Iraq has a population estimated at 30.7 million (UN, 2009) with an area of 438,317 sq km (169,235 sq miles). The capital is Baghdad. The major languages are Arabic and Kurdish.

The 2003 campaign to remove Saddam Hussein began with a US missile in Baghdad in the early hours of March 20. US and British forces invaded from the south days later. By 2008, a "surge" in US troop levels to confront insurgents increased foreign military on the ground.

On 31 August 2010 Obama declared "the American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have responsibility for the security of their country."

The American operational name for its involvement in Iraq changed from "Operation Iraqi Freedom" to "Operation New Dawn." The remaining 50,000 U.S. troops are designated as "advise and assist brigades" assigned to non-combat operations while retaining the ability to revert to combat operations as necessary.

On October 21, 2011, U.S. President Obama announced that all U.S. troops and trainers would leave Iraq by the end of the year, bringing the U.S. mission in Iraq to an end. 

It is difficult to assess the status of women's rights at this transitional period in Iraq. While women's abilities to organize and advocate for their rights and for greater representation increased with the fall of Saddam's regime, women's freedom of movement and personal security have been limited by the state of lawlessness and insecurity that accompanied the occupation. 

Iraqi women continue to be threatened and attacked for not complying with strict codes of behaviour, including dress codes. Authorities have not afford women adequate protection against violence, including by other family members.

• Iraq ratified The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on August 13, 1986
• Iraq does not have a National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325)
• Iraq had a UN peacekeeping mandate: United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIMOG) from August 1988 to February 1991

Sources:BBC; Amnesty International; UNIFEM