The women of Iraq were once part of the most highly educated women. In Iraq, unlike many bordering countries, women had many rights. Men and women shared equal pay; they received six full months of maternity leave and could even serve in the army. It was very easy for the women in Iraq to find jobs and had many opportunities to work in numerous professions. Today, it is believed that these women are pitiful creatures …showed first 75 words of 662 total…

…showed last 75 words of 662 total…supplies" (El-Awady). Women's standing in Iraqi society has suffered along with everything else. Due to the economy, many women have lost their jobs and abandoned their education. They ended up losing both their financial independence as well as their best opportunities for self-determination and freedom. Yet this loss seems minor during a time when most women in Iraq focus all their efforts in search of enough food and clean water to ensure their family's survival.