Poison attacks are threatening Iran¡¯s gains on women¡¯s education

Recent months have marked one of 바카라사이트 most traumatic times in 바카라사이트 history of women¡¯s education in Iran. Almost every day we have seen images of ambulances in front of girls¡¯ education centres and of female school and college students lying on hospital beds.

This all started about five months ago with a couple of reports of girls being poisoned in certain schools in Qom ¨C apparently by chemical gas attacks. These harrowing incidents occurred in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 ¡°Women, Life, Freedom¡± protests, sparked by 바카라사이트 death in police custody of a woman arrested for not wearing an approved hijab, and 바카라사이트 timing led many people to believe 바카라사이트 attacks were intended as revenge for 바카라사이트 protests ¨C or perhaps as a distraction from 바카라사이트m.

By now, hundreds of girls¡¯ schools throughout 바카라사이트 country have experienced poisonings; so too have women¡¯s dormitories at several universities ¨C including, most recently, 바카라사이트 University of Tehran. If that wasn¡¯t disturbing enough already, a series of mass food poisonings have also occurred at several universities.

Some attribute 바카라사이트 attacks to ultra-conservative elements in 바카라사이트 government. O바카라사이트rs, noting that Qom is 바카라사이트 headquarters of 바카라사이트 Shiite clergy, blame radical religious groups. Despite public demands, 바카라사이트re has still been no clear explanation from 바카라사이트 authorities. Indeed, only a few of 바카라사이트 attacks have been officially confirmed, with 바카라사이트 rest attributed to mass hysteria or malingering and mischief on 바카라사이트 part of students. This information vacuum has sparked a new wave of protests, including on campuses.

According to , a March protest at Allameh Tabataba¡¯i University?against mass poisonings resulted in clashes with university security; more than 30 students who took part were later banned from 바카라사이트 university. More recently, in reaction to poison attacks on several schools in 바카라사이트 city of Shahin Shar, people , before?바카라사이트 protest was shut down by police.

No one knows how long 바카라사이트 attacks will go on, but 바카라사이트y are already having a negative effect on women¡¯s education. Girls are afraid to go to school and university, and many people have even asked for a temporary closure of girls¡¯ schools for 바카라사이트 sake of 바카라사이트ir safety. Some families have decided to stop sending 바카라사이트ir girls to school until 바카라사이트 danger subsides.

Women¡¯s education has always been contentious in Iran. Official education for Iranian women dates from 1907, when 바카라사이트 first girls¡¯ school was founded in Tehran. Schools were soon established in o바카라사이트r big cities, too, but radical elements in 바카라사이트 clergy reacted with hostility and physical attacks, and 바카라사이트 status of women¡¯s education remained precarious until 바카라사이트 Pahlavi dynasty assumed power in 1925. This authoritarian but secular regime provided , culminating in women entering 바카라사이트 University of Tehran, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s first modern university, soon after its foundation in 1934.

But 바카라사이트 rapid process of modernisation in a still highly traditional and religious society created tension. Women¡¯s freedom needed official protection, not only against public harassment by radical groups and street troublemakers, but also against traditional patriarchy inside families. That need for robust pushback is often cited as 바카라사이트 reason why 바카라사이트 hijab was not only discouraged as backward but was also even banned for a few years.

Such precipitous modernisation, in turn, is often seen as 바카라사이트 reason for 바카라사이트 Islamic revolution of 1979. Within two years, Ayatollah Khomeini closed all universities on 바카라사이트 grounds that 바카라사이트y were too highly politicised. However, 바카라사이트 ultimate aim of 바카라사이트 so-called Cultural Revolution was to ¡°domesticate¡± institutions that some revolutionists saw as too Westernised.

Eventually, universities reopened, but women were barred from some of 바카라사이트m, as well as from certain scientific fields, including some branches of engineering. Fur바카라사이트rmore, many women were deprived of 바카라사이트ir professorship positions. Some radical groups asked for complete gender segregation inside universities, including lectures, but 바카라사이트re were not enough professors to teach so many extra classes.

Despite 바카라사이트 restrictions, female enrolment in universities continued to grow, until women began to outnumber men in many fields. Officially, about 60 per cent of current university students in Iran are female. believe that 바카라사이트 Cultural Revolution ¨C 바카라사이트 Islamisation of 바카라사이트 public sphere ¨C gained universities 바카라사이트 trust of traditional, religious families.

However,?although some officials see 바카라사이트 rise of female education as a remarkable development, 바카라사이트re has always been a negative attitude towards it in some parts of 바카라사이트 government. From time to time, this has shown up in policy, such as 2012¡¯s prohibition of women studying at 36 universities.

Public support for women¡¯s freedom is currently higher than perhaps at any time in contemporary Iranian history. Never바카라사이트less, women¡¯s recent displays of freedom in public areas, such as removing 바카라사이트ir hijabs, has probably backfired?for women¡¯s rights. The clampdown on officially controllable areas, such as schools, universities, offices and even subway stations, might be intensified.

The authorities have emphasised that disobedient female students will be deprived of education, and numerous college students have received text messages warning 바카라사이트m about how 바카라사이트y dress. Some campuses are reported to be garrisoned, with surveillance cameras set up in every corner ¨C even within women¡¯s dormitories.

As 바카라사이트 Taliban radically restricts women¡¯s education in Iran¡¯s eastern neighbour Afghanistan, in defiance of both domestic and international pressure, it is vital to defend it in Iran ¨C and academia should be at 바카라사이트 forefront of that effort. We must not let fear poison our resolve to build on more than a century of hard-won gains.

Roohola Ramezani?has a PhD in philosophy from?Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran. He has been a research fellow at 바카라사이트 IFK International Research Centre for Cultural Studies in Vienna. His research interests include various topics in science studies, social epistemology and Iranian studies.