Couple of years after graduation, Vina had dug everywhere finally found a job where she could not stay too long because of harassment by the business owner.
"Three months after employment, my boss asked me for to hang out together but I rejected it and quit my job," said Vina who couldn't tell the full story at home.
Vina is a pseudonym for a 25-year-old-girl, resident of Sulaymaniyah. As an undergraduate, she did her best to find this job after a year of search when she submitted her resume to a company but it was a defying challenge for her.
From the early beginning, Vina said she felt the director was calling her in for his room, even sometimes for irrelevant maters like saying "you are pretty and attractive, and that he likes to see me around."
Working for women in parts of markets, malls and companies has become a life and reputation risk because to make their living, in some cases they are harassed sexually or forced to wear special costumes as appeal for attracting customers.
My boss asked me for to hang out together but I rejected it and quit my job
In one of Sulaymaniyah malls, a girl attracts attention of the visitors. She holds a bottle of fragrance and says "test" to the customers to try the fragrance.
She is 28 year undergraduate who rejected to be named.
"Wearing a jacket, a short skirt and standing in front of the store were all requests by the business owner and I had no choice except to agree in order to be hired," she anonymously told the peregraf.com.
Workplace sexual harassment is widespread, with studies estimating that anywhere from almost a quarter to more than eight in ten women experience it in their lifetimes, says a report by Institute for Women's Policy Research IWPR.org.
"Women who are targets may experience a range of negative consequences, including physical and mental health problems. In addition, sexual harassment may limit or discourage women from advancing into higher paid careers."
According to syndicate of laborers in Kurdistan, anyone who works for a wage of both genders is considered laborer or worker.
"Forcing workers to wear a special dress unless for safety reasons during work hours and for any other reason as against law and workers can file lawsuit to labor court and the syndicate is ready to defend them," said Hangaw Abdullah, head of syndicate of laborers.
Several girls were working in a women dress store. They were all wearing the same uniform, same hair tie, dark seductive makeup and smiling all the time. They said all these were the basic requirements when they were interviewed.
"A friend of us rejected to wear leggings and crop top so she didn't sign the contract and went back home," one of the workers anonymously said.
Forcing workers to wear a special dress unless for safety reasons during work hours and for any other reason as against law
Women whom experience sexual harassment at workplace or obliged to do something that is irrelevant to their careers keep silent due to the social traditions, lack of proof or document and the fear of losing their jobs.
Their coworkers, to avoid endangering their positions, stand still in the face of the injustice practiced against their work mates particularly in cases filed to court.
There is no valid special law regarding sexual harassment while per Iraqi penal code, sexual harassment is a misdemeanor.
Item 10 of the Iraqi labor law states that sexual harassment in employment, at workplace is prohibited, either when looking for a job, training for a profession or a career or to make it a condition for employment.
The penalty for sexual harassment at workplace verbally, by hint or physical abuse is imprisonment up to three months or a 300,000 Iraqi Dinar IQD ($200), said lawyer Shokhan Ahmed.
Small part of the women sexually harassed at report their cases to court due to the social traditions in order to keep it secret and less people know about it. Besides it is hard for them to proof their claims for lack of proof or document and the fear of losing their case at court.
According to follow ups y peregraf.com, most of sexual harassments against women at workplace are either verbal or lack physical proof that courts take into consideration.
We only can defend the workers with social insurance
Hotline number 5500 in Iraqi Kurdistan is specially designated for workers to register their cases and a special committee investigates it.
Dilkhwaz Taha, in charge of the hotline told the Peregraf that they receive daily calls from workers, men and women for various issues. "The men mainly complain about low payments, pay cuts and dismissal."
There are two effective laws about duties and rights of workers. Law number 71 of 1987, articles 80-90 about protection of young and women workers. Law Number 39 of 1971 about pension and social insurance has been amended in 2012 by Iraqi Kurdistan parliament.
Both laws enforce social insurance for all workers so that ministry of labor and social affairs can defend them, which is evaded by the employers.
"In cases of violations, the ministry can defend the workers who have social insurance."
According to figures by syndicate of workers, only 3,740 Iraqi and foreign women workers have social insurance which is a small number compared to those who have no any records.
