Farah Pahlavi: Champion of Women’s Rights, Culture, and Welfare in Modern Iran
Farah Pahlavi, the last Empress of Iran and wife of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, played a defining role in the country’s sociocultural transformation during the 1960s and 1970s. Beyond her ceremonial duties, she emerged as a powerful symbol of progress, particularly in the domains of women’s rights, education, arts, and public health. A trained architect with a deep appreciation for Iran’s rich cultural heritage, Farah used her influence and position not merely for prestige, but to help reshape Iran’s societal fabric in a modern and inclusive direction.
Advocacy for Women’s Rights
From the earliest days of her public life, Farah made women’s advancement one of her top priorities. In a candid interview with the Iranian newspaper Ettelaat, she expressed her hope for national progress—emphasizing “especially the progress of women.” Her words were not just symbolic. She backed them with concrete action following the Shah’s White Revolution, a series of reforms that began in the early 1960s aimed at modernizing Iran. One of the cornerstones of this movement was the promotion of gender equality.