Support to Iraqi Women
With the help of USAID’s capacity building activities, Iraqi women have strengthened their political voice
and continue to improve their economic status. USAID partners have worked with female politicians both
local and national, journalists, and NGOs that advocate women’s interests. Programs support women
entrepreneurs, business leaders, employees, and professionals to ensure they benefit from increased
economic growth and increased public and private sector capacity building. USAID continues to educate
Iraqi men and women about the importance of securing equal rights for all Iraqis.
SUPPORT TO IRAQI WOMEN
Women's rights were formally enshrined in Iraq's 1970 constitution making Iraqi women nominally equal with men. The constitution guaranteed them, the right to vote, hold political office and work outside of the home. Despite officially recognizing women's rights in law, this legislation was frequently not enforced.
By 1990, laws protecting women were repealed. While the enforcement of laws safeguarding women's rights was inconsistent, Iraq's formal acknowledgement and promotion of women's rights resulted in women's active participation in the workforce, education, and political sphere. This, in turn, provides a ready context for renewed support for women's rights and their increased participation throughout society.
ECONOMIC GROWTH: Programs support Iraqi women as entrepreneurs, employees, business leaders, and professionals. Nearly 60 percent of USAID's small business grants administered have been awarded to women. Female Central Bank officers were trained in best practices for accounting, banking, and oversight and, as a result, are in a stronger position to guide bank reform. An economic growth program recently initiated business development outreach with an umbrella group of women's organizations to help women-led businesses/business groups access to grants, technical assistance and other services offered by USAID.
DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE: USAID's support to civil society includes training and capacity building for women's organization so that they can engage in public debates about the continuing evolution of the role of women in Iraqi society. USAID provided a $500,000 grant to the Rafadin Women's Coalition comprised of more than 30 women's organizations to launch conferences, leaflet distribution, media and television spots promoting women's rights in a constitutional democracy. This and other assistance helped to get 68 women elected to the new Iraq National Assembly in January 2005.
At the local level, USAID helped to increase female provincial council participation by 25% and has set similar targets for helping to get women elected during the 2006 provincial elections. USAID's Community Action Program supports initiatives that address the immediate needs of Iraqi women. Of the 4,000 completed projects, 500 projects directly benefited women with another one-third in-directly benefiting women.
EDUCATION: USAID's education programs are increasing the enrollment of girls in school, thus reducing the substantial gender gap in primary school enrolment, and increasing girl's literacy in rural areas. USAID's accelerated learning program condenses six years of primary school into three years, giving girls the opportunity to receive a primary school education. Girls learn life skills and gain the academic background necessary to return to formal schooling. USAID is also rehabilitating the water and sanitation facilities at 800 primary schools throughout Iraq, and improving female teachers and administrators through training programs that will reach about 75,000 women by the end of 2005-2006 school year.
AGRICULTURE: USAID is training women and men in improved crop and livestock production technologies, market development, financial management, business planning and rural credit, and improved resource management.
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