Azadeh Momeni

Dr. Azadeh Momeni
Azadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in Political Science from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. She received her Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Tehran, Iran. She has in-depth knowledge of International Relations, Foreign Policy Analysis, Middle East Politics, Women’s Studies, Quantitative Methods, and Electoral Politics. She has about 15 years of combined experience in academia and non-academic environments as a researcher, data analyst, policy analyst, and policy advisor. Azadeh has significant knowledge and experience in providing policy advice aimed at social policy change, gender equality, equity and inclusion. She collaborated with UN agencies such as UNODC, UNICEF, as well as Amnesty International.
Azadeh is a painter. She has also contributed artistically to the community, messaging socially relevant themes through her works. Some of her paintings were displayed at different exhibitions and galleries including Carleton University Art Gallery in Ottawa, Public Service Alliance of Canada in Ottawa, Gallery 1313 in Toronto, and Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa. Her recent project examines the intersection of Art and Politics with a focus on the Iranian “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement in Iran.

Abstract: Iran Women’s Bill of Rights

At the dawn of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, a collective of feminists of Iran, having experienced historical discrimination and injustice feel strongly that the time has come to make our rights as equal citizens a reality. Thus, they have come together to develop a bill of rights for inclusive and substantive equality for women in all their diversities to enshrine them in the future Constitution of Iran. They insist that the Constitution, in spirit and text echo the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and its sister conventions that reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in their equal rights regardless of gender, ethnicity, race, religion, language, sexuality, or any other status. Centering the “woman, life, freedom” framework, a collective of feminists demand women’s equal share of the seats of the National Constitutional Assembly and other spheres of national and regional negotiations, taking an active part in charting and mapping the future. At this historical juncture, they emphasize the importance of including the experiences, contributions, and efforts of women and historically marginalized populations in any deliberations about Iran’s political and legal trajectory. Through these efforts, they aim to uphold commitments to gender equality and social and environmental justice in support of women’s movements inside the country, which are fundamental for a pluralist secular democracy.