TEHRAN – According to a recent report by the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI), the number of female heads of households supported by Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation and Welfare Organization has increased from 1,566,606 and 180,120 individuals in 2017 to 1,264,269 and 278,353 in 2023, respectively.

The majority of women heads of households are widowed, divorced, or women in families where the man does not have any income due to illness or disability; but they are not necessarily the oldest member of the families, Mehr news agency reported.

The increase in the number of female-headed households in the world has resulted in many economic, health, and social challenges.

Empowering women is one of the key components of sustainable development, and women heads of households are no exception.

The empowerment programs of the late President Raisi’s administration resulted in the self-sufficiency of more than 126,000 women heads of household.

“Female entrepreneurs have expanded business, resulting in the creation of sustainable employment for women, as well as the support for job-creating skills,” IRNA quoted Ensieh Khazali, the former vice president for women and family affairs, as saying.

Also, the national sustainable family-oriented business plan, with the assistance of women entrepreneurs managed to empower women seeking employment.

In this project, women entrepreneurs support the employment of women for four years from the raw material preparation stage to the end product sales stage to ensure their sustainable employment.

In addition, the late president’s administration for the first time established an entrepreneurship fund for supporting women heads of household.

Providing online sales platforms, and establishing sales markets across the country were among other empowerment programs for women heads of households which led to the self-sufficiency of many Iranian women.

Women’s economic, social empowerment

Addressing the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference, held in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 19 to 21, 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.

MT/MG