Women in a Hostile Nation: Part II
Trying to save women from violence and death.

    
Yanar Mohammed, president of OWFI.

        As people stream into Yanar Mohammed’s office, her seemingly endless supply of energy never ceases. Every visitor gets her undivided attention and is treated like family.
        Outside the front gate, it feels like the rest of Baghdad; tense and inhospitable. Once inside the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq(OWFI), I feel welcomed. People there are friendly, accepting, and fearless. Given Iraq’s transition to an occupied country often locally ruled by hyper-religious leaders and militias, the courageous actions of Yanar Mohammed and her colleagues are astounding.
        Kidnapping, rape, trafficking, and killing of women started just months after the US invasion. It has increased dramatically in the years since, to the point where most females stay home for fear of the violence that has terrorized thousands.
        Far from hiding in the shadows, OWFI stages protests, challenges governmental rulings, and publishes a newspaper. They are strong opponents of Shari’a (Islamic) Law, and there is even a picture on their website of Yanar burning a hijab (veil). She varies her hours at the office, so people from whom she’s received death threats won’t know her schedule. Still, she’s not hard to find.

Yanar Mohammed listens intently to a young woman in her office.

        The organization also coordinates an “Underground Railroad”, which clandestinely removes women from life-threatening situations. “It’s an experimental program,” says Yanar, “and we are finding out what works best.”
        When a woman in peril contacts OWFI, she is taken to a secret shelter.
This removes her from immediate danger, and provides her with a safe, nurturing environment.
        After this, she is given resources to build new life. To many, the women and men of OWFI become their family. Women participate in the ongoing efforts to help other women, as well as low-profile community events. If a woman chooses to live her new life on her own, she is provided continued support, and her ongoing needs are periodically assessed.
        The ones who become active in the organization are given a positive cause to be a part of. Speaking about a quiet, but bright-eyed 17 year old girl, Yanar says, “For a long time she was very depressed. She has finally got a smile on her face, and is less afraid.”
        This seems to be a pattern, and though working with OWFI is risky, it can be a rewarding life where self-confidence can blossom. At the very least, it is wholly different from the frightened, lonely world many of them come from. Some of the women wear hijabs, some choose not to, but every one I meet looks me straight in the eye.

        “We want to build a small army of fierce women.” Yanar says. Females of all ages and backgrounds contribute different skills to the cause.
        A fearless young woman named Nadia travels all over the city alone, mapping locations of brothels and buildings where kidnapped women are sold. Hamida, once a political prisoner (tortured by electric shocks and by having her toenails pulled out), returns to Iraq’s prisons to advocate for women inmates. A vibrant woman named Zaine speaks openly about being sexually assaulted and traded; a courageous act in a country where ‘honor killings’ are practiced. (Only a month earlier, her cousin was the victim of such a killing)
        During my stay, a scandal surrounding horrid conditions at an orphanage in Baghdad hits the news. It shocks people around the world, but means more to members of OWFI. A few months earlier, they had worked tirelessly to get a girl placed in that very orphanage, thinking it was the best place for her. A concerned matronly senior member named Umbilal heads out to the dangerous neighborhood where the building is located, to try to find out what had happened to the girl. Only boys had been mentioned in the news reports, and this strikes everyone as a very bad sign.
        As I stand in Yanar’s office, she tells me about the situation. The utter sadness of it seems to catch her off guard, and I see a sudden, unexpected change. Her voice trails off mid-sentence; her eyes look to the floor. There is silence for a moment, and it is the only time I see fatigue and hopelessness in her face.
        Just then, footsteps break the silence. By the time I notice that someone has walked in the room, Yanar is already holding the hands of a female in her early twenties, and guiding her to a chair. She asks me to excuse them for a moment, and with a warm smile, she gives the young woman her undivided attention.

To learn more about women in Iraq or to contribute to OWFI, go to http://www.equalityiniraq.com/english.htm or contact the author at dwsmithemail@yahoo.com