Following is a brief speech made by Henryka Krzywonos, Member of the Polish Parliament, in a meeting in Paris on June 30, 2017, in solidarity with the women of the Iranian Resistance.
Ms. Krzywonos is renowned for her role in strikes and protests in Gdansk, Poland, in 1980.
A woman in every culture, in every faith, in every geographic location ought to be equal with a man. Every type of discrimination should be condemned by the world. This is us, women, irrespective of our race or political inclinations, who are the first ones to carry new life under our hearts. And we worry about our children, irrespective of their sex.
I heard that women in Iran are not allowed to ride bikes in public places or to enter stadiums. They are discriminated against when marrying and when divorcing. They are being humiliated, ridiculed, and pushed around. They are maimed, beaten and even killed.
Then I think: let’s unite, let’s help, let’s educate.
The problem is that often we do not know our rights and how to execute them. Following the example of the legendary “Solidarity”, there should be a Solidarity movement of women of the world.
As a woman and a mother of twelve, and as a signatory of the 1980 August Agreements, I appeal to all women across the globe: let’s stand together, let’s support each other. It is not important what color our skin is and what nations we come from. Only together we can win respect for human rights for the Iranian, Nigerian or Korean women, and also for the Polish, American or French women.
Nothing is given once and for all. Every day we need to be strong in our struggle for freedom and our rights.
As a Polish woman, who fought in Gdansk for this nation, I want to say this today: we, women, need to stand together, with men, and not against each other. We need to fight for our daughters’ and granddaughters’ rights and through this, for a good future for the entire humankind: without tears, without fear, without violence and without intolerance.
Let this message of the common struggle for women’s rights reach every home. Let it go beyond Paris: we stand together and we will not be silenced. Each harm caused to one of us, is a harm to all of us. Our sisters in Iran and other places where women are suffering should now hear that they are not alone. We, women across the world, are in solidary with them. When one woman screams, no one hears. But when millions of women scream, we assure you, no one will disregard this. Thank you very much.
I would like to say that “Solidarity” gave us democracy and it took us several decades to reach it. I think that if we strive for democracy in all of our countries, if we stand arm in arm, then we will reach it. It is really easy if we do it together.