Women and Development

The advancement of women in Iran has been considerable in recent years and has changed following development perspectives of its time. The contemporary Iran has witnessed presence of women in different social scenes and joining a noticeable number of girls from more traditional and lower socio-economic classes to intellectual elites, which all have been achieved through education, raising their awareness and empowerment programs.

Enabling women to have control over financial assets, intellectual and ideological sources is an important ingredient of development plans in most countries and nowadays, it has been agreed upon that without movement towards empowerment of women, development initiatives cannot be well fulfilled. This is why The UN Millennium Development Goals include a goal that calls for empowering women and promoting gender equality.

In the last three decades, a gender approach has gradually found its proper place in the development plan of Iran and has been integrated into all programs and polices. Thus, ministries all obliged to approach gender issues in the programs and activities.

Accordingly, Bank Keshavarzi (Agriculture Bank of Iran), aimed at women’s economic and financial empowerment, as a prerequisite for sustainable development, poverty-alleviation, and equitable society, has been executing some women-targeting schemes. Few of these schemes are Hazrat Zainab Scheme, designed for rural household-headed women; Hazrat Fatima Scheme, devised with the purpose of job creation by rural girls; as well as Iran Scheme developed exclusively for Iranian women, providing them with accessibility to required banking services.

The impact evaluation of programs implemented by different entities nationwide indicate some major achievements, however, there are still room for more attempts, determination, cooperation and innovation.

Program Objectives

The program aims to achieve the following:

• An understanding and appreciation of the status of women and women’s empowerment initiatives in Iran;
• Explore ways and means of operationalzing the term “empowerment”.
• Recognize the underlying context of various intervention approaches and strategies adopted by selected host institutions engaged in women’s empowerment as well as the results and impacts achieved;
• Exchange information on Bank Keshavarzi’s programs aiming at women’s empowerment and meeting with women managers of the banks;
• Meet with women national figures and successful entrepreneurs in few women’s associations (NGOs) such as Women in International Trade, and Women Entrepreneurs Association.
• Meet with some women national figures and women engaged in governmental entities;

Who Should Attend
The program is suited for officers of government and private banks, microfinance institutions and non-government organizations engaged in rural and urban finance, rural development and women empowerment programs.

Tentative Program of Activities (Program details are subject to slight changes)

ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

1. Host Organization
Bank Keshavarzi (Agriculture Bank of Iran)​
No. 129 Patrice Lumumba St., Jalal-al Ahmad Expressway, Tehran 14454, I.R. Iran
Tel:(98 21) 8825 2246, 8489 5593 Fax:(98 21) 882 53625
E-mail : icd@agri-bank.com; shabanzad@agri-bank.com
Website: www.agriculbank.ir ; www.agri-bank.ir

In Collaboration with:
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
8 Shahrzad Blvd, Darrous, 1948773911, Tehran- I.R. Iran
P.O. Box 15875-4557
Tel: (9821) 228 60691-4 or 228 60925-8
Fax: (9821) 228 6 9547

2. Date and Venue
January 21-23, 2013 (exclusive of travel time) at Azadi Grand Hotel, Tehran, Iran

3. Language
English is used as a medium of instruction and discussions. All presentations and materials are also in English. Participants are expected to have a working knowle​dge of the English language. However, some lecturers may speak in Farsi but simultaneous interpreters will be present to translate the lectures in English and same arrangement will be done during the visits and official meetings.

4. Hotel
Azadi Grand Hotel ( ***** )
Dr. Chamran Express Way, Evin Cross Road, Tehran 19976, Iran
Tel .: +98 21 29 112 ; Fax : +98 21 2234 4478
E-mail : info@azadihotel.com
http://www.azaditehran.pih.ir
http://www.azaditehran.pih.ir

Room Rates

*%15 services and %3 tax will be added to rates

* 1USD= 29,700 Rls. Floating Exchange Rate on October 23, 2012. The rate is subject to fluctuation. For more information, please see General Information, Part 2​

5. Participants
The Forum is open to all APRACA members, local financial institutions, government and non-
Government agencies and finance – related institutions. All participants should cover the cost of their respective air tickets, hotel lodging and other travel-related expenses.

