On the occasion of International Women’s Day, a conference titled “Women’s Leadership Guarantees Democracy and Equality” was held in Brussels on Saturday, 4 March. The event brought together a diverse range of influential women from around the world who addressed the critical role that women play in promoting democracy and equality.
Linda Chavez, former White House Director of Public Liaison, an American author, commentator, and a Fox News analyst, and current Chairwoman of the Center for Equal Opportunity, began her remarks by the leading role of women in recent nationwide protests in Iran sparked by the brutal killing of a young woman, Mahsa Amini. “I think it’s important to understand that any society can be judged by the way it treats its women and you cannot have any government—no matter what the political flavor of that government is—that treats half of the population not just as second-class citizens, but as non-human beings,” said Chavez.
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, former German Minister of Defense and Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) noted the fact that every human being has the right to decide for its own life and underlined the role of the international community to stand up for it, especially where dictators rule and basic rights are not respected, and women are the main victims.
Dominique Attias, President of European Law Society Federation, vice-boutonniere of Paris, Recipient of France’s Légion d’Honneur, said, “Today, Iranian women are leading the struggle for liberation… Women should be able to choose their own garments. Let’s get rid of all laws that go against women. Women want freedom and today, they are paying a high price for it in Iran. We admire them and support them. We call on the European Commission to take action. We must give leadership positions to women we can trust. Women are understanding that they can make change happen.”
Latifa Aït Baala, Member of the Parliament of Brussels, said, “As a woman, I’ve taken part in many campaigns for freedom and democracy. But something has changed. The fight has to go on. We must increase our struggle. By fighting for women’s rights and human rights, we can bring about freedom… I express my support for the men and women who want freedom.”
Prof. Yakın Ertürk, served as UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women from 2003-2006, said, “I have witnessed first-hand how gendered subordination and misogynist laws and attitudes have been woven into the fiber of the Islamic Republic, which is one of its most distinguishing features… Despite the countless attempts by the Islamic State to wind back the clock, gender relations have continued to change over the years. Iran today is not what it was back in 1979. Today, Iran is highly urbanized… Iranian women have a long history of resilience and struggle for emancipation from prohibitions imposed by law and misogynist practices. Women have demonstrated a strong will of resistance in their everyday life. Women are major players in the recent protest, but they have been joined by the urban middle class, the middle class, poor slum dwellers, and people of different geographies, and ethnic and religious identities. Iranian women are recognized now, no doubt by everyone, as a transformative force not only within Iran but by everyone across the globe.”
Kathleen Depoorter, Member of the Belgian Parliament, said, “As a politician, it is my mission to support every organization and every human being who fosters women’s rights all over the world. Equal rights for men and women. Everyone has the right to choose who is their political leader and who will stand up for their rights.”
Judy A. Sgro, Canadian MP and former Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, said, “I would have never imagined a year ago that all of what has happened would bring us to where we are today, celebrating International Women’s Day here, focusing on the women of all of the world because there’s a lot of oppressed women in various capacities and so on. And we are very focused today on giving courage to all Iranian women that continue to be part of this, continue to work for freedom and for democracy.”
Iveta Radicova, former Slovakian Prime Minister, said, “We are living in a deep complex of uncertainty, directly or indirectly attacked by wartime. Women’s struggle in Iran is unique in that it is not solely focused on gender-specific issues but rather on the primary problems facing all Iranians which are the right to popular sovereignty and the establishment of freedom and democracy in their own country.”
Mary Scott Greenwood, CEO of Canadian American Business Council, said, “International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate and recognize the achievements of women all over the world. As we mark this important occasion, we must also acknowledge the long-standing struggle of women in Iran under two different dictatorships. It’s not just Iran, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, and all around the world, we stand with women who are fighting for freedom and for peace, and for a better future for all of our children. I am confident that with our collective efforts, we can create a world where women and men are empowered and respected. We can unite and support each other. During my own career, I have seen much evidence that women’s leadership in politics, society, and the economy is vital to achieving gender equality in any country. The crucial role of women’s active participation in politics, society, and the economy has emerged as a pressing need for progress, democracy, and peace in all nations. They should also have the same access as men to the labor market, equal pay for equal work, and comparable opportunities in areas such as housing, nutrition, medical services, education, athletics, and the arts. The leadership of women is paramount in the fight for freedom.”
