The pattern after the “Arab Spring” resembled very much the trajectory of the Iranian revolution, where liberal and progressive forces brought support and success to the uprisings but the better networked, resourced, and organized fundamentalist forces succeeded in taking over the governments. Women in Iran and in the Arab world sought progress, equality, and rights. The story is not finished yet. Regressive forces simply cannot sustain themselves over time in this stage of human development.
Mahnaz Afkhami spoke on several panels at the Women Deliver 2013 Conference. Women Deliver is the largest global event of the decade to focus on the health and empowerment of girls and women. Thousands of participants from around the world, including government leaders, policymakers, healthcare professionals, NGO representatives, corporate leaders, and global media outlets. Strategising [...]
The first day of spring marks the beginning of a new year, or Norooz, in Iran…Here is a round-up of just a few fantastic female activists who have contributed significantly to the advancement of women’s rights and stature in the world. These ladies give the nation, the region, and, indeed, the entire world hope for meaningful and lasting change.
Mahnaz Afkhami and Mehrangiz Kar, lawyer and human rights activist, speak with BBC Persian about women’s political participation in Iran on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of being accorded their right to vote.
It is almost a cliché that getting more women into power is a good way to tackle corruption. Women, the argument goes, are less likely to take bribes or put personal gain before public good. But is it true?
Culture is not always worth preserving. This sentiment was echoed throughout the panels and workshops at “Breaking Barriers: What it will take to achieve security, justice and peace,” a recent conference at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice at the University of San Diego. The three-day conference drew 150 delegates, mostly women, from nearly 50 countries to discuss working solutions for developing sustainable peace.
این برنامۀ مستند و نیم ساعتۀ صدای آمریکا به زندگی نامۀ مهناز افخمی اختصاص دارد و درعین حال به مروری بر بافتار تاریخی جنبش زنان ایران که در آستانۀ انقلاب مشروطیت در اوائل قرن بیستم آغاز شد، به تدریج توان یافت و در مراحل گوناگون به ثمر رسید. در ده سالی که وی در مقام دبیرکل سازمان زنان ایران خدمت می کرد، و به ویژه در سه سال عضویت اش در کابینه به عنوان وزیر مشاور در امور زنان- مقامی که تا آن هنگام در هیچ یک از کشورهای خاورمیانه و آفریقای شمالی وجود نداشت- زنان ایران در احقاق حقوق و آزادی هایشان در همۀ عرصه های زندگی سیاسی و اجتماعی و خانوادگی به دستاوردهای بی سابقه رسیده بودند.
این برنامه، در روایتی مصور، رویدادهای عمدۀ زندگی شخصی مهناز افخمی را به عنوان همسر، خواهر، مادر و مادر بزرگ نیز ترسیم می کند. از دوران کودکی تا دوران دشوار تحصیل و کارِ همزمان در ایالات متحد، از کوچ ناخواسته از وطن تا بازسازی زندگی در غربت
The half hour video provides the historical context for the women’s movement in Iran from its early beginnings just before the constitutional revolution of 1906 through the efforts at networking and organizing to promote girls education in the 1930’s, women’s political rights in the 1950s and 60s, and finally reform of the family laws in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The documentary focuses on the life and work of Mahnaz Afkhami, especially her ten-year tenure as the Secretary General of the Women’s Organization of Iran and her three years in the Iranian cabinet as the first Minister of Women’s Affairs in the Middle East and North Africa Region, to examine the achievements of women during this period while presenting a portrait of Afkhami as wife, sister, mother, and grandmother.
“When I was conceptualizing (WLP’s first) leadership manual many years ago we thought once the English prototype was tested in various settings, each country would choose local narratives to replace the international ones,” Afkhami said. “Much to our surprise, everyone wanted to keep most of the scenarios from other places because of just that fact. They all wanted to engage in specific problem-solving with an understanding of the similarities in the condition of women across cultures.”
During the 2012 IAW Leadership Conference hosted by the Iranian-American Women’s Foundation alongside the World Bank’s Persian Gender Network, and the IMF Iranian Staff Club, Mahnaz Afkhami addressed the importance of remembering and learning from predecessors and mentors as a speaker on the ‘Women’s Development & Empowerment’ panel. She stressed that the younger generation of attendees must “deeply respect every person you work with,” despite potential differences of opinion. The healthy exchange of opinions will only lead to a greater understanding of the issue at hand.
Several hundred women gathered on June 23 on the campus of Georgetown University for the first-ever Iranian-American Women Leadership Conference held on the East coast. The Iranian-American Women Foundation (IAW) co-hosted the event along with the World Bank’s Persian Gender Network and the IMF Iranian Staff Club.
A lifetime advocate for the rights of women, Mahnaz Afkhami works with activists across the world, especially in Muslim majority societies, to help women become leaders. She is Founder and President of Women’s Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP), Executive Director of Foundation for Iranian Studies...more
Monday, June 10, 2013