Skip to main content

‘Gender apartheid’: UN slams Iran’s hijab law

 


The experts from the United Nations have slammed the hijab law of the Islamic Republic of Iran. UN experts have said that the hijab law in Iran could amount to “gender apartheid.”

Recently, Iranian authorities announced a new draft law, which highlights harsh punishments for women and girls who fail to wear a hijab. The draft is under review by the Iranian parliament. The 70-article draft law proposes harsh penalties for girls and women who refuse to wear the hijab in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

UN experts said in a statement on Friday, “The draft law could be described as a form of gender apartheid, as authorities appear to be governing through systemic discrimination with the intention of suppressing women into total submission.”

According to the proposed draft law, the Iranian authorities can use artificial intelligence to identify women who violate the rules and dress code. The UN called the move against women “inherently discriminatory.” 

The United Nations panel of experts consists of special rapporteurs and a working group with a special focus on discrimination against women and girls. 

The UN experts said, “The weaponization of ‘public morals’ to deny women their freedom of expression is deeply disempowering.”

The UN said that the proposed law was submitted to the Iranian parliament in May. Last month, the Iranian parliament voted in favor of allowing a parliamentary committee to review the proposed law, which includes harsh punishment for women.

Under the proposed law, if a woman refuses to wear the hijab, she may face a five-to-10-year prison sentence as well as a fine of up to 360 million Iranian rials. Another section of the proposed law urged the police to strengthen AI systems to identify women without the hijab.

According to reports, business owners will have to pay higher fines if they don't implement the hijab rule. A celebrity could be fined up to 10 percent of their fortune.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sky Care: How the UAE’s First Hospital Vertiport is Redefining Emergency Response

  Imagine a critical patient, a time-sensitive organ for transplant, or a specialist medical team needed across a bustling city. On the ground, traffic is a formidable adversary, where every minute lost can alter outcomes. Now, imagine that same journey taking minutes instead of an hour, not by navigating the roads, but by soaring gracefully above them. This is not a scene from a sci-fi film; it is the new reality in the United Arab Emirates. In a landmark move that solidifies its position on the global stage of innovation, the UAE has officially launched the nation’s — and the region’s — first hospital-based vertiport at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. This isn’t just a helipad with a new name. It is the cornerstone of a fully integrated, city-wide advanced air mobility (AAM) ecosystem, marking a profound convergence of cutting-edge aviation, AI-driven healthcare, and sustainable infrastructure. The Launch of a Lifesaving Corridor The project is a powerful collaboration between aviati...

Three Houses, One Vision – How the UAE’s Abrahamic Family House is Redefining Inter-Faith Dialogue

  When you step onto the stone-plinth of the Abrahamic Family House on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, you are not just visiting a building. You are entering a bold statement: a mosque, a church and a synagogue standing side-by-side, equal in size and purpose, sharing common ground while respecting their separate faiths. A landmark of coexistence In early 2023 the UAE inaugurated this pioneering complex, inviting worshippers and visitors alike. The architecture — designed to give each of the three faith-homes the same external dimensions and to signal equality — allows each to express its own traditions while remaining visibly part of a unified vision. More than 200 nationalities live in the UAE, which means the project reflects a multicultural reality in which multiple faiths and identities coexist daily. Islam’s role in the vision For Muslim-majority audiences in the Gulf, the Abrahamic Family House sends a resonant message: Islam does not fear dialogue — it embraces it. The m...

Beyond the Handshake: How the EU-UAE Partnership is Forging a New Model for 21st-Century Trade

  We are witnessing a pivotal moment in international relations, not in the halls of Washington or Beijing, but in the vibrant heart of Dubai. The ongoing negotiations between the European Union and the United Arab Emirates for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a parallel Strategic Partnership Agreement represent far more than a simple trade deal. This is a conscious, data-backed effort to build a deep and strategic partnership designed to thrive amid global economic uncertainty. The Foundation: A Trade Relationship Already in High Gear Before the first negotiation even began, the economic ties were already formidable. In 2024, trade in goods between the EU and UAE reached a staggering €55.6 billion, solidifying the UAE’s position as the EU’s second-largest trading partner in the Gulf region. The services sector adds another robust layer, with trade exceeding €39 billion in 2023. The growth trajectory is equally impressive; EU exports to the UAE saw a 15% surge in a si...