Role of women's participation in the development of local settlements A case study of Gilvan & Ab –bar area in the Tarom County, Iran

The present study, in a local settlements sustainable development framework, has a systematic and holistic overview of promoting women's participation in the development of economic and social activities in the Tarom area; It intends to identify factors affecting women's participation and the development of local settlements (urban and rural), and the degree of importance of each factor. In this descriptive- analytical research, views of 391 households in 24 settlements were randomly studied. Statistical analysis and qualitative study shows that family and individual abilities of women, and the capability of agricultural and non-agricultural beneficiary households have provided an effective participation of women in economic and social activities in the study area, rather than supportive and guidance policies of political system. Thus, technical training for women, giving official documents to obtain a license for establishing agricultural processing industries, self-employment loans, and paying attention to the role of women in rural-urban settlements development planning process are recommended.