Iraq: The Women's Story

Ratings: 7.83/10 from 36 users.

Iraq - The Women's StoryThe invasion of Iraq heralded promises of freedom from tyranny and equal rights for the women of Iraq. But three years on, the reality of everyday life for women inside Iraq is a different story.

To make this film, two Iraqi women risk their lives to spend three months travelling all over the country with a camera to record the lives and experiences of women they meet.

Dispatches: Iraq: The Women's Story provides a compelling account of a life inside Iraq that is rarely seen on news bulletins: stories of ordinary women whose struggle to survive has only worsened since the war.

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28 Comments / User Reviews

  1. Was Saddam good?

    "Iraqi girl" writes here that Iraq was much better with Saddam Hussein. Is that really true? Iraq made a deal with the USA and wanted their help. Iraq wanted Saddam dead. But the USA also made a mistake by staying in Iraq way too long!

    Saddam did some good things, but he also did very, very bad things.

    "He publicly hanged Jews in Baghdad. Saddam invaded and looted the neighboring Kuwait for no reason. He killed many of his own people. Saddam had his troops gas the Kurds in 1988 (people that live in nothern Iraq). He also tried to commite genocide of the Kurds."

  2. Iraqi girl

    I've been living in Canada for a couple of years now. I don't honestly hate Americans but I do blame some of them. Iraq wasn't like this when my parents were living there. Women were allowed to pretty much wear and do what ever they want. Men and women were equall. However after the Americans killed sadam things changed

  3. watchtheduck

    This is what we call "democracy"? Thanks America!

  4. Glen Hale

    You will never have peace while you have religion..we will always have religion, it's a form of mental illness.

    1. Adam Jackson-Farnell

      So then, are you mentally ill?

    2. Adam Jackson-Farnell

      ...As EVERYONE has religion.

    3. docoman

      You're wrong. Not everyone has religion. Some of us have the sense to reject the BS that all religions spew out. Agnostic is not a religion, deity or science. I hope more people have the sense in coming times to reject all the BS that religions put forth as 'truths'.

    4. Katie R

      so you are saying what all the religions are saying as well. "the other religions are wrong, come join us, we know what is right" but only saying that there is no religion.... you have your opinion and everyone else has theirs, there is no reason for you to tell everyone that religion is BS because most people strongly believe in their religion and they have that right, they don't have to "have the sense in coming times to reject all the BS" because most people don't think it is. Sorry but don't tell people what do do when you don't know either what really happened because you weren't there, you are merely a speck in the evolution of the planet and that is all you will be.

    5. Michael Jay Burns

      One thing is for sure, the VAST majority disagree with the rest of the VAST majority. Some choose some form or other of magic to explain it all; some rely on evidence and reason; many do a little bit of each. IMHO the "magic heads" are the most dangerous.

    6. docoman

      G'day Katie R, welcome to TDF.
      And the news is? I, and you, are not even a speck in the evolution of our planet, you over-rate us as individuals.
      If you read, I was replying to someone that said "EVERYONE has religion." And pointed out that is incorrect.
      I don't care what individuals believe, each to their own, I agree with you there. I was however, also expressing my opinion it's when it becomes organised into population control and power brokerage instead, is where the "BS" becomes a problem. That in itself is reason to tell people to at least think for themselves instead of just follow some religious leaders claims and instructions.

      I hope we (our species) can get past that, and have religion finally take it's rightful place.. in the hearts and minds of individuals, and not in the control of a relative few people to manipulate and dictate. To let it continue as a cause and catalyst for problems as it has for thousands of years is stupid and blind, and complete BS in my opinion. I hope we can get past religion being a cause for problems, as it has and still is.
      As for your;
      "sorry but don't tell people what do [I assume to mean 'to'] do when you don't know either".. blah blah "not there"... etc

      Ahh, can you spot the oxymoron in that?
      I'll help you, make it simple.
      You don't know, you weren't there either, so don't try to tell me what I can and can't do... don't try that religee-like hypocrite BS at me.
      Express your opinion, cool, whatever, but don't try to order me about like that thanks Katie. That's not your right. ;)

  5. Winston Smith

    The largest military base (and 'embassy' i/e colonial headquarters) on the planet is in Iraq. Lying piece of $hit corporate shill mass murderer Barack Obama has said he plans to leave 50 thousands US troops there. This is the man they gave a Nobel Peace prize to! The fact is our economy is based on war and the raping of the treasury by the elites. How else do you think the National debt went from 5 to over 10 trillion dollars in just two presidential administrations? My heart goes out to the people of Iraq, as it does to all those literally millions of innocent victims in the many countries and lives the US military has needlessly destroyed all over the world for the last 60 years. Sickening !

    1. Adam Jackson-Farnell

      So what do you think of the military industrial complex? Do you think the military is still an honorable vocation for anyone to join here in the US?

  6. N

    To the Iraqi women in this docu, yes it is a shame on the world that this was not stopped. As an American, I want you to know, we didn't all support this, no way, and, many of us had no idea what was really going on. Our media here is so filtered, most of us didn't know the truth from a lie. I am so sorry for your pain and our ignorance.

  7. manolo baclig

    shame to Halliburton and George W. Bush

  8. Christine81

    terrible I understood from the documentary, people were far better off with Sadam Husein than they are now after this completely illegal according to international law war took place. and I'm sure the little girl was brutally raped, I have heard a similar story of a kidnaping of a 10 year old. the only thing that made me happy in this film is the attitude of the father of the girls who practice sports. so nice to see that in a country that is being taken over by religious groups there are people with free spirits to stand up and defend their progressive ideas.

