Home » Archives » "Mosul Women’s Center gets facelift"

Mosul Women’s Center gets facelift

Jul- 2-2006 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

TFBOB Press Release
Staff Sgt. Brian Speech
138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Mosul, Iraq -- The women of the United States appreciate and understand the struggles of their mothers and sisters before them to gain equality. The women of Iraq have embarked on that same journey for freedom and equal rights.

Their first step on that journey is to rebuild a women’s center in Mosul, Iraq, which will be a combined effort of the Provincial Reconstruction Team and the 172nd Brigade Support Battalion.

Anan Lbraham-Al Qado, the head of the Iraqi Women’s Center, and Kawthar Mustafa, the elected chief of Ninevah Provincial Council Committee of Human Rights, have laid out the needs for the facility.

“The center not only provides day care for impoverished or working women, it also provides limited educational and exercise classes along with a socialization and a freedom area for women,” Anan said.

Some of the operating expenses come directly from Anan’s pocket, to include electric and maintenance bills, although, she and Kawthar are working closely with the PRT to secure funding from Coalition Forces to repair and expand the center. This in turn will increase programs available to women in Mosul, also boosting usage.

“By increasing the programs and membership to the center, we are hoping that the provincial government will lend financial aid to the center to allow us to provide salaries to those who volunteer to run and maintain the center,” Kawthar said.

The 172nd Brigade Support Commanders Emergency Response Program funding will provide enough financial support to complete the repairs and expansion of the center. The battalion is also securing donations of clothing and shoes and there are plans to make part of the center a controlled distribution point for the impoverished.

“This step will be vital in enabling women to gain self esteem and understand freedom,” Kawthar said. “They have to fight for their rights and freedom.”


Advertisements