NIQASH: Why are you doing this?
Abdul-Ali: I launched this campaign on Facebook because of the pressures being put on women as a result of the revival of tribal traditions in Iraq [following the 2003 US-led invasion that ended former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s regime]. There are also increasing levels of violence, discrimination and verbal and sexual harassment.
The phenomenon of early and underage marriage also seems to be becoming more widespread and this prevents women from getting an education, not to mention the societal impact this has on divorced and widowed women.
And I used Facebook because I wanted to remind Iraqi women of their rights. Many women both inside and outside Iraq have joined the Facebook page and that number has almost reached 10,000. Many of them are human rights activists.
NIQASH: Have you planned any action outside the realm of social media?
Abdul-Ali: Not yet. First I want to build a solid base of supporters who believe in their own rights and who know those rights shouldn’t be taken away from them. But there should also be more active participation and that’s what I’m trying to encourage. I’m also trying to cooperate with local women’s rights and welfare organizations.
NIQASH: You’ve talked about sexual harassment in Iraq?
Abdul-Ali: Women in our society are increasingly being harassed. But our society doesn’t approve of women who respond to the harassers. They expect women to turn a blind eye.
If the women do respond aggressively, society doesn’t exactly sympathize with them. The women are described as “too masculine”, just because they defended themselves.
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