[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 24, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H1467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        WOMEN'S PROGRESS IN IRAQ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida) is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to take a 
moment to report on the progress of women in Iraq. I am the vice-chair 
of the Congressional Women's Caucus, and it gives me great pleasure to 
tell about the progress that we have made.
  Iraqi women greeted the capture of Saddam Hussein on December 13 with 
joyful relief. As one woman reported from an Iraqi women's conference 
taking place in Jordan, Almost all broke into tears and sobs that the 
man who had managed to reach into every individual's personal life and 
rip it apart by killing their husbands, sons, and fathers, and raping 
and maiming their daughters, their mothers, and very often themselves, 
was brought to justice.
  The United States is working with women in Iraq on programs that will 
broaden their political and economic opportunities and increase women's 
and young girls' access to education and health care.
  In early 2003, the United States Government committed approximately 
$2.5 billion in humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Iraq, and women 
were and still are full partners in this process. However, women's 
involvement in politics in Iraq actually is nothing new. Women have a 
long history of being involved in their country's development.
  Prior to the Baathist regime, Iraqi women were the vanguard of women 
in Islam. I would note that the first woman's organization in Iraq was 
actually formed in 1924. The signing of an Iraqi interim Constitution 
on March 8 marks the beginning of a new role for women in the country. 
The Coalition Provisional Authority, or CPA, and the Iraqi Governing 
Council agreed to a process to restore Iraqis' sovereignty beginning 
with a fundamental law leading to a permanent Constitution. They agreed 
that a Bill of Rights would ensure equal rights for all Iraqis, 
regardless of gender, sect, or ethnicity.
  Let us talk about the women's role in the new government. Three Iraqi 
women who are members of the new Governing Council are fully engaged in 
promoting the involvement of women in Iraq's future. An esteemed former 
female Iraqi judge in the Ministry of Justice is undertaking a review 
of all laws, legal practices, and the legal profession in Iraq for ways 
to increase equality and participation of women. The Ministry of Labor 
and Social Affairs has adopted a policy of equal access to services and 
benefits for all of those who are eligible. And this policy will 
ultimately expand services as well for a larger quantity of Iraqi 
women.
  Quotas restricting the entry of women into certain university courses 
have been raised or lifted altogether. Iraqi women's organizations are 
being created to expand opportunity for women to improve their lives 
and those of their families.
  Let me talk more specifically about what kinds of activities are 
taking place and what kind of progress is actually being made.
  After the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraqi women were among the 
first demonstrators and have steadfastly sought equal rights. On a very 
brief trip that I took to Iraq, I spoke to many women and they are 
indeed very, very happy with American action.

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