As protests against the Iranian government have been growing, a song has been echoing, uniting people across the world who are fighting for — among several things — basic human rights for women.

Baraye, which translates to “for” or “because of” in Persian, has been sung by tens of thousands of protesters during demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini while she was in police custody in Tehran. The song has also been used frequently in social media posts relating to the protests. 

In a sense, the song has become an example of the power of music in social movements and its