International Women’s Day, rooted in the struggles of working women at the beginning of the twentieth century, has from the outset been linked to the fight against exploitation, oppression and war. This day commemorates the strikes and struggles of women who, in factories and workshops, fought for equal wages, humane working conditions and the right to participate in social and political life. The socialist and labour movement later transformed this day into a symbol of women’s global struggle against the unequal capitalist order – a system built on the exploitation of labour, gender discrimination and structural violence.
Today, as the Middle East once again burns in destructive wars, the meaning of this day becomes even more evident. War is not only the destruction of cities and infrastructure; it is also a direct assault on social life and on the processes of social reproduction – the sphere of life in which women play a decisive role. The destruction of economic infrastructure, the expansion of poverty, displacement and militarisation strike first and foremost at the lives of women and children.
In Iran, women have in recent years stood at the forefront of the struggle against authoritarianism and discrimination. Social uprisings, particularly the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, demonstrated that women’s struggle is not merely a fight for individual rights but part of a broader struggle against oppressive political and economic structures. Women’s presence in the streets, universities and workplaces has shown that they have become one of the decisive forces in the protest movements of society.
However, under current conditions this struggle faces new threats. On the one hand, war and imperialist rivalries are pushing the region toward greater instability and destruction. On the other hand, right-wing and neo-fascist forces seek to exploit these crises in order to divert social movements into reactionary directions. Historical experience has shown that in times of crisis and war, the first achievements to come under attack are women’s rights and social freedoms.
For this reason, women’s struggle today is not only a struggle against gender discrimination; it is part of a broader struggle against war, authoritarianism and the capitalist order that reproduces these crises. Resistance to imperialist wars, to extreme nationalism and to reactionary right-wing forces is an inseparable part of women’s struggle for freedom and equality.
Under such conditions, strengthening the links between women’s struggles and the broader social and labour movements becomes vitally important. Women are not only victims of war and crisis; they can and must also become one of the central forces in building social movements against war and oppression. Organisation in workplaces and communities, the creation of networks of solidarity, and linking women’s struggles with the broader struggle against militarism and exploitation can become a path to confronting the rising tide of reaction and war.
International Women’s Day reminds us that women’s struggle has always been part of the broader struggle for social emancipation. Today as well, the future of freedom and equality in the region and in the world is inseparable from the expansion of solidarity among women, workers and social forces against war, authoritarianism and capitalism.
Long live the struggle of women for freedom and equality
No to war and militarism
Long live March 8 – the day of working women
8 March 2026
Internationalist Workers’ Organization
