by the Islamic Consultative Assembly. It is expected that this commission will facilitate the review and modification of some aspects of the Civil Code on women. The following legislative measures were also adopted:
    a) Modification of the law on part-time employment for women allowing women more flexible work hours.
    b) The modification of Mahr (dowry) paid to women to meet inflation rates during the course of time (final ratification pending).
    c) The re-establishment of Family Courts.
    d) The allocation of a deceased women's salary to her siblings (pending final ratification).
    e) Modifications in the Labour Law such as the extension of maternity leave from 84 days to 120 days.
    ii) Implementation of 240 income generating projects for rural women through the establishment of small scale processing industries for agricultural products.
    iii) Increased percentage of women at the decision making levels in banking and credit systems,
particularly in the Bank of Agriculture.
    iv) Support for the formation of women's co- operatives which had increased from 402 in 1995 to 463 by the end of 1996. Five new carpet co-operatives have been formed by rural women.
Promotion of education and training for 463 women's co-operatives in the fields of accounting and management, marketing, handicrafts and husbandry.
    v) Increasing and upscaling of housing loans, marriage loans , emergency loans, scholarships
and credit to women under the welfare system.
    vi) Convening of a national workshop on the Role and Status of Women in Rural Development
(Fall of 1996).
    4) Women and Decision -making i) More than six ministers have appointed an  Advisor in Women's Affairs. These advisors have created a women's office in their respective ministries to incorporate women's concerns.
    ii) The number of women Majlis (Islamic Consultative Assembly) representatives has increased from 9 in 1995 to 13 in 1997 indicative of a significant upward trend. The number of women participating in Majlis elections exceeded the number of men in several cities and in some cities women candidates won more votes than their male counterparts.
    iii) The Women's Office of the Judiciary has been upgraded and expanded enabling it to address
women's legal concerns in a more efficient and accountable manner.