Equality Now and our partners, the Centre for Supporters of Human Rights and Femena, welcome the UN Human Rights Committee’s (the Committee) strong recommendations to the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly in relation to fulfilling and protecting the rights of women and girls within its borders.
The Committee oversees the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) by countries. Equality Now and our partners made a joint written submission and oral statement for the Committee’s review and dialogue with Iranian state representatives, which took place during the 139th session at the UN in Geneva between October 9 and November 3, 2023.
We are pleased that the Committee’s advanced version of its ’Concluding observations on the fourth periodic report of the Islamic Republic of Iran’ it has considered the issues we highlighted and has included related recommendations on ways for the Iranian state to enhance its human rights practices in compliance with international legal obligations, especially pertaining to women and girls.
Independent investigations on the ‘Mahsa Amini’ protests
We commend the Committee’s recommendation that full, impartial, and independent investigations should be carried out to address the grave human rights violations that the people in Iran have experienced during protests in the past few years.
We are pleased to see that the Committee has taken note of the acts of violence and intimidation state-perpetrated against journalists, media workers, human rights defenders, and members of civil society in Iran, and it has issued recommendations to cease, prevent, investigate, and provide remedies for these violations.
Repeal the ‘Hijab’ Laws
The Committee was clear that Iran must amend or appeal discriminatory legal provisions against women and girls and take robust measures to guarantee gender equality in law and practice, including addressing the laws that criminalize non-compliance with mandatory veiling.
Included in the Committee’s Concluding Observations are calls for the ‘morality police’ to be disbanded and for all instances of violence against women and girls to be investigated, prosecuted, and punished in accordance with human rights standards.
Significant first step: Call to End FGM in Iran
We are glad to note the Committee has advised the Iranian government to strengthen its efforts to prevent and eradicate harmful practices, particularly child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). This marks the first time this Committee has issued concluding observations on ending FGM in Iran, and we applaud this significant step forward.
Further, the Iranian government has been asked to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years of age for both girls and boys. The Committee’s findings mirror our concerns about Iran’s current legal provisions that allow girls aged 13 and above to be married and, under certain circumstances, as young as nine years old or below.
We hope that the Government of Iran will take comprehensive actions to address the various concerns articulated by the UN Human Rights Committee, implement the recommendations in a timely manner, and participate fully in the processes to align itself with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as it has committed to do since 1975 when it ratified the ICCPR.
Read More: Our submission to the UN Human Rights Committee in October 2023.
Read More: UN Human Rights Committee Recommendations to the Iranian Government.