Supporting Persian-Speaking Women as Protests Continue

Since last week, presenters on our channel for Persian speakers, SAT-7 PARS, have focused on events in the country by offering God’s hope and encouragement to viewers via satellite and digital platforms.

All SAT-7 PARS live programs, especially New Identity and Insiders, have responded to the ongoing protests that were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. Presenters expressed their deep sorrow, and shared messages of hope and solidarity for women’s rights, while also speaking God’s Word into the situation and committing the people of Iran into the Lord’s hands in prayer.

Rashin Soodmand on the set of New Identity, sharing her testimony

New Identity focused on “revival of the broken-hearted” addressing the trauma that people, especially women, in Iran are going through in these days and what the Word of God says about this. Rashin Soodmand was the guest on the program, because as a daughter of a Christian martyr she experienced trauma at a young age and was able to share her experience.

“Throughout history, achieving freedom has always come at a cost,” said Sally Momtazi, Presenter of Insiders, which this week covered the subject of the mandatory hijab and the resistance of women in Iran with two experts, a psychologist and a sociologist. “Our hope is that the Lord is with each one of us on this journey so that everyone can have the right to choose. This is the most basic of rights that a person can have.”

“Restrictions of the rights and freedoms of women characterize many countries across this region, and that is why restricting the internet is particularly devastating for women,” said Ms. Rita El-Mounayer, SAT-7 CEO. “SAT-7 PARS is a space where women have had a voice and found a platform to discuss taboo topics and to work for positive change in their country in safety. Restricting internet access not only shuts down their voices and their ability to connect with the world, but it also prevents them from receiving the much-needed encouragement and prayer that they so sorely need today. This is why broadcasting our live programs on satellite television continues to be vital in showing God’s love in this region.”

The need to minister to women and girls across the MENA remains great. SAT-7’s programming on satellite television and its digital media activities for women across the region aim to achieve three things in particular: to help women and girls recognize their individual value in God’s eyes and give them a platform to make their voices heard, to strengthen their families and communities, and to equip them to challenge negative social attitudes and effect positive change.

Surveys of female viewers of our Arabic, Turkish, and Persian-language channels conducted in late 2021 indicated that SAT-7 is indeed achieving these goals.

Please pray for the women of Iran and the women across the region.