CPTnet
July 14, 2003
IRAQ: Women working for equality
by Peggy Gish
I just heard that five women have been raped in the last three days, near
Baghdad University. Yanar Mohammed told me and Anne Montgomery about it when
we came to learn about the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI).
Sitting next to her colleague, Fatima, in a gutted-out office building,
which they shared with the Union for Unemployed Workers of Iraq, Yanar spoke
about the work and goals of this radical women's organization. In adjoining
rooms, volunteers were collating the second edition of OWFIs newspaper,
_Equality_.
OWFI was formed immediately after the war to stop atrocities against women
and help women work for legal, social and economic equality. The group has
been helping individual women leave abusive domestic situations, opening a
shelter for women in northern Iraq and planning to start one in Baghdad.
They also have plans to help women develop job skills, and work toward
getting social insurance for all Iraqi women and hope to set up legal
services for women. They are beginning to work toward making changes in
Iraq's constitution that would give women equal rights and remove the legal
provisions that allow for male family members to kill female family members
in what they call "honor" killings.
"We were against this war for liberation," said Yanar. "Yes, we
did want to get rid of Saddam Hussein, but not by destroying our cities.
This is not a humane way. We see this liberation as one big lie! It is not
giving us freedom or really changing the basic system that leaves power and
wealth with a small minority of people. We don't hear Bremer speaking out on
behalf of womens rights. Many who hated the Baath Party and wanted it gone
are now talking about resistance to the occupation. We are afraid that will
mean more chaos, resulting in more raping and killing of women. The
occupation has already meant reversing progress for women and going back to
tribal ways with ancient patriarchal structures which suppress women."
So, working to end the occupation is part of the work of this women's
organization. Yanar suggested the next step in the right direction would
be for the occupying forces to leave immediately. Then, United Nations
peacekeeping forces would begin to oversee security in Iraq for six months
to a year, giving Iraqi society time to organize themselves without tribal
leaders, politically-motivated religious leaders, and the wealthy elite
taking control.
Other women's groups in Iraq are careful not to criticize the current
Occupying Authority. Yanar represents one that is willing to speak and act
boldly.
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