian man, your brother, hereby tell all nations that an Iranian woman, in fact any woman living in any parts of this marvellous world, are the most beautiful of all. You are all the dearest occupants of our hearts. Who are we to tell what you should do, wear or how to act. A woman's right is UNDISPUTABLE, UNDENYABLE. I can not believe that we are even debating the rights of women. This is just an unbelievably unimaginable debate. We are all creatures with the same right. Woman, man, Black or White, Yellow or Red, from earth or Venus, all God's creatures. The SAME RIGHTS. Never, Ever, Ever to be confused... Never, Ever, Ever to be debated... I am ashamed of being a creature of God when I hear or read that a man looks down on you all. What!!! You do not have equal rights?! You must wear what we tell you to wear?! A man can have up to four wives?! What kind of nonsense are these?! A man rapes a woman and the victim is victimised?!... Oh, surely animals are more civilised than us, surely. Oh God, What is going on with us all?!!!!!! Parvin, I am shouting loudly (right now) on behalf of all men, the ones who are not animals of course, that there is not a difference between women’s or men’s rights even as big as the smallest atom in the smallest possible element from anywhere in this Universe or others. Regards, Al
if in doubt
by Don on Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:51 PM PDTThe genuine social movements by Ali (not verified) on Thu Feb 14, 2008 01:02 AM CST The genuine social movements in Iran do not need the support nor the cheering of Western powers.
Don, from Oregon , USA comments:
As Thomas Paine said in 1776 to paraphrase, “I am a man of all nations, my bible is the Universe, and my church is my body.”
NO greater words have been spoken that inspired men and women to seek to be the very best they can be to one and all. Yes, I am a man of all nations as any other.
Persia, Iran, is NOT, will never become, the Islamic invaders that imposed a savage, insane, Allah that his prophet could not keep his hands off little girls, babes, in sexual lust.
Islam, the Koran, has never stood for human rights and never will. Islam is the putrid lust of the few to subdue the many and any lie is a good lie, if people are beaten down to savagery and accept brutality as a way of life.
Persia, the noble people, are better than this. You want to throw off your taskmasters in brutality, that make slaves out of women, as servant animals, to be beaten as the man desires, then vomit out the Islam religion and Koran. Take that horrid barbaric Koran book out of your government as it does NOT belong to Persians, nor to your fellow human, other than by the point of the sword and savagery.
As a fact that I talk to you in Iran, I being from Oregon, USA, I am a man off all nations. All are my fellow humans, and NO lady is left out.
When your Koran god says it is OK to have more than one wife---that is time to revolt, NO such god NEVER---Ever--- talked to a man in such stupidity.
If in doubt—ask a lady, and get wise.
Don
Being an American male, allow me to speak freely
by Don on Mon Apr 07, 2008 08:48 PM PDTTo markux and all: Being an American male, allow me to speak freely.
Here is the organization from what Parvin Ardalan received her award as found on this site:
“The Olof Palme Memorial Fund for International Understanding and Common Security was established by Olof Palme’s family and by the Social Democratic Party to honour Olof Palme’s memory. The Fund’s purpose is, through scholarships and grants, to give opportunities to young people for international exchange and for studies of peace and disarmament, to support work against racism and hostility toward immigrants and to foster in other ways work for international understanding and common security.” I certainly have great respect for this organization as do many around the world. This is an organization that seeks to end discrimination because of sexual gender. They accomplish this by means of education, social awareness, awards, and bring the eyes of the world to view the problems and seek solutions. These organizations are greatly needed as they tell the “activist” for equal rights that they do NOT “stand alone” and the world stands with them.
If these “equal rights” threaten political and religious leaders, then too damn bad. This award, and organization, has nothing to do with your comments of Cuba (that has equal woman rights in their constitution and laws), has nothing to do with Iran’s history to the USA (that is deplorable), has nothing to do with South America, and has nothing to do with the “man in the moon”. This award, and organization, to Parvin Ardalan stands for women’s rights, to have equal rights as any other man, and women rights are not to be compromised, as that of any other man. If you want to find fault with the USA, that is not hard to do. Here, let me help you out.
