Empowering Women and Decision-Making: An Academic Vision of the Dean of the College of Education for Women
Under the patronage of Prof. Naim Al –Aboudi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and under the supervision of the President of Baghdad University, Prof. Dr. Bahaa Ibrahim Insaf, and chaired by the Dean of the College of Education for Women and Director of the Center for Women’s Studies, Prof. Dr. Athmar Al-Shatri, the college held the second international forum entitled “Empowering Women and Decision-Making: Empowerment, Leadership, Influence” on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, under the slogan: “With consciousness and Insistence, Women Make Decisions and Build Nations,” attended by an elite group of academic and community leaders.
After reciting Ayas from the Glorious Quran, the Dean Prof. Athmar Al-Shatri delivered her speech, emphasizing the importance of empowering women as leaders and decision-makers and their active participation in community building and development. Then, the First Lady, Mrs. Shanaaz Ibrahim Ahmed, took her turn. She praised the role of the College of Education for Women in qualifying female graduates and empowering them to join the job market confidently and effectively. Dr. Shafaq Youssef Jadou’ presented her vision of the college’s mission in supporting women’s leadership and social responsibility, and the chair of the preparatory committee, Dr. Abir Abdul Najm Al-Khalidi, delivered a speech addressing the objectives of the forum and its role in promoting women’s participation in decision-making.
The forum included a presentation of a group of small start-up projects by graduates of the College of Education for Women, which was opened by the Assistant Dean for Administrative Affairs, Prof. Ahmed Hashim Al-Mukhtar, in support of entrepreneurial initiatives and to promote opportunities for the empowerment of female graduates.
The forum also honored a number of leading female figures in Iraqi society, in addition to in-person and online discussion sessions that showcased inspiring success stories of women who faced challenges and achieved excellence, creativity, and determination to prove themselves.
