A document on Social Security and Protection of Women is being drafted by the Labor Ministry, said Minister Ali Rabiei on Saturday.
“In cooperation with the Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs, the drafting process will be completed within a month, and the document will be presented to the government,” he said addressing a meeting of the ministry’s advisors in women and family affairs and officials from affiliated organizations, ISNA reported.
The document encompasses several areas with particular focus on providing economic support to female breadwinners, social support for seniors, increasing the number of women’s associations by facilitating the process of providing permits, ensuring job security, and providing training centers for professional, vocational and entrepreneurial skills.
“This Iranian year (began March 20) is the year to fight inequality between men and women, particularly in the job market,” Rabiei said.
There are nearly 3 million women breadwinners in Iran, he said, but only 200,000 are covered by supporting organizations, and a few by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, a major charity organization that provides assistance to the poor and needy.
Pointing out that women play an important role in the national economy, he said there are 15 million women with official jobs in the tertiary and industrial sectors, “while an estimated 7 million work in the informal or unofficial sector.”
Noting that the document will also target women with disabilities and entrepreneurs, he said although social security concerns the general public, “women are particularly in need of mental security without which there will be numerous social ills in the country.”
He lamented the lack of measures to address mental security of women, and called for effective measures to address the issue.
“The immense potential and capacities of women in the economic and social structures necessitate a revision in the gender-biased policies,” Rabiei said.
Provision of equal gender opportunities is a top priority and an aspiration of the Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs, and has been proposed in the upcoming economic development plan.
President Hassan Rouhani’s administration is paying heed to the issue and the vice presidency is formulating policies for sustainable employment focused on women university graduates.
