Additionally, a large number of provisions under the Iranian Civil Code are discriminatory
towards women. These provisions notably include the legal age of marriage,4 the share of
inheritance,5 and the right to divorce.6 In marriage, the Civil Code provides rights to the husband
over those of the wife,7 notably by establishing that the position of the ‘head of the family’ is the
exclusive prerogative of the husband. Under Iranian law, the husband is entitled to control
aspects of his wife’s life8 and demand that she performs her ‘duties’.9
Although not limiting the discriminatory legal framework described above, the Government has
engaged in steps addressing the status of women with regards to the right to work in the Islamic
Republic of Iran. The Supreme Administrative Council reportedly decided to require the
Government to allocate 30% of the managerial positions to women. Additionally, the DeputyPresident for women and family affairs has drafted a document on the promotion of the status of
women and the family through identifying the indicators of gender balance, and consultation
with the civil society. The Government also established a National Task Force on the
Empowerment of Female Heads of Households in the field of development of employment and
entrepreneurship. The Government reportedly increased the quota of women in recruitment of
government departments and launched the Women's Business Development and Acceleration
Center which is aimed at “strengthening rural women's associations and cooperation” as well as
“entrepreneurship development for women”. 10 There is no readily available information as to
what extent these measures have been effective. In fact, recent statistics suggest otherwise: a
recent World Bank study ranked Iran fourth lowest in its 2019 Women, Business and the Law
index,11 and according to the Government’s statistics published in 2018, female economic
participation stood at 15.9 per cent for women, compared to 64.1 per cent for men, one of the
lowest rates in the world.12
Additionally, during its last Universal Periodic Review (November 2019) the Government of the
Islamic Republic of Iran reported the upcoming adoption of the Act on Protection, Dignity and
Security of Women against Violence, that will be “aimed at criminalizing new forms of assault,
harassment and violations of the rights of women and adopting preventive and support measures
to stop violence against women.”13 In January 2020, the U.N. Secretary General expressed
4
Article 1041, Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran. https://iranhrdc.org/the-civil-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran/
Articles 861 to 948, Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran. https://iranhrdc.org/the-civil-code-of-the-islamic-republic-ofiran/
6
Article 1133, Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran. https://iranhrdc.org/the-civil-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran/
7
Articles 1102 to 1119, 1133 to 1142, Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran. https://iranhrdc.org/the-civil-code-of-theislamic-republic-of-iran/
8
For instance, under Article 1117 of the Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran “The
husband can prevent his wife from occupations or technical work
which is incompatible with the family interests or the dignity of himself or his wife.” https://iranhrdc.org/the-civil-code-of-theislamic-republic-of-iran/
9
Article 1108, Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran. https://iranhrdc.org/the-civil-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran/
10
UPR 2019, National Report, Islamic Republic of Iran, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/WG.6/34/IRN/1
11
World Bank, Women, Business and the Law 2019: A Decade of Reform, May 2019, p.9
12
Statistical Centre of Iran, Natayej-e-Amar giri-ye- nirou-ye-kaar, Paeiz-e-1396 [Results of the census on workforce, Autumn
of 1396], https://bit.ly/330NG8t
13
Universal Periodic Review, Iran, 2019, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/43/12
5
2