6. Participation Fee
The customary participation fee of USD 400/person shall be collected in CASH by Bank Keshavarzi to help defray the administrative expenses. This covers airport reception and send-off, domestic transportation for the visits, cultural exposure and other administrative costs. The nominating institution shall provide its participants their roundtrip international air ticket, hotel accommodation and incidental allowances for all travel-related miscellaneous expenses like laundry, overseas calls, fax/email messages, mailing stamps, etc. in accordance with their existing rules and regulations.

7. Settlement of Hotel Bills
All participants are requested to settle their hotel bills (lodging cost, telephone calls, room service, laundry, etc.) before checking out. Participants shall bear the cost of rooms reserved at their own request (ticked in registration forms), which are unused due to the participant’s late arrival or departure earlier that the date communicated to the host.

8. Passport and Visa
All participants must have their respective passports, valid for at least six months prior to arrival in Iran. Participants are responsible for obtaining and paying for the visa. Each participant is requested to contact the nearest Iranian General Consulate or Embassy for visa requirements, if so required. Formal invitations will be sent by Bank Keshavarzi upon confirmation of participants’ names and submission of registration forms. Those participants from countries in which there is no Iranian embassies, will be issued visas at the airport upon request of the participants at least one month before arrival in Iran.

9. Medical and Travel Insurance
All delegates are advised to arrange for their own medical and travel insurance coverage, prior to their trip to Iran. Health clinic will be available at hotel. Hotel physicians will be on duty around the clock for preliminary medical actions. Participants from countries where yellow fever and meningitis are endemic will be required to produce vaccination certificates.

10. Airport Reception and Send Off
Airport transfer to/from hotel has been arranged by the host on January 20, 21, 23, and 24, upon announcement of flight schedules by the participants.

11. Liaison Officers
A liaison officer will be assigned to each participant to assist them throughout the period of events. All administrative officers of the holds wear special badges during the event.

12. Dress Code:
Participants are expected to wear business attire during the seminar, meetings with some national figures and visiting to institutions, and smart casual or casual for other activities such as city tours and inter-city visits. Women’s hair should be covered with a scarf or shawl in public places. Ladies are also recommended not to shake hands with men.

13. Identification
All participants will be issued with a personal identification badge, which they are requested to wear at all times.

14. Technical and Cultural Tours
Participants will have some cultural tours and visits. The inner-city and inter-city transportation expenses will be borne by the host.

15. Reservations and Nominations
To fully arrange for the event, kindly fill in the nomination form and send it to the contact persons below not later than November 30, 2012, the deadline of nomination.

16. Contact Persons:

All participants are requested to address their emails and registration forms to:

GENERAL INFORMATION​

1. Local Time
Current Offset: UTC/GMT +4:30 Hours
Standard Offset: UTC/GMT +3:30 Hours

2. Exchange Rate
There are two types of exchange rates in Iran:
(1) Central Bank’s Reference Rate (used for basic goods and upon government’s approval): 1 USD = Rls. 12,260
(2) Floating Exchange Rate (FER): announced daily by the Central Bank of Iran, subject to fluctuation, and used by authorized exchange companies. On October 23, 2012: 1USD=29,700 Rls.

Traveler checks in foreign currency and credit cards are not accepted in most shopping centers, malls… Foreign visitors are recommended to have cash with them.

3. Business hours
Banks:
8.00-15.00 hrs, Saturday to Wednesday
8.00-13.00 hrs, Thursdays
Authorized exchanges:
24 hrs at Bank Keshavarzi Exchange Desk in Azadi Hotel Lobby

4. Prohibited Items
Travelers to I.R. Iran are requested not to bring items such as narcotics, alcohol beverages, fire arms or ammunitions. Possession of any prohibited items will be prosecuted and fined by IKA airport police upon arrival. BK bears no responsibility for such problems.

5. Electric Current
Electric current in Iran has the following specifications:
Voltage: 220 v / Frequency: 50 Cycles

6. Climate:
During January, temperature in Iran ranges between -5 to 5°C.