Iraqi president gives speech on International Women's Day
Iraqi President Barham Salih on Sunday congratulated Iraqi Women and Women of the World on the anniversary of celebrating the International Women's Day.
In a letter of congratulations which has been sent today, the president confirmed that Iraqi Woman is an affective element in the struggle against repressive regimes and the terrorist gangs and their bad ideologies that triggered the repression, sale and rape of Iraqi Women only because they are of different religions, belief or race.
Salih added that stability and progress will be achieved only by ensuring active participation of women in various aspects of life. He stressed the necessary of issuing legal acts on domestic violence against women, urging for voting on (Draft law against Domestic Violence) which had already been sent by the president's Office to the parliament.
The following is the text of congratulations:
" In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
As we mark the anniversary of the International Women's Day, I have the pleasure to extend my warmest congratulations to the women in Iraq and around the world, wishing them a year full of success in realizing their aspirations and demands.
The Iraqi Woman is the icon of the homeland, the symbol of creativity and brilliance. And she was an affective factor in the struggle against repressive regimes, the terrorist gangs and their bad ideologies that triggered the repression, sale and rape of Iraqi Women only because they are of different religions, belief or race. What our sisters and daughters from Yazidis religion had been subjected to will forever be a wound that is never fully healed in our hearts.
Today, Iraqi women are bravely demonstrating for their legitimate rights to reform and to reject violence. They have made great sacrifices and shouldered the burdens of life and responsibilities to raise a generation that is believed in its patriotism and its case. Indeed, they are the voice of the homeland.
Based on our firm belief that stability and progress will be achieved only by ensuring the active participation of women in all aspects of life, we stress that we are facing a national responsibility that require us to exert further efforts to issue legal acts on domestic violence against women, urging for voting (Draft law against Domestic Violence) which had already been sent by the President's Office to the Parliament. In addition to working on further empowerment of women and ensuring their rights and their active participations in making decisions and taking the senior positions within the government as provided for in the Iraqi constitution.
We pay tribute to the Iraqi woman as a mother, sister, wife, daughter, paramedic working in protest arenas and student taking to the streets giving voice to her great hopes for reform and better education.
We proudly hailed the mothers, wife and daughters of the martyrs.
We pay a sincere and respective tribute to a patient Iraqi woman who is creative in various fields of life.
May every year, women in Iraq be safe and well.