progress of the bill, which has been under review since 201011 and as of February 2021, was still
under the review of the Iranian Parliament.12 The draft bill will then need to be vetted by the
Guardian Council. The Secretary General also noted that “critical articles were reportedly removed
from the initial proposal of the Executive, including provisions protecting women from various
forms of violence and criminalising domestic violence.”13 14 As of early February 2021, the
available draft of the law15 suggested that the text may be insufficient to protect women in Iran
from discrimination and violence. Although the draft law may bring positive developments, it will
remain limited by the Civil Code16, the Family Law17, and the Islamic Penal Code18, which contain
provisions that effectively discriminate against women and fail to adequately protect them from
violence, including early marriage.19
During its 2019 Universal Periodic Review, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran also
noted that bills that had already been drafted and were going through the adoption process dealt
with the prohibition of early marriage, although they did not specify the age limitation. The
Government additionally mentioned that it was raising awareness on the issue of child marriage in
local communities.20
Between March 2018 and March 2019, the National Organisation for Civil Registration reported
over 30,000 marriages involving girls between the ages of 10 and 14, including 209 marriages
involving girls under the age of 11. 21 22 However, the number is likely to be higher as many child
marriages are unregistered.23 In January 2020, the Secretary General highlighted that “the
Government [of the Islamic Republic of Iran] expressed the view that setting the minimum age of
marriage regardless of the cultural context would increase unregistered marriages.”24
amma mamnou’ol khorouj mikonad [A spouse who doesn’t live but bans me from leaving the country],’ 4 October 2015,
http://www.ion.ir/News/16777.html
11
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights, Centre for Supporters of Human Rights and Minority Rights Group International
September 2019, https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1203136/download
12
New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/world/middleeast/iran-sexual-violence-metoo-women.html
13
Report of the Secretary General, Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_SecretaryGeneral_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4320.pdf
14
See Radio Farda https://en.radiofarda.com/a/new-watered-down-draft-law-on-violence-against-women-iniran/30173089.html ;
and ISNA www.isna.ir/news/98071612729/ (in Farsi).
15
https://shenasname.ir/laws/7023
16
The Civil Code: < https://shenasname.ir/laws/6664 >
17
The Family Law: < https://shenasname.ir/subjects/family/1470 >
18
The Islamic Penal Code: <https://shenasname.ir/subjects/salamat/1571-mojazat92 >
19
This information is up-to-date and accurate as of early February 2021. For more up to date information on the passage of this
bill, please click the following link: http://www.impactiran.org/vawbill
20
Universal Periodic Review, Iran, 2019, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/43/12
21
Report of the Secretary General, Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020, para 37
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_SecretaryGeneral_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4320.pdf
22
See www.sabteahval.ir/avej/tab-1499.aspx (in Farsi)
23
Report of the Secretary General, Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020, para 37
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_SecretaryGeneral_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4320.pdf
24
Ibid.
2