Hamed Farmand

Hamed Farmand is a children’s rights activist, educator, storyteller, and founder of Children of Imprisoned Parents International (COIPI). Born and raised in Iran, he moved to the United States in 2010 and currently resides in Montreal. His advocacy is rooted in personal experience—his mother was imprisoned for five years when he was just six—giving him a deep understanding of the emotional and psychological impact of parental incarceration on children. For over a decade, Hamed has focused on advocacy, education, and support services for families affected by parental incarceration, particularly within Farsi-speaking communities in Iran, and across the diaspora. Under the mentorship of Dr. Shervin Assari, he explored the psychological effects of parental imprisonment on children and studied foundational psychology at NOVA College. His work is informed by a strong academic background in child protection and social justice. Hamed holds certifications in Child Protection: Children’s Rights in Theory and Practice (Harvard University), Resilience in Children Exposed to Trauma, Disaster, and War (University of Minnesota), and Advocating Social Justice and Change (University of Adelaide), as well as a MicroMasters in Social Work: Practice, Policy, and Research (University of Michigan). He is also the author of Missing Mum (in Farsi), a memoir of his childhood experience with an incarcerated parent. His life story and activism are featured in Remembering Contentious Lives, a scholarly book with a chapter by Nafiseh Mousavi (Lund University, Sweden).