Today thousands of mourners gather in Baghdad for the funeral of Akila Al-Hashemi.
One of only three women on the Iraqi ruling council, she died yesterday from wounds suffered during an ambush near her home on Saturday.
Tony Blair has issued his own tribute - he said "her murderers only seek to destroy the efforts of all those rebuilding the country".
In July Akila Al-Hashemi talked to Woman's Hour about that huge task of reconstruction. Â鶹ԼÅÄ correspondent in Baghdad, Barbara Plett joins Martha on the eve of Dr Al-Hashemi's funeral.
