Jim Steitz is a St. Louis administrative law judge. He spent over a year in Iraq in conjunction with a U.S. team that worked to assist the Middle Eastern country in putting a legal system in place for a democracy in its infant stage.
However, both the culture and the legal system need to change, and to work in tandem for women to see advances. Many barriers exist for Iraqi women to effect change, in the form of politics, religion, culture and language. But each group of women is dedicated to trying to make it work, and help the other.
Washington University professor Fatemeh Keshavarz was quoted as saying in the January 31st stltoday.com article, “St. Louis attorneys help Iraqi women build a voice”: “If change appears to be anything to do with women's rights, it's a Western idea. So if they go for it, the thought is that it will be a loss of their Muslim identity. I highly recommend that they stay in touch with other Muslim countries. Then they would not be singled out as betraying their culture to the West.” Keshavarz is a professor of Persian and comparative literature who's written a great deal about Muslim women and their culture.
Established in 1976, the Women Lawyers' Association of Greater St. Louis works to support and promote women attorneys in their endeavors. Common problems women in the legal profession face include inequality regarding pay, professional advancement, mentoring opportunities and life/work balance issues.
