Iran's One Million Signatures Campaign Recognized As 'Women Of The Year'
Poet and women's rights activist Simin Behbahani walks past a banner reading, "One million signatures to change the biased laws" in Tehran. (file photo)
Iran's One Million Signatures campaign, which fights to gather public support against discriminatory laws in the country, has received the Women of the Year award from U.S.-based "
Glamour" magazine.
The campaign is operating under a lot of pressure from Iranian authorities. As Glamour notes:
"Iran’s religious, conservative government sees the campaign as a real threat. Authorities have arrested more than 50 campaign members, who have been punished with everything from lashings to solitary confinement in prison. The group’s website has been shut down by the government 21 times. Members hold clandestine meetings in living rooms and basements, and activists say they are under constant surveillance and subject to phone taps."
Last year's recipient was Iranian human rights lawyer, and Nobel Peace Prize laureata, Shirin Ebadi.
Click here to see a video of the awards ceremony, hosted by CNN's Christiane Amanpour.
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