A Move Forward For Women in Iraq

The State Department reported today, May 8 that a delegation of ten female Iraqi police officers arrived in the U.S. for three weeks of training. This marks the first all-female delegation to participate in the U.S. Department of State’s Iraq Police Education Program (IPEP).

The female officers represent a cross-section of the Iraqi MOI (Ministry of Interior), including criminal investigation, domestic violence, and training units. While in the U.S., the officers will be working with police forces in Michigan and Maryland. As they partner with American officers, the women will gain knowledge in the classroom and “on the job” settings, which is expected to lead the officers to gain understanding of American culture.

The all-female delegation will also receive specialized training that will focus on criminal investigation, forensics, and crime scene processing, while emphasizing techniques for countering violence against women. Leadership and management training will provide the tools for career advancement.

IPEP is managed by the International Association of theChiefs of Police and its partner police departments and funded under an INL grant. The five-year, $8 million grant has facilitated training for more than 100 Iraqi police officers since the program’s inception in 2010.