This week marks the 25th anniversary of the day 10 Bahá'í women were hanged in Shiraz, Iran, for teaching religious classes to Bahá'í youth -- the equivalent of being Sunday School teachers in the West.

Not long after the first World’s Parliament of Religions introduced Americans to the Baha'i Faith at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the Faith took hold and gradually gained momentum in the United States.

April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the "Women, Faith and Abuse" segment of the April 3 Interfaith Voices radio program includes Layli Miller-Muro telling how the Baha'i Faith inspired her to establish the Tahirih Justice Center. The organization, based in Falls Church, Va., provides legal support for women and girls who have experienced sexual abuse and violence.

Celia Taghdiri says she’s been fascinated by Tahirih since childhood.

Baha'i human resources professional Gwen Clayborne speaks on the importance of advancing the status of women and challenges and opportunities this presents for society (9 minutes) Download

Dr. Billy Roberts, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, speaks about the differences between women and men and the concept of their equality through the lens of the Baha'i Faith. He uses stories and examples to reflect about how we define one another, and where we can go from there (9 minutes). Download

Dr. Robert C. Henderson, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States, discusses the Baha'i perspective on advancing the status and opportunities accorded to women as a critical prerequisite to global peace and harmony (12 minutes). Download

The U.S. Baha’i community is adding its support to UNIFEM’s “Say no to violence against women” campaign by helping to collect 100,000 signatures.

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Photo by Eric VanZantenBaha'is view equality between the sexes and the full participation of women in every field of human endeavor as essential prerequisites to peace and human progress.

Inequality between the sexes retards not only the advancement of women, but also the progress of civilization itself.

The Baha'i-inspired Tahirih Justice Center, known for its human rights work, has received recognition of another kind: The 10-year-old organization recently was given the 2007 Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management.