Asieh Amini
Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi's reaction to the so-called "Family Protection Bill" proved to be controversial and has received much media attention. Shirin Ebadi had said that she would head a protest in front of the Majlis building if the proposed bill (which makes it easier for men to marry multiple spouses) is put to debate on the Majlis floor. We have interviewed Shirin Ebadi regarding this matter.
Rooz (R): Mrs. Ebadi, you had indicated that you would head a protest in front of the Majlis building if this bill is put to debate on the Majlis floor. Nowadays, in all women's rights movement circles, people talk about the proposed bill being debated on the Majlis floor. Do you still stand by your words?
Shirin Ebadi (SE): I still believe that Iranian women, including myself, must take a stance against a bill that will weaken the foundations of family, and try to stop the bill's passage by constructive criticism. One of the ways to attract the attention of lawmakers to oppose content of the proposed bull is for women to gather in front of the Majlis building when the bill is under discussion.
R: Is this event imminent?
SE: Regarding the process of passage of any bill I have to say that any proposed bill is once passed after preliminary debate, when lawmakers pass the general provisions of the bill, without discussing particular articles of the bill. Sometimes, the bill is not passed after preliminary debate and does not reach second voting.
Therefore, if the bill is debated sometime next week, and we don't know exactly when, it will be scheduled to come onto the Majlis floor so that each particular provision is debated. I personally hope that the respected lawmakers in the Majlis, particularly female and reformist representatives are able to block the bill after the preliminary debate, and that the number of votes against is sufficient to prevent the bill from reaching the second round.
R: And if that does not happen?
SE: If the bill is passed after preliminary debate, it will be scheduled for debate and final voting on particular provisions, including Articles 23 and 25, which have many faults. At that time, because a schedule is set and the proceedings are broadcasted on the radio, one can definitively know when each article is debated and put to vote. That is when the gathering will take place. In other words, if the bill comes to the Majlis floor for "debate and passage," a protest will take place.
R: Will you invite civil groups, particularly women's rights activists to partake in the gathering?
SE: The makeup and method of the gathering will be subsequently announced after evaluating the situation and discussing the issue with all women's rights groups and those interested in women's issues.
R: Mrs. Ebadi, one of the events that took place after the bill was presented to the Majlis was the coalition of various women's rights groups in opposition to the bill - a coalition that we have rarely seen in the past few years. What is the reason for this unity?
SE: the most important laws concerning women are family laws. For instance, it is possible that it is never the case for some women to serve as witnesses in court trial to understand the discriminatory policy that the testimony of two women is equal to the testimony of one man. Or it is possible that many women never apply for a passport to travel outside Iran to realize that, according to a law, they have to ask their husband for permission before they can leave the country. However, laws concerning marriage and family affect all women, because, normally, all girls get married and will come under the law's jurisdiction. Therefore, it is very important to know which laws are governing marital relations, because the present bill imposes much injustice on women and weakens foundations of family. Therefore, all women, regardless of their economic and social background or political beliefs are opposed to this bill and that's why the authors of this bill must be commended. They have authored a law that has united all Iranian women in opposition to it.
R: But we read in news reports that some female lawmakers endorse the bill?
SE: My belief is that their endorsement is political and a ploy to preserve their social base, because the very women who endorses this law, if she goes home tomorrow, opens the door and sees that a young second wife is sitting in her house, will definitely not thank her husband!
Women who has endorsed this bill must know that the representative life is only four years, but they must live with their husbands for a lifetime. Therefore, it is better for them not to sacrifice their lifelong interest for the 4-year interest of deputyship.
