On Saturday, Secretary-General of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) High Council for Women and Development Dr. Khanzad Ahmed presented the Kurdistan Region’s experience in women’s leadership and development to UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed during a meeting in Baghdad. She also set out three proposals for closer cooperation with the UN.

Dr. Ahmed took part in “Women Leading Iraq Forward,” a closed-door dialogue held at 1:00 pm in the Gilgamesh Room of the UN Compound in Baghdad. UN Women and UNFPA convened it with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Iraq. The session was moderated by Nishtha Satyam, UN Women Representative in Iraq, and focused on advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 (gender equality) and 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).

Other participants included Ala Talabani, Advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister on Women’s Affairs, and Dr. Yusra Kareem Mohsen, Director-General of the National Directorate for Iraqi Women. Members of the Council of Representatives Dr. Maha Mahmood al-Alwani and Ola al-Tamimi also attended, along with leaders from civil society and local governance. UN Resident Coordinator Peter Hawkins gave the closing remarks.

The Deputy Secretary-General, who chairs the UN Sustainable Development Group, opened the meeting. The organizers said its purpose was for the UN to hear directly from Iraqi women policymakers on their priorities and on how the UN system can support national efforts, with four years remaining until the 2030 deadline.

Dr. Ahmed said that women’s empowerment is a cornerstone of peace, stability, and sustainable development. She said women are leaders, economic actors, and peacebuilders, not merely beneficiaries of assistance. Within Iraq’s constitutional federal framework, she said, the Kurdistan Region’s institutional experience in women’s leadership, economic empowerment, protection, and peacebuilding can contribute to national progress.

She noted that the High Council works with the strong political backing of KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. Under his leadership, she said gender equality has been increasingly integrated into the government’s development priorities. These include women’s participation in decision-making, economic empowerment, and protection from violence.

Dr. Ahmed called on the UN to establish a structured partnership with the High Council. The UN Country Team and relevant agencies will hold a technical consultation to identify three priority areas for joint action, agree on measurable results, and map existing UN support. The expected outcome is an agreed set of priorities and a proposed workplan.

She also called to convene a federal–KRG–UN policy dialogue on women’s development. This would bring together federal and KRG institutions, civil society, and development partners to clarify responsibilities and coordinate initiatives. The expected outcome is a joint set of recommendations and an implementation roadmap.

In addition, she called for the development of a practical SDG initiative for women’s economic empowerment and leadership in the Kurdistan Region. The pilot would have clear targets, baseline data, and indicators covering employment, entrepreneurship, leadership, and decision-making. Successful approaches could later be shared with federal partners and the wider Organization of Islamic Cooperation community.

The Council’s proposals align with SDGs 5, 8, 10, 16, and 17, under the principle of Leaving No One Behind.

Dr. Ahmed said the Kurdistan Region “stands ready to contribute its experience and work with federal and international partners to advance women’s development across Iraq.”

The Council hopes the engagement will lead to a designated UN focal point, an initial technical consultation, and a process for developing the three proposals.