Iraq

Iraqi women are experiencing an erosion of their rights and protections. The passage of an amendment to the Personal Status Law in January 2025 has undermined women’s marital and inheritance protections,  increasing the risk of being trapped in abusive relationships. Figures released by the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights show a 150 percent increase in registered domestic violence incidents in 2025 compared to 2024—more than half of which involved violence perpetrated by husbands against their wives.  Meanwhile, legislation to strengthen protections for survivors of domestic violence remains stalled in parliament. Anti-gender backlash is fueling growing threats of harassment and violence toward women leaders and rights defenders—including the March 2026 assassination of women’s rights activist Yanar Mohammed which drew international condemnation and has reportedly led to a ‘chilling effect’.

Women continue to face structural barriers to political participation, including limited access to campaign financing, gender stereotypes, and harassment, while their participation in formal peace and reconciliation processes remains limited. Women’s representation in Iraq’s federal parliament declined following the November 2025 elections, with women holding 84 of 329 seats, just one seat above the 25 percent quota. These challenges coincide with hurdles to recognition, accountability, and reparation for violations suffered by women and girls, particularly for minority groups. Yazidi women in Iraq still face significant obstacles to recovery and to rebuilding their communities, with no coordinated system to locate the more than 2,500 Yazidis still missing.  In February 2026, a joint report was submitted to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, highlighting growing concern over the deteriorating status of women in Iraq.

Women’s advocacy remains vital to safeguarding rights, promoting climate-resilience and securing meaningful participation in local and national governance across Iraq. On paper, the country has made some notable achievements, including the launch of its Third National Action Plan (NAP) for Women, Peace and Security for 2025–2030. The NAP identifies twelve key efforts, including increasing women’s representation in politics, the judiciary, and peacebuilding. Kurdistan also launched the second Regional Action Plan for Implementation of UNSCR 1325 for 2025–2029. These frameworks provide important mechanisms for advancing women’s participation and holding the government accountable, but pervasive structural, funding, and security gaps continue to hinder implementation.

Escalating tensions between the US, Israel, Iran, and other regional actors are increasing pressure on Iraq’s fragile security environment, despite government efforts to avoid direct involvement in the conflict. Attacks by Iranian-aligned armed groups on US targets in Iraq risk drawing the country into regional confrontation and exacerbating sectarian tensions, particularly in contested areas such as Iraqi Kurdistan. These dynamics heighten risks of renewed violence and displacement, with women and girls likely to face increased exposure to insecurity—including gender-based violence and economic disruption—amid an environment where women’s rights are being eroded.

Iraq’s reliance on oil revenues is exposing the country to external shocks, with regional conflict highlighting fiscal and trade vulnerabilities. The decision by the US to halt shipments of dollars to Iraq as a pressure tactic against Iran-linked networks risks further constraining economic activity. These pressures are likely to exacerbate unemployment and inflation, disproportionately impacting women—who are primarily employed in informal or low-income sectors and already face discrimination and exclusion.

Intensifying drought, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation are accelerating water scarcity and undermining agricultural livelihoods across Iraq, with some areas experiencing near-total drying of canals and declining crop yields. Water shortages are contributing to localized tensions and compounding existing fragilities in governance and resource management. These dynamics disproportionately affect marginalized communities, including minority groups in southern Iraq facing environmental injustice. Women and girls are particularly impacted by water insecurity, which often increases unpaid care burdens, limits access to livelihoods, and heightens risks to health, safety, and dignity.

The assassination of Yanar Mohammed, a fierce defender of women’s rights in Iraq, who was killed outside of her home in early March 2026 sparked international condemnation, with rights groups calling on Iraqi authorities to ensure accountability and expand protections for activists. Her murder occurred against a backdrop of increasing violence targeting women leaders, journalists, and advocates,  including those who protested the Ja’afari Personal Status Amendment that was adopted in 2025 and linked to a subsequent spike in child marriage and domestic violence cases. Iraqi women report that the recent violence is having a chilling effect at a time when women’s rights are backsliding, deterring them from engaging in activism for fear of violence against themselves or their families.  

Figures released by the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights show a 150 percent increase in registered domestic violence cases in 2025 compared to 2024, underscoring a sharp escalation in gender-based harm. Researchers warn that domestic violence in Iraq is becoming structural, citing weak enforcement and entrenched pressures given years of social, political and economic instability. More than half of documented incidents involved violence perpetrated by husbands against their wives, though these figures are likely underreported given stigma and limited legal protections. The surge in domestic violence cases coincides with growing concern over the deteriorating status of women in Iraq, as highlighted in a joint report submitted to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women in February 2026.

Iraqi women are playing a critical role in climate adaptation and resilience-building, supported by targeted skills training and community-based environmental initiatives. Capacity-building programs for climate-displaced women are helping increase economic participation and engagement with local decision-makers, strengthening both livelihoods and civic agency in climate-affected communities. These efforts are particularly critical in a context where climate shocks are driving displacement and undermining livelihoods, disproportionately impacting women—especially those in rural communities—who already face barriers to economic participation.