On December 18, 2024, the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action (WPS-HA Compact) hosted its inaugural Inside Look series to take a deep-dive into the work of Compact signatories. The virtual session “Combatting Violence Against Women in Iran: Civil society efforts and feminist mobilization” brought together signatories along with representatives of women-led civil society organizations and feminist collectives operating in Iran and from the diaspora, with firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by women in Iran and the efforts being made to address them.
Inside Look sessions are aimed at spotlighting the important work of Compact signatories in some of the most challenging conflict settings today and give other signatories an opportunity to learn from and ask questions about efforts to deliver change for women and girls. This inaugural session created a space for Compact signatories to gain insights into the situation of women in Iran and to learn about the impactful activities of the country’s women-led civil society organizations and feminist collectives. It also created an opportunity for Iranian women human rights defenders to present recommendations and best practices for advancing gender equality and women’s rights in Iran, and to explore potential collaboration and partnerships to support their impactful work across borders.
The session, conducted under Chatham House Rule to facilitate open discussion, started with welcome remarks from Ms. Harriette Williams Bright, the WPS-HA Compact Lead, who highlighted the need to deepen the engagement and cooperative action among signatories from across regional- and stakeholder groups. The main discussion was chaired by the Alfred Deakin Institute, which also provided an overview of the situation facing women in Iran today and the difficulties of uplifting the impactful work done by women-led organizations in Iran without endangering their safety.
Plenary speakers highlighted a number of systemic challenges and their impact on the daily lives of women who are trying to build a better future for themselves and their communities. It was also highlighted that a lot of feminist organizations face legal and administrative difficulties, as many cannot register their entities and those who do often face deep scrutiny and supervision which limits their impact and restricts their use and access of funds. Speakers also emphasized the lack of opportunities to access international platforms for women who are not in exile. “One of the things that is very important is to recognize women’s change-making and to recognize women peacebuilders in Iran as a beacon of hope for change,” one of the speakers said.
Organizations operating from Iran shared best-practices around their work, including around conducting detailed documentation of honor killings and performing quantitative and qualitative research on 1,220 honor killings over a 20-year period. Digital platforms were highlighted as a space to challenge misogynistic, cultural, and social norms, including through online campaigns and social media platforms. The digital sphere is also allowing women from marginal and rural areas to access education and become more financially independent. One speaker particularly highlighted the impact of networking and collaborating with human rights organizations and women’s groups both inside and outside Iran to strengthen solidarity and exchange experiences. “These challenges require fundamental changes in the laws and social attitudes. The campaign’s extensive connection with women’s rights activists inside and outside the country, along with the increasing public awareness and accessibility of digital platforms, provide a significant opportunity,” according to one of the speakers.
Various organizations also stressed the difficulty in accessing flexible and reliable funding from inside Iran, as many smaller organizations only receive occasional, project-based funding and depend on volunteer contributions and grassroots efforts. Moreover, without networking and connections to the diaspora, sanctions on the banking system make it even more difficult for these organization to transfer funds into Iran.
During the closing remarks, Mr. Prof. Shahram Akbarzadeh, Deputy Director of Alfred Deakin Institute and Convener of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), emphasized the need for hope, coalition building and for mutual support. “This is a very inspiring, resilient group of women and there are many, many more like [these women] in Iran who are really advancing and pushing the cause of gender equality, pushing for women’s rights.”
Outcome document coming soon.