As we reflect on recent Mothers’ Day celebrations with our loved ones, we must also pause to honor the strength and resilience of mothers who struggle without the benefits and freedoms we enjoy. They fight for their kids every day, in spite of oppressive regimes that marginalize them while restricting basic human rights.
Having grown up in Iran, let me tell you what I know of those struggles. During the past two years, Iranian mothers have lost young children in the Woman, Life, Freedom movement — children like Kian Pirfalak, Nika Shakarami and Sarina Esmaeilzadeh.
Many, like Majidreza Rahnavard, and Mohammad Hosseini, were executed without a fair trial. Other mothers’ sons await execution on death row; rapper and songwriter Toomaj Salehi’s crime was using art to be the voice of those who have no voice.
Mothers like Minoo Majidi sacrificed their own lives to ensure a better future for their daughters and all women.
The struggles faced by mothers extend beyond Iran. In conflict-ridden regions like Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine, and elsewhere, mothers make agonizingly brave choices every day. The war in Israel and Palestine painfully reminds us of the vulnerability of mothers and children in conflict zones. As bombs fall and supplies dwindle, mothers grapple with the unimaginable.
Thus, as you reflect on your own Mothers’ Day celebrations, cherish all of the remarkable women who carry the essence of motherhood in their hearts. Draw inspiration from the incredible resilience, unwavering strength, and determination of mothers around the world who struggle under formidable oppression, conflict and poverty. Stand in solidarity with them as they tirelessly strive for a brighter future for their children. Together, let’s build a world where every mother and child can thrive in peace and dignity.
Maryam Radpour, Sandy