The fact Iran is on the UN Woman’s Rights Commission ought to tell you everything that is wrong with the world at the moment.
In March this year, The Islamic Republic of Iran began its four year term as a member nation on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Woman.
The UNCSW states that they are “the principle global intergovernmental body dedicated to promoting gender equality and woman’s empowerment”.
After being elected by a secret ballot last year it joins 45 other commission states that will according to the UN “play an instrumental role in promoting woman’s rights”.
Part of this project involved documenting the reality of woman’s lives throughout the world and hearing global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of woman.
The Iranian regime which has restricted woman’s rights for decades is now a member of a global promoter of woman’s rights; that alone is pretty terrible and then you read about the death of Mahsa Amini.
Her death rightly shocked the world.
Just last month, Amini a Kurdish woman died in police custody after being arrested under the countries strict laws about wearing a hijab.
This has sparked protests all over the Persian nation against the countries strict morality laws where woman have taken off their rosaries which are more commonly known in the west as hijabs.
The nation has been in a state of unrest.
The Iranian Security forces have dealt with protestors harshly some of them are as young as 8 with Amnesty International reporting at least 23 children dead within a 10 day span during the protests , but they also say the real number is likely higher.
To understand the nation of Iran today you have to go back to 1979 when the Islamic Republic overthrew the monarchy and instituted Islamic rule over all facets of Iranian life.
With that came “the morality police” a group meant to make sure woman are dressed modestly, which also saw the death of freedom and woman’s rights in Iran.
But despite all this
Iran still sits on the UN Woman’s commission despite no country calling for their removal.
Countries such leader’s such as President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese although have been vocal have stopped short of calling for their removal from the Commission.
That ought to tell you everything about what is currently wrong with the world.
Politicians will holler and talk and tough for some good sound bites they can show on the news but will stop short on any meaningful action in other words costless advocacy.
Results have a cost
However that is not the message of Christianity nothing meaningful comes unless there is a cost.
Politicians will talk a big game but will stop short of any action that will cost them.
The people who elect them are often the same.
They will talk the loudest on social media, call out bad behaviour but will always stop short of any meaningful action.
Iran is a long list of many examples of nations that need to change by the power of the gospel.
One of the most liberating movements you will ever see is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus met with woman who victims of oppressive regimes at the time and said “I do not condemn you” (John 8:11), now go and sin no more.
That Gospel message must be so free in our own lives that it has the power to impact places like Iran.
Ben Kruzins is the Campus Pastor of The Hub Baptist Church in Ocean Shores on the North Coast of New South Wales. He is also a Journalism graduate who has written articles in The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald.