UNICEF: Water Scarcity in Iraq Impacts on Children

Baghdad, MINA – The UN Organization for Humanity Aid and the Development of Child Welfare (UNICEF) has warned that water scarcity in Iraq could have a negative impact on the health of the country children.

“In Iraq, the level of scarcity water is worrying, children cannot growth without water,” said Sheema SenGupta, UNICEF Representative in Iraq. This was quoted from MEMO, on Tuesday, August 31.

“It’s time to take action on climate change and ensure access to safe water for every child,” he stressed.

The number official estimate, the number of children under 14 at 16.2 million based on the recently census by the Iraqi Ministry of Planning in January 2021.

According UNICEF, the 2020-2021 dry season in Iraq is the second driest in the last 40 years, a situation which led to a reduction in water flow from the Tigris and Euphrates by 29% and 73%, respectively.

Iraq depends on water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that flow from Turkey and Iran, but in recent years, the flow of water in both rivers has decreased due to low rainfall. (T/Hju/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)