From Iran, A Message of Hope on International Women’s Day

The scale and intensity of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in Iran were initially astonishing. The protests, which began in 2022 and ran into the following January, offered a new perspective on Iranian society. Why, in a country where where economic crises abound—and were the basis of large demonstrations in 2017 and 2018, did women’s protests gain the solidarity and support of broad segments of society?

The answer sheds light on lesser-heard narratives about contemporary Iran.

The 2022 protests initially erupted in response to the systematic repression of women through compulsory hijab, laws enforcing a conservative Islamic dress code. However, over time, they brought deeper societal issues to the surface and, at their peak, he protests fostered a unique sense of solidarity across the country, with diverse voices heard from Kurdistan and Baluchistan to Tehran and including social, civil society, and political groups.

As a result, the struggle against gender oppression became entwined with the struggles of marginalized ethnic groups, labor unions, and civil organizations. This suggests that Iran is experiencing interwoven waves of protests, each more intense than the last.

The 2022 protests demonstrated that women, alongside other oppressed and disadvantaged groups, are at the heart of these movements. They will play a central role in shaping the future of Iranian society. Even today, a significant number of Iran’s political prisoners are women and three women—Pakhshan Azizi, Varisha Moradi, and Sharifeh Mohammadi—have been sentenced to execution.

Despite the severe repression by state forces, the 2022 protests have yielded positive results. After the Iranian government spent months drafting a new “Chastity and Hijab” bill, it ultimately withdrew from enforcing it, fearing renewed protests. At the same time, despite the coercive efforts of the government, women have successfully imposed their demand for the right to choose their own dress code. The resistance against compulsory hijab has even drawn in men, who not only refuse to align with the government’s policies but also oppose the repression of women protesters.

So the women’s struggle has not only forced the Islamic Republic to retreat, but also created cracks in the patriarchal structures of Iranian society. Violence against women continues, often enforced by husbands or male family members. But it is undeniable that the fight for gender equality has challenged traditional concepts such as “honor” and “family dignity.”

Decades ago, most women who advocated for gender equality or freedom of dress felt compelled to demonstrate their loyalty to traditional values. Today, they no longer feel the need to pledge allegiance to religious and cultural norms. Women’s activism has disrupted the traditional patriarchal family structure, diminished the influence of certain Islamic laws, and weakened religious and traditional values. By demanding their rights, women have played a crucial role in Iran’s secularization and democratic aspirations.

The roots of resistance by Iranian women date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly during the Constitutional Revolution. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the status of women worsened both in the private and public spheres. Almost immediately after the establishment of the Islamic Republic, women faced calls for compulsory hijab. But tens of thousands marched on March 8, 1979, International Women’s Day, chanting, “In the dawn of freedom, there is an absence of freedom,” and forced the government to back down.

At that time, secular women’s groups began organizing. But in the chaos of the post-revolution period and, especially, the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War, these groups were repressed. Not only did enforcement of compulsory hijab go forward, but the regime’s anti-women laws also became institutionalized. Coupled with the eight-year war, the state suppression temporarily silenced the women’s movement. But resistance continued in different forms.

The sociologist Asef Bayat has documented the impact of everyday resistance against the Islamic Republic’s repression, gradually challenging both the clerical establishment and traditional patriarchal beliefs. Because a significant portion of the violence against women stems from the ideological foundations of the Iranian regime, the women's movement has directly confronted the dominant ideology of the government, and its religious laws.

In this context, it becomes clear that the leadership of women in the 2022 protests was neither sudden nor spontaneous. Rather, they were rooted in a long history of organizing in the public sphere and resisting oppression in everyday life.

My sisters, women’s rights activists, and feminists across the globe, the time has come for us to unite and criminalize gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. Our strength lies in solidarity, in sisterhood, and in standing together to realize women’s rights.

Not long ago I had an inspiring conversation via TIME Magazine with Margaret Atwood about gender apartheid and the similarities between what we face today and the dystopian world of her historic novel The Handmaid's Tale, which I read in prison. What has been happening in Iran is a reminder of resilience of women in the face of oppression. Listen to the experience of women in Iran and Afghanistan—help us fight with gender apartheid by amplifying this fight.

As March 8 approaches, let’s join hands and stand together for a world free from violence against women and gender apartheid. Let’s fight for equality, democracy, and freedom. Let’s remember that the shared path to “Woman, Life, Freedom”—Jin, Jiyan, Azadî—knows no borders.