The Women, Life, Freedom movement in
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
is a protest movement that started in September 2022 after the
death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini, a young Kurdish woman who was arrested by the
morality police for not wearing hijab correctly. The movement demands the end of compulsory hijab laws and other forms of discrimination and oppression against women in Iran. The movement has been met with brutal repression by the Iranian authorities, who have killed hundreds of protesters and arrested thousands more. The movement has also gained international support and recognition, and has been awarded the 2023 Freedom Award by Freedom House.
The slogan “
women, life, freedom” is inspired by the
Kurdish women’s movement, which has been fighting for women's rights and autonomy in the region for decades. The slogan expresses the idea that women’s rights are essential for life and liberty, and that women should have the freedom to choose their own way of dressing, living, and participating in society. The slogan is also known as "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" in Kurdish and "Zan, Zendegī, Āzādī" in Persian.
Name
The Women, Life, Freedom movement is a protest slogan that affirms that the rights of women are at the center of life and liberty. It is best known in English-language media for its use within the context of Iran and Mahsa Amini protests.
[ The originate of this slogan comes from Kurdish women right movements.]
History
In September 2022, protesters in Iran and abroad adopted the slogan after Jina Mahsa Amini died while in custody for "improper" attire. The death of Amini, a 22-year-old Sunni woman from Iran’s minority Kurdish community, was a reflection of the escalating and unrelenting authoritarianism of the Iranian regime at a time of deepening economic instability.[
]
Results
The movement has created an irreversible social resistance among the young generation of Iran, which believes women’s rights to be the primary milestone for changing their future and a symbol to resist the corrupt influence of the government administration in creating poverty, insecurity, and unemployment.[
]
Status
The Women, Life, Freedom movement in Iran is still active , despite the harsh repression by the Iranian authorities.
Awards
The movement was awarded the 2023 Freedom Award by Freedom House
Slogans
Death with Khamenei
Death with the Islamic Republic
Death with dictator
Go ahead for revolution whether with/without hejab
See also
* Mahsa Amini protests
Civil unrest and protests against the government of Iran associated with the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini ( fa, مهسا امینی) began on 16 September 2022 and are ongoing as of December 2022. Amini had been arrested by the Guida ...
Sources
{{Reflist
Mahsa Amini protests
September 2022 events in Iran
Women's rights in Iran
Sakharov Prize laureates
Women in Iran