On March 3, 2021, The Council of Ministers has set up a supreme committee to oversee women’s participation in the upcoming House of Representatives elections.

According to the decision, the committee will be chaired by one of the members of the Independent High Commission Council, under the supervision of the Iraqi Women Empowerment Department in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers:

Members:

• The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Media and Communications Commission
• one of the members of the High Commission for Human Rights Board
• a representative of the Iraqi Media Network
• Dina Zuria for UN Women in Iraq
• The National Security Adviser,
• The Information and Government Communication Office in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers,
• The Women Center at the University of Baghdad
• The Ministry of Higher Education and Research
• The Human Rights Directorate at the Ministry of Interior,
• Representatives of the Iraqi Bar Association
• Representatives from the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate.

The aforementioned committee shall ensure the participation of women in the upcoming elections and their empowerment through programs and plans that contribute to this, and ensure the protection of female candidates for elections from various types of violence that is practiced against them that limits their participation, in addition to training and qualifying the relevant authorities in the field of supporting and assigning the role of women participating in the elections.

The decision stipulated that international organizations operating in the Republic of Iraq would provide the necessary support for the work of the committee, while the Women Empowerment Department in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers would manage the work of the committee, provide secretarial support, and follow up the implementation of its recommendations in coordination between it and the relevant authorities.