In Your Eyes: The Women of Iraq Our World

Next on BBC News, it is our world. We report from Baghdad where two

million women struggle to get by and sex trafficking and

Ten years since the US-led coalition invaded Iraq, what is

this? 1, two, three, four, five. I'm here to find out what has

happened to the mothers, wives and daughters of the country. I want to

understand how they have become the hitting casualties of the war, the

women who have lost everything. How many people sleep in this one room?

Victims of violence whose voices weave their -- rarely here. And the

women who are fighting to get it The hidden casualties of war,

dignified woman who once had everything, lives, husbands, homes.

Now they are reduced to this, living in a dusty camp on the

outskirts of Baghdad. This is a widow's camp, home to a few of the

estimated one million widows across Iraq. She welcomes us like family.

Iraqis have a strong sense of family, and traditionally, a

relative would be taking care of. But decades of war have broken down

the family ties. The government calls at the camp of the grateful.

But these war widows were anything but. We gather in the mosque, the

only place for these women have to As word spreads around the camp

that I am there to hear their stories, one by one, the women pour

symbols of the damage and impact of all. Without the traditional

protection of a man, the world is a lonely place. Most men are not

prepared to take care of other men's children. If it is that hard

without a man, why don't you virtue, now it is simply a burden.

As I wander around the camp, I notice I have a shadow. This eight-

year-old is happy to meet a stranger and eager to take me to

her home. She immediately invites me in. Her husband was killed by

insurgent after Saddam Hussein's 4. She shows me around. How many

people sleep in this one room? This is a woman who clearly takes pride

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 40 seconds

in her home, even though it is not only an estimated 8% of women in

her situation had paid work of any kind. Most of the women at this can

have nothing but the $80 a month the government hands out. If they

are lucky enough to qualify, and fight through the Iraqi bureaucracy.

These women seem so vulnerable, so damaged by the war, it is hard to

imagine that things have ever been better. But there was a time when

Iraq was a beacon for women's rights. They had the first female

judge in the Arab world in the 1950s. By the 1980s, Iraqi women

were highly educated, hold professional jobs, and even had to

rights over marriage and divorce. But that changed after the first

Gulf War. And he is of sanctions that followed. -- and the years of

sanctions. After the US-led invasion in 2003, things got even

worse for women. Four of Iraq's top actresses rehearsing their latest

play. It is called the silence of women, about the loss of women's

rights since 2003. These rehearsals can only take place behind the

concrete barriers of the French cultural centre. The glamour of the

silver screen once made them stars. Now it has made them a target for

extremists who do not like their jobs or the subject-matter. She

director, encouraged her to get on stage. Do you think a father today

would encourage his daughter to be an actor on stage? So much has been

taken away, as the play's director the instability, the rise of Islam

is him, have all taken women rights survive and have few choices, they

have to use what they have got. According to one Iraqi NGO, there

has been a huge rise in sex work since the war. But meeting a

prostitute is not easy. These women shy away from public attention. One

woman finally agrees to talk to me. We have been forced to change the

location for our next interview. We are going to meet a woman who lives

in quite a dangerous and hostile area of Baghdad, and we are

concerned that if we are seeing in and around her house, she could

become a marked woman. Finally, we meet in a secluded apartment. She

is also a widow, but you would never know. Completely different to

the women I met at the camp. She tells me that her husband was

killed in fighting between US soldiers and insurgents.

TRANSLATION: Since I have two children, life became extremely

difficult. He was the only one supporting the country. I was

forced to do this job at the beginning and end it became a way

of life. You cannot make that sort of life. You cannot make that sort

of money in any other job. This is a very dangerous job in a very

dangerous place, and she needs to keep her Secret Life, secret. You

are constantly living in a state of fear? TRANSLATION: Yes, fear of

everything. I fear that a client may harm me or if I go with a man

they may batter me. Can you tell me how you actually work? TRANSLATION:

When I get to know people, I get to know businessmen, big army

officials, for example. They protect me. Whenever I need a

favour, I give them a call. Leaving her, I realise the sacrifices and

hard choices that women in Iraq have had to make to survive and

protect themselves. But even having a family in modern Iraq does not

always guarantee they will be safe. In fact, in some cases, it is

actually the families and that are the greatest threats. In recent

years, there has been a rise in honour killings and sex trafficking,

but the government will not make shelters for these women legal.

Indias working with women have to make a pledge saying they were not

Harbour runner ways. -- NGOs. This is a shelter for women. This place

is not even supposed to exist. She runs this underground shelter for

women who had been trafficked, abused, or whose lives are in

their families one day and date. And the law will do little to

protect them. -- want them date. It must be scary for you, when you

leave every day, the thought of someone coming in here and the

girls facing violence. Why do you think that things are so bad for

two. I find the young women in the living room, watching TV. Texting

boys and giggling. They met here and have become best friends. They

invite me up to their room. It could be a young woman's room

anywhere in the world, yet these young girls have had to change

their identity. They chose a new names themselves. One means

happiness and the other smile. She wanted to choose one that means

tears. Even now, she is petrified that her family will find her,

forced by her family to marry at 13, a few years later she was kidnapped

and raped by another man. For that, her family wanted her dead. Do you

She managed to escape to the shorter. Of footy years, she was

too scared to go out. Yet, she still misses the family she hides

from. Especially, her mother. Would That is unlikely to happen. Instead,

That is unlikely to happen. Instead, she hopes to find a man he will

Marion protect her. Haneen has also suffered. Her child was brutal.

