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Women's Education in Iran

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-{{Merge to|Women's Education in Iran|date=May 2016}}
-A number of '''Iranian restrictions on women's education''' have been introduced in recent years by various conservative Iranian groups.
-==Overview==
-As of 2006, women accounted for over half of university students in Iran<ref name=BBCed>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5359672.stm Women graduates challenge Iran], Francis Harrison, [[BBC]], September 26, 2006. Retrieved aSeptember 21, 2008.</ref> and 70% of Iran's science and engineering students.<ref>[http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v444/n7115/full/444022a.html Nature: News Feature]</ref>
-Such education and social trends are increasingly viewed with alarm by the Iranian conservatives groups.<ref name=BBCed/><ref name=VOE>[http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1079460.html Iran: Does Government Fear Educated Women?], Iraj Gorgin, [[Radio Free Europe]], February 10, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2008.</ref>  A report by the [[Majlis Research Center|Research Center]] of the [[Islamic Consultative Assembly|Majlis]] warned that the large female enrolment could cause "social disparity and economic and cultural imbalances between men and women."<ref name=BBCed/>
-==October 2010 course restriction==
-In 2010, Iran imposed restrictions on a dozen social studies courses, including women's studies and human rights, on the grounds that "The content of the current courses in the 12 subjects is not in harmony with religious fundamentals and they are based on Western schools of thought."<ref name=AP4>{{cite news|first=Associated Press|title=Iran restricts social sciences seen as 'Western'|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3974198,00.html|accessdate=26 August 2012|newspaper=Associated Press|date=24 October 2010}}</ref>
-==January 2011 Allameh Tabatabai University announcement==
-In January 2011, the president of [[Allameh Tabatabai University]] in [[Tehran]], [[Sadreddin Shariati]], announced that subjects with large numbers of students would be split by gender. Prior to this, university libraries and canteens were already segregated, and male and female students often sat in separate rows in lecture halls. It was claimed that the Iranian public had already been requesting gender segregation in education in some highly religious areas and in the capital; also, such segregation was said to already be in progress in a number of other Iranian universities. Senior cleric [[Hojatoleslam Mohammad Mohamadian]] pushed for segregated classes in 2006, and again in 2009; other governmental requests to allow segregation date back over 15 years.<ref name=UWN1>{{cite news|last=Sharma, Yojana and Raeis, Shaya|title=IRAN: Growing separation of genders in universities|url=http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20110204224833806|accessdate=26 August 2012|newspaper=University World News|date=6 February 2011}}</ref>
-==April 2012==
-[[Amnesty International]] reported that in April 2012, university security personnel at the Roudehen Branch of Islamic [[Azad University]] beat female students who were not complying with [[hijab]] (Islamic dress) standards.<ref name=AI1>{{cite web|first=Amnesty International|title=Amnesty International Joint Public Statement|url=http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/033/2012/en/83888d3b-7839-4829-8770-8acc122462be/mde130332012en.pdf|publisher=Amnesty International|accessdate=26 August 2012}}</ref> They also claimed reports of quotas restricting women’s admission to specific university programs ("designed to reduce women’s access to specific fields of study") implemented by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. Such restrictions on women’s educational choices were said to violate the prohibition on discrimination and Iran’s obligations under [[international law]].<ref name=AI1 />
-==20 August 2012 course ban==
-===Restrictions===
-On 20 August 2012, an announcement was made by Iran's [[Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (Iran)|Ministry of Science, Research and Technology]] that 36 universities in [[Iran]] would be cutting 77 fields of study from the female curriculum, making them male-only fields. The fields chosen include most sciences and engineering, among others. The curriculum change is to begin being implemented for the 2013 school year and the fields of study limitations for women have been added to the university "leaflets".<ref>{{cite news |title=Male-order education: Iran bars women from 77 university courses|author=[[Staff writer]]|url=http://rt.com/news/iran-women-university-ban-171/ |newspaper=[[RT (TV network)|Russia Today]]|date=21 August 2012|accessdate=21 August 2012}}</ref> Universities like the [[Oil Industry University]] have completely barred women from attending, citing the "lack of employer demand".<ref name=hdn22>{{cite news |title=Iran bans women from 77 university majors, including engineering, physics |author=[[Staff writer]] |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/iran-bans-women-from-77-university-majors-including-engineering-physics-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=28325&NewsCatID=352 |accessdate=22 August 2012 |newspaper=[[Hurriyet Daily News]] |date=22 August 2012 |location=Istanbul}}</ref>
