Report: Iraq Living Conditions Tragic

[chlamor]

In some areas of the country, acute malnourishment reaches 17 percent and stunting reaches 26 percent, the report says. Both infant and child mortality rates appear to have been steadily increasing over the past 15 years. At present, 32 babies out of every 1,000 born alive die before reaching their first birthday.

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In addition, 37 percent of young men with secondary or higher education are unemployed and just 83 percent of boys and 79 percent of school-age girls are enrolled in primary school.

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Homes also took a major hit from the latest war, the study says. Military damage to dwellings in the north of the country averages 25 percent of all rural households and in provinces such as Sulaimaniya, 49 percent of all rural homes were damaged.

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Some 47 percent of urban households but only three percent of rural ones have a sewage connection. More than 80 percent of urban households are able to reach secondary schools, health centres, pharmacies, and police stations within 30 minutes while only 60 percent of urban households can reach a pharmacy or police station in that time.

http://ipsnews.net/new_notan.asp?idnews=28665

[kenny blankenship]

1. But it's a Springtime of Hope!

How can you say all those horrible things in the middle of the springtime of hope?