Fertility decline and change in women’s status in Iran

Hossein Mahmoudian, University of Tehran

Iran has experienced main stages of demographic transition. The rates of fertility and mortality dropped markedly and the country has a relatively low population growth rate now. Along with these changes and due to socio-economic development, the status of women has improved considerably. Using data form the country censuses (mainly from 1976 onwards) and other sources, this paper aims to examine the relationship between changes in women status and the fertility decline. Findings show that in spite of marked improvements in some aspects of women's life, the above-mentioned relationship is not as strong as it might be expected. The literacy rate for the women, for example, improved sharply during the last decades but their participation in labor force has not shown any improvement. At the same time, the country has achieved a fertility rate near to replacement level. Cultural factors might have played the main roles in this regard.