Baku, Azerbaijan, March 31
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: The jobless rate among Iranian women is 2.5 times higher than for men, the Statistical Center of Iran reported on March 31.
The unemployment rate was 20.3 per cent among women in autumn 2013, while it was 8.5 per cent among men, the center reported.
The women's jobless rate rose 2.8 per cent compared to autumn 2012, while the men's jobless rate fell 0.8 per cent.
According to the center, the economic participation rate among Iranian women is low compared to some neighboring countries, such as Afghanistan,Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey, and Qatar.
The jobless rate in Iran fell to 10.3 percent in autumn 2013 from 10.4 percent in summer, according to the Statistical Center of Iran.
Iran must create 8.5 million new jobs in the next two years, Iranian Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Ali Tayyebnia said on November 19, 2013.
Iran will face a population of around 8.5 million jobless in the near future, he added.
For the time being some 3.5 million people are jobless in the country, he said, adding that the figure will soar to 8.5 million because a large number of educated youth will graduate from universities soon and seek jobs.
Previously, Tayyebnia said that low economic growth rate is currently the main challenge to the national economy.
Tayyebnia referred to high unemployment as another serious concern.
The ministry will focus on improving the living standards through curbing inflation and encouraging businesses, he stated.
The number of jobless in Iran has increased by 270,000 over the past eight years (March 2005-March 2013).
In August 2013, Iranian Deputy Labor Minister Mohammad-Hossein Forouzan-Mehr said plans were underway to reduce the unemployment rate in Iran to 7 percent by 2015.
The unemployment rate will fall by 1 percent each year during 2013-2015, he added.
Edited by C.N.