“Re:Vision” was the motto at MSC this year – and new visions were plentiful!

One of my personal highlights this time was a panel on the situation in Iran: For the first time, representatives of the regime were not invited to the MSC, but dissidents from the diaspora were. I discussed “Women, Life, Freedom: Revolution in Iran?” with journalist Masih Alinejad and human rights activist Nazanin Boniadi, among others, who presented their visions for a new start in Iran. The protests and the work of activists outside Iran have made people all over the world realise how ruthless the regime is, terrorising its own people and an entire region. The challenge now is to explore what the alternative might be. That is why it is so encouraging that a diverse group of Iranians wants to help define this alternative more in detail.

The movement that took off in Iran after the death of Jina Mahsa Amini is largely carried by women who are very vocal about their demands. Solidarity with these women is important –and we must have visions for this. At a women’s network meeting organised by “Women 100” and the “Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy”, our Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock gave a speech. She underlined that “women’s rights are human rights” and: “The whole purpose of being a Foreign Minister is defending Human Rights.”