Woman
Life
Freedom
زن
زندگی
آزادی
Life
Freedom
زندگی
آزادی
Global action in solidarity with Iranian women & girls who are courageously demonstrating peacefully for their fundamental human rights.
“Woman, Life, Freedom” by Mahdis Nikou
“In the Name of Freedom - Be Nam-e Azadi” by Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda
Artwork by Golnar Adili
“Woman, Life, Freedom”
“Evin”
“Keep Your Laws Away From My Body” by Emily Elise
Artwork by Hourdad
“Mahsa Amini” by Ernesto Yerena
“For Armita”
“Stand With Iranian Women” by Mahdis Nikou
“Let My Mother Know” by Mahdis Nikou
“Stand With Iran” by Mahdis Nikou
“Be Our Voice” by Mahdis Nikou
“Mahsa Amini” by Ernesto Yerena
Artwork by Hourdad
Why Now?
For decades, gender inequality and discrimination against women have been legally enshrined in Iran.
Under Iran's Islamic Penal Code, Iranian women's rights are severely restricted, a form of gender apartheid. Women must comply with the Islamic Republic’s mandatory hijab laws from the onset of puberty, and they are unequal in matters of marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance and more. In the Fall of 2022, hundreds of protesters, including dozens of children, have been killed by Iranian authorities. These nation‑wide protests were triggered by the tragic death of 22 year old Mahsa Jina Amini who died in police custody after being arrested by Iran’s “morality police” for failing to properly cover her hair.
On December 14th, Member states voted YES and made history.
OPEN LETTER ON IRAN
An Open Letter from Global Women Leaders & Advocates Urging UN Member States to Heed the Call of Iranian Women and Remove the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women
In solidarity with Iranian women and girls who are courageously demonstrating for their fundamental human rights, we condemn the brutal violence of security forces against peaceful protesters and echo Iranian women leaders’ call for United Nations Member States to immediately remove the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) from the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
A rising toll of protesters, including children, have been killed by Iranian authorities since nation‑wide protests triggered by the tragic death of 22 year old Mahsa Jina Amini who was arrested and detained by Iran's ”morality police” for failing to properly cover her hair and later died in police custody.
Earlier this year, to the dismay of women’s rights advocates around the world, Iran began a four‑year term on the UN’s 45‑member Commission on the Status of Women. This preeminent global body is exclusively dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s long‑standing, systematic oppression of women should have disqualified them from election to the CSW. For decades, gender inequality and discrimination against women have been legally enshrined in Iran. Under Iran's Penal Code and other laws and regulations, Iranian women's rights are severely restricted in marriage, divorce, inheritance and custody. They must comply with the IRI's mandatory hijab laws from the onset of puberty.
Because of the Islamic Republic's appalling record on women’s rights, and in light of the regime’s ongoing, brutal crackdown on protesters, we insist that Iran’s membership to the CSW be revoked. For every day that Iran remains a member of the Commission on the Status of Women, the body loses credibility.
Member States who sit on the CSW have a duty to uphold its mandate and defend the very values they claim to support. We urge these members to come together in an act of solidarity with Iranian women and girls and heed their call to immediately remove Iran from the CSW.
Women‑led protests across Iran have been met with extreme violence. And yet, Iranian women and girls, and their allies, bravely persist. We support their struggle for fundamental freedoms and call for an immediate end to state violence and the safe release of thousands of detained citizens.
This is a critical moment for leaders in the international community to vocally and unequivocally demonstrate their support for women’s rights by standing in solidarity with Iranian women and girls.
Zan. Zendegi. Azadi.
Jin, Jiyan, Azadi.
Woman, Life, Freedom.
