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A few updates on the progress of the SVAW campaign at Amnesty
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Messages of Solidarity - Iranian Women's Campaign for Equality
As most of you would be aware by now, Amnesty International UK is running a campaign of solidarity in support of the women's rights defenders in Iran. By showing our support we are hoping to help them maintain their strength and bravery as they stand up against discriminatory laws enforced by a suppressive and violent government. By showing such strong support for these women we are also ensuring that the Iranian government know that we are watching in the anticipation that this will make them more accountable and provide some protection to these women.
Under the current Iranian regime women are discriminated against in a number of ways: they cannot be judges or stand for presidency; women do not have the same rights in marriage, divorce (the men have an incontestable right to divorce, the women do not), child custody and inheritance (being allowed only to inherit half of what a man would); women’s testimony in court is half of that of a man’s; fathers can marry off their daughters below the age of 13 to much older men and men can practice polygamy whereas women cannot.
This is in spite of the fact that women make up 60% of the university population in Iran and female literacy rates are increasing.
We have received fantastic support for this campaign, so far collecting over 20,000 signatures. If you haven’t already, please show your support and sign the petition or download a copy and collect even more signatures. The following are messages of solidarity we have received during out collection of petitions for the 1million signatures campaign:
"Do not give up hope. Me and thousands of others around the world find your story of struggle for equal rights truly inspiring. Stay strong as you are not alone"
"No society can be a fair and tolerant society without freedom and equality for women. You cannot compete and make progress as a society without recognising the talents, potential and rights of women"
"We’re here with you so… keep hope!"
"Your situation is unjust and terrible but you must keep faith and hope because many people are still fighting for you and your liberation"
"I am in favour of this campaign as I am a girl living in Pakistan where women are degraded in many walks of life. Hence I can relate to what the Iranian women are going through. I hope with all my heart that these great women achieve what they are voicing themselves for and become a shining path, opening the door to equality for women, all over the world."
"Dear women of Iran, I respect the steps that you have taken to give women their birthright – equality. I support your cause, and I pray for your success, hoping that one day women in my part of the world will also get equal rights that Islam promises"
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Ladies of Iran, please take some heart from all those that support you from afar in your battle for equality
Re: Winston.h.moss: the decidion whether to wear a veil or not is one which can be addressed independently of struggle for equality. Whilst it is now accepted by many that a women can be a good Muslim without a veil, women may be completely free and still choose to wear this as her chosen way to show respect to her religion.
As for the women in Iran at the moment, we must remember that women seen out without the appropriate dress (inc long coat and scarf) may be arrested and sentenced to jail time and a large fine so this if often not a risk which individuals can take.
What is important is that these rules are repealed and these women are given that choice back. To do this we must continue our solidarity with the brave women who are showing strength to challenge these rules to allow women the choice of how to respect their God, veil or not.
Brave ladies of Iran, I'm hearing about you from faraway England, where I only have the faintest notions of your challenges. Women are just as important as men, and at least as capable and sensible. I'm so moved by your courage and wish I was there to help!
Your fight is crucially important for wisdom and fairness everywhere – don't give up!
a simple petition may save a few, but it wont do anything over all, you really need to think about differant methods.
still, with that said, i support you all for trying this. and i want fair rights for women in these (rather stupid) countrys.
Well as it says this is a solidarity campaign so we are showing our support for the Iranian womens movement and not pushing the issue directly from our Western perspective. This is for a very important reason, in Iran it is very easy for the leaders to claim that the equality being sought is a result of Western ideals and pressures and is not what Iran wants. In taking a supporting role we not only help to encourage this movement and avoiding such a huge problem.
The solidarity campaign is done with the intention of showing the Iranian leaders that the world is watching them and that they are accountable for their poor treatment, unfair arrests and violence towards these women and ensure that they do not get away with suppressing the movement. These women know what they are doing but need our protection and support to find the strength to press on through tough opposition.
This is why we are conducting a petition which mirrors one also going on in Iran to show our support; the messages of solidarity and huge success of the petition have already inspired these women and I hope that they continue to do so.