Iraq

Plan launched 2014-2018

Objectives/Aims

1.  Participation of women in decision making processes: more political  representation on a local and national level, in all reconciliation  committees and peace-building negotiations.                                                                                                                                 

2. Protection, Security and Prevention: for violence against women,  including sexualised and gender-based violence. Improve the living conditions  of women and ensure their rights and services and access to them.                                                                                                                                                                

3. Promotion of women's rights:   Integration of UNSCR1325 on a national level. Creating dialogue  between a range of actors and sectors, including ministries and industries and women's rights organisations who are dedicated to putting an end to  discrimination of women.                                                                                                             

4. Social and economic empowerment: Women in Iraq should have better economic  conditions and become more independent. The NAP "will enable the revision and  actualization of the support policy to these most vulnerable segments of the  society."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

5. Legislation and law enforcement: Harmonization of national legislation with international standards and mechanisms for women’s rights, including  UNSCR1325, annulling articles which violate women rights and promulgating/enacting  legislation that protects and promotes them. 

Commentary

Iraq has suffered the consequences of long periods of instability and conflict. For women this has meant implications such as a lack of access to their fundamental rights,

Several constitutional and legal provisions have been included to  promote more political participation as well as actions against violence. 

Civil Society

The  two governments (Iraq and Kurdistan) will cooperate with the women's rights civil society organisations for the benefit of all women, in contributing to  the regional stability and promote peace and justice.               

Women in Peacekeeping

There is no mention of  recruiting women into the army, but on political representation. The plan refers to the deteriorating rate at which women are participating in all levels of conflict resolution in Iraq where previously they were making progress: "Women have participated very  keenly in the political movement towards democracy building and strengthening, in both the private and public sector, ever since its beginning in 2003", They have since been facing challenges from males ' who still  question the right of women to equal access to leadership positions':  "Indicators of women's participation in leadership positions started going down day after day, reflecting the  fragility of the democratic process and the extent of its efficiency: women occupied 6 ministerial portfolios out of 36 in the first transitional  government, with none of them occupying one of the four sovereign positions.  Women's representation was 11% in the Council of Ministers and 32% in the  National Assembly, and when the Constitutional Committee was formed, only 9  out of 55 members were women."

UN Peacekeeping Statistics

N/A

Sources

1.  Iraq NAP

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