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Conversation with Ali Kalai

Sayyed Fatemeh Zolqadr, in the tenth round of parliamentary elections, has entered the Islamic Consultative Assembly from the “Coalition of Comprehensive Reformists, Second Step” list in Tehran. She is the daughter of Sayyed Mostafa Zolqadr, a representative of another parliament who has been elected to the Islamic Consultative Assembly from the Hope list and from the electoral district of Hormozgan.

Fatemeh Zolqadr has repeatedly expressed her opinion on the issue of dowry, considering herself against the elimination of dowry and stating that it is the legitimate and legal right of women. This representative of the parliament, in an interview with Khat-e-Solh magazine, reiterated these views but emphasized the need to adjust the dowry due to the increase in the price of gold coins and the value of dowries based on gold coins. She said, “Considering the increase in the price of gold coins, someone who paid one gold coin for dowry six months ago should now pay a quarter of a gold coin.”

He also emphasizes the importance of cultural education and the necessity of pre-marriage education, and reports that “in cities where pre-marriage education programs have been implemented, the divorce rate has significantly decreased.”

This representative of the reformist tenth parliament, also asks the judiciary to expedite the cases related to dowry and to address them out of turn, in order to prevent imprisonment for men in regards to the issue of dowry.

You can read the transcript of the peace talks with Fatemeh Zolghadr, representative of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, below:

Do you consider dowry as a woman’s right and believe that it plays a supportive role for women? This question is raised because statistics and reports indicate the negative effects of dowry on society and families.

The traditional dowry has been and still is the right of the woman. Families discuss the dowry in order to support their daughters, considering the possibility of future conflicts with their spouse. Therefore, the dowry itself does not have negative consequences. On the other hand, it puts a lot of pressure on families to provide for it. Therefore, considering a reasonable and logical dowry seems honorable. In critical situations, such as mistreatment by the spouse, the dowry, which is the right of the woman, can be a helpful factor.

In your opinion, what is the role of dowry, especially its amount, in improving the status and situation of women in the family? Does a high dowry guarantee a better and more stable life for a woman?

This depends on the culture of that family. It definitely needs to be culturally addressed. In the past, money was not as valuable as it is now. In higher amounts, families usually give dowry. The point is that families used to say “who gave the dowry, who took it”! This is a wrong belief; because dowry is a religious obligation on the man, and the woman can demand it in any situation – especially in times of crisis.

As the price of gold coins is increasing day by day, it is necessary to consider it from a cultural perspective. Men who intend to get married should take into account whether the amount of dowry is within their means or not. In the case of those who have been involved in the issue of dowry before, the court is currently working on a legal solution to adjust the dowry. For example, the price of gold coins has increased from one million to five million in the past two years. Now, the payment of dowry installments must be legally adjusted again, and the solution is to bring up the issue outside of court and without a lawsuit. Because these lawsuits can be a lengthy process and can result in the man being imprisoned. This is why the number of prisoners due to dowry is increasing. The latest statistics from prisoners due to dowry, which are from last year’s February, show that there were more than 3,000 people. These prisoners are the ones who

Of course, also consider that in many cases, men are cunning. In fact, sometimes men act in a way that during the court process, with the help of their families, they sell or transfer all their properties, making themselves appear as if they are unable to provide for women’s rights. Our demand is that it be proven that the man does not have the financial ability or assets. Because many divorced women make a living through the dowry in these difficult economic conditions. The best solution is cultural education and we must talk to men about whether they are truly able to pay the determined amount of dowry or not. Various solutions have been proposed for this issue, which are currently being reviewed by the Judiciary Committee of the Parliament. For example, one solution is that a man who agrees to pay 200 gold coins as dowry in the presence of witnesses must provide a document proving that he is capable of paying this amount. Ultimately, the dowry is the responsibility of the man.

According to the statistics announced by the National Prison Organization and as you yourself have mentioned, at least 3,000 people are in prison due to the implementation of dowry and non-payment of it. What does this statistic indicate about a certain event or trend in Iranian families?

Given the current economic problems, social issues, high unemployment rates among youth, lack of understanding in life, lack of accurate knowledge, and not considering family compatibility before marriage, many marriages are even shortened to the engagement period. In fact, life has not yet been formed and is falling apart. It should also be noted that in the not-too-distant past, divorce rates were high, but now even the smallest problems lead to separation. Also, couples do not receive the necessary education before marriage. A good plan has been completed in the Cultural Commission and is ready to be presented to the parliament, according to which six hours of mandatory education for couples is planned. Couples are required to complete this six-hour training during marriage and then, by presenting the relevant certificate to the registry office, they can receive their marriage certificate. It may seem like a short six hours, but in cities where this plan has been implemented, divorce rates have significantly decreased.

Last year in Shahrivar, a proposal was presented in the parliament according to which the dowry should be calculated based on the current date of the marriage contract. However, this proposal is still going through its legal process in the parliament. Such laws seem to not address the root of the problem and are simply influenced by economic conditions, inflation, and currency fluctuations. To what extent can such a proposal help with the issue of men being imprisoned due to their inability to pay the dowry?

This is a plan that still needs work. They were saying that it shouldn’t be at the current rate. In fact, the suggestion was to prevent fluctuations and currency changes from affecting the value of dowry. Of course, no final decision has been made yet and this plan is still being discussed and reviewed in the judicial commission.

It is possible that this plan may result in the violation of rights and be against the law. Our request in this situation is only to discuss the adjustment of dowry with priority and without delay, which should be addressed in the form of a clause and for those who have already adjusted their dowry last year, it should be adjusted again according to the fluctuation rate. For example, someone who paid one month’s worth of gold coin for dowry six months ago, should now pay a quarter of a gold coin. The best solution is for the judicial system to prioritize dowry cases so that the court process can be expedited without delay and without the issue of imprisonment. This means that the only way to expedite and prioritize is for the judicial system to handle dowry and dowry adjustment cases quickly.

Does such an approach really prevent men from going to prison?

See, if this process is done quickly, the problem of prison will no longer arise. On the same day of presenting the issue, based on the man’s ability and income, the adjustment and installment of the dowry will be done.

Given the current social conditions and circumstances (such as the increasing number of girls entering university and the growing number of women entering the job market), can alternative solutions be considered for creating a balance in the rights and privileges of men and women, such as a dowry, in order to motivate young people to get married? What are the policies of the parliament in this regard?

Recently, the population and family excellence plan has been brought up in the cultural commission and is ready to be presented to the parliament. In this plan, good support packages have been considered for women in terms of marriage, entering the job market, and pregnancy. According to this plan, the government should utilize all facilities, including loans, reducing working hours, providing childcare, and offering incentives for childbearing, so that women can both maintain their social role, pursue education, enter the job market, get married, and have children.

Thank you for the time you have given to the peace line.