Why has Zahra Nezhad-Behram’s bill to ban violence against women been removed from the agenda of the parliament?
Zahra Nezhad-Behram wrote in Etemad newspaper that violence against women is a very serious issue in Iran. The bills that were being exchanged between the judiciary and the government for over 10 years to ensure women’s safety were finally presented to the parliament in the twelfth government. However, so far, no efforts have been made to turn it into a law, and it has not even been included in the agenda of the commissions and the presiding board.
Ultimately, the denial of violence against women is a pathway to achieving sustainable peace. Access to a peace that should begin with all human beings regardless of gender. Because peace does not mean non-violence, peace means the absence of discrimination. Peace does not mean dominance, but rather equality among all humans of any gender, race, ethnicity, and religion. Therefore, achieving peace is only possible through the elimination of violence against women.