Woodrow Wilson Center: A panel discussion about the role of women in Iran politics.

Pari Esfandiari, Founder and President, Eclectic Woman – IranDokht; Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, Former Member of Iranian Parliament and Visiting Scholar, Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy, University of Massachusetts, Boston; Jaleh Lackner-Gohari, Physician and Vice President, interchange associates international (iCHai); Norma Moruzzi, Associate Professor, Political Science, Gender & Women’s Studies, and History, University of Illinois, Chicago; Nayereh Tohidi, Chair and Professor, Gender and Women’s Studies Department, California State University, Northridge.

Pari Esfandiari discussed her experience reporting on women’s issues in Iran during and after the June 12 election. She explained that, as a nonpartisan reporter, her main goal was to portray an accurate picture of the political landscape in Iran, with special attention to the strong presence of women in the election campaigns and protests. She touched on five subjects that she deemed important to consider when reporting on women in Iran: women as emerging political leaders, women as voters, the role of women’s coalitions, the role of communication and internet, and the role of art and pop culture. After the post-election crackdown on journalists, Esfandiari said her organization had to “be more creative” in their methods. She also said that after the government tried to suppress Iranian protesters, sometimes violently, IranDokht could no longer remain nonpartisan and became dedicated to exposing the unrest to the outside world and reminding Iranian protestors that they had broad international support. Esfandiari concluded by pointing out that today the symbol of the color green has moved beyond Mousavi’s campaign and become the color of an uprising that is “grassroots, organic, colorful, fluid, and persistent” – all feminine characteristics, she pointed out. Read More: