An Analysis of the Pattern of Action of Women Activists in Parties and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) during the 1370s and 1380s

Women, as half of the citizens of the society, can play an efficient and fundamental role in sustainable development if  equal rights of men and women are recognized and implemented in the society. Civil institutions and organizations such as parties and NGOs have an effective role in the political development and the distribution of power system, and they lead to reform the political and social structure of the country by preventing the monopoly of power of a particular group or stratum, and if used correctly and rationally, they will lead to the more participation of women.  In this study, the problems of women activists in the two decades of 1370s and 1380s and the extent of their participation and the manner of their agency in parties and NGOs have been discussed, and the following basic questions were answered:  what are the reasons for more participation of women in NGOs than political parties during the 1370s and 1380s and what factors have caused political parties in the field of women's activities that they have not not achieved their desired functions. Qualitative and descriptive methods have been used to find the answers to the questions. The results of documentary studies, coding, and categorization of interview data through MAXQDA software and the use of content analysis method and data-oriented theory showed that although political parties after the 70s and 80s claimed to expand the role of women in political and social fields, this important goal has rarely been achieved at the highest levels due to the nature of political parties in Iran, and NGOs have, to a large extent, been in a much better position in presenting, expanding, and playing the participatory role of women.