In 1776, the USA set a constitution for equal rights to ALL, and in 1920, women received the right to vote. Being practical, after a bloody civil war that ended in 1865 that stopped slavery, it was not until about 1960 that American blacks could vote, male and female, one and all.
What more do you need to condemn the USA, and Oregon, as an independent State?
“Women rights” in this country, USA, have been hard fought for, well won, and is an on going practice of law enforcements. However, look at the time it took, and the blood-shed---that is horrible! Condemn the USA as you please, as I agree.
The battle is not over yet in the USA for equal rights by any means. There are court battles going for women to get equal pay for equal work, equal opportunities in society, equal health care coverage, against sexual harassment in the work place, paternity leave with a job to return to if desired, in order to establish a family. These are a few of our “hot topics” and “burning issues” that are on going in Oregon. These same “equal rights to Women” have be hard fought for and won, all over the West as Canada, England, Western Europe to name a few places on this earth and growing. The same have experienced the “revolution” for the women NOT to be discriminated against. Islam, the Koran, horribly discriminates against women and so does the Bible in Christianity. It is deplorable how these books talk about women. These “man made books” place women to be as animals of servitude, to be beaten, to be fed as needed as they are packed into a barn; rather than live, living, NOBLE creatures of a loving creator, that found NO fault in his creation, and NEVER to be abused or discriminated against.
It has been very hard to shake off these religious teachings of discrimination by sexual gender. It has been hard to combat “Big FAT” blatant lies, myths, superstitions, ignorance, and NOT easy to change social attitudes.
However, the USA, and other countries, PROVED it can be done, and our societies, culture, and countries are better for it by leaps and bounds for “good things” at very turn. In addition, if NOT for the many goods, then equal rights to women are a “fair and just” thing to do as an intrinsic beauty, and a high value to our own human kind. When a country marginalizes 50% of their population as being sub human, how can that country prosper? It cannot.
I have the greatest respect for Parvin Ardalan. She takes her life in her own hands every day against a savage religious government that has no concept of equal rights to women, but rather dehumanized women as sub-class animals.
This world is filled with much that is wrong, and the West is NOT a shining star by any means, look at our history and I agree. But we in the West did ONE thing right, we stopped the discrimination by sexual gender, race, national origin, and religion.
It is my hope that many people as Parvin Ardalan find the resources needed to continue this battle for the human mind and to live in freedom.
On the Net, and in hard copy books, is recorded the history of all humanity, what humans did and how they did it. I hope this is a useful tool to Parvin Ardalan and may she never quit, never say die, and NEVER at any time relent from her noble, and needed, cause to women at large.
Make NO mistake on this------Parvin Ardalan is an inspiration to the USA people, she is an example for the USA to follow; that humanity will NOT discriminate against its own kind, will not denying equal rights to all.
Hate the USA, and the West at large as you desire, as we stand and fight for equal rights to women. In the doing of your hatred to the West, know this. We in Oregon, USA, (an independent State for those that do not know US organization), we Oregonians love heroes and champions of human rights, one to another, that NONE is left out.
Parvin Ardalan, is tops on the list of good things to be admired, and to follow accordingly. What is Right is shown by any sane common person. This is the USA standard in common law, and the back bone of Oregon justice.
Parvin Ardalan is right, there shall be NO discrimination as to sexual gender.
I thank you for your time.
Don
THANK YOU VERY MUCH PARVIN ARDALAN
by persian (not verified) on Sun Mar 30, 2008 09:15 AM PDTTHANK YOU VERY MUCH TO YOU PARVIN ARDALAN.
ALL OF US WE ARE WITH YOU.
BRAVE WOMEN WHO LOVES IRAN¡¡¡¡
How can we help her
by hamid (not verified) on Mon Mar 03, 2008 08:24 AM PSTI would like to have the E-mail of Parvin. I would like to ask her how can we help her from USA. She is equal to more then million men. I think the men in Iran should be shame of themselves when they stay in corner and watch women get bit up and touched by Palestinian all those guys how caver their face are Arab from Lebanon and Palestinian. Parvin is our next Korosh. Please every body help her support her when she get arrested we will have demonstration in front of wait Hose and people in Iran should go to united nation office in Tehran. Please some body send me her e-mail thanks.
