Iraqi Women's League
Holds Plenary Meeting in Baghdad

The Executive Committee of Iraqi Women's League (IWL) held a plenary meeting in Baghdad on 29 August 2008. The meeting began with a minute in silence in respect of the memory of martyrs of the Iraqi women's movement and the Iraqi patriotic movement. A special tribute was paid to the memory of the prominent intellectual figure, Kamil Shiaa, who was assassinated by gunmen in Baghdad on 23 August 2008.

The meeting was attended by representatives of branches in Iraq's governorates. According to a communiqué issued by the meeting, the Secretary of IWL presented a report on activities since its last Congress held in March 2008, referring to the challenges facing members and women activists in their efforts to promote awareness of women and children rights.

The agenda of the meeting also included a discussion of reports from IWL branches in cities and governorates (Mosul, Diyala, Babil, Najaf, Kut, Karbala, Diwaniya, Nasseriya, Basra, Hawija), as well IWL committees in Baghdad and Syria. In addition, the meeting discussed a draft document of the organisation's inner rules, with the amendments that had been endorsed by IWL's Congress.

Special attention was given to the position of women and their role in the political process. The meeting called for:
1- Acting to combat all forms of violence to which Iraqi women are subjected, and which has recently escalated, especially in Mosul.
2- Continuing the campaigns calling for suspending Article 41 of the Iraqi Constitution (2005), and to stress the need to abide by the Personal Status Law No.188 (1959).
3- Coordination with humanitarian organisations throughout Iraq, paying greater attention to children's rights, combating all practices that are harmful to these rights, and ensuring commitment to the relevant international covenants and treaties.
4- Upholding the proportion (25% quota) allocated to women in the forthcoming elections of provincial councils.