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In Her Own Words: Iraqi women talk about their greatest concerns and challenges

19 pages

Despite a significant reduction in sectarian violence and insecurity in Iraq, women continue to be at the centre of the severe hardship and turmoil that have characterised this region. This report is based on the effects of conflict on the life of the Iraqi woman, and her family. Using a case-study approach, the report was carried out by Oxfam and The Al-Amal Association (an Iraqi partner organisation), in the five provinces of Baghdad, Basra, Kirkuk, Najaf and Nineveh. Based on information collected over a period of several months starting in the summer of 2008, the survey involved 1700 respondents and is a follow up to Oxfam's 2007 report, Rising to the Humanitarian Challenge in Iraq. It focuses on carefully selected indicators which included Security, Income, Shelter, Accessibility to drinking water, Electricity, Education and Health Care, to analyse the day-to-day struggles of the women in present-day Iraq. The women were chosen to reflect a diverse range of ethnic, religious, sectarian, geographic, economic and social backgrounds, and come from both urban and rural areas. 60 percent of the women indicated that issues of safety and security continue to be their most pressing concern, a significant percentage are out of jobs or never employed, many do not have access to potable drinking water and a significant proportion indicated a worsening situation of access to healthcare. The report made its conclusions by urging donor countries, particularly the United States and United Kingdom, to take urgent measures in helping to rebuild Iraq and ensuring life of the women in Iraq improve significantly.