XOFRAN EL-RADÎ

Baghdad - Association for Women Journalists in Iraq has launched a campaign titled, “Let women make decisions” since August 22 to support women’s participation in the general elections to be held in Iraq on October 10.

Raya Faeq, one of the campaigners and a member of the Association for Women Journalists, indicated that they are working to ensure the fair participation of women in the elections. The campaign has been carried out on social media platforms, particularly on Facebook, “Because most people use Facebook in Iraq. We will join TV programs and give interviews to make our campaign heard,” Raya Faeq told us.

Call on members of the association

Raya Faeq gave information about the details of the campaign. “Before launching the campaign, we got in contact with women journalists to join and approve the campaign. We shot videos in Arabic and English to promote the campaign. We ask our members to share the campaign on their social media accounts. We made banners to hang in districts in order to support women’s participation in the elections.”

“Women should participate in decision-making mechanisms”

Israa Tariq, vice president of the Association for Women Journalists in Iraq, talked about their aim to launch such a campaign. “We decided to launch this campaign when citizens complained about biometric cards asked by the Independent High Electoral Commission. In Iraqi society, women cannot make decisions in the elections even if they have their election certificates to cast in the elections. Some women journalists announced that they were going to boycott the elections. We have launched this online campaign to ensure that women’s participation in the elections to be held on 10 October. Our aim is to encourage women to cast in the elections.”