[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 231 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 231

   Encouraging the Transitional National Assembly of Iraq to adopt a 
 constitution that grants women equal rights under the law and to work 
                        to protect such rights.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 29, 2005

Ms. Landrieu (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Feinstein, 
 Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Snowe, Mrs. Clinton, Ms. Collins, Mr. 
  Biden, Ms. Stabenow, Mrs. Hutchison, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. 
 Obama, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Allen, 
  Mrs. Lincoln, and Mr. Santorum) submitted the following resolution; 
                   which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Encouraging the Transitional National Assembly of Iraq to adopt a 
 constitution that grants women equal rights under the law and to work 
                        to protect such rights.

Whereas Iraq is a sovereign nation and a party to the International Covenant on 
        Civil and Political Rights, done at New York December 16, 1966, and 
        entered into force March 23, 1976;
Whereas in Iraq's January 2005 parliamentary elections, more than 2,000 women 
        ran for office and currently 31 percent of the seats in Iraq's National 
        Assembly are occupied by women;
Whereas women lead the Iraqi ministries of Displacement and Migration, 
        Communications, Municipalities and Public Works, Environment, and 
        Science and Technology;
Whereas the Transitional Administrative Law provides for substantial 
        participation of women in the Iraqi National Assembly and of personnel 
        in all levels of the government;
Whereas the Personal Status Law provides for family and property rights for 
        women in Iraq;
Whereas through grants funded by the United States Government's Iraqi Women's 
        Democracy Initiative, nongovernmental organizations are providing 
        training in political leadership, communications, coalition-building 
        skills, voter education, constitution drafting, legal reform, and the 
        legislative process;
Whereas a 275-member Transitional National Assembly, which is charged with the 
        responsibility of drafting a new constitution, was elected to serve as 
        Iraq's national legislature for a transition period;
Whereas Article 12 of Iraq's Transitional Administrative Law states that ``[a]ll 
        Iraqis [are] equal in their rights without regard to gender . . . and 
        they are equal before the law'';
Whereas Article 12 of the Transitional Administrative Law further states that 
        ``[d]iscrimination against an Iraqi citizen on the basis of his gender . 
        . . is prohibited'';
Whereas on May 10, 2005, Iraq's National Assembly appointed a committee, 
        composed of Assembly members, to begin drafting a constitution for Iraq 
        that will be subject to the approval of the Iraqi people in a national 
        referendum;
Whereas the Senate recognizes the need to affirm the spirit and free the 
        energies of women in Iraq who have spent countless hours, years, and 
        lifetimes working for the basic human right of equal constitutional 
        protection;
Whereas the Senate recognizes the risks Iraqi women have faced in working for 
        the future of their country and admire their courageous commitment to 
        democracy; and
Whereas the full and equal participation of all Iraqi citizens in all aspects of 
        society is essential to achieving Iraq's democratic and economic 
        potential: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commends the Iraqi people for the progress achieved 
        toward the establishment of a representative democratic 
        government;
            (2) recognizes the importance of ensuring women in Iraq 
        have equal rights and opportunities under the law and in 
        society and supports continued, substantial, and vigorous 
        participation of women in the Iraqi National Assembly and in 
        all levels of the government;
            (3) recognizes the importance of ensuring women's rights in 
        all legislation, with special attention to preserving women's 
        equal rights under family, property, and inheritance laws;
            (4) strongly encourages Iraq's Transitional National 
        Assembly to adopt a constitution that grants women equal rights 
        and opportunities under the law and to work to protect such 
        rights;
            (5) pledges to support the efforts of Iraqi women to fully 
        participate in a democratic Iraq; and
            (6) wishes the Iraqi people every success in developing, 
        approving, and enacting a new constitution that ensures the 
        civil and political rights of every citizen without reservation 
        of any kind based on gender, religion, or national or social 
        origin.
                                 <all>