The United States declared an award of 10 million dollars in grants to several US-based nongovernmental organizations on Monday to "train Iraqi women in skills and practices of democratic public life."

The organizations that will receive the funds include John Hopkins University and School of Advanced International Studies, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said in a statement.

"Each organization will work with Iraqi partners on the ground to prepare women to complete 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," Powell said.

"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," Powell said.

Source: Xinhua