ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish woman in Iran's western Rojhelat region has taken up a profession many in the country consider unusual for a woman: mechanic. She is now calling on other women to follow her example.
Bayan Haydari told Rudaw she felt there was no workshop where women drivers could comfortably take their cars for service - so she decided to open her own shop.
“It crossed my mind why shouldn't we, as women, open a workshop where ladies feel comfortable coming to us for automotive oil change services? A place where they can feel safe and secure,” she said.
Automotive workshops in the region are traditionally male-only spaces, and women who enter the trade often face skepticism, scorn, and even outright sabotage.
Haydari said some customers grow reluctant when they enter her workshop and see her in charge, but their views change once they witness her professionalism.
Abubakir Khanizade was one such customer. He has since become a regular.
“When I see this sister managing a shop, changing oil, getting underneath cars, and working in both hot and cold weather, it is truly commendable,” he said. “We have women who can't even prepare a meal at home and demand delivery instead.”
Recounting Khanizade’s visit to her workshop, Haydari said, “He was reluctant at first, but I think he felt too embarrassed to leave.
“He entered the workshop, and we did the job for him. When he saw how professionally it was done - I even washed the engine for him - he said, ‘I will be one of your permanent customers,’” she added.
Haydari considers herself a trailblazer, but she does not want to remain alone. She is calling on other women to follow suit.
Iran's labor code explicitly forbids women from engaging in "dangerous, arduous, or harmful work." Additionally, under the country's civil code, a husband legally retains the right to prevent his wife from pursuing any job he deems inconsistent with family interests or family dignity.
