Latest news with #StrategicCenterforHumanRightsinIraq
Shafaq News
01-08-2025
- Climate
- Shafaq News
Climate change emerges as a national security threat in Iraq
Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraq is undergoing an unprecedented climate transformation, with the past three years marking the most severe environmental deterioration in decades, according to Fadel Al-Gharawi, Head of the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq. In a statement issued on Friday, Al-Gharawi warned that the crisis has escalated beyond environmental parameters and now threatens Iraq's national stability. Record Heat And Rising Global Vulnerability 'Iraq now ranks among the five countries most affected by climate change globally,' Al-Gharawi stated, citing extreme heat waves in the central and southern provinces, where summer temperatures exceeded 50°C in 2023, 2024, and again in 2025. He added that Iraq's average temperature increase of 0.48°C per decade is nearly double the global rate, describing the trend as 'a looming permanent environmental catastrophe.' Water Scarcity And Agricultural Collapse Al-Gharawi reported that the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers has decreased by 30–40% compared to historical averages. This reduction has accelerated desertification, increased evaporation, and severely strained water resources—directly affecting agricultural output. 'The agricultural sector has borne the brunt of rising temperatures and water shortages,' he said. In 2022, wheat production fell by 37%, barley by 30%, and total crop yields dropped by up to 50% in some areas. By 2023, half of all farmers had reduced cultivated land or irrigation. In 2024, 71% of Iraq's farmland was at risk of complete drought, with more than 100,000 dunams (approximately 25,000 acres) lost annually to desertification. Mass Displacement And Food Insecurity The environmental decline has led to widespread internal displacement. Al-Gharawi noted that at least 130,000 people were forced to leave rural areas for urban centers between 2022 and 2023 due to the collapse of agriculture-based livelihoods. In 2024, nearly 40% of Iraqi farmers abandoned the sector entirely, while over 80% of affected rural families became dependent on humanitarian aid or food-based loans. Livestock Losses And Food Supply Impact Buffalo herding and livestock farming have also suffered. Iraq's buffalo population declined from 150,000 in 2015 to fewer than 65,000 by 2024 due to water shortages. Goat and cattle farming similarly fell, as feed prices rose and pasturelands deteriorated—undermining Iraq's domestic food basket. Public Health Toll From Heatwaves And Dust Storms Al-Gharawi pointed to a rise in heatstroke and respiratory illnesses linked to extreme weather events. During one major dust storm in 2022, more than 5,000 people were hospitalized within just two days. Call For Urgent National Climate Strategy To confront the crisis, Al-Gharawi urged the Iraqi government to accelerate the 'Green Iraq Initiative.' The plan includes planting five million trees to combat desertification, generating one gigawatt of electricity from solar projects, and modernizing irrigation systems. He called for a fully funded national climate adaptation strategy covering agricultural recovery, water planning, and financial support for vulnerable farmers through emergency funds. Al-Gharawi also stressed the need for a swift transition to renewable energy, large-scale reforestation, and the implementation of rainwater harvesting systems to rehabilitate degraded lands.
Shafaq News
01-08-2025
- Shafaq News
Drowning incidents rise in Iraqi rivers: Heat, lack of safe alternatives
Shafaq News – Baghdad More than 500 people have drowned in Iraq over the past three years, with incidents surging during the summer season, according to the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq With few regulated swimming pools available—particularly in the outskirts of cities—young people frequently turn to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and their tributaries, including the Diyala River, Mosul Dam, Kut Barrage, and Lake Habbaniyah. These locations, popular among families seeking to escape high temperatures, have become hotspots for fatal accidents. Despite clear safety measures set by the river police, enforcement remains a challenge. A source in the river police, who requested anonymity, confirmed that rules prohibit swimming in deep or fast-moving waters. Yet young swimmers routinely flout these directives. "Life jackets—locally called najadah—are mandatory," the source stressed, adding that "Swimming must be restricted to designated areas without fish farms, barbed wire, or sewage pumps." The official noted that many youths dive in without any regard for basic safety, exposing themselves to danger. Rivers also conceal environmental hazards. Contaminated waters can trigger skin diseases, while broken glass and aggressive aquatic creatures—like river crabs or the Abu Zamira fish—pose additional threats. The lack of affordable, nearby alternatives drives many teenagers to the rivers. "There are no public pools close to their homes," the source explained, clarifying that 'there are few recreational spaces in Baghdad's outer districts. Entry fees at licensed pools range from 5,000 to 10,000 dinars, often doubling during holidays and peak seasons."
Shafaq News
03-07-2025
- Shafaq News
Iraq's crime rate plummets 13% in early 2025
Shafaq News – Baghdad A 13% decrease in criminal incidents was recorded in Iraq during the first half of 2025 compared to the last six months of 2024, the Interior Ministry announced on Thursday. In a statement, the ministry's spokesperson, Colonel Abbas al-Bahadli, explained that the decline 'reflects efforts by law enforcement to curb crime across the country.' On January 29, the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq noted a 15% drop in crime rates in 2024 compared to 2023, based on data from the Interior Ministry. According to the report, violent crimes—including murder and aggravated assault—fell by 20%. Theft-related crimes, including home and vehicle theft, dropped by 12%, while drug trafficking cases decreased by 18%. Notably, Iraq ranked 8th among Arab countries and 80th globally out of 146 nations in the 2024 Crime Index published by Numbeo, a global platform that tracks crime rates, cost of living, and quality of life indicators.
Shafaq News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
8 million Iraqis at risk of losing vote as registration deadline nears
Shafaq News/ More than 8 million eligible Iraqi voters remain unregistered, the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq (SCHR) announced on Thursday, raising alarms over mass disenfranchisement ahead of the country's parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) recently extended the deadline for voter registration updates to June 15, as the original cut-off date of May 23 approached with millions yet to complete the mandatory biometric process. The extension comes as a critical intervention, according to the IHEC's Deputy Head Hazem Al-Rudaini, who praised the move as essential to preserving voter participation. Under Election Law No. 4 of 2023, only citizens holding biometric electoral cards will be allowed to vote. Al-Rudaini warned that out of Iraq's 29 million eligible voters—a figure that includes newly eligible citizens born in 2005 and 2006—only 21 million have completed biometric registration to date. He called for intensified public awareness campaigns and government efforts to facilitate the registration process.
Shafaq News
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
2025 elections: 9M Iraqis barred from voting
Shafaq News/ Nearly nine million Iraqis are unable to vote in the upcoming 2025 parliamentary elections, the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq said on Saturday. Hazem al-Rudaini, the center's deputy director, noted that the total number of eligible voters—including those born in 2007 who recently reached voting age—stands at 29.1 million. However, only around 20 million have completed biometric registration, a legal requirement to cast a ballot in the October 11 elections. 'This leaves roughly 9 million Iraqis without the right to vote,' he explained, urging the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to extend the registration deadline by another month to allow more citizens to update their data. He also called for a nationwide awareness campaign involving the government, media, and civil society groups.