How can we help her
by hamid (not verified) on Mon Mar 03, 2008 08:23 AM PSTI would like to have the E-mail of Parvin. I would like to ask her how can we help her from USA. She is equal to more then million men. I think the men in Iran should be shame of themselves when they stay in corner and watch women get bit up and touched by Palestinian all those guys how caver their face are Arab from Lebanon and Palestinian. Parvin is our next Korosh. Please every body help her support her when she get arrested we will have demonstration in front of wait Hose and people in Iran should go to united nation office in Tehran. Please some body send me her e-mail thanks.
I appreciate your comment Mr Faribors Maleknasri M.D
by AnonymousinNY (not verified) on Thu Feb 14, 2008 06:12 PM PSTThere is really something deep in what you have posted here.
I had never thought that way.It is obvious that most of the
(bad) comments about you, are from people who don't even know
the basics of writing and talking to others. Please ignore
them.
To Maleknaseri M.D., IRI MOZDOUR
by Shahyad on Thu Feb 14, 2008 05:57 PM PSTAgha Doctor......
by Zede Emam Sizdahoom. (not verified) on Thu Feb 14, 2008 05:27 PM PSTChera Enghadr Khar Hastid Shoma? Lotf Konid Va Tozih Bedid Ke Chera Shoma Injoor Fekr Mikoonid?
Aya Shoma Madar Ya Khahar Ya Dokhtar Khaleyi, Dokhtar Ameh Kasi Nadarid? Aya Shoma Az Ishan Porsidid Ke Rajebe In Tafakorate Ahmaghaneye Shoma Haghighatan Che Fekr Mikonand? Chera Bayad Yek Kase Khar Mesle Shoma Hamisheh Dahanesho Baz Bekoneh Va Khariatesho Be Tamame Donya Neshoon Bedeh? Agar Doktor Hasty Yek Noskheh Braye Khodet Benevis Va OOn Dava Ro Bekhor Va Deraz Bekesh Va Bemir Va Boro Pishe Jakesh Emam Sizdahoomet Khomeini Toye ooN jahanami Ke KHodet Migi Hast? To Liaghate ESME FARIBORZ RA NADARI. Agar Ke Aghl Dashti Hamoon Danestane Maaniye Dashtane ESME FAROBORZ Baraye To Kafi Bood Ke Enghadr Khare Nafahm Nabashi. Baseh Digeh Dahaneto Beband, KhaIli Khari To.
Oh Olaf, Ooooo Palme and Dr. Joon...
by Antibullshit (not verified) on Thu Feb 14, 2008 02:05 PM PSTOne of Olaf Paleme's photographers must have had been there at the right time...Nice pic Khahar Parvin... The blond lady in the back ground from the embassy looks mighty fine too...Soon we will be all equal in the eyes of Velayete Faghih...Sign me up...
Dr. Joon aziz,
I want some of the drugs you are having...
Javid_Iran
Re: Parvin Ardalan
by Ali (not verified) on Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:13 PM PSTParvin Ardalan is a great woman whose contributions to our country should be honored and cherished. We all very proud of her!
P.S. For you Faribors Maleknasri you need to go to hell, bast...d
Faribors Maleknasri M.D. --- M.D> ????? you wished
by Dariushagha (not verified) on Thu Feb 14, 2008 09:57 AM PSTFIRST OF ALL : DEATH TO ISLAM AND ALL THAT GARBAGE IT BRINGS.
SECOND: HEY FARIBOZ,,,M.D. MY ASS.. GOMSHO BABA.
THIRD: MAY ALI GEDA DIE IN PAIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
You must be a sick person.
by Iranian for Iran (not verified) on Thu Feb 14, 2008 01:13 AM PSTYou must be a sick person. She is more man, than anybody in Iran.
I think you are working for Iranian police(Pasdaran)
The genuine social movements
by Ali (not verified) on Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:02 PM PSTThe genuine social movements in Iran do not need the support nor the cheering of Western powers.
