Iraq

Iraq is one of the easternmost countries of the Arab world, located at about the same latitude as the southern United States. It is bordered to the north by Turkey, to the east by Iran, to the west by Syria and Jordan, and to the south by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraq has 36 miles (58 km) of coastline along the northern end of the Persian Gulf, giving it a tiny sliver of territorial sea.

A ministry’s latest research, in cooperation with the World Bank, showed that the poverty rate in Iraq reached 24.8 percent of the population in the second half of 2020 due to the impacts of coronavirus pandemic.

Children and adolescents, who make-up more than half of the population in Iraq, are prone to bear the highest cost of rising poverty, service disruptions, and growing family stresses as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

4.5 million (11.7%) Iraqis are pushed below the poverty line as a result of COVID-19 pandemic and the associated socio-economic impacts. Losses to jobs and rising prices are causing the national poverty rate to climb to 31.7% from 20% in 2018.

42% of the population are vulnerable; facing a higher risk as they are deprived in more than one dimension of the following education, health, living conditions, and financial security. Disruption to services and the adoption of negative coping strategies by poor households are set to increase deprivation in wellbeing and rising inequality especially among children.

Thanks to our team member George Alhatem and his wife, we were able to distribute Christmas gift baskets filled with essential food items including eggs, oil and rice.

Thank you to our generous donors who keep supporting our causes around the world!

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