Al-Monitor l Maysam Bizaer: Iranian society has undergone tremendous change in past decades, with women continuously playing a role in this transformation. Indeed,�Iranian women�have long sought a more active presence in society, gradually distancing themselves from the cliche of being mothers or wives. Today, they make up almost�70% of university applicants�and half of the graduates.

Paired with an increase in�economic hardship, more of Iran's young and educated female citizens have been seeking employment to support themselves and their families�or to achieve financial independence from their male guardians.

�Women should be active and have plans for their lives. They must not wait for men to meet their financial needs. Even an unmarried girl cannot be dependent on her father forever,��a female employee of the Central Bank of Iran, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Al-Monitor.

Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) data indicate that the�economic participation rate�of Iranian women was on a downward trend in the 10-year period ending in 2015, reaching a low point of 12% in the Iranian calendar year of 1393 (ending March 2015). This term refers to individuals who are either employed or actively looking for work.

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