Campaigners say that institutionalised discrimination by the ruling theocracy has stripped women of even the most basic rights such as choosing the clothes they wear. A vast network of 27 state agencies enforce the mandatory wearing of the Hijab, including 10 ministries, and women are imprisoned and physically punished for the smallest infraction of stringent rules. Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers, Baroness Verma, Ministerial Champion for Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Overseas and Chair for UN Women National Committee UK and Senator Catherine Noone are today to join dozens of politicians to make the call in a conference organised by pro-democracy group the National Council for Resistance of Iran (NCRI).