Gender Gap Across Iran; Women's Unemployment Rate Exceeds 20%

Iranian media, examining official statistics released by the economic institutions of the Islamic Republic, announced that in the autumn of this year, the unemployment rate for women aged 15 to 24 in 26 provinces exceeds 20%. The economic website 'Eco Iran' reported that this rate for young men is higher than this rate in 14 provinces. The report indicates that Sistan and Baluchestan province has the highest unemployment rate for young men, while Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province has the highest rate for young women. Accordingly, it has been announced that in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Semnan, and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces, the unemployment rate for young women is higher than in other provinces of the country. For young men, the highest unemployment rates have been recorded in Sistan and Baluchestan, Hormozgan, and Bushehr provinces. Statistics released by the Statistical Center show that the unemployment rate for young men in the autumn of this year is 18.5%, while this rate for women nationwide is 28.9%. The gender gap and lack of attention to increasing women's participation in various fields, including the economy, is one of the issues facing Iranian society during the rule of the Islamic Republic. In this regard, the World Economic Forum reported in its summer report that Iran ranked 143rd out of 146 countries in the gender gap index, the same as last year. A look at the World Bank's annual report titled 'Women, Business and the Law,' which examines the status of women's business in 190 countries, shows that Iran scored 31.3 out of 100, only ahead of Qatar, Sudan, Yemen, and Gaza. Women in Iran have historically lacked equal rights and conditions compared to men, and the 'traditional view prevailing in society' alongside the 'religiously influenced perspective' in social relations has prevented women from accessing many of their fundamental rights. Under the Islamic Republic, conditions for women have worsened more than ever, a fact that has been documented multiple times by international organizations, including UN human rights mechanisms. Despite government claims of controlling inflation, a 2.6% increase in the price index in December has led to social crises, with 'child abuse' and 'severe family disputes' still topping emergency social contacts. A government official described the unemployment rate of graduates as 'decreasing.' Rising inflation and unemployment have increased the misery index in 14 provinces of Iran, with 42% of the unemployed being higher education graduates.