In the lively market of al-Hillah city, situated 95 km south of Baghdad, amidst the hustle and bustle, Mohammad Kareem endeavors to capture the attention of passersby. Throughout the day, he displays his merchandise, which varies from nylon bags and paper tissues in winter to water bottles in summer – an impressive feat for a youngster not yet reaching his ninth year.

During fortunate days when luck is on his side, he manages to earn approximately 10,000 Iraqi dinars per day, equivalent to 6 dollars. This income is crucial for supporting both himself and his younger brother, who is employed at a local restaurant. With their father incapacitated and their mother fulfilling the role of a homemaker, the responsibility falls squarely on their shoulders.

"My father suffered a brain ailment, leaving him unable to move his leg and right hand. I had to quit school after completing the first grade, and now I'm here working,” he said in a somber tone, stacking shopping bags, demonstrating the nature of his labor, then navigated through the bustling crowd, vociferously announcing, “on sale, on sale,” as he promoted the bags.

Kareem’s predicament mirrors the circumstances of numerous Iraqi children who, like him, have abandoned formal education, undertaking labor unsuitable for their age. They shoulder the weight of supporting their economically challenged families from a young age.

Numerous factors have contributed to Iraq's current state, with the most notable being the rampant corruption among the ruling elites since 2003. 

Despite the nation's considerable oil wealth, corruption has resulted in alarmingly high poverty rates, affecting approximately a quarter of Iraq's population, which exceeds 42 million. 

Furthermore, the aftermath of conflicts against armed factions, notably the recent fight with the Islamic State (ISIS), which controlled swathes of Iraq's territory from 2014 to 2016, has inflicted substantial casualties and forced millions to flee their homes, disrupting livelihoods and upending established ways of life.

Corruption and wars have exacerbated economic decline, with persistent challenges in industry, agriculture, and trade since 1991, leading to a surge in unemployment rates, notably among the youth (reaching 21 percent). 

The situation is further complicated by the inability of state institutions to execute proposed development plans, encompassing improvements in infrastructure, health, and education.

Furthermore, the parliament's failure to enact a law safeguarding children and families from exploitation and violence intensifies the predicament. 

Various rationales, such as purported conflicts with the country's predominant religion, Islam, or prevailing traditions and customs, are cited, considering the predominantly tribal nature of Iraqi society.

Enduring issue

Economic researcher Salwan Abdul-Aziz attributes the deterioration in the conditions of childhood in Iraq to the period before 2003. 

He highlighted that the last decade of the previous century saw Iraq grappling with extensive economic sanctions, lasting over a decade as part of international penalties imposed due to its invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. 

This was preceded by an eight-year war with Iran, depleting the state's resources and foreign currency reserves, ultimately accumulating debts in the tens of billions of dollars.

During this period, which endured until the downfall of the previous Iraqi regime in April 2003, Iraqis grappled with substantial economic challenges, compelling many to employ every possible means to secure daily sustenance. This often involved withdrawing children from schools and engaging them in the labor market.

"Following the change of the previous regime with one that champions democratic ideals and lifts the economic embargo, there are no longer justifications for permitting child labor and their withdrawal from schools,” Aziz said. “However, rather than tackling the issue, successive governments have allowed it to escalate significantly. The streets are now teeming with mobile child vendors and beggars. We also witness them toiling in various workshops and stores, even as cargo carriers."

According to the Iraqi Institute for Development and Analysis Research, the count of children enrolled in primary schools during the academic year 2000-2001 surpassed four million, spread across 11,709 elementary schools. At that juncture, the population was no more than 25 million people, and the number of children in the 5-14 age group hovered around five million.

Meanwhile, data from the Ministry of Planning reveals that, for the academic year 2019-2020, almost two decades later, the count of children enrolled in primary schools exceeded six and a half million. They were allocated among 17,945 elementary schools. During this period, the country's population had exceeded 40 million (three years ago), and the age group of 5-14 had surpassed ten million children.

