On 18 June 1983, under the cover of darkness, ten Baháʼí women were taken to a square in Shiraz, Iran. After enduring months of imprisonment and torture, they were executed without their families’ knowledge. One was only 17 years old; most were in their twenties.

Their only crime was their belief in a faith that champions principles such as gender equality, justice, and truthfulness, values that were, and remain, denied and criminalized by the Iranian authorities. The women were hanged one by one, each forced to witness the execution of the next in a cruel attempt to compel them to renounce their faith. Not one of them yielded.

Yet their story did not end that night.

Their sacrifice became part of a much larger story: the ongoing struggle of Iranian women for equality, dignity, and justice. In the four decades that followed, hundreds of Baháʼí women continued to face persecution, targeted both for their faith and for their identity as women. Many were imprisoned, tortured, or executed. Those serving in positions of influence were dismissed from their jobs, arrested, or killed. Others were denied access to higher education, barred from public employment, and excluded from many aspects of social and civic life.

Today, in the courage, determination, and sacrifices of countless young women across Iran who continue to stand for equality, we see the enduring legacy of the Ten Women of Shiraz. Their spirit lives on in those who choose, despite immense personal cost, to uphold the principles of justice and equality. Like the women who came before them, many continue to endure persecution and hardship while working toward a more prosperous, inclusive, and just Iran.

As we commemorate the anniversary of the Ten Women of Shiraz, we also honor the countless women whose sacrifices have helped shape a better future for Iran. Their stories remind us that our struggles are interconnected, our hopes are shared, and that through solidarity and unity, we can continue the pursuit of justice and equality for all.