Documenting Gender Apartheid is a three-year oral history project led by Iranian poet and activist Fatemeh Ekhtesari, supported by Sic Publishing in Norway. The project records the lived experiences of women who have grown up under systems of control and discrimination because of gender, and who are now building new lives in Europe.
Gender apartheid is a structural form of gender-based discrimination that is deliberately enforced through laws, rules, and institutions. It shapes not only public life but also the most private aspects of daily existence, limiting women’s choices and opportunities simply because they are women.
Voices that Might Otherwise be Lost
The project especially seeks to record women who might never have told their story—or even realised they had a story to tell. It exists to give voice to those who have yet to find one in their new home, and then to elevate it. By preserving these voices, the project also encourages others to recognise that their experiences matter and helps reveal the scale of these issues across societies.
Stories of Oppression and Resilience
The testimonies reveal how gender apartheid is enforced in many ways: compulsory dress codes, restrictions on movement, barriers to education and work, segregation in schools and public spaces, and the constant surveillance of family, community, or state.
Yet they also show courage, resourcefulness, and solidarity. Women describe ingenious ways of overcoming restrictions—playing football when it was forbidden, studying in secret, helping each other resist, and finding joy where it was never meant to exist. Many continue to support the rights of women in their communities even after arriving in Norway.
Norway as a New Chapter
For many, Norway has offered safety and freedoms that were impossible in their country of origin. At the same time, some challenges remain—whether through transnational repression or pressures from family and community. These stories remind us that liberation is a process, not a single step.
Why it Matters
By preserving these oral histories, the project safeguards stories that might otherwise remain untold and gives recognition to women who have yet to find their voice in Norway. It reveals both the injustices of gender apartheid and the creativity of women in resisting it, while encouraging dialogue in Norway and beyond about safety, liberation, and the continuing struggle for women’s rights. The project will result in both a book and a film, ensuring these stories are shared widely and become part of a collective memory.
Project Administration
Fatemeh Ekhtesari – poet, midwife, and activist, whose own work has challenged censorship and gender-based restrictions in Iran. Now living in Norway, she brings her experience and commitment to amplifying the voices of other women.
The project is supported by Sic Publishing, an independent publisher in Lillehammer providing editorial, organisational, and technical support. It is also strengthened by a network of cultural partners, including ICORN (International Cities of Refuge Network), which offers protection and solidarity for writers and artists at risk; NFFO (The Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers and Translators Association), supporting writers and translators in Norway; Lillehammer Literature House, a hub for international literature and human rights themes; Lillehammer Kommune, which supports local cultural and social projects; and Innlandet Fylkeskommune, which contributes to cultural life and heritage across the region.
Get Involved
If you feel you have a story that belongs in this project, or if your organisation would like to collaborate, we would be glad to hear from you.Learn more at genderapartheid.no
Norsk bokmål