The following article is by this month's guest author Eileen Padberg. Eileen is a noted consultant and community activist based in Southern California. Eileen has been recognized for her work with women and this month she writes about her experiences in Iraq. To learn more about Eileen and her work please go to www.eileenpadberg.com. 
Providing Equal Opportunities for Iraqi Women
-----by Eileen E. Padberg
In November 2003, I was asked to draft a plan that would help the Iraqi women participate in the potential economic recovery resulting from the massive reconstruction efforts promised by our government.
History has shown that in emerging democracies, when women have a stake in the economy, democracy prevails. I focused on a plan that included jobs, career training programs and help to start and expand small businesses. Interestingly enough, these are the very same things that women need no matter where they are - in the United States or in Iraq.
Arriving in Baghdad on a C-130, I was awestruck as I crossed the Tigris River on June 1, 2004 in a bullet proof bus, wearing a bullet proof vest and helmet - which was to become my normal everyday attire.
I didn't realize it at the time, but the biggest obstacle to helping the Iraqi women would be our own people who just didn't understand that women in Iraq were much different than anywhere else in the Middle East. Unlike other Arab countries, the Iraqi women were encouraged to get an education, they were allowed to work, to drive. There are more women engineers in Iraq, than anywhere in the Middle East. Sixty-two percent of the population in Iraq is women. What destroyed opportunities for Iraqi women was the Iran-Iraq war and the US sanctions against Iraq.
The Women's Initiatives was a three part program - 1) career development training programs such as Leadership; Management; Basic Computer Technology; Budget & Finance; and English among a few - training programs that would allow women to advance their careers; 2) starting and expanding small businesses by learning to bid on and win some of the thousands of reconstruction contracts that were being awarded by our government, 3) a job bank that provided an avenue for the Iraqi women to advance themselves to the US contractors for work.
In the face of so much opposition to the war in Iraq and our reasons for being there, it is sometimes difficult to keep focused on any success. By the end of March 2006, our program had trained over 1,900 mid and senior level women in government and 350 women owned businesses, resulting in well over 500 substantial contracts being awarded to women-owned businesses - and I am proud to say, that the Women's Development Program continues to provide the Iraqi women with opportunities today.
Without a doubt, I believe that my greatest accomplishment was raising the level of discussion with our own government contractors about hiring Iraqi women-owned businesses and creating an environment that provided opportunity, hope, and self confidence for the Iraqi women.
If Iraq is to have a future it will be the women that will rebuild their country, more effort into providing them with opportunities will further our efforts toward democracy or peace.
Providing Equal Opportunities for Iraqi Women
-----by Eileen E. Padberg
In November 2003, I was asked to draft a plan that would help the Iraqi women participate in the potential economic recovery resulting from the massive reconstruction efforts promised by our government.
History has shown that in emerging democracies, when women have a stake in the economy, democracy prevails. I focused on a plan that included jobs, career training programs and help to start and expand small businesses. Interestingly enough, these are the very same things that women need no matter where they are - in the United States or in Iraq.
Arriving in Baghdad on a C-130, I was awestruck as I crossed the Tigris River on June 1, 2004 in a bullet proof bus, wearing a bullet proof vest and helmet - which was to become my normal everyday attire.
I didn't realize it at the time, but the biggest obstacle to helping the Iraqi women would be our own people who just didn't understand that women in Iraq were much different than anywhere else in the Middle East. Unlike other Arab countries, the Iraqi women were encouraged to get an education, they were allowed to work, to drive. There are more women engineers in Iraq, than anywhere in the Middle East. Sixty-two percent of the population in Iraq is women. What destroyed opportunities for Iraqi women was the Iran-Iraq war and the US sanctions against Iraq.
The Women's Initiatives was a three part program - 1) career development training programs such as Leadership; Management; Basic Computer Technology; Budget & Finance; and English among a few - training programs that would allow women to advance their careers; 2) starting and expanding small businesses by learning to bid on and win some of the thousands of reconstruction contracts that were being awarded by our government, 3) a job bank that provided an avenue for the Iraqi women to advance themselves to the US contractors for work.
In the face of so much opposition to the war in Iraq and our reasons for being there, it is sometimes difficult to keep focused on any success. By the end of March 2006, our program had trained over 1,900 mid and senior level women in government and 350 women owned businesses, resulting in well over 500 substantial contracts being awarded to women-owned businesses - and I am proud to say, that the Women's Development Program continues to provide the Iraqi women with opportunities today.
Without a doubt, I believe that my greatest accomplishment was raising the level of discussion with our own government contractors about hiring Iraqi women-owned businesses and creating an environment that provided opportunity, hope, and self confidence for the Iraqi women.
If Iraq is to have a future it will be the women that will rebuild their country, more effort into providing them with opportunities will further our efforts toward democracy or peace.
2 Comments:
Eileen Thank you for sharing your experience and for bringing our attention to something that is critical to the success of the Iraqis, AND where there are some wins! After my recent experience and involvement with the business women at the Abu Dhabi conference I was moved and inspired by the great accomplishments of women in that region, despite the odds ... and at the same time I was dissappointed that we (in the US) don't get to hear more about the successes. Come on international readers ... talk to us!
Suzanne Frindt
Eileen,What an experience you have had. What has gotten me to investicate this matter is what can we do? With you saying it is the the women of Iraq who will bring peace it makes me feel eager to help. With all that they can not do because of tradition, there must a way to help them break some of this to further civilization for them. A new approach to how women is treated in their world would bring less harm to the whole world.
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