"One Million Signatures" Campaign: Demanding an End to Discriminatory Laws Against Women in Iran

Read more about the history of the campaign

Iranian women’s rights activists are fighting gender apartheid through the “One Million Signatures” campaign, which aims to collect one million signatures to demand an end to discriminatory laws against women. At present, men have the sole right to divorce and except in special cases, the right to custody of children. One man’s testimony equals that of two women. And certain positions, such as that of a judge, are closed to women. The campaign is a continuation of Iranian women’s century-long struggle for gender equality.

Update: More Campaign Activists Sentenced, Remaining in Detention

August 13, 2008

SUPPORT IRANIAN WOMEN
Sign the petition and help them reach their goal of one million signatures to end discriminatory laws against women.
  • English petition
  • Persian petition
  • Zeinab Bayzeydi, a women’s rights activist who was arrested on July 9, has been sentenced to serve four years in exile in the West Azarbaijan Province. According to the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan, Ms. Bayzeydi has denied all charges against her, except for her cooperation with the One Million Signatures campaign. She intends to appeal the ruling.

    Amir Yaghoub-Ali, the first man to have been arrested in connection with the One Million Signatures campaign, was convicted of endangering national security through the spreading of propaganda against the state, and sentenced to a one-year prison term on May 25. The sentence is currently on appeal.

    Support Iranian Women on their National Day of Solidarity

    June 2, 2008

    Iranian women's rights activists are calling for international support in observance of the June 12, 2006 demonstrations. Two years ago on this day, activists organized a peaceful protest demanding the revision of discriminatory laws against women in Iran. Seventy people were arrested during the gathering and continue to this day to be summoned, charged, arrested and sentenced for peaceful activism. June 12th has since been chosen by Iranian women’s rights activists as their national day of solidarity to object harmful actions which attempt to silence Iranian women.

    SUPPORT IRANIAN WOMEN
    Sign the "One Million Signatures" campaign petition calling for an end to discriminatory laws against women such as men's uncontested right to divorce, polygamy, and child custody.

    Please read the following "Statement in Support of Iranian Women" and send your personal or organizational support for the women’s rights activists who are fighting for their basic human rights against all odds. Please send emails to wlp@learningpartnership.org and hadighaemi@iranhumanrights.org. For more information about the campaign efforts, please read below or visit the One Million Signatures website.

    Launch of the "One Million Signatures" Campaign

    February 13, 2007

    Iranian women’s rights activists are fighting gender apartheid through the “One Million Signatures” campaign, which demands an end to discriminatory laws against women. At present, men have the sole right to divorce and except in special cases, the right to custody of children. One man’s testimony equals that of two women. A man’s worth is twice that of a woman in cases of murder or bodily injury. A daughter receives half a son’s inheritance. And certain positions, such as that of a judge, are closed to women. The campaign aims to collect one million signatures in support of granting women equal legal status with men. It is a continuation of Iranian women’s century-long struggle for gender equality.

    Iran: Challenging the mullahs, one signature at a time

    By Maura J. Casey, Editorial Observer
    The New York Times
    February 7, 2007

    "Well-behaved women rarely make history," my favorite bumper sticker says. It surely applies to Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian lawyer and 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner whose relentless campaign against discrimination has enraged the mullahs for more than 25 years.

    In a country where the law values a woman’s life at only half the price of a man’s, Ms. Ebadi will not be quiet, and she is urging other women to find their voices. Her newest effort is to help collect the signatures of one million Iranian women on a petition protesting their lack of legal rights.

    Syndicate content