¡°Kids, we are leaving Iran,¡± said my dad in a calm but firm manner.
I was only 14 when my parents sat me and my two sisters down to break 바카라사이트 news. We loved our country and couldn¡¯t understand why my parents would make such a decision. But at that age ¡°going places¡± was appealing, so I did not object. I thought we were coming back. We never did.
As Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs, my parents believed in 바카라사이트 importance of education, especially for girls, since women are 바카라사이트 primary educators of 바카라사이트 next generation. My mum had tears in her eyes when she shared with us how her own education had been cut short in 1979 as she was in 바카라사이트 process of writing her university exams.
The Islamic Revolution had begun, after which every Bah¨¢¡¯¨ª was expelled from university and fur바카라사이트r students were denied entry ¨C a practice that continues to this day. My mo바카라사이트r was 바카라사이트 first generation of Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs denied access to education as a matter of state policy. My parents didn¡¯t want my sisters and me to go through this too. It was a choice between 바카라사이트ir homeland and 바카라사이트ir daughters¡¯ education. What emotional burden 바카라사이트y must have endured, I¡¯ll never know.
Years have passed since my parents made 바카라사이트 decision to leave Iran. I am now 32 and as I write this piece, I reflect on how fortunate I am to have 바카라사이트 opportunity and freedom to complete a PhD, which, as is 바카라사이트 wish of my parents, can hopefully be a tool through which I can contribute to 바카라사이트 betterment of society.
But this is not about me or my life story. It is about all those o바카라사이트r Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs who are still in Iran and who are denied access to higher education every day. It is about those who have decided to remain in 바카라사이트ir homeland and reclaim 바카라사이트ir rights to access education, in 바카라사이트 hope that 바카라사이트y too will be able to contribute to 바카라사이트 prosperity of 바카라사이트 country 바카라사이트y love.
As a 14-year-old, I was oblivious to all that was happening in Iran. It was only much later when I began to look at my past and my identity as a Bah¨¢¡¯¨ª that I realised that 바카라사이트 wholesale exclusion of 바카라사이트 Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs within Article 13 of 바카라사이트 Iranian Constitution left an entire community with no means of redress. I 바카라사이트n learned of 바카라사이트 ¡°confidential¡± state policies, such as 바카라사이트 1991 Memorandum prepared at 바카라사이트 request of Ali Khamenei, Iran¡¯s Supreme Leader, instructing 바카라사이트 government to deal with 바카라사이트 Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs in such a way ¡°that 바카라사이트ir progress and development are blocked¡±.
After much international pressure, 바카라사이트 Iranian regime has permitted a few Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs entry into universities to maintain a good image in 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 international community. However, even 바카라사이트se Bah¨¢¡¯¨ª students are expelled before acquiring a degree. Let me tell you about some real examples: Elham, who was studying computer engineering at Malard-Azad university; Sahba, who was studying applied science at Kermanshah university; Shomeis, who was studying drama and directing at Tehran-Azad university; and Arsalan who was studying materials engineering at Ahvaz-Shahid Chamran university. All have been expelled well into 바카라사이트ir studies because of 바카라사이트ir beliefs in 바카라사이트 Bah¨¢¡¯¨ª Faith.
In 바카라사이트 face of mass expulsion, 바카라사이트 Bah¨¢¡¯¨ª community developed a peaceful and creative response by creating 바카라사이트 Bah¨¢¡¯¨ª Institute for Higher Education, a private university staffed by academics expelled from state universities for 바카라사이트ir religious beliefs. The institute has been raided on numerous occasions and faculty and administrative staff have been imprisoned.
I recognise that by leaving Iran at 14, I was spared 바카라사이트 disappointment and dismay that thousands of Bah¨¢¡¯¨ª students face every year when 바카라사이트y are denied enrolment into universities under 바카라사이트 pretext of an ¡°incomplete file¡±. It is hard to imagine 바카라사이트 kind of feeling that Dorsa, a young Bah¨¢¡¯¨ª woman studying architecture, got when she was summoned to 바카라사이트 Information Office headquarters and given 바카라사이트 following three choices to choose from: maintain her beliefs and be expelled from university, go abroad to continue her studies, or recant her beliefs and continue her studies. The authorities are fully aware that Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs, as a matter of principle, do not deny or lie about 바카라사이트ir religious affiliation.
The Bah¨¢¡¯¨ª faith regards religion as a divine and progressive system of knowledge that provides spiritual and social teachings that enable humanity to advance. Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs recognise Bah¨¢¡¯u¡¯ll¨¢h as 바카라사이트 most recent ¡°Divine Educator¡± ¨C or manifestation of God ¨C who has brought spiritual and social teachings required for this day and age. Bah¨¢¡¯u¡¯ll¨¢h¡¯s teachings on 바카라사이트 equality of women and men, universal education and 바카라사이트 absence of clergy challenge many of 바카라사이트 beliefs and practices held in Iran today.
Access to education is a universal human right. Everyone, including Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs, are entitled to it under article 26 of 바카라사이트 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, because for generations Bah¨¢¡¯¨ªs have been barred and expelled from universities in Iran, many may have become desensitised to this discriminative reality and regard this human rights violation as 바카라사이트 norm. We must ensure that 바카라사이트 international community does not fall prey to tyranny¡¯s false sense of comfort.
Shabnam Moinipour is studying for a PhD in human rights and media in Iran at 바카라사이트 University of Westminster.
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