November 14, 2022
Iran is a country of contradictions. It possesses intense natural beauty, deep cultural and historical roots, and a formidable people from a kaleidoscope of ethnic origins. For 43 years, Iran has been under theocratic rule, led by a supreme leader and a power structure that has instilled fear in the very people it governs and that has ostracised the country from the global community.
According to Melicka Jamshidabadi, a highly successful filmmaker and photographer, women have been denied freedom of dress, expression, and equal rights before a court of law, as well as the ability to hold senior decision-making authority in the government or judiciary. Despite this, young Iranian women are reported to have the highest literacy rate in the Middle East, with a high percentage of university graduates. They have one of the highest percentages of university graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics when compared with other countries.
