In celebration of International Women’s Day, a seminar titled “Women in Contemporary Iran: A Novel Narrative” was held on February 22 at Western Sydney University.
Exploring Western Narratives on Iranian Women
The event, which began at 4:30 PM local time, focused on examining the prevailing narratives about Iranian women in Western societies and the challenges these portrayals face.
A Platform for Empowerment and Social Justice
Organized by the Benevolent Iranian Women’s Association (BIWA), a group of Iranian-Australian women based in Sydney, the seminar aimed to support social justice, empower women, and create a space for sharing the voices of Iranian women that are often underrepresented in Western societies.
Challenging the One-Dimensional Media Depiction
The organizers stressed that the image of Iranian women in Western media is often one-dimensional and stereotypical. The goal of the seminar was to provide a space for presenting more authentic and diverse perspectives on Iranian women and to explore the cultural, social, and political impacts on their lives.
Speakers Addressing Key Issues
The seminar featured several prominent speakers, including Keysar Trad, founder of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, Abdulqudoos al-Azhari, president of the Australian Scholars’ Assembly, and Marzieh Hashemi, Iranian-American journalist and presenter at Press TV.
Keysar Trad Critiques Western Policies
Keysar Trad, criticized Western policies and their impact on non-Western societies. He stated, “Western criticism of women’s rights in Iran is more about a project to demean and discredit countries with rich civilizations rather than stemming from genuine concern.”
He emphasized, “Western countries, especially the United States, intervene in other nations under the guise of defending human rights and women’s rights, but they have a long history of war crimes, colonization, and exploitation of women.”
Women in Iran: Multifaceted Roles
Trad further highlighted that women in Iran hold diverse roles, including as journalists, mothers, wives, and scientists, and praised Iranian women journalists for their professionalism and capability.
Media and Technology as Tools for Influence
He also noted that Western media and information technologies, such as social media, are tools for controlling public opinion and influencing other societies.
Criticism of Western Crimes and Hypocrisy
Trad pointed out that Western crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Libya, Yemen, and other regions contradict their claims of defending human rights.
He stressed the need for independent countries to shape their own narratives about human rights and women’s status and to unite in the face of foreign interventions.
Impact of Western Actions on Women and Children
Trad added that the crimes of the United States, Israel, and Western countries have led to the deaths of hundreds of women and children, including the killing of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi women and children by American forces, the massacre of Palestinian women and children by the Israeli regime, and Western support for wars that have resulted in the deaths of women and children in Yemen, Libya, and Sudan.
Press TV, Sydney
From: taghribnews