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Women=Men
06-Apr-2008
Parvin Ardalan, women’s rights activist and member of the One Million
Signatures Campaign, she appeared on Saturday April 5 at the 1st Security Branch of the Revolutionary Courts in Tehran to respond to charges of waging "propaganda against the state". The following is a translation of her speech delivered via video during the ceremony where she was presented with the Olaf Palme Award. Ardalan was due to travel from Tehran to Stockholm on March 3, but was banned from travel at the last minute. Her sister received the award in her place. -- Change for Equality
Ladies and Gentlemen, Greetings,
I am very pleased and honored today to be selected as the 2007 recipient of the Olaf Palme Award. This award, granted each year in remembrance of a person who chose as his life’s path the pursuit of justice and peace, and in turn paid for this choice with his life, brings with it a profound sense of responsibility. I believe that bestowing this honor upon me, is not only an act of recognition for the individual struggles of women’s rights activists in Iran, but an honor acknowledging the collective actions of the women’s movement as well as other social movements in Iran. The granting of this award demonstrates that the efforts of those who work to defend equal rights and freedoms in Iran — despite the many ups and downs their struggles entail, and the patriarchal obstacles along their path — has indeed been effective. And yes, today our demand for justice has resonated with the international community. I too am aware that by receiving this award, I will be subject to greater pressures and accusations at home.
I dedicate this award to all the women of my country, to my mother, to the mothers of prisoners of conscience, and to all the other mothers of my land, who while enduring, have taught us how to resist discrimination, so that we too can pass on these teachings to our children and to future generations.
I had hoped that on this grand occasion, which also commemorates the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day and the just struggles of women around the world, I could be among you. But unfortunately immediately prior to my departure from Iran, I was banned from travel by the order of the courts and as such, was prevented from participating in this event. These types of actions are not unusual in my country, where being a woman and voicing just demands for equality requires continuous struggle and brings with it exclusion.
I am proud that I am a secular woman, belonging to a movement with a 100-year history of struggle and resistance to achieve women’s rights. For more than 100 years, we too, like our sisters around the world, have struggled for the achievement of the most basic of our human rights, including freedom of choice in our private lives and our dress—demands which have been repeatedly sacrificed for the ideologically based policies of our governments. Especially in the three decades following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, many achievements of the women’s rights defenders who came before us were forfeited by the adoption of such policies. Laws such as the Family Protection Act, were overturned and our freedom to choose our own form of dress was transformed into a mandatory dress code for women, imposed and supported by the law.
For nearly three decades now, we have been struggling to achieve the right to divorce and equal rights in marriage for women. We have repeatedly claimed that polygamy rights for men create an unbearable and disgraceful reality for women. But these patriarchal laws have sustained. For years, we have objected to unequal diyeh, or compensation for bodily injury, and have wondered why it is that being a man or a woman determines the amount of compensation to be paid to accident victims? We ask why our laws recognize men as full human beings, setting them as the standard, and value women at half the male standard, and sometimes even less.
We state that in our society, culture outpaces the law. Women’s high rates in university-level education and their active struggle for a continued presence in the social, political and cultural spheres attest to these claims, and reaffirm that we cannot sustain a situation where laws lag behind our culture. We ask, why it is that the Iranian government is a signatory to international conventions such as the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, yet it does not feel obligated to implement them. We ask, if according to these international conventions all forms of official discrimination - including gender discrimination - are to be abolished, why do our laws not adhere to these commitments? Why, for example, are there quotas limiting the participation of women in fields of study at the University level?
For years, we have spoken of the need to increase the age of legal responsibility, yet young girls of 9 and boys of 15 are still found guilty of criminal offenses, and continue to be treated as adults. The only reduction given to these young offenders is the postponement of execution sentences for capital crime convictions until they reach the age of adulthood, or 18 years of age. Opposing executions in general, we wonder why we cannot put an end to the execution of these child offenders who have reached adult age.
For years now many Iranian women have faced a multitude of problems because they have married Afghan or Iraqi refugees. Because of our biased nationality laws, these women are unable to pass on their nationality to their children. We ask, why?
For years, we have spoken about putting an end to the practice of stoning and honor killings and changing the laws, which support such cultural practices that violate the rights of women. Yet honor killings and stoning punishments continue to claim victims. Now, these practices - these crimes - can no longer be viewed as cultural and traditional practices. Rather they are clear forms of violence against women, which are supported by the law, and as such, implemented with greater vigilance and force.
