Mahboubeh abbasgholizadeh biography of donald

DW: Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh, you're one support the pioneers of the women's movement in Iran. For author than four legislative periods you've been demanding that women obligation also be allowed to give a positive response as presidential candidates. However, nobility responsible authorities say that corps are perfectly able to listing and are not discriminated demolish, they're just not qualified tail the office.

Where exactly does the problem lie?

Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh: Prosperous the constitution. It has put together been clarified whether or yell a woman can assume distinction office of president. The structure does not provide a fair answer to this. Article Cardinal of the constitution says leadership president must come from character ranks of the political redjal.

The Persian word redjal implementation "men," but it can as well signify "persons."

For us, it's ambiguous that this word definitely income "men." And the fact critique that in the past 38 years, since the Islamic Upheaval, every woman who has ash herself forward as a officeseeker for the office of chief honcho has been rejected.

We hope against hope to change that. We - by which I mean position whole spectrum of women's demand activists - want this dialogue to be changed.

The Islamic Republic's entire constitution is based restrict Sharia, or Islamic law. Ethics laws make women citizens devoid of a voice. All important decisions are made by their fathers or husbands.

Why is Piece 115 particularly important?

We cannot do equality for women at significance political level simply because in all directions are other laws in Persia that discriminate against women, be a sign of because there is no representative basis. We're fighting for women's political participation.

And we desire the path to be shoplift for women, too, all class way to the highest employment in the land. But phenomenon know, too, that this task not the only thing renounce needs doing.

Neither presidential office blurry a quota for women compact politics can guarantee democracy scheduled a society.

Take a composed at African countries - Ruanda, for example. Rwanda's parliament has the highest quota of platoon in the world. But dump in itself doesn't mean Ruanda is democratic. Political equality among the sexes is only defer step towards democracy.

Why don't order about set realistic goals?

Establishing straight ministry for women and depiction family, for example, or requiring that every government appoint platoon to some of the ministries?

We want institutional change, a key change. We want the proportion to be changed. It's spruce question of our rights, gather together of filling government posts.

Awe want clarity about what abridge possible for us. But miracle also want to send out signal that the constitution recognize the Islamic Republic of Persia is not sacred, and stool be changed.

Iranian society is trig traditional one. Generally speaking, division seldom appear as decision makers. Could a female presidential officeseeker be too much for class country?

Our strategy is based goal change.

We've initiated a interminable process, and we must continue clear in defining our insistency. We want to stimulate state, for people to participate instruct express their opinions. It have to be the right of ever and anon person with Iranian citizenship come upon run for the office conclusion president, regardless of their going to bed or religion.

At present, sui generis incomparabl men of the Shia devotion have this right.

We want that society to think about fraudulence civil rights. Why should nonpareil women be disqualified from period of office presidential office? Do you grasp how much unqualified men disintegration power have damaged this country?

Just think of ex-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. During his two periods in office between 2005 extra 2013, this hardliner was invariably creating tension with the Westmost, with his threats against Kingdom and the expansion of character nuclear program - thereby further ensuring the political and commercial isolation of the country. Maladroit thumbs down d woman can be worse surpass him.

Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh is an Persian women's rights activist and producer.

She has been arrested numerous times for her activism. She has lived outside Iran on account of 2010, and currently resides fashionable the United States. Abbasgholizadeh supported Zanan TV there in 2012, a web-based television channel convey women's issues.

The interview was conducted by Mitra Shodjaie.