Statement of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Iran on the occasion of 8th of March, The International Women's Day (2017)

Oppression of women is an integral part of any capitalist society. Nonetheless, the situation that has been imposed on Iranian women is not comparable with any other part of the world, since the bourgeoisie in Iran is relying on Islamic law in imposing its rule. Women in Islam are considered to be incomplete and incapable, considered as half of the male and as an inferior sex. The Islamic regime of Iran has used its vicious attitude as an implement for the existence of crisis-ridden capitalist system in Iran. Its savage approach and brutalities have led women to an outright position of slavery. In accordance to Islamic law, the stamp of gender apartheid is imprinted on women rights at the point of their birth. Women, everywhere and in all aspects of life from childhood are subject to humiliation as the subordinate gender. Women are under the tutelage of men for all their life. Not only are they deprived of the right to divorce, their marriage is made upon the guardian's permission. Their livelihood depends on the " alimony " and "charity" given by men, and their lifelong duty has been designated by man to obey the men and to give birth.

The reliance on religion and its emanating slavery rules for women by the Islamic Regime has ruined their lives. The extent of the depravity and lack of rights, the blatant discrimination and systematic slavery due to their gender, the cruelty and systematic suppressions have been imposed on top of poverty, unemployment, exacerbating misery and the most chronic social pressures to the extent that there is no hope for reform in the existing system. This religious capitalist regime in continuation of the past 38 years unabated aggression against women, nowadays has targeted women’s emancipation struggle for eliminating gender discrimination, and their demand for a free life without cruelty. The Islamic Regime has targeted the motivation that has mobilised women struggle as a colossal trench against the gender apartheid system.

Now, the progressive part of the women’s movement and labour movement are both well aware of the oppression on women. The vast majority of women are among the working class and hardworking and deprived part of the society. These oppressed women are the victims of the system that has been built on the foundation of wage-slavery of human beings. Women’s oppression in Iran is rooted in the system in which imposes suffering, pain and hardship to working people who create wealth and power while they are among the less privileged and deprived part of the society.

Oppression on women has roots in this hireling capitalist system. In order to create divisions among the working people, this system enlists all forms of cruel discriminations, lack of rights between men and women and between races, nationalities and religious groups. Such oppression that has been imposed on women is a part of the tyranny and unbridled invasion that the bourgeois (with reliance to the recessive Islamic system) and the religious government has organised against working class. Women are the victim of the bourgeois’ systematic exploitation against working class and oppressed in society.

This blatant invasion by bourgeois and religious government in Iran could only be defeated by the organised forces of progressive women and labour movement. Through various changes and upheavals in the last 3 decades, due to a remarkable resilience and persistence in all aspects of society, Iranian women have been able to demonstrate their talents and abilities in the field that were assumed as the exclusive domain of men and also by their undeniable presence in the various section of struggle, taking interest in higher education. The trend towards having fewer children has provided them with more appropriate context to raise awareness and expand their rightful struggle, women in the working families and working class have all demonstrated their increasing presence in the labour market and their struggle to improve their lives and working conditions. This has put them in a better position to challenge the gender apartheid system as a one of the pillars of the Islamic capitalist regime in Iran.

Despite employing all state apparatuses to confront these series of transformations by constant petitioning and ratifying misogynistic law, they have not be able to defy these developments. As a result of this upheaval and trench to trench women struggle, Islamic republic is under an increasing pressure from the demand of women movement more than ever and the progress of this movement has become inevitable.

In such circumstances both Islamist feminists affiliated with the governments reformists and also the liberal feminists faction have put forward an strategy that is to reform Islamic Republic system. They endeavour to enslave the women movement in the strict framework of the existing back warded rule in order to mitigate the implementation of Islamic rules. In order to push back the gender apartheid, women socialist movement activists ought to organise and empower oppressed women workers as a pivotal part of their activities. These activists should focus their activities on the women movements, demands and desires that are generated from work and women workers lives which have potential for mass mobilisation. The fulfilment of these desires and demands could only be achieved in challenging and confronting capitalism. The reliance on these demands and emphasis on the necessities of labour and other progressive social movements unity are an important step towards mobilising working and suppressed women towards the accomplishment of their objectives.

The fulfilment of women emancipation and the liberty of working class could only be viable in a society that is freed from any discrimination and suppression. A free society in which put an end to all form of discriminations and oppressions based on gender, nationality, race and the animosity among people by eliminating classes. The 8th of March is the solidarity of women movement and also all freedom lovers across the world that are struggling to eradicate discrimination and oppression.

The Communist Party of Iran declares its profound solidarity with all women in their struggle against oppression and inhuman discriminations and call on all women not to miss any opportunity establishing solidarity and unity with the working class struggle against the capitalist system.