Fatemeh Sadeghi, women’s rights activist, says misogyny is evident throughout the system.
Fatemeh Sadeghi, a political researcher and women’s rights activist, stated in an interview with the Etemad newspaper.
One of the main reasons for the eruption of protests should be seen in the compulsory hijab and consequently the presence of the morality police in the streets. The mere presence of the morality police in the streets, in my opinion, is a form of humiliation and insult. Naturally, the fact that the police cause Mahsa Amini or girls like her to face beatings, insults, and unfortunately death, leads to the wounding of society and public opinion, especially at a time when this society is facing various social and economic problems and crises.
As we know, compulsory hijab has been one of the most important issues for women in Iran after the revolution. We have witnessed numerous protests regarding this issue. In my opinion, one of the turning points occurred in 2017 during the incident of the girls of Enghelab Street, which was a very civil and peaceful movement, but it was met with severe confrontation.
What we are witnessing is that every day, with various plans, women are humiliated and efforts are made to reduce their social presence and push them towards home and traditional roles. The Population Growth Plan can be mentioned as an example. In the field of employment, we are also facing widespread discrimination. The unemployment rate for women in Iran is very high, and job instability for women is also significant. According to official statistics, only about 12% of women who graduate from university find employment opportunities.
Even though it is repeatedly stated from official platforms that women have dignity, in practice, this is not the case at all. I think this type of misogyny is evident throughout the system and has become a part of the regime. Naturally, compulsory hijab and the presence of the morality police make the situation more unbearable for women every day.