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Challenging the status quo - women’s rights at stake

Throughout 2015, the human rights situation of women in Iran hasn’t got any better.

In the spring, Amnesty International has begun an intensified campaign, when the Iranian Parliament held its legislative session and considered Bill 315. This draft law proposes various harmful and discriminatory measures aimed at encouraging early marriage and repeated childbearing. Furthermore, this bill would allow discrimination against female job applicants, particularly if they are single or childless. It would also make divorce more difficult for couples, by incentivising judges to settle family disputes.   
Last month, this draft law moved one step closer to entering into force: its general principles were passed by an overwhelming majority in Parliament. Currently, the legislature's Cultural Commission is analysing the budgetary costs necessary to the bill’s incentive schemes, which would be entitled to families with three or more children.

(Source: www.epa.eu)
Over 2015, the authorities have also intensified their crack down on women who refuse to wear hijab or don’t wear it “properly”. By referring to the country’s Penal Code that penalises women who fail to cover their head and adhere to a strict Islamic dress code, police, paramilitary forces and vigilante groups patrolled public spaces, harassing and intimidating women. They did so in the name of promoting and protecting a “culture of modesty and chastity”. Or in other cases, they were reluctant to investigate attacks on women, such as on the occasions of several acid attacks throughout the country. 
A new development: the police is now deploying a special unit operating in ski resorts. Its task is to ensure that women are wearing hijab and enforce segregation of men and women at the country's slopes. Moreover, women are not allowed to ski in the absence of a husband, father or brother.

However, there are some promising signs of change, as well. To mention one: On 16 December, Iran's first female ambassador since the 1979 revolution resumed her job in Malaysia.

Another, positive change might come at the next parliamentary election, in February 2016. Currently, nine out of 290 parliamentary seats are filled by women. However, if women’s rights activists are successful, the male dominance in the legislature would be diluted. A campaign, called Changing The Parliament's Male Face, first and foremost promotes female candidates registering for being elected. In addition, they advocate for male nominees who support greater rights for women. The activists hope to see the number of women in parliament eventually grow to at least 50 seats, or 30 percent - if not in the February elections, then in the future.

As Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani, a leading figure in the Islamic country's women's movement. said “[..] we in the campaign Changing The Parliament's Male Face intend to use all the existing capacity and legal methods to directly challenge candidates who have a record of misogynistic views and background”.

>>TAKE ACTION! Call on the Iranian authorities to repeal the provisions of the discriminatory bill. 

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