Mahnaz Afkhami
Encyclopedia
Mahnaz Afkhami , is Founder and President of Women's Learning Partnership (WLP). She is also the Executive Director of Foundation for Iranian Studies and former Minister of Women's Affairs of Iran. She founded the Association of Iranian University Women and served as Secretary General of the Women's Organization of Iran prior to the Islamic revolution.
Living in exile in the United States, Afkhami has been an advocate of women's rights
for more than three decades, having founded and headed several international non-governmental organizations focused on advancing the status of women. Afkhami has lectured and published extensively on the international women’s movement, women's human rights
, women in leadership
, women and technology
, and women's participation in civil society
building and democratization. Her books have been translated in multiple languages and distributed internationally.
. She was the eldest of three children.
She grew up in the large mansion of her grandparents with 20 to 30 members of her extended family. On her father's side, Afkhami belongs to the Qajar royal family and the Sheikhi branch of Shi'ite Islam. When Afkhami was eleven, her mother, Ferdows Naficy, separated from her father.
In 1955 Afkhami came to the United States with her mother, first in Seattle and San Francisco, and later in Boulder, Colorado, where she received an MA.
She married at 17 and raised a son.
In 1967 Mahnaz returned to Iran as a professor of literature at the National University of Iran. Two years later she became chair of the Department of English. She founded the Association of University Women and was drawn into Iran's women's movement. In 1970 she became the secretary general of the Women's Organization of Iran (WOI). She remained at the head of the WOI for ten years during which she worked for Iranian women's rights
of France
.
At the same time, her sister was a leader in the students' movement, demonstrating for the overthrow of the Shah.
During her time as Minister of Women's Affairs, Iran's legislation granted women equal rights to divorce, raised the minimum age of marriage for girls, support women's employment with maternity leave and childcare provision, and built upon the family laws of 1967.
Afkhami has served as a member of Iran's High Council of Family Planning and Welfare, the board of trustees of Kerman University, and the board of trustees of Farah University for Women.
In 1981, the Foundation for Iranian Studies was established with an endowment from Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, the twin sister of the Shah of Iran, and with the intent of preserving Iran's heritage. Afkhami remains the foundation's Executive Director to this day.
She then joined the international women's rights movement, becoming an advisor to Human Rights Watch
, and vice-president, executive director and president to Sisterhood Is Global Institute. In 2000 she founded the Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development and Peace (WLP), an international, non-governmental organization (NGO) in Special Consultative Status with United Nations' ECOSOC. She is currently WLP's President.
Afkhami is also co-chair of the Women Leaders Intercultural Forum and the Global Women’s Action Network for Children. She serves on the boards and steering committees of a number of international organizations including Global Fund for Women
, International Museum of Women
, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative, Women's Human Rights Net, Women's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch
, and World Movement for Democracy
.
Afkhami has published a large number of articles and books, with a particular focus on women's human rights, Muslim women, as well as the Iranian women's movement. She has also publicly supported the Iranian One Milion Signatures campaign by promoting a book written by Iranian activist Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani on the campaign to end discriminatory laws against women.
, USA.
Living in exile in the United States, Afkhami has been an advocate of women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
for more than three decades, having founded and headed several international non-governmental organizations focused on advancing the status of women. Afkhami has lectured and published extensively on the international women’s movement, women's human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, women in leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
, women and technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, and women's participation in civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
building and democratization. Her books have been translated in multiple languages and distributed internationally.
Early Years
Afkhami was born in 1941 in KermanKerman
- Geological characteristics :For the Iranian paleontologists, Kerman has always been considered a fossil paradise. Finding new dinosaur footprints in 2005 has now revealed new hopes for paleontologists to better understand the history of this area.- Economy :...
. She was the eldest of three children.
She grew up in the large mansion of her grandparents with 20 to 30 members of her extended family. On her father's side, Afkhami belongs to the Qajar royal family and the Sheikhi branch of Shi'ite Islam. When Afkhami was eleven, her mother, Ferdows Naficy, separated from her father.
In 1955 Afkhami came to the United States with her mother, first in Seattle and San Francisco, and later in Boulder, Colorado, where she received an MA.
She married at 17 and raised a son.
