In the midst of a war, hundreds of Iraqi women were forced to flee their homes and have been unable to return. The delays they have suffered will likely extend themselves due to the Coronavirus, according to researchers

After years of being in camps for those who have been displaced, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has found that women were 11% more likely to face impediments preventing them from going home than men were. The people in these camps were displaced during the 2014 Islamic State Group.

Due to the fact that title deeds that prove ownership are typically bare the name of the male head of the household, which in most caes were killed in the violence, it is becoming increasingly difficult for women to demonstrate proprietorship.

Aside from seeking access to their own property, these women are also entitled to compensation for homes damaged during the Islamic State Conflict.

Courts in Iraq have closed because of the pandemic, only setting this justice further back and postponing legal hearings, according to Sanne Boswijk, an NRC advisor in Iraq.

For women to obtain access to the court in Iraq is difficult enough in the first place, let alone in the middle of a pandemic.

“Women who are affected by war, by conflict, they’re displaced, they’re trying return home, are facing a number of secondary crises and now you have a pandemic on top of that.” Jennifer Abrahamson, head of advocacy and communications at Landesa

During the conflict with the Islamic State back in 2014, around 15% of the population (roughly 6 million Iraqis) were forced to flee their homes, as stated in United Nations data.

The Norwegian Refugee Council conducted a survey that tested around 1,000 women across four areas of Iraq that were devastated by the conflict. Aside from this survey, there were many group discussions and profound interviews.

9% of the women surveyed stated that their property was now occupied by relatives, local tribal leaders, security forces, and militias, prohibiting their return.

A 73-year-old woman named Sabaha Ahmad was amongst the thousands displaced Iraqi women who says that she, and other women, have been facing discriminatory practices as Iraq recovers from the conflict.

Because of the extensive tribal disputes since the war, Sabaha has not been able to return home. She has spent the last four years in camps in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region.

In countries where women’s rights are heavily influenced by local traditions and tribal customs, the Coronavirus pandemic has only heightened these women’s difficulties, and not only in Iraq; many middle-eastern women have suffered the effects of this situation.

Even with the proper documentation, the mindset of some governments is so outdated that it is still perceived as unmentionable for a women to speak to leaders without the presence of at least one male relative.

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