since 201061, and as of January 2021 is under the review of the Iranian Parliament.62 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 criminalizing domestic violence.”63 64 The available drafts of the law currently suggest that the text may be insufficient to protect women in Iran from discrimination and violence. Even though the draft law may bring positive developments, it will remain limited by the Civil Code65, the Family Law66, and the Islamic Penal Code67, all of which contain provisions effectively discriminating against women and failing to protect them adequately from violence. Further, in November 2019, the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected States’ UPR recommendations asking for the criminalization of domestic violence and marital rape.68 This suggests that the law currently under the Parliament’s review will not criminalize domestic violence and marital rape. As such, the draft legislation currently under the consideration of the Iranian Parliament may well fail to address national and international concerns. C. The Government should reconsider laws that insist that women must seek permission to travel from their spouses. Iran’s Civil Code forbids a woman from leaving the matrimonial home without the husband’s permission, unless she is able and willing to go to court to prove she is endangered.69 The Civil Code specifies that a woman who decides to leave the marital home will not receive alimony from her husband anymore, which may well function as a deterrent for women to exercise their freedom of movement. According to Article 18 (3) of the Passport law, a woman needs written permission from her husband to obtain a passport.70 In addition, the husband has the right to forbid his wife from the country, regardless of whether she holds a passport. In exceptional cases, the county prosecutor can authorize the issuance of a passport for a woman; however, only a few exceptions have been 61 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 62 New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/world/middleeast/iran-sexual-violence-metoo-women.html 63 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 64 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). 65 The Civil Code: < https://shenasname.ir/laws/6664 > 66 The Family Law: < https://shenasname.ir/subjects/family/1470 > 67 The Islamic Penal Code: <https://shenasname.ir/subjects/salamat/1571-mojazat92 > 68 Recommendations 26.253, 26.254, Universal Periodic Review, Iran, 2019, https://undocs.org/en/A/HRC/43/12/Add.1 69 Article 1117 of the Civil Code. 70 The Passport Law: <https://rc.majlis.ir/fa/law/show/96904 > 7