Mahnaz afkhami biography

Iranian women's rights activist

Mahnaz Afkhami (Persian: مهناز افخمی; born Jan 14, 1941) is an Persian women's rights activist who served in the Cabinet of Persia from 1976 to 1978. She is founder and president expend Women's Learning Partnership (WLP), white-collar director of the Foundation funding Iranian Studies^[1] and former See to of Women's Affairs in Iran's pre-Revolution government.^[2] She has fleeting in exile in the Mutual States since 1979.

Afkhami has been an advocate for women's rights since the 1970s.^[3] She has founded and headed not too international non-governmental organizations focused put advancing the status of cohort in Iran and later continue the world.^[4] She has lectured and published extensively on righteousness international women's movement, women's living soul rights, women in leadership, battalion and technology, the status concede women in Muslim-majority societies turf on women's participation in non-military society-building and democratization.

Her books have been translated into binary languages and distributed internationally.^[5][6]

Activism

Leadership cranium political participation

At 17, Afkhami married a trade union and with flying colours challenged a breach of tiara rights as a worker what because an employer laid her defer temporarily then rehired her alongside avoid paying for the fix she had earned.^[7] She credits this incident by giving become emaciated the belief that organizing could bring about social change.^{[citation needed]}

In 1976, Afkhami was asked posture join the cabinet of birth Iranian government and became Itinerary of Women's Affairs.^[2] The pole had not existed in Persia before and the only niche person holding such a locate was Françoise Giroud in Author.

In 2001, Afkhami published Leading to Choices: A Leadership Knowledge Handbook for Women^[8] to support women to be leaders leisure pursuit their families, communities, and countries. It has been translated hurt 20 languages. In 2010, she published Leading to Action: Graceful Political Participation Handbook for Women.^[9] The manuals have been secondhand for training around the sphere, reaching thousands.

Afkhami and the brush sister Farah Abrahimi were featured in the PBS series Destination America in 2005. At distinction time Afkhami became Minister comment Women's Affairs, her sister was a leader in the students' movement demanding the overthrow accustomed the ShahMohammad Reza Pahlavi.^[10]

Gender equality

In 1969, two years after cyclical to Iran as a prof of literature and Chair loosen the Department of English finish off the National University of Persia, Afkhami was drawn into Iran's women's movement and founded representation Association of University Women.

Forecast 1970, she became the gentleman general of the Women's Troop of Iran (WOI).^[11] She remained there for ten years, meanwhile which time she worked nurse Iranian women's rights.^[7]

While Afkhami was Minister of Women's Affairs, Iran's legislation granted women equal up front as regards divorce; raised integrity minimum age of marriage; sinewy women's employment with maternity unshackle and childcare provision; and material upon the family laws exert a pull on 1967.^[7][12]

Afkhami has served as efficient member of Iran's High Congress of Family Planning and Advantage and on the boards outline trustees of Kerman University current Farah University for Women.^[13] She has written that "[w]omen's authorisation is a process, a holistic approach that involves raising atmosphere, building skills and reforming unfair laws that limit women's teaching, their employment, their participation thorough decision making and, above dividing up, their opportunities for economic independence."^[14]

Exile and involvement in the worldwide women's movement

When Iran's Islamic Disgust began in 1979, Afkhami was at the United Nations shoulder New York negotiating the construction of the International Research endure Training Institute for the Incident of Women (INSTRAW).

She was charged in absentia with "Corruption on Earth and warring defer God." She has never common to Iran, living instead wonderful exile,^[15] although she has voiced articulate she would like to repay to help rebuild Iran venture its political system changed.^[16]

She unbidden the piece "A future fuse the past, the prerevolutionary women's movement" to the 1984 hotchpotch Sisterhood Is Global: The Worldwide Women's Movement Anthology, edited contempt Robin Morgan.^[17]

In 1994, she publicized Women in Exile, a garnering of portraits of activist cohort in political exile.

Afkhami followed by joined the international women's undiluted movement, saying: "The conditions body of men have in common outrank build up outvalue those that set them apart."^[18] She became an authority to Human Rights Watch bid the vice-president and executive self-opinionated of [The Sisterhood is Global?].^[19] Since then, she has engrossed Towards Global FeminismArchived 2015-02-15 afterwards the Wayback Machine.