Please, read the article in this site, front page, under ..
by aaj sr (not verified) on Wed Feb 13, 2008 05:26 PM PSTHeadline
===========
"Executioner's last word"
"Akharin matn mosahebeh Khalkhali"
Attention Maleknasri:
If you read this interview and do not shame on yourself, shame on Islam (Iranian version), shame on so called revolution, then there is something seriously wrong with health of your brain.
Reading this article must give you a reminder lesson to think twice before writing any article praising IRI and revolution.
My God!!, some of those injustice, inhuman and execution of innocent young people without trial must be among the saddest, darkest pages of human history in the world.
Attn. Mr. MD: it's called a spell checker
by Anonymous-today (not verified) on Wed Feb 13, 2008 03:34 PM PSTRun your posts through a spell checker, Mr. M.D. And for Allah sake, make them a little more intelligible. One needs a cipher to understand your reactionary rubbish.
To Maleknasri: Your ideas belong to PRE-STONE AGED period.
by aaj sr (not verified) on Wed Feb 13, 2008 02:26 PM PSTYour thoughts are so backward, so naive, so childish and so stupid that do not allow me to even answer you. It's so shockingly embarressing!!.
However your writings are essential for people to see what type of vicious, uneducated, illiterate are governing Iranian people. Your illegitimate thoughts make me more vigilant to work hard helping to overthrow the barbaric, un-Islamic, inhuman, dictatorship, facist regime of Iran.
Parvin Ardalan & THE OLOF PALME PRIZE 2007
by Faribors Maleknasri M.D. (not verified) on Wed Feb 13, 2008 01:41 PM PSTI just ask myself howmany honourable iranian women who live in their ISLAMIC REPUBLIC of IRAN will ever have the apportunity to hier the name written above? and the one who hear it, well how many of them will be interessted to hear more about this sister of them who is fighting and demonstrating and begging the rights of the iranian women by the strangers? Every reader may construct Her/His own answer. The actual history of Iran shoues that the ones who were in private exil during the time of TAGHUT and were fed by strangers with prices and shares in profits and so on did not have any chance to destroy what those permanently in Iran living "fanatic moslems" were about to construct. Those 30 millions are named by westerns as fanatic moslems and count today 7ty millions. I wounder how can the rights of iranian women - a big number of them active in agriculture, some others in the universities and scientific centers - be protected by a dead man? may be if Palme were alive today he had engaged better with the mighty and rich Republic, the gendarm on Gulf protected by just 7ty fanatics. may be. But now i give in the following what i happend to read in some media on the other day:
Women's rights in Islam and Iran
Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:12:51
Following is an exclusive interview with the head of the Iranian Parliament's Committee for Women and Family Affairs, Mrs. Fatemeh Alia, who is also an active member of the Majlis Cultural Commission.
Q. Islam encourages women to be active members of the society while considering them important pillars of families. Islam also places the central responsibility for the upbringing of children upon women. How can women in today's world balance family matters against social responsibilities?
A. Women can have social responsibilities without necessarily being employed. The society can greatly benefit from women who voluntarily take part in social activities and influence the culture, politics and economics of their country. What is important is that the position of the family as the main building block of the society should always be cherished.
When employed, women can benefit from features such as flextime and maternity leaves. They can also use technologies like the Internet to continue to work at home while caring for their families.
The main issue here is that the family, which is an abode where love and friendship rule, should never be transformed to a mere dwelling deficient in the spirit of companionship.
Q. Does such balance exist in the world today?
A. In most parts of the world, in the West in particular, women are merely objects of collective materialistic values. The notion of complete equality between men and women with no consideration for their biological and emotional differences has distanced women from their inborn nature.
Many women have traded in family values to be able to work. In the West, people are changing the laws of nature such that family values have been forgotten and even same-sex relationships are emerging.
The modern world seems to be greatly concerned about women and makes favorable promises to them. It promises them freedom from slavery, male-domination, and even the established institution of marriage, but what does it actually have in store? Nothing but exploitation, injustice, oppression, aggression, harassment, neurosis and indignity.
Q. What measures have been taken in Iran for women to be able to have an active role in the society while fulfilling their duties at home?
