Oct 8th, 2008
Women Drivers
The drive to create just societies has been among the fundamental forces in history — and without doubt no lasting world civilization can be founded unless it is firmly grounded in the principle of justice. Baha’i International Community, Turning Point for All Nations
In the midst of all the news about the global financial meltdown, I read today that Iran is planning to produce a car for women, with various features that will make it easier for women to do the things women tend to do - carry the shopping, take children to school - and make driving simpler for them - satnavs, automatic transmissions, parking guides. They will come in an array of `feminine’ colours.
Is this a nod towards equality - recognition that women’s needs differ from those of men - or stereotyping women as the only ones who deal with food and children and as too incompetent to drive a real car?
Iran is not at the top of the global league of countries observing human rights and women’s rights and it will come as no surprise to learn that a recent report concluded that professional Iranian women are increasingly frustrated by their lives.
Perhaps, then, they will begin to look at the teachings of Bahá’u'lláh, founder of the Bahá’í Faith who was born in Iran in 1817 and taught the equality of women and men. So many lies are told about the Bahá’í Faith in Iran that it is hard for anyone to get accurate information about it, least of all women, I would have thought. But if Iranian women are denied equality, then they really should look into the Bahá’í Faith and use its teachings to create a more just society, not only for themselves but for all Iranians.
I am sure that the lack of equality of women in Iran is bound up with the general denial of human rights there. Iranian women will not be completely equal so long as those in authority continue to prevent the extension of human rights to all people - including Bahá’ís. If women could educate themselves in the principles of the Bahá’í Faith, they would find the courage and the tools that would enable them to change their whole society for the better. The alternative is to remain unequal and frustrated for, as `Abdu’l-Bahá says, `until this equality is established, true progress and attainment for the human race will not be facilitated’.
There are many ways to get accurate information about the Bahá’í Faith: try http://www.bahai.org/ and http://www.bahaullah.org/ for official sites, or our own home webpage: http://www.northill.demon.co.uk/bahai/index.htm
These are all in English. Persian language materials are at: http://reference.bahai.org/fa/
Women simply must take responsibility for their own futures. They need to drive the future, not just a car.
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