approval by parliament and by the Guardian Council.8 During its last Universal Periodic Review
(November 2019), the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated that the Act on
Protection, Dignity and Security of Women against Violence, currently under governmental
review, will be “aimed at criminalising new forms of assault, harassment and violations of the
rights of women and adopting preventive and support measures to stop violence against
women.”9 The bill would reportedly also include the prohibition of forced and early marriage for
girls under 18.10 The bill has however been under review since 201011 and despite being
submitted to the Government by the judiciary in September 201912, the UN Secretary General
expressed concern in January 2020 about the slow progress of the bill. 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 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, though without specifying the
age limitation. The Government added that it was raising awareness on the issue of child
marriage in local communities.15
Between March 2018 and March 2019, the National Organisation 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. 16 17 The number is likely to be higher as many child
marriages are unregistered.18 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.”19
Despite ongoing legislative review which would potentially prohibit early marriage in the
Islamic Republic of Iran, girls and boys as young as 9 and 15 lunar years respectively can still
8
Information from Impact Iran; see www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1397/11/17/1941311/
Universal Periodic Review, Iran, 2019, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/43/12
10
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights, Centre for Supporters of Human Rights and Minority Rights Group
International
September 2019; Iranian 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, https://bit.ly/2youDGX
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
Report of the Secretary General, Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020
13
Report of the Secretary General, Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020
14
See https://en.radiofarda.com/a/new-watered-down-draft-law-on-violence-against-women-iniran/30173089.html ;
and www.isna.ir/news/98071612729/ (in Farsi).
15
Universal Periodic Review, Iran, 2019, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/43/12
16
Report of the Secretary General, Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020, para 37
17
See www.sabteahval.ir/avej/tab-1499.aspx (in Farsi)
18
Report of the Secretary General, Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020, para 37
19
Report of the Secretary General, Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020, para 37
9
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