On Saturday, February 21, 2026, on the eve of March 8, International Women’s Day, the NCRI Women’s Committee hosted an international conference in Paris entitled “Women’s Leadership: An Imperative for a Free Iran and a Democratic Republic.” The conference, attended by women legislators, academics, thinkers, and
prominent political figures, focused on women’s political participation and leadership as a decisive element in a democratic society.
At this conference, Judy Sgro, Member of the Canadian Parliament, was present and delivered a speech. The full text of her speech is provided below:
Judy Sgro: Those who appear at the finish line today, where were they for the past 47 years?
Good afternoon, my dear Madam Rajvi, friends, and colleagues, It is a great honor to be here again, but next time I hope it will be somewhere else. That is what we all want. As a Canadian parliamentarian who has been coming for many years, it is such an honor for me to be here with so many distinguished people.
When you feel alone, Madam Rajvi, when you feel alone, think about the thousands and thousands and thousands of people, not just women, who love you, respect you, and pray for you, for your strength to carry all of us across the finish line. The finish line is close, we can feel it. That is the reason people who had nothing to do with any of this suddenly want to be part of it.
It is not unusual. With success, there are usually other people who show up quickly and say, I was part of it. Well, where were they for 47 years? At some resort somewhere, enjoying their money or the Iranians’ money, and certainly not helping the resistance movement move forward for equality.
As we are here to acknowledge International Women’s Day, I must also recognize that the work you have done has benefited not only the Iranian people, but also women around the world. You have shown remarkable leadership globally. All of us in different countries, including Canada, have our own work to do to advance equality for women. However, in the last several years, you have done more to ensure women’s equality than many of us have done through our numerous efforts to advance women’s rights. Over the last couple of years, through the speeches you have given, you have done major work on this path. On behalf of all the women of our world, I thank you very much for that.
Recognizing the extraordinary courage of Iranian women, seeing the women on motorcycles carrying that flag almost brought me to tears as I sat there. The courage it took those women to do that is extraordinary. Are any of us capable of that? I cannot imagine it. We come here, we give you our support, we say the right words, you know where our hearts are, but who truly has that courage? It is Iranian women who continue to show the world who they are, very strong women, very powerful women.
That leadership came from the NCRI, the MEK, the PMOI women, and the many women who are part of your organization, who give up so much and work so hard with such commitment that it is remarkable, and we do not acknowledge it enough.
Through powerful and inclusive slogans that we continue to hear, such as freedom, down with the dictator, and down with Khamenei, the people of Iran have made something unmistakably clear. They reject all forms of dictatorship, no matter where it comes from or who it comes from, whether it is the Shah who suddenly appeared or the mullahs, and they demand the establishment of a democratic and secular republic.
Judy Sgro: Inspired by the Ashraf 3 women, women and youth continue to stand at the forefront
Women and young people stand at the forefront, as we have seen in the past. The bravery of the Ashraf 3 women has inspired the world, as you have, yet the cost has been devastating. Seeing all those photos of so many beautiful people who stood and fought for freedom and democracy in Iran must never be forgotten.
I saw a book yesterday that one of your wonderful colleagues shared with me, listing over 20,000 people who had lost their lives in the past. I am sure that by now many more have been added. The cost of those lives has been devastating. When we see young women together with their mothers and grandmothers fighting for the freedom of the Iranian people, we realize that we all must do more. We may think we have done a lot, and perhaps we have, but more needs to be done as we move forward.
When we think of the thousands of people, particularly on January 5th and 6th, who lost their lives, and the fact that Iran’s head of the judiciary ordered what he described as decisive and swift action against protesters, a directive widely interpreted as a call for mass arrests and executions, which we indeed witnessed, we understand that those actions are not the behavior of a government confident in its legitimacy. They are the actions of a regime that is afraid of its own people.
Today, we pay tribute to the courage and determination of the Iranian people, especially the women and youth, who despite grave risks continue to stand up. Democracy is something we enjoy every day and often take for granted because we do not feel it is threatened. I am no longer sure we should feel so safe. I believe democracy around the world is being threatened, and we must pay close attention to what we have. All of us who stand alongside Madam Rajvi and others who fight for human rights must remain vigilant to ensure that these values do not disappear.
Accountability means solidarity, and that is what we feel in this room today. We can and we must is a message that needs to be lifted higher because we have seen it. We have seen 47 years of work coming to a point where, with God’s help and our support, we will see democracy in Iran and the rights of the people realized.
Canada has taken important steps. At the end of 2024, we finally listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. It was long overdue, but we got it done, recognizing its central role in repression at home and destabilization abroad. I also welcome the European Union’s recent decision to formally designate the IRGC as a terrorist entity, an important and long overdue measure that aligns democratic partners.
Judy Sgro: There will no longer be silence in the face of systematic repression and violence against protesters
These actions send a clear message that systemic repression, regional aggression, and the brutalization of protesters will no longer be met with silence, but more must be done. I call on the United Kingdom and all remaining European partners to adopt a full terrorist designation and accompany it with decisive measures, including closing regime-linked diplomatic fronts, expelling its agents, and cutting off its financial lifelines.
Sustained and coordinated pressure is essential to ensure that those responsible for violence and repression face real consequences. We also recognize that the path forward must be rooted in a clear democratic vision.
The 10-point plan presented by opposition leader Maryam Rajavi, supported by thousands of parliamentarians around the world, outlines principles that resonate universally: free elections, gender equality, separation of religion and state, abolition of the death penalty, and respect for human rights. It is a constitution ready to go.
We strongly condemn the Iranian regime’s repression and its ongoing human rights abuses, and we call for the immediate release of all detainees. The aspirations of the Iranian people are legitimate, their demand for freedom is legitimate, and the right of Resistance Units, which have played a leading role in organizing protests, must be recognized as part of the broader struggle for democratic change.
A couple of recent developments should also be mentioned. On February 14th, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs announced new sanctions against seven individuals under Canada’s Special Economic Measures Regulations. These individuals are linked to Iranian state bodies responsible for intimidation, violence, and transnational repression.
Canada continues and will do more to address harassment, surveillance, and planned violence against dissidents in Europe and North America. We will work to end the use of proxy agents and criminal networks, and the repression of protesters inside Iran. To date, 222 individuals and 256 entities have been sanctioned. Regulations have been expanded to include gross and systemic human rights violations.
Canada is taking action to demonstrate its support and to do what it can as a government. I urge all governments to take these matters seriously, to move forward, and to help ensure that the Iranian people have the right to freedom and democracy.
Thank you all very much.
