On March 8, the members of the Iraqi Governing Council signed a new constitution, establishing the rights of Iraqi women for the first time and mandating that women occupy 25 percent of legislative posts. June Zeitlin, the executive director of Women's Environment and Development Organization, a New York-based advocacy group, took time out from her schedule at the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women to talk about what this means for Iraq's women.
Can you describe some of the behind-the-scenes negotiations that produced the women's provisions in the document?
The successes came only after a great struggle. This comes as no surprise, given that there are only three women on the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council, only one woman in the Iraqi Cabinet, and no women among the 18 provincial governors. The committee charged with drafting the interim constitution was all male.
Despite these drawbacks, the Iraqi women refused to be shut out of the process. They even demonstrated in the streets to fight for the provisions in the final document.
This represents a major victory, and the credit goes entirely to the Iraqi women who fought for their say in the new constitution. March 8, the day of the signing, was also International Women's Day, making the victory especially significant on a symbolic level.
The constitution mandates a 25 percent quota for women in government. Why are numbers important?
Initially, the Iraqi women were asking for 40 percent representation in the legislature. Paul Bremer, the highest-ranking U.S. official in the country, was not in favor of quotas at first, but allowed the 25 percent minimum in the end.
Quotas are important because women are poorly represented in decision-making bodies. On average, women occupy only 15 percent of positions in parliaments and legislatures throughout the world. Only 15 countries in the world have achieved 30 percent representation, which is considered a critical mass necessary for women to affect social policy.
Many people object to quotas. We say, "If you don't like quotas, tell us a better system." The fact is that quotas and proportional representation are the best baselines for ensuring that women's rights are given priority.
Numbers tell only part of the story. It's hard to quantify the ways in which social policy changes as a result of women's participation in government, but look at countries that have reached a critical mass of representation in their legislatures. The Scandanavian countries, for example, have strong social safety nets, paid maternity and paternity leave, an emphasis on women's independence and economic rights, and national childcare policies.
How would you grade President Bush with regard to the Iraqi reconstruction efforts? Does his rhetoric match the reality?
WEDO, along with Feminist Majority and the Center for Health and Gender Equity, developed a "scorecard" that grades the Bush administration on its rhetoric and on the reality of its actions. In Iraq, the Bush administration deserves an "A" in rhetoric for its promises to include women in the rebuilding. To his credit, Ambassador Bremer rejected a law passed by the Iraqi Governing Council that would have shifted jurisdiction of family issues from civil law to Sharia law.
However, we gave the Bush administration an "incomplete" on the reality, as it remains to be seen how the provisions of the new constitution will be implemented. Yes, electoral law stipulates a 25 percent minimum for women in the National Assembly, but women's rights face tremendous resistance. It's important to keep the pressure on and make sure the Iraqi government adheres to this law.
The issue of security for Iraqi women is also concerning. Reports of abductions, rapes and the burning of girls' schools have risen since the U.S. occupation began.
How do you think that women's voices in the Iraqi government are likely to impact reconstruction? What priorities do you think women bring to the table, and how are they different from those of men?
The priorities of the men directing the reconstruction efforts can be summed up in one word: oil. There's been a huge emphasis on getting the revenue stream back and the oil industry up and running. Women will expand the narrow interpretation of national security to include clean water, sanitation, food security, and employment.
Although there is lots of money coming into Iraq, only a tiny fraction has been allocated toward improving the condition of women. More women in power means their issues will be given a higher priority. What women want is more training to run for office and more money to support higher education.
For the past two weeks, you've been attending the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, which is addressing the situation of women in peace and conflict. What are the women from the Iraqi delegation saying about their country's new constitution?
I met with about 10 women from the Iraqi delegation this week, and they were all very pleased with the outcome and language of the interim constitution. But they are under no illusions about the great struggle that lies ahead in ensuring that the provisions of the document actually get implemented.
Beatrice Hogan is a freelance journalist in the Boston area.
