NIYAN RAD

Mahabad – In Iran’s rural regions and among nomadic communities, the education of girls is seriously threatened by poverty, gender discrimination, and cultural barriers. According to official data, especially after primary school, the dropout rate of girls has risen to several times higher than that of urban areas.

The School Bell Signals the Last Lesson

In many villages, girls’ schools operate only up to the sixth grade. The high cost of boarding schools, security concerns, and families’ prioritization of boys block the educational path for girls. Seventeen-year-old Lale Mohammadi is just one of hundreds of girls who want to study but cannot attend secondary school. Lale Mohammadi says: “The road is open for boys, but for girls they say, ‘there is no future anyway.’ We cannot even dream of university.”

‘The Roads Are Closed for Girls’

The rising costs of notebooks, bags, clothing, and school expenses increase the burden on families. Families with many children mostly choose to prioritize the education of boys. Boarding schools have also become unaffordable for most families. One villager describes the situation as follows: “Boys can work and save money. But the road to education is closed to girls from the very beginning.”

The Education of Women Breaks the Chain

A significant portion of girls deprived of education are pushed into early forced marriages. This leads to the intergenerational transmission of poverty and inequality. Education expert Sima Sharifi warns: “The education of women breaks the chain of poverty. But when this opportunity is taken away, both women and future generations fall victim to inequality.”

The worsening economic crisis affects not only rural girls but also middle-class women in cities. Many young women are now forced to turn toward shorter-term and less costly professions instead of pursuing academic education.