The conference on "The Constitution and Equality" took place in the regional capital of Hewler (Erbil) on August 8th 2005, under the auspices of Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and under the banner "Equality in the Constitution is the best guarantee of democracy". The conference was held in a public forum in the building of the Council of Ministers. It was chaired by the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government's equality adviser, and supported by the Organization for the Empowerment of Women. Fifty women's and NGO organizations sent representatives from all cities and districts of the region. The conference discussed the blueprint of Iraq's constitution released in late July, particularly the paragraphs that are strongly antagonistic to Kurdish rights, human rights in general, and women's rights in particular.

The Conference resolved by acclamation that:

1. In Iraq's constitution the borders of Kurdistan must be recognized according to historical and geographical facts, as proposed by the Kurdistan National Assembly, the democratic and sovereign body that expresses the will of the people of Kurdistan;

2. The right of the people of Kurdistan to self-determination, both now and in the future, must be recognized and protected in Iraq's constitution;

3. The benefits of the natural resources of Iraq must be fairly distributed across Iraq, but Kurdistan and other regions shall own their natural resources, especially currently unexploited oil and gas fields;

4. Kurdish shall be an official and equal language of the Iraqi federation, both in word and practice, as promised but not implemented in the Transitional Administrative Law. Kurdish must be used in all of Iraq's relevant official insignia, documentation, and diplomacy in any agreed federal anthem, and in Iraq's currency and in any shared federal services.

5. Kurdistan as a federal region shall have its own constitution that is passed by the Kurdistan National Assembly and approved by its people in a referendum.

6. No federal laws shall be imposed on Kurdistan without the approval of the Kurdistan National Assembly.

7. Fundamental human rights and freedoms as recognized in international conventions shall be the sole basis of individual rights and shall not be over-ridden by any religious or other sources of legislation or belief.

8. There shall be a clear constitutional separation of religious and political matters within Iraq's federation and within the Kurdistan Region in particular.

9. Men and women shall have full equal and effective rights in Iraq's federal constitution, and in Kurdistan's constitution. No recognition of religious rights or minority rights shall qualify this fundamental protection of the equality of men and women. There shall be an Equality Commission in Kurdistan tasked to ensure the full and effective implementation of equality of men and women in public and private life.

10. The constitution of Iraq and the constitution of Kurdistan shall respect the full equality of all nationalities and all religious communities in Iraq, and no religion shall be a source or the source of legislation in Kurdistan or in the federal government of Iraq.

For further information please contact:

Mahabad Qaradaghi
Adviser of Prime Minister in Women Issues
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)
Kurdistan - Arbil [Erbil]
Homepage: www.krg.org
E-mail: mahabado3@hotmail.com or qmahabad@hotmail.com