human rights in iran essay

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Guest Essay: This isn’t the first time Iran has violated human rights.

The Islamic Republic’s current media blackout can’t hide the human rights violations that the Iranian people have endured for 43 years.

(Illustration by Susan Behrends Valenzuela)

Nicky Kashani , Guest Writer September 29, 2022

As an Iranian raised in Tehran and now a graduate student living abroad, I consider myself fortunate to be able to share my thoughts and feelings about my country and raise awareness about the current crackdown on human rights without the fear of being detained. Women in Iran do not enjoy such liberties. 

On Sept. 16, 2022, after being arrested and detained in a “re-education” center by the morality police for not covering her hair properly, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini “fell” into a coma . While Iranian authorities claim that she suffered a heart attack, multiple witnesses alerted her family that she was brutally beaten by the morality police. 

Freedom of dress and expression are not the only rights denied to women in Iran. The Islamic Revolution in 1979 and the establishment of the Islamic Republic led to an oppressive interpretation and enforcement of Sharia laws . Although women are allowed the right to vote and run for office through Sharia law, the age of marriage was dropped to 13, and women’s right to divorce their husbands was eliminated. In the years — if not months — after the revolution, new restrictions on child custody, foreign travel and what women were allowed to wear were imposed.  

Under Sharia law, women are the property of men. When I visited various hospitals in Tehran, administrators never asked for my name — they asked for my father’s. Because of Sharia, women can’t travel without the permission of their guardian or husband, they forfeit custody of their children when divorced and they are required to cover their hair and anything below their neck starting from the age of puberty. Protesting these laws, especially hijab laws, can result in 10 or more years of imprisonment .

Amini’s untimely death has become a pivot point. It sparked an outpouring of anger and protest against the Iranian government and what are believed to be the largest demonstrations against the Islamic Republic since its inception. According to human rights groups, Iranian authorities are using excessive force — including live ammunition — to suppress protesters, killing at least 76 people thus far. 

To limit the amount of news and media coverage in the country, the Iranian government initiated a nationwide Internet blackout . Access to WhatsApp, Instagram and other major social media platforms has been filtered. I personally haven’t been able to contact my family in Iran apart from the momentary glitches that permit their VPN to work, allowing messaging and calls for minutes at a time. 

This isn’t the first time Iran’s leadership has used this tactic . In November 2019, gas prices increased by 50% overnight and incited major protests across Iran. The government responded with a complete internet blackout that lasted over six days. During the 2019 protests , Iranian security forces killed 321 protestors and detained around 10,000 . Petitions demanding their release spread across the world, with some gaining millions of signatures. 

Still, the government continued to sentence thousands of Iranians to confinement or death. If the 2019 blackouts taught us anything, it is that the government initiates media blackouts in an attempt to imprison and kill those who stand up to them. Since Amini’s death, thousands of people — including lawyers and journalists — have been arrested, and the death tolls continue to rise .

The human rights violations against Iranians were overlooked in 2019, and they are being overlooked again three years later. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attended and spoke at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Sept. 21 despite chaos in his country. Protest efforts went unnoticed and unsupported by the U.N. and American officials. I was at a protest outside the U.N., and it was an incredibly disheartening experience to see Raisi, a man believed to have personally sentenced 3,000 Iranians to their deaths , not only granted a visa to come to New York but also allowed to speak without interjection by any officials apart from Israel’s U.N. ambassador .

After 10 days of chaos and unrest, the U.N. finally condemned the Islamic Republic’s violent crackdown on the Iranian people. The United States and the European Union are also considering increasing sanctions against Iran , but we need immediate action. Iranians are being arrested, beaten, sentenced to jail and murdered for protesting the death of an innocent 22-year-old and the violations of rights they have helplessly endured for decades. It takes an enormous amount of courage to publicly demand reform in a country that suppresses dissent. They are risking their lives and fighting for the basic human freedoms they deserve. I hope that this time, we don’t let the brave personal sacrifices of the Iranian people go unnoticed, and that responsible leaders and governments finally take action against the Islamic Republic’s crimes against humanity.

Nicky Kashani is an Iranian raised in Tehran, and a graduate student in NYU’s Experimental Humanities and Social Engagement program.

WSN’s Opinion section strives to publish ideas worth discussing. The views presented in the Opinion section are solely the views of the writer.

Contact Nicky Kashani at [email protected] .

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International Women’s Day: Women in Iran are Leading the Struggle for Human Rights

Despite Abuses and Discrimination, Women Fight for Justice, Equality, and Rights for All

March 7, 2022 – On the eve of International Women’s Day, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) celebrates women everywhere who are at the vanguard of the struggle for human rights despite crushing adversity.

In Iran, courageous women, including lawyers, activists, journalists, and mothers of the victims of state violence, are demanding justice, freedom, equality, and basic civil liberties for all Iranians, despite facing systemic human rights abuses and discrimination.

Every day, women in Iran see their rights challenged and their freedoms curtailed :

• The peaceful advocacy of women’s rights is criminalized and many women have been imprisoned for their activism
• Women face widespread, legalized violence including inadequate protections against domestic violence  and  child marriage for girls aged 13 and even younger
• Women do not have equal rights to justice or in family or financial matters, and face discrimination in the workplace and the political and public spheres

The unbreakable spirit of Iranian women is also seen among mothers whose children have been killed by the state. These mothers, which include the Mothers of Laleh Park and the Mothers of Khavaran , are helping to lead the new “Seeking Justice” ( Dadkhahi ) movement in Iran despite constant harassment and intimidation by state security agencies and imprisonment .

“My purpose in going on with life is to find my son’s killers,” Nahid Shirpisheh, who witnessed the fatal shooting of her son Pouya Bakhtiari  by state security forces at a street protest in November 2019, told CHRI. “I want to see the punishment of the person who ordered the killing of Pouya and other Pouyas in such an atrocious manner.”

Meanwhile women political prisoners are subjected to inhumane living conditions and abuse , in a further effort to silence their voices. They are:

• Prevented access to  crucial medical care
• Blocked from visiting or speaking to their children
• Transferred to prisons far from their families and forced into prolonged periods of solitary confinement

The Iranian government has also been reducing social services and reproductive healthcare for women in need. For example, the House of the Sun, an NGO that provides services to thousands of women suffering from drug addiction, is one of many NGOs that have been forced to close its doors due to state pressure, and the government has reduced access to reproductive care in state clinics.

