RAW Courage Award Goes To Iranian Women

Reach All Women (RAW) in War has awarded its annual Anna Politkovskaya award for courage to The One Million Signature Campaign that petitions the Iranian parliament asking for the revision and reform of current laws that discriminate against women.

The campaign was launched in 2006 and although members have campaigned peacefully and legally, they are often subject to arbitrary arrests and imprisonment. 

"We gave them the award because they are an extremely brave and courageous group of women and they are really changing the society in Iran, which is extremely difficult," RAW in War founder Mariana Katzarova told Reuters.

RAW in War is a human rights group that aims to end violence against women in conflict situations. The award is offered in memory of the Russian journalist murdered three years ago in Moscow. It was presented in London on Tuesday by Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mairead Maguire and was accepted by Leila Alikarami, a lawyer and human rights activist who has defended many of the women members of the campaign including Aliyeh Eghdam Doust who was the first women's rights activist in Iran to be imprisoned for the full term of her three-year sentence.

Activists say women in Iran, while able to vote, drive cars and hold most jobs, are subject to discrimination that makes them second-class citizens in divorce, inheritance, child custody, legal matters and other areas of life.

Iranian women have been demanding equality for more than 100 years.

Photo courtesy Mazdak via Flickr.