Women in Protest
The October 2019 protests was an opportunity for young Iraqi women to express their frustrations and concerns and make calls for change to society. Both as protestors and artists, women have participated in the protests to demand social justice. In a patriarchal, male-dominated society, the October 2019 saw women from different parts of the country and from different classes engage in political expression, including as artists, graphic designers and muralists.
The protests in Baghdad and other cities helped galvanise support for women's rights in the country, especially as mobilisation revolved around the production of new physical spaces that were in part free of the social restrictions found in Iraqi society.
Art production and murals that refer to or depict women in Iraq was key theme and featured heavily across all forms of expression. Women's art concerned all aspects of social, political and economic rights and contextualises those themes debates within a context of religion, patriarchy, sectarianism and post-2003 politics.
''Women drew many great pieces as well, some of them were wonderful and maybe some women were encouraged by my painting (even if my role was very minimal). I have seen many women painting around Tahrir, but also many other things as women took all kinds of roles during the protests''
Iraqi Artist from Baghdad.
“As a woman, it was the best feeling to be part of the protest movement. One thing I remember when an old man brought his daughter next to me and took a picture of us together. I felt like I knew them, and we were like a family. When it was tough and people were injured, I had to help, and I did not care much about my life but I wanted to help others”.
Iraqi Female Artist from Baghdad.
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