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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| The shame of Iraq's pariah widows | The shame of Iraq's pariah widows |
| (2 days later) | |
| By Mike Sergeant BBC News, Baghdad | By Mike Sergeant BBC News, Baghdad |
| Her husband and three brothers were killed. Her parents were already dead. Her house was burnt down. She was pregnant at the time and lost the baby. | Her husband and three brothers were killed. Her parents were already dead. Her house was burnt down. She was pregnant at the time and lost the baby. |
| But, in the months that followed, Nadia Hussein had to endure much more. | But, in the months that followed, Nadia Hussein had to endure much more. |
| Now she lives at a refuge for women in the centre of Baghdad. | Now she lives at a refuge for women in the centre of Baghdad. |
| She spends her days feeding the pigeons and cooking. It's a place for her to escape the many dangers widows face in Iraq. | She spends her days feeding the pigeons and cooking. It's a place for her to escape the many dangers widows face in Iraq. |
| 'Nephew beat me' | 'Nephew beat me' |
| "After my husband died, I found work as a housekeeper," she told me. | "After my husband died, I found work as a housekeeper," she told me. |
| "A man and his brother tried to make advances on me. They tried to sexually assault me. I refused. | "A man and his brother tried to make advances on me. They tried to sexually assault me. I refused. |
| Nadia Hussein's ordeal is an all too familiar story for Iraqi widows"My nephew, who is an alcoholic, also used to beat me and accuse me of bad things." | Nadia Hussein's ordeal is an all too familiar story for Iraqi widows"My nephew, who is an alcoholic, also used to beat me and accuse me of bad things." |
| Nadia said the people at the refuge were now her only family. But she still asks for their approval before doing anything or going anywhere. | Nadia said the people at the refuge were now her only family. But she still asks for their approval before doing anything or going anywhere. |
| Her story is not particularly unusual. Accurate figures are hard to obtain, but even before the invasion in 2003, there were hundreds of thousands of widows in Iraq. | Her story is not particularly unusual. Accurate figures are hard to obtain, but even before the invasion in 2003, there were hundreds of thousands of widows in Iraq. |
| Many lost husbands in the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. At the height of the violence of recent years, up to 100 women a day were becoming widows. | Many lost husbands in the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. At the height of the violence of recent years, up to 100 women a day were becoming widows. |
| Almost everywhere you go in Baghdad, you can see them begging at traffic lights and outside mosques - dressed from head to toe in black. | Almost everywhere you go in Baghdad, you can see them begging at traffic lights and outside mosques - dressed from head to toe in black. |
| The women are supposed to be given just over $1 (£0.70) a day from the government. | The women are supposed to be given just over $1 (£0.70) a day from the government. |
| But a survey by the charity Oxfam has discovered that less than a quarter actually get the money. | But a survey by the charity Oxfam has discovered that less than a quarter actually get the money. |
| 'Will of God' | 'Will of God' |
| Many face physical and sexual abuse. Some are told to marry men who already have wives. | Many face physical and sexual abuse. Some are told to marry men who already have wives. |
| My husband always wanted me to be a suicide bomber Umm Harith | My husband always wanted me to be a suicide bomber Umm Harith |
| Shia tradition also permits "temporary marriages" - which only last for a matter of days or weeks. | Shia tradition also permits "temporary marriages" - which only last for a matter of days or weeks. |
| A few widows have themselves wanted to die violently - there have been many attacks by female suicide bombers. | A few widows have themselves wanted to die violently - there have been many attacks by female suicide bombers. |
| Umm Harith was trained to carry one out but she backed away from going through with it. | Umm Harith was trained to carry one out but she backed away from going through with it. |
| "When my husband died I felt very isolated," she said. "He always wanted me to be a suicide bomber. | "When my husband died I felt very isolated," she said. "He always wanted me to be a suicide bomber. |
| "When he was killed, I wanted to blow myself up. I wanted to kill the people who took away the person who was most precious to me." | "When he was killed, I wanted to blow myself up. I wanted to kill the people who took away the person who was most precious to me." |
