CEDC was honored to welcome a delegation of Iraqi Women representing diverse backgrounds, views and faith traditions – 14 of which stayed at CEDC. The women, a remarkable and inspiring group, came to Washington to speak to the media and official Washington about what is happening in their country.

Following is a list of the Delegates:

MS. BASIMA ABU-ALHAB (Biography unavailable)

MS. NOHA NADHIM SALIN AL-AGHA founded the Nintu Society for Humanitarian Assistance and has worked with the United Nations Development Program on water and electricity projects and establishing government councils. She has been involved with training courses for Iraqi ministries and helped establish the Principled Governance Academy.

MS. FAIZA AL-ARAJI authors the blog, www.afamilyinbaghdad.blogspot.com. She is also a businesswoman, the mother of three children, and was a candidate in the January elections in Iraq. Ms. Al-Araji, who is a Shi'a, joined a secular political party headed by a Sunni Muslim politician.

DR. SAIEB AZIZ AL GAILANI is a member of the Baghdad City Council and a professor of medicine. He implemented projects for the Baghdad Provisional Council and founded Al Nahrain, which assisted families fleeing Falluja and Al Najaf. He is working to promote the status of women in Iraq.

MS. BUTHAINA AL SUHAIL is President of Iraqi Family Society and an Executive Member of the Iraqi Women's Council. She is a member of the Board of Directors of "Wafdi" and has participated in U.N activities. She works on women's issues, economics, the political process and development.

JUDGE ZAKIA HAKKI, PH.D. serves in the Iraqi National Assembly and was Iraq's first woman judge. She has been legal advisor to numerous Iraqi ministry departments. Judge Hakki is a strong advocate of minority and women's rights and founded the Kurdish Women Federation.

MS. ADEEBA ABDUL AMIR HUSSAIN is a businesswoman working and living in Baghdad.

MS. UMMAYA ISMEL (Biography unavailable)

MS. LAMIA JAMAL TALABANI is the founder and president of Voice of Independent Women Organization, which empowers women and youth. Ms. Talabini was imprisoned during the 1963 coup. She has lectured at universities in Iraq and around the world. She is an accomplished sculptor of pieces that invite humanity and compassion.

MS. SHAHLA WALIY is trained in conflict resolution and serves as Country Director for Iraq of Counterpart International, Inc., an American NGO that provides humanitarian assistance and capacity building. She coordinates Counterpart's activities with local NGO's, Iraqi government authorities, USAID, U.S. Department of State, UN agencies and other donor organizations.

MS. PASCALE WARDA is of Assyrian heritage in the Chaldean Catholic Church and is President of the Assyrian Women's Union. She served as Minister for Migration and Displacement in the Alawy Government. She is also a co-founder of the Iraqi Human Rights Society.

DR. RASHAD ZAYDAN is a mother and a physician who works with women and children in Baghdad and Fallujah. She is founder of The Women and Knowledge Society, an NGO that aids victims of war, especially orphans.

U.S. HOSTS

SIMONE CAMPBELL, SSS, the National Coordinator of NETWORK, a national Catholic social justice lobby in Washington DC, is an attorney who has served on international delegations to El Salvador in 2005, Iraq in 2002 and to Mexico in 1996 and 1998. Her international experience has been augmented by her work as the leader of her international Catholic religious community, the Sisters of Social Service. She is also an accomplished poet.

DENA MERRIAM, a partner and Vice Chair of the Ruder Finn Group, a global communications company, is convener of the Global Peace Initiative of Women, an organization created by women leaders to foster greater leadership for women in areas of conflict and post-conflict. In her work as an interfaith organizer she has been a strong advocate for giving greater voice globally to the religions of the Eastern traditions, in particular Buddhism and Hinduism.

The visit was sponsored by the NETWORK Catholic Social Justice Lobby, in conjunction with the Congressional Caucus on Woman’s issues. For more on the “Global Journey of Peace”: (http://www.networklobby.org)

NETWORK continues its outstanding work under the leadership of Sister Simone Campbell and their wonderfully dedicated staff.

Information Source: NETWORK. With permission.