More powerful and pervasive women are fighting for women’s rights in Iraq but the legacy of women’s rights will still be unknown for years and perhaps decades

From 2007 through 2009, of the 40 or so members of the Sadr City District Council, only two were women

Iraq is a male dominated, tribal culture with ideological divisions among political groups

In 2008 Iraq’s women continued legal education seminars (Allami’s four days of training to 99 female lawyers gathered in Baghdad)

Violence is legitimized to control women’s behavior

Women are regarded as property and men use religious and social norms to control women’s movements

Despite the legal protections (on paper) found in Iraqi legislation, including the 2005 constitution, clerics and tribal sheikhs interpret the Qur’an and women’s role in the self-fulfilling and circular prophecy which serves Iraq’s patriarchal society this creates a perception that domestic violence is acceptable

Iraqi legislation applicable to criminal and family courts, customs, and religious tenets reinforce violence against women

Rape is a private offense: there is no State prosecution unless the victim or guardian requests it the rapist can escape conviction or receive a mitigated sentence if he marries the victim