Iraqi Women May Lose Basic Rights Under New Constitution

[Lannes]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0723-06.htm

UNITED NATIONS - The irony is not lost either amongst women's groups in Baghdad or activists in the United States: Iraqi women who enjoyed basic human rights under one of the world's most repressive regimes headed by former President Saddam Hussein are now on the verge of losing their hard-won freedoms under a U.S.-blessed administration in the insurgent-ravaged country.

”We express our deepest concern and worry about the drafts lately released by the (Iraqi) Constitutional Committee, specifically relating to the chapter on duties and rights, in which the (Islamic) sharia law was clearly stated as the main source of legislation in the new Iraqi constitution,” the Iraqi Women's Movement said in an appeal to the United Nations.


I think that the United States should be held accountable for its disregard of the impact on women's rights of the (military) occupation -- something many people said in advance when the Bush administration tried to claim the war would benefit women, and many pointed out that Iraq had some of the best laws and policies regarding women's rights already.

Charlotte Bunch of the U.S.-based Center for Women's Global Leadership
According to this draft, the new Iraqi transitional government acknowledges the equal rights of men and women in all fields -- ”as long as it doesn't contradict with sharia law.”

If implemented, the proposed new laws will restrict women's rights, specifically in matters relating to marriage, divorce and family inheritance. A marriage enjoined by a woman's free will is likely to be made more difficult, and divorces by men relatively easier.

Several key rights that were included in the interim Iraqi constitution are also at risk of being taken out of the new constitution by the drafting committee.

[deadparrot]

1. Yay for freedom and democracy!

Except if you have a vagina. :eyes:

[indepat]

3. And liberty, don't forget neocon-styled liberty

[Horse with no Name]

2. Oy vey.

:cry:
What have we done?

[rodeodance]

7. bush frequently points out women and the new freedoms. ta tah!!!

[Spinzonner]

4. Apparently Freedom is on the March

Well, Republican-brand freedom anyway.

Anyone know if Promise Keepers is opening affiliates in Itaq ?

[Must_B_Free]

5. Burqua is On the March

[rlev1223]

6. From the very beginning...

...it was clear that whatever else happened, at least 50% of Iraqis were going to have far fewer rights under "'democracy" than under Saddam.

It was hypocritical enough for the Bush PR machine to revup indignation about the Taliban's treatment of women as a sort of hot-button insurance policy for support for the Afghan war, but the rapidly evolving theocracy in Iraq puts the US in an even worse position...having to publicly support a regime that is adopting sharia law for a previously highly secularized population. Osama couldn't have picked better enemies than the idiots at the PNAC.

Of course, Bush is probably just jealous...he is doing all he can to create a sort of American sharia as well....one of Karen Hughes's first "goals" is to create more 'inter-faith' communication, probably so we can better learn how they do it.


Ecrasez l'enfame!