Atlas on Social Issues Unveiled

An atlas on social issues in Iran prepared by a workgroup headed by the Ministry of Labor, Cooperatives and Social Welfare, was unveiled on March 12.

The data, based on the demographic and geographical features, aims to address the problems of social issues through more enhanced and effective management.

“The process of data collection and analysis began in the second half of the previous fiscal year and the book form will come out by March 20,” said Rouzbeh Kordouni, head of the ministry’s Social Vulnerabilities Office, the Persian-language  daily ‘Iran’ reported.

The atlas provides a clear and accurate description of the existing social conditions and enables effective interventions to prevent, control and reduce the maladies.

It offers information on the magnitude of the various social harms and their distribution patterns across the country as well as their rate of growth or decline over the years.

“Experts and authorities will be able to identify highly affected or vulnerable areas and populations and direct their efforts towards them,” said Kordouni.

The atlas provides an analysis of the data taking into account demographic patterns (the population trend as seen in the number of births, deaths, diseases etc.), level of social facilities and economic conditions in every area and region in the country.

“It summarizes the data and compiles information into a coherent collection,” he said.

The atlas also enables monitoring social problems both within the counties and across the provinces.

 For Official Use Only

“The atlas will not be available to the public and is for official use only. The precise data on the trends and state of social harms is meant to help those in charge to address the problems in a timely and efficient manner,” he said.

Reviewing the efficacy of policies on social harm and having a comprehensive database of the social trends are of paramount importance that can and should help officials decide what steps to take next.

“There is a deficit in this regard, which the atlas aims to rectify,” Kordouni had said earlier.

Based on information in the atlas, the provinces of Sistan- Baluchestan, Semnan and South Khorasan have the smallest number of suicidal deaths. The proportion of divorce to marriage is also the least in Sistan-Baluchestan, Ilam and Chahar-Mahal Bakhtiari provinces.

Another index that has been studied is the duration of married life, i.e. the period between marriage and divorce. Analysis of 2014 data shows that 48.5% of divorced couples were married for less than five years. The largest number (14%) pertained to those who divorced within the first year of marriage.

Comparative studies indicate “a negative relation between economic problems and divorce.”

“Provinces with the largest below poverty-line population such as Sistan- Baluchestan and Ilam had the smallest number of divorce rates, while provinces with the highest per capita income like Tehran, Alborz and Isfahan had the highest divorce rate,” said Kordouni.

Also, provinces with the highest social welfare rates had the lowest number of marriages.

“In other words, statistical evidence challenges the theory that economic constraints, poverty and inequality are the main causes of divorce,” he said. Statistical data on a variety of other social issues such as health conditions, educational quotient, housing facilities and other issues are presented in detail.

“Addressing social ills is among the main objectives of President Hassan Rouhani’s administration and a workgroup comprising over 15 organizations have been made responsible for the task,” said Kordouni.