SecurityBackground Women and the Environment Organization (WATEO) is an Iraqi based non-for- profit organization founded by Dr. Al Moumin, who herself survived an IED attack in Iraq. WATEO was officially registered on June 5th of 2005. Dr. Al Moumin came to understand the connections between security and basic environmental needs while serving as the first Minister of Environment in Iraq 2004-2005.In August of 2004, while working in Sadr city supplying safe drinking water and providing environmental education, Dr. Al Moumin survived an attempt on her life, where four of her body guards were killed by Zarqawi. In her work Dr. Al Moumin involved tribal and community leaders, local NGOs, and Professors from Iraqi Universities namely Baghdad, Basra and Thi Qar. Similar projects were implemented in Karbala in October of 2004, the Iraqi Marshlands in November of 2004, and Fallujah in December of 2004. When her term ended, a group of Iraqi professors and community tribal leaders approached Dr. Al Moumin to help form a non- for- profit to work together and train women living in rural areas on addressing environmental and security issues including overcoming IED attacks.  The main concern of the Iraqi professors and tribal leaders (Sheiks) was that capacity building programs were only offered at the national level i.e. major cities. However, rural women, who are the most vulnerable, cannot attend for many reasons including finances. Thus, WATEO experts reach-out to these women by conducting their training workshops in the Sheik’s reception halls (Mudiefs). Since 2005, WATEO has implemented projects funded by United Nations Environmental Programme, the Canada- Iraq Marshlands Intuitive (CIMI), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and others. AboutIraq—as any other post-conflict country—faces two problems: lack of basic environmental needs; and vulnerability to IED attacks. In August of 2009, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNCIEF) estimates that only one out of five Iraqis has access to safe drinking water. [1] While, the Iraq Body Count Project estimates that in 2009, 7.2 % of all deaths in Iraq are caused by IEDs. In one day Iraq lost 469 people due to an IED attack[2]Deaths per day from suicide attacks and vehicle bombs (now includes non-vehicle suicide attacks) Numbers for 2009 are still continuously increasing  Source: Iraq Body Count Project http://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/  WATEO believes that there is a connection between IED attacks and basic environmental needs not being met, because WATEO noticed that in districts and villages where people have little or no access to safe drinking water and sanitation services are the areas where the majority of IED attackers originate from. In order to successfully launch an IED attack, local communities must be involved by providing logistical support to the attackers. Iraq Aid Association estimates that 60% of the population in Anbar is directly using river water for domestic purposes. River water is not safe for human use as it receives huge amounts of pollutants including raw sewage.When, people cannot feel that they are part of a government that fails to provide for their basic needs, a frustration builds within the local communities, and this leaves them vulnerable toward recruitment by insurgency groups[3]. Local populace will stand against such government and support the insurgency in all ways possible. 
WATEO experts reached this conclusion while working in Sadr City, Najaf City and Fallujah City. WAETO experts worked under the umbrella of the Ministry of Environment that implemented projects in Sadr City, providing capacity building, environmental education, and basic needs. Sadr City people expressed frustration due to lack of safe drinking water and proper sanitation. WATEO experts provided training on how to meet these needs, in hopes of reducing the recruitment by the insurgency groups. WATEO works at the grassroots level and seeks to empower local communities to secure their environment. By securing the environment, WATEO means spotting and mitigating any security threats which could include a lack of basic environmental needs, potential IED attacks, or any threat that could endanger the communities’ lives. WATEO builds the capacity of tribal leaders, community leaders, and religious leaders through activities which train them to influence positively their communities. This is because local populaces are under the influence of their local leaders more so than the central government. Moreover, local leaders seek support from WATEO experts to train their communities and work among them.  Print this Page
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WATEO's Arabic Language and Arabic Culture ProgramUnited Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)UNEP references WATEO's work:
The First Progress ReportThe Second Progress ReportSuccess Stories |