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FUTURE STRATEGIC POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE
PROMOTION OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT IN IRAN
Throughout this report the destructive effects of the Iran-Iraq
war on the national economy in general and on women in particular have been
emphasized. Nonetheless, despite the grave consequences of the war and the ensuing general
economic downturn, positive steps and measures have been taken to improve the status of
women, on which the progress has been satisfactory. To achieve the desired objectives in
women's development, as envisaged by Islamic laws and the Constitution, greater efforts
are required. Fortunately, preliminary work has started in many areas and trends of
progress have been satisfactory.
It is necessary to note that, although this report has been prepared on
the basis of the indicators and guidelines given by the United Nations, the fact is that
for advancement of human beings in general and women in particular, the framework provided
and the indicators assigned are both limited and inadequate and merely perpetuate
stereotypes. Attention must be given to qualitative aspects of progress and national and
cultural characteristics must be emphasized in the evaluation of work done and objectives
achieved.
Improvements in the situation of women after the Islamic Revolution have
been realized through qualitative and moral indicators such as social security, enjoyment
of increased respect in the family and a prominent managerial and educational role within
the family environment. The dignity of the woman is respected in the mass media and she is
no longer portrayed as a mere object of sexual attraction and means for propagation of
consumerism. Her sublime status in society has been restored through the establishment of
high moral standards and values.
In view of the importance of these achievements, the Islamic Republic of
Iran re-emphasizes the fact that, in addition to deliberation on indicators of material
development, it is absolutely necessary to maintain moral indicators in order to achieve
real progress and sustainable development. Focus on progress must include both
quantitative and qualitative indicators. Material development to the detriment of moral
values will not entail happiness for women.
Based on the framework and indicators given by the United Nations,
future policies for the promotion of women's progress in different areas are given below:
The main objectives and policies followed in the nation's Second
Five-Year Development Plan for the progress of women are:
- Expansion and improvement of the social security system through funds
allocated in the government's general budget for homeless women and children.
- Safeguarding family integrity and encouraging women's participation in
social, political, educational and political spheres.
- Creation of sports and recreational facilities for women.
- Fulfillment of the requirements of the families of the martyred with
emphasis on the improvement of their living standards and provision of employment for
them.
- The policy of government and non-government organizations in Iran is to
encourage qualified women's participation in parliamentary elections and increase the
number of women representatives to the Islamic Consultative Assembly. The notable increase
in the number of participants and elected women representatives in the previous
parliamentary election is encouraging. It is greatly hoped that this trend continues and
accelerates in future elections.
- According to strict recommendations of religious authorities and the
President's directive to all government institutions, appointment of women to higher
managerial positions is encouraged. The increasing number of women as managers and
ministerial advisors is a positive sign that indicates the number of women at higher
government positions will increase even further in the future.
- Increased participation of women at local decision-making levels is
another desired objective pursued by the government. The growing number of women's
organizations at the village level and the support extended by government and
non-government organizations give hope to increased participation of women at the local
level in the future.
- Promoting the social and legal awareness of rural women is another
objective pursued by government and non-government organizations.
- The general official policy is to support all government and
non-government organizations that are active in women's affairs. The increase in the
number of women's units in different ministries in recent years is encouraging.
- The number of non-government organizations dealing with different aspects
of women's development is increasing rapidly and suitable circumstances have been created
for their expansion into the rural society.
There have been important and numerous activities by various government
and non-government institutions in the evaluation of and amendments to existing laws and
regulations in order to eliminate all discriminatory practices against women. A number of
laws have been amended and the intention is to remove discriminatory aspects in all laws.
Although the number of employed women decreased in the early 1980s,
reopening of factories and reconstruction activities following the imposed war paved the
way for the creation of more employment opportunities for women. There has been a
perceptible increase in the number of jobs women hold in scientific, technical and
professional occupations. The government's intention is to create more jobs for women and
train them for more professional tasks. Another area of activity is to train women in
self-employment opportunities and implement small-scale income-generating projects to
augment women's income. Such activities are being pursued by the Ministry of Labor and
Social Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Jihad-e Sazandegi, the
Ministry of the Interior and some other institutions.
The government views women's technical and vocational training as a
national strategy.
The official policies and guidelines are to expand primary school level
education to embrace all children in the 6 to 14-year age-group. Specific objectives of
the government are to increase the percentage of girls' enrolment at primary and secondary
school levels as follows:
- Primary school level: From 48 percent and 45.8 percent of the total
population of students, respectively, for urban and rural areas in 1993 to 48.6 percent
and 48.5 percent by 1998.
- Junior secondary school level: From 46.6 percent and 36.4 percent,
respectively, for urban and rural areas in 1993 to 48.0 percent and 42.5 percent by 1998.
- Senior secondary school level: From 42.5 percent in 1993 to 44.5 percent
in 1998.
- Exceptional children: From 39 percent and 49.3 percent, respectively, for
exceptional and superior education in 1993 to 42 percent and 50 percent in 1998.
- Creation of necessary conditions, including the modification of existing
regulations, for the private sector to establish technical and vocational schools.
- Paying closer attention to the promotion of women's health status and
emphasizing their multi-dimensional role in development.
- Planning and implementing programs to train the required personnel for
health-care and medical treatment of women, particularly in economically-deprived areas of
the country.
- Evaluation and control of nutritional and health status of the society
with particular attention to women's requirements.
- Planning schemes to improve the situation of women employed in the
various disciplines of the medical profession.
- Establishing medical facilities and health care centres for women.
- Conducting research on specific training needed by and health
requirements of women, particularly in economically-deprived areas of the country.
- Increasing research activities on the social, economic and cultural
issues related to women's health.
- Devising suitable patterns for women's employment in social and economic
activities with due consideration to the importance of household affairs and the
importance of children's upbringing.
- Safeguarding and strengthening the family which is considered the most
fundamental social unit; and supporting deprived families and the handicapped.
- Creating conditions conducive to the development of talents and
potentials of the population served by the social services networks.
- Enhancement of religious and cultural aspects in families served by
welfare and social services.
- Providing moral and material assistance as well as advisory services to
the economically-deprived, the elderly, and the handicapped.
- Extension of social security insurance to cover more segments of the
population.
- Increasing supportive social security coverage through the expansion of
insurance to independent professions.
- Creation of complementary insurance policies to give further support to
families covered by social security schemes.
- Provision of insurance benefits for women surviving their insured
husband.
- Guaranteeing equal insurance benefits for men and women against damage or
loss.
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