One Million Signatures
Encyclopedia
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
: يک ميليون امضا برای لغو قوانين تبعيض آميز Yek Milyun Emzā barā-ye Laghv-e Qavānin-e Tab‘iz Āmiz), also known as Change for Equality, is a campaign by women in Iran
Women in Iran
Iranian women in this article refers to women of, or from, traditional Persian or modern Iranian culture.-Depictions and appearance:...
to collect one million signatures in support of changing discriminatory laws against women in their country.
Activists of the movement have been attacked and jailed by the government, and the campaign has had to extend its two year target to collect the full number of signatures.
The campaign has received wide international recognition. Prominent journalistic, human rights and pro-democracy organizations have awarded important prizes, to both the organization and some of its members.
Origins
Iranian women's rightsWomen's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
activists in Iran
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...
started the Campaign, to follow up a peaceful protest with the same aim on 12 June 2006 in Haft-e Tir Square in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. Preparation started immediately in June, and the campaign was officially launched on August 27, at a seminar entitled The Impact of Laws on Women’s Lives.
Goals
As well as collecting a million signatures to support reform of the law, the Campaign, in its own words, also aims to achieve the following:- Promotion of collaborationCollaborationCollaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
and cooperationCooperationCooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a...
for social change. - Identification of women’s needs and priorities.
- Amplifying women’s voices.
- Increasing knowledge, promoting democratic action.
- Paying our dues.
- The Power of numbers.
- Power in diversityMulticulturalismMulticulturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
.
The campaign seeks to secure equal rights in marriage and inheritance, an end to polygamy, and stricter punishments for honour killings and other forms of violence.
The organizers of the campaign consider that its demands conform to Islamic principles, and are in line with Iran’s international commitments. As a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 16, 1966, and in force from March 23, 1976...
Iran has committed to eliminate all forms of discrimination, and needs to take specific action in reforming laws that promote discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
. These demands are in no way contradictory to the foundations of Islam, and have been discussed among Islamic jurists and scholars for some time.
The organizers hope that a million-signature petition will demonstrate, to decision-makers and the general public, that the desire to change discriminatory laws against women is not limited to a small segment of society, but widespread among diverse parts of the Iranian population.
Strategy
Plans to gather signatures for a cause have been followed in many places in the world. Specifically, women in MoroccoMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
had a similar campaign for women's rights. The Million Signatures campaign was initiated solely by Iranian women in Iran without any support from any foreign countries. However, it has been active in collecting signatures both from Iranian citizens who live in Iran, and from those who are residents of other countries.
The campaign has been described as a way to take advantage of the "figurative walls" of privacy in Iran. A political demonstration may find little publicity and its participants may be beaten and arrested — as happened at the 12 June 2006 demonstration. However, signature seekers "fan out in ones and twos, to small towns and villages, going into shops, beauty salons, schools and offices, or stand at bus stops explaining 'face to face' how the Iranian interpretation of Sharia law is stacked against half the population. They ask men and women to sign their petition."
Olof Palme Prize 2008
Journalist and activist Parvin ArdalanParvin Ardalan
Parvin Ardalan, born 1967 in Tehran, is a leading Iranian women's rights activist, writer and journalist. She was awarded the Olof Palme Prize in 2007 for her struggle for equal rights for men and women in Iran. In the 1990s Ardalan, along with e.g...
should have been in Stockholm on March 6, 2008. She was to receive the 2007 Olof Palme Prize
Olof Palme Prize
The Olof Palme Prize is an annual prize awarded for an outstanding achievement in the spirit of Olof Palme. The Prize consists of a diploma and 75,000 US dollars.-Receivers of the Olof Palme Prize :*1987 Cyril Ramaphosa...
in recognition of her leading role in the One Million Signatures campaign for women's equality in Iran. However, on March 3, airport security officials removed her from a flight about to take off from Tehran's international airport, seized her passport, and served her with a summons to appear in court.
Reporters Without Borders / Deutsche Welle
In 2008, the prize of Reporters Without BordersReporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
and Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle or DW, is Germany's international broadcaster. The service is aimed at the overseas market. It broadcasts news and information on shortwave, Internet and satellite radio on 98.7 DZFE in 30 languages . It has a satellite television service , that is available in four languages, and...
was awarded to the campaign's website (which is called Change For Equality).
