TEHRAN – There are currently around 26 million households in the country, more than 20 million of them in urban areas and approximately six million in rural areas. According to the latest statistics, women head more than 12 percent of these households. Plans are underway to boost support for women-headed households.
Data from the National Organization for Civil Registration shows that between 6.5 million and seven million households are women-headed. The statistics cover women whose husbands have died or become disabled and who have legally assumed responsibility for their families, according to Parvin Dad-Andish, the head of the Ministry of Interior’s department for women and family.
“The growing number of women-headed households highlights the need for greater attention to these families and stronger economic and social support for them. In these households, women shoulder not only family responsibilities but also the burden of providing for their families and managing their daily affairs,” she added.
A program implemented in 16 provinces identified nearly 10,000 women-headed households that had not previously received support from welfare organizations. Under the initiative, the women’s skills and capabilities were assessed and categorized, leading to the development of a two-year program to provide training and self-employment assistance. The program has produced tangible results, including the provision of work equipment and the establishment of home-based businesses.
“We have begun cooperation with the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology to provide information technology training for girls from women-headed households. Our goal is to help the children of these families achieve independence as well,” the official said.
Women in management
More than 2,700 female managers have been appointed in the country as deputy ministers, director generals, deputy director generals, governors, district governors, and heads of research institutes since the current administration took office last year, Zahra Behrouz-Azar, the Vice-President for Women and Family Affairs, has said.
“President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration has always highlighted the importance of national unity and empowering women. As a result, for the first time, we have Sunni female governors in the country,” IRNA quoted Behrouz-Azar as saying.
The official went on to say that over the past year, efforts were made to identify and address harmful issues to women, including the bill on the elimination of violence against women, the hijab, and women riding motorcycles. Moreover, the vice-presidency for women and family affairs has offered loans and other facilities for childbearing.
“I believe that women’s involvement in top management and decision-making positions is their right and a key to the development of the country.
My goal is to increase the share of women in managerial positions in the country based on meritocracy and justice.
I recognize the right of women’s political participation, and I will promote the status of women’s affairs in the administration,” President Masoud Pezeshkian had said during election campaigns.
Women’s economic, social empowerment
Addressing the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference, held in Bangkok in 2024, Behrouz-Azar stated that the current administration focuses on empowering women in social and economic areas, as well as improving their access to social services and facilities through implementing certain national programs.
“Iran has always focused on programs that empower women, particularly those who are heads of household, economically and socially. Actions taken by the country have always aimed to promote women’s status by observing the principles of the constitution and Islamic teachings,” Mehr news agency quoted Behrouz-Azar as saying.
Referring to Iran’s remarkable achievements in education, health, science, technology, and entrepreneurship, she underscored the prominent role of Iranian women in these fields.
The official further said the seventh National Development Plan has stressed the need to overcome barriers to women’s professional development. Accordingly, the current administration has put supporting women’s entrepreneurship and home business growth on the agenda despite unfair sanctions.
Addressing a roundtable focusing on ‘Advancing women’s economic empowerment through employment, decent work, social protection, and entrepreneurship’, Fakhr al-Sadat Fatemi, an advisor to the deputy vice president for women and family affairs, for her part proposed three ways to advance women’s empowerment in different fields, these ways include training, empowering, acquiring skills, and developing opportunities for women’s participation, as well as providing legal and executive support, Mehr news agency reported.
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