On February 22, 2025, in Paris, the international conference “Women, Force for Change – Free Iran 2025” brought together global leaders, activists, and human rights advocates to address the struggle of Iranian women against systemic oppression. Held ahead of International Women’s Day, the event served as a powerful platform to condemn the Iranian regime’s discriminatory laws and highlight women’s leadership in the fight for democracy.
#WomenForce4Change – International Conference marking International Women’s Day 2025 – When you leave here, tell your daughters and mothers about those who gave up everything they had for the ideal of freedom and equality for the people of Iran.#IWD2025 pic.twitter.com/hijBvWNVD5
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) February 23, 2025
Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), delivered a compelling keynote address, paying tribute to Iranian women who have defied oppression for decades. She described their fight against compulsory hijab, enforced religion, and repressive governance as a battle for human dignity. Rajavi emphasized that the Iranian regime, propped up by religious fascism and nuclear threats, cannot withstand the determined will of its people. Her call to action urged the international community to stand with the Iranian resistance and support the movement for a free, democratic society.
#WomenForce4Change, Free Iran 2025
International Conference marking #IWD2025
.@rosaliaarteaga I strongly believe that Maryam Rajavi and the women of Iran are a power of nature. And I also believe that the women with a vision led by Maryam Rajavi can make the difference and can… pic.twitter.com/eOaw771eMr— Women's Committee NCRI (@womenncri) February 22, 2025
The conference featured a series of powerful speeches from former heads of state, members of parliament, and women’s rights advocates. Sarvenaz Chitsaz, Chair of the NCRI Women’s Committee, stressed that gender equality is inseparable from Iran’s broader struggle for democracy. She argued that true change requires elevating women into leadership roles to dismantle the deep-rooted structures of misogyny in Iranian society.
The women of the Iranian Resistance serve as an inspiration to women fighting oppression worldwide. #WomenForce4Change #IWD2025#AccelerateAction@CandiceBergen_ @RookmakerDorien @chavezlinda @jaatteenmaki@XharraArbana pic.twitter.com/VTYPj7t2eA
— Arbana Xharra (@XharraArbana) February 22, 2025
Former French Minister of State Michele Alliot-Marie declared that “discrimination against women is enshrined in [the Iranian regime’s] law and will remain so until the regime changes.” She called for a national uprising, stating that the Iranian government’s reckless nuclear program poses a major threat to global security.
Former Ecuadorian President Rosalía Arteaga Serrano expressed hope for a democratic Iran, praising Maryam Rajavi’s leadership as a force capable of transforming the country. She affirmed her commitment to Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, which envisions a secular, democratic Iran where human rights are fully respected.
Des femmes leaders venues du monde entier afin de réaffirmer leur soutien à @Maryam_Rajavi d'avoir cet inébranlable courage de poursuivre,de ne pas céder sous la torture ni aux exécutions,pour construire un Iran libre!
Tenez, vous y êtes presque!
Femme, Résistance, Liberté ! pic.twitter.com/7mbizuj0XP— Ophélie Van Elsuwe (@ophelie_oise60) February 22, 2025
Former Finnish Prime Minister Anneli Jäätteenmäki highlighted the persistent legal and social discrimination faced by Iranian women in education, employment, and political participation. She pointed to the 2022 protests as a defining moment, proving that Iranian women are determined to secure full social, economic, and political freedoms.
Former Colombian Senator Ingrid Betancourt honored Iranian women’s resistance, declaring, “There’s no place on earth I would rather celebrate Women’s Day than here.” She emphasized that the NCRI is “the only organization where women are at the core of leadership”, a fact that sets it apart from other movements.
Viva la donna, viva la resistenza, viva la libertà ✌️ https://t.co/eXr5g09Asz
— Dolores Bevilacqua (@DoBevilacqua) February 23, 2025
Linda Chavez, former director of the White House Office of Public Liaison, praised Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, comparing it to the American Bill of Rights. She stated that true change in Iran must come from within, as the Iranian people themselves must rise up and reclaim their country.
Dominique Attias, Chair of the European Lawyers Foundation, honored Mariam Akbari Monfared, a political prisoner who has spent over fifteen years behind bars for her activism. Attias hailed weekly protests, hunger strikes, and other acts of defiance as evidence that Iranian women’s resistance cannot be broken.
🏊♀️Amazing speech by @sharrond62 at @iran_policy conference for #InternationalWoman’sDay. Such a national treasure.🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/yfklYFGyGr
— Anna Firth (@Anna_Firth) February 22, 2025
Candice Bergen, former Conservative Party leader in Canada, revealed that over 650 female leaders from 80 countries, including former heads of state and Nobel laureates, had signed a statement of support for Iranian women’s struggle. She called on international institutions to pressure Iran into abolishing its misogynistic laws.
Cherie Blair, President of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, delivered a video message denouncing Iran’s repressive policies. She highlighted the case of Maryam Akbari Monfared, imprisoned for seeking justice for her siblings who were executed during the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners. Blair urged the global community to stand in solidarity with Iranian women demanding freedom and justice.
Other influential figures echoed the urgent need for change. Baroness O’Loan denounced the state-sponsored executions and imprisonment of women in Iran, while Theresa Villiers, former UK MP, criticized the country’s harsh legal restrictions on marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Dorien Rookmaker, former Dutch MEP, spoke about the power of digital activism in fighting Iran’s authoritarian rule, while German MPs Katja Adler and Sandra Weeser emphasized that Iran’s oppression of women is not just a domestic issue but a global concern.
Italian MP Naike Gruppioni paid tribute to the women of Ashraf 3, a community of Iranian dissidents in Albania, describing them as symbols of unwavering resistance. Former Irish Deputy Leader Catherine Noone compared Iran’s struggle for democracy to Ireland’s own historical fight for freedom, urging sustained international pressure against Tehran.
Former Portuguese Minister of National Defense Helena Carreiras reinforced the idea that nations that suppress women ultimately fail, calling for global solidarity in amplifying the voices of Iranian women. British Olympic champion Sharron Davies drew a parallel between gender discrimination in sports and the oppression of Iranian women, urging the international sports community to take a stand.
Alla vigilia della #GiornataInternazionaledellaDonna, voglio rendere omaggio alle donne che lottano per la libertà e l’uguaglianza.
Un pensiero speciale va alle donne iraniane, che combattono con coraggio per i loro diritti. E non si fermano.
L’Iran è il simbolo della lotta… pic.twitter.com/t8e7CvXBwA— Naike Gruppioni (@naike_gruppioni) February 22, 2025
Carmen Quintanilla, a former Spanish senator, reaffirmed her support for Maryam Rajavi’s Twelve-Point Plan, calling it a comprehensive roadmap for democratic reform in Iran. Former Tunisian Minister Sihem Badi declared that dictatorships fall, but the struggle for freedom endures, emphasizing the unbreakable resilience of women fighting for their rights.
As the conference concluded, speakers emphasized the importance of sustained international pressure to hold Iran’s ruling regime accountable for human rights violations. There was a unanimous call for blacklisting the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and supporting Iranian women as the vanguard of the country’s democratic transformation.
The resistance movement is gaining momentum, with global leaders, activists, and human rights organizations uniting in their support for a free and democratic Iran. As one speaker put it: “2025 must be the year of a free Iran.”
