IRNA � Imposing oppressive sanctions against nations is the major obstacle in the way of women�s economic empowerment, Iran's Permanent Ambassador to the UN Gholam-Ali Khoshru says.


Khoshru made the remarks on Saturday in the 61st UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Noting that sanctions are manifestations of unjust policies followed by certain states, the Iranian envoy said that embargos tend to seriously damage women�s economic empowerment.

Khoshru also referred to a historical prohibition faced by women to enter technological and engineering fields in various parts of the world and noted that the status of women�s education in Iran is brilliant.

The Iranian girls are encouraged to continue education in medical, engineering and fundamental sciences, he said.

The envoy underlined Iran�s firm belief in safeguarding dignity and equality of men and women's rights.

Major parts of the Islamic Republic entrepreneurship projects have focused on empowerment of women for initiating independent businesses, making cooperatives in rural areas and familiarizing with modern technologies in particular the mobile applications and marketing in the cyber space, Khoshru said.

He noted that election of 6000 women to the City and Village Councils across Iran is another example of women�s empowerment in the country.

Presently, women in Iran hold 20 percent of lawmaking and policy making posts at the executive and managerial positions, the official added.

He said that the numbers of women at the managerial positions are increasing and the country has achieved this by changing the attitudes, promoting inward-oriented development and using the indigenous models.

According to the UN website, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), it was established by Council resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946.

The UN's top women's rights body, the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), opened its annual session in New York on March 13 and will continue work till March 24.