Unfair, Unjust, and Uncalled for- the treatment of woman in the country of Iraq post 1978. Victims of rape, faces marked with acid attacks, and scars affecting more than just flesh, this is the state of Iraqi woman today. As war, conflict and insurgency began; Women’s bodies and women’s independence became the battleground of ethnic, religious, and political strife.
Historically speaking, the women of Iraq have had the privilege of a lot more rights than the rest of the Middle-Eastern countries. The Iraqi Provisional Constitution (drafted in 1970) formally granted equal rights to women, along with specifications regarding their education, right to vote, run for political office, and own property. They were also allowed to hold jobs in the Civil Service Sector, along with a year’s maternity leave, and freedom from sexual harassment at the work place. The fact that the government encouraged women to work broke down the traditional belief of woman working outside the home being considered a sin. With regard to personal status laws which were modestly amended in 1978, divorced mothers were granted custody of their children till the age of 10, at which time, at the discretion of a state-employed judge, custody could be extended to the child’s 15th birthday. The child could then choose which parent to live with.
The most significant political factor that began the decline of woman’s rights in Iraq, was Saddam Hussein’s decision to embrace fanatic Islamic and tribal traditions as a political tool to consolidate power. In 1998, at the beginning of his reign, it was reported that all females working in government agencies were dismissed. Furthermore, a women’s freedom to travel abroad without a male relative was legally restricted and co-educational institutions were forced to cater to a single sex. Due to financial constraints, families preferred to send only the male child to school leaving the girl child uneducated. In 2001, the U.N. Special Reporter for Violence against Women, reported that an estimated 4,000 women and girls had been victims of ‘honour killings.”
In the years following the 1991 Gulf War, the deterioration of woman’s rights during war began rapidly, and this remained the case through all the wars that took place thereafter. Women were greatly affected by the economic consequences of war, and lacked access to food, health care, and education. These effects were compounded by the changes in law that restricted the woman’s mobility and access to the formal sector in an effort to ensure jobs to men, along with appeasing religious and conservative groups.
As America entered Iraq, and the Islamic Militancy began, women were hurled into a new whirlwind of chaos and discrimination. In 2006, as violence increased dramatically across the country, families and community leaders imposed various restrictions on the life of women. Religious groups launched pressure campaigns on women to avoid ‘immoral’ or ‘un-Islamic’ behavior, and forced them to wear headscarves- including Christian woman in Baghdad. Many women had their heads shaved if they did not wear a headscarf, and many were stoned in the streets for wearing make-up. Unmarried woman dressing improperly became the victims of violent attacks in Basra. Forced marriages, honour killings, and kidnappings became a usual affair especially in the region of Kurdistan. Women were also used as bargaining tools or gifts among tribes.
Many women fled their homes due to the fact that their husbands were arbitrarily arrested by occupation forces or government personnel. Since a household without a man in such conditions was seen as vulnerable, women fled the country and stayed as refugees in Syria and Jordan. According to the United Nations, more than four million Iraqis have been displaced in the past seven years, including approximately 2.8million registered as internally displaced persons.
Professional working woman were shot dead on their way to the work place, and women drivers had their cars banged up and destroyed on the roads. Optimists say that the fact that 25% of Iraq’s Provincial Council comprises of women, goes to show that women have been empowered after the invasion. However the fact that political posters of women are blackened out, and covered with slogans such as ‘No women in politics,’ lies as a stark reminder of the opposition they face.
The violence in Iraq has resulted in the disappearance of women in the public sphere and has also minimized their role in the decision- making process. In order to combat this situation, it is necessary to encourage an increased participation through women organizations and combat the gender-discrimination through leadership skills amongst women. Baghdad Women Association and Women Leadership Institute are two organizations who are trying to meet the agenda of instilling leadership roles among women, and carrying out activities to spread the negative impact of gender based violence through street plays and drawing competitions. They also act as counseling centers, and provide a safe place for women who have been victims of violence, and offer them free legal support.
In July 2010, the UN Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) worked on a resolution to continue promoting women’s human rights and to concentrate efforts on eradicating violence against women. In January 2011, the International Alliance for Justice, and No Peace Without Justice, gathered decision-makers and local and international civil society, for a conference on ‘the role of women in peace-building, reconciliation and accountability in Iraq.’
On International Women’s Day, 8th March 2011, 17 Iraqi Women’s organizations announced the creation of a national network to combat violence against women in Iraq. The network known as Nuhud will be involved in the protection of women’s rights and will make sure that they comply with international conventions.
With organizations such as these, the women of Iraq have hope to lead a normal healthy life where their voice will be loud and strong, rather than meek and unheard. From having rights, to having none, the Iraqi women have suffered numerous atrocities which makes one questions whether humanity does truly exist in every human. Fear is now a constant emotion in the hearts of Iraqi women, and extinguishing that very flame of fear, is a challenge that one must strive to undertake.
ZAHRA AMIRUDDIN-3742
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