A year after the protests, what has been achieved for the Iraqi demonstrators?

One year after the protests, the Iraqi protesters will be unbeatable

Iraqi women in the protest squares .. What has been achieved for the Iraqi demonstrators?

Despite the violent events that accompanied the Iraqi protests last year, and the many deaths and injuries, the women participating in the demonstration squares retain the same will and determination to renew participation in the demonstrations that will start on October 25.

Activists and demonstrators believe that participation in the last year was not enough, and actual participation will be emphasized when the protests renew, and to contribute to all the activities that will be revived in the demonstrations square, despite the expected great concerns about what will happen during this year.

Iraqi protesters confirmed that their presence will be effective in the upcoming protests this month (Al-Jazeera)

Upcoming demonstrations

Activist Iman Amer told Al-Jazeera Net, "Preparations are underway and there is a crowd for the upcoming demonstrations, and here we have great resolve as women and young women in Dhi Qar governorate, and just as we had a remarkable presence in the 2019 demonstrations, we will have an effective presence in the 2020 demonstrations, and we affirm to continue demonstrating despite all What happens".

"Any targeting that happens to us will strengthen our resolve further to stand with the youth in their moments in the middle of the protest squares, as they shout the loudest voices (We want a homeland), and this slogan motivates us to protest, raise demands for reform and fight corruption," Iman added.

Last year, we participated - as Iman says - strongly, and we were present in artistic and cultural events, cleaning up "Al-Haboubi" Square, painting on the walls to express the protest, and participating with women's volunteer teams providing logistical support to the demonstrators for long periods.

The demonstration created in us a spirit of teamwork and fusion in the homeland above all.

The protest squares in the governorate of Dhi Qar and Basra, in the south of the country, were the scene of artistic and musical activities, and the emergence of young talents in drawing on the walls to document the protests, and many activists in the popular movement calling for reform and accountability for the spoilers, and the squares for long days turned into cultural and poetic festivals as they were held in them Political seminars.

Mona Al-Hilali talked about re-erecting women's tents and changing her location in Dhi Qar (Al-Jazeera)

The role and demands of women

In the presence of activists in the Dhi Qar movement, Mona Al Hilali, activist and head of the Women and Children Organization, told Al-Jazeera Net that a consultative seminar on the reality of women in the governorate was held and discussed in detail.

Al-Hilali explains that the symposium had dealt with important axes related to women's political participation, the role of Dhi Qar women in the October Revolution, and women's demands for the next stage, and the aim of that is to involve women in negotiations, reconciliation and dialogue, and to nominate activists to run for elections from Al-Haboubi Square, the protest center in Nasiriyah away from the umbrella of parties.

And she continued, "As well as encouraging their candidacy as independents and within fair civil currents, and activating the parliament representation office in the governorate, especially the office of the women's committee and organizations that are suspended from work, and activating women's empowerment committees in government departments in the governorate."

The most important thing - as Al-Hilali says - is to re-set up women's tents and change their location, which guarantees the protection of women, and to start collecting donations to provide them with means to prevent the Corona pandemic, and to address methods of mobilization and emphasize awareness and peace by demonstrating, and activating the role of monitoring and documentation of violations committed by the demonstrators in Al-Haboubi Square, recording and archiving the names of women participating in the Al-Haboubi Square protests.

With regard to women's demands, Al-Hilali affirms that important issues related to the reality of women in Dhi Qar have been raised, most notably the activation of the Temporary Expenditure Fund Law No. 253 of 1980, the rejection of attempts to change Article 57 related to custody, and some amendments through a questionnaire for all groups of people, and permitting Feminist civil society organizations specialized in women and human rights should visit female prisoners in Al-Islah prison in Dhi Qar to get acquainted with their conditions and circumstances.

Al-Hilali added that women in the Dhi Qar demonstrations formed a large space through their participation at all levels, as they set up tents, provided food, and participated in demonstrations and protests, in addition to holding awareness seminars inside the tents.

The governorate did not record any cases of assault or harassment against women participating in the protests throughout the days of the demonstrations, and what happened only was the assassination of the prominent activist (Umm Abbas), after gunmen stormed her home in April 2020 and shot her.

Basra Governorate recorded the first assassination incident in early 2019 of the activist Sarah and her husband Hussein, and then the scene was repeated on August 20, so the activist and prominent doctor in the Basra demonstrations, Reham Yaqoub, was assassinated.

Students while participating in a previous demonstration in Nasiriyah (Al Jazeera)

Hold on to protest

The woman never left the protest arena - as activist and demonstrator Eman Al-Amin says during her interview with Al-Jazeera Net - as she found herself in it, and it was her opportunity to express and show her rejection of her tired reality.

Al-Amin added that women suffer from double marginalization, but during the height of the uprising, she did not carry her own demands, but rather called with everyone for a homeland despite her problem as a society and a nation, but she wanted to obtain a homeland and then sue the society that wronged her and continues to rob her of her rights.

Women have never stopped protesting - as Al-Amin says - despite the Corona pandemic, we used to hold meetings and seminars and form networks for advocacy via the Internet, and we try as much as possible to convey our voice to the United Nations and international organizations, we are in a constant movement protesting until the return of the homeland and taking the revenge of the martyrs and the wounded and the return Kidnapped.

What was achieved in the demonstrations last year - according to what civil activist Shatha al-Qaisi asserts - is that the protest created political and social awareness of women in Dhi Qar during their participation in the youth uprising.

According to her interview with Al-Jazeera Net, Al-Qaisi expects greater female participation during the upcoming demonstrations, and this is what was confirmed by the protesters and their need for women to participate in the demonstration, as she is experiencing the same suffering that young people live.

For several weeks, a continuous mobilization has been taking place to revive the demonstrations, which are expected to begin on October 25, while there are fears that violence will prevail in the protests, which have greatly decreased their frequency due to the Corona pandemic.