Alireza Asgari

Name of the project/report:
Hijab in Iran: Women’s choice or state’s demand?

Tell us about the report and why did you choose to write about this subject?
The report focuses on a current and important human rights violation in Iran which is the compulsory Hijab law for women. The report has employed the perspective of the sociology of religion and through a survey and twenty interviews with women living in Iran give them a voice and bring their insights into the debate upon (compulsory) Hijab. This analytical and empirical human rights report has examined the claim of the Iranian government claiming that the Hijab is a part of Iranian women’s culture and they practice the Hijab since they believe in it. The report demonstrates that the right bearers-women- do neither wear Hijab since they believe in it nor is Hijab is a part of their culture. Therefore the compulsion of Hijab in Iran is a violation of human rights.

Did you work in team or independently?
Independently.

What was challenging in the process of writing the report?
Gathering primary data and access to enough informants and most importantly include different voices from a diverse range of insights upon the issue.

What skills and experiences from previous courses in human rights were helpful during your work with the report?
The legal dimension of the human rights arena.

What skills an experiences from this course could help you in the future?
The empirical work on the issue and combining it with academic research.