The statistics clearly indicate a significant and more than twofold increase in the rates of non-attendance and dropout from primary schools over the past two decades. The pressing need for constructing over 5000 elementary schools is evident.

Salem Hussein, Director of the Children's Culture House in Babil Governorate, blamed the government's neglect of children's issues and its failure to make substantial efforts to enhance the realities of childhood in Iraq. 

“The prevalence of working and homeless children starkly illustrates the consequences of the government's lack of a coherent strategy to support Iraqi children and ameliorate their conditions,” he said. “This neglect has not only impacted the cultural and educational development of children but has also left children's culture centers across all provinces deprived of financial allocations for nearly a decade.”

Funding falls short of expectations

In the new Iraqi system, economic experts are under scrutiny amid allegations of corruption, with claims that they have siphoned off public funds, depriving Iraqis of their fair share. This has exacerbated unemployment and entrenched poverty, significantly affecting the lives of children across the country. 

The consequences ripple beyond merely disrupting their education, as many are forced into the workforce prematurely. Furthermore, the lack of dedicated legislation to safeguard children has resulted in a surge of violence against them.

Education specialists are pointing fingers at successive Iraqi governments, accusing them of gross neglect of education sector. They argue that this neglect is glaringly evident in the paltry annual allocations earmarked for the Ministry of Education within the broader budget framework. 

In 2021, this allocation barely scraped past 1.7 percent, a figure deemed woefully inadequate by economic expert Jalil al-Lami to meet the lofty goal of ensuring a quality education for all. 

He highlighted the potential for the same percentage to recur in future budgets or perhaps see a slight increase, saying that “there is a likelihood that the annual budget allocations for the Ministry of Education from the general budget for 2023 will mirror those of 2021, which is notably meager compared to the allocations made for education ministries in other developed nations.”

“This allocation falls significantly short of meeting the sector's requirements. Education necessitates substantial investments in constructing exemplary schools and rehabilitating those on the verge of collapse. Numerous schools across Iraqi provinces, be they made of mud, housed in caravans, or on the brink of collapse, are ill-equipped to accommodate students,” he added.

Lami stresses the critical necessity for Iraq to align with scientific advancements, integrate illustrative methods, and ensure the health and social well-being of students. Consequently, the decision of the Ministry of Education in the 2023 budget is deemed "unsatisfactory" for the progress of the education sector, as described by him.

Nevertheless, Mahir Hammad Johan, Deputy Minister of Planning for Technical Affairs, presented a contrasting perspective. He maintained that the education sector will receive paramount attention with substantial allocations, with the aim of enhancing education indicators, as emphasized in recent press releases.

Recent data reveals that the allocation rate for the education sector has remained below 4 percent of the country's budgets for the past two decades. This stands in sharp contrast to the approximately 20 percent allocation designated for education in advanced nations, as reported by the United Nations.

By the end of 2021, the High Commission for Human Rights had drawn attention to the precarious state of 1,775 schools, comprising 275 secondary schools, and 820 mud and caravan schools nationwide. 

Stressing the urgency, the Commission underscored the necessity for the construction of four thousand elementary schools and three thousand secondary schools to tackle the predicament of double and triple shifts within the education system.

Last June, Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, announced that the provinces of Iraq are in need of 8,000 schools, a construction endeavor that may extend over several years.

Nevertheless, experts underscore that the demand is far more pressing. Even with efforts to tackle the challenges posed by caravan and mud schools and the adoption of double and triple shifts (8-11 am, 12-3 pm, and 4-7 pm) in a single school facility, the goal of providing each school with its own dedicated building, staff, and necessary resources is a target that may remain elusive for years to come, particularly without a corresponding increase in population aligned with the current pace of school construction.

The previous academic year saw an enrollment of over 1.4 million new students, and while there has been a slight uptick in numbers in the current academic year due to population growth, enhanced security conditions, and the repatriation of displaced individuals to their respective regions, this underscores the urgent need for additional schools.

