E/C.12/1/Add.17 page 2 B. Positive aspects 4. The Committee notes with satisfaction that, according to the legal system of Iraq, the Covenant forms an integral part of the national legislation and may be directly invoked before the courts, although it regrets the lack of information on any cases where the Covenant was actually referred to by the courts or invoked directly before the courts. 5. The Committee notes that a Human Rights Commission was recently established within the National Assembly, although it regrets the lack of information on its functions, powers and activities to date. 6. With respect to gender equality, the Committee notes with appreciation the existence of laws to promote women’s participation in national development, providing them with equal opportunities in education, health, employment and land ownership, and protecting them from exploitation and sexual harassment in the workplace. Moreover, it notes that women have the right to six months' maternity leave with full salary, plus six months with half their salary, and can retire at 55 years of age. C. Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Covenant 7. The Committee recognizes that eight years of war with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the conflict following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait caused the destruction of part of the country’s infrastructure and considerable human suffering, and produced a very difficult economic and social situation in Iraq. The Committee also notes that the living standard of large sections of the Iraqi population has been reduced to subsistence level since the imposition of the embargo, which led to the decrease of the country’s oil revenue from approximately $20 to 2 billion a year, and that this situation is further aggravated by the sharp rise in consumer prices. 8. In this respect, the Committee endorses resolution 1997/35 adopted by the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities on adverse consequences of economic sanctions on the enjoyment of human rights, and puts particular emphasis on the fact that “such measures most seriously affect the innocent population, in particular the weak and the poor, especially women and children, (and ...) have a tendency to aggravate the imbalances in income distribution already present in the countries concerned”. 9. However, the Committee, while noting that the effect of sanctions and blockades hampers the full implementation of certain rights under the Covenant, underlines that the State party remains responsible to implement its obligations under the Covenant “to the maximum of its available resources” in accordance with article 2, paragraph 1, of the Covenant. D. Principal subjects of concern 10. The Committee notes with concern the continuing deterioration of the economic, social and cultural rights in Iraq since the beginning of the hostilities with the Islamic Republic of Iran and further since the Gulf war