Women's rights have been severely restricted in the last two years in Iran. Some women activists [1] have been jailed, and Zanan Magazine [2], a leading women's magazine was banned. Many others have been victims of security forces violence [3] for the way they dress.
The Iranian government does not recognise March 8 as International Women's Day and there is no official public celebration.
Despite very difficult circumstances, Iranian women continue their progress in many areas and activists have supported the jailed women activists.
A few months ago, Kosoof, a leading photo blogger, published [4] some photos showing a solidarity action of women for two arrested activists. Several bloggers, women and men, remembered this day and share their thoughts and feelings about women in Iranian society.
Asieh Amini, an activist for women’s equal rights, says [5][Fa] March 8 is a day of protest against any gender discrimination.
Freekeyboard says March 8 makes him compares [6] [Fa] his dreams to reality. He says:
It is not my March 8. In my March 8 people would be happy and I would dance in the streets. On March 8 there would be no difference between man or woman, all people are equal because all are human beings. In the March 8 that I like, there are no cops to repress. Men and women are happy and dancing. No woman shouts we want equal rights… this March 8 is not here, but only in my mind, and in my dream.
The blogger adds that in his March 8, women aren't sent to jail because they ask people to sign a petition for equal rights between men and women.
The Association of Iranian bloggers, Penlog, says [7] [Fa] in a statement, that Iranian women are considered as second class citizens by the Islamic Republic’s laws. Despite all pressures and discrimination, Iranian women continue their presence in all professional fields.
Z8un has published [8]several photos of working women.
Maryam Majd, blogger and photographer, has also published [9] several photos showing Iranian women involved in different sports. She showed Iranian women's activities and problems in another set of photos here [10].