Over 10 million Iraqis living in poverty, reports Strategic Center for Human Rights
According to the Ministry of Planning, approximately 25% of Iraq's population, which totals around 43 million, lives below the poverty line.
Erbil (Kurdistan 24) - The Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq has confirmed that more than 10 million Iraqis are living below the poverty line, with the 2024 budget failing to support over one million deserving families.
The center stated: "Despite the government's significant efforts in road reconstruction, housing, and other sectors, critical issues affecting the daily life of Iraqi citizens, such as poverty and lack of job opportunities in the private sector, must be addressed."
According to the Ministry of Planning, approximately 25% of Iraq's population, which totals around 43 million, lives below the poverty line.
The Ministry of Labor's Department of Social Welfare distributes monthly salaries to only two million families, leaving over one million families in need without support in the 2024 budget. Additionally, more than 1,650,000 unemployed individuals are registered with the Department of Labor.
The center urged the federal government to "work seriously to reduce poverty and unemployment rates by developing a strategic plan for the next five years. This plan should focus on supporting national industry and agriculture, reducing the import of agricultural and industrial goods, and regulating the foreign labor market, which has diminished job opportunities for Iraqis. The number of foreign workers has approached one million, with only around 40,000 officially registered, according to the Ministry of Labor."