As Co-President of the British Committee for Iran Freedom, I welcome you to this important meeting in the UK Parliament. Thank you for joining us to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and to stand with the courageous women and girls of Iran in their ongoing daily fight for democracy and attempt to confront the state-sanctioned Violence.
In Iran, women and girls face double oppression: once as citizens under a brutal regime, and again as women under the same misogynist regime. Despite being among the most educated, they are denied opportunities and banned from leadership roles.
The Supreme Leader, Khamenei, openly promotes a vision that reduces women to childbearing and housekeeping roles. This systematic marginalisation is reinforced by laws and practices, such as the disparity in employment rates highlighted by the NCRI Women’s Committee. While men hold 74% of government jobs, only 26% are held by women. https://wncri.org/2024/03/10/report-to-csw68/
The regime’s misogynist mandatory dress code is enshrined in the constitution and enforced through 27 repressive agencies, with punishments ranging from fines to imprisonment, and even death.
The tragic story of Nika Shakarami, a 16-year-old abducted and murdered by the IRGC’s security force during the 2022 protests, reminds us of the horrifying price Iranian women pay for demanding their basic rights. Yet, their courage shines through. Women like Maryam Akbari Monfared, Iran’s longest-serving and very brave female political prisoner, who has spent 15 years in prison, only for seeking justice for her siblings executed during the 1980s and the 1988 massacre, inspire us all. Despite severe repression, she remains a symbol of resilience, hope and commitment to secure justice for the regime’s victims and hold it to account for these atrocities.
This courage is not limited to individuals but reflects the broader determination of Iranian women, even in the face of lethal violence. Over 2,200 people, many of them women, were killed in recent uprisings, with tens of thousands arrested. And yet, their voices grow louder, amplified by the resistance units and social networks within Iran and among the diaspora.
This hope is championed by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its President-elect, Maryam Rajavi. The NCRI’s democratic vision, including a ten-point platform that guarantees equality and freedom, terrifies the regime. Madam Rajavi’s leadership and the resistance of Iranian women show the world that they are ready to bring about change and establish a free, democratic republic in Iran.
As Madam Rajavi emphasised in her recent speech in the European Parliament conference last Wednesday 20 November, the NCRI’s goal is not to seize power but to return it to the Iranian people. It has a clear plan for organising free and fair elections and ensuring the transformation of power to the people’s elected representatives.
The fight for Iran’s future is the most critical geopolitical battle in the Middle East today, with implications for global peace, regional stability and Europe’s security in Europe. Women are at its forefront, challenging the regime with unwavering determination.
Today, I urge the UK Government to take decisive steps: proscribe the IRGC and recognise the NCRI as the democratic alternative for Iran. Together, we can ensure the Iranian people, led by their brave women and girls, succeed in building a free and just republic. Thank you.
