| Description |
This paper discusses how operational and effective legal mechanisms can be used to achieve the Iraqi Constitution's stated objective to have at least 25 percent female members in the legislative bodies. The paper primarily discusses the use of various types of legislated gender quotas, as well as other factors that affect women's representation, such as social policy decisions and the design of an electoral system. The paper describes the assumptions underlying the use of each of these tools, how they potentially affect women's representation, and the efficacy of each approach to reach the constitutional objective in the Iraqi context. The report begins with an overview of the Iraqi electoral system, the current constitutional and legal framework addressing women's political representation, and the presence of women in existing legislative bodies. It ends with a commentary on the obstacles faced by women candidates and political leaders in today's Iraq, and the vision for the future. |
