Women’s Rights and the Iraqi Constitution
July 25, 2005The draft constitution currently being prepared by the Iraqi Transitional National Assembly fails to acknowledge women’s rights. A key component of building a democracy is ensuring women’s full participation in all sectors of society. Women’s participation is key to building a viable democracy in Iraq and should be enshrined in the constitution.
Women leaders are currently mobilizing across Iraq to ensure their equality. In an environment where voting or associating with international entities is a life-threatening activity, these brave women are risking their personal security to protect their rights and build a better society. These women activists have met with several members of the constitutional committee and articulated their concerns. Additionally, these leaders have asked members of the international community to support their demands by contacting key United States and Iraqi government officials.
Time is running short because the constitutional committee will finalize the constitution on August 15.
Please contact the key US and Iraqi policy makers listed below and demand that they put pressure on the relevant Iraqi actors to protect women’s rights in the constitution. The constitutional drafting process must be more participatory and consultative to enable civil society organizations, including women, to provide input on the draft constitution. We propose the following amendments to the draft constitution:
- Ensure the equality of women without any restriction
- Maintain the goal of no less than 25 percent women in the Iraqi National Assembly and all levels of the government, as it is was mandated in the Transitional Administrative Law
- Uphold the international conventions and documents related to women’s rights that Iraq has signed and ratified, making them a source for the Iraqi legislations without any conditions
- Preserve the Iraqi Personal Status Law, which honors the women’s rights in marriage, divorce, custody, and inheritance, etc.
US Department of State –
Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
US Department of State
Tel: 202-647-9572
Fax: 202-647-2283
Paula Dobriansky
Under Secretary for Global Affairs
US Department of State
Tel: 202-647-6240
Fax: 202.647.0753
Email: nelsonDJ2@state.gov
Address: 2201 C Street NW, Room 7250
Washington, DC 20520
Nicholas Burns
Under Secretary for Political Affairs
Office of Political Affairs
US Department of State
Tel: 202-647-1598
Fax: 202.647.4780
Email: landersLS2@state.gov
Address: 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Room 7240
Washington, DC 20522
Elizabeth Cheney
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
US Department of State
Tel: 202-647-7207
Fax: 202-736-4462
Address: Harry S Truman Building
1000 Wilson Boulevard, Room 6242
Washington, DC 20522
C. David Welch
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
US Department of State
Tel: 202-647-7209
Fax: 202-736-4426
Address: Harry S. Truman Building
1000 Wilson Boulevard, Room 6242
Washington, DC 20520
Ambassador Robin Raphel
Iraq Reconstruction Coordinator
Office of Reconstruction for Iraq
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
US Department of State
Tel: 202-647-6355
Fax: 202.647.4808
Email: raphelrl@state.gov
Address: 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Room 6247
Washington, DC 20522
National Security Council –
Steven J. Hadley
Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
National Security Council
Tel: 202-456-9491
Fax: 202.456.9490
Address: The White House, 1st Floor, West Wing
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Meghan O'Sullivan
Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director on Iraq
National Security Council
Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Tel: 202-456-9381
Fax: 202.456.9380
Email: cchase@nsc.eop.gov
Address: 1650 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Room 227
Washington, DC 20504
Iraqi Representatives –
Faiz Al-Gailani
Counselor / Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Iraq
Tel: 202-483-7500
Fax: 202-462-0564
Email: admin@iraqiembassy.org
Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie
Permanent Representative
United Nations
Tel: 212-737-6545
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