| Most of the widows we spoke to in Baghdad, though, do not seem to be interested in revenge. | Most of the widows we spoke to in Baghdad, though, do not seem to be interested in revenge. |
| They accept what has happened to them as the "will of God". | They accept what has happened to them as the "will of God". |
| Indeed those who campaign on their behalf say one of the hardest things is getting the widows to think that they deserve better lives. | Indeed those who campaign on their behalf say one of the hardest things is getting the widows to think that they deserve better lives. |
| "It's not just about legislation," said Hana Adwar, a campaigner for women's rights. | "It's not just about legislation," said Hana Adwar, a campaigner for women's rights. |
| "The problem is the way people behave inside the family. The question is how to change attitudes and behaviour towards them." | "The problem is the way people behave inside the family. The question is how to change attitudes and behaviour towards them." |
| Nightclub dancers | Nightclub dancers |
| Improvements in security have led to some shady opportunities for those who have lost their husbands and income. Nightclubs have started to reopen in Baghdad. | |
| We visited one of them. The scene would previously have been unthinkable. | We visited one of them. The scene would previously have been unthinkable. |
| It's so difficult for women and girls to walk around freely - because of our traditions and our culture Haifa Raheem | It's so difficult for women and girls to walk around freely - because of our traditions and our culture Haifa Raheem |
| Men were sitting around drinking alcohol, listening to music and being entertained by women dancing. | Men were sitting around drinking alcohol, listening to music and being entertained by women dancing. |
| Involvement in any of those activities a couple of years ago could have got you killed in Iraq. | Involvement in any of those activities a couple of years ago could have got you killed in Iraq. |
| I talk to the singer who works there. He says women are employed just to dance and talk to the customers. | I talk to the singer who works there. He says women are employed just to dance and talk to the customers. |
| But he tells me there are many other nightclubs in Baghdad where widows will leave with men for the right price. | But he tells me there are many other nightclubs in Baghdad where widows will leave with men for the right price. |
| There are a few places in this city where the women can get help. | There are a few places in this city where the women can get help. |
| At one centre, they are being taught the skills they need to find jobs - like IT and nursing. | At one centre, they are being taught the skills they need to find jobs - like IT and nursing. |
| Many are illiterate, though, and jobs are hard to come by. | Many are illiterate, though, and jobs are hard to come by. |
| The support available is dwarfed by the scale of the problem. | The support available is dwarfed by the scale of the problem. |
| Just 120 - of the many tens of thousands who lost husbands since 2003 - have been given somewhere to live at a trailer park on the outskirts of Baghdad. | Just 120 - of the many tens of thousands who lost husbands since 2003 - have been given somewhere to live at a trailer park on the outskirts of Baghdad. |
| Respect | Respect |
| Haifa Raheem is one of them. | Haifa Raheem is one of them. |
| Inside her aluminium trailer, there is almost no furniture and just a few mats on the floor. | Inside her aluminium trailer, there is almost no furniture and just a few mats on the floor. |
| She lives here with her seven children and her mother. The family is almost entirely dependent on handouts. | She lives here with her seven children and her mother. The family is almost entirely dependent on handouts. |
| "It's horribly hot in the summer," she said. "Staying here is better than nothing. | "It's horribly hot in the summer," she said. "Staying here is better than nothing. |
| "But it's so difficult for women and girls to walk around freely - because of our traditions and our culture." | "But it's so difficult for women and girls to walk around freely - because of our traditions and our culture." |
| There's talk of passing new laws, and finding extra money for the hundreds of thousands of widows. | There's talk of passing new laws, and finding extra money for the hundreds of thousands of widows. |
| But campaigners say what they need more than anything is more respect in Iraqi society. | But campaigners say what they need more than anything is more respect in Iraqi society. |