Leben im Hintergrund der Schlagzeilen

Rafat Bayat (49) is an independent Member of Parliament (Majlis) in Iran.
She is one of 12 women among a whole of 293 members of parliament, working in the Commission for Health and Treatment. Rafat Bayat, who studied sociology, is mother of four (now grown-up) children, three boys, one girl. For her candidacy during the elections in 2004, she was and today still is specially supported by her husband and her mother. During an interview (Teheran, 17. Mai 2006), concerning her work in Majlis and women in Iran, I asked her, how women from Iran and Germany can support a direct dialogue between the two countries. This is her answer:

Rafat Bayat: Through the mass media, papers, TV, they could promote the issues of both countries. Also I suggest, that some papers could have a special column, that women from Iran and Germany, can ask questions, they can have their photos in that special column and the answers could also be published in that column. Also they could have special short programs in the TV regarding Iran, they can have debates, ask questions and get answers from Iranian women through that program. Also tourism plays a very important role. There could be tours for women, women from Germany can come, they can travel, see different parts and historical sites of Iran, the diversity of culture and they can talk to the people. Or on the educational level they can exchange students, they can increase exchange programs or cultural scholarships, regarding women studies both at universities in Iran and Germany. They could set up sociology courses, based on the view of women from the Islamic point of view, or vice versa, German women could speak about their point of view. Also in general, courses about women all over the world would be interesting. I believe, that we as women can be future models, but unfortunately usually we always see the dark side of the things, we don’t see the bright side. We just see, that the glass is half empty, not half full. First of all, we all are women, that is, what we all share. We could be future models for human beings. So, through this, we can solve many problems.

(Interview by Karin Leukefeld, May 17th 2006)