The delegation is a diverse group, including Shia, Sunni and Kurdish women - some secular, some religious. All have paid a very high price for the war and occupation of their country, and want to tell their stories to the American people. Unfortunately, two Iraqi women whose families were killed by US troops were denied visas to enter the US as part of the delegation.

"These women are not politicians, but ordinary Iraqis who are desperate to see an end to the violence and are taking great personal risk to come to the US," says Medea Benjamin, cofounder of the CODEPINK and Global Exchange, the two groups organizing the delegation. "It's a rare opportunity to hear from Iraqis themselves, and we hope that US officials will listen."

The delegation spent their first week in the United States in New York and Washington, DC, promoting a Women's Call for Peace that was signed by more than 100,000 women from around the world. The Call for Peace requests the withdrawal of all foreign troops and foreign fighters from Iraq, negotiations to reincorporate disenfranchised Iraqis, full representation of women in the peacemaking process, and a commitment to women's equality in the post-war Iraq. The delegation delivered the call to members of Congress and marched with it to the US mission to the United Nations and also to the White House.

Click here to read a Democracy Now interview with two of the delegation members, Faiza Al-Araji and Eman Ahmed Khamas or read the AP story on Cindy Sheehan's arrest during the Iraqi women's event at the UN.

On International Women's day, the Iraqi women spoke in Congress about the plight of women in Iraq at an event to release a new Global Exchange and CODEPINK report called Iraqi Women Under Siege.

On their speaking tours, the women are meeting with elected officials and reaching communities across the US with their powerful words about the realities of Iraq. We would like the women to reach all areas of the country.

Below are brief bios of the Iraqi women who are currently touring throughout the United States and will be speaking at events to mark the third anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Click here to find an event in your community.

IRAQI WOMEN'S DELEGATION BIOS

Faiza Al-Araji is a civil engineer, blogger (afamilyinbaghdad.blogspot.com), religious Shia with a Sunni husband, and mother of three. After one son was recently held as a political prisoner by the Ministry of the Interior, the family fled to Jordan.

Eman Ahmad Khamas is a human rights advocate who has documented abuses by the US military in Iraq. She is a member of Women's Will, and is married with two daughters.

Dr Entisar Mohammad Ariabi, a pharmacist at the Yarmook Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, has documented the deteriorating health system. She is married with five children.

Dr. Rashad Zidan, a pharmacist, works in Baghdad and Fallujah with the Women and Knowledge Society to aid victims of war, especially orphans.

THE FOLLOWING WOMEN WERE DENIED VISAS BY THE US STATE DEPARTMENT

Vivian Salim Mati is a widow who lost her husband and three children when they were fired on by U.S. tank fire as they attempted to flee the bombing of their neighborhood in Baghdad in April 2003.

Kadhim Jawad (Anwar) is a widow whose husband and three children were killed by US soldiers at an unmarked checkpoint.