Iran’s parliament has approved controversial amendments to the country’s dowry law, a move that women’s rights activists say further entrenches gender inequality in an already restrictive legal system. Lawmakers described the changes as “urgently necessary,” fast-tracking them through parliament—an urgency critics note has never been applied to legislation aimed at protecting women from domestic violence.
Under Iranian law, a groom or his family agrees to pay a dowry, known as Mehrieh, to the bride at the time of marriage. Often calculated in gold coins but sometimes including cash, property, or valuables, the dowry is treated as a legal debt that a woman can claim at any point during marriage or divorce. In a system where women have limited financial and legal protections, the dowry has long been considered one of the few mechanisms offering a degree of economic security.
The newly passed amendment dramatically lowers the threshold at which a husband can face imprisonment for failing to pay the dowry—from 110 gold coins to just 14. Each coin weighs approximately eight grams of gold. While men technically remain liable for the full agreed amount, criminal enforcement now applies only up to this sharply reduced limit.
A Law Passed Swiftly, Protections Still Delayed
The speed of the amendment’s approval has drawn particular outrage. For comparison, a draft bill aimed at protecting women from domestic violence has languished in parliament for 14 years, repeatedly diluted and still not enacted.
“This contrast speaks volumes,” said women’s rights activist Mahdieh Golrou, who has lived in exile since 2019 after multiple arrests in Iran. “We are dealing with a system that is deeply misogynistic in its ideology.”
Golrou emphasized that the dowry, despite its flaws, remains one of the only financial safeguards available to women under Iranian law. In divorce cases, unlike many Western legal systems, Iranian courts do not provide for the division of marital property. If a husband dies, a wife typically receives only one-eighth of his movable assets. Real estate usually passes to children, parents, or—if none exist—the state.
“The dowry is not a privilege,” Golrou said. “It is a substitute for rights women are denied elsewhere in the law.”
Clash With a Growing Women’s Movement
Activists argue the timing of the amendment is no coincidence. Since the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022, Iranian women have openly challenged state control, particularly through mass protests under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.” Acts of civil disobedience—such as refusing to wear the mandatory headscarf—have reshaped public discourse and imagery of women in Iran.
“The struggle is far from over,” Golrou said. “The system keeps finding new ways to undermine women’s rights. Women’s demands for equality are in direct conflict with the ideology of the Islamic Republic.”
Domestic Violence and Legal Silence
The absence of legal protections against domestic abuse further compounds women’s vulnerability. Iran still lacks a comprehensive law addressing domestic violence, despite years of debate.
A stark example is the 2024 killing of journalist Mansoureh Ghadiri Javid, who was murdered by her husband, a lawyer. Known for her reporting on women’s rights, Ghadiri Javid had reportedly endured years of abuse. Her family said legal action would likely have cost her custody of her only child, as Iranian law generally favors fathers.
Human rights lawyer and Sakharov Prize laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh described the dowry amendment as part of a broader pattern. “There is surprisingly quick agreement within the political system when it comes to the oppression of women,” she told DW. “Women’s rights are one of the few issues all political camps agree on.”
Sotoudeh added that when the state faces crises it cannot resolve, it often turns to issues it considers controllable. “The oppression of women has become a central instrument of demonstrating power,” she said.
Divorce, Resistance, and Uncertain Futures
Iranian women have increasingly resisted patriarchal norms, a shift reflected in rising divorce rates. According to ISNA, about 42% of marriages nationwide now end in divorce, rising to over 50% in Tehran—higher than many Western countries.
In divorce proceedings, women often use the dowry as leverage to negotiate custody or financial terms. Yet in practice, only around 3% of women actually receive the dowry, and fewer than 3,000 men are currently imprisoned for non-payment.
Despite these figures, lawmakers moved ahead with lowering the enforcement threshold. While husbands still owe the full dowry, how and when these debts will be paid is now unclear—leaving many women with fewer practical options than before.
For critics, the amendment sends a clear message. “This is not about justice or balance,” Golrou said. “It is about reinforcing a system that refuses to recognize women as equal citizens.”
