Many around the world, Malaysians included, have distorted, Western-influenced views of Iran and its leadership. Many are not willing to put in the effort to study deeper or seek information from balanced, non-partisan sources. Some naively accept propaganda from one side, while others adopt equally biased views from the other.
One
common but often unexamined belief is that the Shah had a better position on
women compared to the Ayatollah.
However,
in a 1973 interview with Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci, the Shah, Mohammad
Reza Pahlavi, expressed views that reflected a clear belief in male
superiority. While he acknowledged that women could be equal under the law, he
argued that they were not equal in ability. He also emphasised that a woman’s
value lay in being beautiful, graceful, and maintaining femininity.
In short,
his remarks suggest that he saw women’s primary role as tied to appearance and
charm rather than leadership or intellectual influence, revealing a deeply
patriarchal outlook, if not implying women’s inferiority, despite his
government’s broader modernising facade.
Watch the
attached video to hear what the Ayatollah’s position was.
More
importantly, we need to look at measurable data and facts. We must look at real
outcomes.
Under the
Shah, women’s education remained limited and uneven. Female literacy was only
around 24% to 35%, meaning that over 60% of women were still illiterate,
especially in rural areas. Even at higher levels, access was restricted, with
women making up only about 28% of university students. This shows that while
opportunities existed, they largely benefited urban and elite groups rather
than the wider population. We must also remember that during the Shah’s time,
no economic sanctions were imposed by the international community.
Under the
Islamic Republic, including the Ayatollah’s leadership, education expanded
dramatically across society. Female literacy rose to around 80% to 90% and
above, with primary education completion reaching about 99% for girls.
University participation saw an even sharper rise, increasing from about 3% in
1978 to around 59% and above, with women forming the majority of students in
some years. This reflects a shift from limited access to mass education for
women across the country. These achievements were made under strict
international sanctions, with far fewer resources.
It is
unfortunate that discussions are often reduced to dress codes, overshadowing
more important issues. Focusing only on this is limiting and narrow. I have
written about this before. If interested, you can read it here:
https://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-best-way-to-dress-quranic-point-of.html
We need
to look at the larger picture.
Peace.
Anas
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