Life 'worse' for many of Iraq's poor, survey reveals

[floda]

19 Apr 2004 12:38:00 GMT
Life 'worse' for many of Iraq's poor, survey reveals
Christian Aid

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Christian Aid - UK
Website: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/news
The quality of life for Iraq's poor has deteriorated since the defeat of the Saddam regime, according to a new survey commissioned by Christian Aid.

The Baghdad Vulnerability Survey concludes:

'Poor Iraqis suffered enormously under Saddam Hussein's regime, yet the present stage of reconstruction is in some ways even more difficult. During the Saddam years, the war was at the front line; now it has moved into their own streets.'

Christian Aid partner, the Iraqi Kurdish NGO Network, interviewed around 1,000 families in eight of Baghdad's poorest, predominantly Shia neighbourhoods. It is one of the first ever large-scale surveys of the living conditions of poor Iraqis.

'Before the fall of Saddam Hussein, the whole of Iraqi society suffered years of war and sanctions, but its poorest people were hit particularly severely,' said Christian Aid Middle East expert, Sue Turrel.

'In Baghdad, the Shia south was systematically deprived of services and investment as a way of suppressing local resistance to Saddam Hussein's regime.'

The survey looks at all aspects of the lives of families who depend on outside help - such as food handouts or cash donations from friends or relatives. It particularly looks at the situation of women and children.

The results present a stark picture of miserable living conditions - now greatly exacerbated by insecurity, crime, economic uncertainty, unemployment, inadequate public services and poor housing.


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[kimchi]

1. Thanks for posting that.

I've sent it to my "but the Iraqis are free, and there are no more rape rooms" sister.

[sspiderjohn]

2. Pre Gulf War, Iraqi children's worst health problem was obesity . . .

This according to a World Health Organization report from 1990 -- I looked it up last year at the WHO site when we were protesting the impending war.

Before US intervention and sanctions, Iraq was well on its way to becoming a 1st world nation, with over 95% literacy and universal health care. Whatever Saddam's sins, at least he did that much for the country -- compare with the suffering poor under the ruthless Emir of Kuwait. What is the literacy rate there, maybe 2%?