Education hopes for Iranian women

The Iranian parliament has passed a bill which will enable unmarried women to apply for scholarships to study overseas.

The state news agency IRNA says the bill has been contentious because of the conflicting views of reformist members of parliament and conservatives, who regard the measure as a potential blow to Islam and the dignity of women.

Although the bill has now been passed by parliament, it still has to be ratified by the Islamic authorities the twelve-member Guardians Council. Iran banned unmarried women from obtaining state scholarships for studying abroad when the law was changed in 1985.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service