Women make up 43% of voters for upcoming elections

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Women constitute 43% of eligible voters in Iraq’s November elections, totaling approximately 9.7 million, the Independent High Electoral Commission reported on Monday.

Despite their large share, some women expressed skepticism about the impact of their vote. “In past parliamentary sessions, we did not see any woman represent us or champion women’s issues through legislation,” voter Salma Al-Bahrani told Shafaq News.

Iraq’s elections on November 11 include a record 2,247 women among 7,774 contenders competing for 83 quota-reserved seats in the 329-member legislature. Introduced after 2003, the quota guarantees at least 25% representation for women.

Read more: Iraqi women join the race, yet real power remains out of reach