The Unheard Voices of Iranian Women

I’m sure you have heard and read about what is going on with Iran and the women of Iran at this moment in time. It has been a huge emotional rollercoaster for me.

A friend from Iran sent me handmade dolls (initially to sell over Christmas) but they got to me after the whole Mahsa Amini protests started. Receiving them made a huge impact on me. They are each very unique, 100% handmade and homemade out of offcuts and revived from grandmother's memories.

The art and craft of doll-making seems to be dying out.

Each doll I received has a story on its back, the story of the maker or a story about who the doll is. These dolls are being made by women in remote villages in Iran.

I thought this is the unheard voice of Iranian women. This is who we used to be before the forced black chador. They are the keeper of our identity as a varied nation, each one knowing and understanding their climate, tradition, beauty and lifestyle.

To be honest I felt I needed to be their voice and reflect it all back to the community I live in. Not necessarily the political view but the cultural view.

Through friends and people I know, I started to talk more about these dolls and gradually the word spread, hence the invitation to appear on BBC Radio 4’s Women's Hour! If you’d like to hear my interview tune in to the show tomorrow, it starts at 10 am, here’s the link.