In an attempt to increase the participation of women in politics, Iraq’s constitution requires that a quarter of the members of Parliament be female. Six years after that constitution was ratified though, it's far from clear that this has had any noticeable effect in advancing the cause of women beyond mere window-dressing. The main beneficiaries, it turns out, have been the Sadrists:
.... Her commitment to education and "the plight of women, widows and orphans" may, one might think, be somewhat compromised by her call for the general enforcement of Sharia law across the country. And, just in case we had any illusions about the nature of her real concerns, here she is giving a public address last month, broadcast on Iranian TV: [Mick Hartley] Read more
