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KURDISTAN / SYRIAN REFUGEES
STORY: KUDISTAN/ SYRIAN REGUGEES
TRT: 3:14
SOURCE: UNDP
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC/KURDISH/SORANI DIALECT/NATS
DATELINE: 16 FEBRUARY 2014, KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ
1. Various shots, people walking in Kawrgosik refugee camp
2.Med shot, woman carrying water buckets in Arbat camp
3.SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Syrian Refugee Victim:
“He decided to marry me off to my cousin by force. I stayed with him for a month. During that month, my life was equal to death. I was beaten up. I was slapped. I was lucky not to be killed.”
4. Tilt up, training area, Arbat camp
5. Various shots, women
6. Close up, Sarkawtomer Ahmed seated in office
7. SOUNDBITE (Kurdish, Sorani dialect ) Sarkawtomer Ahmed, Director, Directorate of Combatting Violence Against Women, Kurdistan Regional Government:
“It was very good initiation from UNDP and with the NGOs and our staff we could establish a good office there that enable us to support the refugees by providing legal and social services.”
8. Pan right, legal awareness training session of Syrian women refugees 8. Med shot, Shadman Ahmad, Development of Human Rights and Democracy training women
9. SOUNDBITE (Kurdish, Sorani dialect) Shadman Ahmad, Development of Human Rights and Democracy:
“The cases that I have seen are those who are talking about forced marriage, yes they faced abuse when they refuse and disagree. The training that we have today is legal awareness training on Iraqi law particularly criminal law which identifies crime and punishment abuse.”
10. Med shot, Syrian refugee victim walking into the Directorate of Combatting Violence Against Women, Sulaymaniyah
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Syrian refugee victim:
“When I arrived here I was like a dead person. I was full of fear. The Department supported me a lot. I thank them for empowering me. They helped me overcome my fear.”
12. Various shots, Syrian victim refugee receiving counseling
In the camps in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Syrian women fleeing violence in their native country live in fear.
Many young women are forced into marriage by their families where domestic abuse is common.
This 20-year-old woman who asked not to be identified – was forced to marry a relative.
“He decided to marry me off to my cousin by force. I stayed with him for a month. During that month, my life was equal to death,” said Syrian refugee victim. “I was beaten up. I was slapped. I was lucky not to be killed.”
The United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Directorate of Combatting Violence Against Women is working in the camps to train Syrian women about their legal rights and provide pyscho-social counseling.
“It was very good initiation from UNDP and with the NGOs and our staff we could establish a good office there that enable us to support the refugees by providing legal and social services,” said Sarkawtomer Ahmed, Director, Directorate of Combatting Violence Against Women, Kurdistan Regional Government.
Women who refuse to stay in the marriage are often threatened by their families.
“The cases that I have seen are those who are talking about forced marriage, yes they faced abuse when they refuse and disagree,” said Shadman Ahmad, Development of Human Rights and Democracy. “The training that we have today is legal awareness training on Iraqi law particularly criminal law which identifies crime and punishment abuse.”
Such was the case with this young woman who eventually ran away and found refuge in a shelter
“When I arrived here I was like a dead person. I was full of fear,” said Syrian refugee victim. “The Department supported me a lot. I thank them for empowering me. They helped me overcome my fear.”
The trauma of fleeing a brutal conflict and then facing more violence is almost too much to bear. But through UNDP support, women like her have a safe place to sleep at night and people to support them.
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