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January 28, 2025

The failure of plans and strategies for “protecting modesty and hijab” in society/ Amir Razzaghi

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Amir Razaqi

The examination of the policy-making and criminalization of improper veiling in the Islamic Republic of Iran reveals the inseparable role of the concept of hijab from the official policies of the system. Improper veiling is considered a catalyst for the spread of moral corruption in society and is seen as a deviance. As a result, under this approach, various plans have been implemented with titles such as “Preserving the Sanctity of Modesty and Hijab” with significant budgets allocated to their execution. These plans range from persuasive strategies and the use of incentives and encouragement, to coercive measures and the use of force, both towards women and those involved in the production and distribution of clothing, in order to promote hijab in society.

In the past two decades, numerous and significant studies and research have been conducted to examine the effectiveness of policies and implementation plans regarding the issue of hijab. The published reports from these studies and research show a lack of balance between the actions taken, the human resources employed, and the allocated budget with the success and effectiveness of the implementation of these plans. Some of the major studies and published reports include the report from the Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (1992), the National Youth Organization (2009), the Center for Student Opinion Research in Iran (2014), and the third wave of the study on the values and attitudes of Iranians (2015).

All reports of these researches have admitted the failure of the implementation of hijab plans and not achieving the desired goals, and the issue of women’s clothing is still considered an unresolved and ambiguous issue by policymakers. All published statistics and figures on one hand show a significant decrease in the value of hijab in society (after the revolution, society considered hijab valuable and individuals with hijab had a higher social status, but over time this value has significantly decreased). On the other hand, it shows a change in people’s attitudes towards the boundaries of hijab; to the extent that according to a recent report by the research center of the parliament, almost 70% of society has a tendency towards cultural hijab, which puts the acceptance of the consequences of bad hijab under its spotlight.

Published reports indicate a significant shift in society’s perspective towards government intervention and treatment of women’s clothing, portraying a rising trend of opposition to government interference. According to recent findings, approximately 60% of the population does not support government involvement in the issue of hijab, while 40% are in favor of government intervention.

The results of conducted research have reported a significant and positive relationship between education and the way women dress, in a way that with an increase in education, the level of hijab among women decreases. Among employees, private company workers, market vendors, laborers, and media activists have the highest statistics of changes in dress, which according to the authors of the reports, these employees tend towards immodesty. Among the studies, the investigation of dress among married and single individuals has also been addressed, and the findings indicate that marital status does not have a considerable impact on changes in women’s dress in society, and the difference in dress between single and married women is approximately 10%.

By reading the reports related to the mentioned research, one can bring up important research questions that are missing and make serious criticisms of those studies. However, the main question that can be raised is what factors have led to the failure of policies and programs in the field of women’s coverage? To answer this question, there is a need for research that goes beyond the dominant ideology and research biases. However, in this text, the reasons for the failure of policies and executive programs in the field of hijab can be hypothetically discussed; hypotheses that have been derived from observations and other studies conducted in social, cultural, and other areas.

Assumptions such as:

  • The increase in the level of literacy and education in Iranian society has led to a change in the society’s attitude towards social and cultural values, especially among the youth.

  • Increased familiarity of society with concepts of the developed and modern world such as gender equality and human rights.

  • The existence of multiple media and means of mass communication and the adoption of Western culture by society, especially the youth, has led to neglecting the authority of the authentic national and religious culture of this land.

  • The patriarchal gaze of authority towards society and the gap between the traditional view of authority and the non-traditional view of society in many issues, especially the issue of hijab.

  • Changing Attitudes towards Religious Beliefs, Concepts, and Definitions in the Majority of Society, Especially Women, Regarding the Issue of Hijab.

  • The increased presence of women in various fields and their awareness of their role in social, cultural, and other changes.

  • Feminizing the subject of hijab and the belief that men dictate and women must comply creates a sense of gender inequality in women, which in turn becomes the catalyst for actions against this gender inequality.

  • Paying attention to social and cultural issues and attempting to implement them to the extent of order and police intervention has resulted in reactions within society. The issue of women’s hijab is also not separate from these matters, and women in society feel that their freedom and right to choose have been taken away from them. Between the dominant moral and order system and their personal and individual values and beliefs, this is the system of moral and order that has been imposed upon them.

  • Contradictions in behavior and values among officials, their relatives and associates, or in other words, the contradiction between what officials say and proclaim and what they actually do and behave, has caused the society to be provoked against these behaviors, actions, and decisions that are approved.

  • The politicization of the issue of hijab has turned this religious matter into a political one, and women express their criticism of government policies by confronting the issue of hijab.

Perhaps readers of this article, based on their own biological observations and experiences, may add other hypotheses to the author’s hypotheses that are worthy of inclusion.

It must be said that the issue of hijab is beyond just covering the body. According to the writer, the true meaning of hijab is something that our national and Iranian culture emphasizes, and all religions, whether heavenly or earthly, have also recommended to human society. It is nothing but having good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. These are important things that today’s society and Iranian people are in great need of promoting and practicing.

Created By: Amir Razaghi
August 23, 2018

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