United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) highlighted a powerful documentary directed by Taha Al-Killidar and produced by Aisha Jassim last week on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

"Recovering from Da’esh: Women at the Front Lines” sheds light on the resilience of two Iraqi women from Ninewa governorate working to ensure protection of their villages from explosive ordnance to create a safer environment for displaced people to return.

Nisreen and Asma'a, who we trained as part of the first all-female demining team in Iraq, faced the incredibly difficult return to and rebuilding of their homes. To liberate their community from the threat of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), including (IEDs), they became part of the UNMAS humanitarian demining and clearance operation conducted by GCS.

Revisiting their experience two years later, this short documentary film sponsored by the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and managed by UNMAS, pays tribute to their determination and courage, not only on behalf of their community, but also contributing to their families. Nisreen and Asma'a have helped repay debts from rebuilding their homes and lives from scratch and have enabled girls in their families to go to school. Financially as well as psychologically, Nisreen and Asma’a show that women emerge stronger.

Watch this powerful testament to Iraqi womens' transformational contribution here.