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What is the significance of the hijab in Iranian society?
After the 1979 Islamic [[Revolution::A change in the way a country is run, usually by changing the leader.]], women in Iran were forced to wear [[hijabs::A piece of clothing that is worn by some Muslim women that cover their heads in public.]].
Following the revolution, the current Iranian government based its dress code on the Quran (Islam's [[sacred::Something that is thought to be holy, particularly because of a connection with a god.]] book) and Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet Mohammad).
[[Morality police::Individuals or groups who enforce rules based on religion, culture, or tradition, controlling public behaviour, clothes, speech, and acts.]] in Iran [[enforce::To ensure that people follow a specific rule or law.]] dress codes and [[patrol::A group of soldiers or military vehicles going around an area to make sure there is no danger and all rules are being followed.]] the streets in vans, arresting those who wear "inappropriate" clothing. In 1983, wearing the hijab was made a law for women.
Since then, [[protests::When a strong dislike or opposition to something is shown through various actions.]] against the hijab have happened a few times. Recently, the number of protests has increased a lot in the country.
Why are there anti-hijab protests in Iran?
Many Iranian women wore the hijab as a personal decision before the revolution.
However, women are now forced to wear the hijab. Disobeying this Islamic dress law can also result in beatings or jail. So, many people hate this rule.
The police say they only advise people to follow the rules, but they enforce the country's hijab laws on women.
So, Iranian women are protesting and demanding their rights.Regular protests have started since 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini.
Who was Mahsa Amini, and how did her death spark protests?
On 13th September 2022, Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman, was arrested by Iran's morality police for not properly wearing her hijab.
Her family says she was [[mistreated::To treat someone in a cruel manner.]] by the police and died in jail three days after being arrested. Protests began in Iran as details of her death came to be known.
Many women took off their hijabs and cut their hair. Protests have continued to this day. Men have joined the protests, making it one of the biggest threats to the Iranian government since the 1979 revolution.
The [[authorities::The people in an organisation or country who have the power to make decisions]] are worried about the protests. They are arresting the protestors, and a lot of them have been killed.
Is anybody doing anything about the protests in Iran?
Sweden, the [[European Union::An international organisation consisting of 27 European countries that follow a similar set of rules and laws.]] (EU), the United States of America (USA), and others have expressed their concern about the violence in Iran.
Sweden has also demanded that those responsible for Mahsa Amini's death be punished.
The [[United Nations::An international organisation where the world’s nations gather together to discuss common problems and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity.]] [[Human Rights::The basic rights and freedoms that every person in the world has from birth to death. They apply to people regardless of their place of stay or what they believe in.]] Council (UNHRC) has formed a team to [[investigate::To study clues and facts about something carefully in order to discover something new about it.]] the violence shown by Iranian officials against the protestors.
Let’s hope the protestors don’t face any more harm and the government understands their problems.
Quick Revision
Iran made hijab mandatory after the 1979 Revolution.
Women protest as it removes their freedom of choice.
Mahsa Amini’s 2022 death sparked major protests.
Many protesters faced arrests and violence.
The UN and other countries condemned Iran’s actions.
