Women's Society Against Environmental Pollution

The Women's Society Against Environmental Pollution (WSAEP, Persian: جامعه زنان در برابر آلودگی محیط زیست) is a non-governmental women's and environmental rights organisation based in Iran.

Women's Society Against Environmental Pollution

جامعه زنان در برابر آلودگی محیط زیست
Abbreviation	WSAEP
Formation	1993
Founder	Mahlagha Mallah; Victoria Jamali
Type	Non-governmental organisation
Purpose	environmental rights
Location	Iran
Website	http://wsaep.org/

History

The organisation was founded in 1993 by Mahlagha Mallah, a retired librarian from the University of Tehran, and Victoria Jamali, an expert on environmental law.^[1] Mallah's work began investigation pollution in Tehran in 1978, she then approached foreign embassies in the city in order to research international environmental movements.^[2] The 1979 Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War halted environmental progress in Iran.^[2] However by 1993, Mallah and her husband had established the society and in 1995 it was registered with the Ministry of the Interior,^[2] moving to registration with the Department of Environment.^[3] This registration enables the organisation to work openly, but is not an endorsement by the government, however it does prohibit WSAEP from criticising it.^[4] This means that their campaigns are phrased as "technical" rather than political issues.^[4]

The first WSAEP branch was established in Isfahan.^[5] Although WSAEP is a society which emphasises the role that women play in environmental issues, men can also be members.^[2]

Campaigns

WSAEP has campaigned for better air quality in Tehran since 2001, advocating for a reduction in the number of old cars on the road and a ban on cars to driven if they only have the driver in them.^[6] The Society organised demonstrations which also involved local children.^[6] Under the influence of Victoria Jamali, the Society has campaigned for western-style environmental laws.^[7] They also produce free educational resources, aiming to improve public awareness of the environmental challenges Iran faces.^[8]

Working with women to create goods from recycled materials is another strand of WSAEP's work.^[9] The society emphasises the importance of women since they control what happens in households, where key decisions about recycling and pollution rest.^[10] WSAEP has also been instrumental in campaigning for a family-planning programme in Iran.^[10]

The organisation publishes the journal فرياد زامين(Faryad-e-Zamin - Cry of the Earth), which is edited by Victoria Jamali.^[2] As of 2015, it had educated over 25,000 families in recycling and waste management.^[2] It established a young people's programme – the Earth's Fans Society – which provides environmental education in schools and kindergartens.^[2] They have worked with universities to ratify the inclusion of an optional course in environmental management in degrees, as well as providing training for civil servants in rural areas.^[2]

Awards

In 2016, the Isfahan WSAEP branch was awarded Iran's National Environmental Award.^[11]

Legacy

However, the work of WSAEP has been described as "non-threatening" to the government, despite their efficiency in the field they do campaign in.^[12]

References

1. "Green Movement in Iran | ELAW". www.elaw.org. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
2. Tavaana (2015-02-23). "Mahlagha Mallah: Mother of Iran's Environment". Tavaana. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
3. Doherty, Brian; Doyle, Timothy (2013-10-18). Beyond Borders: Environmental Movements and Transnational Politics. Routledge. p. 64. ISBN 978-1-317-96860-3.
4. Steinberg, Paul F. (2015). Who Rules the Earth?: How Social Rules Shape Our Planet and Our Lives. Oxford University Press. p. 251. ISBN 978-0-19-989661-5.
5. "جمعیت زنان مبارزه با آلودگی محیط زیست استان اصفهان" (in Persian). Retrieved 2020-12-11.
6. "Iran: Tehran Facing Critical Air Pollution -- Again". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
7. Afrasiabi, Kaveh L. (2003). "The Environmental Movement in Iran: Perspectives from below and Above". Middle East Journal. 57 (3): 432–448. ISSN 0026-3141. JSTOR 4329913.
8. "Climate Resources - International Links - East Asia and South Asia". climate.org. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
9. Vanden, Harry E.; Funke, Peter N.; Prevost, Gary (2017-03-16). The New Global Politics: Global Social Movements in the Twenty-First Century. Taylor & Francis. p. 117. ISBN 978-1-315-52228-9.
10. Weisman, Alan (2013-09-24). Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth?. Little, Brown. ISBN 978-0-316-23650-8.
11. "جمعيت زنان مبارزه با آلودگي محيط زيست اصفهان، جايزه ملي محيط زيست را كسب كرد". ایرنا (in Persian). 2016-06-08. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
12. Doherty, Brian; Doyle, Timothy (2013-10-18). Beyond Borders: Environmental Movements and Transnational Politics. Routledge. p. 65. ISBN 978-1-317-96860-3.