have only a small "association." That is, they are organisationally very small and have limited
members.21 Many of these discriminatory restrictions stem from the attitude of religious
institutions in Iran, which consider the role of women in society to be limited to family and
motherhood.22
As previously mentioned, and as Human Rights Watch reported in 2017, women and girls in Iran
are prevented from attending certain sporting events including men’s soccer and volleyball.23 If
women try to attend these events, they could be subject to arrest.24 Bans such as these prevent
girls from enjoying leisure activities as equally as boys do. The ban for female attendees for
soccer matches has been present since 1981, and for volleyball since 2012.25 The Iranian
government did lift the ban temporarily in 2018 due to pressure from FIFA, and allowed 4,000
tickets to be purchased for the Asia Champions League final, which Iran was hosting.26 Women
were seated 200 meters away from men, but their inclusion in the event was important
nonetheless.27 Despite historic discrimination in women’s participation and viewing of sporting
events, the Iranian government is indeed slowly increasing access to these leisure activities for
women and girls. For example, the government has tried to ensure the presence of a female vice
president on the football federation's board of directors by encouraging federations to amend
their bylaws28, or by equipping football stadiums for female spectators.29 As stipulated by the
Committee on the Rights of the Child, legislation “is required to guarantee access for every
child, without discrimination on any ground, to all recreational, cultural and artistic
environments, including public and private spaces, natural spaces, parks, playgrounds, sporting
venues, museums, cinemas, libraries, theatres, as well as to cultural activities, services and
events”.30 While the Islamic Republic of Iran has increased women’s access to sports,
discriminations between men and women, and between boys and girls still stand. Due to lack of
readable information, equal access to other cultural and artistic activities is difficult to determine
with precision in Iran. It is not clear that the Islamic Republic is actively ensuring that those
rights are guaranteed, and structural discriminations enshrined in Iranian law suggest that the
right to rest, leisure, play, to enjoy recreational activities, cultural life and the arts is not ensured
for girls. Gender-segregation remains predominant and policies ensuring equal access to cultural
and artistic activities are lacking both in regards to sports and more generally.
21
https://tn.ai/2444201
https://www.sarkhat.com/fa/news/142931613/ and https://p.dw.com/p/QNfW
23
Human Rights Watch
24
Ibid.
25
Human Rights Watch
26
Associated Press
27
Ibid.
28
https://tn.ai/2444201
29
https://www.irna.ir/news/83486036/
30
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), General comment No. 17 (2013) on the right of the child to rest, leisure, play,
recreational activities, cultural life and the arts (art. 31), 17 April 2013, CRC/C/GC/17
22
3