Red Cross says millions of women-headed families in Iraq

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: An estimated one to three million families in Iraq are supported by women who have lost their father or husband due to conflicts and wars, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a report. “It was women who suffered most from the conflicts… Being a patriarchal society, Iraqi society has made it difficult for women to live without a man. Without a male relative, (Iraqi) women lack security and economic, financial and social support,” read the report that was received by IraqiNews.com news agency. “Thousands of men have gone missing throughout the past decades, leaving behind wives and children to suffer…,” it added. According to the report, most of women-supported families in Iraq live in abject poverty with an average income of $125 U.S. dollars. Today marks the International Women’s Day (IWD). It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. SS (P) 1