Displaced Iraqi Women Resist Returning Home

“A stable Iraq requires the full participation of women in Iraqi society, but displaced women will not return home if they believe their lives will be put at risk by doing so…” Melanie Teff, Refugee International, July 15, 2009

Video: Women are weapon of war

Since the United States of America invaded Iraq in 2003, over 4 millions Iraqis have been forced to flee, including 2.8 million internally displacements persons in 2008. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Group reports that these IDPs are distributed throughout the country, however there appears to be a high number of IDPs in the central provinces (1.1 million) and northern and southern regions (800,000). Major reasons why Iraqis are displaced, IDMC suggests, are 1) military operations, 2) generalized violence, 3) policies of former government of Saddam Hussein, including arabization” of Kudish areas, 4) destruction of marshlands in southern Iraq, and 5) repression of political opposition.

Video: Iraqi Women Speaks Out

Women make-up a significant amount of Iraqi displaced peoples. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 49 per cent all IDPs in Iraq are women. Refugee International (RI) July 15, 2009 report argues that uprooted Iraqi women are increasingly susceptible to exploitation and abuse because of extreme financial pressures. The report states that domestic violence are higher among displaced population in northern Iraq and that displaced women are more vulnerable to forced early marriages, prostitution, and trafficking. Returning home, as one of UNHCR proposed “solution” to forced displacement is not currently an option for most displaced Iraqi women for several reasons.

Despite relative peace, improved security and tough camp living characterized with continuing uncertainties, Iraqi women are refusing to return home because their rights are somehow jeopardized. IRIN confirms that, “Iraqi women will resist returning home, even if conditions improve in Iraq, if there is no focus on securing their rights as women and assuring their personal security and their families’ well-being.” For example, an assessment carried out by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in February 2009, confirms that 81 per cent of the 1.6 million post-Samarra IDPs cited food, clean water, sanitation, electricity, access to employment, health care as priority needs. Further, approximately 297, 000 returnees also faced harsh conditions of damaged property, infrastructure and loss of livelihood, reports IOM.

Video: The Rape and Muder of Abeer Qassim Hamzar

Violence against women is of utmost concern as honor killings, burning and other attacks on women are on the rise, RI reports. The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), unlike the Government of Iraq, has suspended laws to reduce “honor” crimes and has increased penalties. The RI Field Report confirms that, high levels of chronic disease, complicated by the psycho-social stress of war and displacement is common among many Iraqis. Displaced women reportedly are disproportionately affected by the national government’s inability to distribute medical resources to the region. Similarly, education for displaced children, are extremely difficult as Arabic-language schools were already over-crowded before the displacement problem.

With these and more complicated situation for Iraqi women, RI recommends greater financial support for Iraqi displaced people and development of stronger laws enforcement and judicial structures in Iraq to limit violence against women.

REFERENCES
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2009/0702_iraqi_displacement_ferris/0702_iraqi_displacement_ferris.pdf
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=85362
http://www.refugeesinternational.org/sites/default/files/071509_iraq_womensrights_0.pdf
http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004BE3B1/%28httpInfoFiles%29/7CC8ADC4D8E2DF8CC12575A60052DB24/$file/GO_08_iraq.pdf
http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004BE3B1/%28httpInfoFiles%29/7CC8ADC4D8E2DF8CC12575A60052DB24/$file/GO_08_iraq.pdf
http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/pbnAF/cache/offonce?entryId=22764
http://www.refugeesinternational.org/press-room/press-release/displaced-iraqi-women-increasingly-vulnerable-exploitation-and-abuse

Compiled by Veronica Fynn

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Displaced Women and Girls in the Swat Valley of Pakistan

The Swat Valley, known as the Switzerland of Pakistan, is located in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The Valley has been under serious attacks by the Taliban since 2007, creating humanitarian concerns, thereby forcing inhabitants to migrate due to imminent danger and violence caused by the conflict.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR), over 2 million people have been displaced as fighting intensified between Pakistan Military and the Taliban. A major reason why the crisis has not been a humanitarian catastrophe, Jonathan Alpeyrie of Eurasia Insight reports (July 17, 2009), lies in the fact that, Pakistani families in secured areas have offered to host about 80 percent of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The UNHCR reports today (July 29, 2009) that thousands of displaced Pakistani families are returning home under a government-sponsored repatriation programme though many fear re-displacement hence refused to return.

