A new wave of protests against the compulsory wearing of hijab has spread across Iran, resulting in the arrests of dozens of women. The government has accused the protesters of being under the influence of drugs.
.... The important question raised here is whether Iranian society is ready for doing away with the compulsory hijab or if doing so will expose women to increased street harassment and violence?
Gender specialist Tohidi underlined it should be up to the women to decide what to wear and how to cover themselves to guarantee their safety. She added that the protesters were not demanding for the hijab to be banned but rather for it to be non-mandatory.
"If there are fanatics who might harass women for not wearing the hijab, it is the duty of the security forces to protect women," she said.
Ahmady, however, argued that Iranian society was not yet ready for this change. "Any rule change without appropriate changes in the educational and cultural landscape would result in societal intolerance, which could manifest itself in the form of sexual harassment on the streets and violence against women." [Deutsche Welle] Read more
