TEHRAN – The administration of President Ebrahim Raisi is planning to create marketplaces for women breadwinners and heads of households.

“We are planning to establish marketplaces in all provinces of the country,” IRIB quoted Ensieh Khazali, the vice president for women and family affairs, as saying on Thursday.

Women can showcase their products at the marketplaces in the fields of handicrafts and agriculture to be exported to target countries, she added.

Low-income women breadwinners will also be provided with banking guarantees for four years to expand their businesses, Khazali noted.

Laying the groundwork for the presence of women, especially women heads of households and entrepreneurs, in economic fields, is among the steps taken so far.During the past year, the administration sought to improve the status of women by implementing important projects.

The most important goals and executive programs of the Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs include lifestyle reform, promoting hijab and chastity, promoting childbearing and population growth, employment and support for female heads of households, and dealing with social harm, especially the harm of divorce.

The formation of a loan guarantee fund for women heads of households, launching an empowerment plan for women breadwinners, improving the structure and position of women in provinces, carrying out women’s sustainable business plans, boosting women's employment, and setting up a market platform were among the measures to introduce new businesses of young people and women.

The plan to empower women heads of households was implemented with the aims of formulation, monitoring, and evaluating the implementation of the plan in the cultural, social, legal, and economic fields.

It has been prepared in four sections consultation, education, employment, and support, and has been sent to the cultural and social commissions of the government.

The creation of a loan guarantee fund for female heads of households is another effective and important measure. With the formation of this fund, the problem of many female heads of households who did not have a guarantor to receive loans is solved.

Launching and activating a sustainable business plan for women and families is one of the main strategies of the Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs.

Developing a national plan for a family-centered sustainable business network and implementing an economic empowerment plan, laying the groundwork for the presence and effective role of women in economic fields, especially women heads of households and entrepreneurs, are among the other steps taken toward women's support.

Conclusion of 12 agreements for the implementation of the economic empowerment plan for women heads of households and support for women entrepreneurs in 12 provinces – as a result of which 387 entrepreneurs and 1,600 women heads of households in 62 professions in all agricultural sectors – and the creation of 200 production sites and supporting 100 cooperatives run by women are also the other measures.

MG