Al-Sudani approves new initiatives to support Iraqi women, including soft loans and job training

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Sunday approved a series of measures to support Iraqi women, including soft loans, professional training, and political empowerment programs, during a meeting of the Supreme Council for Women’s Affairs.

Al-Sudani congratulated council members and Iraqi women on Iraq’s National Day, affirming their participation in national celebrations “which embody the spirit of patriotism and a deep sense of belonging to the nation.”

The meeting focused on advancing women’s empowerment in the labor market and endorsed the launch of the “Basma” Initiative, which will provide low-interest loans to help women establish small and medium enterprises in cooperation with several banks and the Iraqi Company for Guarantees.

Full statement from Al-Sudani’s office:

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani Reaffirms the Government’s Commitment to Women’s Rights and Directs the Launch of Soft Loans for Women’s Small and Medium Enterprises
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Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani chaired today, Sunday, a meeting of the Supreme Council for Women’s Affairs.

The Prime Minister extended his congratulations to the Council members and to all Iraqi women on the occasion of Iraq’s National Day, affirming the participation of women’s affairs departments in the celebrations of this day, which embodies the spirit of patriotism and a deep sense of belonging to the nation.

The meeting discussed ongoing efforts to support women and mechanisms to enhance their empowerment in the labor market. The Council approved the launch of the “Basma” Initiative, which aims to provide women with low-interest loans to establish small and medium enterprises in cooperation with a group of banks and the Iraqi Company for Guarantees.

Prime Minister Al-Sudani also instructed the female members of the Supreme Council for Women’s Affairs to engage with women entrepreneurs and business owners, in coordination with the Iraqi Businesswomen Council and the Federation of Industries..

The Supreme Council for Women’s Affairs approved the launch of the second phase of the agricultural engineers’ training program in 15 provinces, with 100 female engineers participating in each province. Additionally, it endorsed the launch of a new training program for veterinary doctors, civil engineers, and architects in Baghdad as a first phase, targeting 500 participants.

As part of efforts to strengthen women’s participation in politics, the Prime Minister directed coordination with the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to train female candidates for the upcoming elections and to protect them from cyberblackmail attempts.

On children’s affairs, the Prime Minister instructed that the President of the Child Welfare Commission be invited to the next meeting to review the Commission’s work and assess its achievements during the recent period.

Media Office of the Prime Minister
October 5, 2025