Modeling the Factors Affecting the Empowerment of Married Women in East Azerbaijan Province

Today, women have a strategic role to play in sustainable development as half population of the society. Investing in women’s empowerment means investing in sustainable development. The main aim of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the empowerment of married women in East Azarbaijan province. The method of study is quantitative and the data were collected using a questionnaire. According to the latest census (2016), the statistical population of the study included 1203062 married women in East Azarbaijan province from whom 1134 individuals were selected based on the Cochran formula and via multi-stage cluster sampling as a sample of the study.  In general, the research findings showed that 1. The level of psychological empowerment of married women in East Azerbaijan province is higher than the average (75.15%). Based on the results of path analysis, the direct, indirect, and total effects of economic, social, cultural, and psychological capital structures on women's empowerment were significant and could explain 66% of the variance of the dependent variable (women empowerment). Comparing the beta coefficients of regression analysis, it can be said that women's empowerment is mostly affected by the variable of psychological capital (0.68).