-The announcement came soon after the release of statistics showing that women were graduating in far higher numbers than men from Iranian universities and were scoring overall better than men, especially in the sciences.<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite web | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9487761/Anger-as-Iran-bans-women-from-universities.html | title=Anger as Iran bans women from universities | publisher=The Telegraph | date=20 August 2012 | accessdate=August 24, 2012 | author=Tait, Robert}}</ref>
-This reasoning was echoed by [[Isfahan University]], which stated that from those that obtained mining engineering degrees "98% of female graduates ended up jobless."<ref name="Telegraph"/> The disciplines related to agriculture were also regarded as "unfit" for female students.<ref name=hdn22/> Therefore, as a consequence of this move, women will not become engineers, nuclear physicists, archaeologists, business graduates and computer scientists in Iran.<ref name=hdn22/> Additionally, they are also banned from attending the departments of English literature, translation and hotel management.<ref name=hdn22/> Another reason given was that because of a shortage of available female dormitories, attendance had to be lowered. A comparison was made, however, to the fact that [[nursing]] was made a female-only degree in the same announcement.<ref name="LAT"/>
-The possibility of fields of study restrictions was first reported by the [[Mehr News Agency]] on 6 August 2012. The news followed the release of the year's entrance exam scores, showing that 60% of university attendees are women,<ref name="NYT">{{cite news|title=Universities in Iran Put Limits on Women's Options |author=Zakiyyah Wahab |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/world/middleeast/20iht-educbriefs20.html?_r=1|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=20 August 2012 |accessdate=21 August 2012}}</ref> along with test scores of the past few years showing women largely outperforming men. This included 52% of university graduates being women and 68% of science degree graduates being women.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iran Barring Women From Atomic, Oil Fields Draws Rebuke |author=Jonathan Tirone |url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-21/iran-barring-women-from-atomic-oil-fields-draws-rebuke.html |newspaper=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]]|date=21 August 2012 |accessdate=21 August 2012}}</ref> These results have caused concern among the senior clerics of the country, who became worried about the "social side-effects of rising educational standards among women, including declining birth and marriage rates".<ref name="Telegraph"/>
-===Responses===
-====Iran====
-*[[Seyed Abolfazl Hassani]], a senior Iranian education official, stated in defense of the announcement that, "Some fields are not very suitable for women’s nature, such as agricultural machinery or mining, partly because of the hard work involved in them."<ref name="LAT">{{cite news |title=Iranian universities shut female students out of dozens of fields |author=Ramin Mostaghim and Emily Alpert |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/08/iranian-universities-female-students.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=20 August 2012 |accessdate=21 August 2012}}</ref><ref name="NYT"/>
-*The policy change was criticized by some Iranian parliamentarians, such as [[Mohammad-Mehdi Zahedi]], head of the Iranian parliament’s education and research committee. However, [[Kamran Daneshjoo]], the science and higher education minister, gave a "guarded response" to the news, saying that the universities would have to state a reason, but also supported the change by explaining that "90% of degrees remain open to both sexes and that single-gender courses were needed to create 'balance'." Zahedi said in response that Daneshjoo is "expected to present himself to parliament to explain this policy".<ref name="Telegraph"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Tensions in the Iranian Leadership Over Excluding Women from Universities |author=[[Staff writer]] |url=http://www.theinternational.org/articles/235-tensions-in-the-iranian-leadership-over-e |newspaper=The International |date=August 27, 2012 |accessdate=August 27, 2012}}</ref>
-*Iranian [[Nobel Peace Prize]] winner and human rights activist [[Shirin Ebadi]] wrote to the [[United Nations]] in protest of the restrictions, stating that the Iranian government is "trying to limit the active presence of women in society". She has asked for the issue to be added to "Iran's human rights dossier". The letter was then forwarded to UN special rapporteur for Iran Ahmad Shaheed and to the UN [[High Commissioner for Human Rights]] [[Navanethem Pillay]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Nobel laureate calls on UN to protect Iranian women|author=Staff writer|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/12/aug/1176.html |newspaper=[[Radio Zamaneh]]|date=21 August 2012|accessdate=21 August 2012}}</ref> Ebadi also added that the purpose of this policy change is to reduce the number of female university attendees to below 50%, down from the current 65%.<ref name="Telegraph"/>
-====International====