The Center for Human Rights in Iran salutes the brave women of Iran and their struggle for justice, equal rights, and civil and political rights for all Iranians, and calls on the international community to express their full support for these women as well.

Read this article in Persian

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Middle East crisis — explained

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.

How Iran and Israel became archenemies

Peter Kenyon

Emergency and security personnel extinguish a fire at the site of strikes that hit a building annexed to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus on April 1. Iran blames Israel for the attack. Louai Beshara/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Emergency and security personnel extinguish a fire at the site of strikes that hit a building annexed to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus on April 1. Iran blames Israel for the attack.

ISTANBUL — Israel is on high alert for a possible attack from Iran, following an airstrike that hit the Iranian consulate in Syria two weeks ago and killed several senior Iranian military officers. Iran blames Israel for the attack, and has vowed to retaliate.

Iran's regional flashpoints are increasing. Here's what to know

Many countries have issued warnings to their citizens not to visit the region, as tensions flare and fears grow that an Iranian attack may be imminent — and the war in Gaza may spread.

Iranian leaders have been among the sharpest critics of Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip. Tehran has made no secret of its praise for those who attack Israelis, including the Hamas-led attack that Israel says killed 1,200 people on Oct. 7.

U.S. drone strike kills a leader of an Iran-backed militia in Iraq

Israel compiled a video showing Hamas gunmen killing civilians, including babies, and burning corpses. Human Rights Watch verified some of the videos of the attack, and called on the International Criminal Court to investigate the attacks as war crimes.

People attend the funeral procession for seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members killed in a strike in Syria, which Iran blamed on Israel, in Tehran, April 5. Hossein Beris/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty hide caption

People attend the funeral procession for seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members killed in a strike in Syria, which Iran blamed on Israel, in Tehran, April 5.

Iranian officials accuse Israel of a deadly attack on Iran's consulate in Syria

Iran, however, wasted no time in hailing the Hamas attack as a "victory." Hours after news of the attack broke on Oct. 7, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told Iran's ISNA news agency that "What took place today is in line with the continuation of victories of the anti-Zionist resistance in different fields, including Syria, Lebanon and occupied lands."

Iran blames Israel for the April 1 airstrike on Iran's consulate in Damascus that killed seven members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two IRGC generals . Israel has neither confirmed nor denied being behind the attack.

If Israel was responsible, it would be the latest in a long line of attacks against Iranian targets.

1979 was a pivotal year

While Iran was ruled by the Pahlavi dynasty for more than a half-century, Iranian-Israeli bilateral relations were far from hostile. Iran was one of the first Muslim countries to recognize the new state of Israel .

The killing of U.S. troops in Jordan raises specter of a wider war in the Middle East

Palestinians saw that recognition as a tacit international acceptance of what they call the "Nakba," or catastrophe — the forced dispossession and displacement of more than 700,000 Palestinians when Israel was created in 1948.

For its part, Israel was quick to establish ties with non-Arab states, including military and security cooperation with Iran.

Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, though, sent relations between the two nations into a tailspin. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was ousted, and the new supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, pursued a policy of standing up to "arrogant" world powers. During his regime, the United States became known in Iran as the "Great Satan," and Israel as the "Little Satan."

Even so, limited cooperation between Israel and Iran continued into the 1980s. But later a hostile rivalry emerged as Iran built up and funded proxy militias and other groups in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. A shadow war between Iran and Israel grew over the years.

Iran's nuclear program is a main target

Iran's nuclear program — which it has always insisted is entirely peaceful — has been a primary focus of Israeli attacks. Tehran believes Israel and the U.S. introduced the Stuxnet computer virus in the early 2000s to target the centrifuges enriching uranium for Iran's nuclear program

A series of sabotage attacks continued into the 2020s, as Israel sought to damage Iranian nuclear facilities. Nuclear scientists were also targeted. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement in 2018 was seen as a blow to Tehran and a victory for Israel.

Middle East

Iranian commandos seize an israeli-linked container ship near strait of hormuz.

Iran continues to insist that its program is 100% peaceful, although certain incidents, such as an unexplained discovery of uranium particles at sites Iran never disclosed to the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency, trouble critics who doubt Iran's motives.

With Iran firmly under the control of Islamist hard-liners, and conservatives leading Israel, there seems little likelihood of a return to cordial Iranian-Israeli relations anytime soon.

War by proxy

Iran has long backed armed groups around the region that target Israel as well as the U.S. military. The main one is Hezbollah in Lebanon, formed in the 1980s to fight the Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has been firing rockets into northern Israel since the Gaza war began in October.

Iran also supports Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that led the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that triggered the current war, which Gaza health authorities say has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, over the past six months.

Biden says Iran could soon attack Israel, and warns, 'Don't'

Iran also has provided support to Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have fired ballistic missiles at the Israeli resort town Eilat on the Red Sea, and attacked shipping vessels — attacks which the Houthi rebels say are in support of Hamas.

Iran supports the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad, and Israel says Tehran uses Syrian territory to ship missiles and other weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel has carried out numerous airstrikes in Syria to halt that flow of weapons, and said the Iranian general killed in the consulate strike was a key figure in that logistical chain.

Now, however, American and Israeli officials are warning of the risk of a direct attack by Iran against Israel. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has said the April 1 attack on the consulate building in Damascus, for which Iran blames Israel, was tantamount to an attack on Iranian territory. He has threatened that Israel "must be punished and shall be."

Israel has said that an attack from Iranian soil would be met with a direct response against Iran. That could trigger a major regional war.

U.S. officials say that they have sent messages to allies with closer ties to Tehran to urge Iran to exercise restraint. The U.S. officials noted that the U.S. has also relayed the same message directly to Iranian officials.

• Israel-Hamas war

UN rights council votes to maintain Iran scrutiny

T he UN Human Rights Council on Thursday prolonged by a year an independent international fact-finding mission investigating Iran's  deadly crackdown on protests that erupted in 2022.

