MP: Iran believes in dignity of women, men in enjoying human rights

Addressing the 62th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, Iranian MP Parvaneh Salahshoori outlined the measures taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran to empower rural women across the country.
'What is wonderful to mention is the contribution given to women’s empowerment in different aspects including political participation, economic and educational sectors, health indicators and health-care services. My country`s deeply-held belief in the equal dignity of women and men in enjoying human rights has led to great efforts to cover their lifelong issues,' she said.

The following is the full text of her speech:

Statement by the Islamic Republic of Iran
before the 62nd Session of Commission on the Status of Women
on
Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to the 23rd
Special Session of the General Assembly,
New York, … March 2018
……………………………………………………………………………
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
Madam. Chairperson,
Excellencies,

It is an honor and a privilege to participate in this annual gathering I would like to thank the chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, members of the bureau and the UN women for their great efforts. In fact, the 62nd commission has provided us with a precious moment to consider the conditions of rural women and girls thoroughly, as those who face multiple and intersecting inequalities and forms of discrimination in the context of the full, effective and accelerated implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the SDGs.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you know, our contributions to the empowerment of women will be strong answers to remaining obstacles and new challenges in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly. Therefore, since actions speak louder than words, I`ll be delighted to mention only a few noticeable and relevant recent developments and efforts undertaken in the Islamic Republic of Iran which reflects our serious determination to tackle challenges and welcome opportunities in the empowerment of women.

What is wonderful to mention is the contribution given to women’s empowerment in different aspects including political participation, economic and educational sectors, health indicators and health-care services. My country`s deeply-held belief in the equal dignity of women and men in enjoying human rights has led to great efforts to cover their lifelong issues. Actually, adoption of the Charter of Citizenship`s Rights in 2016 and assignment of a special assistant to the president for citizenship rights to monitor and supervise the implementation of the provisions of the charter mentioned is the result of that belief.

Our programs seeking to foster greater women’s political empowerment originate from highest national level. For example, raising the number of women in medium and high ranking levels to 30%, the number of women elected for city councils in nearly 100% women parliamentarians are other examples of changes women roles in decision making.

Rural and nomad women make up about 14% of my country’s population with a growing rate of young educated women in rural areas, it has become easier to access new forms of technology. We have applied Mobile Apps, different agricultural softwares, e-books, and chat rooms that truly open lines of communications as they bring a paradigm shift in agricultural extension. They deliver agricultural information, pest management techniques, and marketing guides. In my country, women consist of 48% of internet users. While internet access for men and women in cities 50/50 and in rural areas it reaching 40% for women against 60% for men right now. This becomes considerable when one seeks to start up new business by the support of e-trade and e-marketing in cities and villages.

In combating violence against women we are drafting a comprehensive bill on women’s security including a set of precautionary, supportive, preventive criminalization measures, such as domestic violence.
The new SDGs have women’s empowerment in particular, rural women at their core. Gender mainstreaming is a part of our national agenda and efforts to empower rural women are as follows: we have empowered 12,000 women as rural development facilitators through running a project by choosing, educating and supporting them through capacity building in these communities; we have also provided 45,000 rural women directly and 150,000 women indirectly with a microfinance fund to be used in promoting productive activities and supported more than 20,000 rural and nomadic women and girls, especially graduates in the agricultural field.

Understanding the importance of the private sector and the role of civil society is actually a paradigm shift to women’s empowerment, including micro enterprises and entrepreneurship-based businesses.

We are also following up the Fourth World Conference on Women and the full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly which encourages governments to continue to support the role and contribution of civil society, in this regards the number of women NGOs in Iran has increased threefold since 2013 from 600 to 2000.

The important role of family as the interface between the individual and community and also as a factor to establish a safe and sound society should be always emphasized. The attention which is given to the family headed households as priority focus and we launch a national action plan with 46 Million Dollars funding in my country consists of a wide range of actions based on social, economic and psychological aspects.

What we are committed to do for women and girls especially at rural women and girls is a step forward to the realization of the world of good.

Thank you
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