Currently hordes of women and men, are targeted, harassed and arrested by morality police across our country because of their dress. This program is implemented under the guise of a government program intended to protect the social security of citizens.
The demands of the social movements in Iran, including the student, workers’ and teachers’ movements, speak in support of justice and freedom. But many of the activists involved in these movements are currently imprisoned. The members of these movements are prevented from connecting and collaborating with other movements, and are facing increased pressures and crackdowns.
As women’s rights activists, we have exposed the negative impact of laws on our lives, through the employment of a variety of civil strategies. Criticizing and opposing these violent laws, we have demanded reform and change. But in response to our peaceful and civil objections, the government has charged us with security crimes, such as acting against the state or spreading propaganda against the state. But, if we, as civil society activists, as women’s rights defenders, and as citizens, are the disrupters of national security, who then we ask, are the protectors of national security?
Despite all these pressures, we continue to pursue our goals and to struggle to achieve our human rights. We do so, by examining the experiences of those who came before us, by strengthening our historical memories, by utilizing the experiences of Iranian feminists who came before us, and by feminists in other countries, by learning from their successes and challenges, by learning from their theories, by learning from the experiences of Iranian feminists in exile while valuing our own daily experiences and strengthening our own activism. Through such purposeful actions, we have enhanced the richness of our thinking by listening to and learning from different ideas and perspectives. Through these strategies we have tried to increase the spaces for our struggle to redress legal inequalities and to realize the equal rights of women.
Our efforts have also strived to build on the successes of our sisters in the region and to share information and experience regionally. This strategy will surely work to expand and strengthen the women’s movement in the region and beyond. The One Million Signatures Campaign is one innovative strategy of the women’s movement in Iran, which has utilized the experiences of our sisters in Morocco. While our Moroccan sisters started and implemented their campaign initiative with the support of their government, Iranian women have implemented their movement from below, at the grassroots level, through the collection of signatures in support of a petition demanding that the legislature change and reform discriminatory laws against women, and through face-to-face education of our fellow citizens. By connecting with our fellow citizens, we hope that we can raise awareness and strengthen demands to reform the current laws which discriminate against women.
Today, a year and a half into the Campaign, we have not managed to change any laws, but we have increased awareness and promoted democratic and innovative discussions. We have managed to expand the discourse on women’s rights, which has penetrated various layers of society, seeping even into official institutions of our country; and we have forced officials to react and respond to our demands. In this process, we have tried to democratize civil society, because we believe that the path toward democracy must first and foremost include equal rights for women. We can no longer marginalize women’s demands for equal rights and we must reject the tired excuse that broader demands need to be addressed first.
The One Million Signatures Campaign, with its specific and tangible demands, with its civil and peaceful approach of collecting signatures, with the commitment of its activists who have paid a high price for their struggles, and with the generous support of its lawyers, who provide their services and support for free, has gained international renown . To date, more than 50 Campaign activists - the majority of whom are in their twenties, both men and women, living in Tehran and in the provinces - have been arrested, threatened, or called into court. They have been targeted for their peaceful activities in support of the Campaign, such as collecting signatures on the metro or in parks, participating in rights workshops or writing articles in support of women’s rights for the Campaign’s website, Change for Equality. Currently two of these activists remain in prison.
At the heart of this movement are the mothers of activists who have become active in support of the Campaign and their children. These mothers support younger activists when they are arrested, they follow-up on their cases and push for their release. They too have taken on the struggle of their children by engaging in civil actions to pursue equal rights. The entrance of mothers, fathers, and other family members of activists, into the equal rights movements and peace movements, has expanded the reach of our effort and has strengthened the bond between different movements in Iran. Currently, many student and workers’ movement activists continue to be imprisoned, and their family members have become active members of those same movements.
Today the slogan of the Campaign, Change for Equality, has transcended geographic borders. It has done so with the support and assistance of its activists and supporters inside and outside the country, the support of international networks of Iranian and international supporters, feminists and human rights defenders. The significant support of international feminist organizations, the international press, and human rights groups provided to Iranian activists to amplify their demands and highlight their situation is worthy of great praise. Iranian women’s demands have been pursued and supported by social movements, activists and human rights organizations across the world. The continuation of our struggle and movement relies heavily on supporters inside and outside Iran.
The equal rights movement in Iran, benefiting from these relations is quickly gaining strength and momentum. Of course, our opponents have grown stronger and more determined as well.
