Gender Equality and Fertility in Iran

Using cross-provinces and panel regressions, this paper investigates the interrelationship between gender equality and fertility in Iran for the2007-2012 period. The article attempt to explain the low fertility rate in Iran by distinguishing two types of gender equity i.e. gender equity in individual-oriented institutions and gender equity in family-oriented institutions. For this purpose two models. i.e. Fertility and gender equality models are estimated. The first model show that as income equality (in general, and gender equality in labor market) increases, fertility follows a U shape pattern. Second model, confirm a U shape relationship between fertility increase and gender equality (in general and in education). The results argue that the transition from very high fertility to replacement-level fertility in Iran has been associated with a rapid shift toward high levels of gender equity in individual institutions such as education but low levels of equality in market employment, in combination with high level of gender equity within the family and low level of family-oriented institutions.