Only 37% of women observe Islamic dress codes

According to a leading Iranian sociologist, numerous ‘morality protection’ schemes, repressive measures and regular crackdowns have all failed to force Iranian women to obey the compulsory Islamic dress code.

Shahrzadnews: According to a leading Iranian sociologist, numerous ‘morality protection’ schemes, repressive measures and regular crackdowns have all failed to force Iranian women to obey the compulsory Islamic dress code.

At a round-table discussion organised by the Khabar Online news agency, female MP and member of the parliamentary Women’s Committee Laleh Eftekhari said:

“Ever since Adam and Eve, hejab has been inextricably bound up with human instinct. When they were expelled from paradise they were faced with the problem of finding an appropriate, modest way to cover their bodies. Today the Interior Ministry coordinates 26 government bodies involved in the proper implementation of hejab regulations.”

Sociologist Majid Abhari Abhari responded by saying that the campaign had clearly been unsuccessful: “Those 26 government agencies spent 32 years working on this problem, spending millions of dollars of public money in the process, and still only 37% of women and 41% of men observe hejab.” The event was also attended by Islamic Women’s Coalition head Touran Vali Morad, who said: “The hejab issue will not be solved overnight. It is a moral question, and has to do with a person’s inner feelings. As long as we accuse women of wrong-doing and concern ourselves only with physical hejab rather than modesty, nothing will be solved.”

Source: Shahrzad News