Iranian girls are the change-makers; they can best be described in just two words: courage and resilience
International Day of the Girl Child is an opportunity to remind ourselves of a future that is being built by creating opportunities for girls.
Under the rule of a ruthless and misogynistic dictatorship in Iran, Iranian girls face severe oppression and discrimination. From a young age, girls in Iran are subjected to criminal punishment and forced into early marriages, with exceptions that allow for marriages below the legal age of 13. Child brides and child widows suffer harm, and honor killings perpetrated by male relatives are a tragic reality. Millions of girls are denied access to education, while poverty, malnutrition, and sexual abuse plague many others.
Despite these hardships, Iranian girls demonstrate incredible courage and resilience. Inspired by four decades of struggle by Iranian women and girls, they refuse to surrender to coercion and force. Armita Gavand, lying in a coma after being physically assaulted for not wearing a veil, symbolizes the determination of Iranian girls who stand against the repressive forces of the clerical regime.
Zahra Hatami’s expulsion from school due to wearing nail polish tragically led her to take her own life, illustrating the devastating consequences of misogynistic laws and the power of fathers to force their daughters into marriage. During the Iranian uprising, young girls between 14 and 17 were beaten to death or thrown from buildings while escaping security forces. Girls’ schools became targets of chemical attacks as the regime sought revenge on these courageous individuals.
On the International Day of the Girl Child, we honor the memory of Sarina Esmailzadeh, Sarina Saedi, Nika Shakarami, Asra Panahi, Armita Qaem Maghami, Setareh Tajik, Mahsa Mogouii, Mona Naqib, Hasti Narouii, Helen Ahmadi, Diana Mahmoudi, Sadaf Movahhedi, Mahak Hashemi, Soha Etebari, Parmis Hamnava, Satayesh Sharifinia and dozens of other girls under 18 who sacrificed their lives for freedom during the 2022-2023 nationwide uprising. These girls, along with millions of young women, are the driving force for change in Iran.
The article calls for global support for the brave women and girls in Iran who continue to fight against oppression. Highlighting their stories sheds light on the ongoing struggle for gender equality and human rights in the country.
