Between pandemic and patriarchy: Gendered population impacts of COVID-19 in Iraq

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and intensified pre-existing gender inequalities in Iraq. This study examines the gendered consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq, focusing on how entrenched patriarchal structures, alongside inequalities and tribal authority, heightened women’s vulnerability during the crisis. Conducted in Baghdad, Anbar, and Salah al-Din governorates, the research utilized a mixed-methods design with stratified random sampling to survey 1,200 individuals through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The study explores the pandemic’s impact on women’s economic participation, access to education, exposure to gender-based violence, and healthcare use. Results show that 73.3% of women experienced job loss or major income decline, while 59.4% reported repeated domestic violence during lockdowns. Around 80% of households restricted girls from online learning, citing cultural taboos, digital gaps, and safety concerns rooted in patriarchal norms governing honor, mobility, and gender roles. Over half of the participants avoided healthcare services due to infection fears, familial restrictions, or financial hardship. Widespread emotional strain was reported, including anxiety, fear, and decision paralysis. These findings reveal that the pandemic magnified pre-existing gender disparities and exposed significant weaknesses in Iraq’s crisis preparedness and gender-inclusive policy frameworks. Unlike global studies centered in higher-income or urban contexts, this research offers unique, field-based insights from a fragile Middle Eastern setting characterized by patriarchal governance, tribal authority, and institutional instability. The study calls for urgent gender-responsive strategies to address digital exclusion, economic resilience, healthcare access, and violence prevention. A combination of institutional reforms and localized, community-based engagement is crucial to ensuring that future emergencies do not perpetuate or exacerbate gender-based inequalities.