Mehrangiz Manouchehrian (; 1906 – 5 July 2000) was an Iranian lawyer, musician, feminist, and appointed Senator.
She was involved in the
Women's Organization of Iran
The Women's Organization of Iran (WOI; ) was a non-profit organization created in 1966, mostly run by volunteers, with local branches and centers for women all over the country, determined to enhance the rights of women in Iran. The WOI had commit ...
. She was involved in drafting the
Family Protection Act - a set of laws extending women's rights in marriage.
Legacy
Manouchehrian's contribution to an improvement of women's rights in Iran are acknowledged. A book about her life "Senator: the Work of Senator Mehrangiz Manouchehrian in the Struggle for Legal Rights for Women" won the
Latifeh Yarshater Book Award in 2004.
Career
Manouchehrian was both Iran's first female lawyer and Iran's first female Senator. During her time as a Senator she was crucial in extending women's rights. Using her experience as a lawyer, she drew up the
Family Protection Act, which granted women family rights. A number of elements in the proposed Act were picked out and greatly exaggerated by critics. This led to the Act becoming subject to great public debate and discussion in the media. Some members of the country's clergy claimed that the Act was not compatible with Islam, espoused loose moral standards and even considered publicly denouncing Manouchehrian as a heretic. Fearing for her safety, Manouchehrian fled Tehran for some time. The Act was later repealed following the 1979
Islamic Revolution
The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Im ...
.
Manouchehrian later resigned her seat in the Senate following a dispute with the Prime Minister Jafar Sharif-Emami. After Sharif-Emami addressed her in a rude manner during a parliamentary debate, he visited her home and apologised privately. However, Manouchehrian demanded a public apology which he refused to deliver. Consequently, Manouchehrian resigned.
For her work in promoting women's rights, she was awarded the
United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights
The United Nations Prizes in the Field of Human Rights were instituted by United Nations General Assembly in 1966. They are intended to "honour and commend people and organizations which have made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and pr ...
in 1968.
Manouchehrian was also appointed a member of the central council of the
Women's Organisation of Iran.
See also
*
List of first women lawyers and judges in Asia
This is a list of the first women lawyers and judges in Geography of Asia#Geopolitical map of Asia, Asia. It includes the year in which the women were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are the first women in their country to ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manouchehrian, Mehrangi
Iranian women lawyers
Iranian women's rights activists
20th-century Iranian women politicians
20th-century Iranian politicians
1906 births
2000 deaths
20th-century women lawyers
20th-century Iranian lawyers