Iraqi Women Challenges of Empowerment in Public Employment and Bureaucratic Resistance During the First Republican Era (1958-1968)

Abstract

This study explores the experience of Iraqi women in public employment during the First Republican Era (1958–1968), a transformative period following the fall of the monarchy. It examines the extent to which women participated in state institutions under a progressive political discourse that advocated equality and empowerment. Using a historical-analytical approach, the research investigates governmental policies, societal attitudes, and the actual representation of women in sectors such as education, health, and administration. Special attention is given to the obstacles posed by bureaucratic dominance, cultural conservatism, and weak legislative support.

         The study concludes that, despite symbolic progress, women's empowerment in public institutions remained limited and constrained by structural and cultural barriers that required deeper institutional reforms.