Articles in Category: Women In the News

Iranian Lionesses Continue To Fight For Rights

shiva-nazar-ahari.jpgFrom the mother sentenced to death by stoning to the lawyer arrested for defending opposition activists, women are prominent symbols of Iran's struggle for democracy.

When Shahrzad Kariman finally saw her imprisoned daughter Shiva Nazar Ahari earlier this month, it was for a brief moment outside the Tehran courtroom where the 26-year-old human rights campaigner had been brought.

"We could see her for a few minutes," Kariman told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran  last week. "Just enough to hug her. But we couldn't ask her how the court session went… We didn't know what the charges were prior to the court session."

The charges against Nazar Ahari are among the most serious that can be levelled in Iran: muharebeh (enmity against God), a crime, in theory punishable by death, originally intended to be used against armed gangs and pirates, not dissidents.

Iranian Woman Ski Olympian Trains On Grassy Slopes In Summer

marjan_iranian_skier.jpgSkiing down a grassy mountain in the middle of summer is not the only unusual thing about Marjan Kalhor. She is also an Olympic competitor -- a rare thing for a woman in a male-dominated sport in Iran.

Two hours' drive from Tehran, Dizin's hotel and many flashy chalets cater for skiers and the many winter visitors who want to escape the bustle and pollution of the capital.

But in summer, when temperatures in the city are often well above 40 C (104 F), it remains a training ground for people, like Kalhor, who have devoted much of their lives to the sport.

It is also the home town of the 22-year-old who this year became the first woman skier to represent Iran in a Winter Olympics.


Amazing Omani Women Mean Business: Mabrook!

mariam-belhaf.jpgIn Oman, a traditionally male-dominated society, women are beginning to make their mark in the workforce.

One woman who's carving out a niche in business is Mariam Belhaf, who sells products made from frankincense.

Frankincense is an ancient scent, native to Oman. It's as old as the Bible and was one of the gifts the Three Wise Men brought baby Jesus.

But for Mariam Belhaf, it's also a modern reality and her lifetime passion.

The 45-year-old mother of seven, now a grandmother, started making frankincense in her own house. Now, she runs five shops in the capital, Muscat.

Child Brides Suffer More Later In Life

child-brides.jpgLong gone is the kohl, the henna paint and the white wedding dress she wore at her wedding. A life of hard work and early labour has caught up with Badria.

Married at 14, she had her first child at 16 and then five more in quick succession, including three miscarriages. Now in her forties her body is succumbing.

“I was responsible for the children and working on our farm,” said Badria.

Since her first pregnancy Badria has suffered from “bone ache”, a condition for which the doctors gave her drugs, but were never able to diagnose or cure.

For 11 years she has suffered from a slipped disc after having to collect wood, fetch water, work in the field and have children from a young age.