But no fear! The peaceful activism in which we believe will strengthen our resolve. And we will continue to be empowered and energized by the fact and belief that the energy which flows through our daily lives is at once innovative, productive, stimulating and powerful. We will guard it with our lives. Thank you!
Translated by: Sussan Tahmasebi
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Anonymouse347
by Dariush (not verified) on Thu Apr 10, 2008 07:53 PM PDTMy mistake. I thought you were for women's right not Monarchy's right!
Everybody can see where you are coming from
by Anonymous347 (not verified) on Thu Apr 10, 2008 07:14 AM PDTDariush,
Everybody can see where you are coming from.
But I am so very glad that I am not this so called "thinker" and I say with all due respect, the so called "THINKERS" can all kiss my butt!
We do not need a modern day Shariati and the likes of Soroosh, it was because of these so called "thinkers' that we are where we are.
btw, you are obvioulsy part of the privileged few who are enjoying the fruits of Mullahcracy.
holding back the movement?
by IRANdokht on Wed Apr 09, 2008 05:29 PM PDTI am sorry but reading some of these comments is just frustrating
This is outrageous
IRANdokht
Anonymouse347
by Dariush (not verified) on Wed Apr 09, 2008 02:25 PM PDTYou jumped the gun! You should read my other comments about this subject. You must be a thinker to know what I mean. Good Luck
HORSE FEATHERS ...
by Anonymous347 (not verified) on Wed Apr 09, 2008 01:49 PM PDTDariush,
Modern day salvery exists in your mind and the minds of all supporters of the Islamic Republic.
We all know that women are considered subhuman under the Islamic rulers of Iran.
It goes without saying that whatever rights were granted to them under the Pahlavi rule were forcefully taken away from them by mullahs. Human rights are human rights, universal and have absolutley nothing to do with culture/ religion of a country, specially when Iran is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and rights of women of the UN.
The reasoning of these mullah cronies and sycophants reminds me of the late Shah who also gave the same sort of baseless ridiculous reasons to those who questioned human rights abuses and Savak tortures under his rule.
Pevin Ardalan
by Dariush (not verified) on Tue Apr 08, 2008 04:12 PM PDTGiving speech in west where the modern day slavery of women exist, is not going to help the cause. On the contrary it will harm the cause, the movement.
Anonymous 5000 until then
by Anonymouse on Tue Apr 08, 2008 05:13 AM PDTWe should support Parvin Ardalan. She "may" come to US and other places and give lectures but we don't know that. She is currently not even able to travel. Even if she comes and gives interview and so forth, like Ganji, she has paid her dues and we should respect her.
As for Shirin Ebadi, she comes and goes back to Iran. She gives interviews without rosary and goes back to Iran and defend the political prisoners. How many people (male or female) do you know who are able to do this?
Every (small) step counts.
Anonymous 5000
by Ari Siletz on Mon Apr 07, 2008 08:19 PM PDTThe solution to the problem you pose is for the Islamic Republic NOT to put Ms. Ardalan in jail.
Do Not Be Fooled Again Please
by Anonymous 5000 (not verified) on Mon Apr 07, 2008 06:33 PM PDTI still emphasize that the reason that the enemy is given an award to Ms. Ardalan is because they have recognized they can bank on her. They may already have a plan for her. Imagine the following scenario. Ms. Ardalan eventually gets out of jail. Somehow she will miraculously ends up in the west. In no time she has a book entitled something like this: “Reading Lolita in Evin” or Iran Awaking – The Improved Version”. Then we are going to see her take the press tour. She will appear on CNN, ABC, CBS, NPR, NBC, TBS, USA, …., all in prime time. The questions are always the same and may include something like this: “What do you think about Iran? Ms. Ardalan: Iran is the worst place to be. I would like you to come and bring us the gift of democracy and freedom”; and you know what that means. In other words, Ms. Ardalan’s role is produce public support for any kind possible action against Iran. The same role that Nafisi and Ms. Ebadi played. Nafisi knew exactly what she was doing and she did it gladly. I guess Ms. Ebadi did it because she is very naïve about how international politics works. IF Ms. Ardalan were serious about her activities for equality in Iran, she would not have accepted this award. Instead, she wrote a length letter signaling that she is up to task for the role the enemy has planned for her.
