Statement of Purpose:

The Iranian Women's Studies Foundation (IWSF) is a non-profit organization. It has no affiliation to any political or religious group or organization, and aims to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on issues related to Iranian women, to disseminate information on Iranian women's achievements, and to establish a network of communication among communities of Iranian women the world over. The main activity of IWSF consists of annual international conferences wherein a theme related to Iranian women is approached through scholarly presentations, art exhibitions in the performing and visual arts.

The history of Iran has consisted for the most part, of male narratives and accounts of men's exploits and achievements. IWSF attempts to offer a different perspective of Iran's history by protecting, preserving and propagating the works of Iranian Women. Since 1990, IWSF has conducted annual international conferences in various cities around the world.

At these gatherings, academics, activists and professionals interested in issues related to Iranian women congregate to share the result of their research, celebrate the artistic accomplishments of Iranian women, and to exchange ideas and plans for the future. The proceedings of these conferences are published annually.