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| Lale Javanshir, University of Toronto |
Lale Javanshir, a PhD candidate in Turkology and Middle Eastern Cultures at the University of Toronto, spoke to Voice of America about the state of women's rights in Iran and its impact on Azerbaijani women. Describing the prevailing atmosphere in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javanshir emphasized that human rights violations extend beyond the political sphere to economic and social realms. According to her, the systemic humiliation of women is rooted in a combination of totalitarian dictatorship, a theocratic regime, and deeply ingrained patriarchal attitudes in society.
"Iran’s divorce laws, child custody regulations, inheritance laws, and many others restrict all women in the country. However, non-Persian women face additional challenges," said Lale Javanshir, pointing to issues encountered by women who do not speak Persian in court proceedings. She cited the example of Sakineh Mohammadi, a woman from Tabriz sentenced to stoning by the Islamic Republic. According to her lawyer, Sakineh did not fully understand the document she was asked to sign in court due to her lack of proficiency in Persian.
In addition to the restrictive laws of the Islamic regime, Javanshir identified certain elements in folklore and oral literature as factors perpetuating oppression. Phrases such as “He’s my husband; he can beat me or love me,” and “A daughter not beaten will bring regret,” reflect societal views that treat women as inferior, she argued. The concepts of the “honorable man” and the “strict man” being positively perceived in society also stem from restrictive ideologies that are deemed essential in controlling women.
At the same time, Javanshir noted that Azerbaijani Turks have been carriers of progressive thought in the Muslim world. As a researcher of Middle Eastern cultures, she emphasized that Azerbaijani Turks in Iran, through connections to Northern Azerbaijan and Turkey, have been more familiar with Western culture and thus have led movements for women’s rights in Iran. She cited the example of the Azerbaijani National Government of 1945–46, during which women were granted the right to vote and stand for elections for the first time in Iran.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Lalə Cavanşir: İranda Azərbaycan qadınının hüquqları pozulur