At the Omid Foundation, we work with women who refuse to be defined by oppression. Across Iran and Afghanistan, women are standing up against injustice, reclaiming their voices, and fighting for their rights—even when doing so comes at great personal risk. Their resilience is a powerful reminder that hope is not just an emotion; it is an act of defiance.
The Reality of Oppression
Women in Iran and Afghanistan face extreme restrictions on their lives. In Afghanistan, the Taliban has erased women from public life, banning them from education, work, and even public spaces like parks and gyms. In Iran, women are forced to comply with strict dress codes and laws that limit their freedom, and those who resist face arrest, violence, and imprisonment.
The goal of such oppression is clear: to silence women, to strip them of their autonomy, and to make them invisible. But instead of submitting, women continue to resist in every way they can.
Acts of Defiance: Resistance in Action
1. Fighting for Education
One of the most powerful forms of resistance is education. The Taliban’s ban on girls’ schools was meant to keep women uneducated and powerless. Instead, Afghan women and girls have turned to underground schools, online learning, and secret study groups. They risk their safety to keep learning because they know that knowledge is power.
At the Omid Foundation, we support this fight by offering online courses in English, computer skills, and other subjects, helping women gain the tools they need to secure a better future—even in the face of extreme restrictions.
2. Protests & Speaking Out
The “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement in Iran has shown the world that Iranian women will not be silenced. Since the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, women have removed their hijabs in defiance of the government’s oppressive laws. Despite brutal crackdowns, arrests, and even killings, they continue to march, write, and speak out against the injustices they face.
Afghan women, too, have taken to the streets, demanding their right to work, study, and live freely. Even when the Taliban disperses protests with violence, their message remains clear: they will not disappear.
3. Economic Resistance: Gaining Financial Independence
Oppression thrives on dependency. By keeping women financially reliant on male relatives, oppressive systems maintain control. But many women are finding ways to earn money despite restrictions—through online businesses, freelancing, and remote work.
By teaching skills like English and digital literacy, Omid Foundation helps women gain financial independence. Every woman who learns to support herself weakens the structures that seek to control her.
Hope as an Act of Resistance
Oppression thrives on fear, but hope is stronger. Every woman who refuses to give up, who learns despite the bans, who speaks despite the threats, is an act of resistance.
At Omid Foundation, we believe in these women. We support their fight. And we stand with them, knowing that their hope will one day lead to freedom.