As always, UNHCR are often pressured to manifest one of its "solution" for forced movement by heavily favoring "voluntary" repatriation. During such process, women and girls are usually subjected to all forms of violence and human rights abuses, including their right to health and education. Worth noting is the infamous Maulana Fazlullah, an Islamist militant leader of Tehreek-e-Nafas-e-Shariat-e-eMohammadi (Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Law). Fazlullah, nick name "Radio Mullah" and his group are responsible for banning girls education in the Swat District. According to Changing Up Pakistan, some 400 private schools with enrollment as high has 40,000 girls have been shut down. Ten girls' schools that tried to open after the January 15, 2009 deadline were blown up, adding up to the over 170 schools already bombed or torched.

Video: Taliban in Control of Pakistan's Swat Valley

There were over 350 privately owned schools in the Swat Region, each having a separate section for boys and girls, BBC reports. But over the past year, except for 96 schools, all were ordered to close down resulting in blatant violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights laws. Of the estimated 1 million children displaced by the violent conflict, UNICEF utmost priority has been to ensure that some 700,000 school-aged children are able to return to classes in September this year.

As gender equality (goal # 3 of the Millennium Development Goals) is pre-requisite for any nations development, it is important to support and ensure that Pakistani women and girls, who are already suffering from the impact of violent displacement, be given access to health and education; even as they embark on returning home.

Video: Swat Valley's Humanitarian Crisis

Your comments are welcome.

Written by: Veronica Fynn

UPDATES
November 10, 2009: Bomb-Blast Victims Lack Trauma Care, Counselling
Bomb-blast victims lack trauma care, counselling
September 4, 2009: Executions Continues in Swat Valley
August 15, 2009: Suicide Bomber kills at least five in Swat Valley
August 14, 2009: Pakistan's dancing girls return after Taliban defeated in Swat Valley
August 2, 2009: Displaced return to Swat Valley

Sexual Violence in the DRC

Why do men use sexual violation as a weapon of war? Is it because women are pre-disposition biologically and/or socially? Biological predisposition entails their unique reproductive ability to bear children and social pre-disposition encompass their socially ascribed roles as care-taker and care-giver. Rape and all forms of sexual violence is more than prominent in the DRC, especially in in the Kivu Provinces. According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees report on May 8, 2009, there are "some 1.8 million Internally Displaced Persons in North Kivu as a result of fighting and instability since late 2006. At least 75 percent of the displaced live with host families. Approximately 100,000 IDPs are temporarily accommodated in 11 UNHCR-run sites across the province," (UNHCR Briefing Notes, 2009).

WATCH CONGO REBELS - DRC

It is extremely worrisome to know that this tragical war, branded as "Africa's World War" is more of a war on women. Women and girls unfortunate to be displaced or transitioning to a "place of refuge" are at risks of being gang raped, violated and abused. Women should not have to bear the brunt of African men selfishness, greed and political gimmicks. Moreover, although over 5.4 million people have died in the terrible war, their stories and cries never make it to the Western media. It is worth noting that the war in the DRC is not just marely a war of justice and equality, it is a war fuel by Western neo-liberalism (capitalism), corruption and insensitivity. Illicit trade of diamonds, small arms, Cassiterite and coltan (in our cell phones) drive the massive killing of innocent people in the DRC.

WATCH THE GRAND THEFT CONGO - DRC

The question for discussion is what can be done to reduce the suffering of women and girls in the DRC? Do you think the African Commission on People's and Human Rights have some stake in restoring lasting peace in the DRC? How can African women in the diaspora contribute to raising the profile of IDP women and girls in the DRC? Your contribution is of OUT MOST RELEVANCE!!!

SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONGO

Written by: Veronica Fynn

UPDATES
August 28, 2009: DRC Displacement Update
August 11, 2009: Hilary Clinton Condemns Impunity in Eastern Congo
August 10, 2009: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Violence in DRC

Do women have rights in war? What do you think?