Photo: User:Gire 3pich2005 , derived: User:Nastoshka · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 08 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Iran: Gender & Equality
How wide is the gap between women's and men's lives?
Iran is placed 181st of 183 countries on gender & equality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Women, Business and the Law 31.25 (2025); Women's Political Empowerment Index 0.32 (2025).
Share
Gender & Equality
181st
of 183 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 31.25Women, Business and the Law, 2025WBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity)
- 0.32Women's Political Empowerment Index, 2025Women's political empowerment index (0–1)
- —Firms with a Female Top Manager, 2025No reading for this country
- 62.9Social Institutions and Gender Index, 2023SIGI score (0 = no discrimination, 100 = absolute)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Iran on gender & equality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
31.25
WBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity)
Higher is better
Iran: 31.25. Across the 190 countries in this edition, values run from 3.125 (Afghanistan) to 100 (Sweden); the world median is 81.25.
- World median
- 81.25
- Best in Southern Asia
- 75.63 Nepal
- Land neighbours
- Afghanistan 3.125 · Armenia 90.63 · Azerbaijan 85 · Iraq 50.63 · Pakistan 58.75 · Türkiye 82.5
Key 2 of 4
Women's Political Empowerment Index
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
0.32
Women's political empowerment index (0–1)
Higher is better
Iran: 0.32. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from 0.028 (Afghanistan) to 0.954 (Denmark); the world median is 0.772.
- World median
- 0.772
- Best in Southern Asia
- 0.792 Nepal
- Land neighbours
- Afghanistan 0.028 · Armenia 0.875 · Azerbaijan 0.649 · Iraq 0.555 · Pakistan 0.524 · Turkmenistan 0.437 · Türkiye 0.558
Key 3 of 4
Firms with a Female Top Manager
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2016–2025 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Firms with a female top manager (%)
Higher is better
World Bank Group publishes no reading from 2016–2025 for Iran, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 179 countries at their latest reading, values run from 1.429 (Qatar) to 62.9 (Kiribati); the world median is 19.16.
- World median
- 19.16
- Best in Southern Asia
- 21.42 Bhutan
- Land neighbours
- Afghanistan 9.579 · Armenia 28.23 · Azerbaijan 7.307 · Iraq 1.629 · Pakistan 3.401 · Turkmenistan 6.084 · Türkiye 9.429
Key 4 of 4
Social Institutions and Gender Index
OECD
2023 edition · data for 2023 · OECD Terms and Conditions — data clause
62.9
SIGI score (0 = no discrimination, 100 = absolute)
Lower is better
Iran: 62.9. Across the 140 countries in this edition, values run from 6.7 (Norway) to 67.4 (Mauritania); the world median is 25.2.
- World median
- 25.2
- Best in Southern Asia
- 30.6 Nepal
- Land neighbours
- Armenia 23.7 · Azerbaijan 29.8 · Iraq 60 · Pakistan 59.7 · Türkiye 24
02Over time
Which way Iran is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Women, Business and the Law
WBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity) · higher is better
IranWorld median
Iran rose from 26.25 in 2000 to 31.25 in 2025; the world median went from 63.13 to 81.25.
Every year’s figures
Year Iran World median 2025 31 81.3 2023 31 81.3 2022 31 80.3 2021 31 80.0 2020 31 79.7 2019 31 78.8 2018 31 77.5 2017 31 77.5 2016 31 76.9 2015 31 75.9 2014 31 75.6 2013 29 75.0 2012 29 73.8 2011 29 73.1 2010 29 73.1 2009 29 72.5 2008 29 71.3 2007 29 69.7 2006 26 68.8 2005 26 67.2 2004 26 66.9 2003 26 64.7 2002 26 63.8 2001 26 63.8 2000 26 63.1 Women's Political Empowerment Index
Women's political empowerment index (0–1) · higher is better
IranWorld median
Iran rose from 0.315 in 2000 to 0.32 in 2025; the world median went from 0.681 to 0.772.
Every year’s figures
Year Iran World median 2025 0.320 0.7715 2024 0.327 0.7745 2023 0.311 0.7755 2022 0.316 0.7825 2021 0.320 0.7785 2020 0.324 0.7755 2019 0.341 0.7665 2018 0.351 0.7715 2017 0.326 0.7710 2016 0.348 0.7780 2015 0.328 0.7755 2014 0.330 0.7795 2013 0.328 0.7730 2012 0.307 0.7740 2011 0.301 0.7650 2010 0.298 0.7610 2009 0.305 0.7515 2008 0.304 0.7505 2007 0.306 0.7380 2006 0.306 0.7290 2005 0.314 0.7350 2004 0.320 0.7205 2003 0.322 0.7160 2002 0.324 0.7150 2001 0.324 0.6950 2000 0.315 0.6810
03In context
Iran beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 183 countries on gender & equality, never a place within the region.
