February 2019, the chair of the Committee stated that a “new plan” would be introduced for the approval of parliament and the Guardian Council.14 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.”15 Reportedly, the bill would also include the prohibition of forced and early marriage for girls under 18.16 However the bill has been under review since 201017 and as of February 2021, is under the review of the Iranian Parliament.18 In January 2020, the UN Secretary General expressed concerns about the slow progress of the bill. Additionally, the Secretary General 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.”19 20 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.21 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. 22 23 However, the number is likely to be higher as many child marriages are unregistered.24 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.”25 14 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 16 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, https://bit.ly/2youDGX 17 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 18 New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/world/middleeast/iran-sexual-violence-metoo-women.html 19 Report of the Secretary General, Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020, 20 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). 21 Universal Periodic Review, Iran, 2019, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/43/12 22 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 23 See www.sabteahval.ir/avej/tab-1499.aspx (in Farsi) 24 Report of the Secretary General, Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2020, para 37 25 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 15 3