The Judicial and Legal Committee of the Majlis (the Iranian Parliament) has rejected a proposal that would allow single women 28 years and older to travel abroad without the written consent of their fathers or legal male guardians. Members of the Women’s Committee of the Majlis have been pushing for this bill for some time.
The Judicial and Legal Committee has also rejected a call by the Women’s Fraction of the Majlis to amend Article 1117 of the Civil Code which says: “The husband can prevent his wife from occupations or technical work which is incompatible with the family interests or the dignity of himself or his wife.”
[aesop_image img=”https://kayhanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2011-12-11T120000Z_1775844516_GM1E7CB1JQY01_RTRMADP_3_IRAN.jpg” panorama=”off” align=”center” lightbox=”on” caption=”Member of Parliament Hamid Rasaie (C) talks to schoolgirls attending a parliament session in Tehran December 11, 2011. REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]
The Women’s Fraction has consistently argued that a man doesn’t have an inherent right to object to his wife working. He should instead let a court decide whether his reasons for opposing his wife holding a job is legitimate or not.
Established in 1996, the Women’s Fraction of the Majlis is an all-female parliamentary group which advocates women’s rights.
The current travel restrictions forbid single female academics, business executives, doctors, nurses, scientists, engineers and other professionals in various fields from traveling abroad to attend seminars, conferences, and training courses without the explicit permission of their fathers or legal male guardians.
Translated from Persian by Fardine Hamidi
