Iraqi War Widows’ Plight

Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi women clamor for aid as they face what many call the “human consequence of war.”

The New York Times estimates 1 in every 11 women in Iraq are war widows.

Hello, I’m Charlotte Bellis, and you’re watching Newsy.com. That was video from Iraqi network Al-Iraqiya.

As the number of war widows in Iraq reaches more than 740-thousand, the Iraqi government faces an exhaustion of its available resources.

We’re following perspectives from Al-Iraqiya, the New York Times, United Nations news agency IRIN, the Washington Post, and others.

Al-Iraqiya brings us one widow who complains the Iraqi government isn’t even trying to help war widows.

“Every time I go to a government institution asking for help they don’t listen to me. No one is trying to understand me. I don’t have a home or shelter for me and my children.” (Al-Iraqiya)

The New York Times reports there IS one place to turn—Al Waffa—or “Park of the Grateful.”

“Park of the Grateful” is an aid program of trailer parks that house 750 people… that’s less than 1 percent of the total estimated number of widows in Iraq.

United Nations news agency IRIN brings us this photo of a widow and her children, and reports that government funding for humanitarian assistance is virtually nonexistent.

The Washington Post brings us the frustrated perspective of the Head of Iraq’s social welfare fund, who says:

“The money is not sufficient. The time is not sufficient. Our lives are not sufficient at this point.” (The Washington Post)

The Assyrian International News Agency reports some Shiite women have turned to less desirable options in accordance with their tradition, reporting the government and religious tribal leaders often offer financial help to women willing to submit to “temporary marriages”.
 
But the dire situation of Iraq’s widows has gotten some global attention recently. Seattle’s KIRO-7 TV reminds us of the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush. As he hurled his second shoe he said:

“This is for the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.’” (KIRO-7 TV)

The Philippine Inquirer highlights the perspective of another widow who echoes that sentiment:

"The US forces came to Iraq to make us live in freedom, but we didn't find freedom, we find killing and bloodshed every day and everywhere… At least my husband was alive [before the invasion] and we were living in peace." (Inquirer.net- Philippines)

Inter Press Service gives the perspective of an Iraqi Red Crescent spokesperson… who says the world shares the blame:

"There can be no compensation for losing a husband… The world is responsible for these women who lost their spouses in the name of the international community." (Inter Press Service)

Iraq’s war widows are eligible for up to $90 per month in government stipends, but the aid is widely criticized as not enough.

What do you think can be done to improve the conditions of war widows in Iraq? Who is responsible for providing aid? Please share your thoughts and ideas with us, and be sure to check out our sources.