Oxfam has joined the chorus of international relief agencies calling for immediate action against the looming humanitarian crisis in Iraq. According to its latest findings, every third Iraqi is in need of some kind of aid, be it because of food scarcity, insufficient water supplies or proper sanitation. In a report issued today, Oxfam notes that
- Four million Iraqis , 15% – regularly cannot buy enough to eat.
- 70% are without adequate water supplies, compared to 50% in 2003.
- 28% of children are malnourished, compared to 19% before the 2003 invasion.
- 92% of Iraqi children suffer learning problems, mostly due to the climate of fear.
- More than two million people , mostly women and children – have been displaced inside Iraq.
- A further two million Iraqis have become refugees, mainly in Syria and Jordan
Oxfam has called on the Iraqi government to extend its food aid program deeper into the country and demands that the members of the military coalition, i.e. the UK and US enhance their efforts toward easing the humanitarian crisis that exists as a result of the ongoing civil warfare in the country.
International relief and aid organization such as Oxfam have had to withdraw from Iraq over the past few months, given rising security concerns. By the same token, as reported in an article in German news magazine, Der Spiegel, local medical personnel and other highly-skilled experts, including engineers needed to restore water pipelines, etc. are leaving the country in droves. This exodus further exacerbates an already dire situation.