Bahá’ís call for a just and sustainable future
A member of the Bahá’í community told the Oslo conference "Governing in Transition and Safeguarding Citizens’ Rights", held on 31 August 2024 by Iran Human Rights, that freedom of thought, expression and belief must be guaranteed. “Every individual has the right to express their convictions, provided that this does not infringe the rights of others,” she said.
Dr Parvaneh Andacheh, a physician and Bahá’í representative, underlined the centrality of justice, equality and human dignity in Iran’s future, declaring: “Each of us has a responsibility to play our part in change and in saving the country.” Citing Bahá’í teachings, she stressed the equality of all human beings regardless of race, religion or gender. “The equality of men and women is a fundamental principle that must begin in the family,” she said, adding that if a family can educate only one child, priority is given to the daughter, since women are the pillars of raising future generations.
Justice, she argued, is the foundation of any peaceful society—yet in Iran today it is absent. Bahá’ís are denied equal access to education, employment and participation; many of their lawyers have been forced into exile. Their businesses have been repeatedly shut down, their farms confiscated and, in some cases, even the burial of their dead delayed for days.
She reminded the audience that the Bahá’í community has for over a century practised collective consultation and the election of local representatives—an experience, she suggested, that could inspire Iranian society as a whole. Education and the right to work, she insisted, are vital: “For forty years, Bahá’í youth have been barred from higher education simply for their honesty and identity.” Excluded from most public-sector jobs, Bahá’ís live under constant structural pressure.
Andacheh also highlighted civic responsibilities: Bahá’ís are taught to obey the laws of their country of residence, unless those laws compel them to violate moral principles. Truthfulness and non-violence, she said, are the ethical pillars of Bahá’í life, alongside the duty of civic participation for the common good.
She underlined the principle of unity in diversity: “A society’s strength lies in its ability to harmonise differences and diverse viewpoints.” In Iran’s future, she argued, the state must serve the people, guarantee justice and create conditions for the flourishing of every citizen’s talents.
The Bahá’í vision for Iran, she concluded, is one where wealth is produced and distributed fairly, economic policy serves public welfare, and sustainable development and environmental stewardship are prioritised. She ended by reading a message from the Bahá’í World Centre to the people of Iran, emphasising solidarity and hope in difficult times: “Our story is one; our pain is shared—and as you know, it cannot be healed in isolation.”
Translated from Farsi via machine translation and lightly edited for clarity.