Simone de Beauvoir prize
In January 2009, the campaign was awarded the Simone De Beauvoir Prize for Women's Freedom (Prix Simone de Beauvoir pour la liberté des femmes) in recognition of its significant impact on Iranian society.Global Women's Rights award
The Feminist Majority FoundationFeminist Majority Foundation
The Feminist Majority Foundation is a non-profit organization in the United States dedicated to Women's Equality, Reproductive Health and Non-Violence, headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia. The name Feminist Majority comes from a 1986 Newsweek/Gallup public opinion poll in which 56 percent...
honored the One Million Signatures Campaign as a recipient of the 2009 Global Women's Rights Award. This award was presented to the Campaign,"in special recognition of their groundbreaking work to demand an end to discriminatory laws in Iran against women."
Publishing of "Iranian Women's One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality: The Inside Story"
In 2009 Women's Learning Partnership (WLP) published "Iranian Women's One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality: The Inside Story" Eloquently written by Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani, one of the founding members of the campaign,. Iranian Women's One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality: The Inside Story details the history, strategies, and values that brought together a diverse group of Iranian women, men, and rights activists for the well-known women’s equality campaign. It is a valuable case study of a new model for grassroots movements in the 21st century, applicable not only in societies ruled by autocratic governments or influenced by radical fundamentalism, but also in more open and tolerant societies that have yet to achieve full equality for women.Legislation
In 2008 the conservative Iranian government proposed a tax on prenuptial arrangements above a certain amount, to reduce the financial burden on men. Many leaders of the 'Signatures' campaign actively worked against it. In September 2008, the bill for the tax was returned to the legislative council, citing the problematic meddling of the government in private contracts; however, its primary opposition came from the perceived promotion of polygamyPolygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
in the government's bill. The proposed polygamy and tax provisions were absent from the bill that was passed on 9 September 2008.
Persecution
Several participants in the peaceful gathering of women’s rights defenders on 12 June 2006 in Hafte Tir Square, which ended with police violence and brutality and the arrest of 70 people, have been tried and sentenced. They include Delaram AliDelaram Ali
Delaram Ali is a leading Iranian women's rights activist.In July 2007, she was charged with "participation in an illegal gathering", "propaganda against the system," and "disturbing the public order". Iran's Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 39 months of jail and 10 lashes...
, Fariba Davoodi Mohajer, Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani, Parvin Ardalan
Parvin Ardalan
Parvin Ardalan, born 1967 in Tehran, is a leading Iranian women's rights activist, writer and journalist. She was awarded the Olof Palme Prize in 2007 for her struggle for equal rights for men and women in Iran. In the 1990s Ardalan, along with e.g...
, Shahla Entesari, Sussan Tahmasebi, Azadeh Forghani, Bahareh Hedayat. , Maryam Zia, Nasim Soltan Beigi, and Alieh Eghdam Doost had yet to be sentenced. In an interview, prominent lawyer and Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's,...
called charges against the women baseless. The sentences include jail terms, some of them suspended, and also various numbers of lashes.
According to California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
professor Nayereh Tohidi
Nayereh Tohidi
Professor Nayereh Tohidi is Professor and former Chair at the Department of Gender & Women Studies,California State University, Northridge. She is also the Research Associate at the Center for Near Eastern Studies of UCLA where she has been coordinating the Bilingual Lecture Series on Iran since...
, women collecting signatures for the campaign were attacked and arrested, which has slowed down its progress, causing the need to extend its two year target. For example, in March 2007, thirty three women were arrested, mostly outside a Tehran courtroom where they had gathered to protest peacefully against the trial of five women – Fariba Davoudi Mohajer,
Shahla Entesari, Noushin Ahmadi Khorassani, Parvin Ardalan and
Sussan Tahmasebi – who were accused of “propaganda against the system”, “acting against national security” and “participating in an illegal demonstration” in connection with the 12 June 2006 demonstration. As well as four of the women on trial, those arrested included Shadi Sadr
Shadi Sadr
Shadi Sadr is an Iranian lawyer, journalist, and a notable Iranian woman's rights activist. She is married, and has a daughter...
and Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh who were held over two weeks before being released on bail.
