As I write this, my eyes fill with tears, feeling the pain of every lash that Narges Mohammadi was ordered to face for speaking up for women’s rights in Iran. She is in exile and now is an inspiration to all the women around the world who are fighting with violence, in many forms that surround their existence, their life, and their individuality. It is important for the world to know that even the strongest of regimes are scared of the true free voice of their women. They are violent reactors towards the freedom of speech, right to live, right to wear. They are atrociously violent to women’s freedom of movement.
Religion is used as a tool to curtail women’s freedom. Political power is used to suppress women’s freedom and voice. The basic human rights being denied to women folk by any country is a reflection of the insecurities and extremist nature of that country which has failed to become a nation for its half the population, the women folk.
Narges Mohammadi is serving multiple sentences in Tehran’s Evin prison. Her fight against the violent attitude of the government is dubbed as her charges that she is spreading propaganda against the state. Narges holds a degree in Physics and is an engineer and an active reformist writer. She has been active in criticising the violent reaction and assassination of the basic human rights of women in her country. She has been an active voice against atrocities on women, a voice against the death penalty. She has been a strong and heard voice against the sexual violence that women face every day. She has been critical of the mandatory hijab veil implementation on females and is critical of it as it strikes the basic human rights of women to be what they want to be.
Every culture’s history and ballad stories have celebrated the victimisation of women to rise above their personal gains and existence to secure humanity. But the Noble Peace Prize 2023 to Narges Mohammadi, in exile for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all, is a great message to the world that it’s not the job of women alone but the world’s to stand together and fight and be with the cause of women’s rights as human rights. It is time for the perpetrators of crime and violence against women to realise that the world stands united in support of any voice anywhere that stands for basic human rights for women.
Narges Mohammadi received this year’s Nobel Prize for Peace. She received this for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all. This is the statement that the noble committee gave when declaring her this year’s winner. As a woman, it’s time for every woman to celebrate the strength that this woman has shown against hatred and receive this prize as she is exiled in prison for speaking and fighting for human rights and women’s rights in Iran. In the words of Narges, “They will put me in jail again but I will not stop campaigning until human rights and justice prevail in my country.” She is the voice and face of the strength and resolve that fighters of human rights hold. Narges is true to the literal meaning of her name, which means a beautiful flower that looks like a beautiful eye. She indeed has become the beautiful eye of truth, peace and strength that looks directly into the dark side of atrocities, extremism, violence and subjugation of women on every level.
History has been witness to various paradigms of violence that many atrocious regimes have used to subjugate women. But they forget that every voice that is stopped, that is punished, leads to more strength and voice against violence against women. The Noble Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi is a message to the entire brigade of regimes, people, ideologies, thoughts and any existence that is trying hard to crush the human rights of women. This prize is a message to all women across the globe to come out and take the lead against violence and be the change to check any violence against women anywhere, in any form.
It’s an ode to the efforts and bravery of all those women out there who know that they can be pushed, beaten, threatened, killed or put in exile but still dare to carry the soul of hope, of being the voice of human rights for women. Even if you are going to be thrashed or arrested or convicted like Narges, you will have to go on and make way for the future of girls across the globe. You become your message and that is your contribution to the life that you have got. Women’s rights are human rights and humanity will only prevail if women’s rights prevail.
Dr Syed Mubin Zehra is a Historian, Academician and a strong voice on gender and human rights. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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