On International Women’s Day, global attention is also drawn to their challenges in addition to celebrating women's achievements. Southern Azerbaijani women's rights activist, poet, and law graduate of Urmia and Ankara Universities, Türkan Urmulu, closely examines the situation of women in Iranian Azerbaijan and their role in society. In an interview with Voice of America, she spoke about the issues faced by women in Iranian Azerbaijan, feminist ideas, and equal opportunities for young women and girls.
Türkan Urmulu noted that International Women’s Day is not officially recognized in Iran. However, despite pressures, women’s rights activists and human rights defenders attempt in various ways to bring attention to women’s rights issues on this day.
She emphasized that women's participation in public life in Iranian Azerbaijan is not high. “In many places, women are deprived of fundamental rights,” she stated. Although Iran claims that the number of female university students exceeds that of males and that women can be represented in educational institutions and workplaces, Urmulu pointed out that women do not play a significant role in the country’s closed society. "Women do not even have the right to choose their own clothing. What they wear has been decided for them. A clear example of this is the mandatory hijab," she said.
Speaking about the situation in rural areas of Iranian Azerbaijan, Türkan Urmulu stated that women in remote regions face even greater pressure than those in urban areas. "Since rural environments are more restrictive and the pressures are stronger, women experience more oppression. Based on the information I have received, I can say that honor killings, as well as violence against women by society and their own families, are more common in rural areas," she noted.
Türkan Urmulu highlighted that despite their labor in agriculture and their role in the family, rural women have never been given the social status they deserve, and their financial security has not been ensured. She identified the lack of education as one of the main sources of the problems women face.
She also noted that in recent times, there has been a growing interest in feminism and feminist ideas among both women and men, particularly those engaged in human rights and women's rights activism. According to her, feminism has, to some extent, become a topic of discussion. However, Urmulu stressed that the level of knowledge about feminism is not high, which often leads to misunderstandings of feminist ideas.
Türkan Urmulu expressed her hope that in the future, Azerbaijani women and girls will no longer face oppression and will be recognized as equal members of society.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Türkan Urmulu:”Azərbaycan qadınına layiq olduğu azad və müstəqil gələcək istəyirəm”