  9. lily46

    The bottom line is this:
    We are ALL HUMAN BEINGS! We need to stop killing each other in the name of religion, race, creed, beliefs!!! I know we, (the USA) has blood on our hands from innocent people from ALL over the world! I believe the military wants to target the terrorists, but as with any war, innocent people get hurt and killed. The Taliban and al Qaida rule with an iron fist. Women are stripped of their basic rights! We treat our pets better here in the US! This is wrong!!
    My heart goes out to all the innocent people affected by all of this. I am so sorry for your pain.

  10. Malik

    And for sure this is an American dream coming true by destroying houses hospitals and many more yet to happen ... but wait there is a reconstruction plane which will make their economy more power full and possessive ... but what about the people who died brutally by the combine US Army can they bring them back or reconstruct them !!! No matter what they do, we Muslims are still terror and we make jihad for fun
    Well the truth is American government is the real terror to mankind like it was Britain once… they are very good is case of taking innocent people lives and killing is fun for them which they enjoy

  11. EmviCyElEmE

    Ha, please Daniel, could you be in relations or actually the culprit behind the hand which governs some multi billion armament companies or maybe some of America's or Germany's or England's or even an Arab's top infrastructure firm?

    I see some great money to be made of the sorrow, pain, grief, tragedy beheld of any war victims, I can't even come forth to express the resent that I have for this entire world.We, the civilians or better said the ruled, hate us for our ignorance and inability of taking action, hate us for our feeble minds and stupidity, hate us for our hate, hate us fr real; and then come the true devils who govern us, some on behalf of others and a few on their own evil behalf.

    Ha, if you're reading this motherf*ckers, just wanna ask you this"Why?...are you so fanatically stupifide in a position of stupidity that you have your human-side, your God-given-side, so f--ked up that you actually could believe that what you are doing is for the grater good?...or what money is it, why?you invented it so I see no need for you to worry about that...then why?", I can't find any explanation.

    The women in the documentary was so right about "how the people's tax money are being spent"...if you think about it all that has happened in Iraq is the fault of the American people... it's the money you pay that ill form of government, that killed thousands, all that happened in Yugoslavia, Pakistan, Iraq, it's all your fault, you killed those people, you the tax motherf--king payer.

    I honestly can't see how Americans can go to sleep at night, guess it's the ignorance or leak of humanity.And of course, I'm not stupid, and I know that you are or can be decent human beings, but I'm just saying that if you looked at the bigger picture you and actually understand it, you, as I said above couldn't go to sleep at night, that's if of course you'd still have a little bit of humanity left in you.

    This world ain't right, war ain't right, I mean Muslims are also stupid for being so fanatic 'bout their religion and being so ready to give their lives for it. That's just incredibly idiotic we, or the God in us gave birth to our physical world and our soul purpose under the physical, material form is to experience as much as possible and evolve nothing more. I ain't saying that war is bad nor good, I'm just saying it ain't right.

    1. Adam Jackson-Farnell

      I agree with what you have said, but the abusive language detracts so much from it.

  12. Candide33

    The whole world needs to see this, no matter how hard it is to watch. Our government did not us to see anything from the war, they even forbid cameras at the air force base where the soldiers bodies are returned. That was not the case during the Vietnam war, we saw and we didn't like what we saw so we marched. If we had been allowed to see this time, we would have marched again that is why our media was neutered.

  13. Daniel

    Seeing Mahmoods son at his grave side at the end with his mum was upsetting. i really hope that they can all find relative peace in Iraq.I beleive the western world owes it to the Iraqi people to rebuild their entire infrastructure that they,(we)destroyed fraudulently.i cant see democracy working there either as 60% of the population are shitte and 40% sunni.

  14. Lucifer

    It's because of the U.S. presence the individuals in this documentary are able to speak out without threat of physical harm.

    The men of Iraq are portrayed as caring. The muslim faith does not allow it.

    The liberal press strikes again.

  15. someName

    Shia video!

  16. anonymous

    excellently done without that many resources. It was horrible to see people live in such grotesque conditions. We sleep peacefully yet families are destroyed. We eat fully while they are starving. We have fun and yet these people don't know what is fun. We laugh while they cry. WHAT ARE WE? ARE WE HUMANS?

  17. John

    Thanks, very interesting note

  18. valentina

    i found it funny how she said, "look at how the american tax payers money is being spent".

  19. jodee

    as salam aleykum,I am deeply heart broken,woman and children are and the innocent are the biggest victims of war,I see why war itself is a deception,and to those who are threaten by extremist,raise a banner above there homes,from the quran...there is no compulsion in religion,therefore the straight path is clear from error,who ever openliy trespass is flipping half the book behind ther backs,its a shame all the different evil fronts the poor have to fight or survive against,the weakest in society,and to the men dont let the extremist appeal to your male egos,oppress woman bring up oppressed children,wich then can be control by few,you are the god given guardian and protectors and providers of your family,dont give up your power of your family by other men who only there family come first,when you,woman are the nucleus of society when u elevate them in a constructive way you elevate the whole society, woman our allowed to show ther face and hands in more ways then one,only those who believe in this world only interpret the scripture extremly in this world,I pray freedom comes to iraQ soon,yet what ever groups in power another group will suffer,every side has suffered,but i hope they learn the lessons and a more united iraq will emerge,people need to unite behind the PEOPLE of IRaQ and be there brothers keeper,no matter what sect the come from,and not behind religious fractions who seek there own power ther eyes are on the oil themselves, or history will repeat itself but with diffrent people,I know there good and bad among american soldiers,as well as our our congress,help the ones that our trying to help it will come back too you in a round about way for both side,they will bring the truth back.the only comfort i have inregurds to knowing there plight is that gods on the side of orphans and widows and the rest will stand in judgement.

  20. Liz Vayne

    Hurtfut yet incredible insight.

    i thought i had problems, but these things women are going through there, are just unbearable