Provision of Security for Women bill has been stalled in the hands of the Judiciary and not processed to the mullahs’ parliament (Majlis), yet. Tayyebeh Siavoshi, a member of the women’s faction at the mullahs’ parliament, announced that 41 articles of the bill have been omitted.
On July 17, 2018, Siavoshi explained how the Judiciary and Majlis have impaired the bill on Provision of Security for Women. “We have been waiting for this bill, every day since our term began in the Majlis… We have repeatedly urged the Judiciary to pass the bill over to the Majlis but it has been almost three years and the bill on Provision of Security for Women has not yet reached us,” Siavoshi said.
Pointing to the omitted articles, Siavoshi added, “Regarding the articles of the bill on Provision of Security for Women, Khoda’ian, deputy to the Chief Justice, has said that 41 of the 92 articles of the bill have been omitted. The reason for such omissions was that they ran parallel to the articles of the Islamic Punishment Code and the Penal Prosecution Procedure.”
“The Judiciary has examined the bill but despite our inquiries for more than four months when their examination was completed, the bill is still not in our hands,” she added.
As for the importance of the bill on Provision of Security for Women (or Elimination of Violence Against Women), she also stated, “Many women who are subjected to violence do not file complaints for different reasons. Nevertheless, they lose their living skills due to the violence inflicted on them, to the extent that sometimes they lose their sanity and commit suicide… Women and mothers who are subjected to violence or are constantly brutalized cannot manage their families, properly.” (The state-run donya-e-eqtesad.com – July 17, 2018)
According to the statistics published by the National Welfare Organization, 27 percent of women in the 19-49 age range have been battered by their husbands during the past year. The Coroner’s Office has reported that 90 percent of domestic violence is committed against woman. And yet, the bill on Provision of Security for Women is stalled in the Judiciary and has not reached the Majlis.
Formerly, Parvaneh Salahshori, head of the women’s faction in the Majlis, had admitted that the bill on Provision of Security for Women and the bill to Support Children’s Rights have been awaiting approval for many years.
Drafting and tabling the bill on Provision of Security for Women against violence, began under Ahmadi Nejad’s government with the cooperation of the Judiciary. It was drafted to contain 81 articles and five principles. But the parliamentary Committee on Bills found some faults with the bill, the deliberations on the bill were brought to halt, and ultimately it was pushed out of the agenda with the conclusion of Ahmadi Nejad’s tenure.
According to article 2 of the bill, all women over 18 years of age and married women over 13, can enjoy the support provided by this bill.
