Iran Elected to Protect Women’s Rights?

It would be laughable if it wasn’t so darn tragic. Iran is currently one of the elected members of the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women.¹ The Commission’s 2022–2025 strategic plan “aims to achieve gender equality, the empowerment of all women and girls, and the full enjoyment of their human rights.”² What does the Iranian regime know about gender equality and women empowerment?

Iran’s seat at this table is a slap in the face to the supporters of Mahsa Amini, the young woman whose death at the hands of the morality police sparked the current unrest in Iran, and an insult to the brave Iranian women and girls standing up to the regime.

Unbelievable Courage

Amini was arrested for the crime of — wait for it — improperly wearing a hijab. Yes, Iran has strict laws about how a woman should dress and how much hair can be exposed. Although the regime denies it, witnesses say Amini was beaten on her way to a detention center for “re-education.”³ She collapsed at the detention center and died three days later.

After the death of Amini, protests broke out, and unrest has increased exponentially since then. Although Iran strictly controls access to the internet, video footage has surfaced of women burning their hijabs and cutting their hair while protesters on the streets erupt in cheers. Not…