for girls under 18.10 In January 2020, the U.N. Secretary General expressed concerns about the slow progress of the bill, which has been under review since 201011 and as of February 2021 is 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 criminalizing domestic violence.”13 14 As of early February 2021, the available draft of the law15 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 Code16, the Family Law17, and the Islamic Penal Code18, which contain provisions effectively discriminating against women and fail to protect them adequately from violence, including early and forced marriage.19 The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran also noted during its 2019 Universal Period Review that bills already drafted and currently going through the adoption process dealt with the prohibition of early marriage, although without specifying the age limitation. The Government added that it was raising awareness on the issue of child marriage in local communities.20 Between March 2018 and March 2019, the National Organization for Civil Registration reported over 30,000 marriages involving girls between the age 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 10 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 ; Iran Newspaper, ‘Hamsari ke zendegi nemikonad 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-womeniniran/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 2

Select target paragraph3