The Fragility of Gender Policies in Second Pahlavi Iran: An Analysis of Women’s Suffrage and Family Protection Law Based on PDIA Theory

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Socio-Cultural Governance Department, Faculty of Governance, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 PhD Candidate, Population and Family Governance, Faculty of Governance, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Legal reforms pertaining to women during the Second Pahlavi era, including the granting of suffrage in 1963 and the enactment of Family Protection Laws in 1967 and 1974, were implemented as part of the state-driven modernization initiative, with the goal of enhancing the political and social status of women. Nevertheless, these interventions did not result in substantial engagement or the enduring institutionalization of women’s rights. A considerable portion of their accomplishments was subsequently nullified following the 1979 Revolution.
This research, employing the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) theory, examines the underlying causes of this failure at both the procedural and structural levels. The present study utilizes a qualitative approach alongside a historical-comparative method. Data were collected through the analysis of legal documents, detailed legislative deliberations, and historical sources, and were analyzed employing open, axial, and selective coding techniques.
The findings indicate that these reforms relied on the formal replication of Western models, swift top-down execution, and an absence of authentic stakeholder engagement, rather than being driven by underlying issues. Owing to the neglect of socio-cultural contexts and the deficiencies in institutional capacity-building, they lacked essential stabilizing support. This analysis suggests that the sustainability of gender reforms depends on a framework that emphasizes accurate problem identification, phased implementation of solutions, ongoing feedback mechanisms, and the enhancement of governance capabilities.
This proposed approach has the potential to avert the recurrence of the failure cycle commonly associated with performative reforms.

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References

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Woman in Development & Politics
Volume 23, Issue 4
January 2026
Pages 653-674

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