It occurs to me to highlight some of the most interesting elements of the new Iraqi constitution. These include guarantees of health care and social security, the right to privacy, equal rights for women, limits on gun ownership, and a guarantee of not only the rights in this constitution but also “rights stipulated in international treaties and agreements,” which I believe includes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And discussion of who can marry whom is notably absent.
Article 12: All Iraqis are equal in their rights without regard to gender, sect, opinion, belief, nationality, religion, or origin, and they are equal before the law. Discrimination against an Iraqi citizen on the basis of his gender, nationality, religion, or origin is prohibited.
Article 13.H: Each Iraqi has the right to privacy.
Article 14: The individual has the right to security, education, health care, and social security. The Iraqi State and its governmental units, including the federal government, the regions, governorates, municipalities, and local administrations, within the limits of their resources and with due regard to other vital needs, shall strive to provide prosperity and employment opportunities to the people.
Article 16.I: Civilians may not be tried before a military tribunal. Special or exceptional courts may not be established.
Article 17: It shall not be permitted to possess, bear, buy, or sell arms except on licensure issued in accordance with the law.
Article 23: The enumeration of the foregoing rights must not be interpreted to mean that they are the only rights enjoyed by the Iraqi people. They enjoy all the rights that befit a free people possessed of their human dignity, including the rights stipulated in international treaties and agreements, other instruments of international law that Iraq has signed and to which it has acceded, and others that are deemed binding upon it, and in the law of nations. Non-Iraqis within Iraq shall enjoy all human rights not inconsistent with their status as non-citizens.
Makes ya wanna move to Iraq.