Women's Empowerment

The situation for Iraqi women, despite the Government of Iraq’s best efforts to address gender inequality, has declined steadily since 2003. Women in Iraq comprise 57% of the total population and one in every 10 Iraqi households is headed by a widow, however in recent years Iraqi women have suffered economic, social and political marginalization due to decades of wars, conflict, violence and sanctions. An Oxfam survey recently revealed that 55% of the female respondents had been a victim of violence and 22% had experienced domestic violence. Women ministers have declined from six in 2003 to one in the last 2010 government formation.