As the results of Iraq's parliamentary elections began to trickle in, one Washington based group of Iraqi expatriates were more concerned with gender, than with party or ethnic affiliation.
“Mutaa,” or temporary marriage, a 1,400-year-old tradition, is regaining popularity among Iraq’s majority Shia population after decades of being outlawed by the Sunni regime of Saddam Hussein.
Maha al Douri took a radical stance when she decided to run for a seat in the Iraqi Parliament in December. The 36-year-old candidate on a minor Shiite Muslim slate put her face on campaign posters - and succeeded in raising eyebrows around the country.
The first results from the election show the country is dividing between Shia, Sunni & Kurdish regions. Religious fundamentalists now have the upper hand. Islamic fundamentalist movements are more powerful in both the Sunni & Shia communities.
According to the Ministry of Public Works and Social Affairs, there has been a significant increase in cases of abuse against women, especially in the capital, Baghdad.
