Iraqi women lawmakers are protesting the lack of female representation in the new government formed earlier this week.

Women make up a quarter of the 325-seat Parliament but were given only two ministries in the 44-member Cabinet that was approved after a nine-month delay.
Those are relatively minor ministries without portfolios _ meaning they don't have a budget.

The ministry in charge of women's affairs was one of the two. But the new minister stepped down in protest, citing the lack of fellow women in other posts.

One female lawmaker, Safiyah al-Suhail, said Thursday that a group of about 50 female legislators are appealing to the nation's top political leaders, the U.N. and the Arab League in hopes of getting more Cabinet posts for women