Ansieh Khazali at the United Nations: We are witnessing the rapid progress of Iranian women after the revolution.
Ansieh Khazali, the Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, stated at the 68th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women that we are witnessing the rapid progress of Iranian women in the decades following the Islamic Revolution. It is thanks to this independence and self-sufficiency that today in my homeland, the maternal mortality rate due to pregnancy complications has decreased to 23 per 100,000.
All pregnant and nursing Iranian women and children under the age of seven have access to free insurance, and health and medical services are abundantly provided at a high level not only for the women of my country but also for migrant women. Iran University of Medical Sciences is among the top universities offering such services internationally.
Gender equality in education has grown to 97%, with women making up 60% of teachers and 40% of our specialist doctors. In line with poverty alleviation, in the past year, a food basket has been provided free of charge for pregnant mothers and children from low-income deciles, supplying the necessary nutrients and monitoring children’s growth indices under the supervision of the Ministry of Health.