Initial Activism
By the age of 17, she had joined a trade union and successfully challenged a breach of her rights as a worker when her employer had temporarily laid her off to avoid giving her a Christmas bonus. She credits this incident with giving her the belief that organizing could bring about social change.In 1967 Mahnaz returned to Iran as a professor of literature at the National University of Iran. Two years later she became chair of the Department of English. She founded the Association of University Women and was drawn into Iran's women's movement. In 1970 she became the secretary general of the Women's Organization of Iran (WOI). She remained at the head of the WOI for ten years during which she worked for Iranian women's rights
Politics
In 1975, she was asked to join the cabinet of the Iranian government and became Minister for Women's Affairs. The post had not existed in Iran before; the only other person in the world to hold that position was Françoise GiroudFrançoise Giroud
Françoise Giroud, born France Gourdji was a French journalist, screenwriter, writer and politician.-Biography:...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
At the same time, her sister was a leader in the students' movement, demonstrating for the overthrow of the Shah.
During her time as Minister of Women's Affairs, Iran's legislation granted women equal rights to divorce, raised the minimum age of marriage for girls, support women's employment with maternity leave and childcare provision, and built upon the family laws of 1967.
Afkhami has served as a member of Iran's High Council of Family Planning and Welfare, the board of trustees of Kerman University, and the board of trustees of Farah University for Women.
Post-Revolution Activism
Afkhami was in New York negotiating with the United Nations when the Islamic Revolution broke out in Iran. She never returned, and has lived in exile since, although she has said she would like to return to help rebuild Iran if its political system changed.In 1981, the Foundation for Iranian Studies was established with an endowment from Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, the twin sister of the Shah of Iran, and with the intent of preserving Iran's heritage. Afkhami remains the foundation's Executive Director to this day.
She then joined the international women's rights movement, becoming an advisor to Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, and vice-president, executive director and president to Sisterhood Is Global Institute. In 2000 she founded the Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development and Peace (WLP), an international, non-governmental organization (NGO) in Special Consultative Status with United Nations' ECOSOC. She is currently WLP's President.
Afkhami is also co-chair of the Women Leaders Intercultural Forum and the Global Women’s Action Network for Children. She serves on the boards and steering committees of a number of international organizations including Global Fund for Women
Global Fund for Women
The Global Fund for Women is the largest non-profit foundation in the world funding women's human rights. It was founded in 1987 by New Zealander Anne Firth Murray, and co-founded by Frances Kissling and Laura Lederer to fund women's initiatives around the world...
, International Museum of Women
International Museum of Women
The International Museum of Women, , headquartered in San Francisco, California, is an online museum that covers women's issues world-wide.- Creation and expansion :I.M.O.W. was founded as the Women's Heritage Museum in 1985...
, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative, Women's Human Rights Net, Women's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, and World Movement for Democracy
World Movement for Democracy
World Movement for Democracy is an international network of individuals and organizations who share the common goal of promoting democracy. The World Movement was launched in February 1999 when the National Endowment for Democracy and two nongovernmental organizations in India brought together a...
.
Afkhami has published a large number of articles and books, with a particular focus on women's human rights, Muslim women, as well as the Iranian women's movement. She has also publicly supported the Iranian One Milion Signatures campaign by promoting a book written by Iranian activist Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani on the campaign to end discriminatory laws against women.
Personal life
She is married to Gholam Reza Afkhami. Together they have a son and two grand-children. She resides in MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, USA.
Chronology Summary
- 2000– Present Founder and President of Women’s Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace
- 1981–Present Founder and Executive Director of Foundation for Iranian Studies
- 1996–1999 President of Sisterhood Is Global Institute
- 1992–1996 Executive Director of Sisterhood Is Global Institute
- 1989–1996 Vice-President of Sisterhood Is Global Institute
- 1979–1981 Consultant on Women and Development, Palo Alto, California
- 1976–1978 Minister for Women's Affairs, Government of Iran
- 1970–1979 Secretary General of the Women's Organization of Iran
- 1968–1970 Chairman, English Department, National University of Iran
- 1967–1968 Assistant Professor, Department of English, National University of Iran
- 1966–1967 Lecturer, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado
- 1965–1966 Assistant Editor, Abstracts of English Studies, Boulder, Colorado