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Iranian election could be test for
women's rights
June 11,2009--UpdatedO224GMT( IO24HKT)
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STORY HIGHLIGHTS
• Candidat&s wife has broken barriers by appearing on campaign trail
• She ows that women's vote will count if her husband wins
• Most Iranian unKersitystudents are women, but they are second-class citizens
• Cleric running for president has also promised to boostwomen's rights
Nest Article in Wor lde
TBIRAN, Iran (CNN)-- There's no doubt that Iran's election will be a major test for incumbent President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But many Iranian women hope the results will also shake the current status of
women in the Islamic republic.
r e -
I.
A
zahra Rahnavard, wife of Iranian candidate Mir Ho in
Mou vi, haatalwn a vidble role in the campaign.
nearly 12,000 others to hear Rahna mrd speak in March.
‘Thirty-four million women demand to have female
Cabinet ministers; 34 million women demand to
be eligible to run for president,” Zahra Rahnavmrd,
wife of reformist candidate Mir Hossein MoussaM,
told CNN's Christiane 4manpour.
“Thirty-four million women want the cMI law to be
revised; 34 million women want the family law
revised.”
Whether her husband wins or loses Friday,
Rahnavmrd has broken barriers for women just by
appearing on the campaign trail with her husband,
a rarityfor political wives in Iran.
“We look at her, and we say, ‘We wantto be like
her in the future,' “said Shakiba Shakerhosseie,
an Iranian woman who packed into Tehran's
indoor Azadi (Freedom) sports stadium along with
Rahnavmrd isa motherofthree, as well as an accomplished artistand academic. She has been compared
to trst ladies in the United States, including Michelle Obama, for her visible role in her husband's questfor
the presidency.
“I am here to saythat men and women are equal,” Rahnavard said.
Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchywas overthrown and Shah Moham mad
Reza Pahlavi was forced into exile. The revolution also ended the ceremonial role of first ladythat the last
queen, Farah, enjoyed.
More women than men have voted in the past few elections, and
Rahnavard has made a promise to her female supporters that their
vote will count this time if Moussavi wins.
‘We have made this promise to the women, and we will stand byit,”
she said.
Iranian women remain second-class citizans in criminal matters,
Commentary: Iranians favor divorce, child custodyand inheritance cases, despite making up 65
U.S. peace deal percent of unkersity students. Ahmadinejad's fundamentalist
government has tried to make it easier for men to take more than one
wife while restricting public sector careers for women.
This war, forthe firsttime, the Guardian Council announced thata woman could legallybe among the final
candidate list Outof the 42 women who registered, however, none was ultimatelyallowed to stand.
Even Zahra Eshraghi, granddaughter of revolutionary leader Awtollah Khomeini, was banned from running
for parliament as a reformist
“For Ahmadinejad's government, women are just living things,” Eshraghi said. “A woman is there to fill her
husband's stomach and raise children.” Watch one analyst talk about women inAhmadinejad's Iran x
Moussavi is not the only candidate calling for a stronger role for women in Iran. Mehdi Karroubi, the only
cleric in the presidental race, has promised to campaign for women's rights. Hard-line cons ervafive
candidate Mohsen Rezaie also said he would have female ministers if he wins the election.
Political science professor Mohammad Marandi downpIa d Rahnavard's impact on the outcome of
Frida ys election. He said she maywin over reformists and women, but what will win the election is a
solution to the floundering economyand a strong performance in the debates. iReport.com: Iranians rally
in large numbers
Don't Miss
• Thousands rally ahead of key
Iranian vote
• Comm entary: Ah m adinejad's
problem with women
• Political drama unfolds as
election nears
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But try selling that to Rahna ard's enthusiastic supporters. more mod popular>>
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