By Phyllis Chesler

For Iranian Women at the UN Church Center

There I was, on 3/22, together with human rights activist Mandy Sanghera, author and Renaissance woman, Antonia Felix, and moderator Lynn Dystra, the photographer. I gave a speech which I dedicated to human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who defended the Iranian women who removed their hijab for which she was jailed and sentenced to 148 lashes and, if she survives, to 38 years in jail. The panel was organized by the Women’s Freedom Forum and the room was occupied by many of the women who had met and heard Mandy speak earlier that week at various UN forums. The women and men in the audience hailed from all over the world and I only wish we had hours to listen to their stories. Maybe next time, maybe in another, better world.