That’s 82 seats.

From Sisters in War: A Story of Love, Family and Survival in the New Iraq

Hear more on the story from journalist and author Christina Asquith on NPR.

Then ask yourself how this connects to the United States, where currently 17% of the seats in Congress are held by women, with no guarantees on continuation.

There’s growing global sentiment for recognizing that women’s interests and insights are ignored when they’re not at the public-policy-making table (see French Gender Quotas piece, for example).

When / does the “no legislation without representation” concept hit home? While many elements differ in the US and Iraqi scenes, is the basic dynamic essentially different? Calling Lani Guinier?