Yesterday, Iraq joined 43 UN Member States who have endorsed a National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security. Developed after tireless efforts by the Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Government, as well as civil society representatives, the Iraqi action plan is the first in the Middle East and North Africa region. One hope is now that the Iraqi plan will inspire other countries in the region to develop own strategies and action plans and thus in the long run contribute to the building of a long-awaited and inclusive regional peace process.
The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, in an interview said that “Iraq has achieved an important milestone, particularly for the millions of Iraqi women from different walks of life who strive to have their voices heard and who actively seek to contribute to the development, peace and stability of Iraq”. However, it now remains to be seen whether these formulated words also can be translated into real action.