Every year, millions of students endure the Ministry of Education's inability to fulfill the demand for textbooks in schools, forcing them to resort to purchasing their own from the market. During the 2022-2023 academic year, the ministry grappled with providing textbooks due to inadequate allocations, exacerbated by the lack of approval for the country's budget that year.

Illiteracy epidemic

In 2022, the United Nations informed the Teachers' Union that a staggering 12 million Iraqis, representing over 29 percent of the total population, lack basic literacy skills. UNESCO paints an even bleaker picture, with the percentage climbing to over 40 percent.

In contrast to the figures disclosed by the Ministry of Planning in its 2021 statistics, which indicated an illiteracy rate of 12 percent among those aged 15 and above, Deputy Minister of Education, Alaa al-Halbousi, asserted the lack of precise data on the extent of illiteracy in the country. He declared, "Iraq is moving towards illiteracy, not eradication."

The discrepancies in reported percentages and their subsequent dismissal do little to undermine the escalating crisis of illiteracy in Iraq. This alarming trend persists amidst the glaring absence of sufficient financial support for institutions tasked with addressing educational and literacy challenges, such as the Literacy Eradication Executive Body.

This sentiment is echoed by Kadhim Abdul Zahra, Director of the Iraqi Children's Center, who identifies corruption as a key driver behind the pervasive illiteracy issue. 

“The appointments made post-2003 brought individuals lacking expertise into the Ministries of Education and Culture, as well as other government bodies tasked with children's affairs,” he said. “This has resulted in a steady deterioration of Iraq's education standards and the compounding of issues across multiple levels, culminating in challenges that are not easily remedied or resolved.”

In a study undertaken by the Iraqi Children's Center, it was revealed that a mere 17 percent of children attending primary schools demonstrate proficiency in reading and writing. Abdul Zahra substantiates this alarming statistic by attributing it to the breakdown of the educational system. 

“Illiteracy isn't confined to children outside the school system; it also permeates among those enrolled in primary schools. The deterioration of educational infrastructure has impeded academic advancement,” he said. “As a result, the ramifications of corruption extend to children both within and beyond school premises, obstructing efforts to enhance their academic achievements.”

Abdul Zahra stressed the critical necessity for government intervention to salvage what little remains and tackle the pervasive dysfunction within institutions responsible for children, as outlined in his statement.

Wars and Conflicts

In 2014, following ISIS's seizure of several provinces in Iraq, the number of displaced children soared to approximately one and a half million, constituting 25 percent of the total displaced population, as per Ministry of Planning statistics from 2015. Additionally, 8.2 percent of displaced individuals were forced to abandon education due to their displacement.

Zainab, a 13-year-old girl from Kirkuk, encountered obstacles in accessing education when ISIS attacked the city in 2016, coinciding with her turning six, the typical age for primary school enrollment in Iraq. Consequently, she and her family fled to Sulaimani in the Kurdistan Region.

“We used to reside in a modest house passed down from my grandfather. Unfortunately, ISIS destroyed it, rendering it uninhabitable even after liberation operations,” she said as tears welled up in her eyes. “My father earned a meager living selling cigarettes in Kirkuk, barely enough to support me and my two brothers, who, like me, had to abandon school. They now work selling plastic bags, while my father takes on sporadic jobs as a construction worker.”

“I sell pastries that my mother bakes at home. I set up on the sidewalk along Salim Street in downtown Sulaimani, displaying the pastries in a plastic container atop a wooden box."

Zainab plays a vital role in supporting her family financially, as they couldn't bear the hardships of life in displacement camps. Opting instead to leverage the skills of each family member, they work together to secure housing and livelihoods within the city of Sulaimani.

Ali Hakem, an education activist, contends that the wars and conflicts in Iraq have adversely affected education levels by exacerbating economic woes, resulting in a considerable number of children abandoning their education.

