Nournews: Although in the 14th government, the presence of women in senior executive positions has reached its highest point among all governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran, this figure still does not align with the qualified, educated, and specialized female workforce in Iran. Official statistics show that in the National Unity Government, 45 women are serving in high-level executive positions within the cabinet, ranging from ministerial and vice-presidential roles to governor positions.
However, the number of female managers in the country, relative to the total number of management positions, remains noticeably low. This is the very reality that the government spokesperson emphasized yesterday. Fatemeh Mohajerani said: "The denominator of the fraction representing women's presence in various fields is small, while we have around 5,000 management positions, and I doubt there are more than 50 women in these positions."
An important point in the spokesperson’s remarks was the analysis in which she stated: "We operate in male-dominated spaces, and even if an individual is talented, progress is difficult. In areas where entry is competitive, such as entering universities and technological fields, women are leading because admission to these centers is based on individuals' potential capabilities." This highlights why the 60% proportion of women in universities sharply declines when it comes to the workforce and management.
The Vice President for Women and Family Affairs in the 14th government also, in her latest statement, expressed concern about the small share of women in business. Zahra Behrooz Azar mentioned that the acceptance rate of women in universities is 61% of all participants, while their share in the field of technological businesses is only 11%. Thus, there is a significant gap between educated women and managerial positions as well as the business sector.
Currently, women in Iran have a special status in the field of higher education, so much so that according to a report titled "The Presence of Iranian Women in the Field of Higher Education in the 4 Decades After the Islamic Revolution," prepared by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, the share of women's admissions in all levels of higher education has increased to more than 60% of the applicants, and annually, more than 4,500 women are admitted to the doctoral program.
Although the position of women in management in Iran is not specified in this global study, if we consider the official internal data that states women's participation in managerial positions is at 25%, it can be concluded that Iran has a higher rank in terms of women’s presence in management positions compared to other countries in the region. However, comparing only with regional countries should not lead us to settle for this position. As emphasized regarding the 50% participation of women in management, only by relying on meritocracy can progress be made in this area. In this regard, the Supreme Leader also, during a meeting with a group of women last year on the eve of the birth anniversary of Hazrat Zahra (PBUH), referred to questions about women’s presence in various jobs and social and governmental management roles, stressing that gender is not an issue in this field and there are no limitations on women’s participation. The Leader of the Revolution considered meritocracy as the sole criterion for assigning social and political responsibilities to both women and men, stating that even in positions such as ministers or members of parliament, if an experienced and capable woman is better and more qualified, Islam imposes no restriction on her assumption of these roles. This view and perspective were reaffirmed by him in this year's meeting.
On the other hand, during the selection of cabinet members, the 14th government allocated a significant quota for selecting female managers, which is considered a good step towards addressing gender inequality in senior management positions. Undoubtedly, these actions can open new horizons for Iranian women to play a role in managerial positions. Therefore, it is expected that educated, intelligent, and capable women in Iran will break the "glass ceiling" and bring about a new change.
NOURNEWS