Zahra Behrouz Azar, Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, announced that nearly a quarter of all patents in Iran are registered by women. She emphasized that the most effective way to keep talented female graduates and researchers in the country is to ensure they have access to real opportunities for professional and scientific growth.
Importance of Creating Pathways for Growth
According to Behrouz Azar, one of the main challenges facing Iran is the outflow of highly educated women seeking opportunities abroad. To counter this trend, she argued, the country must provide platforms that enable young female graduates to grow, innovate, and thrive without leaving home. Supporting their careers and building confidence in local opportunities, she said, is crucial for the nation’s long-term development.
Women’s Share of Registered Inventions
The vice president highlighted that women currently account for 24% of all registered inventions in Iran, a figure that surpasses the global average of 14–17%. Despite this encouraging number, she noted that women are still underrepresented in leadership positions. Only about 12% of CEOs and board members in knowledge-based companies are women, showing a significant gap between innovation output and decision-making power.
Raising Women’s Role in Knowledge-Based Companies
Behrouz Azar explained that her office, in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, has set a target to increase women’s leadership share in knowledge-based firms to 30%. Science and technology parks, she said, will be key hubs for implementing these policies and creating an ecosystem where women can flourish.
Strengthening Women’s Presence in Society
She concluded by stressing that if women are given the chance to discover and create opportunities—and are supported in turning them into sustainable achievements—their presence and influence in Iran’s scientific, academic, and economic landscape will continue to grow stronger.
From: shahraranews