Oxfam International and the NGO Coordinating Committee in Iraq issued a highly critical report on Monday on Iraqi and global handling of the growing humanitarian crisis in Iraq. 
In the 40-page document, “Rising to the humanitarian challenge in Iraq,” the authors reveal that 43 per cent of Iraqis live in “absolute poverty” and more than half of the labour force is unemployed. There are at least eight million civilians in need of emergency aid, including more than two million displaced within the country, two million who have fled to neighbouring countries, and four million who are “food-insecure and in dire need of different types of humanitarian assistance”.
Only 60 per cent currently receive government rations, a dramatic drop from 96 per cent in 2004.  Malnutrition rates amongst children have risen from 19 per cent before the US occupation to 28 per cent today. More than 11 per cent of babies were born underweight in 2006 as compared with 4 per cent in 2003. Ninety-two per cent of children have learning disabilities due to the “climate of fear”. More than 8,00,000 children are out of school as compared with 6,00,000 in 2004. 
The hardest hit in the country are the displaced who have no income.  In 2006, 32 per cent of these people did not receive rations, 51 per cent said they received rations occasionally, and 17 per cent said they always received the basket of wheat, rice, dried milk, tea and soap. 
The number of Iraqis who do not have adequate water supplies has risen from 50 to 70 per cent since 2003; 80 per cent do not have  proper sanitation.
Since most of the people killed are men, women are left to fend for themselves and their children. Seventy per cent of internally dis-placed are women and children. Projects to provide jobs for women were dropped in 2004 as non-governmental agencies were forced to pull out of the country.
Aid for widows
Recently the government started paying widows $100 per month. The authors recommend doubling this amount so that it approximates the average monthly wage of $ 200 and suggest that all food-insecure Iraqis should receive such a payment.
By the end of 2006 40 per cent of medical staff, teachers, engineers and other professionals had been forced to leave the country,exacerbating the privations of those who remain. 
While international donors increased aid for development by 922 per cent between 2003 and 2005, funding for humanitarian assistance fell by 47 per cent to $ 453 million during that period and to $ 95 million during 2006.
While the report blames ongoing violence as the “greatest threat facing Iraqis”, it is sharply critical of the government, the occupation authorities and foreign donors for failing to meet the humanitarian challenge rising from US regime change.
GRIM FIGURES
*43 % live in absolute poverty
*8 mn civilians in need of emergency aid
*28 % children       malnutritioned
*92 % children have learning disabilities