Women’s Treatment in the Country of Iraq

Women’s Treatment in the Country of Iraq

by

Jonathan Solares

By exploring the role of government and religion in Iraq, the observation of how women are treated will be studied. The way government and religion both deal hand in hand in the discrimination, aggression, and horrible treatment will be explored. Sexism and anti-feminism is still very much alive in the country of Iraq. This is due mostly to the religion of which the government upholds in high standard.

The Government is currently adopting its new democratic standing of which is based upon the United States Government, there is however much room for improvement in terms of laws, the legislative, and the judicial branch. The government however has more power over the people than the U.S. in terms of being able to pass a law without the peoples consent.

For a long period of time the aggression and discrimination toward women in Iraq has been constant. This has led to an extended period of time that Women have had little to no rights in the country. Due to this many women had protested and been silenced for their request for equal rights. When there is still cause for women from various countries to fight for change from the government and change of the laws regarding women and their rights, there is viable need for a revision to the legislative branch of the new democratic nation.

The government policies play a part in the discrimination and aggression toward women. “Reform is also needed in providing practical help for women. An example of such help is shelters,In Iraq there are no regulations or legislation mandating shelters” This is caused by there not being gender equality.

Even though there is now a freedom of religion law and practice in the country of Iraq the majority religion is still Islam of which 97% of the population practice. It is apparent that the government laws and the way officials, and civil workers in Iraq act, influence the way women are treated, however the biggest influence is what 97% of the population practice, the religion of Islam.

In the Quran there are many texts that state the superiority of men above women. There are texts in the Quran that state that women are inferior to men and should be treated as such. There are laws decreed in the Quran that you are supposed to discriminate your wife. It is a horrifying fact that there are texts in the Quran that state that if you do not like your wife you may beat her.

Here are the direct texts from the Quran

Qur’an-4:34 “Men have the authority over women because Allah has made the one superior to the other, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient.”

Qur’an-4:34 “As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and send them to their beds apart (stop having sexual relation with them), and scourge them.”

The practice of men being superior to women is one of the biggest reasons for the sexism in this country. The religion of Islam, due to its deep rooted history with the culture of the Iraqi, and because of its statements of women being inferior has greatly influenced the degrading treatment of women. The superiority complex that is presented in the culture of Iraq is a difficult one to address because it spawns from its religious beliefs. For the UN, the United States and neighboring countries want to instill democracy in this country and democracy allows for freedom of religion, but it also supports rights for equality for men and women which can bring some conflicts between the government and the religion of this region.

The Religion of Islam due to being so upheld at a high standard, in the same manner as Christianity here in the US, the laws that the Quran state are practiced and many times enforced by the government itself leading the way for violet aggression and discrimination toward women.

It is apparent that the real cause of such a widespread discrimination and aggression toward women is caused not only by the upbringing and culture but also due to mostly to the religion. The government upholds this religion as the main religion due to 97% of the population practicing it. Until more laws against discrimination of women are upheld and more diversity of religion is allowed there will not be a change.

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