At this moment of escalating violence and uncertainty in Iran, Women’s Learning Partnership (WLP) stands in solidarity with the people of Iran who have long struggled for dignity, justice, and democratic participation, and with the women leaders whose courage and vision have long been central to this movement.
Recent developments — including continued state violence against protesters, reports of mass killings and imprisonment, and the widening impact of military escalation — have deepened an already grave humanitarian and political crisis. For many Iranians, the consequences are immediate and personal: families separated by detention or exile, communities living under fear and surveillance, and a society confronting the profound strain of prolonged repression and conflict.
In moments such as this, women and girls often bear some of the most severe consequences of war and authoritarian rule. Restrictions on bodily autonomy, barriers to economic participation, heightened exposure to violence, and the silencing of civic voices frequently intensify under conditions of militarization and repression. Women activists, journalists, and community leaders are often targeted precisely because their work challenges structures of inequality and exclusion. Yet history also shows that women are not only affected by crisis; they are essential architects of resilience and democratic possibility.
In Iran, women have been at the forefront of movements demanding dignity, equality, and accountability for decades. The rallying call of “Woman, Life, Freedom,” emerging from the powerful protests of 2022, gave voice to a profound social demand for a future grounded in human dignity, pluralism, and justice. The movement resonated far beyond Iran’s borders, reminding the world that struggles for gender equality are inseparable from broader struggles for democratic freedom.
Today, however, the space for civic participation inside Iran has become even more constrained. Reports of lethal repression, the execution and imprisonment of political prisoners, and restrictions on communication and public organizing underscore the severity of the moment. In environments marked by both war and authoritarian control, feminist voices are often pushed to the margins or pressured to defer demands for equality until some future political transition. Yet many Iranian women, and women’s movements globally, continue to insist that gender equality, pluralism, and respect for human dignity must remain central to any vision of political change.
Across many regions of the world — from Sudan to Afghanistan, from Gaza to Myanmar — women are confronting the compounded impacts of war, authoritarianism, economic insecurity, and displacement. Even under these conditions, women’s movements continue to sustain communities, build networks of solidarity, and advocate for justice and accountability.
As a transnational feminist network working with partners across the Global South, Women’s Learning Partnership remains committed to supporting women’s leadership, democratic participation, and legal equality in contexts where these principles are under threat. We recognize that the future of Iran will ultimately be shaped by the people of Iran themselves, including the courageous women and civil society actors who continue to advocate for dignity and freedom despite extraordinary risks.
In this moment, we join many others in calling for the protection of civilian life, respect for fundamental human rights, and accountability for acts of violence against peaceful protesters and detainees. We also urge the international community to remain attentive to the voices and agency of Iranian civil society and to support pathways that reduce violence and expand the possibilities for inclusive and democratic participation.
The aspiration captured in the words Woman, Life, Freedom reflects a vision far larger than any single political moment. It speaks to a future grounded in dignity, equality, and care for human life.
Women’s Learning Partnership stands with the women of Iran, and with women everywhere, who continue to imagine and build a more just and democratic world.
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Please direct any queries to:
Shannon Kuehn, Senior Program Associate for Advocacy and Communications
Phone: +1 301-654-2774
Email: skuehn[at]learningpartnership.org