Women's Rights Are Human Rights | In Solidarity with Women in Iran

On September 13, 22-year-old J?na (Mahsa) Am?n? was visiting Tehran from her hometown of Seqiz in Iranian Kurdistan.? While in Tehran, she was spotted, arrested and detained by Iran’s morality police for improper wearing of a hijab (or headscarf) as required by Iranian law.? Three days later, while in custody, she was dead.? While officials claim she had died of a pre-existing heart condition, it is widely believed that she was beaten and killed by the morality police while in their custody.??

In the days that followed, hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets in more than 100 cities across Iran to protest the country’s patriarchal society and the severe restrictions and rules imposed on women following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.? Throughout Iran, demonstrators have turned out en masse with women burning their veils, cutting off their hair, and proclaiming "women, life, freedom."??

As the protests circulated on social media, a movement ignited that has inspired an unprecedented uprising and show of solidarity across gender throughout Iran, not only against mandatory veiling, but also in protest of all it represents - a repressive government, a lack of freedom of speech and of women’s rights, and a rejection of the misogynistic laws and patriarchal oppression and violence that has threatened the dignity and safety of women in Iran.?

The scale and magnitude of the demonstrations across Iran have drawn global attention, with swift condemnation of Iran’s 40+ years of repressive and violent treatment of women.? World leaders have stepped out to denounce Iran’s subjugation and treatment of women, while the hashtag #mahsaamini has gone viral around the world, logging over 150 million social media engagements.? And on Saturday, October 1, tens of thousands of people in major cities around the world joined the protest in solidarity with the Iranian people during a worldwide Global Day of Action for Iran.??

With domestic and international pressure mounting, Iran’s government deployed a violent crackdown to silence the movement, from severely restricting communications to brutally opening fire against demonstrators in many of its cities, including its capital of Tehran. It’s been reported that over 20,000 people have been arrested, including journalists who have attempted to report on the demonstrations.? And, according to Iran Human Rights, more than 100 protesters, including children, have been killed in the violence.

IS IT DIFFERENT THIS TIME?

While Amini’s death set off the current movement in Iran, women have been leading the push for gender equality in Iran for years.? Despite the threat of fines, imprisonment, violence or even death, they have been at the forefront of a number of movements demanding equality since the country ushered in strict laws and requirements for women following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.??

In recent years, opposition to the country’s mandatory hijab has been particularly active (powered in large part by younger generations and demographic changes in Iran).? From the viral 2014 online campaign, My Stealthy Freedom , to 2018’s Girls of Revolution Street protests and the ongoing vocal criticism of Iran’s morality police, women in Iran have been at the center of a growing push for equality that, building in traction and momentum, has led to this moment.

What is especially notable about this particular uprising - unprecedented in Iranian history - has been how men have turned out in solidarity with women in their ongoing battle for equality, bodily autonomy and sovereignty.? Similarly, the movement has been powered by the role of younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) in Iran and beyond who view the movement as a stand against inequity and systems of power and domination. As the world’s traditional media attention begins to turn away from the ongoing protests in Iran, it has been mainly young people through Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms who built a viral movement that has captured and retained the world’s attention and engagement with the current crisis.

WHY IT MATTERS

The battle currently being waged for women’s rights in Iran might be viewed by some as an “over there” issue.? However, we live in a world that is deeply interconnected. Our actions (and inactions) can have far-ranging impacts (both positive and negative) on people and cultures around the world. And the more that we allow our inaction to perpetuate acts against humanity, such as the violence against women in Iran, the more dangerous the world becomes for all of us - regardless of where we are. As Dr. Martin Luther King said in 1963: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.? We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Indeed, one can begin to draw links between the current women’s movement in Iran and the present and growing threats to women and girls around the world. At its center is a struggle for the safety, freedom and autonomy to make choices over one’s own body - a point that is deeply resonant with advocates for women’s rights around the world.? Restrictions on reproductive rights, the threats to trans rights, bans or restrictions on girls and women seeking an education, restrictions on a woman’s freedom of movement, domestic violence, genital mutilation, pay inequality, job insecurity, and mandatory dress codes are some of the actions (and inactions) taken by governments and authorities around the world that underscore the need for greater awareness and action while shining a light on the urgency and global relevance of the situation unfolding in Iran.?

According to the UN, “gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is not just a goal in itself, but a key to sustainable development, economic growth, and peace and security.” Everyone benefits from a society where women’s rights are prioritized, protected and upheld.? We cannot achieve a peaceful, free, just and equitable society until all genders are equal and free.?

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We can each do our part to support the movement for women’s rights in Iran and, in so doing, make progress towards a more just, equitable and inclusive world for everyone.? A better tomorrow for all begins with each of us today.

Here are just some of the ways you can help:??

• Check in: Reach out and check in on friends and colleagues who may be directly or indirectly impacted by the unfolding crisis in Iran (and the broader threat to women’s rights around the world). Listen, learn and lend your support.
• Pitch in: Donate to any number of organizations that are advocating for human rights in Iran. United for Iran is one you may wish to consider as you explore the various options.
• Learn more: Click on the headlines, stay informed about what’s happening in Iran and identify spaces where you can take additional action.
• Amplify Iranian voices: Use your own social media networks to share stories and factually correct news regarding the crisis in Iran. Help to amplify Iranian voices and maintain global awareness in support of women’s rights.?

This post is an expression of my personal views and, as with all personal posts, may not necessarily represent the full views of my employer.?