A/HRC/40/24 encouraging statement, no improvement has been noted with respect to the sealing and closure of Baha’i shops. F. Situation of women and girls 57. The Secretary-General welcomes the introduction to Parliament of the bill on protection of women against violence. In addition to focusing on the protection of women from abuse, the bill addresses rehabilitation and the interrogation of female offenders. The Vice-President for Women and Family Affairs announced on 12 October 2018 that the bill had been sent for review to religious scholars in Qom. 136 58. The Secretary-General notes the adoption by Parliament, on 20 November 2018, of the bill amending the Act on Determining the Nationality Status of Children Born to Iranian Mothers and Foreign Fathers. The amendment allows these children to apply for Iranian citizenship upon reaching the age of 18 provided their mothers have not done so on their behalf or where their case is not linked to national security concerns. The Secretary-General is encouraged by the ratification by Parliament, on 28 August 2018, of the bill on protection of children and adolescents, 137 which is currently pending approval by the Guardian Council. The Secretary-General remains concerned that the bill fails to clearly define the minimum age for criminal responsibility, preventing consistent treatment by judges in cases involving child offenders. In its comments, the Government stated that the purpose of the law was to include conditions allowing the judge to impose alternative punishments. 59. Key indicators demonstrate positive efforts by the Government to provide education to all Iranians. Figures from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) indicate the total enrolment and completion of primary education for both boys and girls. 138 The Office of the President announced in September 2018 that the Council of Ministers had agreed that the Education Bill would include a provision prohibiting discrimination in higher education.139 The Education Bill will reportedly end the “starred students” policy,140 which identified, restricted and expelled from higher education student activists and other persons that the intelligence services deemed to be in opposition to the Government. 141 The Secretary-General also urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to extend the anti-discrimination provisions of the Education Bill to ethnic and religious minorities. Many Baha’i are reportedly expelled from university or their applications are rejected as “incomplete” once their religion is discovered. 142 Individuals who have complained about their non-admission have reportedly been imprisoned. 143 The Baluchis, as well as Arab and Kurdish minorities, also face structural problems in accessing education, such as a lack of official documentation or proof of citizenship, 144 as well as the limited number of schools in their region, the distances, and unaffordable transport costs. 145 60. Civil law continues to deny women equal rights, including in marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance. Discrimination also prevails in accessing the job market, despite major advances in women’s post-secondary education. In March 2018, the Statistical Centre of the Islamic Republic of Iran reported that 41 per cent of women 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 See www.ilna.ir/fa/tiny/news-678900. See https://lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session20/IR/Iran2ndCycle.pdf. See http://datatopics.worldbank.org/education/country/iran,-islamic-rep. See http://president.ir/en/106036. See www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=2018091818331121. See www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/iranian-student-activists-denied-education/ and www.hrw.org/news/2018/09/05/irans-student-activists-denied-education. See https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/09/in-just-six-months-iranian-universities-expelled-50-bahaistudents-for-their-religious-beliefs/ and www.iranhumanrights.org/2018/05/you-know-what-yourproblem-is-young-man-expelled-from-iranian-university-for-his-bahai-faith/. See www.iranhumanrights.org/2017/11/three-bahais-barred-from-university-in-iran-sentenced-tofive-years-in-prison/. See https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rights-Denied-Violations-against-ethnicand-religious-minorities-in-Iran.pdf. Ibid. 15