Christian women face increasing persecution in Iraq

Sara, a medical student in Baghdad, lived ten days of anguish and hunger when she was locked up by her Muslim father, furious at her conversion to Christianity. “I would have preferred you to secretly run away with a boy,” she reproached him. Faced with her radical rejection, Sara left her home and found refuge in a distant Christian community.

Facing the danger of her as a single and converted woman, she Sara did not give in to adversity. Her experience, although shocking, reflects a reality shared by millions of women, according to the recent Sex-Based Persecution Report (PRRS) from Open Doors. The document, which reveals an increase in persecution and oppression towards Christian women, reveals a network of forces that puts pressure on their lives.

The PRRS, based on the situation of the last year, highlights that Christian women face disturbing challenges. Sara’s story is a testimony to the constant struggle that many live every day, facing discrimination and danger because of their faith.

The report highlights that the perception of women as valuable in the eyes of God, as Sara discovered, contrasts with the cruel reality they face in societies marked by religious intolerance. The situation of Christian women in Iraq, unfortunately, reflects a worrying trend: persecution is on the rise.

Trinitarian International Solidarity (SIT) calls for international awareness on the need to protect the fundamental rights of Christian women and advocate for religious freedom in regions where intolerance threatens the diversity of beliefs. Christian women suffer a double vulnerability due to their faith and their sex, which is why they suffer the most in countries like Iraq.