(SHARA.IR-IRANPR.ORG) ...The first national seminar on the role of women in public relations was held in Tehran on October 9 and 10. Sponsored by Kargozar Public Relations Institute(KPRI), the seminar attracted 300 women involved in public relactions across the country.
Secretary of the conference said such events will help improve the professional status of Public Relations female practitioners.
“This seminar can be instrumental in elucidating the character and status of women in public relations, particularly regarding achievements and potentials of women and the way they will use them in public relations affairs,” Zahra Babazadegan said.
Mahdokht Boroujerdi Alavi, a senior public relations practitioner, addressed the conference by expressing her views about public relations.
Underscoring the significance of using modern technologies in public relations, the scientific secretary of the seminar said: “In Iran, we have to adopt a moderate approach between modernism and traditionalism vis-à-vis public relations.”
The head of the Social Committee of Iranian parliament said the lack of gender balance in the senior management posts is visibly seen in the country. “But after the victory of the Islamic Revolution [in 1979], efforts have been under way to pay more attention to women,” said Abdorreza Azizi.
“Women are an inseparable element in the human life in the world. They can play roles in all aspects of life and they play an effective role in public relations,” he added.
“According to the existing data, more than 60 percent of academia are women and it is indicative of the high potentials and capabilities of women,” he said.
“It seems that the presence of women in the management posts is beneficial to organizations because figures indicate that women are 25 percent more effective than men. Therefore we have to move towards a direction in which women hold high management posts,” he added.
Azizi said women make half of Iran’s population, adding: “Fifty percent of voters in Iran are women. Therefore women who face hurdles in Public Relations should overcome them and root the obstacles out to get ready for management pots.”
He said that employment must be based on meritocracy and specialty and not gender.
The head of Association of Volunteers of Iran Red Crescent said Public Relations set a strategic base for the growing presence of women.
“Currently, women’s presence in decision-makings is inactive and we have to undertake efforts to be more active in this sector,” Farhanaz Rafe said.
“Doubtlessly, public relations constitute one of the sectors in which women can be present,” she added, calling for the creation of social opportunities for the presence of women.
She referred to the underscored role granted to women in the 2025 Vision Plan and said: “Seventy percent of public relations in the county are run by women. Eighty percent of them are graduates of public relations. That’s good, but we are still far from the ideal point,” said Rafe.
Shahindokht Khawrazmi, a faculty member of the Industrial Management Organization, said women’s conditions have changed a lot over the past three decades “but women have still no place in the country’s management.”
“My experiences and observations over the past 40 years are indicative of the bitter reality that the road is blocked to experienced and educated women for professional development to achieve senior management posts,” she said.
A professor of communications at University of Tehran underscored the hidden role of women in the practice of Public Relations jobs.
Azam Ravardrad referred to the 50-percent presence of women in public relations, compared with a 13.2- percent share of women in the total jobs, said it was necessary to have a job as public relations practitioner.
Studies have shown that women have been more productive than men, she said, adding that women are less seen in group works while men are more numerous in this sector.
Ali-Akbar Jalali, who teaches at Iran University of Science and Technology, said: “In our view of public relations, we have to accept the facts. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are among the facts of today.”
Underscoring the significance of knowledge management in Public Relations, he said production of substance is the most important aspect of public relations activity. “Women must try their best to continue their activities and it will help them be accepted into senior management posts.”
Jalali, who is the founder of Information Technology in Iran, said the most important tool for improving the status of women is that they must think network-wise and never underestimate themselves.
Mahnaz Ronaqi, member of the scientific committee of the conference, assessed the level of participation of women in management posts as very low, saying men are more picked for management posts.
“Men and women in the public relations do not face equal conditions for job promotion although they may be on equal footing in terms of experience and scientific knowledge,” she said.
Ronaqi said a survey conducted on the experience of women in Public Relations underscores gender discrimination.
She added that the public relations have not been defined a clear status in the administrative structure of the country. “Naturally, we cannot expect women to enjoy prominent status in public relations management.”
Bita Shah-Mansouri referred to the status of public relations practitioners in management affairs, saying: “The restrictions for choosing women in public relations posts which are appropriate for women have given rise to bottlenecks for senior managers.”
She added that male managers are currently 35 times higher than female managers.
“The number of women in public relations administrative pots has increased, but senior managers in organizations still prefer to give these pots to men.”
A training workshop was held on the sidelines of the seminar about planning and reporting in public relations, exemplary works were awarded and the proceedings of the seminar were printed.
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