Eighty-nine percent of unemployed women in Iran highly educated

Iran Focus: Tehran, Jan. 17 – Eighty-nine percent of unemployed women in Iran are highly educated, with many in universities, according to a senior government expert. “About 88.7 percent of unemployed women in Iranian cities and 59.4 percent of unemployed women in rural areas are highly educated”, Ladan Nowrouzi said, in an interview with … Iran Focus

Tehran, Jan. 17 – Eighty-nine percent of unemployed women in Iran are highly educated, with many in universities, according to a senior government expert.

“About 88.7 percent of unemployed women in Iranian cities and 59.4 percent of unemployed women in rural areas are highly educated”, Ladan Nowrouzi said, in an interview with a state-run news agency, SINA.

Referring to the 2002 data, she said, “The unemployment rate among women is 1.5 times more than among men. Among 15 to 24-year-olds the rate is 40 percent higher”.

“The unemployment rate is much higher among women with higher degrees of education”, she said, adding, “Despite more women receiving graduate degrees, unemployment among them has not changed”.

She said one of the main reasons for unemployment among educated women was that women are not allowed into many prominent positions and sectors of society. Among the root causes was the government’s unwillingness to offer women more social opportunities, especially in influential professions, she said.