Political empowerment of women is an indicator of healthy democracy, said Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Shahindokht Molaverdi.
Addressing the 14 MPs at a meeting at her office on Thursday, she said, “Election of 14 female MPs in the first round of the recent parliamentary elections signals a heightened faith in women’s competence,” ILNA reported.
The 10th parliamentary elections held on February 26 were a significant victory for women as an unprecedented number of 14 women secured seats in the Majlis.
The next parliament could potentially provide opportunities for women lawmakers to push for change and promote gender rights and concerns in the society.
“People voting for a larger number of women translates into stronger faith in women’s participation in a plethora of areas of national development,” Molaverdi deemed, hoping that more women would be elected in the runoff elections (the date for which is yet to be announced).
“We hope for optimum cooperation in devising and implementing joint programs to improve the status of women and consolidate family pillars,” she reiterated, noting that constant and continuous interaction between all government bodies will yield positive results in planning of feasible laws.
“Women MPs are the voice of the society and carry heavy responsibilities and duties. They must use this chance to better the legal status of women and take strides towards strengthening family structures.”
“Our ultimate goal is to maintain constructive and effective cooperation, as the presidential advisory body, with women legislators in order to have the previously proposed bills reviewed and new ones passed.”
The newly-elected women MPs have great aspirations for the incoming parliament. As stated by a number of them recently, they are aspiring for equal opportunities in the job market and employment, revisions to discriminatory rules against women, devising laws concerning violence against women with a focus on verbal abuse and removal of gender biases in higher education and some fields of the employment market.
The proposed agendas will be taken up under the much-anticipated Sixth Five-Year Economic Development Plan (March 2016-2021).
The different academic backgrounds of the women lawmakers will enable them to serve on the various Majlis committees on behalf of the 80 million Iranian population, half of which comprises women.
