The nation of Iraq is an Islamic nation, with 97% of the population practicing the Muslim religion. However, only about 75% of the population is Arabic. The Kurds make up most of the additional population. Despite changing ideas within Islam, women’s rights are one of the lowest priorities.

The current Iraqi constitution contains a clause that no law is above the “established rulings of Islam,” and currently hardcore fundamentalist Islamic groups control politics with the assistance and support of the Iranian government. Women actually have less rights today, than before the Gulf War of President George Bush, Sr. in 1991.

Women are frequently raped, beaten, and abused by their radical groups who face no consequences. Some very conservative Islamic husbands are known to beat their wives in submission if they do not agree with them. There are no general statistics available, and many women do not report abuse out of fear of more violence.

Throughout history, Iraqi women have had more rights than any other country in the Islamic Middle East. In 1970, the Iraqi Provisional Constitution formally guaranteed equal rights for women. Laws were set into place that allowed women to vote, buy property, go to school, and even run for political office. UN Sanctions after the Gulf War severely affect the economy of Iraq. A governmental effort was set in place to ban many of women’s rights ensuring that men had jobs.

Today, women have less rights that they did in 1970. The most significant factor was Saddam Hussein’s embrace of Islamic tradition to centralize his power. Despite the death of Saddam, women continue to lose rights. Currently women are being given increasing restrictions on their freedom of mobility and its protection under law.

Several conservative Islamic political groups also issued legislation that was aimed at forcing the labor rate of women down in favor of men. Personal rights such as equality in the courtroom are completely unbalanced in favor of men. Perhaps the most disturbing statistic available is that estimated 4,000 women have been murdered in the name of “honor killings” since the Gulf War in 1991.

Many schools in Iraq have been legally restricted by law to allow male-only students, leaving the female population with a current estimated 25% literacy rate. Another sad loss is that women who are employed have had their maternity leave cut from an entire year to 6 months after the ousting of Saddam Hussein.

According to Maha Sabria of Al-Nahrain University in Baghdad, women who are members of parliament are “standing up for the fundamentalist party controlling the parliament” and ignoring the rights of their fellow women. Sabria claims the radical Islamists in the Parliament continually try to alter laws to favor men over women, and that this cultural and political bias is what is holding women back. Sabria also says deteriorated security has led to women being pressured to marry at an extremely young age in hopes of a financially secure husband being able to care for them.

Iraq: Women’s Rights in Danger

Background on Women’s Status in Iraq Prior to the Fall of the Saddam Hussein Government

Women’s Rights in Iraq: Decreasing by the Day