The representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the ECO Economic Cooperation Organization’s Women’s Meeting proposed initiatives to strengthen regional cooperation in women’s empowerment.
Behzad Azarsa, Director General of ECO and Multilateral Economic Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented the Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs at the ECO Women’s Forum and delivered Iran’s official statement.
During the event, he highlighted the damages caused by the Zionist regime’s attacks on Iran, which resulted in over 5,000 casualties, including women, children, and four pregnant mothers. Additionally, more than 670 civilians, including 38 children, 102 women, and four expectant mothers, were martyred. Beyond the human toll, over 70 industrial and production facilities suffered severe damage. These attacks not only endangered lives but also disrupted women’s home-based businesses, daily wage workers, digital enterprises, small businesses, and other local economic activities.
Iran further outlined its policies and achievements in women’s empowerment, including:
- Expanding women’s rural cooperatives and businesses
- Providing financial support and skill-building training programs
- Increasing women’s participation in science and technology
- Enhancing women’s representation in government leadership roles
These measures reflect Iran’s commitment to women’s active involvement in socio-economic development.
The Iranian delegation proposed several initiatives to strengthen regional cooperation, such as:
- Annual high-level meetings for women leaders of ECO member states
- Financial support for women-led projects in renewable energy, smart agriculture, and sustainable tourism
- Allocating ECO’s Green Credit Fund to women for project financing and digital/green skills workshops
- Launching a virtual networking platform for women entrepreneurs
- Establishing an ECO Women’s Regional Platform for sustainable development
Iran also expressed readiness to host the first ECO Annual High-Level Women’s Meeting next year and emphasized the need for solidarity among member states to address shared regional challenges.
Source: Public Relations Office of the Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs