Project profile — Mashreq Gender Facility - Iraq

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) gender constraints to women’s full participation in society in Iraq are identified and addressed; and (2) women’s access to economic opportunities in the Mashreq are improved through the implementation of country-level action plans.

Results achieved as of June 2022 include: (1) the Mashreq Gender Facility steering committee endorsed Iraq’s women’s economic empowerment work plan officially launched in September 2021; (2) produced a report on Iraq gender-responsive public procurement; (3) completed a legal review of women’s Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and land ownership; (4) issued a new Iraq Central Bank Circular, which prohibits gender-based discrimination in access to financial services; (5) held a series of webinars on Family-Friendly Policies and Flex Work, Anti-Sexual Harassment and Safe Workplaces, and Women in Non-Conventional Jobs, which reached 60 participants from 33 unique companies; (6) two private sector firms received International Finance Corporation advisory services on women’s employment; (7) published three case studies on workplace policies in Iraq to attract, retain, and promote women in the private sector; and (8) trained seven business incubators and accelerators, and 32 women entrepreneurs on gender lens and investment readiness. In addition, 61 women entrepreneurs participated in a seminar on digital marketing.