Do quota seats advance women’s rights?
NAJAF, Iraq - Women are guaranteed 25 percent of the seats in the Iraqi parliament and there are several bills sitting on the legislature’s agenda covering issues that affect women such as domestic violence and custody of children, but activists say it is rare to see female candidates campaign on women’s issues.
“Unfortunately, so far I haven’t seen any candidate deal with sensitive topics concerning society in general, with respect to the laws - the laws of domestic violence, women’s laws, children’s laws. I haven’t seen a voice or a special program from the women candidates regarding these matters,” said Rua’a Ali Dawish, a human rights activist.
The Anti-Domestic Violence Law has been before parliament for two years and has not been passed despite pressure from the United Nations.
Proposed amendments to the custody law favour fathers and grandfathers over mothers, raising concerns that women could feel compelled to stay in abusive relationships for fear of losing their children.
One candidate opposes these amendments, and says her stance has exposed her to threats.
Fatima Majid Issawi, a candidate from the Emtidad movement, said she has received threats from people saying “‘You’re opposing the rules of Islam’ because I’m defending women, children, and their rights.”
She hopes to win her seat in parliament “so we can help this oppressed group more.”
Under the new voting law, Iraq is divided into 83 constituencies and each has one seat reserved for a woman, but the quota system is often abused by parties, according to a researcher.
"While on the surface, the women’s quota has increased women’s representation in the Iraqi legislature, it has been criticized for its failure to usher in substantive gender equality, at least in part because of its exploitation by patriarchal political parties," Mera Jasm Bakr wrote in a recent analysis for the German foundation Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.
The "nomination of female candidates for most parties is a tactical tool to achieve electoral seats rather than an attempt to empower women," he stated.
One activist hopes women voters will cast ballots for young candidates who don’t have ties to the established parties.
“While most of the older women candidates either come from a party, or say they’re independent but have connections to the old bloc, or have a mindset that is different from what is happening today, I hope, seek, and encourage young women candidates to get into the parliament,” said Iman Ahmed Abbas.
Reporting by Wisam Jaburi
Translation by Layal Shakir
Video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed
“Unfortunately, so far I haven’t seen any candidate deal with sensitive topics concerning society in general, with respect to the laws - the laws of domestic violence, women’s laws, children’s laws. I haven’t seen a voice or a special program from the women candidates regarding these matters,” said Rua’a Ali Dawish, a human rights activist.
The Anti-Domestic Violence Law has been before parliament for two years and has not been passed despite pressure from the United Nations.
Proposed amendments to the custody law favour fathers and grandfathers over mothers, raising concerns that women could feel compelled to stay in abusive relationships for fear of losing their children.
One candidate opposes these amendments, and says her stance has exposed her to threats.
Fatima Majid Issawi, a candidate from the Emtidad movement, said she has received threats from people saying “‘You’re opposing the rules of Islam’ because I’m defending women, children, and their rights.”
She hopes to win her seat in parliament “so we can help this oppressed group more.”
Under the new voting law, Iraq is divided into 83 constituencies and each has one seat reserved for a woman, but the quota system is often abused by parties, according to a researcher.
"While on the surface, the women’s quota has increased women’s representation in the Iraqi legislature, it has been criticized for its failure to usher in substantive gender equality, at least in part because of its exploitation by patriarchal political parties," Mera Jasm Bakr wrote in a recent analysis for the German foundation Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.
The "nomination of female candidates for most parties is a tactical tool to achieve electoral seats rather than an attempt to empower women," he stated.
One activist hopes women voters will cast ballots for young candidates who don’t have ties to the established parties.
“While most of the older women candidates either come from a party, or say they’re independent but have connections to the old bloc, or have a mindset that is different from what is happening today, I hope, seek, and encourage young women candidates to get into the parliament,” said Iman Ahmed Abbas.
Reporting by Wisam Jaburi
Translation by Layal Shakir
Video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed