The "Zeynab Society ( S.A.A)" ( fa, جامعه زینب (س)) is an Iranian traditional principlist all-female

political Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that stud ...

, cultural and advocacy group affiliated with the Front of Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader. It is known for leading a

parliamentary group A parliamentary group, parliamentary party, or parliamentary caucus is a group consisting of some members of the same political party or electoral fusion of parties in a legislative assembly such as a parliament or a city council. Parliamenta ...

of women in 1980s–1990s, as well as

lobbying In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...

for gender issues within an Islamic prism. The society was founded in 1986 by the parliament member

Maryam Behrouzi Mariam Behruzi (1945 – 2012) was an Iranian lawyer and former member of the Iranian Majlis. In 1980, she was one of four women elected to the first Majlis of the Islamic Republic of Iran, where she continued to serve until 1996. She worked to ...

, using state budgets acquired with the personal approval of Ayatollah Khomeini.

Platform

The society advocates promotion of cultural, political, social and ideological activities for women, favors obligatory '' hijab'' and opposes male–female

fraternization Fraternization (from Latin ''frater'', brother) is "to become brothers" by conducting social relations with people who are actually unrelated and/or of a different class (especially those with whom one works) as if they were siblings, family memb ...

. Moreover, it is against the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and supports

polygyny Polygyny (; from Neoclassical Greek πολυγυνία (); ) is the most common and accepted form of polygamy around the world, entailing the marriage of a man with several women. Incidence Polygyny is more widespread in Africa than in any ...

and

sex segregation Sex segregation, sex separation, gender segregation or gender separation is the physical, legal, or cultural separation of people according to their Sex, biological sex. Sex segregation can refer simply to the physical and spatial separation by s ...

. The group's name refers to

Zaynab bint Ali Zaynab bint Ali ( ar, زَيْنَب بِنْت عَلِيّ, ', ), was the eldest daughter of Ali, the fourth Rashidun caliph () and the first Shia Imam, and Fatima, the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Zaynab is best known for her r ...

, an emblematic woman in

Shiite Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most ...

Islamist ideology, renowned for her oratory during and in the aftermath of the

Battle of Karbala The Battle of Karbala ( ar, مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ...

and seen as a “symbol of resistance.” The group has branches nationwide, oversees eight women–only

seminaries A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

in Qom and some

Qur'an The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , s ...

ic institutions.

Members

Many of the members are wives of politicians and businessmen, female talibat and charity workers. Notable members include former MPs Monireh Nobakht,

Parvin Salihi Parveen or Parvin or Perveen or Pervin or Parween is a Persian-origin name meaning Pleiades. People Females *Parvin Ahmadinejad (born 1962), Iranian politician * Parvin Ardalan (born 1967), Iranian women's rights activist, writer and journalist ...

, Fatemeh Alia,

Effat Shariati Effat Shariati (born 1952) is a Member of the Parliament of Iran, and head of the Iran Women Faction. She was born in Kerman, and from the earlier years of Iran's Islamic Revolution she started cultural and political works. During the Iran–Ira ...

, Eshrat Shayegh,

Nafiseh Fayyazbakhsh Nafiseh Fayyazbakhsh ( fa, نفیسه فیاض‌بخش) is an Iranian conservative politician who served as a member of the Parliament of Iran for three terms from 1992 to 2000, and 2004 to 2008 representing Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr ...

and

Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi ( fa, مرضیه وحید دستجردی; born 11 February 1959) is an Iranian university professor and former parliamentarian, who was Iran's minister of health and medical education. She was part of the President Mahmou ...

MPs

References

Principlist political groups in Iran Political parties established in 1986 1986 establishments in Iran Political advocacy groups in Iran Iranian women's political groups Women's religious organizations {{Iran-party-stub

Platform

Members

MPs

See also

References