In the Western world we are used to the process that women or the partners together decide on whether to have kids, how many of them and over what period. Iranian women have exercised the same rights. But if the parliament adopts two new bills (Bill 446 and Bill 315) within the next few weeks, politicians will determine women’s family life in the future.
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| www.amnesty.nl |
Let’s examine the two bills in more details.
The so-called Bill 446 (or as its full title says “ The Bill to Increase Fertility Rates and Prevent Population Decline”) concentrates on methods as to how a rapid increase in the Iranian population could be reached, not taking into account the threats, which this bill would impose on women’s sexual and reproductive health. This bill would restrict women’s access to modern contraceptive methods and proscribe spreading information about them. It would also demolish state-funded family planning programmes, which currently support millions of women, especially in Iran’s remote and poverty-stricken areas.
Bill 315 is as harmful as the other proposal. It promotes “an Islamic-Iranian lifestyle” that is rooted in traditional family values and conservative gender-stereotypes that present women’s primary role as mother and wife. Its discriminatory measures are aimed to encourage early marriages, lower divorce rates by making divorce more difficult for women. This bill also proposes to oppose the employment of single women without children, by giving priority to men and to married women with children. Bill 315 contains several other provisions, which prompt women to redirect their aspirations and concentrate on childbearing and housework.
Both bills are part of the Iranian regime’s strategy to accelerate the population growth and to establish Iran as a dominant regional power.
Amnesty International is very concerned about the effects of the two bills; therefore, it calls on the authorities to:
- Repeal Bill 446 in its entirety;
- Reinstate comprehensive funding for family planning policies and programmes;
- Overhaul Bill 315.
Please have a look at the whole report and take urgent actions by writing letters to the authorities (please find a suggested draft letter here) and take part in the Twitter action (please find some suggested tweets with key dates here).