By Rebecca Shabad in New York
During the June 2009 post-election protests in Iran, the regime's authoritarian restrictions did not hold back women from participating. Women were featured prominently in street protests—hijabs, or veils, at the forefront. Some were arrested; some killed. Neda Agha-Soltan, a 26-year-old Iranian woman was shot on June 20, 2009 as she stepped out of her car, and become an icon of the opposition. Women were energized by the campaign of Mir Hossein Mousavi, whose outspoken wife has been compared to Michelle Obama. And compared to the rest of the region, Iran (where 65 percent of university students are women) women are featured in relatively prominent positions.
Published: June 24, 2009
