Comparative Study of Family Policy in Iran

Document Type : -

Author

Assistant Professor Department of Women Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

10.30465/ws.2025.50627.4277

Abstract

This article presents a comparative analysis of family support policies in Iran and eight selected countries: Sweden, Germany, Ireland, France, the United States, Japan, Malaysia, and South Africa. The aim of this study is to identify the main axes of family policymaking and to examine the diversity of national approaches in addressing demographic and social challenges such as declining fertility rates, changing family structures, and increasing female labor force participation. Data were collected through library research and analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. The findings reveal three main categories—focus on women, focus on women within the family, and focus on fertility—as well as 13 subthemes. The results show that leading countries such as Sweden, France, and Germany employ a multi-layered support model that includes financial aid, childcare services, paid parental leave, and gender equality promotion policies. In contrast, countries such as Japan and the United States implement more limited but targeted policies in specific areas, while South Africa focuses primarily on basic livelihood support. Although Iran has made efforts in cultural and social domains, it still requires broader and more targeted executive policies in areas such as diverse care services, employment support for parents, and work-life balance.

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References

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  • Receive Date: 30 November 2024
  • Revise Date: 11 April 2025
  • Accept Date: 03 June 2025

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