Mehrangiz Dowlatshahi

Mehrangiz Dowlatshahi (Persian: مهرانگیز دولتشاهی‎; 13 December 1919 – 11 October 2008) was an Iranian social activist and politician, who held significant positions, including ambassador of Iran to Denmark during the Pahlavi era. She also served as an MP for three terms.

Mehrangiz Dowlatshahi
Iranian Ambassador to the Denmark
In office
1 March 1975 – 1 March 1979
Preceded byParviz Sepahboudi
Succeeded byAbbas Amir-Entezam
Member of the Parliament of Iran
In office
15 January 1963 – 14 January 1975
ConstituencyKermanshah
Personal details
Born13 December 1919
Isfahan, Persia
Died1 October 2008(2008-10-01) (aged 88)
Paris, France
NationalityIranian
Political party
Alma materBerlin University
Heidelberg University

Early life and education

Concerning the birth date and birth place of Dowlatshahi there are some conflicting reports which were stated by herself.[1] Abbas Milani states that she gave two different birth years, 1917 and 1919.[1] The same is also reported by Abbas Milani in regard to her birth city, which was given as both Tehran and Isfahan.[1] Her family were major land owners based in Kermanshah.[2] She was a daughter of Mohammad Ali Mirza "Meshkout Al Dowleh", majlis member and land owner.[3][4] She was a member of the Qajar dynasty.[1] Her mother was Akhtar ol-Mulk, daughter of Hidayat Quli Khan. Mehrangiz was the cousin of Esmat Dowlatshahi, fourth wife of Reza Shah.[5]

Mehrangiz studied in Germany and held a bachelor's degree from Berlin University.[3] She received a PhD in social and political sciences from Heidelberg University.[3]

Career
Princess Merangiz Dowlatshahi visit Stockholm and women's "rah-e-nou"
Swedish Newspaper: "Princess Merangiz Dowlatshahi visit Stockholm and women's "rah-e-nou".

Dowlatshahi worked at the social services organization and at the organization for support of prisoners.[6] She established Rah-e No (New Way) society, which later became part of the International Women's Syndicate.[6] The society offered training to women and advocated equal rights for them.[3] She also launched adult literacy programs in southern Tehran.[6] In 1951, she and woman activist Safeyeh Firouz met Mohammad Reza Shah to discuss the electoral rights of women in Iran.[7] She was the director of the advisory committee on International Affairs of the Women's Organization of Iran (WOI).[8] In 1973, she was appointed president of the International Council of Women and her term ended in 1976.[9]

She served as the member of the Majlis from 1963 to 1975, being the first woman in this post.[8] She represented Kermanshah at the Majlis for three terms.[10] She significantly contributed to the “family protection law” in 1967 and to its expansion in 1974.[10] She also served as the first minister of women affairs.[11] She was also the first woman ambassador of Imperial Iran to Denmark.[11] She was appointed to the post in 1975.[12]

Later years and death

Dowlatshahi was the Iranian ambassador in Denmark when the 1979 revolution occurred. She left the country and settled in Paris.[6] In 2002, she published a book entitled Society, Government, and Iran’s Women’s Movement.[6] She died in Paris in October 2008.[6]

Awards and honors

In 1997, Dowlatshahi was named as the woman of the year by the Iranian Women's Studies Foundation in the United States.[13]

References
  1. Abbas Milani (19 December 2008). Eminent Persians: The Men and Women Who Made Modern Iran, 1941-1979. Volumes One and Two. Syracuse University Press. p. 526. ISBN 978-0-8156-0907-0.
  2. "Centers of Power in Iran" (PDF). CIA. May 1972. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  3. "Sex equality still elusive: feminist". The Age. 6 November 1973. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  4. "Dolatshahi, Mehrangiz". Harvard University. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  5. Camron Michael Amin (1 December 2002). The Making of the Modern Iranian Woman: Gender, State Policy, and Popular Culture, 1865-1946. University Press of Florida. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-8130-3126-2.
  6. Nazy Kaviani (28 October 2008). "Mehrangiz Dolatshahi". Iranian. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  7. Ali Akbar Mahdi (October 2004). "The Iranian Women's Movement: A Century Long Struggle" (PDF). The Muslim World. 94.
  8. "Oral History interview of Mehrangiz Dowlatshahi". Foundation for Iranian Studies. Bethesda, MD. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  9. "About us". International Council of Women. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  10. "Mehrangiz Dolatshahi, who struggled for the ratification of the "Family Support Law" in 1967". The Feminist School. 23 October 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  11. Darius Kadivar (6 September 2010). "Mehrangiz Dolatshahi First Woman Ambassador of Imperial Iran (1960)". Iranian. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  12. Official Report of Debates. Volume II. Council of Europe. p. 681. GGKEY:49S8UY2XXFL.
  13. "The Woman of the Year. Past awardees". IWSF. Archived from the original on 12 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
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