News Center — Systematic violence against women in Iran is escalating into a serious social and human rights crisis, no longer limited to isolated incidents but embedded within the structure of the state and its laws, which perpetuate discrimination and impunity.

The Kurdpa Human Rights Organization released a report today, Monday, December 1, on the situation of women in Iran and cities of Eastern Kurdistan, as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The report noted that Iran ranks 143rd out of 146 countries in terms of gender discrimination, highlighting the systematic nature of discrimination against women.

Exclusion from Public Life

The report addressed women’s participation in the workforce, stating that only 13% of women are active in the labor force, while 70% of unemployed women are university graduates. Women’s intellectual abilities are being exploited as a tool of control, keeping them vulnerable amid the economic crisis.

It also emphasized that women constitute less than 5% of the parliament, are entirely absent from senior positions in ministries, the presidency, and legislatures, and are even excluded from voting on laws that directly affect their lives.

Targeting Kurdish Women Activists

The report revealed that women in Iran and Eastern Kurdistan lack protection, with one woman killed every three days under the pretext of “honor”. It highlighted the plight of Kurdish women activists, noting arrests on security grounds, long prison sentences, and exposure to torture in detention, alongside attacks on their political and ethnic identities.

Kurdpa İnsan Hakları Örgütü is an independent, non-profit human rights organization founded by Kurdish journalists and activists. Its mission is to document human rights violations in Iran, especially in Eastern Kurdistan, and raise awareness about human rights principles among citizens and activists.