Fifteen female foreign ministers from across the globe will meet on Thursday to discuss the urgency of women’s rights in Iran, following protests that were sparked after the killing of Mahsa Amini.
The virtual meeting has been spearheaded by Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, with foreign ministers from Germany, Chile, New Zealamd, Norway among those expected to be on the call.
Joly said the officials will hear from women of Iranian heritage and discuss the grave state of women’s rights in Iran, in the midst of unrest and ongoing protests against the Iranian regime.
It will provide the ministers with the opportunity to coordinate their efforts and engage on ways to increase their collective supports for people in Iran.
“This week, my counterparts and I will gather to send a clear message: the Iranian regime must end all forms of violence and persecution against the Iranian people, including their brutal aggressions against women in particular,” Joly said in a statment.
“Canada will continue to stand by the courageous Iranians who are fighting for their human rights and standing up for their mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. Women’s rights are human rights.”
Other countries expected to take part in the virtual meeting include: Albania, Andorra, Central African Republic, Chile, Iceland, Kosovo, Libya, Liechtenstein, Mongolia and Panama, according to a report from Reuters.
The meeting about women’s rights in Iran comes as weeks of protests continue following the death of 22-year-old Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s morality police. She died on September 16th. The protests have evolved into the most widespread challenge to the nation’s authority in a number of years.
The meeting also comes as Canada announced additional sanctions against the Iranian regime, specifically on a further six individuals and four entities. The measures prohibit dealings with the listed individuals and entities, effectively freezing any assets they hold in Canada.
“Over the past few weeks, we’ve witnessed the courage of Iranian women, youth and citizens from all walks of life as they risked their lives to demand their human rights,” Joly said, upon announcing the sanctions.
“Canada will continue to support them by using all tools at our disposal to respond to the Iranian regime’s violations of human rights and its threats to regional peace and security.”