Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi
Encyclopedia
Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi (born 11 February 1959, Tehran, in Persian: مرضیه وحید دستجردی) is an Iran
ian university professor and former parliamentarian
, who is Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education.
Vahid-Dastjerdi is the first female government minister in Iran since the Islamic Revolution. She is the third female government minister in Iranian history, after Farrokhroo Parsa
and Mahnaz Afkhami
.
, who was head of the Red Crescent Society of Iran.
She entered Tehran University of Medical Sciences
in 1976 to study medicine, and qualified in nursing and obstetrics, obtaining a doctoral degree in 1988.
.
Vahid-Dastjerdi has worked on the organizing committees for prominent conferences on subjects related to medicine. Examples include a Workshop on “Higher Education & Development in Knowledge Based Society: Towards Enhancing Quality and Relevance in Medical and Professional Education” and the 2nd International Congress of Medical Ethics in Iran which took place in Tehran during April 2008.
She is a member of the editorial board of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Family and Reproductive Health.
She has written and translated many books in the field of women's diseases.
(1992–1996) representing Tehran, and re-elected in 1996. She was elected chairwoman of the Majlis Committee on Women, Family and Youth in August 1997.
While in the Majlis, Vahid-Dastjerdi supported legal changes making it harder for women to obtain a divorce, keep custody of their children after divorce, or have an abortion. She is described by one critic as supporting the role of women as "pious mothers devoted to Islam, to their duties to their husbands, and to the Islamic Republic." She opposed a bill that might have led Iran to join the United Nations
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
.
In April 1998, Vahid-Dastjerdi helped draft a proposal for sexual segregation in hospitals and medical institutions to comply with Sharia
. This plan envisaged female hospitals for women staffed exclusively by women, on a model sharing some features of London's Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, which led to the founding of the London School of Medicine for Women
. The plan was eventually rejected on grounds of cost, after heavy criticism from doctors and health professionals. A similar plan to separate Iranian hospitals by gender, based on Vahid-Dastjerdi's original proposal, was enacted in 2006. The president of the Council of Iranian Medical Specialists described the plan as "not even realistic” because of the "shortage of female specialists in many cities".
In May, 1999, she addressed a rally in Tehran to protest the ban on wearing the headscarf in the Turkish parliament. She condemned the ban as an affront to Muslims and a crime against human rights.
On September 3, 2009, the Majlis
confirmed Vahid-Dastjerdi as Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education. She received 175 favoring, 82 opposing, and 29 abstaining votes, and is the first female minister in the history of the Islamic Republic
an government. On the same day, two other female candidates for ministries (Sousan Keshavarz
and Fatemeh Ajorlou
) were voted down.
Vahid-Dastjerdi is considered politically conservative, but supports a role for women in society. She told parliamentarians "Women must have a greater role in the country's affairs." After her confirmation, she said "I think today women reached their long-standing dream of having a woman in the cabinet to pursue their demands. This is an important step for women and I hold my head high."
Jannani S, Vahid-Dastjerdi M. Relationship of placenta accreta to previous cesarean section. 5th Seminar of Fertility and Infertility, Tehran, February 1991.
Vahid-Dastjerdi M, Moalleman M. Cesarean section indications in Arash hospital, 1994 [PhD thesis]. Tehran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 1995.
Ramazanali F., Vahid Dastjerdi M., Beigi A., Moini A. The Relationship Between Maternal HCT Levels, Birth Weight And Risk Of Low Birth Weight Iranian Journal Of Pediatrics Winter 2006; 16(4):447–454.
Vahid Dastjerdi M., Alavi Tabari N., Asgari Z., Beygi A. The relationship of endometrial thickness detected by transvaginal sonography with the results of endometrial biopsy & hysteroscopic directed biopsy in post menopausal bleeding Tehran University Medical Journal; Vol. 65, No. 11, Feb 2008
Moeini Ashraf, Shafieizadeh N., Vahid Dastjerdi M., Majidi Sh., Eslami B. The Effect Of Age On Ovarian Reserve Markers In Tehranian Women With Normal Fertility International Journal Of Endocrinology And Metabolism (IJEM) June 2008; 6(2):114–119.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian university professor and former parliamentarian
Majlis of Iran
The National Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
, who is Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education.
Vahid-Dastjerdi is the first female government minister in Iran since the Islamic Revolution. She is the third female government minister in Iranian history, after Farrokhroo Parsa
Farrokhroo Parsa
Farokhroo Pārsā, was an Iranian physician, educator and parliamentarian. She served as Minister of Education of Iran in the last pre-Islamic revolution government and was the first female cabinet minister of an Iranian government....
and Mahnaz Afkhami
Mahnaz Afkhami
Mahnaz Afkhami , is Founder and President of Women's Learning Partnership . She is also the Executive Director of Foundation for Iranian Studies and former Minister of Women's Affairs of Iran...
.
Background
Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi is the daughter of Seifollah Vahid DastjerdiSeifollah Vahid Dastjerdi
Seifollah Vahid Dastjerdi was head of the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran.During political turmoil in Tehran following the 1987 Iranian pilgrim riots in Saudi Arabia, Seifollah Vahid Dastjerdi appeared on television speaking for Iran Red Crescent...
, who was head of the Red Crescent Society of Iran.
She entered Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Tehran University of Medical Sciences
- General and History :Tehran University of Medical Sciences is the largest and "most distinguished", and most highly ranked medical school of Iran. In September 2008, the health minister of Iran - General and History :Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) is the largest and "most...
in 1976 to study medicine, and qualified in nursing and obstetrics, obtaining a doctoral degree in 1988.
