Constitution Drafting for a New Iraq (and Iraqi Women)
After the US invasion of Iraq, women leaders in Baghdad feared that women's rights would take a backseat to other considerations in building a coalition government. In the summer of 2005 GJC President Janet Benshoof was invited to a meeting on the future of the Iraq constitution held by the National Association of Iraqi Organizations. Janet joined Iraqi and American politicians, academics, and members of civil society for a full-day discussion on international legal protections for women's rights, including quotas for women in the legislature.
With help and support from the Global Justice Center, the Women's Alliance for a Democratic Iraq (WAFDI) promoted Iraq's legal obligation under CEDAW (ratified by Iraq in 1986), to include women in the constitution drafting process. Working closely with WAFDI leaders, the GJC informed women in Iraq about quota systems that have been written into constitutions of other newly formed democracies, and helped to show them how these precedents could be used in Iraq. Iraqi women successfully argued for a 25% quota for women in Parliament, much greater than the 14% of women who currently participate in national legislative and judicial bodies in the United States. Currently, WAFDI members hold 6 seats on the National Assembly out of 70 women and 275 total Representatives.