Iraq: Human Security Survey: Basra, Iraq — 2018, Gender Security Dynamics
In March and April 2018, PAX and its local partner, the Iraqi Al-Firdaws Society conducted a survey across Basra governorate about the experiences of civilian populations with issues of insecurity and conflict. The following discusses the key survey findings that relate specifically to gender dynamics, including the different ways in which men and women in Basra perceive and are affected by their security environment. (See below for more information about the project, and please visit our website for additional reports in this series.)
The results detailed herein were drawn from interviews with 359 men and 397 women. Note that conservative gender norms in this part of Iraq can make it difficult to gain access to women or to discuss issues perceived as relating to family honour. We therefore anticipate some level of under-reporting of certain incidents, particularly sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Further, it can be risky to openly express critical opinions of those in power, particularly armed actors, thus increasing the potential for positive response bias in how respondents reflect upon key security actors or the general security environment.
Despite these limitations, there remain many deeply interesting findings related to gendered experiences of (in)security arising from the HSS. One of the more striking findings is that the vast majority of women see themselves as likely to become victims of violence in the near future. In Basra, 76% of women anticipate that they are likely to experience violence in the next year, in contrast with 56% of men.
