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Women in Iran Essay

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Women's rights in the Middle East have always been a controversial issue. Although the rights of women have changed over the years, they have never really been equal to the rights of a man. This poses a threat on Iran because women have very limited options when it comes to labor, marriage and other aspects of their culture. I believe that equal treatment for women and men is a fundamental principal of international human rights standards. Yet, in some places like Iran, discriminatory practices against women are not only prevalent, but in some cases, required by law. In this essay I will explain to you the every day life of an every day Islamic woman living in Iran. You will be astonished by what these women have endured through the …show more content…

Not only are women not allowed to choose how they dress, they also aren't allowed to choose where they would like to work or go to school. They can't work with men because they are segregated from men in every aspect of public life. They also are barred from taking employment in a large number of occupations simply because these jobs would compromise their chastity. A married woman is only allowed to be employed if she has the consent of her husband. Women are forbidden to choose their own academic or vocational field of study and there are 169 fields of study that are strictly for men only. A recent law that was just made in 1990 forbids women to drive, which made it impossible for them to transport themselves independently.

Iranian women have to depend quite frequently on men to survive. Women aren't even allowed to travel unless they have permission of their husbands or fathers. Marriage also is a crucial element to an Iranian woman's life. The legal age of marriage is nine years old and most women are not allowed their husband of choice. Women are also not allowed equal rights to divorce. It is only under extreme conditions, such as insanity of their spouse, that they are allowed to file for divorce. Even in the event of the divorce, the father has legal custody of boys after the age of two and girls after the age of seven. It is also crucial to have a husband because if women are involved in any other voluntary sexual

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