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Objective: Empowerment is an effective method used by most countries of the world to achieve sustainable development (Parsons, 2003). It’s emphasized in Forth Development Program of Iran, especially for poor people, including headof- household women. This study aims investigating the methods used in empowerment programs of social support agencies. Method: The method of this investigation is descriptive. The research population includes all head-of-household women participated in the empowerment programs of Imam Khomeini Relief Committee and Welfare Organization between years 1384 (2006) and 1386 (2008), all of them were 50 and 44 families, respectively, in the end of 1386. Findings: The study showed that empowerment programs for head-of-household women’s led to employment and enhancing their income level. Also, occupation training can result in independence from support agencies. Moreover, psychological empowerment plan led improvements in a variety of psychological dimensions, i.e. self-efficacy, self-worth, self-esteem, life control, decisionmaking power, and problem-solving, all of them resulting to more adjustment. Conclusion: Empowerment programs for head-of-household women can lead to employment, enhancement of income level, dependency reduction, and psychological empowerment.

Keywords: empowerment, head-of-household women, support agencies.

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