One year after “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising

16th September is one year since the state murder of Masha (Jina) Amini because of compulsory Hijab that triggered the “woman, life, freedom” uprising. The uprising that it is most important characteristics was the vanguard role of women against the compulsory hijab. The characteristic that shook and amazed the world The very same characteristic that caused important changes in the society and in social relations among the people. It gave rise to important achievements in the social and political spheres that are irreversible.

The women’s struggle inflicted an important blow to the patriarchy by their fight against the compulsory hijab and laid the foundation to put an end to the domination and authority over the female body. The vanguard role of women in the fight against the compulsory hijab strengthened the motivation of struggle among the women in a world scale against the gender oppression. One of the most important achievements of women’s leading and daring role was the revelation of women’s power and the role in changing the old and rotten patriarchal capitalist’s society.    

There is no doubt that the deep contradiction between the women and the people as a whole with the Islamic regime is not limited to the compulsory hijab. Forty Four years of class exploitation, national and religious oppression, sexual and gender oppression, repression and dictatorship, looting and plundering, theft and corruption, suppression and murdering, imprisoning any voice of freedom and the lack of any kind of freedom is the source of the contradiction of the majority of the oppressed masses with the reactionary regime that was reflected in the Mahsa’s (Jina) uprising. But the struggle of the women against the compulsory hijab and the Islamic regime in this uprising had such a power that could pour out all the contradictions between the people and the Islamic regime.

The fear of the Islamic regime from mass uprising on the occasion of the anniversary of the Mahsa’s (Jina) uprising is so obvious that its reflection can be seen in the widespread arrest and imprisoning of thousands of women and other activists and harassing and arresting the families of martyred of Mahsa’s uprising and dismissal of the University students and lecturers… in the last two month. The fear and desperation of the regime can also be seen from the broadening of the women’s struggle against the compulsory hijab and increasing number of men who are joining this struggle. The regime is evermore terrified that these struggles could push the situation closer to its overthrow.     

In such a situation that has the potential of great changes in which the people have intensified their struggles in many different fronts, the western imperialists despite certain contradictions with the Islamic regime, in reality (not in words) are supporting the Islamic regime to suppress the people. Their preference is to keep the Islamic regime in power and prevent the people’s struggle to deepen and lead to the overthrow of the Islamic regime. This is the reason why they are holding public and secret meetings with the Islamic regime authorities and granting them with benefits, concessions and reducing the pressures on them.

There is no question that the people’s struggle in Mahsa’s (Jina) uprising and in particular the decisive women’s struggle has brought with itself the message of revolution and radical changes. As more women participate in the struggle through revolutionary organisation, as the struggles are getting deeper, with a determined goal and more radical slogans it will unleash more women’s power on one hand and on the other hand the power of people’s struggle to pass through the process of revolution is strengthened and fortified.

8march women’s organisation (Iran – Afghanistan)

16 September 2023

www.8mars.com / zan_dem_iran@hotmail.com