Parvin Ardalan's Speech to Olaf Palme Foundation

Banned from leaving Iran to accept her award for courageous activism, Parvin Ardalan sent her sister to deliver her speech:

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..

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 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?

...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.

...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!

Comments

[Jane]

not much significant progress on this front

[hermes bags]

Excellent piece of writing and definitely helps with becoming familiar with the subject matter much better

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i love it !!!!

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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. I like this part.

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Gracias por el contenido interesante!