The Role of Women in Realizing the Islamic-Iranian Model of Progress: Capacities and Barriers

The present study aims to investigate the existing structural barriers to greater utilization of women's capital resources in development and their role in the resisting economy as well as the role and capacity of women in realizing the Islamic-Iranian model of progress. In this regard, the theory of women's empowerment has been discussed with a glance at the political economy theory of Amartya Sen and given the importance of resistance economy and the goals of economic progress, the role of women or the relative advantage of Iran in field of women for promoting resistance economy has been discussed. The current status of women in Iran's progress is also discussed, and solutions for capacity building for women's participation in development are presented. The present study uses analytical-descriptive method and the data obtained from Iranian Statistical Center, Ministry of Interior, Islamic Consultative Assembly aim to explain the capacity of women in realizing Islamic-Iranian model of progress and obstacles deriving from economic (rentier-state), political and cultural structure. The results indicate that focusing on women as (human, social, cultural, and economic) resources of the country also brings about a change in their symbolic role for cultural transformation based on consumption model in society. Thus, according to the theory of women empowerment, one of the problems of the Islamic-Iranian model of development is the uneven development and inadequate distribution of sources of power and wealth in the country. Overall, the most important factor in wasting and disregarding women's capital in progress is the oil-based economic structure of Iran.