The 'Atlas of Women's Status' in Iran; What Does the Iranian Government Report Say?

The status of women in Sistan and Baluchestan province records several alarming statistics in Iran; in terms of the number of women with co-wives, those giving birth before the age of 18, having no access to any media even once a week, lacking proper awareness about how to prevent AIDS, the highest illiteracy rates among girls and women over six years old, and the lowest use of various contraceptive methods. 14.9% of women in Sistan and Baluchestan have husbands with more than one wife, 18.29% of women aged 20 to 24 in this province give birth before the age of 18, 55.16% do not use any form of birth control, and only 8.05% have correct information about how to prevent AIDS. Additionally, only 4.47% of women aged 15 to 54 in this province use the internet at least once a week, 10.01% use a computer at least once a week, and 8.39% have no access to any media at all during the week. In contrast to women living in Sistan and Baluchestan, 38.54% of women in Semnan aged 15 to 54 use the internet at least once a week, and 60.81% use a computer weekly. Women aged 15 to 54 in North Khorasan also have minimal access to media and rank first in this regard in the country. 18.77% of women aged 15 to 24 in Markazi province have accurate knowledge about AIDS, and 79.63% of them use various contraceptive methods. The lowest rate of childbirth under the age of 18 among women aged 20 to 24 in the country belongs to Yazd province with 1.11%. Despite the significant number of men with two wives in Sistan and Baluchestan, only 0.69% of women in Semnan have husbands with more than one wife. This information was made public last week in the 'Atlas of Women's Status and Map of Social Damages' compiled and prepared by the Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs. The women's atlas examines family damages in various parts of Iran from aspects such as domestic violence, health issues, cultural, political, social, and economic problems. This collection provides information about demographic and marital characteristics, economic status, education, health and treatment, and NGOs related to women and families in the provinces. The demographic and marital characteristics of women in Iran show that the largest population of women, most of whom are urban, live in Gilan province, while the smallest number live in Bushehr province. The highest number of female heads of households live in Tehran [494.44 individuals], and the lowest in Ilam [14.156]. Women in Tehran make up 49.61% of the population of this province, while women in Ilam constitute 49.37% of their province's population. In terms of marital characteristics, in addition to the significant issue of men having two or more wives mentioned above, the highest and lowest registered marriages between ages 10 to 14 are in Razavi Khorasan with 6.759% and its neighboring province Semnan with 1.58%, respectively. In Razavi Khorasan, 4.39% of women have husbands with more than one wife, and the divorce-to-marriage ratio in this province is 17.56%. Regarding divorces registered within less than a year of marriage, Ilam province ranks first with 29.8%, while Gilan province ranks last with 7.08%. The divorce-to-marriage ratio is highest in Alborz province at 31.19% and lowest in Sistan and Baluchestan at 4.92%. In terms of economic status, Shahindokht Molaverdi, the Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, previously stated about women's employment status in Iran that 'Iran ranks 139 out of 144 countries in this regard, with countries like Saudi Arabia following Iran.' She announced the economic participation rate of women in the country as 13.3% and added, 'When we raise the issue of women's economic empowerment as a challenge, some criticize us for intending to pull women out of the home and family.' The information gathered in the women's atlas also confirms Molaverdi's statements, providing more details about the distribution of women's economic participation and their employment rates across Iran. Accordingly, women's economic participation in South Khorasan is 19.3%, the highest in the country, while in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad it is 5.8%, the lowest in this regard. In terms of young women's economic participation aged 15-29, Ilam has the highest rate at 19.49%, while Qom has the lowest at 7.66%. The highest employment rate for women in Iran is in South Khorasan at 91.4%, while Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad is at the bottom of the list with 55.6%. The highest employment rate for young women aged 15-29 is also in South Khorasan at 78.32%, and the lowest is in Kermanshah at 39.98%. The unemployment rate for young women aged 15-29 is highest in Kermanshah at 60.02% and lowest in South Khorasan at 21.68%. Other important information from the women's atlas includes the share of women's employment across various sectors such as agriculture, industry, services, and the public sector. The share of women's employment in the industrial sector in Sistan and Baluchestan is 60.5%, higher than in other provinces, while in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad it is 3.7%, lower than in other provinces. However, women in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad lead in the services sector with 82.01%, while women in Ardabil have lower employment in this sector. [Economic activity statistics for women in Ardabil are not available in the atlas.] In agriculture, women in Ardabil rank first, while women in Tehran are at the bottom with 0.2%. The statistics published in the women's atlas indicate that the literacy rate of women over six years old in Tehran is higher than in other provinces, while in Sistan and Baluchestan it is lower than in other provinces. The highest share of women's employment in the public sector is also 82.01% in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, while the lowest share belongs to women in Ardabil. Regarding educational status and NGOs related to women, the statistics published in the women's atlas indicate that the literacy rate of women over six years old in Tehran is higher than in other provinces, while in Sistan and Baluchestan it is lower than in other provinces. [Details of educational status statistics for women in the country are not provided in the atlas.] In terms of the status of NGOs related to women until the end of September 2012, Tehran has the highest number of organizations at 179, followed by Semnan with 12 organizations. The second and third ranks are held by Isfahan with 97 organizations and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari with 54 organizations. The health and medical status section of the women's atlas includes topics such as the frequency of internet, computer, and media use, satisfaction with income and living environment, and living with family, likely paying attention to the mental health status of women in Iran in this context. Accordingly, the frequency of internet use at least once a week among women aged 15-54 is highest in Semnan at 38.54% and lowest in Sistan and Baluchestan at 4.47%. The weekly computer usage rate among women aged 15-54 in Semnan is 60.81% and in Sistan and Baluchestan is 10.01%. The percentage of women aged 15-54 in the country with no media access at least once a week is as follows: Sistan and Baluchestan with 8.39% is the highest, and North Khorasan with 0% is the lowest. 96.84% of women aged 15-24 in Lorestan are satisfied with their income-free life, while the lowest satisfaction rate in this regard belongs to women in North Khorasan at 80.69%. Women aged 15-24 in Qom are 100% satisfied with their jobs, while 65.04% of women in South Khorasan are dissatisfied with their current jobs. However, the percentage of satisfaction with income among women aged 15-24 is highest among women in South Khorasan at 42.14%, while women in Ardabil are the most dissatisfied regarding their income at 65.85%. In terms of satisfaction with living with family among women aged 15-24, Qazvin ranks first with 95.99%, while Hamadan has the lowest satisfaction at 85.24%. Satisfaction with the living environment among women aged 15-24 in Qazvin is the highest in the country at 79.36%, while in North Khorasan it is the lowest at 65.58%. Regarding the mental health status of women across Iranian provinces, 86.54% of women in Mazandaran aged 15-24 are satisfied with themselves, whereas 87.95% of women in Zanjan are dissatisfied. The statistics published by the women's atlas also show that the highest number of women who received no care during pregnancy were in Sistan and Baluchestan, while all women in Hamadan received some form of necessary care during this period. The prevalence of joint diseases, one of the most common diseases among women aged 15-54, is more prevalent in Qom at 29.44%, while women in Lorestan have the best condition at 4.01%. These statistics are among the few pieces of information published in recent years about the relatively real status of women in various provinces and cities in Iran. According to the data from this atlas, a significant portion of women in various parts of Iran are trapped in illiteracy, low literacy, early marriages, and childbirths, and they are not particularly satisfied with their lives, jobs, families, and positions. These statistics indicate that women in Iran, despite extensive civil and social efforts and their presence in universities, scientific centers, and management positions, are still far from achieving a status that would lead to relative satisfaction.