The Unbreakable Spirit of Iranian Women: The “Woman, Life, Freedom” Uprising.
Provided by The Victims’ Families for Transitional Justice.
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In September 2022, the streets of Iran burned with rage, grief, and defiance. The killing of Jina (Mahsa) Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, at the hands of Iran’s so-called “morality police” ignited a revolution. It was not just a protest against compulsory hijab; it was an outcry against four decades of gender apartheid, repression, and violence. Iranian women, who had endured generations of systemic oppression, took to the streets, chanting “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” (Woman, Life, Freedom). They set their scarves on fire, the same scarves they had been forced to wear since childhood. For the first time in Iran’s history, women were not just demanding reform; they were demanding the end of the regime that had stripped them of their rights, their dignity, and their humanity.
The Islamic Republic responded with terror. Young girls were kidnapped, raped, and killed—some never returned home, others were found dead with broken bones and signs of brutal torture. The names of these girls—Nika Shakarami, Sarina Esmailzadeh, and countless others—became symbols of Iran’s fearless youth, slaughtered for daring to dream of freedom. The streets became war zones, filled with the echoes of gunfire, the screams of the wounded, and the sight of protesters running through clouds of tear gas. Security forces aimed directly at women's faces, their eyes, and their hearts blinding them, injuring, and scarring them but never silencing them.
When bullets and arrests failed to silence them, the regime resorted to yet another form of repression: chemical poisoning. But even as hundreds of schoolgirls were gassed in their classrooms, their defiance only grew stronger. Instead of retreating in fear, they stood taller. Videos surfaced of young girls tearing off their hijabs, confronting school officials, and chanting against the Supreme Leader. Their resistance turned schools into battlegrounds for freedom, proving that no amount of cruelty could extinguish their fight.
Something extraordinary happened. The courage of Iranian women sent shockwaves far beyond Iran’s borders. Their defiance resonated with women across the world, from India and Bangladesh to Turkey, Spain, and Chile. In protest after protest, the same chant—“Woman, Life, Freedom”—echoed in the voices of those who saw their struggles reflected in Iran’s fight. It became more than a slogan; it became a universal demand for justice, equality, and dignity. Iranian women's movement shattered borders, proving that oppression knows no nationality, and neither does resistance.
The fight is far from over. The Islamic Republic was able to brutally suppress the protests, jailing and executing activists, but it could not crush the demands of the people. Iranian women have not been silenced. They continue their fight in different ways: through acts of daily defiance, through underground networks, and the persistence of their voices in exile. And now, alongside Afghan women who have been subjected to similar oppression under the Taliban, they are pushing for a historic change: the inclusion of gender apartheid in international law. It is not enough that apartheid is only recognized as a crime when it is based on race—women, who make up half of the world’s population, deserve the same recognition, the same protections, and the same global support in their fight against systemic gender oppression.
The Iranian people, led by their women, have shown the world what true bravery looks like. They have faced death and chosen resistance. They have been brutalized and yet refuse to bow. Their fight is not just for Iran; it is a battle for humanity, for justice, for a future where no woman is forced to live in chains. The flames of their scarves may have turned to ash, but the fire in their hearts burns brighter than ever. Now, that fire is demanding a new kind of justice, one that the world can no longer ignore.
Provided by The Victims’ Families for Transitional Justice.
Listen to this article here:
In September 2022, the streets of Iran burned with rage, grief, and defiance. The killing of Jina (Mahsa) Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, at the hands of Iran’s so-called “morality police” ignited a revolution. It was not just a protest against compulsory hijab; it was an outcry against four decades of gender apartheid, repression, and violence. Iranian women, who had endured generations of systemic oppression, took to the streets, chanting “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” (Woman, Life, Freedom). They set their scarves on fire, the same scarves they had been forced to wear since childhood. For the first time in Iran’s history, women were not just demanding reform; they were demanding the end of the regime that had stripped them of their rights, their dignity, and their humanity.
The Islamic Republic responded with terror. Young girls were kidnapped, raped, and killed—some never returned home, others were found dead with broken bones and signs of brutal torture. The names of these girls—Nika Shakarami, Sarina Esmailzadeh, and countless others—became symbols of Iran’s fearless youth, slaughtered for daring to dream of freedom. The streets became war zones, filled with the echoes of gunfire, the screams of the wounded, and the sight of protesters running through clouds of tear gas. Security forces aimed directly at women's faces, their eyes, and their hearts blinding them, injuring, and scarring them but never silencing them.
When bullets and arrests failed to silence them, the regime resorted to yet another form of repression: chemical poisoning. But even as hundreds of schoolgirls were gassed in their classrooms, their defiance only grew stronger. Instead of retreating in fear, they stood taller. Videos surfaced of young girls tearing off their hijabs, confronting school officials, and chanting against the Supreme Leader. Their resistance turned schools into battlegrounds for freedom, proving that no amount of cruelty could extinguish their fight.
Something extraordinary happened. The courage of Iranian women sent shockwaves far beyond Iran’s borders. Their defiance resonated with women across the world, from India and Bangladesh to Turkey, Spain, and Chile. In protest after protest, the same chant—“Woman, Life, Freedom”—echoed in the voices of those who saw their struggles reflected in Iran’s fight. It became more than a slogan; it became a universal demand for justice, equality, and dignity. Iranian women's movement shattered borders, proving that oppression knows no nationality, and neither does resistance.
The fight is far from over. The Islamic Republic was able to brutally suppress the protests, jailing and executing activists, but it could not crush the demands of the people. Iranian women have not been silenced. They continue their fight in different ways: through acts of daily defiance, through underground networks, and the persistence of their voices in exile. And now, alongside Afghan women who have been subjected to similar oppression under the Taliban, they are pushing for a historic change: the inclusion of gender apartheid in international law. It is not enough that apartheid is only recognized as a crime when it is based on race—women, who make up half of the world’s population, deserve the same recognition, the same protections, and the same global support in their fight against systemic gender oppression.
The Iranian people, led by their women, have shown the world what true bravery looks like. They have faced death and chosen resistance. They have been brutalized and yet refuse to bow. Their fight is not just for Iran; it is a battle for humanity, for justice, for a future where no woman is forced to live in chains. The flames of their scarves may have turned to ash, but the fire in their hearts burns brighter than ever. Now, that fire is demanding a new kind of justice, one that the world can no longer ignore.