Iraq’s Council of Representatives published a list of 81 candidates for the country’s presidency on Monday after nominations closed, including four women, as Kurdish parties put forward nominees for the largely ceremonial post.

Working in the mine action sector showed me that traditional constraints are created to be broken!” says Dina Khuder.  

Seventy-three women are among 252 candidates registered to run for parliament in Kirkuk province, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) declared on Wednesday.

Thousands Join to Boost Women’s Participation in Politics 

Despite a consistent presence in Iraq's political arena for nearly two decades, Iraqi women have yet to achieve substantial influence in shaping the nation's laws and policies, analysts say.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (UN Women) in Iraq signed on Monday a one million USD partnership agreement in Baghdad to support women’s political particip

In-depth: More than 95 female candidates were elected in Iraq's election according to preliminary results, exceeding the 83-seat quota. But some say political parties are manipulating the system for electoral gain, rather than to empower women.

BAGHDAD, Sept 16 (Reuters) - A powerful mix of insecurity and traditional prejudice against more liberal female politicians put Awatef Rasheed off running for parliament when she returned to Iraq in 2014 after years abroad.

Amid attempts to transform the political system, feminists are looking for 50% representation in any new government.

Nearly two years after the defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), communities are working to rebuild, and local governments are challenged to respond to citizens’ needs in order to win their trust.

Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Iraq, Alice Walpole, on Sunday called for an increase of women’s role in politics and include them in the decision-making process in Iraq and elsewhere.

Tanya Gilly Khailany, from Iraqi-Kurdistan, is a former member of the Iraqi Parliament (2006 – 2010) and a co-founder of the SEED Foundation, an organization that works with survivors of violence and trafficking in Iraq.

Whatever the outcome of Iraq's May 12 parliamentary elections, female candidates are guaranteed at least 25% of the seats, as per the country's constitution.

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Women in Kurdistan are heading several parties’ voting lists, and some don’t want Iraq’s 25-percent quota system to be seen as the reason for their candidacies in this year’s elections.