Religion & Communication

An Institutional and Legal Analysis of NGO Media Participation in Women’s Welfare Policymaking in Iran: Emphasizing Governing Rules and Religious Foundations

Document Type : Scientific-Research Article

Authors

1 Faculty Member of the Women's Studies Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, I.R.Iran

2 Faculty Member of the Social Welfare Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, I.R.Iran

3 Faculty Member of the Sociolgy Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, I.R.Iran

4 PhD student in Social Welfare at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, I.R.Iran

10.30497/rc.2025.248429.2119

Abstract

This study, using a multi-level institutional analysis approach and Ostrom’s theoretical framework, examines the role of media in the participation of non - governmental organizations (NGOs) in the policy- making process of women’s welfare in Iran. This qualitative research is based on thematic analysis of 15 semi- structured interviews with women’s rights activists, NGO leaders, researchers, and policy-makers. The findings indicate that selective and appearance-focused representation, institutional distrust, silent exclusion, and weak storytelling capacities are among the key barriers to the media impact of NGOs on welfare policymaking for women. These obstacles are critically addressed not only from the perspectives of media law and civic participation rights, but also within Islamic teachings on communicative justice, truth-telling, and the social responsibility of media. In contrast, social media platforms offer opportunities for empowering civic engagement and enabling independent narratives. The analysis highlights the lack of fair and legal communicative rules between media, government, and NGOs, and underscores the need to redefine media governance, support independent media, and strengthen media literacy among women’s NGOs. By focusing on institutional, legal, and religious dimensions, this study aims to expose communicative gaps and outline pathways for more active civic engagement in women’s welfare policy - making.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Religion & Communication
Volume 32, Issue 1 - Serial Number 67
religion and communication
August 2025
Pages 381-418