Iraq Mothers and Daughters Empowerment Program

Many rural women in Iraq live in extreme poverty. Only 37 percent of rural women can read and just 30 percent of Iraqi girls of high school age are enrolled. The Mothers and Daughters Empowerment Program (MDEP) increases the entrepreneurial capacity of 180 mothers and the literacy of their daughters ages 6–15 in rural areas. IRD is partnering with the Iraqi Health Aid Organization (IHAO) to deliver literacy, vocational, and business training while simultaneously elevating awareness the importance of women’s human rights with local, regional, and national business and political partners.

Many rural women in Iraq live in extreme poverty. Only 37 percent of rural women can read and just 30 percent of Iraqi girls of high school age are enrolled. The Mothers and Daughters Empowerment Program (MDEP) increases the entrepreneurial capacity of 180 mothers and the literacy of their daughters ages 6–15 in rural areas. IRD is partnering with the Iraqi Health Aid Organization (IHAO) to deliver literacy, vocational, and business training while simultaneously elevating awareness the importance of women’s human rights with local, regional, and national business and political partners.

MOTHERS
MDEP aims to ensure sustainable economic empowerment for rural mothers by linking literacy training to vocational and business training. By the end of 2011, mothers had successfully completed the intensive literacy course and begun the vocational training component. Topics for the vocational trainings were determined by the requests of the mothers and each community’s needs. Training lasts for one month, after which the women receive toolkits to start a business as well as meet with professional women in the community for tips and advice. MDEP integrates lessons on the constitutional and economic rights of women into the literacy courses by, for example, inviting doctors to speak on the causes of violence against women and symptoms of violence. IHAO also provides the women healthcare and physical checkups.

DAUGHTERS
Daughters ages 6–15 receive literacy training and financial and material support to attend one full year of school. They also attend career-day events, hosted by local business women, with their classmates (male and female) to broaden their vision of the economic potential of women and to encourage boys to respect women’s economic independence. After completing the literacy exam, daughters are placed in classes in public schools according to their reading proficiency. They receive a stipend cover transportation and school supplies.

COMMUNITIES
MDEP will reach nearly 20,000 people. By starting small businesses, women will contribute to meeting the needs of their communities and increasing the standard of living in rural areas. Career days allow Iraqi professional business women to mentor nearly 1,300 direct beneficiaries. The participation and support of the Iraqi government is ensuring that the economic contributions of women will gain recognition at a policy level and women are being recognized in their own communities by local officials.
In these ways, MDEP is planting the seeds of empowerment: it offers women access to education, understanding of human rights, and an expanded vision of the role that rural women can play in Iraq’s economic, social, and political life.