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Saqi Laga’i

The social presence of women in various fields changed after the 1979 Revolution and the rise of the Islamic Republic. From the mandatory hijab to the exclusion of women from certain professions such as judging, ministerial positions, and key management positions, everything that women had achieved with hard work and sweat was lost. The pursuit of equal rights suffered a bitter setback that continues to this day.

The political and social participation of women in Iran after the Islamic Republic, following the second of Khordad 1376 (May 1987) and the formation of the Khatami government, once again became a topic of discussion and was taken up by people’s organizations; however, from the very beginning, it was met with numerous opposition and obstacles. Iran’s accession to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, despite many efforts, did not yield any results and with the change of government, not only was it forgotten, but it was replaced by even more discriminatory laws than before. These laws, although presented under the name of “supporting the family”, in reality, led to the destruction of the family institution through further inequality.

But women’s rights activists in Iran have not remained unemployed and inactive during these years, and by bringing the concept of equality to the heart of society, they have planted a seed that is sprouting despite suppression, intimidation, and multiple forms of discrimination. Examples of this are the presence of women as candidates in city and village council elections, not only in terms of “remarkable growth” as some news sources have mentioned, but also in terms of the continuation of the upward trend of women’s presence in councils…

Although in the news related to council elections, there is talk of a significant increase in women’s presence and of course, believing in these desired news is a call for equality for every individual, but according to these published statistics, unfortunately it cannot be said that there has been a significant increase in women’s presence. According to the published statistics, candidate registrations for council elections have had a 14% growth compared to the previous round, while the growth in women’s presence compared to the previous round is less than 1%. This means that in the previous round, female volunteers made up 5.4% of all volunteers, and in this round, they make up 6.3% of all female volunteers.

According to the official statistics of the Ministry of Interior, 287,425 people have registered for the fifth round of city and village council elections, of which 17,885 are women. This means that 6.3% of women will compete against 93.7% of men, which is a completely unequal competition.

Based on these statistics, the number of female volunteers for city councils is 6,743 and the number of male volunteers is 48,145. However, 11,142 women have volunteered for membership in rural councils, competing against 221,395 men.

But what is hopeful is a look at the statistics table of the growth rate of female candidates by province, which shows that in some provinces such as Sistan and Baluchestan, Ilam, Yazd, West Azerbaijan, and Alborz, the growth of female candidacy has been more than 51 to 100 percent, and in Lorestan province, the registration of women in rural councils has had a growth of 94 percent. This signifies the expansion of the concept of equality in society as a whole and decentralization from Tehran. The 100 percent registration of women in one of the villages in the southeast of the country, following the performance of the current female representatives in the rural councils, is a sign of the people’s acceptance of women’s competence and public trust in their management. And how great it would be if the women who reach the councils of big cities also have a brilliant performance in this period.

Increasing the ratio of women’s political and social participation, although important in itself, gains even more significance when accompanied by quality of their presence. Women’s presence in councils as non-political official institutions, with an attitude of equality and anti-discrimination, can bring cities closer to equality. Creating a safe space for women’s social presence is just one of the responsibilities of councils towards half of the population of each city and village. For example, spaces like stadiums where women are not allowed to attend competitions, or the freedom for women to participate in activities like cycling in the city, are clear and illegal forms of social discrimination against women that councils should address. Additionally, dismantling oppressive institutions such as the morality police, whose job is to violate women’s personal freedoms, is another responsibility that councils, especially those with female members, should take on.

The increase in the number of volunteers in cities other than major cities is a sign of the successful experience of previous examples of women’s political and social presence, as well as the intellectual development of those areas and the trust of people in entrusting urban management to women. This is a lesson that election activists in major cities should not overlook.

A one percent increase in the participation of female volunteers in the elections for city and village Islamic councils does not mean a one percent increase in their presence in the councils. There is still time and this depends on the perspective of participating women and the intelligence of active groups and parties in their support and electoral alliances.

Despite the relatively low number of registered women, based on previous election experiences, the remarkable selection of women is not unexpected. However, for a definite statement, we must wait until May 19th.

The cartoon is the work of: Meysam Seyedaqa Hosseini.