Joint Statement of States to the Human Rights Council on Chastity and Hijab Bill, Women's Rights in Iran
Chair, I deliver this statement on behalf of a group of countries and my own country Canada.
The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action underscores that “the human rights of women and [girls] are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights.”
Yet, 30 years after its adoption, pushback against gender equality and women’s empowerment continues globally. Together, we recall the Vienna Declaration and once again urge all states to eradicate “all forms of discrimination against women, both hidden and overt.”
Against this backdrop and alongside the voices of the women and girls of Iran, the High Commissioner, UN Special Procedures and the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, we express serious concern at the recent adoption of the Chastity and Hijab bill by the Iranian Parliament and call for it to be reconsidered in line with Iran’s human rights obligations.
The bill intensifies punishments for women and girls who do not obey Iran’s compulsory dress code, ultimately undermining their right to freedom of expression. It creates unprecedented social and economic barriers for women by imposing travel bans, denying them education, and limiting access to health facilities and other public services, among existing de facto restrictions and punishments.
We are also deeply troubled by reports of the use of new artificial intelligence and digital facial recognition technology to surveil, arrest and punish women perceived to be noncompliant with the law. These developments exacerbate an already dire situation for women and girls, marked by widespread and systematic discrimination, both in law and in practice.
Women and girls of Iran should enjoy the full array of their human rights, free from discrimination, surveillance and fear of retribution. We urge the Government of Iran to heed the legitimate claims of its citizens and the protesters who rallied behind the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom”, and to abide by its obligations under international law, including in matters of women’s rights and gender equality.