their schools.9 The lack of female teachers has also been identified as a factor discouraging
families to send their girls to school.10 11 Additionally, reports have showed that in poor areas,
families rely often on children as laborers,12 a phenomenon that reportedly affects more girls
than boys.13 Governmental statistics from 2016 reported that the literacy rate of women living
in rural areas (72.8%) is below than the literacy rate of women living in urban areas (88.0%),
and much lower than the rate of literacy of men both in urban (93.5%) and rural areas
(83.9%).14 Iranian authorities have reported that only 40% to 50% of girls living in border
provinces complete their high school education. 15 16 These figures may indicate that both
gender and economic factors can hinder access to and/or stay in school, resulting in the high
drop-out rate of girls in rural areas. Girls from ethnic minorities and living in rural areas have
been reportedly further disadvantaged. For instance, the Sistan-Baluchestan province,
inhabited predominantly by the Baluchi ethnic group, has a reported girls drop-out rate of
60% by the fifth grade level.17
High drop-out rates have also been reported among Ahwazi Arab children. The number of
Awhazi Arabs living in the Islamic Republic of Iran is estimated to be up to 5 million,18
predominantly located in the province of Khuzestan, also one of the poorest provinces in the
country.19 Reported discriminations and violence towards Ahwazi children (including verbal
and physical abuse from teachers) combined with shortages of teaching staff and
infrastructures in Khuzestan province, go some way to explaining the high dropout rate
among this group. 20 21 22Additionally, although Iranian law guarantees access to free
education (Article 30 of the Constitution) reports have shown that the economic and financial
burden induced by education,23 notably commuting to school and buying school supplies, are
forcing a significant number of children to drop out of school. These are felt the most keenly
9
Minority Rights Group, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MRG_CFR_Iran_EN_Sept191.pdf
Minority Rights Group, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MRG_CFR_Iran_EN_Sept191.pdf
11
Radio Farda, https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-school-drop-out-among-girls/28726094.html
12
Radio Farda, ‘Half the girls living In border areas drop out of school,’ 9 September 2017. https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iranschool-drop-out-among-girls/28726094.html
13
Farda News Agency, ‘Akharin Amar-e-tark-e- tahsil-e-danesh amouzan-e-dokhtar [The latest dropout statistics for female
students],’ 25 June, 2018, https://bit.ly/334rdHt
14
Statistical Centre of Iran, Nataayej-e-tafsili-ye- sarshomaari-e-omoumi-e-nofous va maskan 1395 [Detailed report of the
results of national population and housing censuses of the year 1395], May/June 2018,
https://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/0/Files/fulltext/1395/n_ntsonvm_95-v2.pdf
15
Radio Farda, https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-school-drop-out-among-girls/28726094.html
16
Radio Farda, ‘Half the girls living In border areas drop out of school,’ 9 September 2017. https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iranschool-drop-out-among-girls/28726094.html
17
Minority Rights Group, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MRG_CFR_Iran_EN_Sept191.pdf
18
Human Rights Watch, https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/04/29/iran-sweeping-arrests-ahwazi10
arabactivists#:~:text=(New%20York)%20%E2%80%93%20Iran',Human%20Rights%20Watch%20sa
id%20today.
19
Iran Focus, https://www.iranfocus.com/en/life-in-iran/34478-iranian-cities-are-not-only-below-poverty-line-they-arebelow-misery-line
20
DUSC, https://www.dusc.org/en/drasat/2498/
21
Ahwaz Monitor, https://www.ahwazmonitor.info/new/iranian-teacher-beats-racially-abuses-nine-year-old-ahwazi-boy/
22
UNPO, https://unpo.org/article/19115
23
Iran Focus, https://www.iranfocus.com/en/life-in-iran/33917-the-iranian-education-system-in-tatters-due-to-poverty
2