By Aous Al-Sharqi, IOL Iraq Correspondent

BAGHDAD, September 27 (IslamOnline) - With the attention of the international community focusing on the U.S. preemptive strike against Iraq, the humanitarian crisis under the economic siege is still going on in Iraq, one aspect of which is the Iraqi women leaving their initial jobs to work in more difficult areas they weren't used to.

IslamOnline met with many Iraqi women who were forced to change their lives and careers to be able to overcome the deteriorating situation in Iraq under more than a decade-old siege.

"It is extremely hard to work and be able to get food for your family these days," a 60-year-old Iraqi woman, who had to turn her own car into a taxi and work as a taxi driver to be able to provide for her family, told IslamOnline.

"My husband is sick and can't work, and his small pension is enough for nothing," said Salwa Radeef, adding that her eldest son is an employee with a tiny salary not even enough to feed his own family.

Soad Al-Shehly, an employee in the Iraqi Health Ministry, says that the family income now barely covers their basic needs, adding that she usually has to borrow money to be able to feed her family.

"I only wish that may family can have fun again and go out even once a month," she said. But this is not possible now because there are more important things we need the money for, such as illness or school, she added.

For Sherine Talibany, a widow, the situation is worse, as her son had to quit school to work and help the family survive this difficult period.

"He had to do it so that his younger brothers and sisters can continue their education," she said as she faced the fire of the old style open oven, Tannour, which she uses to bake bread for her customers.

Fawzeya Abdel-Gabbar is a university professor who had to quit her job and work as a lawyer because the salary of a teacher is not enough any more. She said Iraqi women have to face the current reality and have to continue their battle to get their rights in all fields.

"The siege not only caused a pause in women's struggle to get their rights, but also widened the gap between different classes in the society," she added.

Women working in gas stations was not a common thing in Iraq, but this changed because of the siege, said Om Ro'a who takes morning shifts in the same station where her husband works.

"The current circumstances made women explore more fields to work in, even if they were hard and difficult," she said.

"I am trying to help my husband and we alternate shifts so we can take care of the kids," she added.