Women in Iran face widespread discrimination under
the law. They are excluded from key areas of the state
– they cannot, for example, be judges or stand for the
presidency. They do not have equal rights with men in
marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance.
Criminal harm suffered by a woman is less severely
punished than the same harm suffered by a man.
Evidence given by women in court is worth half that
given by a man. Although the legal age for marriage is
13, fathers can apply for permission to arrange that
their daughters are married at a younger age – and to
men much older than their daughters. Men are allowed
to practice polygamy, women are not. Men have an
incontestable right in law to divorce their spouse.
Women do not.