Violence, 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.”23 In January 2020, the UN Secretary General expressed concerns about the slow progress of the bill, which has been under review since 201024 and as of February 2021 is under the review of the Iranian Parliament.25 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.”26 27 As of early February 2021, the available draft of the law28 suggests that the text may be insufficient to protect women in Iran from discriminations and violence. Even though the draft law may bring positive developments, it will remain limited by the Civil Code29, the Family Law30, and the Islamic Penal Code31, which contain provisions effectively discriminating against women and fail to adequately protect them from violence.32 In November 2019, the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected States’ UPR recommendations asking for the criminalization of domestic violence and marital rape.33 There is a serious lack of comprehensive and readily available official data on the prevalence of domestic violence in the Islamic Republic of Iran.34 35 The Census Bureau, a governmental agency responsible for data collection, does not permit international organizations to study the issue in the country.36 The last extensive and published study on domestic violence carried out in the Islamic Republic of Iran dates back to 2004.37 38 39 The assessment, developed throughout 32 volumes, 23 Universal Periodic Review, Iran, 2019, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/43/12 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 25 New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/world/middleeast/iran-sexual-violence-metoo-women.html 26 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 27 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). 28 https://shenasname.ir/laws/7023 29 The Civil Code: https://shenasname.ir/laws/6664 30 The Family Law: https://shenasname.ir/subjects/family/1470 31 The Islamic Penal Code: https://shenasname.ir/subjects/salamat/1571-mojazat92 32 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 33 Recommendations 26.253, 26.254, Universal Periodic Review, Iran, 2019, https://undocs.org/en/A/HRC/43/12/Add.1 34 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 35 Amnesty International, ‘You shall procreate’ (p. 31), March 2015, https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1311112015ENGLISH.pdf 36 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 37 The study was undertaken by the Women’s Centre for Presidential Advisory, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Higher Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran and published in 2004. The study was conducted based on questionnaires and only main cities were visited. Moradian, A., Domestic Violence against Single and Married Women in Iranian Society, The Chicago School of Professional Society, August 2009 https://iranian.com/2009/09/10/domestic-violence-against-single-and-marriedwomen-in-iranian-society/ 38 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 39 See ISNA https://bit.ly/3eJIv58 24 4