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Stand Up for Iraqi Women
Target: Secretary of State Condoleezza RiceSponsored by: Womens Funding Network
Women in Iraq have more to fear these days than the horrors of war. As the August 15 deadline approaches for the completion of the new Iraqi constitution, women in Iraq fear that their hard-won rights could disappear.
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Iraq, January 30, 2005: Women waiting to vote in elections. (Photo courtesy U.S. Embassy Baghdad.) |
A renewed interpretation of Sharia law would turn back the clock on women's rights in Iraq. As the occupier of Iraq, the United States is obligated to uphold international law guaranteeing human rights for all Iraqi people, including the full range of rights for women.
Stand up for Iraqi women! Send a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today and urge her to advocate to protect the rights of women in Iraq by working with the Iraqi government to repeal Article 14 and guarantee women's rights under the law.
It is no secret that the Shi'ites believe that women are to subjegated by men and that under such laws women are not allowed education, have no rights in the courts or marriage, and their travel is restricted to not leaving her home without an escort which would be a male relative. I'm sure you are also aware that under the Sharia law, when a woman gets raped, she is the one who is executed. These gross human rights violation are not to be tolerated.
I don't know about you but I think it is awfully selfish for me to enjoy my rights that I have and not see my sisters around the globe have the same rights.
Women in Iraq, and around the world, have been treated like chatttel for too long. These are wives, mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins who are being ignored, at best. This cannot be ignored by the US, OR by the Iraqi government.
You are a woman and should understand the extra effort it takes for women to succeed in this country. Help our sisters in Iraq,where they do not have the short history of emancipation that we have.
I do not think the Iraqi's new government is even thinking of it's female population. Be SURE YOU are insisting they give them equal right.
How would you like to be raped and then shut off from your family like a criminal for the rest of your life? Can you possibly imagine yourself in their place?
How many more women will be raped and beaten because they have fewer rights under the law?
How would you feel if you or your daughter were Iraqi and your rights were taken away so that men were able to rape or beat you w/ no consequences?
Please continue to uphold the constitution for womens rights. Let the women go forward not backward.
Women should have just about as much rights as men do simply because we are all humans living in the same world. If a woman in Iraq is being beaten and raped and killed by her dad, boyfriend, male friend, and husband, I think the women should have the right to retaliate. No woman should have to go through this no matter what country she lives in! Please be concerned about these women in Iraq because in Iraq women are treated like they are nothing, and I know that over there, they do not mean anything to the men. They are just sex toys and females to beat on when the men get too frustrated. Help them draft a constitution and Sharia law to stop this! PLEASE!!!! THANK YOU!!!!
Secretary Rice: Please help the women in Iraq by drafting a constitution and Sharia law to help them from being beat, raped, and killed by the males over there. It is not right for them to have the right to do this to these women, so please help them! They would truly appreciate it very much! Thank you! Sincerely, Debra L. Clarke
Shame on you! I can't believe you said that if the Iraqi people don't want to stand up for women's rights then there's nothing you can do. You should be embarassed. Given that you represent my country, I certainly am. Please do your best to make sure that women's rights are included in the Iraqi constitution. You and I both know that Iraqi women want this.
If the words Iraqi fredom are to be anything other than a hollow joke, it is vital that we insure some freedom come to the most subjagated mebers of Iraq (her women).
I have worked with battered women in the US and it is a horrific here where there are legal routes to help women. If those legal rights do not exist, the case is that much more severe. We owe it to ourselves and our country to help.
It makes me cringe to think that women in Iraq might actually have had more rights under Saddam Hussein than the government we fought to place there. If Sharia law becomes the law of the land, then we have made life worse for all women of Iraq.
We have already seen how easy it is, here and in Iraq, for men in power to withdraw their support for women's equality. WOMEN in power like Dr. Rice need to ensure this doesn't happen.
Dr. Rice, as a woman of color, you are failing miserably in taking the opportunity before you to defend the rights of other women of color.
Right now in Iraq we have as much or more power than anyone else so it is OUR responsibility to try and keep women's rights front and center to support Iraqi women as they take these first steps toward being more free in their own country.
This IS our responsibility to make sure the attempts of the people are honored. Iraqi women are doing what they can and we need to support that as much as we possibly can.
Why are we in Iraq if not to help the people and especially the women who are still oppressed.
You, of all people, should know better than to allow the persecution and subjugation of women.
History of our own country proves women are always the last to receive respect and civil rights. Please help the Iraqi women in their beginning steps for respect and equality.
Helpless people, male or female, deserve the same rights we have in our country.
Wake up and stop allowing these miss guided fanatics use religion to mask their misogynistic attitude. You are a woman why do you ignore this blatant attempt by men to subjugate women?
I`ts vital that the women of Iraq have full and complete rights under the new constitution.
You have the power to make changes and to support the women of Iraq. Please do everything thatīs in your power to do so..
iraqi women have the right to be treated democratically - thats why so many thousands of people have lost their lives in this war - to give all the citizens of iraq democratic rights - all people are created equal includeing women!!
You as a women living in a democracy, were able to take advantage of equal rights for women, inorder to rise to your current position. Other women fought to allow you to enjoy these rights and now its your turn to stand up and fight for the rights of Iraqi and all women around the world.
Until we, as women, and we, as people, are all treatly fairly, we are all culpable.
Debra Mathis
Women's lives have gotten much more insecure since the occupation of Iraq. Fundamentalist laws will only restrict their freedom further. This does not represent democracy.
I urge you to use your position as US Secretary of State to influence leaders in Iraq not to introduce laws that make women lesser citizens.
It is critical that women in Iraqi have full rights under the new constitution
You need to make sure this happens. Without rights such as this women in the United States would never have been appointed to positions such as yours. Women in Iraqi derserve the same opportunities.
Women are one of the world's most precious resources. Ensuring women's protection in Iraq means investing in the population that will carry the weight of surviving the war, rebuilding communities and raising the next generation.
Women have been fighting in the streets and in the byways of policy-making to secure their rights. I urge you to join in supporting their efforts.
The U.S. government may only be obligated to protect U.S. womens' rights, but as women, we have an obligation to stand up and protect the rights of women all over the world, not just in the U.S.
I believe you are the perfect - if only - advocate for this because you stand as an example of what can be accomplished when women are given the opportunity to succeed.
The United States has the power and the obligation to protect the political rights of women in Iraq. Allowing the interpretation of Sharia law would roll back the clock on women's rights, denying women rights in marriage, to custody of children, to own and inherit property, and possibly even to vote or hold office.
Secretary Rice, you hold a position of incredible power both in the Bush administration and in the world. You are a role model for girls and women everywhere. I urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that women in Iraq have full human rights under the new Iraqi constitution. I know this task will not be easy, but I also know it is within our reach.