Since the seminal Cairo Conference in 1994, anti-feminist actors have pushed back against progress made in women’s rights on the global stage. In The Nation, Mahnaz Afkhami provides insights into the rise of fundamentalist, conservative, and populist movements that are fueling this backlash, and illuminates the role of American wars in the Middle East in…
Tag: Women’s Movement
Are Women Leaders Less Corrupt, No But They Shake Things Up
In an article on women’s participation in politics, Mahnaz Afkhami discusses her experience as Minister for Women’s Affairs in Iran. “‘There is a direct relationship between the level of democracy and the presentation of women in leadership and the quality of governance,’ said Afkhami.”
The Word on Women: MENA region tops agenda at AWID global women's rights forum
The 12th International Forum of the Association for Women’s Rights in Development took place in Istanbul in October, 2012, where Mahnaz Afkhami spoke on conservative religion, political regimes, and women’s rights in the MENA region.
Fighting for Women's Rights: An Interview with Mahnaz Afkhami
In an interview with Dutch human rights NGO, Arseh Sevom (Third Sphere), Mahnaz Afkhami discusses her work in pre-revolution Iran, women fighting for change in the2009 Iranian Green Movement, and her fight for gender equality in exile.
In the New Tunisia, Women's Rights Are in Play
While the status of women in Tunisia has historically been the highest in the Arab world, Mahnaz Afkhami emphasizes the need to ensure that women’s rights are upheld in the new government following the Arab Spring. As stated in this piece in Women’s eNews, Mahnaz Afkhami “knows how tenuous women’s rights can be and how…
Women Could Promote Rights Through Islam
US News & World Report interviewed Mahnaz Afkhami and Melanne Verveer on Muslim values and women’s rights. While some places in northern Africa have seen gains in women’s rights, Afkhami cautions that progress can be revoked under conservative leadership.
Challenging the Architecture of Human Relations
In an interview with openDemocracy, Mahnaz Afkhami discusses the role of transnational women’s networks in promoting women’s rights around the globe. “We decided to establish a transnational women’s organization that focused on finding ways to dent if not immediately change this “architecture of human relations,” the way people relate to each other, make choices, and…
Women In Iran: From the Pahlavi era to the Islamic Republic
This article, penned by Mahnaz Afkhami, addresses the activities of Women’s Organization of Iran before the 1979 Revolution. Afkhami, who was the Secretary General of this non-profit organization, elaborates on its activities in early 1970s. The main focus of those activities – undertaken by women volunteers in 400 branches of this organization nationwide – was…