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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Iraqi women poised to make a mark in politics |
| 2005-01-30 |
| Iraqi women are almost guaranteed to win a significant chunk of seats in the National Assembly because by law they must make up 30 percent of each list of candidates. The law means Iraqi women could have a strong influence on the policies developed by the country's new government. It's a big change for candidate Amal Kashif al-Ghita, who paid dearly for her activism under Saddam Hussein's regime. A pharmacist, she was denied work, and her grown son was imprisoned. Al-Ghita sees her campaign as a natural extension of her role as head of an Islamic charity that cares for women and children. "We should protect the rights of the family as a whole -- the man, the woman and the children." Many female candidates, speaking recently of their reasons for deciding to run, describe suffering under Hussein's regime and the change that took place in their lives when it fell. "There was a cover over our heads, but it was lifted once the regime was gone," said Salama al-Khafaji, who was a member of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council that preceded the interim administration of Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. "There are now open opportunities for women to work in politics, in social reform and in any other field," she said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 Interesting. That seems to contradict the LLL talking point about sooo emancipated Iraqi women during Saddam's rule. |
| Posted by: Sobiesky 2005-01-30 8:59:50 AM |