WUNRN
Justice
for Iran Invites International Community to Pressure Iranian Parliament
Withdraw Controversial Bills Restricting Women
Justice for Iran (JFI) focuses on two Bills under consideration
by the Islamic Republic parliament further limiting women’s rights and progress
in a document entitled Using Rights to do
Wrong: Women’s Reproductive and Domestic Labour at the Service of
Nation-Building.
The document was submitted by JFI to the Communication Procedure
of the Commission on the Status of Women. Communications are sent to the
relevant government allowing a 12-week-long period for response. Given JFI’s
deep concern over the Bills, the same submission was sent to the United Nations
Working Group on Discrimination Against Women in Law and in Practice. The
Working Group highlights the manner in which the bills endorse discrimination
against women in law and in practice in both family and cultural life.
JFI raises its deep concern over both Bills that place the
progress, freedom, choice and rights of millions of women at the mercy of
national leadership. Following statements by the country’s Supreme Leader to
double the country’s population as soon as possible, senior Iranian officials
have concluded that a radical shift in the country’s population control policy
is in order, progressively limiting women’s access to the labour market and
providing policies and measures that coerce women to give birth to more
children. Accordingly the Bills illegalize vasectomy, greatly limit
access to contraceptive methods, merit family men in the job market while
limiting women’s access to the work place, essentially confining women’s role
in terms of reproduction as her sole function.
The submission offers an informative and descriptive overview of
two highly controversial bills under consideration by the members of the
parliament in the Islamic Republic of Iran. First is the Comprehensive Population and
Family Excellence Planwhich was proposed in May 2013. The second
Bill Increase
Birthrate and Prevent the Fall in Fertility Rate was proposed
on 20 April 2014. In March 2014, introduced under a single urgency status to the
Iranian Parliament to repeal the 1993 Family
Planning Act, passed a first reading in parliament with the support
of half of parliamentarians in attendance.
JFI’s submission presents a critical perspective of the Bills that legitimise discrimination against women by limiting their rights in marriage, childbearing and access to divorce through legalising restrictions on the use of male and female contraceptive practices and women’s access to reproductive health.
JFI’s submission presents a critical perspective of the Bills
that legitimise discrimination against women by limiting their rights in
marriage, childbearing and access to divorce through legalising restrictions on
the use of male and female contraceptive practices and women’s access to
reproductive health. The Bills also reinforce the prohibition of abortion and
restrictions on women’s progress in education and employment. In addition, both
Bills mislead married couples with gifts, loans, healthcare and child benefits
that, although not discriminatory against women at first glance, further
discourage them from pursuing education and careers outside the family unit.
This in depth analysis provides a brief history of population
control and family planning policies by the Islamic Republic. It also outlines
the negative impact of the Bills on women’s access to sexual and reproductive
health care, education and employment, and divorce as means of preventing
violence against women, while imposing welfare measures that indirectly
restrict women’s marital and parental status.
In addition to a number of substantial recommendations focused
on the Islamic Republic’s duty to protect and promote women’s right to
reproductive rights and health, education, employment and divorce, the
submission demands the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of both
discriminatory Bills in their entirety. JFI is committed to the realisation of
this vital step towards restoration of women’s rights in Iran through any and
all legal means at its disposal.
JFI’s submissions are published in English at:
http://justice4iran.org/english/publication/submissions/using-rights-to-do/
http://justice4iran.org/english/publication/submissions/using-rights-to-do-wrong-womens/
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