"The failure to take substantial measures to address the ISIS issue and provide adequate compensation to its victims, including the displaced population, has led to a significant increase in the number of children dropping out of school,” he said. “Many others have not even had the opportunity to enroll in education, as they are compelled to enter the labor market at a young age, consequently contributing to a rise in the illiteracy rate."

With a significant number of students displaced from their schools, the expectation was to provide them with equitable educational opportunities. However, the failure to adequately address the plight of displaced individuals and the absence of supplementary educational programs have resulted in these students falling behind in their studies,” he added.

Meanwhile, security expert Abdul Khaliq al-Shahr warns of the peril of a new generation of terrorists emerging as a result of widespread illiteracy, which he refers to as the precursor to ignorance and misunderstanding. 

Elaborating on his viewpoint, he asserted that “illiteracy serves as the primary gateway—or the flip side—of terrorism, drug trafficking, and the proliferation of criminals and beggars. The uneducated are susceptible targets for extremist groups, requiring no elaborate indoctrination to lure them into the fold of terrorism. They are essentially blank slates onto which terrorism can inscribe its ideologies with ease.”

Al-Shahr highlighted that corruption, which has hampered development opportunities and impeded construction projects and services, has proliferated to an unprecedented extent due to widespread ignorance and marginalization. Therefore, in his view, reducing illiteracy is imperative to curbing corruption and terrorism.

It is noteworthy that the number of orphans in Iraq has surged to five million, as per UNICEF statistics for the year 2022. 

This figure represents 5 percent of the total global orphan population. The primary driver behind this increase is attributed to the deteriorating security situation post-2003, coupled with the proliferation of armed extremist groups and the conflicts waged against them.

Escalating labor concerns amidst legislative inaction

A 2020 report on the state of education in Iraq, released by UNICEF, uncovered that roughly 7 percent of children aged 5-17 were involved in the labor market. The report underscored economic and social factors as significant barriers to enrollment in primary schools and the completion of education.

While the Iraqi Constitution of 2005 provides protection for children under its twenty-ninth article, it does not explicitly criminalize child labor. 

Similarly, Civil Law No. 40 of 1951, as amended, sets the age of eighteen as the age of maturity in Article 106, but does not explicitly address child labor. Under Article 20 of the amended Labor Law No. 37 of 2015, a "young worker" is defined as "any male or female person who has reached the age of fifteen but has not yet reached the age of eighteen." This allows for employment under specific conditions outlined in Articles 95-105. 

Additionally, Article 21 of the same law defines a "child" as "any person who has not yet reached the age of fifteen." According to Article 11, individuals who violate provisions related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and sexual harassment, as outlined in this chapter, may face imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not exceeding one million, or both penalties, depending on the case.

Despite the presence of specific provisions addressing child labor, the trend of children leaving school to enter the workforce continues to grow significantly. This issue is compounded by successive security and economic crises, as well as the lack of enforcement of Iraqi labor laws.

Human rights activist Mohammed Joumaa attributes the lack of enforcement of labor laws to a dearth of complaints filed by affected parties, namely the children or their representatives. 
Additionally, he noted a delay in the actions of the inspection department under the Ministry of Labor, tasked with monitoring legal violations related to labor laws.

“Under Iraqi law, filing a complaint necessitates the affected party or their guardian to initiate it. However, children are not authorized to file complaints themselves,” Joumaa said. “Furthermore, it is the guardians who often involve them in the labor market. Consequently, the question arises: who will bring forth a complaint to the labor court?”

Joumaa highlighted legal provisions that diminish the rights of Iraqi children, citing Article 3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure No. 23 of 1971, which prohibits reporting violations against a child unless done by the child or their guardians. 

“It is imperative to address this and regard the child as an equal citizen, or at the very least establish an entity dedicated to advocating for their rights and shielding them from violence and exploitation."

Domestic violence escalating to murder

Umm Ali, a 40-year-old resident of Diwaniya Governorate, recounts years of harrowing abuse at the hands of her husband, confiding in her three children.

