The Women Of Iran

What happened?

The next generation of Iranian women dare to imagine a future with freedom. 

For weeks, Iranian women have taken to the streets, burned their hijabs, cut their hair and demanded an end to the curtailing of their rights. At least 133 people have died since the unrest began, including many protesters, and many at the hands of Iran’s Guidance Patrol, also known as the morality police in Iran.  


Why is this happening? 

Mahsa Jina Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, was brutally beaten by the ‘morality police’ in Tehran for showing her hair beneath her hijab on September 16th. She died as a result and her body was dumped miles from her home while officials lied to her family about her whereabouts and what happened. 


Her tragic death sparked outrage and anger all over Iran with many questioning women’s lack of rights and freedom. Amini’s death highlighted the oppression and injustice women face in Iran and iit has also brought the country's economic situation to light, leaving many without enough to eat. The country has also faced internet blackouts, therefore the travisties and death toll could be even higher as individuals face censorship.


Protesters from around the world–from Los Angeles to Paris, London to Toronto, and more–have gathered in support of the rights and freedoms of women in Iran. Celebrities such as Angelina Jolie have also taken a stand against the injustices women are facing in the country.




Read more about the protests and brutal murders by morality police here:


What are five ways to help? 

1.Donate and support the Centre of Human Rights in Iran

The Centre of Human Rights in Iran is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to protect and promote human rights in Iran. It is composed of journalists, researchers, lawyers, activists, writers, multimedia specialists and advocates based around the world who work to support the basic rights and freedom of the Iranian people.  



2.Write to your MP or local representative asking them to support Iranian Women’s rights publicly.

As you write your words, remember, Iranian cities are on fire. We can call for an end to the systemic state violence against women in Iran and support their struggles for equality, justice and freedom. Show you are committed to the struggle of the people in Iran for justice and freedom. Here is a LINK on more information about contacting your MP if you are based in the UK.

3.Share information 


Continue to share information and resources with your networks, whether that’s in person or online. There are many accounts which advocate supporting women in Iran and help amplify their message including Nazanin Boniadi, Masih Alinejad and Human Rights Watch. 



4.Read more about the experiences and lives of women in Iran

To learn more about the history of women in Iran, we recommend the following books: 

5.Keep your voice heard

After reading this you may now have a deeper understanding of the struggles women and people are facing in Iran, however, we should not forget about Armini’s death and we should continue to advocate for basic human rights. There is power in numbers which we’ve seen by the solidarity shown across the world for women’s rights in Iran. Let’s continue to be loud and be heard, and continue to work toward a world where we are all afforded rights to our bodies and personhood.



Thank you for reading today! If you wish to support the women of Iran, please donate to grassroots organizations like the Centre of Human Rights in Iran or reach out to the voice@gumgum.com for more info. 






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