Lead on Ardalan!
by Ari Siletz on Mon Apr 07, 2008 03:19 PM PDTone plus one equals two, not one and a half. Cultures are intricate, politics complex, but when it comes to the rights and worth of one human compared to another, the math can't be simpler.
Mrs Ardalan you and your sisters in Iran are.....
by Tahirih on Mon Apr 07, 2008 03:17 PM PDTBrilliant stars shining in the heaven of freedom and equality.You are shir zan ,the same soul and courage that moved Tahirih /Qurat-ul-ein to anounce to the world that they can silence her but they can not stop emancipation of women.
I am so proud to be an Iranian woman because of you,and your likes.
Do not listen to the bark of enemies when they accuse you of breaking our "beautiful culture of having 4 wives".Press on and go forward.May God bless you and all.You shirzananeh Iran will bring sun to this darkness.
I like to thank Azadeh Azad for the very nice reply to "fattaneh",I am sure Fattaneh is a he not she ,since thinks having 4 wives is beautiful!!!
He should have been where I was last night to see it first hand how beautiful it is to be a widow at age 33 with 5 children ,when this person was married to a much much older man with other 3 wives, since he wanted to practice beauty of our culture!!! Now she is alone this side of the world with 5 kids and no husband(Dead of old age)!!!!
""
And among the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh is the equality of women and men. The world of humanity has two wings—one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of women becomes equal to the world of men in the acquisition of virtues and perfections, can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be.(“Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá”, sec. 227, p. 302) [13]
Respectfuly,
Tahirih
Endangered Species
by Foreigner (not verified) on Mon Apr 07, 2008 09:42 AM PDTIranian women are the number one endangered species of the world because of a system of government that heaps injustice after injustice upon them. How many must pay with their freedom, their blood and, yes, even their lives before the world is going to open its eyes and see their suffering and hear their cries for justice.
Ms. Ardalan and all the brave women of Iran who have been prepared to sacrifice all they have in order for the shackles of oppression to be removed from the feet of Iranian women are Shir Zan.
When Ms. Ardalan is an old woman and her grandchildren ask her what she did for her country, she will be able to say that whenever and wherever she saw injustice against the proud women of Iran, she stood tall and fought it.
I wonder what those who criticise her will be able to say?
justice
by Dariush (not verified) on Mon Apr 07, 2008 09:40 AM PDTCome on guys. These requests (not demadns) are very reasonable. This has nothing to do with being anti IRI and pro west. These are very basic rights. IRI might have some issues with the hejab, but the rest is easy to accept. The hejab can be passed also with some reasoning from both sides. But don't expect the extreme, as is in west. That is what worries most people specially the government. These are your mothers, sisters and daughters. Men need to act like men and stop discrimination!!!
Misogynistic women
by sz (not verified) on Mon Apr 07, 2008 09:35 AM PDTAs revolting as it is when a man defends the stats quo in Iran, , it is still somewhat understandable for he is defending his ill-gotten dominion over a vast segment of society solely based on accident of chromosome. When a woman does the same, that is defending the misogynistic laws and “culture”, as does a commenter here, it is reprehensibly incomprehensible.
Thank you
by IRANdokht on Mon Apr 07, 2008 09:27 AM PDTOur society and our world has to thank the people like Ms Ardalan, who have dedicated their lives and endangered their safety for such honorable causes and the ones who have become the voice for the voiceless victims.
The brave men and women who are speaking up against inequalities not only have a tough and seemingly impossible battle to fight, they are also criticized and unfairly slammed by some indivduals who are even too scared to sign on with a pseudo name on a website that operates outside of Iran!! How much courage does it take to bash some great people like Ms Ardalan and Dr Ebadi and ...??
Ms Ardalan is a source of pride for all Iranians and I thank her for the perseverance she has shown in fighting for us, Iranian women and for equal/human rights.
Dear Azadeh
thank you for the great response you provided.
