Blog 4: Fighting for Gender Equality in Iraq

In the article Fighting for Gender Equality in Iraq by Rebecca Burns is written in an interview style format. Burns interviews Yanar Mohammed, who is the president of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI). OWFI is helping Iraqis express their feelings toward social issues of gender inequality and other problems facing Iraqi peoples, especially Iraqi women. The OFWI experienced an attack involving sexual assaults in June of 2011 during a demonstration, and threats are made to the organization frequently. Mohammed's main goal is to defend Iraqi women from domestic abuse and sex trafficking, and to promote women's voices and demands in the struggle for a true democracy in the government of Iraq. Burns interviewed Mohammed about the changes of gender equality in Iraq due to the United States government invading their territory to try to create a democracy for their government, and failing on a high level. The U.S. troops have recently withdrawn from the country, leaving them with a military-style social life due to almost one million Iraqis being recruited into the military or security agencies. Mohammed claims that women's status in Iraq has gotten worse (after U.S. troops withdrew) instead of improving. OFWI has a main shelter located in Baghdad now, housing peoples under threat or escaping some type of abuse. Mohammed considers herself a feminist but wants to encourage equality, stating: "Inequalities cannot thrive in the third millennium, and that's why everybody's on the streets. Feminists, especially in the Arab world, have had a big say in these public squares of political struggle, because women are the face of a political change."

I am really interested in this gender struggle that is going on in Iraq. I wasn't very aware that Iraq's government is almost more corrupt now than it was before the U.S. military invaded the country. Mohammed spoke of a heavily militarized society after the U.S. military withdrew from Iraq. Because of our military recruiting almost one million Iraqis into the army or a security agency, the people living Iraq might as well be living in a military camp. It is a terrible thing that our government's military has invaded this country trying to make things "better" and in the end making things way worse (especially socially) than they were before. On the bright side, because of this organization OFWI, these Iraqi women are attracting more eyes to the social problem of gender inequality in the country of Iraq and in the Middle East. Many women are attacked by men, especially female protesters, because men want them to feel ashamed and for them to hide their faces from the public. Sometimes these women are even forced victims of "honor killings" because they may have been raped or harassed. I think that OFWI is a great start to combat gender inequalities, especially in the Middle East. My suggestion would be that OFWI have more recognition around the globe, then growing as an organization, receiving donations, and all other benefits of being an international organization. Mohammed is interested in what feminists from the United States have to say, and I think that now is a great time to put in some thought and possibly provide progression for women living in Iraq.


Source: http://inthesetimes.com/article/12583/fighting_for_gender_equality_in_iraq/