{"id":814,"date":"2025-03-28T02:23:51","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T01:23:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/?p=814"},"modified":"2025-03-28T02:28:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T01:28:18","slug":"statement-submitted-by-centre-zagros-the-situation-of-women-in-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/?p=814","title":{"rendered":"Statement submitted by Centre Zagros : The situation of women in Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Commission on the Status of Women<\/strong>
\nSixty-ninth session
\n10\u201321 March 2025
\nFollow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to
\nthe twenty-third special session of the General Assembly
\nentitled \u201cWomen 2000: gender equality, development and
\npeace for the twenty-first century\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Statement submitted by Centre Zagros pour les Droits de l\u2019Homme, a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council*<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Secretary-General has received the following statement, which is being circulated in accordance with paragraphs 36 and 37 of Economic and Social Council
\nresolution 1996\/31.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Statement<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women in Iran, particularly those belonging to ethnic minorities such as the Kurds, Baluchis, Arabs, and Turks, continue to face systemic repression and discrimination. While Iran has ratified various international treaties and made commitments under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the reality on the ground remains far removed from these promises. The marginalization of women is particularly acute in regions inhabited by these minority groups.
\nIranian laws reinforce a patriarchal system that imposes severe restrictions on women\u2019s individual freedoms. Laws governing the wearing of the hijab, marriage,
\nchild custody, and economic and political participation are all designed to keep women in subordinate roles. These laws affect all Iranian women, but their impact is amplified for women from minority groups, who face intersectional discrimination based on both gender and ethnicity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Discrimination Against Women from Ethnic Minorities<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kurdish, Baluchi, Arab, and Turkish women live in historically marginalized regions where the Iranian state has invested few resources to improve infrastructure or create economic opportunities. Access to quality education is limited, and female literacy rates are significantly lower than the national average. In addition to widespread poverty, these women face restrictive language policies. For example, in Kurdish and Baluchi regions, education is conducted in Persian, effectively excluding native languages, which severely limits access to education for young girls from these
\ncommunities.<\/p>\n

The absence of educational materials in their native languages is a form of structural violence, depriving these women of the tools necessary for self-empowerment. As a result, they are disadvantaged from childhood and find it impossible to compete with other Iranian women for better-paying jobs. This leads to the overrepresentation of minority women in informal, precarious, and low -paid jobs, with no social protections or labor rights.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

State Violence and Political Repression<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kurdish women and other minorities are also at the forefront of political repression. Due to the historical opposition of Kurds and Baluchis to the centralizing policies of the Iranian state, female activists from these regions are often seen as a threat to national security. Authorities frequently use vague charges such as \u201cactivities against national security\u201d to justify arbitrary arrests and harsh sentences.<\/p>\n

In recent years, human rights violations have intensified, particularly after the killing of Jina-Mahsa Amini in 2022, a young Kurdish woman killed by the morality police. This event sparked a wave of protests across the country, where women, especially Kurdish women, played a central role. However, this mobilization was met with extreme brutality. Arrests of activists, enforced disappearances, and unfair trials have escalated, particularly targeting women from minority backgrounds.<\/p>\n

Kurdish and Baluchi women who campaign for equal rights and cultural autonomy often face violent reprisals. They are subjected to torture and ill -treatment
\nin prisons, and their families are also targeted. The Iranian authorities are determined to silence any dissenting voice, especially those of women fighting for their
\nfundamental rights and for the recognition of their ethnic identities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Economic Inequalities and Social Marginalization<\/strong><\/p>\n

Economic discrimination against Kurdish and Baluchi women is another aspect of the injustice they face. The regions where these minorities live are among the
\npoorest in Iran, with high unemployment rates, especially among women. Economic exclusion is exacerbated by systemic discrimination, limiting access to training opportunities and formal employment. As a result, many women from these communities end up in precarious jobs, often in the agricultural sector or as domestic workers in the informal economy.<\/p>\n

These jobs, in addition to being poorly paid, offer no social protections. Minority women are frequently exploited in these sectors, where they are exposed to
\nhazardous working conditions and abuse. The economic marginalization of women from ethnic minorities is further compounded by their lack of political representation.
\nKurdish, Baluchi, and Arab regions are often underrepresented in decision-making bodies, reducing their ability to advocate for policies that address their specific needs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Limited Access to Healthcare<\/strong><\/p>\n

Access to healthcare is also a critical issue for women from minority groups in Iran. In rural Kurdish and Baluchi regions, healthcare infrastructure is underdeveloped, and many women lack access to prenatal care, contraception services, or specialized care for chronic diseases. Baluchi women, for example,
\nexperience high maternal mortality rates due to inadequate medical care in their regions.<\/p>\n

Cultural practices and ethnic discrimination also play a role in this exclusion from healthcare services. Women are often reluctant to seek care in hospitals where
\nthe staff does not speak their language or understand their cultural needs. This situation is worsened by the increased presence of security forces in minority regions, creating an atmosphere of fear that discourages women from seeking medical help.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Recommendations<\/strong><\/p>\n

In light of the alarming situation regarding the rights of women in Iran, particularly those from ethnic minorities, the Zagros Centre for Human Rights urges
\nthe international community to take decisive action to protect and promote the rights of these women. The following recommendations are put forth:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Promote Gender Equality:<\/strong> Governments must integrate a gender perspective into all policies and programs to ensure the respect and protection of women \u2019s
\nrights, particularly for marginalized groups such as Kurdish, Baluchi, Arab, and Turkish women.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Support Women\u2019s Empowerment:<\/strong> Implement educational and vocational training programs aimed at improving women\u2019s access to quality jobs and
\neconomic opportunities, especially in marginalized regions.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Eliminate Violence Against Women:<\/strong> Strengthen laws and mechanisms to prevent and address all forms of violence against women and girls. This includes
\nenhancing support services for victims.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Promote Reproductive Health:<\/strong> Ensure women\u2019s access to quality healthcare services, including reproductive health services, to safeguard their physical and mental well-being.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Combat Poverty:<\/strong> Remove barriers to women\u2019s access to economic resources and actively support their participation in the economy to reduce poverty levels
\namong women.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Recognize the Rights of Minority Nations:<\/strong> Ensure the inclusion and protection of the rights of Kurdish, Baluchi, and other ethnic groups, taking into account their cultural and social specificities.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Enhance International Cooperation:<\/strong> Foster solidarity between governments, NGOs, and civil society to guarantee the effective implementation of
\ninternational commitments regarding women\u2019s rights.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Demand for the Release of Imprisoned Women:<\/strong> It is imperative to advocate for the immediate and unconditional release of all women imprisoned in Iran solely for exercising their rights. Many notable cases exemplify the urgent need for action, including women detained for their activism, demands for equality, and peaceful protests. We call upon the international community to address the systemic and widespread use of arbitrary detention against women, and to promote accountability for these human rights violations.<\/p>\n

\n

https:\/\/docs.un.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Commission on the Status of Women Sixty-ninth session 10\u201321 March 2025 Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly entitled \u201cWomen 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century\u201d   Statement submitted by Centre Zagros pour les Droits de l\u2019Homme, a non-governmental organization …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":816,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[57,67,2,9,47,50,3,51,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-baluch","category-csw","category-iran","category-iran-news","category-kurd","category-kurds","category-minorities","category-women","category-written-statement"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=814"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":819,"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814\/revisions\/819"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zagros-centre.org\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}