Separated from her prostitute mother at four, she was left with

reunited with her mother. Instead, she was sold to a brothel. It took

a seven used to escape. The pain of despite all the courtiers that they

faced. -- cruelties. An unstable space like Iraq, you protection of

the most vulnerable is rarely a top priority. The government claims it

wants to provide a new kind of freedom for women. But everything I

have heard goes against this. The Iraqi government prides itself on

the fact that what if -- can defy % of parliamentarians need to be

women. But the only ones who can be a Cabinet minister can be found

here to the women's ministry. Dr Ibtihal Al-Zaidi certainly appears

in charge. All their other than her, it is only the men did in all of

the talking. TRANSLATION: It right to women are in a much better

position than in former regimes. Is it a problem that there are no

shelters for women who have been abused or physically assaulted?

TRANSLATION: I have said that as long as I am in the ministry and

with God's help, before I finish my term, I will try to create state

run shelters for Women. She may say she supports the idea but she goes

on to list Hurdle after hurdle. TRANSLATION: The truth is the

social situation in Iraq has not been receptive. What happens is

that to tell you the truth, the Minister of Employment is.

Convinced. To be honest, I'm not talking to religious clerics.

critics say these are all excuses. Her Islamist stance makes her a

poor protect of women. She vigorously defends her track record

and her personal views. TRANSLATION: I believe it does not

lessen from a woman's status if she is a begin to or spurned or her

father, or her brother, while keeping herself respect and

integrity and personality. -- obedience. This obedience and

respect is the memory ships or something interesting happens.

Someone has walked up to me and handed me this vote to say that the

handed me this vote to say that the Department is not what it appears

to be. That they do not have the resources that they need to get

things done for them. It is all just propaganda. It seems that

women and the problems are becoming more and more invisible. On every

level, from the government to the street. But not everyone is taking

it lying down. So on women are fighting back. These demonstrators

to to show love for the country and

for its women. Fitting them that it is on Valentine's Day, a holiday

Iraqis are very fond of. She wants to... no, never mind. One woman I

meet is Iraq's leading feminist, Hanaa Edwar. Happy Valentine's Day!

You to. She has never won the hijab. It is the least of her concerns.

She reminds me that in a place where his son that ministers

operate, it can be used as a tool to control women. -- Islamist

ministers. He can see some people using this to pressurise young

people. Some of these nasty person's use it. And they try to

threaten young people. And due -- and the University, the security

people and in the checkpoints sometimes. Along this group, I see

men and women standing shoulder to shoulder, especially the next

generation of young Iraqis. (APPLAUSE) Is not just about them

but those who cannot stand up for themselves. -- Hanaa Edwar. I am

full of anger. Full of anger towards our politicians. They are

sitting in the Greens zone. They do not know the pain of the people.

Their away. They are speaking nonsense. Let us have a look. She

keeps -- she takes comfort in the solidarity around her. What other

saying, Eckhart? Was struck on the love of the homeland. For her, it

is not just about speaking up by individuals beefing up, helping

others to learn and Cambridge. -- speaking up. -- courage. Bringing

will change. The saltier mac that you are up against institutions and

men who do what a sea-change? moors looking towards women and

But everyone is a convert. Do you think the men believe in feminism

or other key to pick up the women? No. We need a lot of work. I want

Zawra Park, a place where families can relax. In a space where there

is security and women have the protection of the families, life is

more carefree. At the park, a sport Zahra and Ali, holding hands.

Seeing someone's more. Even for an engaged couple, this is a clear act

of rebellion. You guys are going against all of the laws. Expressing

love. Yes.Surely you feel the pressure. Of course. It is a talent.

There is a lot of pressure. Sometimes you feel tired. Sometimes

you feel sick of it. But you want to show people that you are a woman

and that you want to show your rights as a human, just like men.

He must appreciate that in her? I'm lucky to find her. I'm lucky to

find some girl like her to love me. This is like when you search about

someone like you. And suddenly, you find it. Yes. This couple know they

their familminder that any change four minutes to start at

home. -- for women. Hardly changed your mind set of a man the? If you

have a brother, maybe in the same age, he can beat you. If you say to

him, mother, he hurt me. She also, he is a man. You have to obey him.

It is taught from age. It is part of tradition. Yes.Tradition is not

something this Iraqi couple is Iraq is now at a critical moment.

That matters most for the next generation of Iraqi women. Back at

the widows can, I am introduced to Janart. They are both eager to show

But only one of them is in school right now. Classes are free. There

is so many expenses the family cannot afford. Today, nearly one-

third of Iraqi women are illiterate. Circle teachers Zanib. -- Janart.

Despite the reality, they still plays for childhood dreams. What

you want to be when you grow up? And what would you like to be when

And what would you like to be when you grow up? Why do you want to be

school. I am struck by the two different path the girls are taking.