Mehrangiz Dowlatshahi
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Mehrangiz Dowlatshahi | |
|---|---|
مهرانگیز دولتشاهی | |
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| Iranian Ambassador to the Denmark | |
| In office 1 March 1975 – 1 March 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Parviz Sepahboudi |
| Succeeded by | Abbas Amir-Entezam |
| Member of the Parliament of Iran | |
| In office 15 January 1963 – 14 January 1975 | |
| Constituency | Kermanshah |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 December 1919 |
| Died | 1 October 2008 (aged 88) |
| Party |
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| Parents |
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| Alma mater | |
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 a member of the Majlis for three terms.
Her family were major land owners based in Kermanshah[1] and were progressive aristocrats.[2] Her father was Mohammad Ali Mirza (also known as Meshkout Al Dowleh), majlis member and land owner.[3][4] He was a member of the Qajar dynasty.[5] Her mother was Akhtar ol-Molk, daughter of Hidayat Qoli Khan. Mehrangiz was the cousin of Esmat Dowlatshahi, fourth wife of Reza Shah.[6]
Concerning the birth date and birthplace of Dowlatshahi there are some conflicting reports which were stated by herself.[5] Abbas Milani states that she gave two different birth years, 1917 and 1919.[5] The same is also reported by Abbas Milani in regard to her birth city, which was given as both Tehran and Isfahan.[5]
Mehrangiz was one of the first Iranian girls who attended a co-education kindergarten.[2] Then she graduated from the Zoroastrian School in Tehran.[2] She held a bachelor's degree from Berlin University.[3] She received a PhD in social and political sciences from Heidelberg University.[3]
Career
Dowlatshahi worked at the social services organization and at the organization for support of prisoners.[7] She established Jama’at-i Rah-i Naw (Persian: The New Path Society) in 1954, which later became part of the International Women's Syndicate.[7][8] The society offered training to women and advocated equal rights for them.[3] She also launched adult literacy programs in southern Tehran.[7] In 1951, she and activist Safeyeh Firouz met Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to discuss the electoral rights of women in Iran.[9] She was the director of the advisory committee on international affairs of the Women's Organization of Iran (WOI).[10] In 1973, she was appointed president of the International Council of Women and her term ended in 1976.[11]
Dowlatshahi was elected to the Majles in 1963, being one of six female deputies.[12] She served there until 1975.[10] She represented Kermanshah at the Majlis for three terms.[13][14] She significantly contributed to the passing of the family protection law in 1967 and to its expansion in 1974.[13] She also served as the first minister of women affairs.[15] She became the first woman ambassador of Imperial Iran to Denmark when she was appointed to the post in 1975.[15][16]
Later years and death
Dowlatshahi was serving as the Iranian ambassador in Denmark when the 1979 revolution occurred. Soon after this incident she left the country and settled in Paris.[7] She had a house in Great Falls, Fairfax County, Virginia, USA, which was sold in 2016.[17] She published a book entitled Society, Government, and Iran’s Women’s Movement in 2002.[7] She died in Paris in October 2008.[7]
