| Reports that Iraq's draft constitution
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| | roles in the home.
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| could give Islamic law a powerful role in
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| | The 2003 invasion that ousted Saddam
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| society have sparked strong reactions by
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| | Hussein gave new hope to women seeking to
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| women's groups, who fear the move will
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| | rejuvenate Western-style women's rights
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| greatly curb women's rights.
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| | in Iraq.
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| | Jinan al-Rubaie, a religious Shi'ite
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| Ignoring the wilting summer heat, about
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| | member of the National Assembly, does not
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| three dozen Iraqi women gathered at a
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| | believe Islamic laws pushed women back
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| busy intersection in the capital last
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| | into the home. She says people should not
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| week, demanding Western-style women's
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| | confuse age-old traditions with what
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| rights in the new constitution.
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| | Islamic Sharia really is.
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| Dressed in short-sleeved blouses with
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| | Ms. Rubaie says that, according to the
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| hair flying boldly in the wind, some of
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| | Koran, women should not be forced to do
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| the protesters handed out flyers to
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| | certain things against their will. She
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| passing motorists and pedestrians.
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| | says this includes that no one should
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| Others were more modestly-dressed, with
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| | shout at her and that women should be
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| their heads tightly wrapped in Muslim
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| | respected at all times. She says there
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| scarves called hijabs. They waved white
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| | are customs that deny certain rights to
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| banners which read, "We want to be equal
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| | women, but that is not according to
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| to everybody. We refuse to be
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| | Islamic law.
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| second-class citizens."
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| | Ms. Rubaie argues that Sharia will give
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| The demonstration was in response to
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| | Iraqi women greater freedom to choose her
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| reports that Shi'ite Muslim members of
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| | way of life. Switching to English, she
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| the committee drafting Iraq's new
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| | bristled at suggestions that an Iraqi
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| constitution are pushing for Islam to be
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| | version of Sharia will impose oppressive
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| the major source for law in Iraq.
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| | rules, similar to what the
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| Shi'ites are the majority in Iraq and
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| | ultra-fundamentalist Taleban regime
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| dominate the 71 member committee, mostly
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| | imposed on women in Afghanistan.
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| made up of legislators elected in
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| | Taliban's strict interpretation of the
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| January.
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| | Koran forbade women from going to school
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| The head of the Baghdad-based Women's
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| | or working, showing any part of her face
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| Freedom in Iraq Movement, Yanar Mohammed,
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| | and body, and appearing in public without
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| says she is particularly alarmed about
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| | being escorted by a male relative.
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| reports that the committee would take
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| | "They are mistaken. The Taleban, they
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| matters like marriage, divorce and
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| | prevented teaching women. Now, we are
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| inheritance away from the courts and and
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| | making it obligatory for women to be in
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| put them in the hands of clerics.
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| | schools," she said. "Taleban prevented
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| She says women in Iraq should not be
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| | women from going outside their houses.
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| forced to accept the imposition of
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| | Now, we are saying that it is open for
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| Islamic laws, known as Sharia.
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| | women to go outside for work. We are so
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| "We are being forced to turn into
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| | much different from Taleban, it cannot be
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| something like Afghanistan of the
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| | compared."
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| Taleban, where Islamic Sharia rules,
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| | This is not the first time since the fall
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| where a man can have four women in
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| | of Saddam that religious conservatives
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| marriage, where he can marry female
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| | have tried to get Islamic Sharia to play
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| children, where domestic abuse is a right
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| | a constitutional role in women's affairs.
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| for a man to discipline his wife, and
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| | Last year, efforts to make Sharia the
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| even where adultery is punishable by
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| | main source of legislation in the interim
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| killing," said Yanar Mohammed.
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| | constitution were shelved, following
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| After seizing power in 1968, the secular
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| | protests from women's groups and the
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| Ba'ath Party of Saddam Hussein embarked
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| | United States.
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| on a program of achieving rapid economic
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| | Ms. Mohammed of the Women's Freedom in
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| growth. Millions of women were needed in
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| | Iraq movement says the women of Iraq will
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| the work force, so the party enacted a
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| | never give up their demand for secular
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| series of education, labor and employment
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| | rights.
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| laws, aimed at improving women's status
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| | "A constitution is a political body that
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| in society.
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| | regulates people's relationship with the
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| By 1976, it was estimated that women
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| | state. Why should it have religion? Why
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| constituted nearly 39 percent of all
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| | don't people practice their religion in
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| teachers, 31 percent of doctors, 25
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| | mosques? That's the question," she said.
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| percent of lab technicians, 15 percent of
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| | "I think I will have the final say
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| accountants and 15 percent of civil
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| | because I represent most of the
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| servants in Iraq.
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| | freedom-loving people in Iraq and a
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| The number of working women in Iraq
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| | constitution that will reflect their
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| continued to grow, until the 1991 Gulf
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| | aspirations will be secular, will be
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| War. The country's defeat in that war
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| | egalitarian, will be non-nationalist."
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| also marked a major setback for Iraqi
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| | A Christian member of the Iraqi National
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| women.
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| | Assembly, Jacklin Zomaya, says that a
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| In a bid to bolster his weakened regime,
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| | showdown is brewing between secular and
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| Saddam Hussein played up to conservative
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| | religious women here, which she predicts
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| religious leaders and their followers by
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| | will further divide the country.
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| embracing Islamic and tribal traditions
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| | Ms. Zomaya says the Iraqi debate over
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| and ignoring many women's rights laws
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| | what constitutes women's rights is
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| passed by his own Ba'ath Party.
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| | threatening to tear some communities
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| United Nations sanctions imposed after
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| | apart. "This is a serious problem and no
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| the war also had a major impact on Iraqi
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| | one seems to have a solution right now,"
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| females because poor families often chose
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| | she says with a sigh.
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| to keep their daughters at home, rather
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| | The committee writing Iraq's new
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| than enrolling them in school.
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| | constitution has a deadline of August 15
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| By the time Saddam Hussein was ousted, in
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| | to finish its work. If it fails, the
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| April, 2003, most women and girls in Iraq
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| | National Assembly can ask for a six-month
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| had been pushed back to their traditional
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| | extension.
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