Iraqi Women With COVID-19 Could Die in the Name of Customs and Traditions

Local Iraqi media reported several cases, in which family members have refused to let their female family members go into medical quarantine in hospitals after having tested positive for the novel coronavirus, posing an imminent threat to the young women's lives and those of their family members.

Translation: "IHCHR: Iraqi families refuse to let their daughters be quarantined on the pretext of protecting their honor, despite the country recording 3 new cases on Friday"

Medical sources have witnessed several cases, in which relatives of confirmed infected females explained that they can't let their female family members stay away from home without company, even at a hospital to receive medical treatment, arguing that "it goes against their customs and traditions".

Translation: "Does honor include endangering lives?"

Translation: "What is the connection between honor and medical quarantine and being isolated for protection? What do they want? They'll leave them sick and watch them die or infect others? Gad gave us brains for a reason."

The news was confirmed by the Iraqi High Commissioner for Human Rights Ali Al-Bayati, who added that the problem isn't limited to the family and clan interference in women quarantine cases. "Some people refuse to be allocated in several hospitals assigned by the government for coronavirus infections because they don't trust that hospital".

Online activists widely shared the news angrily calling on the government to take action that guarantees these women's wellbeing, attacking people's blind understanding of customs and traditions that could eventually result in losses of lives.

Translation: "It's true, Yesterday a Najaf clan, whose daughter has been infected, attacked the medical crew and didn't let them take her to quarantine. They argued that they'll rape her. Medical workers are sacrificing their own lives, their families, and their kids so some retarded person accuses them of attempting rape. God knows how many people will contract the virus through that girl staying out of quarantine."

Translation: "This coronavirus has revealed the amount of ignorance and hypocrisy and people who don't deserve to live"