Tehran - Moderate Iranian presidential hopeful Mir-Hossein Moussavi has vowed to promote women's rights in the Islamic state using religious leaders' ideas, the daily Kalameh Sabz (Green Word) reported on Sunday. "We are living in a religious society. Communication between women activists and religious leaders would pave the way to improve women's status and could be effective to remove discriminations," Moussavi was quoted as telling a group of women at a cultural centre in southern Tehran on Saturday.
Women in Iran do not have the same rights as men in various fields such as divorce, child custody and inheritance, and although their social status has improved in recent years, it is still far from international standards.
Moussavi highlighted a programme aimed at reaching to his goals and said: "Discriminatory and unfair laws and regulations against women must be reviewed by presenting necessary new drafts."
"Relying on preventive and supportive laws, we must prepare and operate a plan to stop violation against women," the daily owned by Moussavi himself quoted the main challenger of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying.
Moussavi's wife Zahra Rahnavard, who accompanies her husband in all campaign appearances trying to present the role of country's First Lady for the first time in Iran, also spoke to the crowd.
"We should review laws treating women unequally. We should empower women financially and Iranian women must be able to reach the highest level of decision making bodies," Rahnavard said.
Her remarks warmly welcomed by the crowd starting to chant slogans against "morality police" which is in charge of enforcing Islamic dress codes both for women and men in the public especially in the capital Tehran and other big cities.
The other presidential candidates - Ahmadinejad and moderate candidate Mehdi Karroubi - have vowed to grant women more rights but have not yet presented any specific programmes, except conservative nominee Mohsen Rezaei who had promised earlier this month to pay salaries to housewives in Iran and also put women in top managerial positions.
Women form more than half of the 46.2 eligible voters and the four candidates are expected to focus more on women in their remaining election campaigns.
