The regime of the Baath party granted women legal rights that were superior to those of their counterparts in the Arab world? at the time, but their representation in the government was still restricted. The state’s oil revenues made way for the expansion of social services; both boys and girls were forced to be at school until the age of 16. The party created the General Federation for Iraqi Women whose main ambitions were advancing female education and legal rights. With these conditions, women became an integral part of the labor force. For those working in public offices, maternity leave was as long as one year. Female employment saw a significant rise during the Iran-Iraq war since a large number of men had left the labor force to fight for their country. Political participation remained limited in light of the restrictions that the party enforced on all citizens.

As the economy slowed down in the 1990s, the government switched back to giving priority to male employment. The proportion of female representation in parliament also decreased during this time. The situation was exacerbated by the sanctions implemented between 1990 and 2003 when economic restraints decreased female literacy rates. Moreover, in an effort to rally the support of tribal leaders, Saddam changed the penal code to allow men to announce divorce abruptly and not provide compensation to their wives (which had previously been illegal). It is said that his earlier policies regarding the education of women were partly aimed at the social cohesion of Iraqi tribes whose conservatism prevented the advancement of women’s rights.

From the start of the war, Iraqi women have been subjected to an increase in violence and abuse. Though the extent of the fighting has declined since 2006 and 2007, Iraqi women remain victims of violence, kidnappings, abuse, forced marriages and the insecurities of widowhood. Government programs intended to extend support to widows caring for their families are corrupt and hindered with bureaucratic procedures. The country’s new constitution allocates 25% of parliamentary seats to women. Though this has been implemented, it is thought this is very much a function of a representation of the parties they belong to. Only 5 of these women were voted into their seats, while their relative parties selected the rest. Further, a woman heads only one of all the ministries in Iraq, and that is the ministry of women’s affairs.

The security conditions and a deteriorating economy keep women concerned with the insecurities of daily life, and not political representation. The inter-agency information and analysis unit of the United Nations published a report in March 2012 on the status of women Iraq. The report found that 24% of women were illiterate compared to 11% of men and that only 14% of all women are employed or seeking employment.

As women are struggling with rebuilding their lives after the war, it is crucial to have the institutional backing of their government. But the country’s economic and political precariousness has de-prioritized the need for creating better conditions for women. The new constitution has highlighted Islam as the official religion of the state and a basic source of legislation. Consequently, there is a concern that the new Iraqi constitution is only paying lip service to the plight of women. With a Shi’a dominated government and a rise of Islamism in the country, issues such as polygamy and honor killings will continue to challenge the freedoms of women.