Women's Social and Cultural Council
(WSCC)
(Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution)

Introduction

WSCC's objectives are briefly as follows:

1. Adoption of necessary policies to pave the way for the growth of women's personality, restitution of their human values and dignity and ensure all-inclusive rights according to Islamic laws.
2. Examination of the ways and means of women's participation in political, social, cultural and artistic activities and removal of the existing barriers.
3. Preparation of plans for strengthening the sacred institution of the family and safeguarding its sanctity.
4. Adoption of necessary policies in 6rder to identify and fight corrupt foreign influences and eliminate fossilized outlooks from the society.
5. Adaption of plans for the best use by girls and women of their leisure time.
6. Preparation of plans for promotion of women 5 general knowledge and literacy, and adoption of proper methods for their education and higher education.
7. Preparation of suitable plans for solving the problems of unprotected women.
8. Coordination of the activities of centers and organizations working on women's socio-cultural affairs.
9. Preparation of plans for the development of cultural links with women 5 societies and revolutionary movements of the world, especially in Muslim countries.
10. - Presentation of proposals and plans to the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, regular evaluation of women's social and cultural status and submission to competent centers proposals for research on women's important social and cultural issues.

WSCC consists of 18 members who represent:
Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, Islamic Counsultative Assembly, the Judiciary Theological School of Qum, Islamic Propagation Organization, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of “Islamic Guidance”, “Culture & Higher Education” “Education, Health, Treatment and Medical Education”, “Labour and Social Affairs”, the IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting), and Basseej. They also include two authorities on Islamic studies, Advisor to the President in Women's Affairs and the President of Physical Education Organization.

Since its inception, WSCC approved the establishment of specialized committees, which would first examine all matters of concern to the council and then submit them to the council for deliberation and finalization.

These specialized committees are as follows:

1. Committee for Education
2. Committee for Social and Economic Affairs & Employment
3. Committee for International Affairs
4. Committee for General Culture
5. Committee for Planning, Condification of Theoretical Principles and Research
6. Committee for Law and Family
7. Committee for Women's Mobilization & Defence

The Council, with full confidence and faith in the path it has undertaken, has successfully performed its duty of uprooting the weaker position of women that had been imposed on them during past years and centuries. In this connection, the official authorities especially the members of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution have extended their full cooperation to fulfill its objectives. The WSCC has been active in the following fields:
A- Proposals and plans approved by the Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution, which are now binding.

1. The proposal for the establishment of and Executive Office for Women in Presidency which was proposed to the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution and adopted by H.E the President. As a result, an advisor to the President was appointed and the Office of Women's Affairs (OWA) was established by the President. This is in fact a very useful measure for the resolution of Women's problems and secures hope that they would be able to gain their legitimate rights more speedily in the future.
2. A project for removing limitation for girls' admission to certain university courses. This project was approved by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution after its adoption by WSCC, and is now binding. This project stipulates that Ministry of Culture & Higher Education should remove limitation for girls' admission to certain courses except those which are practically and religiously unfit for women.
3. Project for the establishment of a “Family Guidence & Relief Unit”: This project was also approved by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution after its adoption by the Judiciary which subsequently issued relevant executive directives. This project is aimed at strengthening the institution of the family and family ties and safeguarding its sanctity on the basis of Islamic law.
4. Project on “Programmes and Objectives of Committee for International Affairs.

   This project entitled “Establishment of WSCC International Affairs Committee” was approved and notified to all ministries and the government.

5. Research project on “Study of Problems of Working Women”. This project was approved on 4-3-1991 by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution. The first stage of this project focuses on study and identification of women's status in Iranian society of today.
6. Proposal of WSCC for the celebration of Women's Week and mother's day and its approval by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution and struggle for the implementation of its suitable projects.
7. Plan for annexation of article of conjugal rights, stipulated in civil laws. Due to this article husband and wife should be aware of religious customs that they can perform their duties in correct sense by putting aside the incorrect traditional limits and customary prohibitions.
8. General plan for the employment policies of women in Islamic Republic system. According to the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran, all people including male and female have the right of employment and can mobilize their best efforts towards the building of the infrastructure of a good economy in the society.

B- Approved plans and consideration of WSCC

1. Proposal for facilitating admission of talented and oppressed girl students in the universities. This proposal has been sent to the Supreme Council for Education after its adoption.
2. Study of strong and weak points related to subject of Family Administration which has been sent to the Supreme Council for Education.
3. Observation and views in connection with training goals and educational system which have been sent to the Deputy Office for Training of Ministry of Education.
4. For the time being, project for the development of medical education has been put forward to the Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution for approval after the adoption of WSCC.
5. Project for Study on women's status in Islamic system. As a part of this project, a study of women's status in Islamic system has been conducted in different socio-cultural, scientific, economic, defensive and training fields. This project also focuses on the role of women in the development of Islamic system as a pattern for the women of the world.