Women Remain on Front Lines in Iran Despite Crackdown: Mission Network News

by Katey Hearth

Iran (MNN) — Judges in Iran have sentenced five protestors to death since Sunday, accusing them of “enmity against God.” At least 20 people may be facing similar charges, Iran Human Rights warns.

According to Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA), 341 protesters have now been killed in the unrest sweeping Iran, including 52 minors. At least 15,820 people had been arrested as of Sunday, and some reports indicate that over 20,000 are currently incarcerated in crowded cells.

Despite the regime’s increasing crackdown, women remain on the frontlines of Iran’s protest movement.

“The current dynamics in Iran are exactly where our heart is – to help women find the courage and the audacity to stand up and say, ‘No, I want more. I want more, and I’m worth more,’” Transform Iran CEO Lana Silk says.

The coals of an anti-hijab movement smoldered for years. In September, Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody stirred those coals into a nationwide inferno. Today, unjust government responses add fuel to the fire.

“The hijab is a symbol; it’s all about silencing and hiding,” Silk says.

These women are saying, ‘We don’t want to be hidden anymore. We have a voice, and we want to use it.’

How to help women in Iran

Transform Iran’s Pearl of Persia ministry serves women on the lowest tiers of society. Iran holds more than five million drug addicts, victims of sexual abuse, and prostitutes.

“We disciple [these women] weekly over a year; we give them access to trauma counseling – here’s how you deal with the stuff that’s happened to you in the past; here is a biblical outlook on who you are in terms of your Maker – and then we find a way out for them,” Silk says.

“We’re building a section on our website that educates people on the background of Iran. If you want to know ‘what is life like as a woman in Iran? How are girls being educated? What’s being put into their heads?’ – all that will be available for reading.”

Find your place in the story here. “Could you partner with us in prayer?” Silk requests.

This is a supernatural battle. We rely on prayerful support that covers, protects, gives us wisdom, and anoints the work.

Originally posted on: Mission Network News.