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Poverty rates on the rise in Iraq

The security crisis in Anbar and the crisis in governance have contributed to a declining Iraqi economy.
People collect garbage to be sorted and sold to nearby recycling centres in a district near Najaf, 160 km (99 miles) south of Baghdad April 30, 2013. REUTERS/Ahmed Mousa (IRAQ - Tags: SOCIETY POVERTY) - RTXZ4UN
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Iraq has been struggling with an increase in poverty rates for many years. While the Iraqi Ministry of Planning notes that the rate of poverty has recently decreased, reaching 11%, statistics released by the World Bank show that 28% of Iraqi families live below the poverty line. In the event that the country may face any kind of crisis, this rate could increase by 70%. This is currently happening because of the spike in violent acts and tense political situation.

The head of the Model Iraqi Women Organization, Athraa Hassani, provided Al-Monitor with this information, quoting World Bank officials who discussed these statistics during a meeting in Turkey with a number of members of civil society organizations seeking to find a solution to the poverty crisis in Iraq.

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