PRT DIYALA: DAUGHTERS OF IRAQ PROGRAM LAUNCHES IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002240 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2018 TAGS: POL PREL ECON PTER PINS PINR IZ SUBJECT: PRT DIYALA: DAUGHTERS OF IRAQ PROGRAM LAUNCHES IN AL ABARRA Classified By: PRT Team Leader George White for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) . ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Diyala reporting cable. Summary -------------- ¶2. (C) On July 13, more than 80 women attended the graduation ceremony for the first group of the Daughters of Iraq (DOI) program to complete their training in Diyala province. The Daughters of Iraq (DOI) program - similar to the Sons of Iraq program ) trains women to work as security guards primarily to conduct body searches of Iraqi women and to assist the Iraqi Police (IP) with manning checkpoints. The ceremony was held at the IP headquarters in Al Abarra just south of the provincial capital, Baqubah. Al Abarra fought to be the first in the province to host the training due to the high numbers of female suicide bombers who come from that area, and the town,s close proximity to the palm groves known for harboring Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) operatives. End Summary. Al Abarra Launches First Daughters of Iraq Program in Province -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) The Daughters of Iraq (DOI) program is a joint Coalition Forces (CF) and IP effort to circumvent cultural norms which forbid men from physically touching women when conducting body searches. The program is also intended to create employment opportunities for women in the province. Female graduates will receive a USD 300 monthly salary, initially funded by CF, and will be responsible for selecting a section leader. Women Candidates Come Forward -------------- ¶4. (C) CF have initiated contracts for 130 women to be hired as Daughters of Iraq in the towns of Al Abarra (predominantly Shia),Mukhesah (predominantly Sunni),Abu Gerna, and Quba. More than 165 women have applied for positions, and a waiting list has been established in the event some of the selected women are not able to fulfill their commitment. CF have received 21 names to date from the town of Mukhesa, which will be the next to launch the training, and CF are expecting to hire another 35 from that area. ¶5. (C) CF have concerns that some women might view the program as a type of welfare scheme, and explained to a PRT member that CF would conduct random checks to ensure that the graduates were in fact reporting for work. CF hope that the launch of DOI in Al Abarra will help disrupt the demand for a suicide vest (SVEST) manufacturing operation which has been discovered in that area as CF and the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) collaborate on a campaign to address the marked increase in the number of SVEST attacks being carried out by women in the province. ¶6. (C) A number of women at the graduation expressed strong support for efforts to combat bomb attacks and terrorism in general. Rathia Abid Ibrahim, who is originally from Najat but moved to Al Abarra after marriage, says she is not afraid to die while helping to provide security in her province. "Sacrificing myself for my country - that is fine because this is the time for Iraqi women to prove themselves and to be more decisive and more outspoken," she said. Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) The Daughters of Iraq program ) launched in a similar vein to the Sons of Iraq program ) also serves the dual purpose of improving security in Diyala and empowering Iraqi women with a mechanism to help support their families in areas that have been suffering from the combined effect of drought and lack of security. CF hope the program will gain traction throughout the region as more women see an opportunity to help in the fight against terror and add to their family,s income. It is also intended to reach widows of ISF or AQI members who are vulnerable to AQI recruitment to become SVEST attackers as it provides an alternative for women to support their families. End Comment. CROCKER