Many developing countries are plagued with the adverse effects of extreme poverty, which is the direct consequence of inadequate economic conditions. The developed nations’ policies that pursue global economic domination are major factors leading to widespread poverty in the so-called developing world. Even the Third World countries that are endowed with rich natural resources suffer from this economic injustice inflicted on them by the domination of industrialized countries that dictate the exchange of their natural wealth for often unnecessary imported manufactured products. Uneven distribution of wealth in developing countries is also a major factor aggravating poverty that afflicts large segments of the more vulnerable classes.

In Iran, the geographic nature of the land, with large mountain ranges dividing the country and the wide dispersion of population in remote areas contribute to the creation of poverty areas. People in these areas have less access to state-financed social services.

Support of the poverty-stricken is on the priorities list of the Islamic Republic of Iran in its First and Second National Development Plans. The allocation of substantial budgets for economically depressed areas and the establishment of the Office of the Deprived Zones at the President’s Office testify to this claim.

Women’s poverty in the way experienced in some other countries is not wide spread in Iran. According to provisions in Islamic laws, as long as a woman remains unmarried, her father must provide for her financial needs. After marriage, and so long as she is married, her husband must meet all her expenses, even if she herself has adequate financial resources but is unwilling to spend from her own wealth. A wealthy married woman can choose to use her wealth in investments to ensure her own future and contribute to economic development. Thus, this guiding principle of Islam effectively anticipates and prevents the spread of poverty in the female segment of society.

The 1986 national census on population and housing showed that there were 277,000 unemployed women in the country seeking employment in that year. Of that figure, 199,000 were urban residents and the rest lived in rural areas. By 1991, the population of unemployed women in search of jobs reached 377,000, of which 60 percent, or 192,000 women were urban dwellers. Table 4 provides detailed statistics on the extent of women's unemployment.

According to the 1991 census, there were a total number of 10,785,321 households in Iran, of which, 94.1 percent or 10,148,985 households were headed by men and 5.9 percent or 636,336 households were headed by women.

1. Martial Status of Women Heads of Households

The 1991 census showed that of the 638,000 women who were heads of households, 79,000 or 12.4 percent were married, 511,000 or 80.1 percent of women who were widows, 26,000 or 4.1 percent were divorcees and 17,000 or 2.7 percent were unmarried. Hence, about 87 percent of women who were heads of households in 1991 managed the household economy alone. Relevant figures for the urban and rural areas were 87.9 and 85.3 percent, respectively.

2. Literacy Status of Women Heads of Households

According to the census of 1991, of the total of 638,000 women who were heads of household, 26 percent or 166,000 were literate. The extent of literacy among women heads of households was 36.3 percent in urban areas and 9.0 percent in rural areas.

3. Employment Status of Women Heads of Households

Results of the 1991 census showed that only 11.6 percent or about 78,000 women household heads were employed and the rest, i.e., 88.4 percent or about 560,000 were not engaged in any economic activity outside their homes. This figure includes retired women and housewives.

C. Assistance to Deprived Women

A number of government and non-government organizations were set up, especially after the Islamic Revolution, to help the impoverished population in Iran. Statistics and other information available on the population and the number of households served by these organizations are fragmentary. Currently, the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee is the most active and largest organization providing assistance to the economically deprived throughout the country. The information covering the Committee’s activities is given in detail in Part 3.2.1. The State Welfare Organization, which was established in 1980 in compliance with the provisions of Articles 21 and 29 of the Constitution, is another institution greatly involved in giving support and assistance to deprived families, individuals in need of financial support and the handicapped. The Organization, therefore, has under its protection a great number of people, including women confronted with poverty due to the loss of the household head or the imprisonment, death or disability of the husband.

Breakdown figures on women served by the State Welfare Organization in 1992 are as follows:

Additional facilities provided for women by the Organization in 1991 were:

• Establishment of 404 government-sponsored day-care centers for 68,200 children in different cities
• Establishment of 1,095 government-sponsored day care centers for 91,500 children in rural areas.
• Provision of 5,000 loans to urban and rural households for the creation of self-employment opportunities and the implementation of income generating small-scale projects.
• Creation of employment opportunities and facilities for household members to help them attain financial independence and economic self-sufficiency by organizing vocational training courses in sewing, knitting, handicrafts, pottery and other cottage industries, and establishing workshops to produce clothing, hand-woven carpets, etc. The number of handicapped and deprived women who participated in such training courses was 77, 859 in 1991.

Meanwhile, through the social services division of the Organization, 8, 891 women found suitable jobs and employment in different organizations and industries in 1991.

The State Vocational and Technical Training Center, affiliated to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, has initiated a number of training courses in technical and services branches for women. The latest information obtained from the Center indicates that 39,802 women acquired needed training in different technical and services fields during the period of 1991-1992.

The Fifteenth of Khordad Foundation, the Mostazafan Foundation and Martyrs Foundation are other institutions supporting the economically depressed women in Iran.