Five New Initiatives to Empower Iraqi Women

By John Lee.

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani announced five developmental projects and programs aimed at supporting and empowering women, during a celebration marking the National Day of Iraqi Women on March 3.

The initiatives include:

1. The Third National Plan for Women, Peace, and Security (2025-2030) to enhance women's participation in decision-making, strengthen protections against violence, and support those affected by conflict.
2. The National Data Platform to provide accurate and updated information on women's challenges.
3. The National Network of Women Peace Mediators, bringing together female volunteers from all provinces to support peacebuilding efforts.
4. The Women, Peace, and Security Institute, a specialized center for advancing women's role in conflict resolution.
5. The "Pioneers of Change" Program, a leadership training initiative for women in public and mixed sectors to enhance institutional performance.

On the sidelines of the event, the Prime Minister visited an exhibition showcasing home-made products, artistic works, and traditional crafts created by Iraqi women, under the theme "The Women of Earth, the Essence of Life."

Full text of the statement from the Prime Minister's Office:

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani Announces Five Developmental Projects and Programs to Support and Empower Women on the National Day of Iraqi Wome

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani, on Monday evening attended the celebration of the National Day of Iraqi Women, which the Council of Ministers designated to be observed annually on March 3.

In his speech during the event, Prime Minister Al-Sudani commended all efforts dedicated to serving, supporting, and empowering Iraqi women, emphasizing their distinguished contributions to development in various fields. He also announced five developmental projects and programs that align with the government's objectives to improve the status of women and provide the necessary means to support them.

Among these initiatives, he unveiled the Third National Plan for Women, Peace, and Security (2025-2030), aimed at enhancing women's participation in decision-making, developing mechanisms to protect women and children from violence, and providing support to those affected by conflicts. Additionally, he announced the launch of the National Data Platform to provide accurate and updated information on women and address the challenges they face.

Prime Minister Al-Sudani also introduced the National Network of Women Peace Mediators, which includes female volunteers from all provinces to support peacebuilding efforts. Furthermore, he announced the establishment of the Women, Peace, and Security Institute.

To enhance leadership skills among women, he launched the "Pioneers of Change" Program, a training initiative for female leaders in the public and mixed sectors to develop their leadership skills, overcome challenges, and improve institutional performance.

On the sidelines of the celebration, Prime Minister Al-Sudani visited an exhibition featuring home-made products, artistic works, and traditional crafts created by women participants in the event, which carried the theme "The Women of Earth, the Essence of Life."

Key Highlights from the Prime Minister's Speech:

• The government's executive program has dedicated a significant space to supporting women.
• Many women now hold leadership positions in the ministerial cabinet, serve as deputy ministers, or work in the judiciary and public prosecution.
• Currently, 111 women hold Director General positions, while 47 women serve as Assistant Director Generals, alongside thousands of female employees leading various administrative departments.
• The current parliamentary term includes 97 female MPs, exceeding the women's quota of 83 seats.
• The government has supported women's inclusion in the armed forces and security agencies to contribute to Iraq's stability.
• Today, Iraq's armed forces include 786 female officers in the Ministry of Defense and 691 female officers in the Ministry of Interior, in addition to thousands of female personnel across security agencies.
• Over 573,000 women have been included in the social welfare system, ensuring financial support for widows and divorced women.
• The government has increased the stipend for female heads of households under social protection to 325,000 IQD and is working to expand coverage.
• The government has outlined economic empowerment plans to create job opportunities for women and improve their living conditions.
• The Social Security and Retirement Law for Workers (Law No. 18 of 2023) ensures protection for women working in the private sector.
• This law grants women retirement benefits in terms of service years and age, along with maternity benefits for working mothers.
• The Survivors Law (Law No. 8 of 2021), which supports Yazidi, Turkmen, Christian, and Shabak survivors of ISIS atrocities, has been fully activated.
• The Parliament Members Replacement Law (Law No. 15 of 2023) mandates that any vacant seat occupied by a woman must be filled by another woman.
• The government proudly recognizes the pivotal role of Iraqi women in resisting ISIS terrorism, supporting and standing alongside security forces.
• The National Strategy for Iraqi Women (2023-2030) was launched to promote protection, economic and social empowerment, and political participation.
• The Updated National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women and Girls (2023-2030) has been adopted as part of comprehensive protection measures.
  The Supreme Council for Women's Affairs was established to institutionalize efforts to enhance women's participation and empowerment.
• Within the Riyada (Entrepreneurship) Initiative, 425,000 young men and women have applied for employment opportunities, and 5,000 scholarships have been announced for students to pursue education abroad.
• The government continues efforts to reduce unemployment and illiteracy rates among women while supporting rural women and recognizing outstanding achievements across all fields.

(Source: PMO)