09/12/2008 / Sawa
Bushra Obeidi an Iraqi women activist and professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Baghdad confirmed the accuracy of reports of international organizations recognized the continuing violence against women as consequences of the rule of tribal and religious authority in Iraqi society.
Obeidi said in an interview with "Radio Sawa" there are reasons behind the violence against women in Iraq. She stressed that there are many officials who do not believe in the rights of women and their role in society, pointing to the importance of granting women the right to citizenship equal to that of men. She said that Iraqi civil society organizations have made many recommendations and proposals to reduce violence against women. But there is no official political will to address this phenomenon.
The Washington Post recently reported on the rise of the persecution of women across. The report said there are increase attacks on women in Iraq due to the influence of Islamists hardliners and clan leaders.
The paper reported last Sunday that human rights activists in Iraq are trying hard to resist the growing influence of Islamic extremists and tribesmen who required women to wear the hijab, and prevent access to education, while forming an obstacle to amend laws that mitigate punishment for the perpetrators the so-called honour crimes.
It is noteworthy that Iraqi laws is lenient with the perpetrators of killings against women, while the state security organs refrain to charge perpetrators of such crimes for fear of angering tribes leaders, the paper said.