Iran and the countries it borders
Standing among all 183; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Women, Business and the LawWBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity) | Women's Political Empowerment IndexWomen's political empowerment index (0–1) | Firms with a Female Top ManagerFirms with a female top manager (%) | Social Institutions and Gender IndexSIGI score (0 = no discrimination, 100 = absolute) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Armenia | =34th | 90.63 | 0.875 | 28.23 | 23.7 |
 Türkiyecompare | =131st | 82.5 | 0.558 | 9.429 | 24 |
 Azerbaijan | 134th | 85 | 0.649 | 7.307 | 29.8 |
 Pakistancompare | 171st | 58.75 | 0.524 | 3.401 | 59.7 |
 Turkmenistan | 172nd | — | 0.437 | 6.084 | — |
 Iraq | 173rd | 50.63 | 0.555 | 1.629 | 60 |
 Afghanistan | 175th | 3.125 | 0.028 | 9.579 | — |
| Iran | 181st | 31.25 | 0.32 | — | 62.9 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Southern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 183.
Placed either side on gender & equality
The countries immediately above and below Iran in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Iran is ahead of the world, and behind
22 more statistics filed under gender & equality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median8
Statistics on which Iran does better than the middle country measured.
Length of Paid Maternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 9827098▲ Improved since 2015
Iran: 270 · world median 98 · Paid maternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 410; higher is better.
Length of Paid Paternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 3143▼ Worsened since 2015
Iran: 14 · world median 3 · Paid paternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 196; higher is better.
Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four VisitsUNICEF · 2025 · world median 8193.481No earlier reading
Iran: 93.4 · world median 81 · Women with a live birth who had 4+ antenatal visits (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 22.6 to 100; higher is better.
Position 33rd of 153 · derived.
Account Ownership Among WomenWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 71.2486.7971.24▼ Worsened since 2014
Iran: 86.79 · world median 71.24 · Women with an account (% of women aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 11.91 to 99.85; higher is better.
Position 41st of 139 · derived.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.6515.8446.65▲ Improved since 2013
Iran: 15.84 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 133rd of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2575.971.25▼ Worsened since 2013
Iran: 75.9 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 71st of 196 · derived.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.4626.227.46No real change since 2013
Iran: 26.2 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 116th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Child MarriageUNICEF · 2025 · world median 17.116.717.1No earlier reading
Iran: 16.7 · world median 17.1 · Women 20–24 married before 18 (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 76.3; lower is better.
Position 75th of 143 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median9
Statistics on which Iran does worse than the middle country measured.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.996.296.9No earlier reading
Iran: 96.2 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Births Attended by Skilled Health StaffUNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance) · 2023 · world median 99.39999.3▼ Worsened since 2013
Iran: 99 · world median 99.3 · Births attended by skilled health staff (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 60.9 to 100; higher is better.
Position 46th of 84 · derived.
Gender Social Norms IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 91.8195.4791.81No earlier reading
Iran: 95.47 · world median 91.81 · People with at least one bias against gender equality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 27.39 to 99.92; lower is better.
Position 36th of 91 · derived, 1st = worst.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.4820.351▲ Improved since 2013
Iran: 0.482 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 123rd of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Women's Empowerment IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women · 2022 · world median 0.6150.4540.615No earlier reading
Iran: 0.454 · world median 0.615 · Women's Empowerment Index (0–1; higher = more empowerment). UNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women, 2023 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0.141 to 0.828; higher is better.
Gender Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.9710.8750.971No real change since 2013
Iran: 0.875 · world median 0.971 · Gender Development Index (1.000 = parity). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.407 to 1.038; higher is better.
Position 164th of 184 · derived.
Female Share of Senior and Middle ManagementILO · 2024 · world median 35.8621.3635.86▲ Improved since 2014
Iran: 21.36 · world median 35.86 · Women in senior and middle management (% of managers). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.226 to 56.69; higher is better.
Position 82nd of 86 · derived.
Female Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 53.3614.0153.36No real change since 2015
Iran: 14.01 · world median 53.36 · Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 4.663 to 82.91; higher is better.
Position 178th of 182 · derived.
Global Gender Parity IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women · 2022 · world median 0.7260.3930.726No earlier reading
Iran: 0.393 · world median 0.726 · Global Gender Parity Index (women's achievements relative to men's; 1 = parity). UNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women, 2023 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0.141 to 0.925; higher is better.
