Iranian Women: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Year 2014, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 31 - 53, 01.01.2014

Marzieh Kouhi Esfahanı

Abstract

Through a summarized historical review; this paper is studying Iranian Women’s century long struggle to improve their status in the society and achieve some basic rights such as education and suffrage. The paper demonstrates how the patriarchal system cemented with the male interpretation of Islamic jurisprudence has created strong foundations based on which women have been deserted of many rights for decades. This foundation has resisted change and exhausted positive efforts when progressive statesmen tried to provide women with some developments. Exactly for this reason the Islamic Revolution turned the clock back on women’s rights and acted regressively against limited advantages that women had gained in previous decades. Despite frequent draw backs; Iranian women have continued with their struggle for improving their social and legal status. In this struggle, education has proven to be their most effective mean, as it has provided opportunities and strategies for social and political participation, giving the women the voice of reason to argue for their demands and moreover has given them the ability and skills to interpret the Islamic jurisprudence and hence find avenues through which women can be provided with greater rights and privileges. This in term has empowered them to have constructive dialogues and debates on women related issues with jurisconsults and legislators and urge them to review the legal system with a more favorable approach towards women’s rights and status. However, so long as the social patriarchal system is intact, any progress would be slow and faced with great challenges

Keywords

Iranian Women, Islamic Jurisprudence, Patriarchal system, Education, Women’s status, Women’s rights

İran Kadını: Bir Adım İleri, İki Adım Geri

Abstract

Özetlenmiş bir tarihsel inceleme yoluyla, bu çalışma toplumdaki statülerini geliştirmek ve eğitim ve oy hakkı gibi bazı temel hakları elde etmek için İran kadınının verdiği yüzyıldan uzun mücadelesini inceliyor. Makale, İslam hukukunun erkek yorumlanması ile sağlamlaşmış ataerkil sistemin nasıl kadınların yıllardır birçok haktan mahrum bırakıldığına dayalı güçlü temeller yarattığını göstermektedir. Bu sistem değişime direndi ve yenilikçi devlet adamlarının kadınlar için bazı gelişmeler sağlamaya çalıştıkları zaman olumlu çabaları tükenmiş oldu. Tam olarak bu nedenle İslam Devrimi kadın hakları üzerinde saati geri döndürdü ve kadınlar önceki yıllarda kazanmış oldukları sınırlı avantajlara karşı regresif davrandılar. Sık sık geri gitmelere rağmen, İranlı kadınlar sosyal ve hukuki statülerinin iyileştirilmesi için verdikleri mücadeleye devam etmişlerdir. Bu mücadelede eğitimin onların en etkili ifade etme yolu olduğu kanıtlanmıştır; eğitim sosyal ve siyasal katılım için fırsatlar ve stratejiler sağlandığı gibi kadınlara kendi isteklerini dile getirebilme ve tartışabilmeleri için güç verdi. Dahası, onlara İslam hukukunu yorumlayabilmeleri için yetenek ve beceri verdi ve böylece kadınlar daha fazla hak ve ayrıcalıkların sağlandığı yollar buldular. Bu, kadınları hukukçular ve milletvekilleri ile ilgili konularda ve meselelerde yapıcı diyalog ve tartışmalar için güçlendirdi ve kadınları kadın hakları ve statüsüne karşı daha olumlu yaklaşılması için hukuk sistemini gözden geçirmeleri için teşvik etti. Fakat, sosyal ataerkil sistem yerinde durduğu müddetçe, herhangi bir ilerleme yavaş olacaktır ve büyük zorluklarla karşı karşıya kalacaktır.

Keywords

İranlı Kadınlar, İslami Hukuk, Ataerkil sistem, Eğitim, Kadınların Statüsü, Kadın Hakları

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