On November 4, 2007, Ronak Safazadeh
Ronak Safazadeh
Ronak Safazadeh, age 21, is an Iranian women's rights activist, and a member of the Azarmehr Association of Kurdish Women. She campaigned for women's rights by collecting signatures for the One Million Signature Campaign, an effort to remove discrimination against women from the Iranian legal code...
was arrested, the day after she collected signatures at a Children's Day celebration for the One Million Signature Campaign.
On 12 June 2008 Nasrin Sotoodeh and eight other women were arrested by security forces as they were preparing to attend a conference commemorating the national day of solidarity of Iranian women.
After the victory over the marriage bill in September 2008, a court sentenced to jail four women leaders involved in the One Million Signatures campaign, for contributing to banned websites. They were identified as Mariam Hossein-khah, Nahid Keshavarz, Jelveh Javaheri and Parvin Ardalan.
In October 2008, Esha Momeni
Esha Momeni
Esha Momeni is an Iranian-American women rights activist and a member of One Million Signatures campaign.While working on her master thesis in Iran, she was arrested in October and November 2008, and subsequently prevented from leaving Iran...
, a graduate student of the School of Communications, Media and Arts at California State University
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
, interviewed activists in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
for a film as part of her California-based studies. She was arrested, initially for a driving offence, and prominent Iranian lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah
Mohammad Ali Dadkhah
Mohammad Ali Dadkhah is a well-known Iranian human rights lawyer who is a political prisoner in Iran. He is associated with the Defenders of Human Rights Center founded by several of the most prominent Iranian lawyers and headed by Shirin Ebadi, 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.Dadkhah spoke for...
quoted officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Court
Islamic Revolutionary Court
Islamic Revolutionary Court is a special court in the Islamic Republic of Iran designed to try those suspected of smuggling, blaspheming, inticing violence or trying to overthrow the Iranian government...
as saying her detention related to involvement in the One Million Signatures campaign. Momeni was released on bail in November 2008 after three weeks in Evin Prison
Evin Prison
Evin House of Detention is a prison in Iran, located in Evin, northwestern Tehran. It is noted for its political prisoners' wing, where prisoners have been held both before and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution...
, but was not allowed to leave Iran. , she was still there.
See also
- Iranian womenIranian womenIranian women in this article refers to women of, or from, traditional Persian or modern Iranian culture.-Depictions and appearance:...
- Iranian women's movement
- Intellectual Movements in IranIntellectual movements in IranIntellectual movements in Iran involve the Iranian experience of modernity and its associated art, science, literature, poetry, and political structures that have been changing since the 19th century.- History of Iranian modernity :...
Sources
- Update: A million Signatures for Women, February 14, 2007, Nobel Women's Initiative.
- Iran: Signature Drive Targets Gender Discrimination, August 28, 2006, RadioFreeEurope - RadioLiberty.
- Nayereh Tohidi, Iran's Women's Rights Movement and the One Million Signatures Campaign, Payvand, December 16, 2006.
- Maura J. CaseyMaura J. CaseyMaura J. Casey was on the Editorial Board of The New York Times from 2006 to 2009 and she shared a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 while working at The Eagle-Tribune. She was also a winner of the Horace Greeley Award.-References:...
, Challenging the Mullahs, One Signature at a Time, The New York Times, February 7, 2007.
External links
- Sussan Tahmasebi One Million Signatures Campaign: Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Questions 24 February 2008
- Change for Equality (Ta'ghir barā-ye Barā'bari), Official Campaign Website, (English), (Persian).
- Campaign Web Movie, an informative slide show: (click on PLAY).
- To sign on-line petition: (English), (Persian).
- Shirin EbadiShirin EbadiShirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's,...
, One Million Signatures Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws, FIDH, November 22, 2006 . - Mahnaz AfkhamiMahnaz AfkhamiMahnaz 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...
,Iranian Women’s Voices. - One Million Signatures Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws, in PersianPersian languagePersian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, BBC Persian, Wednesday 24 January 2007. - Iranian Women’s Equality Calendar with Chronology of One Million Signatures Campaign Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws http://iranianfeministschool.com/english/spip.php?article116
- Iranian Women’s Equality Calendar / Elahe Amani http://www.iran-women-solidarity.net/spip.php?article668
- OneMillionSignatures.com Information regarding Iranian women’s rights activist protests and how the state arrested several activists as part of a crackdown against the campaign.