RAJA HAMID RASHIED

Iraq — Iraq has recently witnessed an escalation in anti-corruption measures, as part of a campaign targeting individuals accused of embezzling public funds, bribery, and abuse of office, alongside efforts to follow up on stalled contracts and projects.

The "Dawn Offensive" campaign, launched on June 28, aims to restore citizens' trust in government institutions, while observers believe its success hinges on its continuation, the application of the law to all those involved without exception, and speeding up the resolution of cases and the recovery of looted funds.

Nadia Al-Jaddou, an international commercial arbitration judge and head of the regional office of the Arab Economic Unity Council's Arbitration Union, affirmed that the launch of the anti-corruption campaign in Iraq came as a result of several converging factors, chiefly rising public demands for accountability against corrupt officials, economic pressures, and the government's desire to strengthen citizens' trust in institutions.

She explained that the seriousness of the campaign is measured by how long it continues and whether it reaches all those involved without exception, noting that international reports and transparency indicators may serve as a motivating factor, given their influence on attracting investment and international cooperation, though the decisive factor remains national will in enforcing the law.

She added that there are clear oversight and judicial efforts in the field of anti-corruption, but they need greater speed in resolving cases, strengthening the independence of institutions, and activating legal protection for whistleblowers and witnesses, to ensure they are not subjected to any pressure or retaliatory measures.

She affirmed that dependence on connections or bribery to access services, jobs, and rights leads to a decline in citizens' trust in government institutions, weakens their sense of equality and justice, affects the concept of citizenship, and reduces community participation.

Corruption Doubles Women's Suffering

Regarding the impact of corruption on women, Nadia Al-Jaddou explained that women bear additional responsibilities within the family, so the deterioration of services and rising cost of living increase their daily burdens. Women may also face difficulties accessing employment opportunities and health and educational services, in addition to the possibility of facing discrimination or exploitation when dealing with certain institutions.

She added that weak public services push families to bear additional expenses, such as buying water, relying on private generators, and paying for private-sector education or medical treatment — burdens borne directly by women, increasing the likelihood of poverty and affecting living standards.

She stressed the importance of strengthening women's role in fighting corruption by increasing their representation in oversight and integrity bodies, supporting women's civil society organizations, providing training on transparency and accountability, protecting female whistleblowers, and ensuring equal opportunity in access to oversight positions and decision-making roles.

Recovering Looted Funds

Nadia Al-Jaddou proposed a plan to reduce the effects of corruption on women, including improving basic services, strengthening oversight of public spending, providing economic support programs for women, expanding employment and training opportunities, facilitating access to microloans, alongside the serious enforcement of anti-corruption laws and strengthening transparency and accountability within government institutions.

She stressed the need to develop legislation to protect whistleblowers and witnesses, speed up procedures for recovering looted funds, strengthen financial disclosure requirements, and toughen penalties for major corruption crimes.

She concluded by affirming that breaking the cycle of corruption cannot be achieved through a single measure, but requires the firm application of the law to everyone, strengthening values of integrity, spreading a culture that rejects corruption, and activating community oversight and a free press.

Corruption Deepens the Services Crisis

Political activist Ahlam Al-Bajaji affirmed that corruption is among the most prominent causes of declining basic services in Iraq, due to the waste of public funds and mismanagement of resources, noting that the electricity, water, health, and education sectors are the most affected as a result of stalled projects, weak oversight, and declining performance levels.

She explained that the impact of corruption is not limited to services, but extends to the economy and job opportunities, as it weakens local and foreign investment due to a lack of transparency, and spreads favoritism in appointments at the expense of merit — depriving many young people of stable opportunities and pushing them toward informal work.

She added that corruption raises the cost of implementing projects and services, due to waste, monopolization, and resource mismanagement, which is reflected in the prices of goods and services, leading to a decline in citizens' purchasing power and increased living burdens, especially for those with limited income.

Women Pay the Highest Price

Ahlam Al-Bajaji affirmed that women are among the groups most affected by the repercussions of corruption, due to their growing responsibilities within the family, as declining services and rising living costs increase their daily burdens.

She added that the decline in health and educational services, the continuation of electricity and water crises, alongside weak job opportunities, doubles the pressures placed on women within the family and in the labor market, and may contribute to an increase in cases of economic and domestic violence, while also pushing some skilled women toward emigration in search of better opportunities and a more stable environment.

Regarding the presence of women in corruption cases, Ahlam Al-Bajaji explained that this is not a widespread phenomenon, but may occur in some cases, whether through the abuse of position for personal gain or as a result of pressure from influential parties, noting that some women's names may be used to register companies or assets in order to conceal the true beneficiary of corrupt dealings, and that determining responsibility depends on investigations and legal evidence.

She concluded by affirming that reducing the impact of corruption on women requires improving basic services, strengthening oversight of public spending, providing economic support programs for women, expanding employment and training opportunities, and seriously enforcing anti-corruption laws in a way that strengthens transparency and protects society from the repercussions of this phenomenon.