The United Nations' top rights body extended the mission, and the mandate of the council's special rapporteur on Iran, Javaid Rehman, with 24 votes in favour, eight against and 15 abstentions in the 47-member chamber.

It said the extension for Rehman was necessary to "continue to monitor the ongoing situation of human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights".

It also decided to keep up the fact-finding mission to allow it to complete its work, "including by ensuring that the large amount of evidence of human rights violations" relating to the protests, "especially with respect to women and children, is fully and effectively documented, verified, consolidated and preserved".

Iran was rocked by widespread demonstrations sparked by the September 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who had been arrested for allegedly violating the strict dress rule for women based on Islamic sharia law.

Tehran does not cooperate with either Rehman or the fact-finding mission and they have not been allowed on Iranian soil.

The resolution called on Iran to cooperate fully with the rapporteur and the international investigators, "and to grant them unhindered access to the country and to provide all information necessary" to fulfil their mandates.

Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, Japan, Morocco and the United States backed the resolution.

The countries voting No were Algeria, Burundi, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Indonesia, Sudan and Vietnam.

Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Malaysia, Qatar, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates abstained.

The 55th session of the Human Rights Council closes on Friday.

rjm/vog/ach 

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Essay on Human Rights: Samples in 500 and 1500

• Updated on  
• Dec 9, 2023

Essay writing is an integral part of the school curriculum and various academic and competitive exams like IELTS , TOEFL , SAT , UPSC , etc. It is designed to test your command of the English language and how well you can gather your thoughts and present them in a structure with a flow. To master your ability to write an essay, you must read as much as possible and practise on any given topic. This blog brings you a detailed guide on how to write an essay on Human Rights , with useful essay samples on Human rights.

This Blog Includes:

The basic human rights, 200 words essay on human rights, 500 words essay on human rights, 500+ words essay on human rights in india, 1500 words essay on human rights, importance of human rights, essay on human rights pdf.

Also Read: List of Human Rights Courses

Also Read: MSc Human Rights

Also Read: 1-Minute Speech on Human Rights for Students

What are Human Rights

Human rights mark everyone as free and equal, irrespective of age, gender, caste, creed, religion and nationality. The United Nations adopted human rights in light of the atrocities people faced during the Second World War. On the 10th of December 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Its adoption led to the recognition of human rights as the foundation for freedom, justice and peace for every individual. Although it’s not legally binding, most nations have incorporated these human rights into their constitutions and domestic legal frameworks. Human rights safeguard us from discrimination and guarantee that our most basic needs are protected.

Did you know that the 10th of December is celebrated as Human Rights Day ?

Before we move on to the essays on human rights, let’s check out the basics of what they are.

Also Read: What are Human Rights?

Also Read: 7 Impactful Human Rights Movies Everyone Must Watch!

Here is a 200-word short sample essay on basic Human Rights.

Human rights are a set of rights given to every human being regardless of their gender, caste, creed, religion, nation, location or economic status. These are said to be moral principles that illustrate certain standards of human behaviour. Protected by law , these rights are applicable everywhere and at any time. Basic human rights include the right to life, right to a fair trial, right to remedy by a competent tribunal, right to liberty and personal security, right to own property, right to education, right of peaceful assembly and association, right to marriage and family, right to nationality and freedom to change it, freedom of speech, freedom from discrimination, freedom from slavery, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of movement, right of opinion and information, right to adequate living standard and freedom from interference with privacy, family, home and correspondence.

Also Read: Law Courses

Check out this 500-word long essay on Human Rights.

Every person has dignity and value. One of the ways that we recognise the fundamental worth of every person is by acknowledging and respecting their human rights. Human rights are a set of principles concerned with equality and fairness. They recognise our freedom to make choices about our lives and develop our potential as human beings. They are about living a life free from fear, harassment or discrimination.

Human rights can broadly be defined as the basic rights that people worldwide have agreed are essential. These include the right to life, the right to a fair trial, freedom from torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to health, education and an adequate standard of living. These human rights are the same for all people everywhere – men and women, young and old, rich and poor, regardless of our background, where we live, what we think or believe. This basic property is what makes human rights’ universal’.

Human rights connect us all through a shared set of rights and responsibilities. People’s ability to enjoy their human rights depends on other people respecting those rights. This means that human rights involve responsibility and duties towards other people and the community. Individuals have a responsibility to ensure that they exercise their rights with consideration for the rights of others. For example, when someone uses their right to freedom of speech, they should do so without interfering with someone else’s right to privacy.

Governments have a particular responsibility to ensure that people can enjoy their rights. They must establish and maintain laws and services that enable people to enjoy a life in which their rights are respected and protected. For example, the right to education says that everyone is entitled to a good education. Therefore, governments must provide good quality education facilities and services to their people. If the government fails to respect or protect their basic human rights, people can take it into account.

Values of tolerance, equality and respect can help reduce friction within society. Putting human rights ideas into practice can help us create the kind of society we want to live in. There has been tremendous growth in how we think about and apply human rights ideas in recent decades. This growth has had many positive results – knowledge about human rights can empower individuals and offer solutions for specific problems.

Human rights are an important part of how people interact with others at all levels of society – in the family, the community, school, workplace, politics and international relations. Therefore, people everywhere must strive to understand what human rights are. When people better understand human rights, it is easier for them to promote justice and the well-being of society. 

Also Read: Important Articles in Indian Constitution

Here is a human rights essay focused on India.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. It has been rightly proclaimed in the American Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Created with certain unalienable rights….” Similarly, the Indian Constitution has ensured and enshrined Fundamental rights for all citizens irrespective of caste, creed, religion, colour, sex or nationality. These basic rights, commonly known as human rights, are recognised the world over as basic rights with which every individual is born.

In recognition of human rights, “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was made on the 10th of December, 1948. This declaration is the basic instrument of human rights. Even though this declaration has no legal bindings and authority, it forms the basis of all laws on human rights. The necessity of formulating laws to protect human rights is now being felt all over the world. According to social thinkers, the issue of human rights became very important after World War II concluded. It is important for social stability both at the national and international levels. Wherever there is a breach of human rights, there is conflict at one level or the other.

