First UN Conference on Women, Mexico City, 1975
The United Nations (UN) designated 1975 as International Women's Year and organized a world conference on women to take place in Mexico City, Mexico. This was the first international conference dedicated to the status of women. In celebration of the dedication of International Women's Year, each month WOI held a seminar at one of twelve provincial capitals. Each WOI branch in the respective provincial capital was allowed to choose the theme of the seminar and each theme had a plan of action. These seminars included men, women, scholars, activists, and the provincial governor.
Leading up to the 1975 UN Conference on Women, the Iranian delegation worked to create the World Plan of Action. The plan was presented to the conference's Consultative Committee, headed by Princess Ashraf, and approved. At the Consultative Committee, which took place in March of 1975, Mahnaz Afkhami, the representative for Iran, proposed the creation of the ESCAP Regional Center for Training and Research on Women and Development. During this time, it was also decided that the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) would be established in Tehran, Iran.
1975 served as a year of great hope and excitement for the women's movement and touted Iran as a leader in international women's rights.
