TEHRAN, Iran (Tehran Times), April 28, 2008:
About 30-35 percent of working women quit their job before their usual retirement age, Dr. Majid Abhari, an specialist in behavioral sciences and sociologist said to the Mehr News Agency, recently.
Men have significantly different retirement lifestyle from women; for men retirement usually means a rest period (stopping the grind and kick back and enjoying themselves) while it is completely different for women, Abhari said adding that daily chores remain mainly on the shoulders of the women. Working in the household and raising children are the main duties taking most of their time and comfortable retirement.
Women have never given special privileges in the workplace. Officials should take maternal duties into consideration when changing retirement age, Abhari said, stressing that completing 25-year of work to reach retirement is a long period for women who continue to be the primary caregivers in our society.
As a result women typically should work fewer years, on average, than men.
Under the current situations, women should retire after 15-20 years of employment in regular jobs, and earlier in dangerous and difficult jobs, Abhari said.
Referring to the high rate of post-retirement depression in women, Abhari said that women in retirement get depressed at the thought of losing their efficiency. In this case, they should be supported financially and behaviorally.
Due to their maternal and marital duties, about 30-35 percent of women fail to work the minimum number of years required to be eligible for the pension guarantee; much should be done to improve a woman’s retirement prospects.
To have an impact on the broad range of issues confronting women in retirement, changes in legislation, practice, and procedure should focus on expansion of programs to address the special needs of women.
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