III 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 231 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

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.