A. The Iranian Parliament (Majlis) has approved a series of rules to allow women to fulfill both their social and familial responsibilities and facilitate their active participation in Iran's social arena. We have passed an act increasing maternity leave from 4 months to 6 months. We have also reduced compulsory working hours for women, and working mothers have been entitled to compensation for working environments which don't provide kindergartens.
However, meager laws are not enough and the main factor lies within the assistance and encouragement that a woman receives from her family.
Q. One of the indices of sustainable development is the rate of employed women. What is Iran's viewpoint in this regard?
A. The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the employment of women from the viewpoint of Islam, which puts great importance on the family, as the main building block of the society and the major institution that can pass on a county's culture and ideology to the next generation.
In addition to women who have opted to work outside the home, many have chosen to continue professions as writers, translators or artists who, besides managing the household, pursue their dreams and passions professionally. This sort of work is not considered in the data pertaining to employment.
Another issue which is also a major index in the economy and development of every society is the domestic work that every woman engages in. Unpaid productive work such as domestic work and child care ought to be included in satellite national accounts and economic statistics.
Q. Can you please give us your viewpoint on the notion of equality between men and women that is propagated in today's world?
A. One cannot assume that equality always results in justice. We believe in justice, but justice is not always the same as equality.
Although men and women have been created equal in the eyes of God, they are not created alike and their differences require a different approach to their roles and responsibilities within the society. Men and women in Islam are not antagonists but separate entities created to complement and complete one another. Islam considers each sex unique in its own sphere of activity and allots significant roles best suited to each according to its own nature and needs.
According to Iranian law, therefore, the two sexes enjoy equal rights and the Qur'an differentiates among human beings only based on the quality of their deeds in this world.
Q. In a meeting with Iranian women, leader of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that Iran objects to the West's record on women's rights. In your opinion what does his comment mean?
A. The West has oppressed women and has not recognized their real rights according to their intrinsic nature and creation. We consider the manipulative treatment of women in the West as oppression against humanity and betrayal of women rights.
The West should be held accountable for degrading woman to mere means of promoting consumer goods and perpetual sexual slavery.
The Islamic culture challenges the West and demands that the status of women be restored to its rightful and dignified position.
Q. Can you please explain some of the shortcomings of The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)?
A. Iran is concerned about various issues of the mentioned convention. CEDAW undermines the traditional family structure which is much respected in our society. The preamble states, "A change in the traditional role of men as well as the role of women in society and in the family is needed to achieve full equality between men and women." This requires states to "Modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices based on stereotyped roles for men and women."
This convention denies any distinctions between men and women. It defines discrimination in its own words as "any distinction on the basis of sex," in "any field". This is to say, it ignores differences between the roles, rights and obligations of men and women in the natural world.
The convention also states that governments should "ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, access to health care services, including those related to family planning". This sort of rhetoric also includes open access to abortion services.
Abortion, of course, is only one of the contradictions between Islamic law and the Convention. Countries that have ratified CEDAW will also be obliged to welcome sexual relations out of wedlock, which Islam prohibits because of the harm it does to the society.
The Islamic tradition of hijab frees women from being perceived primarily as sexual instruments and helps cleanse the society of promiscuity. A healthy and vigorous society is considered essential in Islam for individuals to be able to nurture and develop their abilities.
Societies which promote women as sexual objects also have a horrendous rate of violence toward women. The wisdom behind this dress code is to minimize sexual enticement and degradation in society as much as possible for both men and women.
Regarding Islamic laws relating to inheritance, women have been granted the benefit of being completely entitled to their own property.
A woman receives a dowry at marriage and can choose to keep all of her inheritance for herself. She does receive less inheritance than her male sibling but this is due to the difference which derives from the obligation men have to support their wives financially, while the woman's share would be entirely at her own disposal.
Islam allows polygamy for men whereas there is no such law for women. Certain circumstances require such remedial laws to be introduced in the society. Due to conditions like war, the total number of women sometimes exceeds the number of men. At such times, the society must resolve the dilemma of caring for women who have the right of marriage, emotional support and welfare. In these circumstances polygamy is the only just solution.
Greeting