The Result of the Islamic Republic's 'Anti-Women' Policies: Increase in Women's Migration

An Iranian newspaper has addressed the intensifying trend of migration, citing the director of the 'Iran Migration Observatory' about the increasing share of women among migrants. The newspaper 'Donya-e-Eqtesad' reported statistics based on gender differentiation in migration, stating that 'these statistics show that in 2021, over 52% of permanent residencies issued for Iranians in Canada, 45% in Finland, and 49% in Australia were for women.' Bahram Salavati, the director of the Iran Migration Observatory, announced that according to a study titled 'Analyzing Women's Lived Experiences of Migration,' most women migrating from Iran to Canada are educated and hold at least a master's degree. The latest statistics from the UNESCO database in September 2023 also indicate that the population of Iranian students abroad has been increasing for the eighth consecutive year. To further investigate this issue, the newspaper consulted Anahid Sifi, an assistant professor at Allameh Tabatabai University, who stated that 'in the past, women migrated as dependents of men; whereas now many single women or women with children are migrating.' Anahid Sifi also discussed the reasons for women's migration, saying, 'The reasons for women's migration are diverse, ranging from economic issues to cultural and social concerns.' This assistant professor referred to the results of research conducted in this area, indicating that 'some social taboos may drive women and girls to migrate. Women are likely to migrate to countries that have more suitable social institutions and greater economic opportunities than their own.' Migration has become a concern for many Iranians in the past two years, to the extent that in September of this year, the director of the Iran Migration Observatory stated that '67% of key and specialized personnel in knowledge-based companies have entered the migration process.' Salavati noted, 'Currently, the scope of migration has extended beyond talents, educated individuals, and elites, and is also expanding among various social classes, especially in lower economic strata.' In May of this year, results from a survey by the 'Open Data Iran' platform were published, showing that 93% of respondents stated they had seriously considered migrating from the country. About half of these individuals reported that they had taken steps toward migration, with those holding university degrees being more prevalent than those without. More than half of the respondents indicated that they had considered migration between 2009 and 2019, most of whom are aged 29 to 30. Experts believe that women's migration is directly related to the intensification of anti-women policies in the Islamic Republic, and following last year's protests and the approach the Islamic Republic has taken regarding hijab and increased restrictions, it is expected that the statistics on women's and girls' migration will see a significant increase.