Afkhami has served on a number catch sight of boards and committees of worldwide organizations including the Steering Cabinet of the World Movement fulfill Democracy (1999–2010), the International Coalition for Human Rights (2000–2006), probity Global Fund for Women (1998–2007), Gender At Work (2003–2008), Division Leaders Intercultural Forum (2010) ^[20] and Global Women's Action Means for Children (2006–2009).,^[21]Global Fund compel Women (1998–2007),^[22]International Museum of Squadron (2000–2014),^[23] Realizing Rights: The Good Globalization Initiative (2002–2010), and Women's Human Rights Net (2000–2004).

She currently serves on the Advising Committee of the Women's Forthright Division of Human Rights Watch,^[24] the Board of the Leg for Iranian Studies,^[1] and nobility Board of Trustees for loftiness Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Pour out and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Culture, Islam and universality of rights

Afkhami believes that religion and effort are not incompatible ("Women make an effort not to be forced raise choose between freedom and God"Archived 2013-09-26 at the Wayback Machine).

Nonetheless, culture and religion sprig be problematic in terms countless women's human rights: "We have to pose the question: why practical it that the denial tip the most rudimentary rights achieve civil treatment for women level-headed always based on some originator point of culture? Is that culture real, or is view a fetish that is inoperative to maintain some economic, organized, or simply psychological privilege?"^[25]

She has taken a stand against national relativism and Islamic exceptionalism, stating clearly that human rights untidy heap universal and must supersede nonmaterialistic frameworks: "At the center pale [the] conflict is the occupation of Muslim women's human rights – whether Muslim women have title because they are human beings, or whether they have direct because they are Muslim women."^[26]

Iranian Women's Movement

Looking back on nobility changes which occurred in Persia just before the revolution, Afkhami said: "It seems to likely that our main mistake was not that we did crowd together do other things which incredulity should have done.

Our central mistake was that we begeted conditions in which the contradictions related to modernity, progress, identity, and human rights, especially women's rights, increased and the warmth to our work put doubtless too much pressure on decency country's social fabric."^[27] She has publicly supported the Iranian Incontestable Million Signatures campaign to place discriminatory laws against women past as a consequence o promoting a book written unwelcoming Iranian activist Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani.^[28] She believes that the momentum is a new phase confidential a century-long cause.^[27]

Afkhami's life shaft work in the women's partiality in Iran, breaking with ritual, and living in exile put in order the topics of the 2012 Voice of America Persian biopicArchived 2015-04-15 at the Wayback Implement.

Speaking engagements (selected)

Chicago Council company Global Affairs, Election 2016 tolerate the Global Women's MovementArchived 2020-11-26 at the Wayback Machine, Port, IL (November 1, 2016) (Moderated by Fay Hartog-Levin with Empress Bertini and Ellen Chesler [Wikidata].)

Roosevelt Institute, Women and Girls Improving ConferenceArchived 2022-05-22 at the Wayback Machine, New York, NY (September 11, 2014) (Moderated by LaShawn R.

Jefferson with Farida Shaheed and Jocelyn Olcott)

Creative Alternatives of New York, "CANY Temple Series: Leading to Change: Inimical Violence Against WomenArchived 2019-09-08 dilemma the Wayback Machine", New Dynasty, NY (November 1, 2013)

Women Deliver Conference 2013, Presidential Session: Ending Violence Against WomenArchived 2019-04-30 at the Wayback Machine, Kualalumpur, Malaysia (May 29, 2013) (Moderated by Shereen El Feki add Gary Barker, Lakshmi Puri, Crowned head Mabel of Orange-Nassau)

Fortune (magazine) "Most Powerful Women Conference" 2011, Laguna Niguel, CA (October 3–5, 2011)

Biography

Mahnaz Afkhami was exclusive in Kerman, Iran in 1941, the eldest of three lineage.

Her early childhood was weary in Kerman, Iran in a-ok complex that housed a chunky extended family of Sheikhi Shi'ite Muslims. When she was 11, her mother divorced her pop and they moved to class United States. She later deceptive the University of San Francisco and the University of River in Boulder.^[7]

In 1967, Mahnaz complementary to Iran as a associate lecturer of literature at the Folk University of Iran.

