Girls Around the World

In the past, you may have been heard about Iran in the news or even online. A lot of time, the news discusses the dangerous conditions that exist in Iran, and the unfair leadership of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. What we don’t hear about very much is how girls in Iran are living, and how they deal with the problems they face. Many parts of Iran don’t look very different from the U.S. at all. There are big cities, highways and skyscrapers that look very similar to your average American city. There are also girls, mainly those coming from wealthy families, whose lives are probably not that different from yours. Unfortunately, this is not the case all over Iran, and many girls are being treated very badly. Iranian women can do things like vote and drive, however girls in Iran do not have nearly the same rights that boys do. For instance, girls in Iran can be sold by their parents for money, and married off at a very young age (many younger than 15 years). Because poverty is common in Iran, many parents have no choice but to sell off their daughters. Many girls do not get the same education boys can, and even more of them live in small, one-bedroom houses with their families. There is an Iranian Women’s Movement, though, that is fighting for girl’s rights in Iran. In addition, there are organizations like UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) that are trying to protect these girls. You can do your part to help girls in Iran too by keeping up with what is going on in the country, and helping your friends and family learn more about the issues Iranian girls face too. The more aware people are, the closer we can get to solving the problem!

UNICEF is a great resource for learning about how young girls in Iran are doing and what kind of challenges they are facing. Visit UNICEF at: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/iran_25226.html. Read the site with a parent or sibling so you can discuss the issues together!

Photo: Portrait of children in Kohestak village, about 45km south of the city of Menab, in Hormozgan province. © UNICEF Iran, Shehzad Noorani

Reema Desai

About the Author

Reema Desai

Girls Around the World Reema Desai In the past, you may have been heard about Iran in the news or even online. A lot of time, the news discusses the dangerous conditions that exist in Iran, and the unfair leadership of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. What we don’t hear about very much is how girls in Iran are living, and how they deal with the problems they face. Many parts of Iran don’t look very different from the U.S. at all. There are big cities, highways and skyscrapers that look very similar to your average American city. There are also girls, mainly those coming from wealthy families, whose lives are probably not that different from yours. Unfortunately, this is not the case all over Iran, and many girls are being treated very badly. Iranian women can do things like vote and drive, however girls in Iran do not have nearly the same rights that boys do. For instance, girls in Iran can be sold by their parents for money, and married off at a very young age (many younger than 15 years). Because poverty is common in Iran, many parents have no choice but to sell off their daughters. Many girls do not get the same education boys can, and even more of them live in small, one-bedroom houses with their families. There is an Iranian Women’s Movement, though, that is fighting for girl’s rights in Iran. In addition, there are organizations like UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) that are trying to protect these girls. You can do your part to help girls in Iran too by keeping up with what is going on in the country, and helping your friends and family learn more about the issues Iranian girls face too. The more aware people are, the closer we can get to solving the problem! UNICEF is a great resource for learning about how young girls in Iran are doing and what kind of challenges they are facing. Visit UNICEF at: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/iran_25226.html. Read the site with a parent or sibling so you can discuss the issues together! Photo: Portrait of children in Kohestak village, about 45km south of the city of Menab, in Hormozgan province. © UNICEF Iran, Shehzad Noorani
About the Author Reema Desai Currently finishing up her degree in International Relations with minors in Women's Studies and Diplomacy at the University of Central Florida, Reema hopes to get a masters in International Development. She is passionate about world affairs, photography, volunteerism, traveling, women's rights and hot sauce!