Women, families first
A look at achievements of Raisi gov’t
Women, as half of the country’s 80 million population, were put at the top of the planning and policy-making agenda from day one by the previous Iranian government, so that related matters would improve at a faster pace. It’s now been three years since that government took the reins, and a look back at the achievements of this period showcases the efforts made in a host of fields.
Dedicating facilities
Some of the important steps of the previous Iranian government in the field of women include modifying and tailoring laws and regulations for women and families and dedicating better facilities to them. To this end, the cabinet made it a priority to approve special facilities for these two groups during provincial trips and followed up on the implementation of these approvals during subsequent visits.
Another valuable measure of the government was to clear the obstacles and address the economic challenges faced by Iranian families, particularly in the field of housing, which ties in with the acceleration of general policies on the issue of encouraging larger families. As such, the approval of a note in the budget of the Iranian calendar year 1402 (ended March 19, 2024) to grant land to families with quadruplets or higher-order multiples was one such measure swiftly implemented from the outset of this year.
Also, allocating facilities to women and families, as well as assuming responsibility for addressing social harms in this domain, were among the government’s other measures in its 500-day plan.
Setting targets for women’s health
Women’s health, as the most central element of family well-being, has been the foremost concern of the late president’s government from his earliest days in office. It is an area that, unfortunately, had been neglected in prior decades due to a lack of appropriate groundwork.
However, in the first two years, by relying on the identification of statistical variables and indicators, the government has given new impetus to the issue of women’s health and well-being, employing Land-use planning. Tangible measures were subsequently taken in this field, the most obvious being the extension of pregnant women’s insurance coverage to the end of breastfeeding.
Also, preparing an atlas on the status of women, setting priorities in the field of health for women and families, pinpointing problem areas and pathologies of women’s health, and identifying health needs across 31 provinces are all part of the government’s action plan to address the deprivations in women’s health. Additionally, determining the most important priorities and health issues for women and girls in sports, as well as ensuring equitable access to sports facilities between men and women, are all integral components of this initiative.
National Women’s Health Week and the subsequent prioritization of identifying and treating cancer in women, providing the necessary infrastructure by utilizing sports facilities and increasing the budget for the construction and repair of special gyms for women, and investigating infertility treatment issues, including the lack of infertility treatment centers in various provinces, all formed part of the previous government’s performance in promoting women’s health.
Women’s rights on parliament’s agenda
Perhaps the greatest achievement in the field of women and families is the fulfillment of their legal needs and rights. To this end, president Raisi’s government, in addition to taking measures within the scope of its executive power, pursued the reform and adjustment of laws pertaining to women’s rights in the legislative arena to ensure these rights are permanently upheld.
Offering female relief recipients of the country’s Diya Institution a one-year breathing space to repay facilities, drafting the bill granting housing to quadruplet families, drafting a bill that tackles the issue of persons without identity documents, and the proposal to exempt female-headed households and mothers with custody of children from serving outside their place of residence were all part of the government’s legislative reforms and tailoring efforts regarding Iranian women.
In addition to the aforementioned, the drafting of a bill on the scope of the guardian’s powers, the amendment of a bill on permitting the opening of savings accounts for children, the preparation of the bill to join the Women Development Organization of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the revision of school instructions for handing over students’ report cards and educational information to parents, the issuance of a directive by the first vice president on the obligation of government agencies to coordinate with the vice presidency in the appointment of advisers, and the resolution to allocate one percent of facilities from executive bodies to the field of women and families are all actions undertaken by the previous government to advance the legal rights of these two groups.
Empowering female heads of households
Empowering and enhancing the health and quality of life of female heads of households were a central demand and agenda item for Raisi’s government. Providing education, economic empowerment, and employment opportunities for women heads of households and affected women was the general policy pursued by the late president and his cabinet during their 500 days in office. In realizing this policy, the previous government created a guarantee fund to facilitate employment for female heads of households who are relatively poor and lack protective coverage.
The training of 2,046 women and the economic empowerment of an additional 2,055 women across 11 provinces, the development of a comprehensive empowerment plan for women in line with the 6th National Development Plan, the creation of employment opportunities for women recovered from addiction, and the empowerment of 315 women from the target group were all actions undertaken by the late president’s vice president for women and family affairs during their two-year tenure.
Iranian women in int’l arena
Among the previous government’s notable achievements is the active participation of Iranian women on regional and international platforms. The signing of international cooperation agreements with a focus on women and the hosting of international empowerment courses serve as a part of the government’s main strategy to foster a robust presence for Iranian women on the global stage.
Harnessing the potential of women’s diplomacy in international interactions, the late president’s government developed international relations by signing six joint memorandums of cooperation, in particular, with six countries.
They also followed up on the approval and implementation of joint cooperation plans through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Additionally, the government hosted and participated in a training course on the international empowerment of women, as well as conducted empowerment courses for female managers, contributing to the enhancement of Iranian women’s status in the country’s overseas arenas.
Consolidating families
Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that the government’s most critical task in implementing the general policies of the establishment was addressing Iran’s aging population. In this regard, Raisi’s government utilized the potential of its Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs and took significant steps.
Supporting the nutrition of mothers in deprived areas, fostering a connection between creative ideas and manufacturers and managers within the baby equipment industry, commending eight selected innovative women, and calling for the production of products and provision of services to support babies, children, and mothers were all steps taken by the Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs in this domain.
Supporting the provision of layette sets in underprivileged areas, pursuing the establishment of kindergartens within executive bodies, and extending free aid to underprivileged families with babies were all part of the previous government’s record in addressing the needs of the young population.