By Baghdadhope*
Source: Iraqi Human Rights Ministry
A note by the Italian embassy in Iraq informed the Iraqi ministries of foreign affairs and human rights that on 18 June, in Rome, during a ceremony that will be attended also by the Italian foreign Minister Franco Frattini, Mrs. Wijdan Mikha'il Salim, the Iraqi human rights minister, will be awarded of “Marisa Bellisario prize”.
The "golden apple" symbol of the prize is dedicated to women who distinguished themselves in defending and promoting human rights, peace, solidarity and freedom and the edition of this year is titled "Women: source of development."
Mrs. Wijdan Mikha'il Salim was appointed Minister of Human Rights in 2006. She has a degree in civil engineering from the University of Technology in Baghdad, began her political career in 2003 and in the 2005 elections was elected in the Iraqi National List of Iyad Allawi.
The Italian diplomatic note states that the award to Mrs. Salim is also a recognition for the commitment of the Iraqi government in the field of human rights despite the difficulties encountered.
Respect for human rights that affects Mrs. Salim not only as the maximum representative of the Ministry dealing with it but also as a Christian, then member of the minority that, as she said during a visit to Switzerland on last year, would need a special protection law because, while recognizing how all Iraqis are victims of terrorists, Christians are victims because part of a tiny community that for this needs to be protected.