Title: Landmark Legal Reforms Passed to Strengthen Family Foundations and Protect Women’s Rights
In a significant legislative move, the Islamic Consultative Assembly has approved a comprehensive judicial reform package aimed at modernizing family law and addressing long-standing social challenges. The reforms focus on financial penalties, dowry regulations, and divorce procedures, with the overarching goal of strengthening the family unit.
Parliamentary Approval
During its public session on Sunday, the parliament, with an overwhelming majority, voted in favor of the generalities of the plan proposed by the Judicial and Legal Commission. The vote saw 197 in favor, 38 against, and 7 abstentions out of the 242 representatives present. The government’s representative in the parliament also formally announced the administration’s support for the bill, particularly for its first four articles.
Key Reforms at a Glance
The approved plan introduces several key changes designed to create a more balanced legal framework for marital disputes:
- Reduced Threshold for Dowry-Related Imprisonment: A central change is the substantial reduction in the dowry amount that can lead to a husband’s imprisonment. The threshold has been lowered from 110 gold coins to 14 gold coins, a measure intended to alleviate the burden of financial penalties on individuals.
- Clarification on the Wife’s Right of Detention (Haq-e Habs): The reforms introduce clearer conditions under which a wife’s right to withhold cohabitation until the dowry is paid is suspended. This right will be waived if the husband’s financial hardship is proven, if the dowry is paid in installments and the first installment is received, or if the husband pays a portion of the dowry.
- Expanded Grounds for Divorce Due to Hardship: Amendments to the Civil Code now provide a clearer path for a wife to file for divorce in cases of proven severe hardship. This applies if the wife has lived separately from her husband for at least two consecutive years and the court determines she has a severe aversion to continuing the marriage.
- Mandatory Counseling for Marital Disputes: To reinforce family foundations, all petitions for divorce—whether mutual, filed by the husband or wife, or related to alimony and marital obedience—must be referred to counseling centers. These centers are required to announce their findings within a three-month period.
A Step Towards Balance and Support
Collectively, these legislative amendments represent a concerted effort to establish greater legal balance between spouses, protect women’s rights within the family structure, and reduce social pressures. By adjusting financial obligations and introducing mandatory mediation, the reforms are strategically designed to foster more stable and harmonious family relationships in line with the societal values of the Islamic Republic.