A Review of the High Level of Education and Reduced Fertility in Iranian Women: Have Women Been Empowered? Publisher



Behboodi Moghadam Z¹ ; Khiaban MO¹ ; Esmaeili M² ; Salsali M³ Show Affiliations
Source: International Journal of Women's Health and Reproduction Sciences Published:2018

Abstract

An increase in the number of women attending university is a relatively new phenomenon. According to international reports, greater numbers of academically educated women have reduced their fertility rate. This phenomenon has contributed to the reduced fertility in Iran in recent decades. According to international research, women’s empowerment has affected their fertility through education. This study applied a narrative review method. It set out to examine the impact of the increasing number of women in academic education and their reduced fertility on Iranian female empowerment. Searching electronic databases, 464 scientific documents published during 1994-2016 were retrieved out of which 71 were included in the study. Research showed that the higher level of women’s education did not lead to equality with men in terms of their economic, socio-cultural, and political status. Moreover, it was revealed that educated women were deprived of their right to make their own decisions on family planning issues. Female empowerment, as one of the main objectives in sustainable development, needs more emphasis on women’s reproductive rights and a strategy to reduce gender discrimination considering the related cultural issues. © 2018 The Author (s).