EN/NL
Women’s Right to Vote in Iraq
Women’s Day Iraq / July 3, (1958)
Women’s Right to Vote in Iraq: A Path Through Revolution and Reform
The sun beat down mercilessly on Baghdad as Naziha al-Dulaimi stood before a crowd in 1952, her voice unwavering as she demanded rights that many considered unthinkable for Iraqi women. Little did she know that her activism would help pave the way for a momentous change that would arrive just a few years later.
The Landmark Date: July 3, 1958
- July 3, 1958 marks the official date when Iraqi women gained full suffrage rights
- This came through the Provisional Constitution following the July 14 Revolution that overthrew the Hashemite monarchy
- The new constitution explicitly stated: “All citizens are equal before the law regardless of sex, blood, language, religion or ethnicity”
A breakthrough came in 1958. During the Arab Union of Iraq-Jordan, the Iraqi Constitution was set, in March 1958, to be amended to include women’s suffrage later that year, but the matter became moot when the monarchy was abolished in July that year.
In 1980 full suffrage was granted and women were given the right to vote and be elected to political office. The suffrage reform was granted when the new Iraq National Assembly was formed before the 1980s Elections, and 16 of 250 seats where filled by women.
Regional Context: Iraq in Comparative Perspective
- Lebanon: Women gained suffrage in 1952 (6 years before Iraq)
- Syria: Women gained suffrage in 1949 (9 years before Iraq)
- Egypt: Women gained suffrage in 1956 (2 years before Iraq)
- Jordan: Women gained suffrage in 1974 (16 years after Iraq)
- Kuwait: Women gained suffrage in 2005 (47 years after Iraq)
- Saudi Arabia: Women gained suffrage in 2015 (57 years after Iraq)
- United Arab Emirates: Women gained suffrage in 2006 (48 years after Iraq)
In the tapestry of Middle Eastern women’s suffrage, Iraq falls squarely in the middle – not a pioneer like Syria, but decades ahead of many Gulf states.
Before Suffrage: The Early Struggle
The streets of Baghdad in the 1920s were changing. British mandate rule had brought new ideas, and Iraqi women were beginning to organize. In private salons and public meetings, the whispers of change were growing louder.
- 1923: First women’s organization in Iraq, the “Women’s Awakening Club” (Nadi al-Nahda al-Nisa’iya), established
- 1930s: Women’s magazines began publishing articles advocating for women’s education and political rights
- 1945: First explicitly political women’s organization founded – “League for the Defense of Women’s Rights”
- 1952: Women’s demonstrations demanding political participation became more frequent and visible
“My grandmother told me stories of these women,” Zainab, a university student in modern Baghdad, recounts. “They would meet in secret sometimes, passing pamphlets between houses. The courage they had – knowing they could be ostracized or worse – is something I carry with me to every election.”
Key Women in Iraq’s Suffrage Movement
Naziha al-Dulaimi (1923-2007)
- First female minister in Iraq and the Arab world
- Founded the Iraqi Women’s League in 1952
- Medical doctor who combined healthcare access with feminist activism
- Advocated tirelessly for women’s political and civil rights before and after the 1958 revolution
When Naziha al-Dulaimi became Minister of Municipalities in 1959, she didn’t forget her roots. At her first cabinet meeting, she placed a faded photograph on the table – a group of women protestors from 1948. “So we remember who brought us here,” she said simply.
Paulina Hassoun
- Pioneer of women’s press in Iraq
- Founded one of the first women’s magazines, “Layla,” in 1923
- Used her platform to advocate for women’s education and political rights
- Organized salons where women could discuss politics and rights
Dr. Sabiha al-Shaikh Dawud (1912-1975)
- First Iraqi woman to practice medicine, graduating in 1941
- Combined medical practice with activism for women’s rights
- Used her status as a physician to advocate for women’s health and voting rights
- Helped mobilize women from different social classes for political activism
The 1958 Revolution: A Turning Point
The summer of 1958 changed everything. Crowds filled the streets as news spread that the monarchy had fallen. Among them was Samira, a young teacher who had been secretly attending women’s rights meetings.
- July 14, 1958: Military coup led by Abdul Karim Qasim overthrew the Hashemite monarchy
- New revolutionary government committed to modernizing Iraq
- Women’s groups that had supported the revolution were rewarded with legal rights
- Provisional Constitution explicitly included women’s political participation
- First elections with women’s participation held in 1980, with the first female parliamentarians elected
“My father was furious when I said I was going to vote,” recalled Amal, who was 25 when the revolution happened. “But my mother slipped me her gold bracelet that morning and whispered, ‘Go make your voice count.’ That bracelet is my most precious possession – it represents our liberation.”
After Suffrage: Progress and Setbacks
Like the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates, the journey of Iraqi women’s political rights has ebbed and flowed:
- 1970 Constitution: Reinforced women’s political equality and added protections for working women
- 1980s: Women’s participation in politics increased during Iran-Iraq War as men went to front lines
- 1990s: Economic sanctions and growing religious conservatism reduced women’s public presence
- 2003-present: Post-Saddam era brought new constitution with 25% quota for women in parliament
- 2021: Iraq’s parliament includes 83 women (25.5% of seats)
Zainab al-Khuzai stood amidst the rubble of her Basra neighborhood in 2003, registration card clutched tightly in her hand. Despite the chaos around her, she was determined to vote in Iraq’s first post-Saddam election. “My grandmother could not read or write,” she told a journalist, “but she taught me that a woman’s voice is her power.”
Legacy and Continuing Challenges
Today, Iraqi women can vote, run for office, and serve in government – rights hard-won through decades of struggle:
- Constitutional quota ensures women’s representation in parliament
- Women have served as ministers, ambassadors, and in other high offices
- Gender-based violence and conservative social attitudes continue to limit full participation
- Women’s rights activists continue to fight for substantive equality beyond formal legal rights
“Each time I vote, I bring my daughter with me,” says Mariam, a shopkeeper in modern Baghdad. “I want her to see that this is normal, expected – that her voice matters in Iraq’s future. But I also tell her the story of how we got here. Nothing was given to us; everything was earned.”
From the pioneering activism of Naziha al-Dulaimi to the continuing struggles of today’s Iraqi women, the story of suffrage in Iraq reminds us that the ballot box represents not just a right, but a revolution in thinking about citizenship, gender, and political voice in the heart of the Middle East.