Statement by the Aman Women’s Alliance regarding the anniversary of the overthrow of the regime and conditions of women after 2003

Statement by the Aman Women’s Alliance regarding the anniversary of the overthrow of the regime and conditions of women after 2003
The previous dictatorial regime in Iraq brought tragedies, wars, executions, and terrorism the likes of which have not been witness in the contemporary world. As such, the overthrowing of the regime in 2003 came as a dream for the millions of oppressed Iraqis. According to Bush, the declaration of war claimed to “liberate Iraqi women from the oppression of dictatorship.” Yet, what happened next, within the first years of the fall of the regime, was a fierce attack on women including the violent imposition of the compulsory hijab on women and girls, including children. Hundreds of women and girls were murdered by militias for not submitting to the new requirement. The spread of violence in the country, for many years, resulted in the confinement of women and girls in their homes. Many women and girls lost their freedom outside of the domestic space for fear of violence; the lack of security conditions on the one hand, and as a result of the revival of the most misogynistic elements of culture hostile to women’s rights and dignity, on the other.
Recently, women have been exposed to various types of blackmail and exploitation in various forms. Previously rare phenomena, such the severe restriction upholding “modesty”, “temporary marriage”, “child marriage”, “informal marriage”, and unprecedented levels of domestic violence, became increasingly widespread. Moreover, economic insecurity for women increased due to the lack of adequate job opportunities resulting in higher rates of poverty.
The scourge of wars resulted in the collapse of Iraqi infrastructure, namely public services including healthcare. This, combined with the severe environmental damage caused by mass warfare, resulted in the increase of previously uncommon diseases and epidemics, such as particularly malignant cancers.
Further, the lack of state control over the borders and widespread state corruption led to the illegal trading and entry of expired foodstuffs and medicines, and most importantly of all, the human and drug trade became active in a way that Iraq had never witnessed before.
Health conditions have deteriorated frighteningly, education conditions have deteriorated, and additional burdens have been added to women in educating their children.
Yazidi women subjected to genocide and trafficking at the hands of ISIS. The crime of institutionalized slavery of women returned to a society after centuries since these crimes were vanished.

Paul Bremer’s policies of strengthening’ tribalism through coordination with tribal leaders is an extension of the policies of the Bremer’s policies of ‘previous regime and allowed for the invocation of tribal law as a powerful authority, greater than that of the state, namely for personal disputes such as marriage and divorce. The rise of tribalism is not a natural progression for Iraq, the birthplace of one of the first legal texts benefiting humanity.
The country has shifted towards various mini states ruled by clans and militias with violence as the main language of communication and conflict resolution.
The violations and oppression experienced by Iraqi women over the last two decades is endless. All because they were born girls!
Yet, despite all this, the activists and women’s rights defenders are not silent and passive. Rather, they sought to express their rejection of this harsh reality for women and girls and formed organizations to express their will and use their capabilities to change their bitter realities.
They have demanded, and still are, changing the laws that treat female citizens as a second-class citizen, as a minor, and as a slave to a man who has the right to abuse and “discipline” her. They stood against the medieval laws that still govern women’s lives. They have demanded and continue to demand a law criminalizing domestic violence. They demanded equal rights and equality in employment opportunities. They petitioned for the ending harassment and blackmail in all its forms. And still, they fight for the most basic civil and individual rights, such as the right to choose their clothing, the right to choose a life partner, the right to free time and rest, the right to reduce the responsibilities of care work.The past twenty-one years have been years of struggle against gender-based oppression of women!
We will not accept that women are treated inferiorly, we will not accept that they are treated as second-class citizens, and we will not accept that we are persecuted because we were born females.
Our decision is to obtain our full and undiminished rights, which we did not achieve during the time of the dictatorial regime, but we are still fighting for them after the upheaval of the Iraqi political and social system that afflicted Iraqi women and Iraqi society as a whole after 2003.
Aman Women’s Alliance
April 9, 2024