University of Tehran & UNFPA Launch National Transfer Accounts Report Understanding Effect of the Population Changes in Iran

Today the first National Transfer Account (NTA) report of the I.R. of Iran was jointly launched by UNFPA with the University of Tehran (UT). Experts and academia from various relevant entities attended the launching ceremony and participated in the rich technical panel discussion.  

Dr. Mahmoudian, UNFPA & UT Project Director opened the ceremony and explained the importance of analysis and correlating between population age structure and economy.  He explained how NTA provides in-depth analysis to inform policy makers for better socio-economic programmes and plans. Dr. Mahmoudian also announced the establishment of the secretariat of National Transfer Accounts at the Institute of Population Research with the support and UNFPA and UT for continue delivery results.

Dr. Leila Joudane, UNFPA Representative in her welcoming speech emphasized that it is the time for Iran to capitalize on the time-limited demographic window, and effectively utilize its educated and healthy human resources especially young women, to speed up socio-economic growth, and harness the first and second demographic dividend. Dr. Joudane referred to NTA  as an effective tool for analyzing the impact of changing population structure on economy, and offering variety of policy options for harnessing the first and second Demographic dividend as well as responding effectively to the implications of population ageing while ensuring investment in adult health, especially reproductive health and right of women along with the empowerment and social plans to guarantee productivity.   She reiterated UNFPA’s commitment to support NTA in 2018. 

Dr. Abbasi, renowned demographer as one of the direct officials involved in the NTA project highlighted Iran’s remarkable population changes in the last decades. He referred to the researchers conducted in this regard in the last three years. He briefed the participants about the three phases of the NTA project in Iran. The first phase completed called for capacity building for calculating NTA, the second phase – today being the foremost session – refers to dissemination of preliminary results of NTA and the last phase due in 2018 will aim at bringing NTA results to the attention of policy makers through accurate and practical policy option.

Dr. Ghafari, Head of Social Sciences Department of UT congratulated his team for achievement of the first two phases and highlighted social and policy aspect as the two main dimensions of demography. Considering the demographic structure of Iran, he called for policy makers to consider the quality and quantitative aspect of population.