Commemorating International Women's Day, PSGA UIN Jakarta Discusses the Role of Women in Indonesia and Iran

Rectorate Building, UIN Online News - In commemoration of International Women's Day. The Center for Gender and Child Studies of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta in collaboration with the Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, held a webinar "Moving Forwards: The Roles of Womens and Drivers of Socio-Cultural Transformation in Iran and Indonesia" on Wednesday (13/03/2024) through zoom meeting.

The activity was attended by the Vice Rector for Cooperation and Institutional Affairs, Din Wahid, M.A, Ph.D, Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Jakarta, Dr. Mohammad Reza Ebrahimi, two resource persons from Iran, Zaeinab Rastegarpanah, Ph. D, and Fateme ebrahimi Varkiani, Ph. D, as well as two resource persons from UIN Jakarta, Prof. Amelia Fauzia, and Prof. Dzuriyatun Toyibah, M.Si, M.A.

Iranian Cultural Counselor, Reza Ebrahimi in his speech hoped, with the cooperation between PSGA UIN Jakarta and the Iranian Embassy, hopefully there will be active and good cooperation for Indonesian and Iranian women in various fields.

"One way to establish friendship is with this webinar, hopefully this webinar will get positive results for Indonesian and Iranian women," he said.

Meanwhile, Zaenab, one of the speakers from Iran, explained how Iranian women were before the revolution. Before the revolution, Iranian women were still unable to play a role in various fields. At that time, women could only utilize their roles in the social and economic fields. Meanwhile, after the revolution, Iranian women began to have many other activities. 

"After the revolution, women are not only seen from their gender, women have begun to develop their potential," she added. 

In addition, Zaenab also revealed that to realize security in activities carried out by women, Iranian leaders presented the Iranian Islamic hijab intended for women. The rule of wearing the hijab is a protection for Muslim women from unwanted events. However, this protection is not only for women, but also to protect the surrounding environment to be free from negative matters.

Then another speaker who also came from Iran, Fateme, explained how Iranian women's participation in society. The participation of Iranian women was driven by Imam Rahollah Khomieni, the leader who gave birth to the Iranian revolution. Khoeimini's leadership period provided a lot of progress for Iranian women.

Fateme explained that during Khomieni's leadership women were obliged and responsible for participating in community development activities. Then after Rahollah Khomieni's leadership period ended, it was continued by Ali Khomieni who also made a lot of progress for women in Iran. Khomeini ordered women to participate in changing Iran, he also emphasized that in the activities carried out by women there is no difference with men.

"Imam Khomieni said that women have all the power in society. Women have the power to educate children who will later move in society," Fateme explained.

Fateme also shared that Iranian women after the revolution have a lot of space, activities and gains, both in the fields of education, art, medicine and justice. Currently, 30% of lecturers in Iran's public universities consist of women, 49% of female students, 98% of doctors give birth to women, and there are 1,121 female judges, not only that currently Iran also has 28,800 female writers who write in various fields. 

"As women both in Indonesia and Iran, women have the same task, which is to build families and nations. Today women have the duty and responsibility to build a good family. Do not let women be influenced by the anti-family movement, because this movement is increasingly intensive," she said at the end of her speech.

In addition, the Dean of FISIP also acknowledged that women in Iran have progressed after the revolution, it can be seen from the Human Development Index (HDI) 1990-2021, based on the data Iran's HDI has increased. 

"General womens in Iran are helped by men so they have progressed," said Dzuriyatun.

Meanwhile, according to a professor of Islamic History and Culture at UIN Jakarta, Prof. Amelia Fauzia, women have a unique position in helping transform society in the social and cultural fields. In the economic, social and religious fields, women contribute to community change by subtly challenging patriarchal societies. 

"Currently, Islamic philanthropy is a leading sector in Indonesia in the fields of welfare, social and development. The participation of Indonesian women in the management of Islamic philanthropy organizations continues to increase," Amel said. (Linda Yuliani/Fauziah M./Novia Syifaputri Ramadhan)