By By Paul Iddon Apr 20, 2014 in Politics Female politicians in Iraq are pushing women's issues and women's rights as the presidential election in the country approaches and new laws aim to further restrict them. An Iraqi television news presenter named Inam Abdul Majed summed up the situation in the country very succinctly by saying, "I did not expect that we will fight for women's rights in this country. I wanted to fight for better education, better services, better life conditions … But we are in this big trouble now, and it is a primary problem to be solved." An alarming statistic is indicative of the broader problem, that being the fact that a mere 14% of Iraqi women are presently employed or seeking employment. Frances Guy, Iraq's representative for United Nations Women, explained how problematic by stating that "it affects women's financial independence, and without financial independence, women have very few choices in their lives." Human Rights Watch has also published The report points out that these proposals, which are all part of what is called the Jaafari Personal Status Law, and measures which would severely stifle and trod upon women's rights have received quite a negative reaction from various parts of Iraq's eclectic society. With journalists and Shi'ite religious leaders condemning and voicing their opposition to the implementation of such laws. The status law, which was approved by the country's Council of Ministers in February, has for the meantime been shelved. A move some see as an attempt to appease the more conservative Shiites ahead of the presidential elections later this month. Iraq was in the past quite progressive when it came to the rights of its women when compared and contrasted with other countries of the region. However those rights have declined in recent years. Particularly after Iraq's devastation following the 1991 Persian Gulf War and the subsequent Kurdish and Shi'a uprisings against the Baathist rule of Saddam Hussein. Following that devastation and upheaval the Saddam Hussein regime put in place a much more tribal and Islamist form of totalitarian rule, which of course served to severely stifle women's rights and overall independence, in order to retain its hold on absolute power. Even after the 2003 U.S.-led intervention that toppled Hussein's Baathist system the instability and sectarian warfare which followed only continued to stifle the rights of the country's women. In a report about the recent talk of legalizing child marriage in Iraq If the aforementioned status law is passed and implemented it is likely that these state-of-affairs won't improve anytime soon. AFP reports that presidential elections in Iraq are set to transpire on April 30. These elections come amidst high levels of both discrimination and violence in the country against women who think these issues need to be addressed.An Iraqi television news presenter named Inam Abdul Majed summed up the situation in the country very succinctly by saying, "I did not expect that we will fight for women's rights in this country. I wanted to fight for better education, better services, better life conditions … But we are in this big trouble now, and it is a primary problem to be solved."An alarming statistic is indicative of the broader problem, that being the fact that a mere 14% of Iraqi women are presently employed or seeking employment.Frances Guy, Iraq's representative for United Nations Women, explained how problematic by stating that "it affects women's financial independence, and without financial independence, women have very few choices in their lives."Human Rights Watch has also published a very sombre report which illustrates the dire situation that exists today in Iraq whereby Iraqi womanhood is concerned. The report informs us that Iraq's justice minister has recently put forth draft law which could see to the legalization, amongst other things, of child marriage. If passed these new laws will also allow a husband to legally rape his wife – by making wife's consent for sex by law completely irrelevant.The report points out that these proposals, which are all part of what is called the Jaafari Personal Status Law, and measures which would severely stifle and trod upon women's rights have received quite a negative reaction from various parts of Iraq's eclectic society. With journalists and Shi'ite religious leaders condemning and voicing their opposition to the implementation of such laws.The status law, which was approved by the country's Council of Ministers in February, has for the meantime been shelved. A move some see as an attempt to appease the more conservative Shiites ahead of the presidential elections later this month.Iraq was in the past quite progressive when it came to the rights of its women when compared and contrasted with other countries of the region. However those rights have declined in recent years. Particularly after Iraq's devastation following the 1991 Persian Gulf War and the subsequent Kurdish and Shi'a uprisings against the Baathist rule of Saddam Hussein. Following that devastation and upheaval the Saddam Hussein regime put in place a much more tribal and Islamist form of totalitarian rule, which of course served to severely stifle women's rights and overall independence, in order to retain its hold on absolute power.Even after the 2003 U.S.-led intervention that toppled Hussein's Baathist system the instability and sectarian warfare which followed only continued to stifle the rights of the country's women.In a report about the recent talk of legalizing child marriage in Iraq The Washington Post gives us a good overview of the history of child marriage in the country and illustrates clearly how the breakdown in society brought about by ongoing instability and violence in Iraq is seeing to the rate of child marriages rising above the rate of many other countries in the region.If the aforementioned status law is passed and implemented it is likely that these state-of-affairs won't improve anytime soon. 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