The Women's Society Against Environmental Pollution (WSAEP, Persian: جامعه زنان در برابر آلودگی محیط زیست) is a non-governmental women's and environmental rights organisation based in Iran.
History
The organisation was founded in 1993 by Mahlagha Mallah, a retired librarian from the University of Tehran, and Victoria Jamali, an expert on environmental law.[1] Mallah's work began investigation pollution in Tehran in 1978, she then approached foreign embassies in the city in order to research international environmental movements.[2] The 1979 Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War halted environmental progress in Iran.[2] However by 1993, Mallah and her husband had established the society and in 1995 it was registered with the Ministry of the Interior,[2] moving to registration with the Department of Environment.[3] This registration enables the organisation to work openly, but is not an endorsement by the government, however it does prohibit WSAEP from criticising it.[4] This means that their campaigns are phrased as "technical" rather than political issues.[4]
The first WSAEP branch was established in Isfahan.[5] Although WSAEP is a society which emphasises the role that women play in environmental issues, men can also be members.[2]
Campaigns
WSAEP has campaigned for better air quality in Tehran since 2001, advocating for a reduction in the number of old cars on the road and a ban on cars to driven if they only have the driver in them.[6] The Society organised demonstrations which also involved local children.[6] Under the influence of Victoria Jamali, the Society has campaigned for western-style environmental laws.[7] They also produce free educational resources, aiming to improve public awareness of the environmental challenges Iran faces.[8]
Working with women to create goods from recycled materials is another strand of WSAEP's work.[9] The society emphasises the importance of women since they control what happens in households, where key decisions about recycling and pollution rest.[10] WSAEP has also been instrumental in campaigning for a family-planning programme in Iran.[10]
The organisation publishes the journal فرياد زامين(Faryad-e-Zamin - Cry of the Earth), which is edited by Victoria Jamali.[2] As of 2015, it had educated over 25,000 families in recycling and waste management.[2] It established a young people's programme – the Earth's Fans Society – which provides environmental education in schools and kindergartens.[2] They have worked with universities to ratify the inclusion of an optional course in environmental management in degrees, as well as providing training for civil servants in rural areas.[2]
Awards
In 2016, the Isfahan WSAEP branch was awarded Iran's National Environmental Award.[11]
Legacy
However, the work of WSAEP has been described as "non-threatening" to the government, despite their efficiency in the field they do campaign in.[12]