Given the increasing importance of the subject, it becomes necessary that educational institutions recognise the subject of human rights as an independent discipline. The course contents and curriculum of the discipline of human rights may vary according to the nature and circumstances of a particular institution. Still, generally, it should include the rights of a child, rights of minorities, rights of the needy and the disabled, right to live, convention on women, trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation etc.

Since the formation of the United Nations , the promotion and protection of human rights have been its main focus. The United Nations has created a wide range of mechanisms for monitoring human rights violations. The conventional mechanisms include treaties and organisations, U.N. special reporters, representatives and experts and working groups. Asian countries like China argue in favour of collective rights. According to Chinese thinkers, European countries lay stress upon individual rights and values while Asian countries esteem collective rights and obligations to the family and society as a whole.

With the freedom movement the world over after World War II, the end of colonisation also ended the policy of apartheid and thereby the most aggressive violation of human rights. With the spread of education, women are asserting their rights. Women’s movements play an important role in spreading the message of human rights. They are fighting for their rights and supporting the struggle for human rights of other weaker and deprived sections like bonded labour, child labour, landless labour, unemployed persons, Dalits and elderly people.

Unfortunately, violation of human rights continues in most parts of the world. Ethnic cleansing and genocide can still be seen in several parts of the world. Large sections of the world population are deprived of the necessities of life i.e. food, shelter and security of life. Right to minimum basic needs viz. Work, health care, education and shelter are denied to them. These deprivations amount to the negation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Also Read: Human Rights Courses

Check out this detailed 1500-word essay on human rights.

The human right to live and exist, the right to equality, including equality before the law, non-discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, and equality of opportunity in matters of employment, the right to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association, movement, residence, the right to practice any profession or occupation, the right against exploitation, prohibiting all forms of forced labour, child labour and trafficking in human beings, the right to freedom of conscience, practice and propagation of religion and the right to legal remedies for enforcement of the above are basic human rights. These rights and freedoms are the very foundations of democracy.

Obviously, in a democracy, the people enjoy the maximum number of freedoms and rights. Besides these are political rights, which include the right to contest an election and vote freely for a candidate of one’s choice. Human rights are a benchmark of a developed and civilised society. But rights cannot exist in a vacuum. They have their corresponding duties. Rights and duties are the two aspects of the same coin.

Liberty never means license. Rights presuppose the rule of law, where everyone in the society follows a code of conduct and behaviour for the good of all. It is the sense of duty and tolerance that gives meaning to rights. Rights have their basis in the ‘live and let live’ principle. For example, my right to speech and expression involves my duty to allow others to enjoy the same freedom of speech and expression. Rights and duties are inextricably interlinked and interdependent. A perfect balance is to be maintained between the two. Whenever there is an imbalance, there is chaos.

A sense of tolerance, propriety and adjustment is a must to enjoy rights and freedom. Human life sans basic freedom and rights is meaningless. Freedom is the most precious possession without which life would become intolerable, a mere abject and slavish existence. In this context, Milton’s famous and oft-quoted lines from his Paradise Lost come to mind: “To reign is worth ambition though in hell/Better to reign in hell, than serve in heaven.”

However, liberty cannot survive without its corresponding obligations and duties. An individual is a part of society in which he enjoys certain rights and freedom only because of the fulfilment of certain duties and obligations towards others. Thus, freedom is based on mutual respect’s rights. A fine balance must be maintained between the two, or there will be anarchy and bloodshed. Therefore, human rights can best be preserved and protected in a society steeped in morality, discipline and social order.

Violation of human rights is most common in totalitarian and despotic states. In the theocratic states, there is much persecution, and violation in the name of religion and the minorities suffer the most. Even in democracies, there is widespread violation and infringement of human rights and freedom. The women, children and the weaker sections of society are victims of these transgressions and violence.

The U.N. Commission on Human Rights’ main concern is to protect and promote human rights and freedom in the world’s nations. In its various sessions held from time to time in Geneva, it adopts various measures to encourage worldwide observations of these basic human rights and freedom. It calls on its member states to furnish information regarding measures that comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whenever there is a complaint of a violation of these rights. In addition, it reviews human rights situations in various countries and initiates remedial measures when required.

The U.N. Commission was much concerned and dismayed at the apartheid being practised in South Africa till recently. The Secretary-General then declared, “The United Nations cannot tolerate apartheid. It is a legalised system of racial discrimination, violating the most basic human rights in South Africa. It contradicts the letter and spirit of the United Nations Charter. That is why over the last forty years, my predecessors and I have urged the Government of South Africa to dismantle it.”

Now, although apartheid is no longer practised in that country, other forms of apartheid are being blatantly practised worldwide. For example, sex apartheid is most rampant. Women are subject to abuse and exploitation. They are not treated equally and get less pay than their male counterparts for the same jobs. In employment, promotions, possession of property etc., they are most discriminated against. Similarly, the rights of children are not observed properly. They are forced to work hard in very dangerous situations, sexually assaulted and exploited, sold and bonded for labour.

The Commission found that religious persecution, torture, summary executions without judicial trials, intolerance, slavery-like practices, kidnapping, political disappearance, etc., are being practised even in the so-called advanced countries and societies. The continued acts of extreme violence, terrorism and extremism in various parts of the world like Pakistan, India, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Somalia, Algeria, Lebanon, Chile, China, and Myanmar, etc., by the governments, terrorists, religious fundamentalists, and mafia outfits, etc., is a matter of grave concern for the entire human race.

Violation of freedom and rights by terrorist groups backed by states is one of the most difficult problems society faces. For example, Pakistan has been openly collaborating with various terrorist groups, indulging in extreme violence in India and other countries. In this regard the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva adopted a significant resolution, which was co-sponsored by India, focusing on gross violation of human rights perpetrated by state-backed terrorist groups.

The resolution expressed its solidarity with the victims of terrorism and proposed that a U.N. Fund for victims of terrorism be established soon. The Indian delegation recalled that according to the Vienna Declaration, terrorism is nothing but the destruction of human rights. It shows total disregard for the lives of innocent men, women and children. The delegation further argued that terrorism cannot be treated as a mere crime because it is systematic and widespread in its killing of civilians.

