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Abstract
Modern education for women in Persia would have been nothing more than wishful thinking, had it not been brought, both in terms of thought as well as practice, by some outstanding Qajar women of the 19th century like Bibi Khanom Astarabadi and Tuba Azmoudeh, and eminent Persian thinkers like Mirza Agha and Ruhi . Historically education for women in Persia had been limited to madrassah characterizing a parochial system of education and private tuitions at home until the beginning of the Qajar period. The Qajar era witnessed a path-breaking transformation in terms of a progressive approach that women should be educated on the modern lines because they are the educators of the young generation and that their social standing determines the fate of humanity. This approach initiated a complete break with the traditional past which gradually transformed the standing of Persian women from an insignificant status - za'ifeh (the weak sex); manzel (the home) and moti'eh (those obedient to men's will), to the status of murabiyyan (educators). It has been only about a century since girls were for the first time formally admitted to schools in 1835 and only about some 75 years since they experienced higher education for the first time. Towards the end of 19th century education for women expanded slowly with female enrollment of over 7200. In this paper at attempt has been made to sequentially highlight the status, work culture, literacy and the role of Qajar women in formal-cum-modern education of women in Persia.
Keywords
Qajar Women, Persia, Muslim women, Modern Education, Women Education, Anjomans, Constitutional Revolution, Majles.
Introduction
Struggling behind the closed doors at home and prohibited from every facility i.e. education, training and social life women were treated as mindless beings in pre-Qajar Persia. They were confined to a life of household drudgery and child-bearing, and were considered slaves of their husbands as observed by Bibi Khanum Astarabadi1 an outspoken and prominent Qajar woman.2 Similarly Seyyed Jamalzadeh a noted Persian novelist while describing women's absence in public commented:
"No women can be seen in this country of men, but strangely half of the walking population in the streets is wrapped in black bags from head to the toe without even an opening to breathe."
Clara Rice, a...