No better end5
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Caesarean Section RateUNICEF · 2025 · world median 20.6550.120.65No earlier reading
Iran: 50.1 · world median 20.65 · Live births delivered by caesarean section (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 72.2.
Sex Ratio at BirthUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 105.1105.2105.1Moved since 2013
Iran: 105.2 · world median 105.1 · Male births per 100 female births. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 101.1 to 116.3.
Mean Age at First Marriage, WomenUN DESA Population Division · 2019 · world median 24.6523.124.65No earlier reading
Iran: 23.1 · world median 24.65 · Singulate mean age at marriage, women (years). UN DESA Population Division, 2019 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 17 to 34.
Female Share of ResearchersUIS · 2024 · world median 38.1730.1738.17No earlier reading
Iran: 30.17 · world median 38.17 · Researchers who are women (% of headcount; 50 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 76.54.
Female-Headed HouseholdsUN DESA Population Division · 2026 · world median 33.2112.6933.21No earlier reading
Iran: 12.69 · world median 33.21 · Households headed by a woman (% of households). UN DESA Population Division, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 5.33 to 64.59.
No current reading for Iran
Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Female Share of STEM Graduates (last 2021), Firms with a Female Top Manager, Firms with Female Participation in Ownership, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2022), Legal Guarantees of Women's Equal Rights to Land, Women Who Think a Husband Is Justified in Hitting or Beating His Wife and Women's Share of Agricultural Landowners. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Gender & Equality among Iran’s 15 topics
Gender & Equality is Iran’s 15th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Development & Human Capital48th of 1963/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 67th of 2004/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 73rd of 1763/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequalityjoint 82nd of 1593/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge104th of 1984/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 109th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 116th of 1934/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 122nd of 1843/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade143rd of 1772/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions168th of 1944/4 keys
- Peace & Security165th of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties187th of 1984/4 keys
- Work & Labour175th of 1824/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability180th of 1863/4 keys
- Gender & Equality181st of 1833/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on gender & equality
The three countries placed highest of 183, and the leaders Iran can most readily be measured against.
1
LatviaNorthern Europe
1st of 183 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Marcin Szala · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
TaiwanEastern Asia
2nd of 183 · 3 of 4 keys
Photo: xiangyang17 · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
3
ItalySouthern Europe
3rd of 183 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Francisco Antunes · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
Taiwan2nd3/4 keysHighest in Southern Asia
Bhutan=122nd4/4 keysThis page
Iran181st3/4 keys
Positions out of 183 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Iran on gender & equality: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Iran rank on gender & equality?
Iran is placed 181st of 183 countries on Gender & Equality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (Women, Business and the Law, Women's Political Empowerment Index and Social Institutions and Gender Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Women, Business and the Law figure for Iran?
31.25 in 2025 (wBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 81.25.
What is the latest Women's Political Empowerment Index figure for Iran?
0.32 in 2025 (women's political empowerment index (0–1)), according to V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. The world median in the same edition was 0.772.
How does Iran compare with Pakistan on gender & equality?
Pakistan is placed 171st of 183, and Iran 181st. Women, Business and the Law: Pakistan 58.75, Iran 31.25; Women's Political Empowerment Index: Pakistan 0.524, Iran 0.32; Social Institutions and Gender Index: Pakistan 59.7, Iran 62.9.
How have Iran’s gender & equality figures changed?
Women, Business and the Law rose from 26.25 in 2000 to 31.25 in 2025; Women's Political Empowerment Index rose from 0.315 in 2000 to 0.32 in 2025.
Which gender & equality statistics are missing for Iran?
No current reading is published for Iran on Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Firms with a Female Top Manager, Firms with Female Participation in Ownership, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, Legal Guarantees of Women's Equal Rights to Land, Women Who Think a Husband Is Justified in Hitting or Beating His Wife and Women's Share of Agricultural Landowners. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Violence against women is not a key here, because comparable data covers too few countries. The Gender Inequality Index is published here as context rather than as a key: its reading is driven largely by maternal and adolescent health, which moves with a country’s overall development and is already measured under Development and Health. Women’s labour force participation, women in management and child marriage are published here as context too.
How the Gender & Equality standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The gender & equality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Women, Business and the Law — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Women's Political Empowerment Index — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Firms with a Female Top Manager — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Social Institutions and Gender Index — OECD, OECD Terms and Conditions — data clause
The other 22 statistics on this page come from 9 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Iran’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Iran (banner) — User:Gire 3pich2005 , derived: User:Nastoshka, CC0
- Latvia — Marcin Szala, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Taiwan — xiangyang17, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Italy — Francisco Antunes, CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Iran: Gender & Equality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/iran/gender