Bridge of Grace

Maria Maghdid, a 20-year-old Iraqi-Kurdish woman, was recently stabbed to death in Erbil by her brother and uncle in an honor killing.  Maria was found along the side of the road, tied up, and with multiple stab wounds.  The reason for her death was that Maria defied her orthodox Islamic culture by posing on Tiktok wearing Western style clothes with her hair uncovered.  A long-standing advocate of woman's rights, Maria was forcibly married to a man at the age of 12.  Though she escaped the marriage 4 years later, she still lived under repression.  Some time later, Maria made the decision to covert to Christianity, and for her family, this was the final act of "Shame."  Maria's father was an orthodox Imam who was of great importance in the Muslim community in the region, and his family made the decision that they could no longer stand Maria's "dishonorable actions." In what can be considered an ironic "Twist of Fate," Maria was murdered on Inter...

On March 1, 2021, Iraq passed the Yazidi Survivors Law, which provides reparations framework for survivors of ISIS crimes.  This law encompasses Yazidi, Christian, Turkmen, and Shabak minorities who were targeted by ISIS.  Those who are eligible also include women and girls who were subject to sexual violence as well as child survivors who were abducted.  The reparations offered include a monthly salary, a plot of land or housing unit, support to re-enter school, and access to health services.  However, there are a number of victims that this law does not encompass.  Among these victims are the needs of children who were born of women who were raped by ISIS.  Many of these women were forcibly separated from their children, and are desperate to have them back.  The other major victim group that has not been addressed are the Shia and Sunni Arab Muslim women who were also abducted & raped by ISIS.   Many of these Muslim women were subject t...