Study: 58% of women were subjected to violence during armed conflicts, suffered from illiteracy, and underage marriage as a result of social violence

The survey by the Iraqi Media Forum and its Voice Network for Women Human Rights Defenders in three governorates (Nainewa, Diyala and Anbar) on violence against women in conflict zones, including 500 random samples, showed 58% of women were subjected to violence during armed conflict, social violence was the most violent against them at 46%, followed by physical violence by 24%.

The announcement of the results of the questionnaire was at a conference held by the Iraqi Media Forum on Saturday, June 22 in Baghdad, the conference was opened by Dr. Saad Al-Hadithi, an academic and official spokesman for the previous government, on the subject of sexual violence in the conflict zones and the national and international mechanisms adopted in this regard, stressing that sexual violence has great effects on society.

                                           

The conference included the presentation of the results of the questionnaire by the Head of the Iraqi Media Forum Dr. Nibras Al Mamory and the Media Professor at Al-Farabi University, Dr. Nahla Abdullah. The results were distributed among social, health, economic, security and legal indicators.

81% of the women were displaced and 75% of them returned to their cities after receiving security. The rate of education for the respondents was 16% that means high rate of Illiteracy and the highest rate of educational attainment was the primary rate of 29%, and the rise of divorcees and widows by 25%, in addition to the decline of urban society and tribal, religious and rural rise by 55%.

Lack of safety in the camps the rate was 9% of the displaced women were subjected to violence and the most vulnerable to violence inside the camps were women from Anbar province, accompanied by a low turnout of women to complain when they were subjected to violence inside the camps because they are not aware of the laws guaranteeing their rights. It is certain that the achievement of peaceful coexistence depends on a strong security system and rapid government measures on health and education and improving the standard of living.

88% of the respondents said that Iraqi society needs all kinds of reconciliation to achieve social peace. The study ended with a question about the need for political, social or religious reconciliation, where 75% of respondents said that Iraqi society needs all kinds of reconciliation to achieve community peace.

The conference also included the presentation of a paper by the representative of the Immigration and Displacement Department Dr. Ahmed Kassem, which was reviewed by the Board member of the Forum, Anne Salah, the size of the assistance provided by the Ministry of Immigration to displaced women and the measures taken in the provision of safe places.

The Director of the Women’s Division at the Human Rights Commission, Ms. Rukia Mahmoud, presented a summary of the oversight role of UNHCR, the supporting bodies and committees formed in connection with the follow-up to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the reports submitted to the government and the UN in this regard.

The advisor to the Prime Minister, Mr. Iyad Banyan, praised the results of the questionnaire, pointing out that the field studies are one of the most effective ways to identify problems and find solutions to produce recommendations that can be implemented. He expressed his willingness to cooperate, especially with regard to youth in conflict areas and the possibility of achieving joint work.

The conference concluded with an open discussion by the attendees on the recommendations to be adopted and the working group that will formulate a comprehensive formulation of these recommendations to be an effective tool in solving the problems experienced by women in conflict areas.

The questionnaire, which lasted ten months for the period August 2018 to May 2019 within the project of protection and safety of women from violence and discrimination in cooperation with the National Fund to support democracy.