| Abstract [eng] |
This thesis explores the influential role of women in the protests in Myanmar (2021) and Iran (2022-2023), emphasizing how their participation has enhanced the effectiveness and resilience of the social movements against authoritarian regimes. It begins by examining the origins and evolution of the protests in both countries, highlighting the socio-political contexts that led to these mass mobilizations. The study delves into how women's leadership and active involvement have shaped protest dynamics and outcomes. In both Iran and Myanmar, women's participation has meant greater legitimacy and symbolic power to the protests. That led to the broader appeal, challenged entrenched power structures. The thesis notes that women's protests in these countries have brought issues of gender inequality and discrimination to the forefront, undermining the moral authority of the regimes. The organizational structures and innovative strategies of the protests are compared, revealing how women's leadership has led to powerful symbolic actions, such as the burning of hijabs in Iran, which have garnered significant international attention. In Myanmar, the protests escalated into civil war, partly due to the involvement of ethnic armed groups with longstanding grievances. The use of social networks and digital platforms is another critical aspect examined in the thesis. Social media has played a vital role in organizing and sustaining the protests in both countries, enabling communication and coordination despite heavy censorship. These digital tools have also been crucial in documenting human rights abuses and building solidarity networks both domestically and internationally. The regimes' responses to the protests are analyzed, showing severe repression tactics, including arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence, and mass killings. The centralized control of the Iranian regime limited the protests' escalation into a civil war, unlike in Myanmar, where ethnic diversity and existing armed conflicts facilitated a broader militarization of the opposition. In conclusion, the thesis argues that women's participation in the protests has been a significant factor in the movements' resilience and effectiveness. By challenging authoritarian and patriarchal norms, women 80 have mobilized diverse groups and posed a symbolic threat to the regimes. The differing outcomes in Myanmar and Iran highlight the influence of structural factors and the regimes' capacity for repression. The study underscores the importance of gender in understanding protest dynamics and the potential for social and political transformation. |
