Sonia Hornery, Member of Parliament from Australia
Remarks at IWD conference on “Women Force for Change, Iran Uprising and Women’s Role”
Paris – February 17, 2018
A big Australian good day to Madam Rajavi and all my sisters and brothers, here today.
It’s wonderful to be standing here on a stage surrounded by women. That’s very heartening and I love it.
For several decades, a struggle for women’s rights has been ongoing. And when much has been achieved, especially in our Western democracies –although there is much to be done– it’s heartening of course that in Australia, we were one of the first countries in the world –after our New Zealand counterparts– to have women achieve the vote.
Isn’t it wonderful that recently in New Zealand we have a wonderful new female Prime Minister?
It’s always heartening also to see that I’m surrounded by women who have leaders in great democracies, who are democratically elected leaders who are women, just like we want to see, and we know that we’ll see, our dear Madam Rajavi elected, too.
But when it comes to Iran sisters since 1979, their progress has been reversed. In fact, today, Iranian women don’t have the same freedoms that our Western democracies share. Why is it then that in Iran, women’s testimony is only half that of men? Why?
Why is it that women can’t choose in Iran what they choose to wear and what they want to wear?
But I know that our Iran sisters are strong and brave, and I know that they will achieve much in a quest for democracy.
And it’s about our international countries, our Australian democracy and our Australian leadership, that we must help our counterparts in Iran to achieve democracy and to achieve equal rights for women.
And I want to acknowledge that you, Madam Rajavi, have done so much to provide equality and hope for women. We’ll celebrate this very soon for the rest of the world. I’m confident, of course, that our Iranian sisters, especially with the leadership of Madam Rajavi, can achieve equality for all women for International Women’s Day. Thank you.
