Reformist Women Under the Pahlavi Shahs

This chapter surveys a range of female leaders and movements for political reform from the 1920s to the 1970s, and assesses what they achieved. It considers organizations banned by Reza ShahMohammad Reza Shahother policy initiatives such as MohtaramMohtaram, Eskandari EskandariEskandari, Mohtaram and Mastureh Afsar’sAfsar, Mastureh Patriotic Women’s League, or Zandokht Shirazi’s “Women’s Revolution” party. It also examines the movement to win the vote for women, which at one point organized a nationwide female strike. Then the chapter considers the record of elected female politicians and of government-patronizedReza Shah, (formerly Reza Khan)policies to \“patronize\” women societies, which were commonly led by associates of the royal family. Such “queen bees” were sometimes corrupt, but their efforts extended social servicesabortionservices for women, and drove real reform of the family lawsabortionlaws.