MOP: Iraq started working with an international grant to alleviate poverty

Baghdad - INA - Muhammad Al-Talbi

The Ministry of Planning confirmed that Iraq has started working with an international grant and direct preparation for the poverty alleviation strategy.

Undersecretary Maher Hammad told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the phenomenon of begging is one of the repercussions of the phenomenon of poverty," noting that "any action that addresses the phenomenon of poverty is an essential measure to solve the problem of beggary in general."

He added, "Iraq has started work with an international grant and direct preparation of the poverty alleviation strategy, with a comprehensive basic survey called the Economic and Social Survey to simulate the Iraqi society with the support of the international community and funding from the budget of the Ministry of Planning," noting that "begging has become a commercial phenomenon and the creation of entities that work." On this subject, as there are authorities concerned with this phenomenon, not because of need, but because of the presence of beggary mafias that are linked to many societal details.

Hammad stressed that "Iraq is one of the least societies in which the phenomenon of beggary is prevalent," noting that "the high rate of beggary is due to poverty."

He continued, "The issue of beggary is addressed mainly by solving the issue of poverty, which we are working on as much as possible in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Welfare Network and other concerned ministries in addition to the Interior."

He explained that "the ministry focuses on the relationship of the beggar with leaving schools and the culture of the community with the child, as we focus on child labor from all sides."