In the shaded chambers of an Old City building in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, a collection of women convene every Sunday morning. Some converse amongst themselves while others dutifully concentrate on their knitting tasks. They are an integral part of the ongoing programmes conducted by the Better World Organisation for Community Development, a voluntary body agendaed with assisting people forced out of their homes due to the cataclysm with the Islamic State terror faction. After roughly a fortnight of gaining knowledge, they are filled with trepidation about the forthcoming challenges.
Seven years have elapsed post the emancipation of Mosul from a three-year span of Islamic State – often referred to as Isis – domination, and activity in Iraq’s second-biggest city is in full swing. Bustling marketplaces, convivial restaurants, and cafes lined with shisha-smoking patrons are commonplace. The public university, once in ruins, now witnesses tens of thousands of scholars returning to pursue their academic aspirations. Overcoming past traumas, however, continues to prove a steep climb for emigrants living on the edge.
The territory where women are mastering knitting had been amongst the last Isis strongholds during the clash. In July 2017, the severity of the nine-month armed conflict culminated in the ultimate expulsion of the militants from Mosul by a coalition consisting of Iraqi troops, the Shia militias, the Kurdish Peshmerga, and US support. Associated Press investigations reveal a staggering figure of nearly 11,000 civilian deaths occurred solely within this battle, labelled as the pinnacle in the protracted combat to reclaim extensive Isis-governed territories.
Current figures, presented by the UN and referenced by aiding organisations, reveal that the terrors of Isis’s reign have contributed to a displacement tally of 1.12 million individuals still residing in Iraq. Imrul Islam, the advocacy manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Iraq, sheds light upon a statistic of approximately 4.9 million survivors who have returned home. However, many retraced their steps to the shocking sight of their homes in ruins. The daunting prospect of scarce basic amenities, skeptical safety and security measures, and an incessantly fluctuating environmental climate has compelled these individuals to migrate once more. Islam observes, “Often these displaced families are relegated to informal settlement locales – typically tented camps located city outskirts like Mosul – where they experience a dire shortage of primary requirements such as shelter, healthcare, and education”.
The city’s most vulnerable citizens, having consented to share their living conditions, are making a plea for increased support, with their identities concealed for privacy. Observations from Iqra, a 39-year-old woman, reveal the harsh reality of their struggle. Relocating to Mosul due to the war driven loss of their farmland, Iqra found her living conditions deteriorated significantly compared to the simpler life outside the city.
Suffering from the financial hardship, her seven children, six daughters and one son, are unable to attend school. The family resides in a single room absent of any electrical amenities. Contributing to the family’s income, Iqra’s husband labours for twelve hours daily from 2am to 2pm in a tile manufacturing plant. Despite his strenuous task of lifting heavy blocks, his earnings of 8,000 dinars (£4.75) per shift barely meets their needs. The uncertainty of the future adds to the family’s anxiety.
Before the emergence of Islamic State, her husband worked as a security guard on a six-year contract. However, when Isis invaded, he was compelled to abandon his job due to the linked governmental threats for his safety. During the occupation, he remained at home while Iqra ventured out with her children to purchase milk and make yoghurt, which she sold to ensure their survival.
They endured further hardship during the fight against Islamic State as nearly nine rockets hit their home. Iqra had hoped for assistance from an international organisation to reconstruct their house, but they instead ended up residing in a camp for displaced individuals for over a year.
Facing financial hardships and destitution, a woman constantly searches for employment to support her family. Currently, they dwell in a house owned by charitable relatives who are keen for them to leave. Their next dwelling place, however, remains uncertain. The woman expressed her anxiety about the impact of these circumstances on her daughters, who she asserts cannot be dispatched to other relatives as one might do with sons. She managed to secure work with a local institution but lamentably received no remuneration. The family’s financial predicament is so severe they lack adequate funds for breakfast.
Another woman, Amra, aged about 40, witnessed the destruction of her house during bombings. Their rock-built home of three rooms, which was enough for their needs, was situated near Sinjar in a nearby village. No compensation was provided for her destroyed property. Her family also took shelter in a displacement camp till it was no longer functional. The family now finds themselves in a financial dilemma, wrestling with a monthly rental fee of 125,000 dinars, and hoping for any potential aid.
Things were drastically different before the occupation. The family used to live off the land, tending sheep and farming. Forced to sell their livestock due to the bombings, they had to abandon the land they once thrived on and decided to relocate. When escaping Sinjar, they had to take flight with no belongings apart from the clothes they were wearing.
Another woman, Sara, aged 40, divulged that her husband works in the construction sector, earning a daily income of 3,000 Iraqi dinars (around €2.10). Their current accommodation is so crude that they use buckets to collect the leaking rain. A sheet of plastic covering their blanket ensures they stay warm during rainfalls.
Sara disclosed that even 15,000 dinars a day would hardly meet their most basic needs. This includes daily necessities like vegetables, milk, and nappies. Their financial hardship is so severe that the ability to afford chicken once in a fortnight is regarded as a monumental achievement. Above all, Sara revealed her desire to purchase her own goods instead of relying on neighbours’ generosity.
Seventeen females are participating in vocational training, which includes workshops on sewing and candle making. The social worker responsible for managing these programs stresses the need for more support for these women, who can potentially struggle to put their new skills to use without the necessary equipment or entrepreneurial opportunities. Despite limited resources, the project has been beneficial. Walaa M Ahmed, the founder of Better World, voiced these concerns at the One Young World Summit in Belfast. Her non-profit organisation has supported over 10,000 women and young people through such programmes, with 100 women successfully establishing their own businesses.
Ahmed also shared how the relentless insurgencies from Isis in Iraq and Syria have caused catastrophic damage. It is expected that by summer, the Iraqi government aims to shut down the remaining camps for displaced people. Around 650,000 individuals, including approximately 280,000 Yazidis, residing in camps in the Kurdish region will be affected. Yazidis, an ethnic religious group, suffered extensively under the Islamic State, including mass slaughter and sex trafficking.
Islam, from the Norwegian Refugee Council, notes that humanitarian assistance needs in Iraq have decreased from 11 million in 2017 to 2.5 million in 2022. However, he warns that this optimism should be balanced with caution as progress could be reversed, including by climate change impacts. Furthermore, ongoing targeted aid is critical for communities facing elaborate barriers to sustainable displacement solutions.
Displaced women, particularly widows and orphans caused by the war, are having to grapple with both societal stigma and legal obstacles in an attempt to regain their rights. This is often due to a dearth of civil documentation, inducing a lack of identity and property documents. There have been reported cases where single mothers, victims of social prejudice, have been ostracised from their families and local communities, forcing them to move to hazardous localities.
Despite some advancements made by the administration, it is argued that access to legal help and solutions remains costly and a lengthy process. This situation largely impacts households led by women, making them an easy target for exploitation and maltreatment. Essentially, this implies that women are at a higher risk of being neglected and falling into a state of food scarcity and destitution.
The threat posed by climate change is also intensifying. Iraq has been experiencing summer temperatures surpassing 50 degrees. From 2016 to 2023, climate change displaced approximately 130,000 Iraqis, as per UN reports. In the previous year, the Norwegian Refugee Council reported that 60% of farmers from regions including Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Salahaddin were forced to either farm less land or use less water due to weather-related issues, as reported by Islam. In Sinjar and Ba’aj, one out of four small-scale farmers who were interviewed confessed they had been compelled to abandon farming completely.
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