AP Photo Archive
Iraqi women attend a rally calling for women’s liberation, a secular Iraq without Islamic government, and the end of U.S. occupation, in central Baghdad, Iraq, on International Women’s Day Tuesday, March 8, 2005.

Iraqi independence day?

Women wait for promise of true freedom

by Stephanie Long TAY03005@BYUI.EDU News Asst. Editor

When American troops invaded Iraq in the spring of 2003, Iraqi women took notice, having waited for such an event.

Following the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saddam Hussein imposed new oppressive policies upon women in Iraq, according to the U.S. Congress. Their every move was watched, they were restricted to their homes, forbidden to work or go to school and they faced the possibility of lawfully being killed by their family in an “honor killing” if they disgraced their family in any way.

According to Congress, twice as many boys attended school than girls and 77 percent of women were illiterate during Saddam’s rule. Also, women made up 65 percent of the population but only 19 percent of the workforce in Iraq.

American troops invaded Iraq in the spring of 2003, toppling Saddam’s empire and paving the way for change.

“I couldn’t imagine going through that. I felt horrible and wanted to do something for them,” Nicole Baxter, a freshman from Rigby, Idaho, said. “I think it is good that we went to Iraq.”

In June of 2004 the “Iraqi Women and Children’s Liberation Act of 2004” was brought before Congress as a bill. The aim of the bill was to set aside money and help for women and children in Iraq. Health care, security, protection, preservation and other things were to be part of the help.

Congress has also tried to include women in the restructuring of Iraq. The bill states, “Women should have a similar level of representation in leadership posts in all levels of government in Iraq. Women should be integrated in all levels of political process, especially the building of political parties.”

Three out of 25 members of the Iraqi Governing Council are women, 16 of the 25 deputy-minister positions are held by women and 15 of 1,000 nationally appointed judges are women, according to Congress.

While things for women are seemingly getting better in Iraq there have been numerous reports of rape, kidnappings and murder among women. Thirty girls were kidnapped in the city of Kirkuk in the span of one week, according to an Iraqi newspaper. Furthermore, prominent women are being kidnapped and held for ransom, murdered or jailed.

The Organization for Women Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) reports that many young girls are being raped and hurt by American troops. The Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported in July of 2003 that poor security in Iraq was preventing women from truly being liberated. HRW also reported that within three months of the capturing of Bagdad, 70 cases of rape and abduction were reported in Iraq.

While more women are in schools, hold down jobs and are participating in government duties, crimes against women are on the rise.

The U.S. government is trying to turn Iraq into a “sovereign” nation, but the facts show that true liberation of Iraqi women may take years to fully transpire.