Violation of human rights, whether by states, terrorists, separatist groups, armed fundamentalists or extremists, is condemnable. Regardless of the motivation, such acts should be condemned categorically in all forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomever they are committed, as acts of aggression aimed at destroying human rights, fundamental freedom and democracy. The Indian delegation also underlined concerns about the growing connection between terrorist groups and the consequent commission of serious crimes. These include rape, torture, arson, looting, murder, kidnappings, blasts, and extortion, etc.

Violation of human rights and freedom gives rise to alienation, dissatisfaction, frustration and acts of terrorism. Governments run by ambitious and self-seeking people often use repressive measures and find violence and terror an effective means of control. However, state terrorism, violence, and human freedom transgressions are very dangerous strategies. This has been the background of all revolutions in the world. Whenever there is systematic and widespread state persecution and violation of human rights, rebellion and revolution have taken place. The French, American, Russian and Chinese Revolutions are glowing examples of human history.

The first war of India’s Independence in 1857 resulted from long and systematic oppression of the Indian masses. The rapidly increasing discontent, frustration and alienation with British rule gave rise to strong national feelings and demand for political privileges and rights. Ultimately the Indian people, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, made the British leave India, setting the country free and independent.

Human rights and freedom ought to be preserved at all costs. Their curtailment degrades human life. The political needs of a country may reshape Human rights, but they should not be completely distorted. Tyranny, regimentation, etc., are inimical of humanity and should be resisted effectively and united. The sanctity of human values, freedom and rights must be preserved and protected. Human Rights Commissions should be established in all countries to take care of human freedom and rights. In cases of violation of human rights, affected individuals should be properly compensated, and it should be ensured that these do not take place in future.

These commissions can become effective instruments in percolating the sensitivity to human rights down to the lowest levels of governments and administrations. The formation of the National Human Rights Commission in October 1993 in India is commendable and should be followed by other countries.

Also Read: Law Courses in India

Human rights are of utmost importance to seek basic equality and human dignity. Human rights ensure that the basic needs of every human are met. They protect vulnerable groups from discrimination and abuse, allow people to stand up for themselves, and follow any religion without fear and give them the freedom to express their thoughts freely. In addition, they grant people access to basic education and equal work opportunities. Thus implementing these rights is crucial to ensure freedom, peace and safety.

Human Rights Day is annually celebrated on the 10th of December.

Human Rights Day is celebrated to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UNGA in 1948.

Some of the common Human Rights are the right to life and liberty, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom from slavery and torture and the right to work and education.

We hope our sample essays on Human Rights have given you some great ideas. For more information on such interesting blogs, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

Sonal is a creative, enthusiastic writer and editor who has worked extensively for the Study Abroad domain. She splits her time between shooting fun insta reels and learning new tools for content marketing. If she is missing from her desk, you can find her with a group of people cracking silly jokes or petting neighbourhood dogs.

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UN human rights body backs measures against Myanmar and investigations in Iran

FILE - Protesters run after police shot warning shots and used water cannon to disperse them during a protest in Mandalay, Myanmar on Feb. 9, 2021. The U.N.'s leading human rights body agreed Thursday, April 4, 2024, to measures aimed at putting pressure on Myanmar and Iran, whose governments have been accused of using violence against their own people. The Human Rights Council, made up of 47 member countries, backed by consensus a measure that calls on governments to avoid exporting or selling jet fuel to Myanmar if they believe its ruling military junta might use the fuel to violate human rights in the war-wracked southeast Asian country. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Soldiers stand to provide security near a road in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Feb. 1, 2021. The U.N.'s leading human rights body agreed Thursday, April 4, 2024, to measures aimed at putting pressure on Myanmar and Iran, whose governments have been accused of using violence against their own people. The Human Rights Council, made up of 47 member countries, backed by consensus a measure that calls on governments to avoid exporting or selling jet fuel to Myanmar if they believe its ruling military junta might use the fuel to violate human rights in the war-wracked southeast Asian country. (AP Photo, File)

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GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.'s leading human rights body agreed Thursday to measures aimed at putting pressure on Myanmar and Iran, whose governments have been accused of using violence against their own people.

The Human Rights Council, made up of 47 member countries, backed by consensus a measure that calls on governments to avoid exporting or selling jet fuel to Myanmar if they believe its ruling military junta might use the fuel to violate human rights in the war-wracked southeast Asian country.

It also urged a halt to the illegal transfer of weapons, munitions and other military equipment to Myanmar.

An independent expert commissioned by the council warned last month that Myanmar’s military government is escalating violence against civilians as it faces more setbacks on the battlefield against pro-democracy and ethnic armed groups.

The military seized power more than three years ago from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi , triggering widespread nonviolent opposition that was met with deadly force. The repression gave birth to armed resistance and embroiled the country in a civil war.

Advocacy group Amnesty International has repeatedly called out shipments of fuel to Myanmar and in January pointed to shipping data that pointed to efforts to avoid sanctions in the aviation fuel supply chain. It said at least seven shipments of the fuel went to Myanmar last year, with direct links to a storage unit in Vietnam.

Vietnam, which currently holds one of the seats in the council, did not stand in the way of the council’s consensus.

“This is an important message from the U.N.’s main human rights body that business as usual is not acceptable when supplying jet fuel to those who use airstrikes to commit war crimes,” said Iniyan Ilango, Amnesty’s representative to the U.N. in Geneva.

He said it was “a good start” but the U.N. Security Council should impose a suspension of the direct and indirect shipments of aviation fuel to Myanmar, saying such a move would have an important impact on the ground because it would help prevent the military from continuing its airstrikes, “many of which have constituted war crimes.”

The council is wrapping up its first session of the year, which began on Feb. 26, with action on over 40 resolutions on issues as diverse as the rights of the child; the environment and human rights; genocide prevention; and rights situations in council like Sudan, Belarus and North Korea.

One resolution expected to come up in Friday’s session finale calls on countries to stop sending weapons to Israel amid its military campaign in Gaza that has led to the killings of nearly 33,000 Palestinians in response to the murderous attacks in Israel by armed militants on Oct. 7.

