Analysis - Women in Higher Education

According to the Iran National Statistics Center (2001) 61 percent of women are urban duellers while 38.6 percent are residing in rural areas, and the other ./4 percent are not settled (tribal population). In terms of literacy 81.7 of urban and 61 percent of rural women are literate (74.2 on average).

In the first year after the 1979 Revolution out of every 100.000 women 765 were students. This percentage for 2001 reached as high as 61.4 percent of total women population and for the first time the number of girls in the universities exceeded boys. However as for inclusion in top ranking management positions in academia the statistics are not as favourable. According to latest figures (2001) approx 19.4 percent of academics are comprised of women. This is evidence that in terms of Planning and Development, we should move from focusing on Gender Related Development Index GRDI to bring into account Gender Empowerment Measures GEM.

However the increasing number of women in higher education has positive prospects for the country in respect to changing the hierarchy of women employment, women in management and politics.

Nonetheless, this should be pointed out that issues related to out of dated rules and regulations, discrimination in selecting students must be raised and addressed to further improve women's participation in the higher level of education. There are indicators such as 72 percent of new entrees in 2002 were among girls. But, in depth analysis reveals that in many fields the higher number for girl's acceptance is due to stereotyping fields of study such as Maternity, Nursing and teaching (primary levels) that are encouraged by families as well as policy makers.

Disagregated data for new entrees to universities - 2000 (Statistics of Ministry of Higher Education)
Mathematics 35 women 65 men
Language 75 women 25 men
Science 68 women 32 men
Humanities 61 women 39 men
Art 61 women 39 men

Further more, boys have shown more interest in the new establishments set up for technical and vocational trainings rather than university degrees for rapid entry to job markets. This provides higher opportunities for more work oriented fields of studies, subsequently women are still marginalized from active participation in the world of work.

Disaggregated Data at MA level (year 2000) (Statistics of Ministry of Higher Education)

Women 25.36 percent
Men 74.64 percent
Total - 4 (four) percent of total population are studying at the Higher Level of Education

1.2 percent of total population were students or graduated in the year 2000
2.6 percent of total women population were students or graduated in the year 2000

As such, indicators prove that we have a long way to go compared with developed countries where higher educated graduates in some reach to 45 percent of total population.

Ultimatly, this should also be mentioned that most pressing challenge facing the government of Iran in the new millennium is the creation of enough jobs to absorb the growing number of its educated women work force. However, much to my regret with radical conservatives prohibiting any budget allocation for women's governmental or non-governmental orgs and establishments in the coming year (just endorsed in the Parliament Feb 2005), in addition to elimination of the term 'Gender Equity' from the National Development Plan, the future prospects are not promissing.

Nasrin Azadeh
14 Feb 2005