In this article, we commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty by exploring the plight of female heads of household in Iran and the additional pressures they face.
When discussing female heads of household, several key groups come to mind: widows, divorcees, the wives of addicted men, the spouses of incarcerated individuals, the wives of migrant workers, single self-sustaining women, and the wives of disabled or incapacitated men. All these women are compelled to support and manage their families. Meanwhile, the laws of the clerical regime in Iran officially categorize them as second-class citizens, existing solely to serve men. As a result, experts have long been highlighting the feminization of poverty in Iran.
Female Heads of Household: The Poorest Breadwinners
According to the National Statistics Center of Iran (NSC), there were nearly 4 million female heads of household in Iran in 2020. (mokhaberatema.ir, October 20, 2021)
The latest NSC report on household expenses and income for the year 2020 indicates that out of a total of 25,685,000 heads of household in the country, 3,517,000 were women. Notably, of these 3.5 million female heads of household, nearly 1.5 million were single self-sustaining women (living alone). In other words, approximately 13.7% of all heads of household in Iran are women, and about 41.5% of these women live independently. (mashreghnews.ir, April 9, 2022)
Nearly half of the female breadwinners belong to the poorest segments of society. According to official statistics, within the lowest income decile (the poorest), about 45% of heads of household are women. (salamatnews.com, October 20, 2021)
It is important to note that the Iranian regime lacks transparency regarding statistics. It must be assumed that the actual figures are significantly higher than those published by the NSC. For example, Ensieh Khazali, the former deputy for women’s and family affairs, stated in June 2022 that “unofficial statistics indicate that we have nearly 6 million female heads of household.” Before her, Tayebeh Siavoshi, a former member of the regime’s parliament, had indicated that the number could vary and reach up to 5 million. (ICANA.ir, August 7, 2017)
Female Heads of Household: A Minimal Share in the Job Market
In Iran, women face significant structural and social discrimination, making it exceedingly difficult for them to enter the job market and secure suitable, high-paying positions. As a result, many employed women are compelled to accept work in the informal sector, often in small workshops that operate without regulation, enduring grueling tasks for meager wages and long hours.
These women, grappling with numerous challenges in their lives, suffer from physical ailments due to working in unsuitable conditions. Many of them contend with back and neck issues resulting from strenuous labor.
Most female heads of household are either unemployed or hold part-time, informal jobs. Even those with formal employment earn very little, making it insufficient to sustain a basic standard of living. A substantial number of female heads of household struggle to cover daily living expenses, including rent deposits and other necessities, due to their limited incomes.
Female Heads of Household: The Silent Champions of Agricultural Lands
In Khuzestan Province, there are over 35,000 female heads of household, although unofficial sources suggest that this number may be higher. (Etemad daily, June 15, 2024)
A significant portion of these women work in agriculture. In the city of Dezful alone, more than 5,000 women are employed in the agricultural sector. Ranging from teenage girls to women in their seventies, they labor in groups for a meager daily wage of only 200,000 tomans ($3.25). These women work alongside men but receive only 60% of their wages.
Most of them work without insurance. An 80-year-old woman stated that she had been farming without insurance for 60 years, enduring the scorching 50-degree heat of Khuzestan! If these women had been insured at such an age with that length of service, they should have retired twice by now.
In 2017, the Social Security Research Organization reported that women comprised 80% of the uninsured workforce.
Female agricultural workers often work double shifts and face various excuses from employers when it comes time to receive their wages. Some employers claim they lack the funds, while others make full payment contingent upon the complete sale of their produce; if their goods do not sell, they receive no payment at all.
Many women workers tragically lose their lives in road accidents while commuting to their jobs. In September 2022, 18 agricultural workers lost their lives when a minibus carrying them was involved in an accident on the roads of Shushtar. In the winter of 2024, a pickup truck carrying female agricultural workers overturned near Fazili Township in Dezful, injuring eight women. In June 2024, another incident involving the overturning of a pickup truck carrying female workers left seven injured.
Ali Ziaei, head of the crime scene investigation group at the forensic organization, reported in April 2024 that 2,115 workers had died and 27,000 had been injured due to work-related accidents in 2023. (Etemad daily, June 15, 2024) Unfortunately, there is no detailed data specifically regarding female workers.
Female Heads of Household: Street Vending for a Bite of Bread
Many female heads of household are compelled to engage in activities like street vending due to severe poverty and a lack of access to stable jobs. As the lower income brackets of society continue to grow poorer, the number of women resorting to street vending is increasing daily. These women often juggle their roles as mothers while bearing the responsibility of providing for their families.
Up until a decade ago, street vending was predominantly seen as a male occupation, with very few women taking to the streets to set up shop. However, today, the economic pressures and financial burdens placed on female heads of household are so overwhelming that street vending has become a well-established job for many of them. Wherever street vendors gather, women are an integral part of that scene.
Despite this reality, there is no accurate data on the number of female street vendors. The number of women engaged in this activity has doubled since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Arman-e Melli newspaper, June 7, 2024)
Asieh is a woman who has been making a living for the past five years by selling tea, coffee, and herbal infusions in Tehran’s Tajrish Square. Her husband is completely disabled, and she must also support her two daughters. Asieh remarked, “At first, working in the street was very difficult and embarrassing. But when you have nothing and no capital, you put aside your embarrassment and focus solely on feeding your children, even if it means street vending.”
Najmeh is another woman who began street vending four years ago due to her divorce and the responsibility of caring for her two children. The sun has severely weathered her face, reflecting the toll of her street vending work. Regarding the stress of her job, Najmeh said, “When municipal officers come to clear the area, they are so harassing that the cold, heat, and sunburn don’t even register.”
The Feminization of Poverty Amidst Harsh Economic Conditions
Under the rule of the clerics, Iranian society is becoming increasingly impoverished. According to the latest official statistics, the poverty line in Iran is set at 30 million tomans ($484), yet over 30 million people live below this threshold. (eghtesadonline.com, September 12, 2024)
In this context, not only workers and retirees but also government employees and most of the country’s salaried population are struggling to make ends meet. The minimum wage for workers in 2024 is reported at 7 million tomans ($113), while the pension for retirees is set at 9 million tomans ($145). (sepidarsystem.com, May 20, 2024) This is assuming these wages are actually paid, as workers and retirees frequently endure several months without receiving even these minimal amounts due to the depleted state of the government treasury and relevant ministries.
In such dire economic circumstances, with high unemployment rates, the situation is even worse for women, who face discrimination in hiring and employment. Some female heads of household in Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and Hormozgan provinces resort to porter work (koolbari) to meet their families’ expenses. In some cases, the pressure from the lack of suitable jobs and the necessity of providing for their children’s health and education drives female heads of household to engage in unconventional activities, such as selling organs or even prostitution.
According to a government expert, the feminization of poverty is a very dangerous issue. A society trapped in chronic female poverty cannot be expected to demonstrate high tolerance. (Rouydad24.ir, June 2, 2024)
The clerical regime has no plans to improve the economic conditions for the people, especially for women, nor does it wish to. By keeping the population impoverished, the regime aims to keep people preoccupied with meeting basic daily needs, hoping to prevent any uprising against its oppressive rule. However, this strategy is a grave miscalculation.
Iranian society has become a powder keg, and despite the severe and ruthless repression by the clerics, there have been at least five major nationwide uprisings over the past seven years. All evidence points to an approaching day when the final surge of popular anger will erupt, sweeping the ruling religious tyranny from the pages of Iranian history once and for all.