In other action, the council voted 24-8, with 15 abstentions, to adopt a resolution to extend by a year investigations of human rights in Iran by two separate teams — one led by a “special rapporteur” looking into the overall rights situation, and another by a “fact-finding mission” focusing on rights violations related to protests since September 2022.

Germany’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said the vote was “a clear signal” that the world community would keep up its scrutiny of rights violations in Iran: “Those responsible cannot rely on getting away scot-free. We are not leaving the courageous people in Iran in the lurch.”

Members of the mission told the council last month that Iran’s government was responsible for “physical violence” that led to the death of Mahsa Amini , a 22-year-old woman who died in a hospital after her arrest by the country’s morality police over allegedly not wearing her hijab to the liking of the authorities.

Amini’s death sparked huge protests and a months-long security crackdown killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained.

Also Thursday, the council voted to extend by a year separate investigations into the human rights situations in Ukraine, Syria and South Sudan.

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The Morning

Iran’s axis of resistance.

We examine what could push Iran and Israel toward a confrontation.

By David Leonhardt

Its members refer to it as the Axis of Resistance.

It is the network of Iran-backed groups across the Middle East dedicated to reducing U.S. influence in the region and ultimately eliminating the state of Israel. The network’s name is a play on former President George W. Bush’s 2002 claim that Iran, Iraq and North Korea made up an Axis of Evil.

The Axis of Resistance includes Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and other groups, and both its strategy and its tactics have long been radical. The official slogan of the Houthis — the Yemen-based group that has attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea — includes “death to America, death to Israel, a curse upon the Jews,” for example.

Nonetheless, the conflict between the Axis and its enemies had remained limited for years. Even though Iran funds and supports the Axis, other countries have often treated its member groups as distinct from Iran. Attacks by Hamas or Hezbollah usually did not lead to reprisals against Iran.

The events of the past few months threaten to change this dynamic. In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain why.

A murky distinction

The main turning point, of course, was Oct. 7. Hamas conducted the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel’s history and said it would repeat the attacks until Israel was destroyed. Israel has responded by vowing to destroy Hamas, and its war in Gaza has flattened neighborhoods and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. In solidarity with Hamas, Hezbollah has fired missiles into Israel, while the Houthis have disrupted global commerce .

Initially, Iran remained somewhat removed from the fighting. Although its leaders praised the Oct. 7 attack as a step toward the end of Israel, they privately said they did not help plan the attack — and U.S. officials agree they did not. All three countries took steps to avoid a wider war.

All have good reasons. Iran’s economy is weak, and its fundamentalist government worries about pro-democracy activism. A war could destabilize the country. Israel eventually hopes to sign a diplomatic agreement with Saudi Arabia, as it already has with Bahrain, Morocco and the U.A.E., which would reduce the long-term risks to Israel’s existence. A bloody war could make it harder for the Saudis to do so (much as the war in Gaza has put the Saudi talks on hold ). And President Biden very much wants to avoid a wider war.

Despite these factors, a basic reality may push Iran and Israel toward confrontation: The distinction between Iran and the Axis of Resistance has always been murky.

Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis could not exist as they do without the money and weapons they receive from Iran. Hezbollah is especially close with Iranian leaders. Iran, in short, makes possible an alliance that routinely attacks another country and calls for its demise.

This situation helps explain Israel’s bombing of an Iranian Embassy building in Syria on Monday, which killed several Iranian officials who helped oversee the relationship with the Axis of Resistance. The Oct. 7 attack left Israel feeling newly vulnerable, and it has become more aggressive in attacking Iranian officials ( This Times article catalogs other recent Israeli attacks.) Monday’s was the starkest: Countries rarely attack embassies, even those of their enemies.

Iran has promised to retaliate, and U.S. officials are concerned that Americans may be targeted as well as Israelis, as my colleague Eric Schmitt notes . Experts are also worried that an Axis group could go further than its Iranian sponsors prefer.

The Suleimani case

I want to emphasize that escalation isn’t the only possible outcome. Iran and Israel both still have the same incentives to avoid a full-scale war, and officials from both countries are carefully calibrating their actions, according to Julian Barnes, a Times reporter who covers intelligence.

Recent history offers an example of an audacious attack that didn’t lead to spiraling violence. In 2020, a U.S. drone killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, one of Iran’s most powerful officials, in Baghdad. The Trump administration said the assassination was punishment for Suleimani’s work with Axis of Resistance groups that had killed American troops in Iraq.

Afterward, many experts warned of a cycle of escalation. Instead, Iran retaliated in a limited way, and the U.S. did not respond. Today, though, the tensions between Iran and Israel are sharper than they have been in a long time.

More on the Middle East

Can Israel bomb an embassy? In The Times’s Interpreter newsletter, Amanda Taub examines the legality .

Israel’s military can hit with precision. But its strike on an aid convoy showed the difficulties of picking targets in war , experts say.

One of the aid workers’ brothers kept calling him after the strike. Finally, a stranger answered .

The White House invited Muslim community leaders to a dinner celebrating Ramadan. Many declined because of Biden’s position on Israel .

Biden privately said that Jill Biden, the first lady, had urged him to stop the war . The White House denied any difference between their positions.

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MORNING READS

Carefluencers : Some young people are supporting their older relatives — and making them TikTok stars .

Soccer: Muslim players once faced pressure to avoid fasting during Ramadan. Many teams now provide support for fasting .

Brand logo: Some runners are not happy with the Boston Marathon’s new medal design .

Social Q’s: “How can our friends choose a Realtor other than my husband ?”

Big purchase : Should you buy a second home? Read these tips to decide .

Lives Lived: Christopher Durang was a playwright who mixed high art with lowbrow jokes. He died at 75 .

College basketball: The L.S.U. star Angel Reese declared for the W.N.B.A. draft two days after Iowa eliminated her team in the Elite Eight.

N.F.L.: The Houston Texans acquired the star wide receiver Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills, a big swing for a young Houston team now expected to compete for a Super Bowl.

Sports gambling: Louisiana is banning prop bets on college athletes .

ARTS AND IDEAS

The seat of modernism: An exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, “Crafting Modernity,” explores modernism and domestic design in Latin America. It focuses on 1940 through 1980, a time of industrial expansion.

“I can’t recall the last time I coveted so many beautiful chairs,” Michael Kimmelman writes about the show . “The photographs give you some idea.”