Nadine Maenza, President of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Secretariat, former Chair of the US Commission International Religious Freedom. Said, “I have spent two decades advocating for international religious freedom and championing for women’s equality in the social and economic sphere. We can achieve gender equality sooner by advocating for women’s rights, religious freedom, and social and economic equality.”
Claire Chandler, Australian Senator, said, “Full and free participation in society is a fundamental right that all women and girls should enjoy. The right to education. To freedom of religion. The right to be free from violence, whether it’s in your own home, walking the streets of your town, at school, at university, or in the workplace. All countries should do more to uphold these rights. But it is tragic and unacceptable that some governments and some regimes in the 21st century deliberately and systematically deny these rights to women and girls. We know, and the world knows that the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the worst offenders. We have seen women and girls beaten, shot, imprisoned, and killed for doing nothing more than standing up for their own rights.”
Kira Rudik, Leader of the Ukrainian political party Voice and MP, said, “Speaking from Kyiv, Ukraine, if you are looking at the past year, you would call it a year of the fight for freedom. Because last year the world has seen an enormous amount of people willing to fight and die for the values that they believe in and also for the freedom of their nations, either the people of Ukraine and the people of free Iran. Last year we have seen what happens when tyranny decides to destroy you, take you to the ground, and to strip you of your rights as a human being and as a nation. We have seen what happens when a person and a nation say, no, we are not going to be destroyed. We are not going to be forgotten, we are not going to stop. Moreover, we are going to win. And I’m absolutely sure that we will prevail because what history tells us, is that tyrannies fall and that freedom prevails.”
Åse Kleveland, a well-known folk singer, former Minister of Culture in Norway and President of the Swedish Film Institute, said, “The criterion for democracy and progress in any society is measured by women’s status and active participation. Participation in the decisions is of great importance to us all. As we speak, many women fight for their freedom, so many suffered so many are punished and a number of women have even died for a better life… We must help women achieve equal rights. We must stand in solidarity with women all around the world.”
Rama Yade, former French Minister of Human Rights, said, “Mahsa Amini’s death on September 16, 2022, was a tragedy and a turning point. It triggered a shock in Iran and mobilized whole sections of society far beyond women. Their faces are now everywhere on the walls of the world’s capitals, social networks are buzzing with their acts of bravery and their sacrifice. The Iranian woman now represents all women in search of freedom. It would be too simple to reduce their resistance to the veil. They fight to be free to be whatever they want. Despite the risks, they are fighting for a profound change in society in Iran.”
Dr. Azza Hikal, former advisor to the Egyptian President, said, “I think that all groups, all women groups, all NGOs, and all societies should support oppressed women all over the world. Whether in Iran, in Palestine, in Syria, in Africa, in all places, in all countries, all over the world. Women are the womb of life. Women are the womb of love, and according to our Islamic doctrines, women are as equal as men. Women have the same rights. All that we are given is for our benefit, for our equality, because we are human beings. We are the creation of the great.”
Susanna Ceccardi, Member of European Parliament, said, “As Europeans, we firmly support the empowerment of women and girls and the rare conviction of their equal dignity. We stand up to the Islamic regime and condemn the systematic use of isolation and arrest of political opponents.”
The conference served as a powerful platform to highlight the importance of women’s leadership in shaping a brighter future in the world. It emphasized that genuine democracy and equality can only be achieved by empowering women and eradicating their oppression.
As the echoes of the conference’s discussions and inspiring speeches resonate, the call for justice, freedom, and equality continues to reverberate, invigorating the global movement for women’s rights and social change.