IRANdokht
Not all western support are bad.
by Anonymouse on Mon Apr 07, 2008 08:08 AM PDTAnd she didn't ask to be given an award. I remember Shahbanou Farah also supported some of these women and received an open letter telling her thanks but no thanks. Farah is more "westernized" than the West, if you want something closer. Har gerdee gerdoo nist. Just because some human rights group that supports someone doesn't make them "westernized". The string that is attached is more problem for the recipient than the western outfits that gives it out. Not the other way around.
support for Iranian activatist inside Iran
by markux (not verified) on Mon Apr 07, 2008 07:36 AM PDTI lend my support to all Iranian activist inside Iran, men, women, young and old. But never lose sight of the fact that western support comes with a price. Remember the same western elements never supported the Iranian activist while Iranian were suffering under the previous regime, the one they liked. So be cautious with the awards, and support of the west, for it comes with great cost to our people. They give award while at the same time prepare to bomb them. Looking at the map of Iran and the surrounding you would notice that Iran is completely surrounded by the western troops ready at anytime to invade. We also have to remember that the west does not intend to lose any of it's prize possession, Iran is only one of them, and they will do this with any means, Carrot or Sticks. Don't be fooled by the western support. They never like independence. Just look at Central and south America in general and Cuba in particular. The west will squeeze and wait as long as it takes to take what they think is rightly theres. or destroy the country with their bomb to keeping below them for a long time. Having said all this, once again my hat off to all Iranian INDEPENDENT who oppose the Iranian government to make the life of Iranian people specially inside Iran better.
This is really funny!
by Anonymouse on Mon Apr 07, 2008 05:04 AM PDTParvin Ardalan is working and living INSIDE Iran. She is struggling for women's rights, say human rights, using Iran's available avenues. She is not doing any arm chair quarterbacking or asking people to stand up from a European capital or Los Angeles. Same with Shirin Ebadi. She is working and fighting in Iran the way any true fighter does.
I suppose it doesn't matter. Even if Rostam shows up and tries to lead us out of dictatorship someone is going to say Rostam is a traitor. Finding "traitors" is easy. Much easier than finding a fighter.
Another Nafisi or Another Ebadi Are Not Needed
by Anonymous 5000 (not verified) on Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:42 AM PDTThe other two examples of “equality” champions such as the traitor Azar Nafisi and politically naïve Shireen Ebadi have presented such bad examples of women activists in Iran that I do not have any sympathy for Ms. Ardalan and her kinds. Unless proven otherwise, one must assume that Ms. Ardalan, like the traitor Nafisi and the naïve Ebadi, is after her own agenda not what is good for Iranian people. The award for which Ms. Ardalan was selected does not come without strings attached. Ms. Ardalan’s award indicates that the enemy is banking on her. Like the award which was granted to Ms. Ebadi and was handsomely paid off. Therefore, it is best for Ms. Ardalan to keep her activities within the boundaries of Iran and most importantly within the socio-economic-cultural limitations and capabilities of Iranian society. Iran is evolving but this evolution needs to follow its own slow course in order to succeed.
To "Fattaneh"
by Azadeh Azad on Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:52 PM PDTMs. or Mr. "Fattaneh",
Your objection to Ms. Ardalan‘s eloquent speech is quite disturbing. You say,
"you cannot impose your style and wishes on the people of Iran."
Ms Ardalan is struggling to change discriminatory laws that have been *imposed* on Iranian people, i.e., without their expressed *wishes*. You say,
"We all know that every culture and country has its own wonderful history and beautiful culture."
You need to know that there are horrible historical events and ugly traditions that could be found in every culture and country. The *imposed* discriminatory laws in Islamic Iran are some of them. They are against the dignity of our nation. In fact, having "respect" for these ugly and inhumane parts of our "culture and history" is an insult to Iranian people’s intelligence and their right to participate in their society’s development. Moreover, you need to realise that the Iranian feminist movement is part of "the way our society is developing."
Finally, Western secularism and feminism are the best parts of the Western influence on our traditional and patriarchal society. If you had a minimum of empathy towards your fellow countrywomen (and even countrymen), you would know that it is not the feminist movement but the male domination and discriminatory laws and traditions that are causing extreme damage to the collective psyche of our people.
I propose that you re-read this wonderful speech and ponder on it with open heart and mind, whether you are a man or a woman.
Azadeh
Mrs. Ardalan, you have to take into account our culture ....
by Fattaneh (not verified) on Sun Apr 06, 2008 07:09 PM PDTMrs. Ardalan,
First congrat for you award. However, reading your (translated) words, it appears to me that you have been too much affected by the so called fiminist movements and especially western "secularism". That is fine since it is your opinion and your wish. However, you cannot impose your style and wishes on the people of iran. We all know that every culture and country has its own wonderful history and beautiful culture. Laws of a nation are functions of its history and more importantly its culture. I wish you had more respect for the Iranian culture and history and the way our society is developing. Also I wish you knew the damage that the western secularism and especially feminism is doing on its people and society at large.
Regards,
Fattaneh