An Economic Newspaper: The Government Provides False Information About Unemployment Rates

An economic newspaper published in Tehran has criticized the government's "statistical manipulation" in the economy, stating that the false information provided by the government regarding the reduction of unemployment is "just sweet talk that does not sweeten the mouth." The newspaper "Donyaye Eghtesad" emphasized that the claimed reduction in unemployment has not impacted the country's economic growth and is not felt in the lives of the people. This report refers to the latest report from the Deputy Minister of Labor, which announced the economic participation rate in the fall of 1402 (2023) as 41.3% and the unemployment rate for the entire year of 1402 as 8.1%. Donyaye Eghtesad noted that statistically, based on the formula provided for the unemployment rate, this rate could decrease for two reasons: if individuals searching for work finally find jobs, or if individuals searching for work become discouraged and abandon the process. The report cites "official statistics" published by the government statistics center, emphasizing that "educated individuals who have searched for suitable jobs for their qualifications or at least something close to it have officially given up searching for them," and the government considers their exit from the active population seeking work in its employment statistics. The newspaper also addressed the crisis of unemployment among educated women. According to Donyaye Eghtesad, over 40% of the unemployed in the country hold higher education degrees. Currently, only about 11% of the economic participation rate consists of women, meaning approximately 89% of women over 15 years old in Iran are unemployed. The report's author emphasizes that in an economic situation where such figures are observed in the labor market, how can the unemployment rate have significantly decreased? In this context, the Tasnim news agency, affiliated with security institutions, reported on 14 Farvardin (April 3) that the share of graduates in unemployment in the winter of 1402 was 39%, stating that an examination of the unemployment rate among the population aged 15 and older with higher education shows that 11.6% of the active population of higher education graduates were unemployed. Tasnim also emphasized that this rate was higher among women compared to men and in rural areas compared to urban areas. The Tasnim news agency highlighted that unemployment among university graduates has become a closed loop, with job scarcity even reaching doctoral level, to the extent that some have been forced to take jobs unrelated to their education to escape unemployment. The "Tejarat News" website also reported on 23 Dey (January 12) that reports from the Technical and Vocational Organization indicate that 40% of those seeking skills are university graduates. The "Eghtesad News" website reported on 3 Farvardin that data from the Iranian government statistics center shows that the unemployment rate among youth aged 15 to 24 is higher than the overall unemployment rate in the country, with one reason being the difficulty in reconciling work hours and study. Furthermore, the "Eko Iran" website reported that in spring 84 (2005), the unemployment rate for youth aged 15 to 24 was 24%, and in winter 89 (2010), the unemployment rate for this age group exceeded 31%, marking the highest unemployment rate recorded in the past 19 years. Eko Iran also noted in Mehr 1402 (October 2023) that the active population in summer 1402 reached approximately 26 million 800 thousand, emphasizing that studies show that in the summer of this year, 2 million 115 thousand of these individuals failed to find jobs and are considered unemployed. Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has consistently promised to create "one million jobs a year" since mid-Khordad 1400 (June 2021), a slogan that has been reiterated by his Minister of Labor, Solat Mortazavi, and has faced significant reactions. Experts have repeatedly emphasized that governments in the Islamic Republic manipulate indicators or shift time bases, effectively engaging in statistical manipulation for "achievement fabrication." Hamid Asafi: The unemployment rate among the youth is very high, and young people are inevitably drawn into false jobs. The highest level of unemployment among youth aged 15 to 24 in Iran has been recorded in the past 19 years. The share of graduates in unemployment is 39%. A sociologist states: "Livelihood" is the most prominent concern of the people in the new year. Young people are at the top of the list of unemployed in Iran. The naming of the year has once again become economic; "Production Leap with the Presence of the People" is accompanied by anti-production policies.