Help Iraqi Women and Children Exiled in Syria

Imagine you’ve been forced to leave your home, your friends and everything you know because of violence in your country. Now imagine that you're in a strange land where working in the sex industry is the only way to sustain your family. This situation is not foreign to Iraqi women and children who have fled to Syria for safety, only to find that new challenges await them.

This week the Obama administration announced plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq by August 2010. But what about the millions of Iraqis who have been displaced as a result of the war? 1 in 5 Iraqis have been uprooted by violence in their homeland. Many have fled to Syria, and their situation is growing increasingly desperate.

In response to the growing crisis, Refugees International has released a campaign to raise awareness about the plight of Iraqi refugees and the vulnerability of exiled Iraqi women and children.

Did you know? Most Iraqi refugees are unable to work legally, leaving them with few options to provide for their families. The majority must find work in the black market where they may be underpaid, overworked and vulnerable to abuse, especially women and girls working in the sex industry.

According to Refugees International, cases of families forcing their children into prostitution are increasing.  If these girls are caught in Syria, they are detained until the authorities return them to their families, where they are at risk of further exploitation.

Helping this vulnerable population needs to be a priority for the Obama administration. Sign the letter now urging President Obama not to forget Iraqi refugees.

Also check out this video which highlights some of the problems that Iraqi refugees are facing:

For more info visit: http://www.refugeesinternational.org/iraq-release