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Iraq: Pressure on women to volunteer in the armed forces in 1999

A 12 March 1999 article in The Orange County Register states that, once a year, the Ba'ath Party calls upon Iraqi men and women alike to receive "civil militia training." According to the article, the men's training course is, "unlike the one for women, a form of compulsory reserve duty." The article reports on a group of 70 women who would meet every afternoon from 4 to 6 in a high school near Baghdad for their one month training course. The article further describes the militia service as a "morale-building and propaganda-dispensing device" and notes that those participating would unlikely "see any action."

No additional and/or corroborating information on pressures placed on women to volunteer for the Iraqi armed forces could be found within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Reference

The Orange County Register [Santa Ana, California]. 12 March 1999. Nomi Morris. "Militias Train Iraq Women." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

Internet sources including:

Amnesty International

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999

Derechos – Human Rights. Human Rights in Iraq

European Bureau of Conscientious Objection (EBCO)

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

The Iraqi Foundation. Search facility

Peace Pledge Union Online (PPU). Military conscription

World Resisters' International (WRI)

World Resisters' International (WRI) Women