Women candidates in Iraq's elections double since 2021
Shafaq News – Baghdad
More than twice as many women are contesting Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections as in 2021, according to The National.
The outlet reported that 2,248 women are among the 7,768 candidates competing for 329 parliamentary seats, compared with 950 female contenders four years ago. Iraq’s constitution reserves one quarter of parliamentary seats for women and requires every third candidate on party lists to be female, yet patriarchal norms and limited campaign funding continue to constrain women’s participation.
The National pointed out that female candidates face deep financial disparities, with major parties spending heavily on campaign materials while independents rely on small donations. Additionally, several candidates, including lawyer Neran al-Zahawi, pledged to push for stronger protections against gender-based violence and to amend Iraq’s recent Personal Status Law, which activists say undermines women’s rights.
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