*EPF102 09/27/2004
Text: U.S. Grants $10 million to Support Iraqi Women's Electoral Role
(Projects seek to encourage women candidates and voters) (350)

The U.S. State Department is issuing $10 million in grants to support projects aimed at integrating Iraqi women into the political process as Iraq prepares for its January 2005 national elections.

"These grants will directly help Iraqi women deepen their involvement in Iraq's reconstruction, and mobilize women across the land to build a secure, prosperous and democratic Iraq," said Secretary of State Colin Powell in a September 27 statement.

Several academic and non-governmental organizations will execute projects designed to train potential women candidates about competing in the elections and to encourage women to exercise their right to vote. The grants will also support the establishment of women's networking and counseling centers.

Following is the text of Powell's statement:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
September 27, 2004

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL

GRANTS TO SUPPORT DEMOCRATIZATION TRAINING FOR IRAQI WOMEN

I am pleased to announce that, as part of the Department of State's Iraqi Women's Democracy Initiative, we are awarding $10 million in grants to several U.S.-based non-governmental organizations to train Iraqi women in the skills and practices of democratic public life.

The organizations that will receive the funds are: Art of Living Foundation, Independent Women's Forum, the International Republican Institute, Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, Kurdish Human Rights Watch, Meridian International Center, and the National Democratic Institute. Each organization will work with Iraqi partners on the ground to prepare women to compete in Iraq's January 2005 elections, encourage women to vote, train women in media and business skills, and establish resource centers for networking and counseling.

As President Bush has said, we cannot begin to tackle the challenges of the 21st century without the full participation of women in all aspects of life and in all regions of the world. These grants will directly help Iraqi women deepen their involvement in Iraq's reconstruction, and mobilize women across the land to build a secure, prosperous and democratic Iraq.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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