Medical career
Vahid-Dastjerdi was a faculty member at Tehran University for 13 years, and director of the Nursing and Obstetrics Department there for six years. She was a founder member of Iran's Specialized Scientific Association of Reproduction and Sterility, and a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (1993–2000). From 2004 to 2009 she headed Arash HospitalRuin Tan Arash Hospital, Tehran
Ruin Tan Arash Hospital, Tehran is a hospital for Obstetrics and Gynecology located in Tehranpars, an eastern suburb of Tehran in Iran.The hospital was founded in 1971 as Arash Polyclinic at 126 Rashid Avenue, Tehranpars, by Mr. Ruuin Tan Arash, and bequeathed by him to the Red Crescent. The...
.
Vahid-Dastjerdi has worked on the organizing committees for prominent conferences on subjects related to medicine. Examples include a Workshop on “Higher Education & Development in Knowledge Based Society: Towards Enhancing Quality and Relevance in Medical and Professional Education” and the 2nd International Congress of Medical Ethics in Iran which took place in Tehran during April 2008.
She is a member of the editorial board of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Family and Reproductive Health.
She has written and translated many books in the field of women's diseases.
Political career
Vahid-Dastjerdi in 1993 jointly founded the Islamic Association of Physicians, a political party. She was elected to the Fourth MajlisMajlis
' , is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting", used in the context of "council", to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups be it administrative, social or religious in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries...
(1992–1996) representing Tehran, and re-elected in 1996. She was elected chairwoman of the Majlis Committee on Women, Family and Youth in August 1997.
While in the Majlis, Vahid-Dastjerdi supported legal changes making it harder for women to obtain a divorce, keep custody of their children after divorce, or have an abortion. She is described by one critic as supporting the role of women as "pious mothers devoted to Islam, to their duties to their husbands, and to the Islamic Republic." She opposed a bill that might have led Iran to join the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women is an international convention adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly....
.
In April 1998, Vahid-Dastjerdi helped draft a proposal for sexual segregation in hospitals and medical institutions to comply with Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
. This plan envisaged female hospitals for women staffed exclusively by women, on a model sharing some features of London's Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, which led to the founding of the London School of Medicine for Women
London School of Medicine for Women
The London School of Medicine for Women was established in 1874 and was the first medical school in Britain to train women.The school was formed by an association of pioneering women physicians Sophia Jex-Blake, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Emily Blackwell and Elizabeth Blackwell with Thomas Henry...
. The plan was eventually rejected on grounds of cost, after heavy criticism from doctors and health professionals. A similar plan to separate Iranian hospitals by gender, based on Vahid-Dastjerdi's original proposal, was enacted in 2006. The president of the Council of Iranian Medical Specialists described the plan as "not even realistic” because of the "shortage of female specialists in many cities".
In May, 1999, she addressed a rally in Tehran to protest the ban on wearing the headscarf in the Turkish parliament. She condemned the ban as an affront to Muslims and a crime against human rights.
On September 3, 2009, the Majlis
Majlis of Iran
The National Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
confirmed Vahid-Dastjerdi as Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education. She received 175 favoring, 82 opposing, and 29 abstaining votes, and is the first female minister in the history of the Islamic Republic
Islamic republic
Islamic republic is the name given to several states in the Muslim world including the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Mauritania. Pakistan adopted the title under the constitution of 1956. Mauritania adopted it on 28 November 1958. Iran adopted it after the 1979 Iranian...
an government. On the same day, two other female candidates for ministries (Sousan Keshavarz
Sousan Keshavarz
Sousan Keshavarz was the 2009 nominee of Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Minister of Education. She was voted down by the Majlis of Iran on September 3, 2009 with 49 favoring, 209 opposing, and 28 abstaining votes.-Nomination:...
and Fatemeh Ajorlou
Fatemeh Ajorlou
Fatemeh Ajorlou is a conservative female member of the Iranian parliament representing Karaj, near Tehran. She is Rapporteur of the Majlis Women Faction...
) were voted down.
Vahid-Dastjerdi is considered politically conservative, but supports a role for women in society. She told parliamentarians "Women must have a greater role in the country's affairs." After her confirmation, she said "I think today women reached their long-standing dream of having a woman in the cabinet to pursue their demands. This is an important step for women and I hold my head high."
Publications
The following is probably not a complete list.Jannani S, Vahid-Dastjerdi M. Relationship of placenta accreta to previous cesarean section. 5th Seminar of Fertility and Infertility, Tehran, February 1991.
Vahid-Dastjerdi M, Moalleman M. Cesarean section indications in Arash hospital, 1994 [PhD thesis]. Tehran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 1995.
Ramazanali F., Vahid Dastjerdi M., Beigi A., Moini A. The Relationship Between Maternal HCT Levels, Birth Weight And Risk Of Low Birth Weight Iranian Journal Of Pediatrics Winter 2006; 16(4):447–454.
Vahid Dastjerdi M., Alavi Tabari N., Asgari Z., Beygi A. The relationship of endometrial thickness detected by transvaginal sonography with the results of endometrial biopsy & hysteroscopic directed biopsy in post menopausal bleeding Tehran University Medical Journal; Vol. 65, No. 11, Feb 2008
Moeini Ashraf, Shafieizadeh N., Vahid Dastjerdi M., Majidi Sh., Eslami B. The Effect Of Age On Ovarian Reserve Markers In Tehranian Women With Normal Fertility International Journal Of Endocrinology And Metabolism (IJEM) June 2008; 6(2):114–119.