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Facts on Iraq

-Population: Approx. 25 million
-1 in 5 people lives in chronic poverty (Source: UN WFP)
-At least 50% of the population is still unemployed (Source: ICRC)
-Almost half of the population is under the age of 14 (Source: Save the Children)
-1 million children under the age of 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition (UNICEF)

Humanitarian Crisis

The people of Iraq continue to depend on humanitarian aid for survival.

Iraq has 2.4 million internally displaced people (IDP), in addition to another 2 million externally displaced in neighboring countries.

Unemployment has reached more than 50 percent in some areas, while greater than 60 percent of the population in Iraq is cut off from essential services.

More than 4 million Iraqis are food insecure. Many more are living in poverty and are increasingly threatened by malnutrition and disease.

Health Hazards

The lack of security along with scarcity of medical supplies and clean drinking water are the most acute threats to Iraqi public health.

Hospitals are struggling to cope with the huge demand for basic health services and need rehabilitation, maintenance and improved hygiene.
 
Deadly Water

Existing war damage to Iraq’s water and sanitation systems was exacerbated by the latest conflict. The consequences are potentially disastrous. The spread of waterborne diseases caused by water contamination poses an acute danger to the weakest and most vulnerable sections of the population.

Children are particularly at risk, as diarrhea can be fatal. Before the war, 70% of child deaths were due to such preventable diseases.
 
Islamic Relief in Iraq

In 1997 Islamic Relief initiated its work in Iraq with medical relief, supplying poorly-equipped hospitals with Leukemia medicines and basic hygiene equipment. Over the years, Islamic Relief’s annual Qurbani and Ramadan food distributions have helped thousands of Iraqi families.

In January 2003 Islamic Relief received permission to open a field office in Baghdad. Islamic Relief staff was on the ground in Iraq throughout the conflict and continue to help the people of Iraq. Activities so far include emergency food distributions, Baghdad Clean-up project, and distribution of emergency health kits to hospitals and health centers, school rehabilitation and primary health center rehabilitation. Islamic Relief’s planned activities in Iraq include establishing a leukemia center, further rehabilitation of primary schools, rehabilitation of water treatment plants and further rehabilitation of primary health centers.

Islamic Relief has been continuously meeting the humanitarian needs of the people through our emergency relief programs. These emergency relief efforts will continue and expand in 2008 to assist 25-30,000 IDP families, IDP returnees and vulnerable families.

Islamic Relief's Projects in Iraq:

Raising Community Awareness of the Hazards of Drugs and Substance Abuse
Shelter Support to IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) in Central Iraq
Effective Peer Education on Violence against Women in Iraq
Practical Support for IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) in Central Iraq