Iraqi women protest for justice on International Women's Day

Shafaq News / A group of Iraqi women in Baghdad organized a protest on Friday, demanding justice for women and an end to domestic violence, coinciding with International Women's Day.

International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8th, was established by the United Nations in 1977.

In Baghdad's al-Mutanabbi Street, dozens of Iraqi women gathered to celebrate International Women's Day in their own way. Instead of showing joy and happiness, they staged a protest calling for lifting the injustice against women, ensuring their rights as stipulated by the Iraqi constitution.

According to our correspondent, protesters demanded the protection of women from domestic violence. They also expressed solidarity and support for women in Gaza who are experiencing tragic conditions.

Notably, International Women's Day is a global celebration observed on March 8th each year, established following the first conference of the International Democratic Women's Union in Paris in 1945, before being recognized as a global day by the United Nations in 1977.

Earlier today, Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani called on political parties in the Kurdistan Region to give more consideration to nominating women in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for June 2024.

On International Women's Day, President Barzani congratulated "all women in Kurdistan, Iraq, and the world," expressing "support (to) their efforts, work, and struggle to achieve equality and all women's rights with conviction and all possibilities as always."

"I wish them continuous progress and success." He added.

"On this occasion, we appreciate and recognize all brave women who spent their journey fighting to protect and defend their rights or went unjustly as victims of violence, extremism, and retrogressive thinking. We strongly stand against any idea, speech, oppression, aggression, harassment, and injustice against women."

The President also hoped for women's effectiveness, participation, and involvement in Kurdistan, "We will continue, as we always have, to work and make efforts to ensure more roles, presence, opportunities, and status for women in all sectors and fields of life."

In addition, President Barzani urged the political parties to nominate women in the upcoming elections.

"A free, civil, advanced, secure society that builds a competent and healthy generation and establishes a better future is not achieved without freedom, equality, and women's rights. Therefore, it is everyone's duty at all levels of society to support, with this conviction and understanding, women's struggle and be with them until the end." He concluded.