The United Nations and other international human rights organizations have reported an increase in domestic violence during the global pandemic. Experts have expressed concerns about the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women. Women’s and gender issues researcher Sevil Suleymani, who holds a master’s degree in women's rights from the University of California, San Diego, discussed the economic challenges, domestic violence, and child marriages women in Iranian Azerbaijan have faced during the pandemic.
Sevil Suleymani mentioned that as a result of quarantine measures, with the population largely staying at home and workplaces and schools closing, women have been subjected to not only the economic impacts of the pandemic but also significant psychological and emotional effects.
"Since COVID-19 arrived, the worsening of mental health, the worsening of household situations—these have all caused violence to become more visible and more openly recognized."
She noted that in recent times, there have been several honor killings in Azerbaijan’s regions, but human rights defenders have faced difficulties in obtaining accurate data about these acts of violence and murder.
"One of these incidents happened in the city of Khoy, in the regions of Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, we cannot get accurate numbers to know exactly how many murders, beatings, and violent incidents there are. Iran has always been a closed country and has always tried to cover up these issues as much as possible... Deaths and news reports show that violence against women has increased. We hear about murders, but unfortunately, we cannot prove this with exact numbers."
Sevil Suleymani also pointed out that early marriages have increased in recent years in the regions of Iranian Azerbaijan.
"Especially in the Azerbaijani provinces, it has become one of the leading regions in Iran. Child marriages have dropped below 17-18 years old. They have now reached 15 or even 14 years old."
She explained that the harsh economic situation in regions with ethnic minorities directly affects girls' educational opportunities and their integration into society.
"They haven’t studied, they have no education, they can’t find work, they don’t speak the language well, they can’t learn their rights, they can’t find a place in society. Even if they are beaten or insulted, they are forced to continue living like a prisoner in that situation."
Suleymani emphasized the role of education in preventing violence against women and early marriages, and the importance of awareness-raising. She also noted that the Iranian regime, particularly in ethnic regions, views civil society as a "threat to the state" and prevents its activities.
"Unfortunately, in Iranian Azerbaijan, and in Iran in general, such communities have never been able to carry out their work freely. They cannot continue. The government always sees it as an action against itself and responds harshly. And when it comes to ethnic issues, it is even more complicated, because in regions with ethnic minorities, if you open a community, you must address the issue of language, illiteracy among women, household issues—these are all considered concepts that endanger the state’s security in Iran."
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Sevil Süleymani: İran Azərbaycanında qadınlara qarşı zorakılıqlar artıb