Paying close attention to the social movements and developments that have so far happened in the world shows that women have played a significant role in them. A prominent feature of the Islamic Revolution in Iran is that women had a broad participation in it. Women, as half of the Iranian population, were very effective in the revolution and they took part in all demonstrations.
The presence of brave women in the scenes of the revolution was so impressive that Imam Khomeini praised them saying, "Where in history have you seen such a thing? Today, the courageous women, hugging their babies, go to the field of machineguns and tanks. When have such manliness and sacrifice of women been recorded in history?"
The conscious women of Iran blended motherly love with the love of God and got ready to sacrifice whatever they had. That's why Imam Khomeini lauded them in several junctures. He believed that these were the women, "who were present on the first line, encouraged men to participate and struggle; the women who trained their children for martyrdom; the women who perpetuated the revolution by safeguarding the blood of martyrs." Elsewhere Imam Khomeini said, "We owe our movement to women."
In the heat of the Islamic Revolution, some women would attend political speeches and would inform other women of important developments and the date and location of demonstrations. Some others would grant refuge to those combatants who had escaped from the dungeons of Shah. Another group of women would look after the injured combatants who couldn't be transferred to hospital. One of the spectacular activities of women was their participation in demonstrations along their fathers, brothers, husbands, sons and relatives. Many women were martyred during struggles against the despotic regime. Baakhtar Biglari was a 30-year-old woman from the nomads of Lorestan province. As soon as she heard of Imam Khomeini's uprising against the tyrannical regime of Shah, she took her two young children and entered the scene of struggle. When the bullets of the oppressive regime were showering on them, she lost her 3-year-old son and husband. Then she continued confronting the mercenaries of the regime and was martyred later on. Her name has been recorded as the first martyred woman of the Islamic Revolution. Imam Khomeini glorified the status of women, saying, "Our dear ladies caused the men to become brave, too. We are in debt to the troubles of ladies."
After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, women continued their positive role in different domains. As they loved their evolution, they tried their best to help the growth and flourishing of the revolution. Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei have always appreciated this enthusiasm and capacity. Thus, they encouraged maximum benefiting from their talents and capabilities. The effective participation of women in various domains transfers the message to the world that, unlike the regional reactionary regimes which curtail women's activities in the name of Islam, Islamic Iran has brought women to the scene and gives them the right to vote and other rights. Yet, the Islamic Republic doesn’t deceive women with the propaganda of the west to lose their dignity and turn them into a sexual commodity in the hand of libertine men and companies.
After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, one of the most prominent examples of women's participation was the 8-year imposed war. Iranian women stood like solid mountains in the face of hardships and martyrdom of their brothers, fathers, husbands and sons. Some of the mothers sacrificed 3-4 children in the war. No words can explain the patience of these women.
Another instance of women's activity in Islamic Iran is their broad presence in scientific circles. Imam Khomeini said, "A woman should interfere in the affairs of the Islamic country. Just as you have played basic role in movements and have contributed, now, too, you must contribute in the victory and don't forget to stage a movement and uprising whenever it requires."
Imam Khomeini's attention to the growth and dynamism of women in the Islamic system shaped their approach in various scenes. Currently, Iranian women are eager to acquire different sciences. More than 68% of the capacity of higher education in Iran belongs to girls and women's literacy rate has increased from 34% before the revolution to 80% in the present era. According to the UNESCO report in 2012, the Islamic Republic was among 6 countries possessing gender equality in education. Furthermore, as per the emphases of Ayatollah Khamenei in recent years on the emergence of scientific movement in the country, we witness the flourishing of bright and creative girls at global scientific Olympiads. The growth of women's presence at different scientific and technological domains such as patenting of inventions and innovations in Nanotechnology, nuclear energy, aerospace, basic sciences, and so on are part of women's advancements in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Women have the right to vote, to choose a job, and even obtain administrative and managerial posts.
Ayatollah Khamenei believes that having a big number of learned and educated women with bright thoughts is a divine bounty and one of the honors of the Islamic Republic. He says, "Today, the banner of identity and cultural independence is in the hand of Iranian women. Today, the Iranian ladies, with their hijab, are exporting their identity and cultural independence. It means that the world is hearing a new word. A woman can be active in social fields and have a deep social effect. Today, women of our country have such an effectiveness in different parts. Yet, hijab and modesty and separation between man and woman, distance between man and woman, not being exposed to men's abuse, not belittling and humiliating themselves to the level of an instrument for stranger and insatiable men's delight, are the features of today's Iranian woman and Muslim woman."
Thus, Iranian women have contributed a lot to the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic have, in turn, caused remarkable improvements in the cultural and intellectual structure of women.
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