Wednesday 30 July 2003

Briefing from Patricia Hewitt, Cabinet Minister for Women

Since the conflict in Iraq ended in early April, I have been meeting and liaising with a representative group of UK Iraqi exiled women, many of whom who are in close contact with family and friends inside Iraq to hear their views and discuss ways to increase participation of women from all religions, regions and political persuasions in the Iraqi political process.   I lent my support to the strong demands of both exiled and in-country Iraqi women for a women’s conference as a means of expressing the voice of women in Iraq.   I seconded a member of the Women and Equality Unit to work inside the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Baghdad to support the increased involvement of Iraqi women.

In late May, around 40 Iraqi women met with the head of the CPA, Ambassador Bremer, and the UK representative John Sawers, expressing their strong support for a women’s conference.   At this meeting, the women themselves elected a steering committee of seven to agree the agenda, content, and attendees for the conference, supported by our secondee and others in the CPA.

On 9 July I addressed the plenary session, and took part in workshops at The Voice of Women of Iraq conference, held in Baghdad - the first major post-Saddam event where women’s voices could be expressed and heard.       

The conference drew together ninety Iraqi women from all parts of Iraq, including lawyers, doctors, businesswomen, human rights experts and engineers, with representatives from nine political parties.  It covered a wide range of issues critical to the future of Iraq – the shape of the new constitution, legislative reform, the direction of education, social affairs, the economy and health.   The recommendations coming out of the conference will be passed to the CPA and Governing Council.  

The turnout was impressive in numbers, quality and diversity of participants.   I was particularly pleased that three of the UK Iraqi exiled women with whom I have been meeting in London over the last 3 months, were also able to take part in the conference.

Whilst in Baghdad I also met with Ambassador Bremer, and pressed him to ensure substantial women’s representation on the Governing Council.

In the event, only 3 women have actually been appointed to the Council which will be a disappointment to the in-country and exiled Iraq women who had expected and asked for a stronger voice.

This was, of course, only the start of the process of ensuring that women are fully engaged in the reconstruction of Iraq and the political process.    Life is still hard for Iraqi women and their families.  The UK Government will continue to press for women to be more fully represented in future political structures, and to ensure that those women who have been appointed are given full support to ensure that they are not marginalized in the political process.  
A further women’s conference is being organised by UNIFEM, to be held in Baghdad at the end of August.  We will support this conference, and I will continue to work with women inside and outside Iraq to keep up the pressure for more women to be represented on the Governing Council, and other governing bodies, and to do what I can to ensure that the voices of women are not only heard, but fully represented at the heart of their economy and democracy.