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Iran's female editors rise to the top despite challenges

Despite a growth of female journalists in Iranian media, they still face various barriers and limits.

Iranian journalists of leading moderate daily, Shargh (East), stand by their desks 06 August 2007 in Tehran after it was shut down for the second time in less than a year for publishing an interview with a woman accused of being a homosexual activist. The ban on Shargh (East), the favourite newspaper of Iranian liberals, comes amid growing pressure on the press in Iran and follows the closure of fellow moderate daily Ham Mihan last month. AFP PHOTO/ATTA KENARE (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty
Iranian journalists of leading moderate Shargh (East) Daily stand by their desks in Tehran, Aug. 6, 2007. — ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images

In spite of government pressure on Iranian journalists and women, the number of women serving on the editorial boards of Iranian newspapers has increased in recent years. However, discrimination against women by their male colleagues is still a serious issue.

No precise statistics are available on Iranian journalists in general, let alone female journalists. According to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, as of March 2010, Iran had a total of 8,044 journalists, 3,455 (42%) of whom were women.

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