The cries of Iranian women and my little sister Farah
June 24, 2019, 11:11 am

The cries of Iranian women and my little sister Farah

public floggings, economic disempowerment, social stigmatization: These are daily reminders to the women of my country, Iran, that in the eyes of their government they are lesser.

Every day, this reality is reinforced by untold abuses, restrictions, and insults – perhaps none of which is more appalling than the travesty of girls, as young as nine, who are forced to marry men decades their senior.

When I hear of these sickening acts, I can’t help but think of my little sister, Farah.

Farah is fifteen. She’s smart, athletic, beautiful, and free, although she would argue against that last part. Like all young women, she is engaged in a constant battle with our mother to challenge every limit she can.

Farah is a force to be reckoned with, like her namesake, our grandmother. I know she has the potential to channel that into great things. So it’s painful to imagine all of her potential, her life, stolen from her by a regime that despises her.

It is difficult to imagine her in an early marriage when she still has so much maturing, emotionally and physically, left to do.

Farah is accepted by friends, encouraged by teachers, and offered every opportunity to succeed. But who would she have been if society hadn’t propelled her forward, but had instead forcibly veiled her and violated her most fundamental rights?

Farah is growing up at a time when the women of the west are removing the remaining roadblocks in their path to full equality. While that progress continues, it is imperative that the stories be told of the heroic women of Iran who are fighting back against the threats to their rights and their very existence.

These strong and proud women are beaten down by legal discrimination, economic injustice, and social prohibitions. The World Economic Forum’s 2018 Global Gender Gap report, which ranks countries on “their progress towards gender parity,” ranks Iran 142nd out of 149 nations.

Iranian women are prohibited from the rights of divorce and equal inheritance, barred from travel without their husbands’ permission, and systematically discriminated against in the job market. There are also limitations on the subjects that Iranian women, who make up more than 60 percent of university students, can study.

Farah is bonded to my mother in a different way than my sister, Iman, and I are. We had each other growing up, but my mother calls Farah her little soulmate. Had Farah grown up in Iran, she might have lost our mother this year, because of the lack of attention to women’s medical care there. The issue of women’s health in Iran became even clearer after my mother’s recent cancer diagnosis and her subsequent campaign to raise awareness about the disease.

Everyone has a story – and those of the women of Iran are truly harrowing. Through social media, they tell me of the limits they face and the abuses they endure, which are heartbreaking. Women are harassed by “morality” police and denied jobs, which might insult their husbands’ dignity.

But Iran was not always like this. These restrictions are not holdovers from a bygone era or unenforced, vestigial statutes yet to be ameliorated by reformers.

Prior to the Islamic Revolution, my grandfather and great-grandfather instituted widespread reforms granting extensive rights and protections to women. Their vision supported the progress of a generation of women. Many of those same women were instrumental in passing the Family Protection Laws of 1967 and 1975, which took massive steps to establish equality.

These laws banned polygamy, granted women the right to divorce, and raised the age of marriage for women to 18.

After 1979, each of these was annulled. In December 2018, a motion to partially limit the practice of forced child marriage and raise the age of marriage for girls to 13 was defeated.

These systematic violations of the basic rights of women in Iran are calculated limitations on their independence and attempts to suffocate their natural strength and courage, and they must not prevail.

Iranian women, like Farah, are independent and strong-willed, so they will continue to fight their oppressors every day, but they need support. The present wave of demand for greater women’s equality can’t just be for western women. It has to be for all women.

The encouragement, validation, and freedom Farah has had are exactly what the women of Iran deserve. If you pay attention, you will hear millions of Iranian women shouting, not to be saved, but to be heard. Will you listen?

Princess Noor Pahlavi is the first child of Iran’s former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. She’s an MBA student at Columbia University and works as an advisor to the non-profit impact investment fund Acumen.

This article was published in Persian by the Independent Persian on June 7, 2019

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.