The Development of Thought on the UN's Role in Women's Issues: Capacities and Challenges for Women's Empowerment Globally and in Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. in Political Science, Political Science Department, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Political Science Department, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
Scientific studies examining existing approaches and capacities for women's empowerment not only enhance our theoretical understanding in this field but also provide an opportunity to assess its strengths and weaknesses within the context of Iranian society. This assessment represents a step toward empowering Iranian women, which constitutes the primary objective of this article. Our research hypothesis posits that the intellectual currents governing the United Nations' approach to women's issues have undergone significant transformations, with the adoption of empowerment as the foundational approach for the UN's women's institutions serving as evidence for this claim. Accordingly, we address the following question: What capacities and challenges does the United Nations' focus on women's empowerment approach present for beneficiaries and stakeholders?
Methods
This study employed library-documentary methods for data collection and utilized qualitative analysis with an analytical approach. Naila Kabeer's empowerment model served as the theoretical framework and analytical lens. This model emphasizes that women's empowerment depends on their critical awareness of conditions that perpetuate subordinate status, while also requiring access to three key elements: resources, agency, and control over achievements.
Results and Discussion
The research findings indicate that international institutions, particularly the United Nations, implemented numerous initiatives addressing women's issues long before empowerment theories entered the development paradigm through Third World intellectuals. These efforts were influenced by various discourses including feminist perspectives (liberal, Marxist, socialist, radical), development theories (modernization-oriented), and human rights frameworks. Notable examples include advocacy for equal citizenship rights between men and women, redefinition of the political sphere, criticism of governmental shortcomings in achieving gender equality, promotion of women's participation in development programs, and the connection between global peace/human rights and women's status in the contemporary world.
While many of these initiatives demonstrate significant potential - aligning with Naila Kabeer's empowerment theory through strengthening the triad of resources, agency, and achievements - they simultaneously reveal fundamental weaknesses in their approaches and corresponding programs. In recent years, the empowerment approach has become central to UN programs for women as a means to address these limitations and enhance capacities.
The focus on women's empowerment by international institutions has rendered their efforts more tangible and acceptable. At the local level, particularly in Iranian society, the study demonstrates that women have not remained isolated from these global developments. Iranian intellectuals and women's rights activists have been particularly influenced by the dominant intellectual currents within UN women's institutions, especially the empowerment approach.
Institutionally and operationally, the Iranian government has attempted to align with this approach, particularly in legal documents, human rights reports, and development programs. However, in practice, no coherent long-term strategy or institutional framework consistent with this approach has been implemented. Concepts related to women's empowerment have been reduced primarily to economic empowerment initiatives for female-headed households - measures that often resemble welfare support more than genuine empowerment.
Conclusions
Under the empowerment approach, the United Nations has implemented numerous initiatives, most notably in institution-building, discourse formation, and facilitation. However, it is crucial to recognize that significant obstacles continue to hinder women's ability to benefit from international institutions' empowerment capacities. Among the most critical challenges are: the non-binding nature of international guidelines on women's empowerment; the UN's primary focus on governments as the main facilitators of empowerment across nations; the absence of strong civil societies in developing countries; and the ethnocentric (Western-centric) perspective prevalent in international institutions.

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References

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