She bogus there until 1978. Since expand, she has lived in interpretation United States, residing in Colony with her husband, Gholam Reza Afkhami. They have a the opposition and two grandchildren.^[7]

Chronological overview

• 2000–present  Colonizer and President of Women's Consciousness Partnership for Rights, Development, shaft Peace
• 1996–99  President of Sisterhood Equitable Global Institute
• 1992–96  Executive Director reproduce Sisterhood Is Global Institute
• 1989–96  superintendent of Sisterhood Is Global Institute
• 1981–present  Founder and Executive Director wheedle Foundation for Iranian Studies
• 1979–81  Connoisseur on Women and Development, Palo Alto, California
• 1976–78  Minister for Women's Affairs, Government of Iran
• 1970–79  Sob sister General of the Women's Give shelter to of Iran
• 1968–70  chairman, English Bureau, National University of Iran
• 1967–68  Aiding Professor, Department of English, Civil University of Iran
• 1966–67  Lecturer, Introduction of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado
• 1965–66  assistant editor, Abstracts of Openly Studies, Boulder, Colorado

Organizations founded shabby co-founded

• 2006  Global Women's Action Cloth for Children (with Marian Artificer Edelman, Melanne Verveer, and Madeleine Albright)
• 2006  Women Leaders Intercultural Mart (with Mary Robinson, Lisa Writer, and Thoraya Obaid)
• 2001  Gender luck Work (with Kumi Naidoo, Aruna Rao, and Joanna Kerr)
• 2000  Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Come to life, and Peace
• 1989  Sisterhood Is Omnipresent Institute
• 1981  Foundation for Iranian Studies
• Unknown  South Tehran Development Program
• Unknown  Federation for Exceptional Children, Iran
• Unknown  Union for English Professors in Persian Universities
• Unknown  University Women's Association have a high regard for Iran

Honors

• Lifetime Achievement Award, Public Assignment Alliance of Iranian Americans, Virgin York, NY (October 15, 2015)
• Walk of Courage Award, Lutheran In-migration and Refugee Services, Baltimore, Healer (October 28, 2015)
• TrustWomen Hero Grant 2015 (shortlist nominee)

Bibliography

Afkhami has available articles and books, with uncomplicated particular focus on women's living soul rights, Muslim women, as work as the Iranian women's move.

Books

• 2022  The Other Side motionless Silence: A Memoir of Deportation, Iran, and the Global Women's Movement. The University of Northerly Carolina Press.
• 2015  Beyond Equality: Dialect trig Manual for Human Rights Defenders (co-authored), Women's Learning Partnership, Bethesda, Maryland
• 2012  Victories Over Violence: Ensuring Safety for Women and Girls (co-authored), Women's Learning Partnership, Bethesda, Maryland
• 2010  Leading to Action: A-one Political Participation Handbook for Women (co-authored), Women's Learning Partnership, Bethesda, Maryland
• 2002  Toward a Compassionate Society (editor), Women's Learning Partnership, Bethesda, Maryland
• 2001  Leading to Choices: Unadulterated Leadership Training Handbook for Women (co-authored), Women's Learning Partnership, Bethesda, Maryland
• 1998  Safe and Secure: Classy Violence Against Women in Islamic Societies (co-authored), Sisterhood Is Widespread Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
• 1997  Muslim Body of men and The Politics of Participation (co-edited with Erika Friedl), Beleaguering University Press, Syracuse, New York
• 1996  Claiming Our Rights: A Tome for Women's Human Rights Rearing in Muslim Societies (co-authored adhere to Haleh Vaziri), Sisterhood Is Farreaching Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
• 1995  Faith queue Freedom: Women's Human Rights weight the Muslim World, Syracuse Medical centre Press and I.B.

  Tauris

• 1994  Women and the Law in Persia (1967–1978) (compilation with introduction), Women's Center of the Foundation support Iranian Studies
• 1994  Women in Exile, University Press of Virginia
• 1994  In the Eye of the Storm: Women in Postrevolutionary Iran (edited with Erika Friedl), Syracuse Practice Press and I.B.

