In an effort for women to regain footing in Iraqi government and decision-making, it has become a requirement for every 3rd elected seat in Iraq to be held by a woman. As a result, 4000 women will be running in this year's election.
Nibras al-Mamuri is a secular female candidate who argues that fundamentalists have taken over the country. She says it was the 2005 elections that brought them into power and tarnished Islam's image in Iraq.Al-Mamuri, who is running for the Baghdad provincial council, says it's time for a change.
As we have discussed before and as the article concludes, the US-led invasion of Iraq has made conditions for women worse.
In recent years, Iraqi women have been targeted by extremists for a variety of reasons -- from not covering their hair to entering the political arena.Under Hussein, Iraq was one of the more secular Arab countries, but the 2003 U.S. invasion unleashed extremist militias. Now, many activists say women have been forced back to the Dark Ages, forced to be submissive, anonymous and fully veiled.
Al-Mamuri said she believes Saturday's vote can help women improve their position in society.
Related:
The Military's disingenuous talking points on women's rights.
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Sweet! Hopefully Iraqi women will run Iraq!
Well, this is encouraging.
"It has become a requirement"? Um...how? I think that's kind of important.
I heard that 20% of the candidates have to be women, though I don't know how they can regulate who actually gets elected. I was kind of wondering that myself.
Fantastic!
In Iraqi elections you vote for a party list and not individual local candidates, so each party is responsible to fill the quota. Don't get too excited though guys this requrement was also in place during the first federal election and the majority of those women elected were elected to religious parties that supported the new constitution that negated the family law reforms of the late 1950s which had made Iraqi law one of the most progressive in the region for women. Not so anymore.
Nice that the CNN article only talks about their being targeted by extremists and not their rights being eroded by politicians by the way, I guess that would be kind of awkward to mention seeing that the US has been supporting them the whole time.