Iraq Ministers

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Republic of Iraq/ Al Jumhouriya al-‘Iraqia (Female suffrage 1964/80)

Mesopotamia was a Turkish Province until 1923, Kingdom 1921-58, Republic since 1958, 2003 invaded by USA and the Coalition Forces and put under administration until 2005

1959-60 Minister of Municipalities Dr Naziha Jawdet Ashgah al-Dulaimi
1960 Minister of State without Portfolio
Naziha al-Dulaimi was the only member from the Communist Party in 'Abd al-Karim Qasim's government after the over-trough of the monarchy in 1958. Settled in Eastern Europe in the 1970s and at the time of her death she lived in Germany, and lived (1923-2007).

1969-72 Minister of Higher Education Dr. Suad Khalil Ismail

2001-03 Member of the Revolutionary Command Council Dr. Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash
The only female in the Iraq Command, the 18-member council that ran the Baath Party, Chairperson of the Baath Party Youth and Trade Bureau as well as a party regional commander. Iraq's Microbiology Society from 1996, and Saddam Hussein's unofficial ambassador to Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen and as the Dean of the University of Baghdad. Detained by the US-troops in 2003 and released in 2005 together with Dr. Rihab Rashid Taha who had been in charge of the development of weapons-grade anthrax and botulinum. Ammash's father was a high-level Baath Party member in Iraq, who became defense minister in 1963, deputy prime minister in 1968, and an ambassador in 1977. He is believed to have been killed on the orders of Saddam Hussein. Mother of 4 children, and (b. 1953-).

2003 Interim Transitional Civil Sub-administrator in charge of The Central Region and Baghdad Barbara K. Bodine (21.04.-11.05.03)
During the Iran-Iraq War in the early 1980s she was the deputy principal officer in Baghdad. Prior to the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, she was Deputy Chief of Mission in Kuwait and endured a 137-day siege by Iraqi troops of the U.S. Embassy. During her tenure as Ambassador to Yemen 1997-2001 the destroyer Cole was bombed and in 2001, she survived an airplane hijacking. (b. 1948-).

2003 Spokesperson of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq (The interim Administration) Margaret DeBardelebeu Tutwiler
Special Assistant to President, Executive Assistant to Chief of Staff of White House 1981-85, Deputy Assistant to the President 1984-85, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury 1985-88,m Assistant Secretary of State for Public Liaison and Personal Assistant of the Secretary of State, Spokesperson of the Department of State 1988-92, Director of Communication, White House, 1992-93, Ambassador to Morocco 2001-03 and Under Secretary of State for the Public Diplomacy Office 2003.

2003 (†) Member of the Governing Council Dr. 'Aquila al-Hashimi
She was a career advsor of Sadam Hussein's Vice-Premier Tariq Azis and later responsible of the cooperation of the Foreign Ministry with UN about the Oil for food-programme. She had emerged as a leading foreign policy figure on the council, and she many U.N. diplomats expected her to be named Iraq's UN-representative. She was shot outside her home by unknown assailants and died five days later. She lived (circa 1963-2003)

2003-04 Member of the Governing Council Sayyida Raja' Habib al-Khuzaai
Her surname is also transcribed as al-Khuza'i, she is a maternity hospital Director in South Iraq and a Shiite. She studied and lived in Britain in the 1960s and 1970s, before retuning to Iraq in 1977.

2003-04 Member of the Governing Council Songul Chapouk
The only Turkoman in the Council and in Turkish her name is spelled Songül Çabku. Other versions of her name are Sunkul Jabkuk and Sunkul Habib 'Umar. She is a trained engineer and teacher, as well as being a women's activist.

2003-10 Minister of Public Works and Municipalities Nisrin Mustafa Barwari
Other versions of her name are Nasreen Mustafa Sadiq, Nisreen Mustefa al-Burwari or Nisirin Berwari. She became a political prisoner at the age of 14 and fled Iraq after the 1991 Kurdish uprising. She worked for the UN in northern Iraq, including as head of the Centre for Human Settlements field office in 1997. Minister of Reconstruction and Development in the de-facto independent region of Kurdistan 1999-2003. In March 2004 she survived an assassination attempt. (b. 1967-).

2003-05 Deputy Minister of Culture Maysoon Saleem Al-Damluji
In exile in London from 1984. (b. 1962-).

2003-04 Deputy Minister of the Interior Hala Shaker Mustafa Saleem

2004-05 Minister of Labour Leila Abdul-Latif

2004-05 Minister of Environment Professor Mishkat Moumin

2004-05 Minister of of Displacement and Migration Pascale Isho Warda
The only Assyrian Christian minister. Educated in France and long-time activist of the Christian community in Iraq. Worked for various UN organizations.

2004-05 Minister of State for Women's Affairs Nermin Othman
2005-10 Minister of Environment
2005-06 Acting Minister of Human Rights
Other versions of her name are Nermeen and Nirmin Ottoman, and she was Minister of Education in the Kurdistan Regional Government 2000-04.

2004-05 Deputy Minister of Electricity Baraka Mahdi Salih Al-Jiboori
A Consultant in the Union of Iraq Engineers since 2002. (b. 1960-)

2004-05 Deputy Minister of Environment Manal Kamel Alyas Aziza

2004-05 Deputy Minister Transportation Dr. Mitha Hassan Al-Lami
Educated in UK, former educator in Baghdad (b. 1953-).

2004-05 Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr. Beriwan Abdul-Kareem Khailany
Former Head of the scientific affairs department at Al-Naharain University

2004-05 Deputy Minister of Displacement and Migration Hamdia Ahmed Najif

2005-06 Minister of Telecommunication Juwan Fouad Masum
Educated in the UK and active in Kurdish human rights affairs, she is the daughter of Fouad Masum, the former speaker of Iraq's interim parliament. (b.1970-).

2005-06 Minister of Science and Technology Basimah Yusuf Bufrus
Another version of her name is Bassima Yussuf Bufrus or Butros, and she is a Christian

2005-06 Minister of Culture Noori Farhan al-Rawi
Her first name is also transcribed Nuri, and she is a Sunni Muslim.

2005-06 Secretary of State of Women's Rights Azhar Al-Chaïkhali

2005 Designate Deputy Prime Minister Anisa Ouji
Nominated by the Prime Minister but not approved by the Parliament. She is also known as Anisa Awji or Dr. Anisa Muhammad Nuri Rashi, and is member of the Turkemen minority.

2006-10 Minister of Human Rights Wijdan Michael

2010-11 Minister of State without Portfolio Bushra Salahaidi

2011-12 Minister of State for Women's Affairs Ibtihal al-Zaid
2012-14 Minister of Women's Affairs

2014-16 Minister of Health Adila Hammoud

2014 Minister of Women Samira al-Moussawi

2014-16 Minister of Women's Affairs Bayan Nouri

2016- Minister of Electricity Ala Bashir

2016 Designate Minister of Immigration and Displacement Wafa Mahdawi
2016- Minister of Labour