Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Debralee Lutgen | Capt. Jennifer Glossinger, 413th Civil Affairs Battalion, 10th Mountain Division,...... read more read more
By Spc. Debralee P. Crankshaw
Multi-National Division - Center
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Women play a vital role in the United States. The same is true in Iraq, but there is little emphasis placed on their well-being.
The Women's Initiative is a program designed to improve women's role in Iraqi society. This is done in three different parts.
The first component of the program is to decrease women suicide bombers. The initiative was originally started due to the increase in female suicide bombers. In 2007 there were 7, but in 2008 the number increase to 38. To help alleviate this trend, the initiative began.
"The thought behind it is that the women have lost so many of the men in their families - fathers, brothers, husbands, friends," said Capt. Jennifer Glossinger, 413th Civil Affairs Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, MND-C, Women's Initiative Coordinator. "What happens to so many is they become very vulnerable because they don't have many resources, a lot of times they're left with many [children] to take care of. They may not be able to read or write. The Women's Initiative looks to fill in the gaps and provide some of those basic needs to mitigate some of those female suicide bombings."
The second part of the initiative is economic development.
"Eighty percent of employment comes from the agricultural sector in MND-C. Seventy percent of that work force is composed of women. Women do just about all of the work," said Glossinger.
The initiative works with Provincial Reconstruction Teams and agriculture teams to include women's programs at their extension center.
"The extension centers main goal is to create a place where people can come and learn about new technology," said Glossinger. "They can come together and pool their money to buy equipment or work as a team and help strengthen each other."
Providing literacy and youth programs is another idea Glossinger has for these centers. Rural areas are the main focus of the program, however, the initiative also encourages women in the cities to obtain grants and start businesses.
The final area the initiative looks at is human rights, but the other components are usually the avenue used to obtain these rights.
There are a few other ways this is pursued. One way is to encourage women to help other women.
"In Dhi Qar, there are 12 women lawyers and they are talking about opening a women's center there and providing legal services to women," said Glossinger.
The initiative focuses on these areas to provide communication, information and support to pass on the best practices to the MND-C areas of operation in regards to women and programs to assist them.
"Our main goal is not to change the culture, but to strengthen what they have in terms of employment and education," said Glossinger. "I think it's important to be realistic in what you focus on. Most of the women in the MND-C area are rural and need the most basic things like jobs and education."
| Date Taken: | 02.16.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 02.16.2009 10:26 |
| Story ID: | 30077 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 254 |
| Downloads: | 232 |
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