TEHRAN – A total of 228,860 marriages and 89,851 divorces were registered across the country in the first six months of the current Iranian year, which began on March 21, according to the Civil Registration Authority.
According to IRIB news agency, of the total number of marriages registered in the first half of this year, the highest number was related to Tehran province with 28,273, followed by Khorasan Razavi with 22,026 and Khuzestan with 16,994.
Of the registered marriages, 755 involved people over the age of 80, of which 738 were for men and 17 for women.
The highest number of divorces registered in the country were related to the same province: 15,206 in Tehran province, 9.321 in Khorasan Razavi province, and 5,519 in Khuzestan province. Also, during the same period, 453 marriages were registered in Ilam province, the lowest in the country.
Marriage rates were highest for women between the ages of 19 and 21 and for men between the ages of 25 and 27. The most divorced women were between the ages of 34 and 36, and the most divorced men were between the ages of 35 and 40.
Compared to the same period last year, the number of marriages decreased by 4% and the number of divorces decreased by 3.5%.
Youth population law
The enactment of the Youth Population Law has stabilized the total fertility rate, and the general fertility index has increased slightly over the past two years. The birthrate has declined by about 20% over seven years, but is now stable at around 1.6.
The total fertility rate has been declining rapidly since Iranian calendar year 1394 (2015-2016), with the number of births reaching 1.057 million in 1402 (2023-2024) from 1.57 million in 1394. However, since 1401 in the Iranian calendar (March 2022 to March 2023), the birth rate has been on the decline. Stop.
However, there are growing concerns about the declining trend of population growth in the coming years and the possibility of Iran becoming one of the oldest countries in the world, IRIB reported, citing Mohammad Javad Mahmoudi, an official at the Civil Registration Agency.
“With a total fertility rate of 2.5, Iran’s population will, at best, reach 102.89 million by the next seven years,” Mahmoudi said.
An important factor contributing to the country’s declining birth rate is the cost of living. In fact, many families are choosing to reduce their family size due to high inflation rates and an expensive real estate sector. The current one-child trend is prevalent among young Iranian families, many of whom also have to support their aging parents.
Due to economic constraints, later marriage is also a new trend. Late marriage and longer birth intervals are also contributing factors.
Iranian welfare institutions and the Ministry of Health have introduced a number of incentives to encourage childbirth.
First, the health care and medical benefits provided to birth mothers include:
Free or subsidized prenatal care. Public health centers provide free or low-cost medical examinations, laboratory tests, ultrasounds, and supplements (such as folic acid and iron).
Insurance Coverage: Most health insurance plans cover most pregnancy-related costs, including childbirth (normal and C-section).
Infertility treatment has made great progress. Currently, 100% of infertility treatment costs are covered by health insurance, and Iran has emerged as a regional leader in this field. Certain programs provide a monthly allowance to children, especially for low-income families. and
Maternal health programs: Government health centers provide training and support for mothers, including breastfeeding and infant care.
Second, maternity leave and workplace rights:
Maternity Leave: Women are entitled to 9 months (270 days) of paid maternity leave, fully covered by Social Security.
Employment Security: Iranian labor law guarantees women the right to return to work after maternity leave.
Reduced working hours: In some sectors, pregnant women may receive reduced working hours or reduced duties.
Despite the provision of incentives to encourage childbearing under the Youth Population Act, the desired increase in the youth population has not yet been achieved. It is one of the most important challenges facing this country.
According to the latest census, the number of elderly people in the country is growing by 3.62 percent, which is five times faster than the total population growth rate of 1.24 percent. For the time being, elderly women account for 52.3% of the total population, outnumbering men (47.7%).
Aging individuals means increasing life expectancy. However, population aging indicates that the country’s population distribution is shifting towards older people, which is not a positive indicator.
MT/MG