-*The [[United States Department of State|US State Department]] Spokesperson, [[Victoria Nuland]], said that: "This decision represents a significant regression for women in Iran, who have outnumbered men in universities for over a decade, and will further restrict the ability of Iranian women to find employment." The State Department went on to release a statement urging Iran to "protect women’s rights" and to uphold its "own laws and international obligations which guarantee non-discrimination in all areas of life".<ref>{{cite news |title=US Urge Iran to guarantee non-discrimination in all areas of life to women, including access to education|author=[[Staff writer]]|url=http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2012/08/22/us-urge-iran-guarantee-non-discrimination-all-areas-life-women-including-access-educ|newspaper=[[Asian Tribune]]|date=22 August 2012|accessdate=21 August 2012}}</ref>
-* In a statement to the journal ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]'', UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky explained that, while on his trip to Iran for the [[Non-Aligned Movement]] meeting, Ban Ki-Moon said in a speech that Tehran should focus on the "need for greater access for women in Iran to a broader range of professions and fields of study".<ref name="Science">{{cite news |title=Science Groups Slam Iran's Move to Bar Women from 77 Undergraduate Fields |author=David Malakoff |url=http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/09/science-groups-slam-irans-move.html?ref=hp |newspaper=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |date=5 September 2012 |accessdate=7 September 2012}}</ref>
-* On 22 September 2012, [[Human Rights Watch]] urged Iran to reverse the new policy, claiming that such restrictions are a violation of the international right to education for everyone without discrimination.<ref name=CT1>{{cite news|last=Torbati|first=Yeganeh|title=Lift restrictions on women's education, rights group tells Iran|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-iran-womenbre88l03l-20120922,0,6158083.story|accessdate=22 September 2012|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=22 September 2012}}</ref>
-====Academics====
-*In a press release on September 5, the ''International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies'' stated that, "To impose, in the 21st century, such restrictions on the higher education of Iranian women … is appalling."<ref name="Science"/>
-*British professor of medicine and author [[Qanta Ahmed]] wrote in ''[[The New York Post]]'' that the policy change is "just another step toward imposing an extreme Islamist ideology central to which is misogyny, anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism." However, as a practitioner of [[Islam]], she explained how the viewpoints of the clerics and others in Iran supporting the change in the name of Islam are making a "heinous distortion" of it, as Islam actually "''enshrines'' the rights of women, rights particularly likely to be trampled upon by men." Furthermore, she went on to state that the reasons behind the change are not religious, but political and that the change is not representative of Islam, but of [[Islamism]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Iran’s alarming crackdown on women |author=[[Qanta Ahmed]] |url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/iran_alarming_crackdown_on_women_b5XZ3839Ciwuq93g6tMPfP |newspaper=[[The New York Post]] |date=29 August 2012 |accessdate=30 August 2012}}</ref>
-*[[Haleh Esfandiari]], Director of the Middle East Program at the [[Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars]], suggested in a ''[[Chronicle of Higher Education]]'' article that women may now turn to the internet to receive [[online education]]s, as the women of Iran have shown "again and again they can come up with new ways of pursuing their goals".<ref>{{cite news|title=Why Is Iran Curtailing Female Education?|author=[[Haleh Esfandiari]] |url=http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/why-is-iran-curtailing-female-education/30260|newspaper=[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]|date=22 August 2012|accessdate=22 August 2012}}</ref>
-*Pakistani author and journalist [[Bina Shah]] in ''[[The Express Tribune]]'' compared the universities' policy change as being the hallmark of a [[Patriarchy|patriarchal system]], and that support of patriarchal attitudes and negative actions toward women should be seen as a "mental illness". In addition, she stated that feminism should be seen as a "way of encouraging and empowering women to rise and stand side-by-side with men as their partners, helpmates and friends."<ref>{{cite news |title=Understanding feminism |author=[[Bina Shah]]|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/424760/understanding-feminism/|newspaper=[[The Express Tribune]]|date=22 August 2012|accessdate=22 August 2012}}</ref>
-* In ''[[The Journal of Turkish Weekly]]'', Betül Durmus considered how the change in university policy is a representation of the [[sexual division of labor]] and how it is a discriminatory ideology that seeks to "enslave" women, while idly "granting" them a few opportunities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iran’s Ban on Higher Education of Women|author=Betül Durmus |url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/140839/iran%C3%ADs-ban-on-higher-education-of-women.html|newspaper=[[The Journal of Turkish Weekly]]|date=24 August 2012|accessdate=24 August 2012}}</ref>
-==See also==
-{{Div col}}
-*[[Higher education in Iran]]
-*[[Women in Iran]]
-*[[Women's rights in Iran]]
-*[[Hawza]]
-{{Div col end}}
-==References==
-{{reflist|colwidth=33em}}
+= Women's Education in Iran =
+<nowiki>]] {{</nowiki>[[Template:R from merge|R from merge]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki>
 [[Category:Women's rights in Iran]]
 [[Category:Women and education]]