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
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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
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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
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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
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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