Woman's bureau of the CNU
Wafaa Hussein Mahmoud/ MA in political sciences, woman's rights
 The issue of woman's rights and her role in society is considered one of the main themes that has been brought up strongly and anew since the advent of this century as a title to advance humanity, and arouse its other half that has been marginalized for long and as a way to apply human justice which must account for in modern civilization community all sections of society and no doubt that woman represents a basic element of this society.

Thereupon, woman in our today society is non-existent but a little in the political decision position or even administrative or social decision position, but her absence at these leadership levels in society and state not because she is incapable to do so but because our society is masculine in nature wherein power is in the hands of man, however we do not deny that the customs and traditions and legacies in most cases support this patriarchal attitude. In addition to formulas and laws applicable in Sharia courts which look into the personal status and in the relationship between man and woman (marital status) which has not developed in terms of Sharia rules and international laws, hence woman legal issues involve a lot of what is amenable to legal and juristic judgments fit to remove injustice off her rights.

In the same vein, emphasis should be placed on the need that the next Iraqi constitution will ensure the rights of woman and child which is the least that can be done for them. So, construction of Iraq will remain incomplete without having woman participated and educated about her legitimate rights that she must get however some may try to wrap them in political or religious quotes to be deprived of her legitimate rights.

And if we wanted to take a look around the contribution made by Iraqi woman in the parliament it will be nothing better than numbers and filling of spaces. Because the majority of women participant in the parliament have no significant role, simply representation of what the head of blocs and political parties would say except a few of them, however, Iraqi woman was not at better condition than that of Iraqi society which, as a whole, suffers all kinds of persecution and violence, then how could woman live in such a milieu burning with political conflicts and declined social and economic situation other than customs and traditions that downsize the role of woman and keep her captive under at the risk of tribal and clan oppression.

Despite the challenges that face woman today, yet we see that the Iraqi scene has produced some competent feminine figures that are able to enter the political arena and would leave an impressive mark, and that political parties had to look at woman more seriously because her voice under the dome of parliament is equal to that of man's and as such the government should support and empower woman to cultivate herself.

Going back in time we find that Iraqi woman did participate in the political process, and was the pioneer in the Arab world, as Mrs. Nazihah al-Dulaimi the Minister of Works in 1958, as such woman role is not new as she took part early in the university education and joined fellowships and scholarships also.

  On this account, all forms of physical and intellectual violence on the part of any entity and under any pretext must be dispelled altogether and the culture of masculine domination must be strictly curbed, and joint work to be pursued to create real equality between man and woman, and also steps must be taken to build an economic, cultural, educational, instructional and legal process to form an established social custom and culture not simply ink on paper provisions, logos and laws.

Among the best means to develop society and dissociate outdated social beliefs is by guiding woman to engage in productive work, promoting knowledge and culture which would create relations required by the constantly evolving state of affairs conditions to remove from its path all backward and inherited values and ideals blocking the progress including  breaking of her isolation, delivering and developing her and rendering her a productive human being which duly generate the feeling of equality and free competition, cooperation and solidarity between woman and man in the fields of science and work. Then, to materialize her full humanity in sharing man by way of raising her level rather than by pure sermons, slogans or quotes but thru organizing woman and involve her in various fields of production which would help the individuals and groups a lot to hold to their professional and national  identity and surrender the sectarian and tribal one.

However, the main factors behind woman failure in today society are the following:

•    Lacking of national awareness and leaning towards secondary, sectarian and tribal identities and predominance of reactionary concepts which encourage the spread of supremacy perspective that was hailed by some media.
•    Spread of poverty, diseases, ignorance and bigoted ideas that support masculine dominance and marginalize the role of woman in life as a weak being cannot think or manage her affairs, namely a helpless creature.
•    Destruction of the underlying structures by the forces of terrorism and corrupts and impeding the process of development in all areas of life, and the lack of active role on the part of government in the process of construction and development this in turn encouraged on to carry woman away from the process of sustainable development.
•    Absence of security has led to the displacement of many Iraqi families inside and outside the country and this thing has cast its shadows on woman status and Iraqi families, forcing her to accept living with the least possible than should be made available to cope with the basic requirements of life.
•    We are consumer society in nature and which depends mainly in its structure and sustainability on oil revenues, and over than 90% of the state finances come from oil exports, without paying due attention to agricultural and industrial production aspect, leading to reduced employment opportunities for woman and the spread of unemployment and thus generated poor economic status.
•    The nature of political system and lacking of democratic values and too the Iraqi legislation constituted together one of the main obstacles in front of Iraqi citizenry especially woman, which prompted the rise of most of these capacities and academic competences abroad.  

Therefore, working on the restoration of Iraqi society balance, lift injustice and abuse would require efforts and struggle on the part of all patriotic forces including the CNU headed by Dr. Nahro Mohammed AbdulKarim to establish legal and constitutional principles which include the minimum of equality for woman to play her political, cultural and economic active role in the process of consummating the national sovereignty, and disposal of occupation dominion, capitalist consumer trend and approach seeking to commodify the society, and eradication of terrorist culture veiled under religion and customs. And whereby to consolidate the concepts of egalitarianism and democracy, regardless of gender, enact laws deterrent to all repressive practices from different entities to preclude violation of human rights and violence against woman in line with the constitution, which prohibits all forms of violence and abuse in the family school and society; and to bring Iraqi economy back to life, expedite the pace of work, grant fair opportunities for woman to be on equal level with man in production without discrimination in all jobs, businesses and in cultural, political and judicial centers.