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, Elly van Wijk, Member of the Dutch Senate, was present and delivered a speech. The full text of her speech is provided below:
Elly van Wijk: Femicide Happens Not Because of Weakness, but Because of Women’s Strength, and Courage to Resist
Dear friends, it is truly overwhelming to be here, standing before you today. I have been listening for hours, just as we all have, and every single word has been absolutely on point. Thank you for the inspiration you have given me. That was not my speech; I only hope to add a few thoughts to the powerful inspiration you have already shared.
Thank you for inviting me to this important and impressive conference. It is a great honor to address you as one of the female speakers at this event marking International Women’s Day.
I am a woman, and I am proud to be a woman. My name is Ellie van Wijk, and I am a Member of the Dutch Parliament. But today, I speak not only on my own behalf. I speak on behalf of women whose voices have been taken from them. In my role as a Member of Parliament, I have several responsibilities, but one personal mission stands above the rest: combating femicide.
Femicide is a heavy word, because it represents a reality that is even heavier. It is not an abstract concept. Femicide has faces. It has names. It leaves families broken forever. Even here in Western Europe, where safety and equality are shared values, women still fall victim at the hands of their partners or others. Too often, I hear the name of a woman in the news who was murdered by the person with whom she shared her life. In those moments, I feel deep pain and helplessness.
Femicide is not a cultural tragedy; it is a global tragedy. In Western Europe, in Iran, and across the world, I see the same common thread. Women are not murdered because they are vulnerable, but often because of their strength, their freedom, their independence, their power, their courage to fight.
The future of Iran will be a free Iran. And as Mrs. Rajavi has said, the question is no longer whether the regime will fall, but when. History shows that dictatorships may appear invincible, until the day they collapse. In Iran, that day is approaching.
Elly van Wijk: Freedom of Expression and Human Dignity: A Right Iranian Women Are Fighting For
Iranian women played a central and courageous role in the January 2026 uprising, standing shoulder to shoulder with men and often leading the way. Young and old, mothers and daughters, from the age of 13 to 66 and beyond. Nurses and homemakers, students and engineers, women from every region and ethnic background took part. Some even brought their young children with them.
These women have faces. These women have names. These women have families forever changed. They dared to speak up. They were strong and chose not to remain silent. They will never be forgotten.
What we have in Western Europe is space, space to speak, space to mourn, space to demand justice, and space for our voices to be heard. This is precisely the kind of space that is often denied in Iran.
But space alone is not enough. We need awareness. We need education. We deserve safety. We deserve dignity. We deserve freedom. And above all, we deserve a society that refuses to see violence against women as incidental, inevitable, or acceptable. We need protection that truly protects us.
Today, I speak not only for myself. I speak for the women who have lost their voices, in Iran, in Western Europe, and across the world.
May our voices be loud enough to prevent more women from being silenced.
May we raise our voices so that their silence will not be in vain.