More on culture

The Chicago Symphony orchestra announced a 28-year-old Finnish conductor as its next music director.

A 32-year-old from South Korea has become a rising star as a violin maker in Italy .

The Cut has put together an encyclopedia of celebrities who have launched beauty brands.

Beyoncé has been sending flowers to artists whose work she admires. See her signature bouquets .

Lizzo clarified that she was not leaving the music industry , days after a social media post saying, “I QUIT.”

Late night hosts joked about Trump’s call for a “ Christian Visibility Day .”

THE MORNING RECOMMENDS …

Make a midnight pasta with roasted garlic, anchovies, capers and red pepper.

Visit a hotel with a good pool .

Photograph the solar eclipse .

Choose the best tampon .

Here is today’s Spelling Bee . Yesterday’s pangram was puppylike .

And here are today’s Mini Crossword , Wordle , Sudoku and Connections .

Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David

Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox . Reach our team at [email protected] .

David Leonhardt runs The Morning , The Times’s flagship daily newsletter. Since joining The Times in 1999, he has been an economics columnist, opinion columnist, head of the Washington bureau and founding editor of the Upshot section, among other roles. More about David Leonhardt

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Students in Iran threatened with prosecution for graduation dance video

Al-Zahra University in Bushehr will pursue legal action, says its president, in a move labelled ‘absurd’ by human rights lawyers

A group of Iranian students have been threatened with prosecution after a video of them dancing after their graduation emerged on social media this week.

In the now viral video , a group of about 11 female students from Al-Zahra University in the coastal city of Bushehr, in south-west Iran, were seen dancing and riding a motorcycle.

The university’s president, Zahra Hajiani, told the Iranian Students news agency (ISNA) that the video had been made “without coordination and obtaining permission from the university” and was an “illegal activity”.

She said the university would pursue legal action against the students. “This matter is under investigation by the university’s security. The student who produced this video has been identified and is supposed to be accountable for this action along with his father tomorrow.”

Human rights lawyers said the university was likely to have made the legal threat under pressure from authorities in Iran.

“There’s no specific law banning them from dancing or riding motorcycles. This is an attempt to break the strong student movement in Iran, which showed during Woman, Life, Freedom protests that it’s stronger than ever,” said the Canada-based Iranian human rights lawyer Hossein Raeesi.

“The kids are simply celebrating their achievements and any legal threat is absurd,” he added, saying the “vagueness” of laws was used by authorities to prosecute individuals for “indecency”.

Over the past decade, several cases have been reported by human rights groups on detentions of women dancing in public. Two women were arrested in March for dancing in Tehran’s Tajrish Square dressed in outfits depicting fictional Iranian folklore characters. State media said the arrests were for “committing acts of norm-breaking”.

Speaking to the Guardian this week, one Iran-based student said: “This video shows that all the suspensions and banning has done nothing in discouraging us from celebrating our achievements with music and dance. We continue to defy their rules. University presidents are just mouthpieces of the Islamic Republic. There’s nothing illegal in celebrating, nor is protesting illegal.”

However, the threats by Hajiani have reignited calls to support students facing ongoing repression by the Iranian security forces.

In days after the death of Mahsa Amini – a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in hospital in Tehran in September 2022 after being detained by police for allegedly breaking the country’s strict dress code – protests were held across the country, led by young women, especially schoolgirls and university students .

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“The chancellor’s threat to take legal action against these courageous young women for simply celebrating their graduation highlights the oppressive reality faced by women and girls throughout Iran,” said Jasmin Ramsey, the deputy director of the Center of Human Rights in Iran.

“By fearlessly expressing themselves through dance and riding motorcycles in public, they directly challenged the repressive diktats imposed by the state on women’s behaviour.

“This viral video stands as an indomitable testament to the unwavering resilience of Iranian women, particularly the younger generation. From every corner of the nation, women are steadfastly asserting their right to dress and act as they see fit, boldly rejecting any attempt to curtail their freedom.”

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Rights of Women in Iran

Iran severely restricts women’s rights from what clothes they wear to the jobs they hold, to being restricted from watching sports in a stadium. Despite the strides prompted by the revolution in 1979 many kinds of gender equality is still foreign to Iran. Iran is one of the few countries with laws and treatment toward women are directly against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Many of the articles of the UDHR show how awful the conditions are for women in Iran. Since 1979, more and more women have joined the fight for their rights but sadly Iran still remains a country restricting basic human rights. In spite of the progress of women getting equal rights, there remain countries where women do not have any rights at all and right now, there is not a single country where a woman can feel absolutely safe. Iran as a whole regulates the freedom and rights of women and it is really less of regulating but more of restricting. Iran’s laws represent the worst kind of discrimination against women and a society of misogyny.

The problem is so much more than sexism but misogyny and gender discrimination and its hidden behind their excuse of religious beliefs. Social exclusion, discrimination based on gender, and misogyny is hardly a new thing and stretches back thousands of years. The idea that men are superior to women and it being put into action is a tale as old as time and is the world’s oldest prejudice. In the ancient cultures of the world, the ones where women were leaders and had the same equality as men thrived. In Egypt, Hatshepsut was a female king of Egypt who achieved groundbreaking power for a woman, she ended up earning the full titles and regalia of a pharaoh. Hatshepsut based her foreign policy on something other than war, trade which led to her reign being peaceful.

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Cleopatra was a linguist and a fleet commander who completely reformed the system in Alexandria and Egypt at large with the support of her Greek and Egyptian subjects. There are so many more strong women in history that prevailed in life. However, misogyny is prevalent in the ancient writings of Greece and shows how much hatred has been in the world against women for the longest time. In classic Greek and Roman writings, misogynists are dime a dozen. Aristotle did not deem women as equalsto men in facy he saw them as incomplete and deformed males. In his writings, particularly his Timaeus and Laws dialogue, Plato continously creates inferior women characters against superior male characters. In ancient Rome, husbands preferred their wives pretty and ignorant and intelligent women had to be careful because if men would take offense at a woman being more intelligent than him. Jumping forward quite some time, Native American tribes were an example of an equal society that is until they were invaded. In the beginning, Native Americans lived in a communal society with a hunter-gatherer system. However, cultural exchange altered the equal-gender lifestyle.

