Iraqi women pessimistic regarding elections
BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi women have expressed their pessimism on Tuesday regarding the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections, while others pin their hopes on eliminating sectarianism and limited freedoms, a matter which will positively affect women. Fatma Ali, a 35-year-old teacher, seemed offhand about the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for March 7, as she believes the elections will not change anything in her life. “The elections do not mean anything for me. I doubt that the newcomers will change anything, nor provide anything as their successors did. Unfortunately, it’s the reality,” she told IraqiNews.com news agency. “I had hoped that the government and the parliament would set up residential units for the employees as I live in a small house. This is my only hope, in addition to security and services,” the newly-married teacher said. “The elections don’t mean much to me, but I hope that security can prevail in the country after the elections, because only with security can people live and work and allow women to move freely and without fear,” Loni Korkis, 19, told IraqiNews.com news agency. She expressed hope that the elections would succeed in offering job opportunities for graduates. The unemployment rate in Iraq in 2009 registered 19%, according to the data released by the planning and developmental cooperation ministry. For her part, Rawaa al-Nuaaimi, an artist, said that she is not optimistic about the upcoming elections unless its brings new faces, as she believes that both the government and the parliament did not achieve much for women and children. “I’m not optimistic about the upcoming elections, however I hope it brings about security and equal opportunities for all,” Khayriya Habib, a media official, said. Feminist Hanaa Edward, said “despite woman’s percentage in the parliament being 25% of the parliamentarians, which is not enough, I think that 80 women in the parliament could form a large bloc which could defend woman’s rights.” SH (S)/SR 2