6 days ago
IHEC bars two prominent women ahead of Iraq's vote
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has disqualified two prominent women in the country's legal and political circles from running in the upcoming parliamentary elections, amid an already low representation of women on the candidate lists.
A source within the commission told Shafaq News on Monday that the decision targets Qamar al-Samarrai of the Taqaddum (Progress) Alliance and Zainab Jawad of the Al-Badeel (Alternative) Coalition over multiple violations, including 'breach of public decorum, inappropriate statements, and premature campaigning.'
Both women are lawyers and activists who gained media attention for their opposition to proposed amendments to the 1959 Personal Status Law, allowing Muslim couples to bypass the civil family code in favor of rulings based on sectarian interpretation.
Their exclusion comes as female participation in the November 11 elections remains limited, with IHEC data showing that only 37 of the 130 party-nominated candidates are women. While all party lists have met the legal requirement reserving 25% of parliamentary seats for women, all four independent candidates are men.