“My husband's alcohol consumption often leads to violent outbursts, during which he beats and restrains the children,” she said. “On one occasion, he inflicted a head injury on my eldest son. Fearing shame and legal consequences, I was unable to seek medical help for him, so I had to tend to his wound myself.”

She takes a deep breath, glancing around cautiously before whispering, "the moment I try to intervene, he starts to beat and curse me. There are times when I have to take my children to a separate room and lock the door until the next morning just to avoid a recurrence of the same nightmare."

Umm Ali attributes her hesitation to seek legal recourse to the tribal dynamics that envelop her, which deter her from taking any action against her husband. 

"My own siblings would be the first to blame me, and to top it off, my husband's brothers would hound me relentlessly. I would not be shocked if they tried to take my children away from me if their brother ends up in prison because of a complaint from me,” she said.

Ali, the eldest son at 15 years old, endures the bulk of the abuse as he stands up for his mother and siblings. 

"For as long as I can remember, my father has been like this. Whenever he encounters any issue, he lashes out at us, yelling and hitting,” he said.

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he reflected "even as I start to grow facial hair, I am still enduring beatings, often without reason, simply because I try to shield my mother and siblings from his wrath."

He fell silent for a moment, seemingly lost in the reel of his early childhood memories with his father. 

Breaking the silence, he gazed out of the window pensively, saying, "I struggle endlessly to prevent my siblings from enduring what I went through, but it is hindered any chance of forming a positive relationship with my father. Often, I find myself yearning to escape, yet I am at a loss as to where I would even go."

Cases of domestic violence have surged since 2003, reaching a critical threshold cautioned by the United Nations. In response, there have been calls for the enactment of a law safeguarding children and families, initially in 2020 and reiterated in 2022. 

Nonetheless, the proposed legislation remains at a standstill within the halls of parliament due to disagreements over certain provisions.

Amidst the continued occurrences of children tragically losing their lives due to brutal beatings by family members, calls from both the United Nations and local civil organizations for action have intensified. 

These distressing incidents often garner widespread attention on social media platforms. One of the most chilling cases to emerge is the death of seven-year-old Mousa, who suffered torture at the hands of his father's wife in the Shula district of the capital, Baghdad. 

The abuse inflicted upon him included beatings, electric shocks, the use of a knife, and ultimately, strangulation.

Despite mounting international and local pressures to enact a domestic violence law since 2019, the bill has remained stagnant in parliament as of late 2022, failing to advance beyond its initial reading. 

The lack of progress stems from intense debates surrounding certain provisions of the bill, with supporters—albeit a minority in parliament—clashing with opponents, who comprise the majority. The opponents advocate for a law that aligns more closely with Iraqi traditions and prevailing customs.

Lawyer Dhahia al-Zubaidi attributes the failure to enact a law protecting children to the tribal inclinations of the majority of parliament members across all sessions.

“Opposing members of parliament often present unfounded arguments to evade passing the legislation,” she said. “These include their reluctance to reshape Iraqi society in the image of Western societies, where a son could potentially sue his father, or the claim that the law contradicts Islamic teachings.”

Legal expert Ali al-Tamimi emphasized the pressing necessity to pass a law that combats crimes perpetrated against children, particularly given their contravention of international agreements on children's rights and human rights, as stated in his remarks. 

He asserted that the Child Protection Law project aligns with provisions outlined in the Iraqi Constitution, the International Covenant, and Iraqi laws concerning the welfare of minors and penalties. Hence, "it represents progress in any scenario, as childhood embodies the future."

Experts highlight the challenging circumstances facing children in Iraq amid the absence of legislation and a rising illiteracy rate, compounded by inadequate government support for primary and secondary education, as well as the lingering effects of past wars and sanctions. Addressing this predicament necessitates the implementation of a decisive strategy; without it, prospects for the country's development and growth remain elusive.

*This feature was produced in collaboration with the Network of Iraqi Reporters for Investigative Journalism (NIRIJ)