How to Help: A Global Guide to Supporting Iranian Women’s Struggle for Freedom

The world watched in shock and sorrow as the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 ignited one of the most powerful uprisings in Iran’s modern history. Led by Iranian women, the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement quickly became a symbol of resistance not just against the compulsory hijab, but against decades of systematic gender oppression enforced by the Islamic Republic and its military arm, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

While women in Iran face arrest, torture, censorship, and even death for their acts of resistance, they continue to lead with extraordinary bravery. But they can’t do it alone. The international community—governments, NGOs, activists, and ordinary citizens—has a critical role to play in supporting their struggle for dignity, equality, and freedom.

This report provides a comprehensive guide on how the global community can help, offering practical steps, policy recommendations, and actions that can amplify Iranian women’s voices and protect their lives.

1. Understand the Struggle: Why Iranian Women Are Protesting

Before acting, global allies must understand the deep roots of the movement:

 • Gender apartheid: Women in Iran face legal discrimination in marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, and public participation.

 • Compulsory hijab: Enforced by morality police and supported by the IRGC, non-compliance is criminalized.

 • Political repression: Women who speak out are arrested, tortured, or disappeared.

 • Economic exclusion: Women are underrepresented in the labor force and face workplace discrimination.

The uprising led by women is not just about clothing—it’s about basic human rights and the desire to live free from fear, violence, and inequality.

2. The Role of the IRGC in Gender Oppression

The IRGC, a powerful entity controlling Iran’s military, intelligence, and much of its economy, is also the regime’s chief enforcer of gender repression.

 • The IRGC controls prisons where women activists face torture and solitary confinement.

 • It leads cyber surveillance operations that track, arrest, and intimidate women online.

 • The IRGC sponsors state propaganda to discredit women’s protests and link them to “Western plots.”

Any serious support for Iranian women must include efforts to weaken the IRGC’s influence globally.

3. What Can You Do as an Individual?

A. Educate Yourself and Others

 • Follow credible sources like @masih.alinejad, @IranRights_org, and @United4Mahsa.

 • Read reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and UN Special Rapporteurs on Iran.

 • Host educational events, webinars, or reading groups.

B. Amplify Their Voices

 • Share stories, quotes, and videos of Iranian women activists using hashtags like #WomenLifeFreedom, #MahsaAmini, #BanIRGC.

 • Translate and repost content from Farsi to your local language to reach broader audiences.

C. Contact Your Representatives

 • Demand your government condemn the IRGC’s abuses and push for sanctions on key individuals.

 • Urge support for asylum seekers and political refugees fleeing Iran.

4. What Can Organizations and NGOs Do?

A. Provide Digital Tools and Training

 • Equip activists with secure communication apps, VPNs, and cybersecurity training.

 • Partner with tech firms to offer safe online platforms free of charge.

B. Offer Legal and Medical Aid

 • Fund organizations providing legal defense, medical care, and psychological support for imprisoned or injured women.

C. Support Iranian-Led Initiatives

 • Avoid top-down interventions. Collaborate with diaspora-led groups and local activists for culturally informed, effective action.

5. What Can Governments and Policymakers Do?

A. Designate the IRGC as a Terrorist Organization

 • The United States has already done so. European nations should follow, limiting the IRGC’s international reach and financial networks.

B. Impose Targeted Sanctions

• Focus on IRGC commanders, intelligence officers, judges, and media officials involved in women’s rights violations.

 • Sanction IRGC-linked companies that profit off state oppression.

C. Protect Iranian Asylum Seekers

 • Expedite asylum processes for activists, journalists, and women at risk.

 • Ensure safety for diaspora communities facing threats from IRGC operatives abroad.

D. Promote Internet Freedom

 • Support international efforts to bypass censorship, including technologies like Starlink, VPN sponsorships, and anti-surveillance tools.

6. The Role of the Iranian Diaspora

A. Organize and Mobilize

 • Iranian diaspora communities can organize protests, cultural events, and campaigns that keep attention on the crisis.

B. Build Media Networks

 • Launch podcasts, newsletters, and social media channels dedicated to Iranian women’s struggles.

C. Fund Resistance Movements

 • Crowdfund legal support, rehabilitation centers, and scholarships for survivors of repression.

7. Success Stories: When the World Shows Up

Masih Alinejad’s Case

International campaigns helped expose a kidnapping plot by the IRGC against journalist and activist Masih Alinejad in the U.S., leading to arrests and more security for diaspora activists.

Narges Mohammadi’s Nobel Prize

Global advocacy helped ensure that Narges Mohammadi, imprisoned human rights defender, was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, amplifying the plight of Iranian women prisoners.

8. What’s at Stake: Beyond Borders

This fight is not only about Iran—it’s about the global rise of authoritarianism, gender apartheid, and digital repression.

Supporting Iranian women is not just an act of solidarity; it’s a defense of universal values:

 • Freedom of expression

 • Bodily autonomy

 • The right to live without fear

Conclusion: From Solidarity to Action

Iranian women are standing up against one of the world’s most repressive regimes. They are risking everything for a future built on equality, dignity, and freedom.

But resistance without support is unsustainable. The world must act—not with words, but with resources, policies, and protection.