Women allowed to run for Presidency
In a rather strange move, the speaker of the conservative Guardian Council (election watchdog body) announced that from their point of view women are allowed to run for Presidency. This announcement has clarified the meaning of an ambiguous term in the constitution, which could be translated as both "men" or "persons".
Now this doesn't mean that any female candidates would be able to make it to the final competition. The Guardian Council has the power to disqualify any of the candidates, women or men, in the early stages, practically without giving any legal reason. But at least the sexual discrimination has been removed from the law, which is a big step forward for women in Iran.
i am sorry to say the same guy has denied making such claim, and says women are not allowed to stand in elections!!
here is the link in farsi
http://www.mehrnews.com/fa/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=150969
(at January 22, 2005 03:57 PM)
Thanks for the link Ali. Although the guardian council guy seems to be a bit confused, but to my understanding he's trying to stay neutral, note that he has not denied the right of women to run for presidency, but has denied some of the words the television has broadcasted.
Check this:
http://www.iribnews.ir/Full_fa.asp?news_id=87734568081939
(at January 22, 2005 05:13 PM)
thanks for the link nazanin :-)
well i am not really surprised the guy is confused! i mean what do u expect from a guy called elham! lol.
but on a serious note, if i remember right, we had this discussion just before the last elections, and usually they say women can stand for elections, but they are rejected eventually by the Guardian Council. This is because they know damn well if they let women stand, all women and youth in iran would vote for the woman candidate lol.
(at January 23, 2005 12:31 AM)
I agree, if a serious female candidate stands for presidency she would have great chances of being elected. But the first step is to recognise women's legal right for it. Also, it's a bit more difficult for the GC to disqualify a female candidate, it's traditionally harder for them to dive into women's private life and find excuses :-) They're afraid of being called 'pervs' (they are afraid of that label because they bloody ARE pervs) :-))
(at January 23, 2005 02:14 AM)
It was obvious they do any thing and I mean any thing! to get you out to queue for them behind their "white box"es then they film you and show your smiling-can't-wait-to-vote-for-Mrs X faces on their TV channels all over the place like: "Look at them, Hellooo! could it get any more popular?" Any way, so you reckon a "Female President" would be able to get the nation fasten their seat belts when driving! Oh grow up for God's sake...Don't let them use you as their finger they desperately wanna show to the world!
(at January 24, 2005 10:59 AM)
Stupid regimes like the one we have do many mistakes (naturally, because they are stupid), and we have to use every opportunity to move forward one step. For example, one of the most stupid mistakes they have done was to promote education after the revolution. Now, the generation that grew up under their education system is exactly the one that is dead tired of them.
I don't see "everything" happening in Iran as pitch black misery.
(at January 24, 2005 01:57 PM)
oh well, if one day a serious female canddiate appears in the horizon I'm sure she would find a lot of supporters. However I myself don't know of any "serious" woman who's able to do what a "President" is supposed to do. And considering the current limitations over the power of the president, I don't think any female or male candidate is able to change much.
Some people mention Shirin Ebadi as a potential candidate, but I believe she'd better do what she's good at, i.e. push for the rights of women and children. In this way she will do "much" more good for Iran in the long term.
But I do agree that we should use every opportunity to move one step forward, whether it improves the international image or not. We cannot wait forever for the international community.
Comments