Omid Memarian
o.memarian@roozonline.com
Nahid Tavasoli is a well-known women’s activist in Iran and a founder of the Campaign for One Million Signatures Against Gender Discriminatory Laws in Iran. In an exclusive interview with Rooz she said that the conservative media and parts of the ruling circles in Iran fabricated news about women activists because they pursued the goal of politicizing women’s rights.
She specifically singled out the Campaign for One Million Signatures which strives to gather support against gender discriminatory laws in Iran. This group was the center of many social activities regarding women in the country and last week one of its founding members won the prestigious Olof Palme award for her dedication and efforts in the realm of women’s rights. The recipient is Parvin Ardalan who is a journalist, social activist and among the most prominent names in the women’s fight for equality in Iran. Last year, the award went to former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Regarding the award, Tavasoli told Rooz, “Some government media outlets have embarked on belittling the recipients of international awards and make false accusations against them.”
On the reason why some government authorities have a negative view of activists who receive international recognition for their social work, Tavasoli said, “The reaction of some government authorities to the recipients has political reasons. They argue that those who receive these awards are agents who are controlled by foreigners. People on the other hand, view them differently.”
