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Bus workers back women’s rights in Iran
21 June 2006
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| Rally for women's rights in Tehran [photo: courtesy of www.kosoof.com] | |
Members of an Iranian bus workers’ union were part of a 5000-strong rally demonstrating against Iran’s oppression of women in the capital city, Tehran.
Workers of ITF affiliate Sandikaye Kargarane Sherkate Vahed, the Tehran bus workers’ union, joined demonstrators, which included both men and women, on 12 June, to demand an end to all forms of legal gender-based discrimination. Iran’s laws currently protect men at the expense of women: polygamy, divorce, child custody, employment rights, travel restrictions and the definition of adulthood all discriminate against women. In addition, under current law, women are assigned half the value of a man. This means, for example, that four women must appear in court to fulfil the requirement of two witnesses.
During the demonstration Zahra Haiatgheib, the wife of a board member of the bus workers’ union Mansour Haiatgheibi was arrested.
The activists are being supported by five Nobel Peace Prize winners: Shirin Ebadi from Iran, Jody Williams from the US, Betty Williams from Ireland, Wangari Maathai of Kenya, and Rigoberta Menchu of Guatemala.
The ITF is currently supporting the Tehran bus workers’ union in its continuous struggle for the right to organise in the face of unrelenting repression by the authorities. The union’s President, Mansoor Osanloo has been held in detention since 22 December last year. Commenting on the plight of the union, Bilal Malkawi, ITF Arab World Offices said: “This is a fight for the fundamental human rights of workers. Workers acting in solidarity will win in the end.”
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