Ebadi calls for equality of rights in Iran

New Delhi, Nov 25 (UNI) Feminist movement in Iran is fighting against various discriminatory laws and customs and one such law is the law of multiple marriages, Nobel laureate and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi said today.

Addressing the press here she said, ''The feminist movement in Iran is facing some serious hardships against the prevalent discriminatory laws and it is high time to start a serious campaign in this regard.'' ''These laws and customs are primarily rooted in patriarchal society and culture and they are generally detrimental to women,'' she added.

For years, the western world has tried to paint a dark picture of Iranian society, especially, the way it treats its women. Iran's legal sanctioning of stoning and the execution of minors only reinforced these negative images, she said.

She pointed out that under the current Islamic fundamentalist regime the testimony given by two women in court is equal to that of one man.

''Men can have four wives and divorce a wife without cause, whereas women have no such rights,'' she said and attributed such rules to ingrained regional prejudices that have shaped the interpretation of Islamic law.

''The feminist movement is strong in Iran and has been able to change some laws,'' said Ebadi, who is hopeful it will eventually give Iranian women the status of ''absolute equality''.

Giving an example of discrimination against women, she said men are not to be blamed for this because these laws have given them such rights.

Responding to a querry regarding the on-going veil issue she said, ''Women in Iran are unhappy to wear veil but they were forced to wear it because of some discriminatory Islamic laws of fundamentalists.'' A campaign in Iran to reform the prevalent discriminatory laws has just started. It will collect one million signatures from Iranian women and men to protest against this legal degradation.

''The feminist movement has taken another step forward by demanding the elimination of all legal inequalities against women,'' Ms Ebadi said.

She added that the feminist movement of Iran believes that women's rights and democracy are intimately related. Without equality of rights, there can be no democracy. The victories of feminist movements in all countries can open the way for democracy.'' But in spite of all these discriminatory and derogatory laws, the most impressive facets of Iranian social life is that women comprise 65 per cent of university students, making them more educated than their male compatriots.

''More than 65 women attend university. Women in Iran enter Parliament even before their male counterpart. Even now when the fundamentalist are in power, we have a women Deputy Speaker ,'' the noble laureate said.

Ms Shirin Ebadi was in the Capital to launch a book caklled ''The place where we live is called a red light area,'' written and illustrated by the children living in the infamous lanes of Kalighat and Sonagachchi. The publication is the outcome of the work done by Apne Aap Women Worldwide, a Kolkata-based non governmental organisation working to make a difference in the life of women and girls trapped in prostitution.

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