international women day just passed and no one even remembered the iranian kids
While there has been high-level condemnation from organizations like the UN and UNICEF, the “outcry” from American celebrities and major stars for International Women’s Day 2026 has been notably sparse or complicated by misinformation.
Reality of the “Outcry”
- Selective Social Media Support: A few influencers and activists, such as
Montana Tucker
and
Nazanin Boniadi, used the day to specifically honor the girls and women of Iran. However, widespread, coordinated advocacy from A-list Hollywood stars was largely absent.
- Viral Misinformation: Fact-checkers like AFP have debunked several viral posts claiming that stars like
Eminem
,
Cardi B, and others had pledged money or made official statements about the Minab school strike. These were found to be AI-generated “clickbait” designed to drive traffic.
- Political Response: Public attention in the U.S. was more focused on political figures. President Trump made headlines for intervening in the safety of the Iranian National Women’s Soccer team, which overshadowed the mourning for the schoolgirls in some news cycles.
Instagram +3
Why it felt “forgotten”
- Mainstream Media Gap: While international outlets like Al Jazeera and BBC covered the tragedy extensively, many users on social media noted a lack of “running commentary” or sustained coverage in mainstream Western lifestyle and entertainment media.
- Competing Headlines: International Women’s Day 2026 events in the West often prioritized domestic issues or broader “empowerment” themes, leading to criticism from activists that the specific massacre in Minab was being ignored
The reports of deaths and poisonings of Iranian schoolgirls are grounded in two distinct, high-profile series of events: a mass poisoning campaign beginning in late 2022 and a devastating military strike in February 2026.
Fact Check: Reports of Schoolgirl Deaths and Harm
- February 2026 Minab School Strike: On February 28, 2026, a missile strike hit the Shajarah Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab.
- Casualties: Reports indicate approximately 165 to 175 children and staff were killed.
- Responsibility: While Iranian state media blamed U.S.-Israeli forces, U.S. military investigators stated the strike was likely caused by American forces due to a potential intelligence or munition failure while targeting a nearby military complex.
- 2022–2023 Mass Poisonings: Starting in November 2022, thousands of schoolgirls across over 90 schools were hospitalized due to suspected toxic gas attacks.
- Casualties: At least one death, 11-year-old
Fatemeh Rezaei
, was linked to these poisonings.
- Context: These incidents occurred during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, with many activists suspecting the poisonings were state-sponsored retribution for girls’ participation in anti-regime demonstrations.
- Casualties: At least one death, 11-year-old
- Global Response: Contrary to the claim that the world has “refused to cry out,” these events have faced significant international condemnation.
- UN Experts described the Minab strike as “unprecedented in the history of humanity” and a potential war crime.
- UNESCO and UNICEF issued high-level condemnations of both the poisonings and the military strikes.
Petition: Justice for the Stolen Lives of Iranian Girls
To: The United Nations Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court
We stand in grief and outrage over the systematic destruction of young lives in Iran. For years, Iranian schoolgirls have been the primary targets of violence—whether from the domestic repression of a regime that poisons its own students or the “collateral damage” of foreign military strikes.
The Crimes Must Be Acknowledged:
- The Minab Massacre (Feb 2026): Over 165 young girls, some as young as seven, were killed when their school was reduced to rubble by a missile strike. No military objective justifies the slaughter of children in a classroom.
- The Poisoning Campaign: Since late 2022, thousands of girls have been hospitalized in what UN experts called “deliberate” attacks intended to terrorize them into silence and out of education.
Our Demands:
- Independent International Investigation: We demand a fully transparent, UN-led investigation into the Minab school strike to ensure absolute accountability for the forces responsible, regardless of their nationality.
- End the Impunity: We call for the prosecution of those who orchestrated the mass poisoning of schoolgirls, which remains a stain on the global conscience.
- Protection of Educational Sanctuaries: Schools must be recognized as strictly off-limits in all forms of conflict. The targeting of educational facilities is a grave violation of international law.
The world’s silence is a choice. We choose to speak. We demand justice for the daughters of Iran who only wanted to learn, to live, and to be free.
[Sign the Petition]