In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Women’s Resource Center will present the “Voices of Iraqi Women.”

At this event, Soheir Stolba, a professor at American River College, will share the experiences she had in Iraq. Stolba, who recently spent seven weeks in Iraq, will share her experiences living in Iraq during wartime ?” where she spent most of her time in Baghdad.

“It has changed me to see how people suffer under war conditions. The temperature was at 135 degrees (Fahrenheit); there were sand storms, no water, and minimal electricity,” Stolba said.

Stolba spent her time in Iraq interviewing Iraqi women ?” mainly professional women. She will focus on how war has affected these women.

The beliefs of Iraqi troops, who are fighting American and European militaries, is a reason why many Iraqi women fear for their lives, Stolba said. These Iraqis, she said, have fundamentalist views that do not believe in women dressing in western attire, so women must remain covered in traditional Muslim garments.

Iraqi women have also lost jobs. Other women are kept in the dark, for their husbands are involved in secretive militias. Some women don’t discover their husbands’ involvement until they are dead, Stolba said.

Stolba will also discuss the overall affect war has on the city and working environments.

She described how she had to take precautions and keep things undercover, while living in Iraq. “I had six private bodyguards, helmets and bulletproof vests,” Stolba said.

The event will be held at 7 p.m. on March 7 in Mariposa 1001.

For more information, call 278-7388, or visit the Women’s Resource Center’s Web site at www.csus.edu/wrc.

Binde Rai can be reached at [email protected]