Cambridge, UK – The Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum (MENAF) is pleased to announce its inaugural Mahsa Jina Amini Fellow to commemorate the third anniversary of Mahsa Jina Amini’s death in ‘morality’ police custody on 16th September, which ignited the Woman. Life. Freedom uprisings in Iran. The Mahsa Jina Amini Fellowship was launched in September 2024 and is dedicated to empowering emerging female scholars, policymakers, leaders, and advocates who are committed to driving change in Iran and across the Middle East and North Africa region, advancing the cause of women’s rights, gender equality and social justice. Hosted within MENAF’s Women’s Leadership Initiative, the Fellowship blends scholarly research with leadership development in a supportive institutional setting.
Led by award-winning Iranian American author, historian, and women’s rights advocate Dr. Nina Ansary, MENAF’s Women’s Leadership Initiative promotes a nuanced understanding of women’s rights and gender equality issues in the Middle East and North Africa region through inclusive engagement between scholars, activists, thought leaders, and policymakers.
MENAF is pleased to have selected Djanan Deghati as the inaugural Mahsa Jina Amini Fellow. Djanan is part of the 2025 cohort of graduates at SOAS University of London, having pursued a Master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies, focusing on Gender and Law in the Middle East and North Africa, with her thesis investigating Zanan, a groundbreaking feminist publication navigating censorship in Iran. With an educational background from La Sorbonne and l’École du Louvre in Linguistics and Islamic Studies, and professional experience across research, education, and cultural institutions, Djanan brings a rich interdisciplinary perspective. Coming from an Iranian-French family, Djanan is motivated by a deep commitment to exploring the intersections of gender, activism, and societal transformation, with a particular interest in Iran.
“The Mahsa Amini Fellowship is not only a tribute to the courage and resilience of women in the face of systemic and institutionalized gender-based oppression, but also a way to keep the flame of hope alive through advocacy for women’s rights and the pursuit of a better future.”
Djanan emphasized her belief that women play a central role in advancing freedom and equality. By relying on existing scholarly work combined with original research during the fellowship, Djanan aims to provide an overview that closely reflects the lived realities and challenges faced by women in the region—especially within a context of state repression and broader systemic restrictions on women’s rights, including freedom of expression and movement.
“This fellowship is in loving memory of Mahsa Jina Amini and the countless courageous individuals who have made immense sacrifices for justice, freedom and democracy in Iran. Mahsa’s enduring legacy lives on as a symbol of resistance against a repressive regime, and hope for a free and democratic Iran”
The Mahsa Jina Amini Fellowship’s inaugural programme will run between October 2025 and June 2026. For more information, please contact the Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum at exec@cmenaf.org.