NCRI Staff
NCRI – Of all of the media coverage surrounding the protests against the Iranian Regime that have been ranging for over a week now, some of the most powerful are of ordinary Iranian women defying the sexist laws of the Regime whilst protesting the Regime as a whole.
Several photos and videos that are being widely shared on social media- by Iranians that still have access to the internet after the Regime put heavy restrictions on it to stop communication amongst protesters and to the outside world- show brave women removing their hijabs to protest the Regime’s misogynistic dress codes, whilst others show a woman raising her fist in the air after walking through a cloud of tear gas.
It is especially notable that women are taking part in these protest because the Regime severely restricts women’s rights in almost every area of life, from employment to education to entertainment. In fact, the Regime came in fifth from bottom in terms of gender equality in the latest Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most stringent restrictions on women’s rights in Iran, according to Amnesty International.
Dress Codes
Women are forced to abide by compulsory veiling laws, which mean that they must wear the hijab at all times whilst in public. This violates their right to equality and freedoms of expression, belief and religion.
If they do not abide by these laws, they may be arrested, beaten, flogged, and fined. This means that many women are the target of harassment, violence and imprisonment by the so-called morality police.
Politics
In 2016, women’s rights activists who campaigned for more representation of women in the parliamentary elections were interrogated by the oppressive Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) on national security charges.
Legal discrimination
There are many laws which discriminate against women in areas of family law, employment, equal inheritance, politics and in the area of criminal law.
Health Issues
Women have reduced access to affordable modern contraception after cuts to the state family planning program in 2012 and many laws which could further erode a woman’s right to sexual and reproductive health care are currently pending.
‘Family values’
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei introduced national family policies In September 2016 to promote early marriage, more childbirth, and greater compliance to the role of women as only wives and mothers, which would reduce female economic independence.
Violence against women
In addition, there are very few laws that protect women and girls against sexual and other gender-based violence. Laws criminalizing marital rape and domestic violence have failed to be adopted by the Parliament.