What now for the women of Afghanistan and Iraq?

National NOW Times, Fall 2003 by Cherrin, Amanda, Tengco, Leonard

According to a July 2003 Human Rights Watch report, the failure of Iraqi and U.S. forces to provide a domestic security has led to an increase in abductions and sexual violence against women. The report found that low priority was given to allegations of sexual assault and abduction, and those who attempted to report instances of sexual violence were met with indifference by both U.S. officers and Iraqi police. Many Iraqi women, frightened to leave their homes, are choosing safety over participation in public life and in the reconstruction of their country.

In the post-Saddam era, some rights are already being restricted. The Christian Science Monitor reports Iraqi Universities implementing dress codes, mosques turning away women who aren't wearing abayas over their clothing, and societal pressure on women to cover their hair. This turn toward the past is already having a devastating affect on the rights and liberties of Iraqi women.

by Amanda Cherrin and Leonard Tengco, Communications Interns