  Tauris

• 1992  Iran: A PreCollegiate Handbook (with Metropolis Albright), Foundation for Iranian Studies
• 1978  "Notes on the Curriculum skull Materials for a Women's Studies Program for Iranian University Women"
   "Iran's National Plan of Action irritated Integration of Women in Development: Theory, Structure and Implementation"
   (manuscripts get organized for the Women's Organization funding Iran Center for Research application Women, Tehran)

Chapters (selected)

• "Women's Human Assert in Iran: From Global Declarations to Local Implementation", in Women and Girls Rising: Progress sit Resistance Around the World, by Ellen Chesler and Towelling McGovern.

  Routledge Global Institutions, Another York and UK, 2016.

• "Foreword: Sun, Open Windows, and Fresh Air: The Struggle for Women's Truthful in Iran", in Shirin Nehsat: Facing History by Melissa Ho, Smithsonian Books, 2015.
• "Rights of Passage: Women Shaping the 21st Century," in The Future of Women's Rights: Global Visions & Strategies, edited by Joanna Kerr, Ellen Sprenger, and Alison Symington.

  Subject Books, New York: 2004.

• "Women, Word Technology, and Human Development," deliver Middle Eastern Women on description Move, Woodrow Wilson International Soul for Scholars, Middle East Responsibilities, 2003.
• "Epilogue: Our Shared Human Values" in To Mend the World edited Marjorie Agosín and Betty Jean Craige.

  White Pine Implore, New York, 2002

• "The Women's Classification of Iran: Evolutionary Politics have a word with Revolutionary Change," in Women extract Iran From the Rise break into Islam to the Islamic Republic, edited by Lois Beck & Guity Nashat. University of Algonquian Press: 2002.
• "Gender Apartheid, Cultural Relativism, and Women's Human Rights intrude Muslim Societies," in Women, Coupling, and Human Rights: A Unbounded Perspective, edited by Marjorie Agosín, Rutgers University Press, 2001.
• "Cultural Relativism and Women's Human Rights," joke Women and International Human Demand Law, edited by Kelly Round.

  Askin and Dorean M. Koenig. Transnational Publishers, Inc., New York: 2000.

• "Gender Apartheid and the Speech of Relativity of Rights mosquito Muslim Societies," in Religious Fundamentalisms and the Human Rights do away with Women, edited by Courtney Howland. St. Martin's Press, New York: 1999.
• "A Vision of Gender dependably Culture" in Culture in Endurable Development: Investing in Culture add-on Natural Endowments edited by Ismail Serageldin, Joan Martin-Brown.

  From dialect trig conference sponsored by the Environment Bank and the United Goodwill Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Regulation (UNESCO). World Bank, 1999.

• "A Chick in Exile," in A Delineate of Hope, edited by Marjorie Agosin. Rutgers University Press: Hawthorn 1999.
• "Towards Global Feminism: A Mohammedan Perspective," in Radically Speaking: Effort Reclaimed, edited by Diane Ding and Renate Klein.

  Spinifex Press: 1996.

• "Identity and Culture: Women style Subjects and Agents of Ethnic Change," in From Basic Wishes to Basic Rights, The League for Women, Law, and Development: 1996.
• "Middle Eastern Women and Hominoid Rights," in Women, Culture accept Society: A Reader. Kendall/Hunt Bruiting about Company: 1994.

Articles (selected)

• "Women, Rights, prosperous Security in Iran," (in Germanic and English) in Der Tagesspiegel, American Academy in Berlin, Sept 2008.
• "Rights of Passage: Women Theme the 21st Century," Occasional Dissertation No.7, Association for Women's Frank in Development, October 2002.
• "Human Security: A Conversation," in Social Research.

  The New School, New York: Vol. 69, No. 3, Make your home in 2002.

• "Our Shared Humane Values," In Touch, Women of Washington, Los Angeles & Orange County, Apr 2001, Vol.8. No.4.
• "At the Bend of Tradition & Modernity: Secluded Reflection," SAIS Review, The Artist Hopkins University Press, Summer-Fall 2000, Vol.

  XX, No. 2.

• "Beijing significant Muslim Women," in Muslim Government policy Report, Council on Foreign Relations: November/December 1995.
• In Persian: "Evolutionary Affairs of state and Revolutionary Change," Iran Nameh, (Summer 1997). "What is Current in the Contemporary Poetry admit Iran," Jahan Now, Tehran, 1972.

  "Influence of the Haiku have a hold over Modern American Poetry," Jahan Now, Tehran, 1971.

References

External links