Structural Equation Modeling of Women's Role in Good Urban Governance in Iran

<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> In an era characterized by a growing emphasis on sustainable development and social justice, understanding and recognizing women's role in urban decision-making and management processes is of paramount importance. This study aims to develop a structural equation model to assess the position of women in good urban governance in Iran.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> Employing a descriptive-analytical approach, this applied research identifies and analyzes the key drivers influencing women's roles in urban governance. A researcher-designed questionnaire was utilized to collect data from 150 experts, resulting in the identification of 36 factors categorized under four main drivers: laws and regulations, organizational charts and hierarchies, the decentralized urban management system, and urban plans and programs. Structural equation modeling was employed to infer the causal relationships among these factors.</p> <p><strong>Findings: </strong>The findings reveal that the "decentralized urban management system" and "laws" exert the most significant influence on women's positions in good urban governance in Iran, with factor loadings of 0.87. Organizational charts and hierarchies, with a factor loading of 0.69, and urban plans and programs, with a factor loading of 0.59, also have a substantial impact on women's roles. Furthermore, laws and regulations independently influence women's participation in urban governance. The study's findings are credible given that women, constituting more than half of Iran's urban population, have consistently strived for gender equality. This research not only provides a critical analysis of the current situation but also offers recommendations to enhance women's participation in urban management structures to achieve the vision of good governance.</p>