WNYC New York Public Radio News interviewed Mahnaz Afkhami on the status of women’s rights in the Middle East since uprisings began in 2011. Speaking on the Arab Spring, Afkhami stated: “It has been a revolution for men and women, and in a sense has been a chance for women to bring their revolution to…
Category: In the News
WFPG Series "Beyond the Headlines," Highlights of the 2014 Meeting on Commission on the Status of Women
The 58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was held in New York in March, 2014. Mahnaz Afkhami gave an overview of the conference to the Women’s Foreign Policy Group (WFPG), touching on key issues including pushback against the Beijing Declaration, women’s role in peacebuilding, and violence against women.
Sverige Radio P-1 Morgon: Cold Water Poured on Hopes of Equality After Arab Spring (in Swedish & English)
Swedish Radio P-1 hosted a panel discussion on women’s rights after the Arab Spring. The panel consisted of Mahnaz Afkhami alongside Eva Zillen (Woman to Woman), Asma Khader (member of Jordanian Parliament and CEO of Solidarity is Global Institute/Jordan), and Catherine Harrington (producer of the WLP documentary “Because Our Cause is Just”).
"Unveiling" the First Step in the Liberation and Empowerment of Women in Iran (In Persian)
Penned by Mahnaz Afkhami, this article concentrates on Reza Shah Pahlavi’s January 1936 decree on banning women from wearing veils. In her opinion, Reza Shah’s “courageous” decision was “a fundamental step in building a developed and civilized society based on freedom and equality of human beings.” It is no wonder that Rouhollah Khomeini considered unveiling…
The Emphasis Should be on a Just Society (in Persian)
“Women as leaders and decision makers” is the topic of this interview with Mahnaz Afkhami by Peace Mark Journal. She talks about the importance of women in key positions in society, stressing on their role as “pioneer leaders” while referring to all kinds of gender apartheid against women in Iran which has turned this country…
Islam belongs in People's Lives, Not in Politics, says Karima Bennoune
In her book, Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here, UN Special Rapporteur Karima Benoune criticizes Muslim fundamentalism from a human rights perspective. The Guardian addresses this controversial topic, drawing on the viewpoints of myriad activists including Mahnaz Afkhami. “Mahnaz Afkhami, an Iranian women’s rights activist, says: ‘If you’re in the army, the general is always…
Last Female Minister: Khomeini Introduced the Sexual Apartheid, but Iranian Women Are Successfully Fighting Against It
In an interview with Croatian magazine, Tportal, Mahnaz Afkami speaks about the women who participated in the Arab Spring, progress made on women’s rights in Iran, and her broad knowledge of Iran and the Islamic world.
Vibrant Networking Keeps the Door Open for Arab Women
Women in Egypt played an instrumental role in the political uprising and fight for democracy during the Arab Spring. This article highlights the influence and solidarity of women’s networks across the region. “Mahnaz Afkhami, the Iranian-American founder and president of the Women’s Learning Partnership, has a network of contacts in Egypt now following constitutional developments…