ABSTRACT

Regarding its stated political agenda, the Ba‘th regime placed gender issues at centre stage throughout the years of its rule, albeit with changing connotations. It also centred exclusively on women and femininity, rather than on gender in a more inclusive sense. When the Ba‘th assumed power in 1968, the regime turned the question of gender relations into an issue that was closely related to its project of building a modern Iraqi/Arab nation, and it indeed undertook a variety of measures likely to improve the situation of women in Iraqi society.1 Women were given access to primary, secondary and higher education on a broad scale. The regime introduced new labour laws aimed at encouraging women to enter the wage labour force, particularly public sectors like teaching, health-related professions and the civil services; the state provided kindergartens and paid maternity leave.2 Each year in March official celebrations were held to mark Iraqi Women’s Day.3