ARAM launched its SFI initiative in 2020 following the brutal killing of the 14-year-old Romina Ashrafi allegedly at the hands of her father. SFI is managed by a group of dedicated volunteers and consultants. SFI seeks to combat the phenomenon of femicide in Iran and honor the victims, thereby adopting a three-prong approach to accomplish this mission:
DOCUMENTATION: SFI monitors and records suspected cases of femicides based on publicly available information to identify patterns, conduct advocacy, and name the many victims who die nameless.
EDUCATION: SFI provides human rights activists and the wider society in Iran and abroad with detailed information about the phenomenon of femicide, its root causes, and methods to prevent and respond to it.
EMPOWERMENT: SFI enhances the capacity and competencies of grassroots civil society actors to advocate for the rights of women who are affected by femicide through cultural, religious, psychosocial, and legal tools and create new pathways for social and behavioral change.
Born and raised in Iran, Marjan Keypour is a human rights activist and advocate for women and minorities. She is the Founder and Director of the Alliance for Rights of All Minorities (ARAM), an international network of activists which promotes equal rights for all citizens in Iran; and StopFemicideIran, an advocacy initiative which monitors and documents acts of femicide and memorializes their victims.
Marjan is a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute (MEI) and serves on the advisory board of the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) as well as Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL)Task Force on Middle East Minorities. Marjan regularly appears as a guest speaker before international audiences. Her writings and opinions have been published by numerous outlets including Ms. Magazine, National Interest, NBC News, Fox News, and Newsweek, among others.
Zahra Azizi is a human rights activist and ARAM’s Research Associate. Born and raised in Iran, Zahra holds an undergraduate degree in English Translations from Azad University and a Master’s degree in Linguistics from Ferdowsi University in Iran. She has completed coursework toward her doctorate program before interrupting her studies to flee the country. She has since dedicated her life to advocacy for under-priviledged populations, including children with disabilities and autism.
At ARAM, she assists in researching and publicizing human rights violations affecting women and minorities.
Languages: Persian, English, German
Ralph Geissen is a Dutch investigative journalist and the founder of NoHonor.org. He is a passionate advocate for human rights and justice, working tirelessly alongside victims of honor killings to fight against corrupt authorities who often fail to bring perpetrators to justice. In recognition of his important work, Ralph was nominated for the Front Line Defenders Award in 2022.
As Webmaster for StopFemicideIran, Ralph plays a crucial role in ensuring that the latest information and resources are readily available to those who need them most.
Languages: Dutch, English
