Thirty women have registered their application to the Ministry of Interior for the June 14th elections, despite the fact that the Iranian authorities do not allow women to stand for election. Among them, Zahra, a 52 year-old teacher who has not waited for the response of the Guardian Council of the Constitution to launch her campaign. Zahra lost her son during the protests against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2009. Her program includes a call for the abolition of the death penalty, the release of political prisoners and equality between men and women.

 According to the IPU only 9 parliamentary seats out of 290 were occupied by women after the May 2012 elections, representing a representation of only 3.1% in the unicameral system.

 For more information visit the Global Database of Quotas for Women and the Parline database on national parliaments