Signed in Solidarity by
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Margaret Alva
Former Governor of Rajasthan, India -
Dr. Amani Ballour
Women and Children’s Rights Activist, Syria -
Cherie Blair
Barrister & Writer, U.K. -
Laura Bush
Former First Lady, U.S. -
Kim Campbell
19th Prime Minister, Canada -
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Former Secretary of State, U.S. -
Shirin Ebadi
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, U.S. -
Dr. Oby Ezekwesili
Economic & Political Leader, Nigeria -
Christiana Figueres
Former Head of U.N. Climate Change Convention, Costa Rica -
Chrystia Freeland
Deputy Prime Minister, Canada -
Leymah Gbowee
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Liberia -
Julia Gillard
27th Prime Minister, Australia -
Dalia Grybauskaite
Former President, Lithuania -
Hina Jilani
Human Rights Activist, Pakistan -
Mélanie Joly
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada -
Christine Lagarde
Economic & Political Leader, France -
Graça Machel
Activist & Former First Lady, Mozambique & South Africa -
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Former Executive Director of U.N. Women, South Africa -
Nadia Murad
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Iraq -
Michelle Obama
Former First Lady, U.S. -
Zainab Salbi
Humanitarian, Iraq -
Gloria Steinem
Author, U.S. -
Melanne Verveer
First US Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues, U.S. -
Alice Walker
Writer, Poet & Activist, U.S. -
Oprah Winfrey
Philanthropist, U.S. -
Malala Yousafzai
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Pakistan -
Jacinda Ardern
Prime Minister, New Zealand -
Alyse Nelson
President & CEO, Vital Voices Global Partnership -
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Former President of Liberia -
Mahnaz Afkhami
Former Minister of Women's Affairs, Founder of Womens Learning Partnership -
Mehrangiz Kar
Iranian lawyer, women’s rights defender & author -
Nargess Eskandari-Grünberg
Activist & Mayor of Frankfurt Germany -
Azar Nafisi
Writer and activist -
Roya Boroumand
Executive Director, Abdorrahman Boroumand Center -
Ladan Boroumand
Historian & human rights activist -
Sharan Tabari
Journalist -
Azadeh Pourzand
Co‑founder and director, Siamak Pourzand Foundation -
Nazanin Boniadi
Actor and activist -
Nazanin Afshin-Jam
Human rights activist and author -
Nazanin Nour
Actor and activist -
Gissou Nia
Human rights lawyer -
Yasmine Chubin
Legal advocacy director, Clooney Foundation for Justice -
Golineh Atai
Journalist -
Sepideh Moafi
Actor and activist -
Mozhan Marno
Actor and activist -
Tala Ashe
Actor and activist -
Nasim Pedrad
Actor and activist -
Peggy Clark
CEO & President, International Center for Research of Women -
Mandana Dayani
Activist and entrepreneur -
Gola
Singer and activist -
Shadi Sadr
Human rights lawyer -
Patricia Ellis
President & Founder, Women's Foreign Policy Group -
Lois Romano
Co‑Chair, Women's Foreign Policy Group -
Kristi Rogers
Co‑Chair, Women's Foreign Policy Group -
Diane von Furstenberg
Philanthropist & businesswoman -
Atena Daemi
Human rights activist -
Maryam Shafipour
Human rights activist -
Azam Jangravi
Women’s rights activist -
Necar Zadegan
Actor and activist -
Sepideh Mehraban
Artist -
Shirin Towfiq
Artist -
Sheida Soleimani
Artist -
Shirin Neshat
Artist -
Aphrodite Désirée Navab
Artist -
Hank Willis Thomas
Artist
And a movement of 114,560 others.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Vital Voices, For Freedoms and a global coalition of Iranian women leaders: political experts, activists, scholars, lawyers and artists, some of whom need to maintain anonymity for safety reasons.
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The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) was shamefully elected to the UN Commission on the Status of Women–the UN’s top women’s rights body–for a four‑year term that began in March 2022. The vote was cast by secret ballot, and the IRI won 43 votes at the UN’s 54‑nation Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The IRI’s position on the CSW allows it to be one of 45 commission members that—according to the UN—will play a key role in “promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.” Given that Iran ranks 143 among 146 countries in the global gender gap index, the election of the IRI to a leadership role on this key UN body should never have happened and is a move in need of an urgent correction.
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Civil society organizations, aligned governments and the broader public need to mobilize to remove the IRI from the CSW. Ideally, this will be pursued through a resolution passed by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (also known as ECOSOC, the CSW’s electing body) or the UN General Assembly.
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Such a move is unprecedented–but there is a first time for everything. Unlike the UN Human Rights Council, which has an express provision in its founding document for the suspension of a member by the UN General Assembly, the CSW does not have a similar provision in its own founding document. Also, there is no similar precedent in any of the 8 functional commissions of the ECOSOC, including the CSW. However, there are precedents for suspension of member states on the UN Human Rights Council, such as the action taken with Libya in 2011, and with Russia in 2022.
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International
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Yes, this is a call to action from global leaders, from all political backgrounds, who share the belief that women and girls should have equal rights, dignity and self determination over their bodies.
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The revolution unfolding in Iran has been created and led by women and girls across the country. It is a response to the decades of oppression, gender apartheid and inequity. The change in Iran will happen from the inside. However, the world is watching and we need to unify to galvanize action on this unfolding momentous possibility with the global platforms available.
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Your email will be held by the organizers of this campaign (by 501c3 Vital Voices) to communicate the outcome of our collective support. We will never share your information, and will not contact you unless you have indicated you would like to be engaged further.
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This global campaign is focused on external pressure to remove the Islamic Republic on the specific governing body: the Commission for the Status of Women. However, we stand in total solidarity for the liberation of all Iranians demanding their freedom.