A Glance at Article 6 of the NCRI Plan for Women’s Rights and Freedoms
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) outlines a comprehensive 12-article plan that addresses women’s rights and freedoms. Article 6 focuses on recognizing women’s organizations and supporting their voluntary efforts across the country. Let us review the key points:
Objective: Eliminating Inequality and Double Oppression
Article 6 aims to eliminate the inequality and double oppression faced by women in Iran. Special privileges are proposed in various social, administrative, and cultural fields, particularly in education.
Throughout history, Iranian women have endured double oppression. In a free Iran, women should actively participate through organized women’s organizations, associations, and advocacy efforts. Government support is crucial for achieving gender equality.
Misogyny and Cultural Resistance
The term “equality” is often viewed as anti-cultural by the mullahs’ regime. Even women affiliated with the government hesitate to advocate for equality.
Fahimeh Farhamandpour, an advisor to the Minister of Interior, emphasized justice rather than equality.
Organizational Deprivation: Women’s Rights Denied
Under the medieval and anti-freedom rule of the mullahs, Iranian women have been deprived of the right to organize and advocate for their rights. This organizational deprivation perpetuates their double oppression.
Women from minority ethnicities face additional challenges. Multiple layers of discrimination intersect, leading to economic, social, educational, and cultural deprivation. These long-term damages must be addressed.
Global Ranking: Iran’s Gender Equality Performance
The World Economic Forum’s report (June 2023) ranks Iran 143rd out of 146 countries in terms of gender equality. Among South Asian countries, Iran is 8th, just above Afghanistan.
Countries like Congo, Pakistan, and Mali surpass Iran in education, health, and political participation for women.
Despite global efforts, Iran’s ruling regime refuses to join the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
Systematic Suppression of Female Activists in Iran
The Iranian regime has systematically stifled individual and group activities for political activists, civil servants, workers, teachers, students, and retirees through continuous suppression, summons, and arrests. Here are two examples of the arrest and detention of active women involved in women’s and workers’ organizations.
Women’s rights activists
On April 3, 2022, Nahid Shaghaghi, Akram Nasirian, Maryam Mohammadi, and Esrin Darkale were summoned to the Evin Prosecutor’s Office.
These four women’s rights activists were sentenced to 4 years and two months in prison for charges related to their involvement in the Voice of Iran’s Women Group. The group advocates for women’s rights and aims to highlight the struggles, failures, and successes of women in Iranian society.
Charges against them included “gathering and colluding against national security” and “campaigning against the regime.” Notably, one of the charges was related to not wearing a hijab, reflecting the oppressive enforcement of dress codes.
The Voice of Iran’s Women Group, an active non-governmental association, strives to highlight the struggles, failures, and successes of women in Iranian society. Despite challenges, women continue to fight for their rights, hoping for a more equitable future.
Parvin Mohammadi and the Free Workers Union of Iran
Parvin Mohammadi, vice president of the Free Workers Union of Iran, has faced repeated summonses and various sentences.
The Free Union of Iranian Workers represents temporary and permanent contract workers across various sectors.
Despite efforts, organizing and forming women’s organizations under the current regime remains an uphill battle and is impossible.
Misogynistic Laws in Iran
Blood Money Disparities: Iran’s penal code assigns unequal blood money for the murder of women compared to men.
For intentional or unintentional murder, the blood money for a woman is half that of a man. Additionally, the blood money for a female fetus is half that of a male fetus from the age of four months onwards. This means that if a pregnant woman is killed, her 4-month-old son’s blood money is twice that of hers.
Shockingly, fathers or paternal ancestors have the right to kill their own children.
Murder Retaliation: Article 382 of the Penal Law of the Regime allows for unequal retaliation. If a man intentionally murders a woman, he won’t face retaliation unless the victim’s parents pay half the blood price of a man to the murderer’s parents.
In contrast, if a woman murders a man, she faces execution.
Guardianship and Financial Control: Under Iranian law:
A child under 18 is considered under the guardianship of their father.
Fathers can directly intervene in their child’s financial affairs, including opening accounts, withdrawing money, and signing documents.
Even after divorce, a mother cannot interfere in her child’s financial matters unless she obtains power of attorney from the father.
These discriminatory laws perpetuate the chains binding Iranian women. Radical intervention and Article 6 of the Women’s Freedoms and Rights Plan, which aims to grant special privileges to women, may pave the way for change.
