How You Can Help: Supporting Iranian Women from Anywhere in the World

In recent years—and especially since the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022—Iranian women have taken center stage in a nationwide and global movement demanding freedom, equality, and human rights. They have risked everything: their lives, their freedom, and their families—to stand against a regime known for its gender oppression, censorship, and violence. The movement has inspired people worldwide, but many ask the same question: “How can I help from where I am?”

The truth is, you don’t need to live in Iran to make a difference. Whether you are in Berlin, New York, Toronto, or anywhere else in the world, your voice, action, and support can fuel a movement led by some of the bravest women in the world.

This article outlines concrete, impactful ways you can support Iranian women, regardless of your location.

1. Stay Informed and Keep the Story Alive

A. Follow Verified Sources

Understanding the reality on the ground is the first step in advocacy. Follow credible activists, journalists, and organizations covering Iran, such as:

 • Masih Alinejad (@AlinejadMasih)

 • Hengaw Human Rights

 • Narges Mohammadi Foundation

 • Center for Human Rights in Iran

B. Share the News

 • Social media has become a lifeline for spreading uncensored information from Iran.

 • Share reliable articles, graphics, hashtags like #WomenLifeFreedom or #MahsaAmini, and firsthand stories.

 • Retweet and amplify voices of Iranian women instead of speaking over them.

Every post helps keep the movement in public consciousness. Silence is the regime’s weapon—break it.

2. Pressure Your Government to Act

A. Demand Stronger Sanctions on Human Rights Violators

Call on your representatives to:

 • Sanction IRGC commanders and officials responsible for gender-based violence and imprisonment.

 • Support legislation to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization.

 • Ensure sanctions target the regime, not the people.

B. Push for Asylum Protections

Encourage policies that:

 • Offer asylum or fast-track refugee status to Iranian women at risk.

 • Protect exiled activists from regime retaliation abroad.

C. Encourage International Accountability

Urge your government to support:

 • UN investigations into crimes against Iranian women.

 • International criminal accountability for systematic repression.

3. Support Iranian Human Rights Organizations

Your donations and resources go a long way in supporting the fight on the ground and in exile.

Organizations You Can Support:

 • Abdorrahman Boroumand Center (Justice for Iran)

 • Iran Human Rights

 • Nobel Women’s Initiative (Supports jailed female political prisoners)

 • United for Iran

These organizations work on:

 • Legal advocacy

 • Prisoner support

 • Tech support for digital security

 • Documentation of human rights abuses

4. Use Your Platform, Whatever It Is

You don’t have to be a politician or celebrity to make a difference. Whether you’re an artist, teacher, entrepreneur, or student, your platform matters.

A. Artists and Creatives

 • Create protest art, music, or video content to express solidarity.

 • Collaborate with Iranian artists in exile.

 • Curate exhibitions or performances centered on Women, Life, Freedom.

B. Educators

 • Incorporate lessons about Iran, authoritarianism, and feminist resistance into your curriculum.

 • Host panels and discussions on your campus.

C. Writers and Journalists

 • Pitch articles that center on Iranian women’s stories.

 • Correct misinformation and regime propaganda.

 • Interview Iranian dissidents and survivors.

5. Organize or Join Protests and Vigils

Visibility matters.

Protests and vigils in cities around the world have:

 • Kept pressure on governments.

 • Inspired solidarity from other movements.

 • Provided a space for Iranians in diaspora to grieve and resist.

Use resources like:

 • Local activist groups

 • Diaspora organizations

 • Human rights networks

Organize events on key dates:

• Anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death

 • International Women’s Day

 • Human Rights Day

6. Write to Political Prisoners

Many Iranian women are imprisoned for acts of peaceful protest: removing a hijab, posting on Instagram, attending a demonstration.

You can send them hope.

How to Help:

 • Organizations like Pen International and Amnesty International often run letter-writing campaigns.

 • Letters (when possible) remind prisoners they are not forgotten, and they also put pressure on prison authorities.

7. Help Break the Internet Blockade

Iran’s regime frequently shuts down or censors internet access. Tech-savvy citizens around the world can help.

Ways You Can Assist:

 • Donate or help distribute VPNs and secure browsing tools.

 • Support or volunteer for organizations like Access Now, Tor Project, and Signal Foundation.

 • Raise funds for satellite internet initiatives (such as the calls to expand Starlink access to Iran).

8. Support and Amplify the Diaspora

The Iranian diaspora, especially women in exile, play a crucial role in organizing, documenting, and protesting.

What You Can Do:

 • Attend their events and listen to their stories.

 • Invite Iranian women speakers to conferences, panels, or community talks.

 • Offer your skills—translation, graphic design, writing, event planning—to amplify their efforts.

9. Challenge Misrepresentation and Normalize Solidarity

Iranian women are often portrayed in orientalist or passive victim narratives. Challenge these ideas.

Instead:

 • Highlight their strength, leadership, and agency.

 • Avoid speaking on behalf of Iranians; instead, amplify their own words.

 • Push back on media narratives that normalize the regime or ignore women’s resistance.

10. Don’t Stop. Keep Going.

One of the regime’s tactics is to wait until the world stops watching. You can be part of preventing that.

 • Keep posting.

 • Keep donating.

 • Keep speaking out.

 • Keep showing up.

This is not a one-day movement—it’s a historical shift. Iranian women are not giving up, and neither should we.

Conclusion: Your Support Matters

You may not live in Iran. You may never have visited. But your voice, your attention, and your action can create real impact. Every tweet, every dollar, every conversation counts.