As all-women cafes mushroom in Baghdad and the rest of Iraq, women’s views are divided whether these are pockets of freedom from sexual harassment or the embodiment of segregation.

“It is important for us to sit at ease in a calm place, away from the guys’ [unwelcome] looks and indirect harassment. I am pleased that I can frequently visit such a cafe,” Zahraa Saad, one of the patrons of Viola Cafe in Baghdad, told Al-Monitor.

Saad, 29, works for an investment company in Baghdad. She sees Viola Cafe, which opened in July, as a place where she and her friends can enjoy some freedom and privacy. “Although I do not agree 100% with the idea of segregation as it will further deepen the gender gap, I believe that there should be women-only cafes and restaurants,” she said. “Choosing to go to such a cafe or restaurant does not mean that I do not want to communicate with my male friends and colleagues. It is however a chance for me to stay away from men and their problems.”

Women-only cafes and restaurants in Iraq have come at a time when increasingly more women-led cultural activities, such as book clubs, are organized around the country. Women’s integration into the society and economic life and women’s empowerment are also encouraged through international programs, such as preventing early marriage or securing legal aid for women subjected to domestic violence.