Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- From Economic Punishment to Women in "Bad Hijab"

Iranian Women Walk DogsArseh Sevom, the NGO promoting civil society and human rights in Iran, posts its latest review of developments inside the country:

The cost of currency combined with crippling sanctions is hurting all sectors of Iran's society from business owners to pharmaceutical manufacturers to the population at large.

Iron sellers went on strike, a food for oil deal with Shell was blocked, and children are malnourished.

Iran's workers suffer from unpaid wages and poor safety regulations. Medical subsidies are being slashed, and a a new generation in Iran faces unemployment.

The morality police have identified the true source of Iran's woes: women in "bad hijab" and their lapdogs.

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May Day, May Day

A new campaign, the International Campaign to Support the Rights of Iranian Workers, has been launched with a call on "those who believe in social justice and who want the freedom of imprisoned workers" to become the voice of Iranian workers".

The campaign's initial statement draws attention to low wages and long delays in salary payments, which threaten the survival of families. Poor oversight and lack of safety regulations contribute to five fatal accidents every day, with no safety net for the relatives of uninsured workers.

Independent unions are now banned in Iran and many activists are imprisoned and harassed for advocating rights and drawing attention to the dire situation of workers and their families.

The campaign also focuses on child labour, the abuse of Afghan workers, and gender discrimination in factories.

Medical Crisis in Prisons

In her monthly report on human rights in Iran, Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi draws attention to protests over the lack of medical care in Iran's prisons, noting that a number of detainees --- among them blogger and physician Mehdi Khazali --- are now on hunger strike to bring attention to poor conditions. 

The April report of the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) details the situation of political prisoners suffering from chronic health conditions such as cancer and kidney failure, with the lack of medical care.

The High Cost of Getting Sick

MP Rasoul Khazri , a member of Parliament's Health Committee, has criticised continued cuts of health subsidies

Khazri noted that Iran has to import 50% of the materials it needs to manufacture drugs domestically, with sanctions and the high cost of foreign currency driving up prices.

Children Go Hungry

The head of the Association of Pediatricians, Gholam Reza Khatami, says six per cent of children are malnourished in the poorer areas of Iran, with their growth stunted from lack of proper food.

Workless in Iran

According to Iran's Mehr news agency, Iran's Central Office of Statistics reports that three million Iranians aged under 30 are unemployed. Unconfirmed reports put that number at five million.

Bad Hijab and Dogs

Think back readers. When was the last time you felt the moral foundations of society begin to crumble around you? Was it when your neighbor walked that cute little dog past your door? Or when you saw a woman show a bit too much hair? Well, you'll be happy to know that Iran's morality police are on the job.

The head of the morality police force sees a correlation among women in "bad hijab", dog-walking, and moral security, Iran Today reports. He stated, "We have a new plan to control women in bad hijab who flaunt their style and fashion in the streets. There will be crackdowns on dog walking.

This may sound ridiculous, but it does have real world consequences. Women are fined, arrested, and harassed. Some dog owners have had their pets confiscated and killed. Pets in need of treatment are often left sick because of bans on transporting dogs.