Legal protection for working women in Iraq within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

This research addresses the issue of legal protection for working women in Iraq within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as an area where legal, economic, social, and human rights dimensions intersect. The entry of Iraqi women into the labor market, particularly in recent decades, has presented both a challenge and an opportunity. Iraqi legislators, through Labor Law No. (37) of 2015, established a set of guarantees for working women, such as prohibiting arduous and hazardous work, prohibiting night work, and criminalizing sexual harassment in the workplace. However, these provisions, despite their importance, still suffer from some ambiguity and weak implementation, which limits their effectiveness. The research relied on a descriptive and analytical approach by examining relevant Iraqi legal texts and analyzing their impact on the reality of working women in Iraq. The research also sought to link this legal protection to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), in addition to other goals such as poverty eradication (SDG 1), good health (SDG 3), and quality education (SDG 4). The research found that a gap still exists between legal texts and practical reality. Iraqi women's participation rates in the labor market remain among the lowest in the world, highlighting economic, social, and cultural challenges and weak enforcement of the law. The research also concluded that empowering working women is not merely a matter of legal fairness or a human rights requirement; it is also a condition for achieving sustainable development in Iraq, given its direct role in reducing poverty, improving public health, enhancing educational opportunities, and supporting economic growth.