International Women's Day Ceremony Held in Sanandaj Despite Government Security Pressures

The human rights organization "Hangaw" reported on the holding of a special ceremony for International Women's Day in the city of Sanandaj, with the participation of several organizations active in the field of women's rights. The ceremony took place despite threats and pressures on civil activists by the security agencies of the Islamic Republic. According to the report, the special ceremony for International Women's Day, March 8, was held on Friday, March 8, by the Union of Kurdish Women, civil society activists, women's rights activists from Sanandaj, and several other groups. This human rights organization noted that the event occurred under conditions where the Sanandaj Intelligence Department summoned several women activists in the field of women's rights on Thursday, March 7, and warned them against participating in the March 8 ceremony. The report from Hangaw stated that during the event, a statement was read by the organizers, protesting against repressive laws such as mandatory hijab, child marriage, suppression of individual freedoms, violation of reproductive rights, and legitimization of patriarchal dominance. The statement emphasized that these policies not only limit women's freedom and autonomy but also render violence against them widespread and legitimate. It also stated that "Iranian women are imprisoned by a government that is deeply afraid of women's existence, and the women's movement has embarked on an irreversible path, making a return to an era of inequality and oppression impossible due to the awareness, organization, and historical experience of these struggles." The signatories of the statement emphasized their resistance against various inequalities and their fight for a free, equal, and just world. They declared that this year on International Women's Day, the slogans "No to executions," "No to honor killings," and "United struggle against inflation and inequality" should be at the forefront of their struggles.