Not a day goes by without me grieving over the situation in Iraq, a country that once was at the forefront in regards to technology, progress and civilisation in the Middle East. Iraqis mastered science and the art of writing. Iraq became the first Arab country to establish power stations and the first country in the Arab world to eradicate illiteracy. Back then, Iraq produced many poets, writers, artists, inventors and scientists.
These days, however, Iraq is a country exhausted by wars and conflicts. Iraqi citizens are subject to killing and displacement and Iraqi society as a whole is on the decline as I see it. In recent years, Iraq has steadily slumped in corruption indexes, claiming spot 157 in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Today, illiteracy is once again on the spread across Iraq with an estimated 11 million illiterate Iraqis. The unemployment rate is rampant with 6 million Iraqis unemployed. Suicide rates have also increased, reaching 772 in 2021 and 15,000 cases of domestic violence were reported in 2021. Around 9 million citizens are living below the poverty line out of a total of 41 million Iraqis.
In 2021, 53,000 people immigrated and left Iraq. More than 1,000 demonstrators and 30 policemen died in violent protests and demonstrations that engulfed the country. From 2019 until 2021, 70 civil society and media activists were assassinated in Iraq.
My country is heading towards increased instability. Corruption, political rivalries and nepotism are increasing and the Iraqi government lacks the most basic elements of a democracy.
As a result of the above, I believe that our infrastructure will deteriorate further and so will security and safety on the streets. We will see the rise of more non-state armed groups and militias.
Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about immigrating and leaving the country. Not only for my own sake, but in order to secure a better future for my children and my grand children as I see Iraq developing in the wrong direction.