Hunter-gatherer societies would split equal roles amongst men and women, shared responsibility. The times then changed as the expectations of society dictated gender roles, that husbands work while wives stay home. The point of this research is to discuss the inequality in Iran, how much it is ruining the lives of the women there and what needs to be done about it. Iran’s misogynistic and patriarchal culture and the system runs on women having no rights. Any women brave enough to step up and say something, to fight back is imprisoned, tortured, or killed. The law there is not fair and was designed to work for men and against women. The men there who have every opportunity because the system ensures they are on top do nothing against this injustice. Every human being deserves basic rights, something some countries don’t give to their women because they see them as less. There is a United Nations declaration covering what are human rights, many of which are the opposite of what Iranian women are given. Education on women’s rights and why they need to be fought for is something that shouldn’t be necessary but sadly is. There is a universal declaration of all human rights that was adopted shortly after WWII ended by the UN General Assembly.

Articles one through three declare that ‘all humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights, everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status and everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.’ (Universal Declaration of All Human Rights, United Nations) All humans are born free and equal in dignity means that every person has the right to equality in every form. ‘Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status’ (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations) meaning every human being is entitled to all the rights and freedoms without their race, colour, sex, language, religion, political affiliation, national or social origin, and any other status affecting those rights and freedoms.

‘Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person’ (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations) meaning the right to personal freedom, people cannot be detained without good reason. Of course, none of these rights apply to the brave women in Iran. According to the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, a wife’s failure to comply with the lawful wishes of her husband constitutes nushuz, or disobedience, which means she may lose her rights. They have no liberty and security of person, they will be sentenced to prison for not wearing a hijab. In Iran, women have barely any forms of equality and their only freedoms have to be granted by the male of their household. Article four of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares ‘no one should be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all forms.’ (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations) This does not just prohibit slavery but also servitude in all of its forms.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was put together shortly after Hitler’s reign of terror ended: the servitude part of this article was in response to part of Nazi slave labor policy. Robert Conot reports that ‘a miniature white-slave trade was, in fact, being conducted by officials and Wehrmacht officers returning from the East.’ Nazis would give away attractive and Nordic-looking girls as presents to friends. Rene Cassin, who was a big part in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and earned the Noble Peace Prize for it, explained that he used the term servitude to cover the trading of women, children, and prisoners of war. Article five declares that ‘no one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment.’ (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations) Iranian women are held in servitude to whoever the man of their house is and to all men as in society as they are believed to be lower than them.

In Iran, there is a law called ‘Bad Hijab’ which means that if any part of the body other than the hands and the face is exposed is punishable by up to 70 lashes or 60 days imprisonment. Women are put in prison for simply speaking out about equality.Article six declares that ‘everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.’ (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations) What it is saying is that every person had the right to be treated as a person in the eyes of the law. The law in Iran does not give women the consideration as a person that they deserve. To be held criminally responsible, a girl has to be nine years of age and a boy fifteen years of age. Honor killings are legal in Iran, an honor killing is a murder by a family to one of their family members when they have shamed the family in anyway. Though honor killings happen to males and females, they happen much more frequently to women usually by their male family friends. Iran has a compulsory hijab law which greatly controls its citizens since the punishment for women not wearing them are dire.

In 1985, it became mandatory for women to wear the hijab with a law that forced all women in Iran, regardless of their religious beliefs, to dress in accordance with Islamic teachings. This allowed Iran to implement and maintain the government’s religion into Iran and its citizens. Article nine declares that ‘No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.’ (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations) Once again, this does not apply in Iran as the women there are imprisoned simply for mentioning equality and women having the same rights that men do. Article twelve declares ‘No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.’ (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations) Women in Iran are considered less than men simply because they are women. They have no protection; if they are considered to have shamed their family, it is legal for their family to give them an honor killing.

Article thirteen declares ‘(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.’ (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations) Iranian women have to have permission to leave by a male relative and their lives are dictated by them. In 2015, a female athlete was not able to travel to a tournament because her husband refused to sign papers renewing her passport and thus did not allow her to play in the Asian Cup. Article nineteen declares ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.’ (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations)

Women in Iran do not have the freedom to express anything. In February 2018, 29 Iranian women were arrested for protesting hijab laws. Women have proved themselves throughout history and deserve the same rights as men. Iran’s society is horribly angled against women; women are not allowed to choose what to wear. The government decides women’s clothes and attempts to protest result in being arrested, beaten, tortured and imprisoned. As a woman, the law considers you half of a person. Women can’t marry, have a surgery, go abroad, unless a man who is considered your owner somehow, allows it. This person can also stop you from studying and working anytime they like. Women don’t have a right to get a divorce or get the custody of any children. They are barred from certain major and sports and sports stadiums. They are banned from singing and dancing freely, any kind of expression really. These are real laws for women in Iran. Women have to wear certain cloth outdoors. Two women’s testimony equals one man’s testimony. A woman inherits half a share of a man. Only a father or a husband or a male relative can allow women marriage, surgery and getting a passport. Iranian women are standing up and fighting for equal rights and liberty but cannot do it alone.

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Lucinda reports on the southern part of Latin America from Montevideo, Uruguay. Her beat includes Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru & Uruguay. She was previously a correspondent for the Financial Times in Buenos Aires and has experience chasing down some of the region’s more colorful political characters, securing interviews with several former and current Presidents. She was also based in Brazil and Venezuela as a freelance journalist. Before moving to Latin America in 2017, Lucinda worked from the Financial Times' London office, forming part of their premium Emerging Markets service.

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Live coverage: sirens and blasts over israel after iran launches retaliatory drone attack.

Iran launched dozens of drones at Israel on Saturday, Israel's military said. Iran has vowed retaliation for what it called an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate earlier this month. Israel neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack.

The Sydney police officer who shot dead a man after he killed six people in a stabbing attack at one of the city's busiest shopping malls on Saturday has been identified as Inspector Amy Scott.

Jordan's air force intercepted and shot down dozens of Iranian drones that violated its airspace and were heading to Israel, two regional security sources said.