Iran deploys Drones and apps to enforce and monitor women’s dress code

Iran is ramping up its use of technology to monitor and enforce its strict dress code for women, particularly in relation to wearing the mandatory hijab. 

This move, revealed through a report by the United Nations and shared by BBC, highlights how the Iranian authorities have turned to drones, surveillance cameras, and mobile apps to keep women’s dress code violations in check.

According to the UN report, Iranian security officials have been using a special mobile application to track whether women in private vehicles, such as taxis or ambulances, are adhering to the dress code. 

The report emphasized that technology has become a major tool in monitoring women’s clothing in public spaces, especially in the capital city of Tehran and in Iran‍‍`s southern regions, where drones and cameras are increasingly deployed to observe compliance.

The report goes further to underline the consequences faced by women who defy the dress code. 

Those found in violation of the rules, or who protest against them, risk being arrested, physically assaulted, and even subjected to sexual violence while in police custody.

One of the key tools in this surveillance network is facial recognition software installed at Tehran’s Amir Kabir University. 

This software is used to scan students’ faces and track whether female students are violating the dress code. 

Similarly, surveillance cameras on major roads across Iran are watching women who may be out in public without wearing the hijab.

Additionally, the Iranian police have introduced a mobile app called “Nazar,” which allows the public to report instances where women are breaking the dress code. 

Citizens can use this app to submit details, and if a woman inside a vehicle is found violating the law, the car’s owner receives a warning message. 

If the offense is repeated, authorities may confiscate the vehicle altogether.

In preparing the report, a fact-finding mission conducted interviews with around 300 women and eyewitnesses to collect firsthand accounts of how these enforcement practices are affecting everyday life in Iran. 

The report paints a clear picture of how technology is being harnessed to impose social control over women’s appearance and behavior in the country.

Iran’s focus on using technology to enforce its dress code has sparked widespread discussions, raising concerns about the government’s growing surveillance and control over its citizens, particularly women. 

While the state encourages ordinary people to participate in reporting dress code violations, the consequences of non-compliance are severe, often leading to harassment, arrest, or even worse outcomes for those who challenge the system.

This technological crackdown on women’s dress code is part of a broader effort by the Iranian government to suppress dissent and ensure that traditional laws are strictly followed.