Poverty forces Iraqi children out of school, into full-time work

"I quit school in my first year," Kadhim said. "I bought this tuk-tuk and I work with it. I earn about 10,000 Iraqi dinars from the trash I collect. My father is sick, so I give it to him. This is our life. What can I do?"

A November 2020 report from non-governmental organisation World Vision found that 93 percent of Iraqi children are worried about falling into poverty, while 75 percent say they are worried they will not have enough to eat.

A statement from UNICEF released on November 20, World Children's Day, warned that the percentage of Iraqi children at risk of falling into poverty has doubled since the pandemic began, from 20 percent to 40 percent.