The minimum marriage age for girls is 13 in Iran; A glimpse at women’s rights

Thinking about women’s rights status in Iran, I should begin by reminding you that Iran is at the bottom of the list among 153 countries, it has the lowest ranking.

Women in Iran are not allowed to enter the sports stadium watching men doing sports. Hijab is compulsory not only for women but also for primary school girls.  Married women cannot leave Iran without their husband’s permission.  A woman Samira Zargari, the head coach of the Ski national team, was unable to participate in an international tournament in Italy because her husband forbade her to travel.

Iran allows women to play sports such as soccer and volleyball. But these women are not allowed to do the simplest thing like watching men playing volleyball, even when their brothers, sons, or husbands play.  Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, an Iranian-British dual citizen, was caught by police when she tried to participate in a volleyball game in Tehran.  It is an essential step for women’s rights to persuade the Islamic Republic to let women in the stadium.  Sahar Khodayari, known as a blue girl, was a fan of the Esteghlal football team and wanted to enter the stadium.  She changed her appearance as a man and wore a blue wig, but security forces arrested her. She was sentenced to 6 months in prison. She set herself on fire and lost her life as a sign of protest. There are multiple cases of honor killings of young girls and women by men in their immediate families. The minimum marriage age for girls is 13, considered to be child marriage! Iranian prisons are full of female activists whose biggest crime is their commitment to free expression. Women’s solo singing is not legal in Iran!

My personal experiences as a woman who studied science are no better than women in sports. During my studies at university, I was always told that women are not breadwinners and should not be given good job opportunities. Male students have always been our professors’ priorities. I also lost some chances and was punished for not wearing a full hijab!

During my studies at university, I was always told that women are not breadwinners and should not be given good job opportunities

About the Author:

Mahtab is a women’s right activist in Iran and a freelance writer.