The people of Iraq have had their human rights neglected as the national government, multinational forces, and nongovernmental organizations have focused their efforts on reconstruction, political development, and institution-building in the country, according to a new report released Monday by Oxfam International.

The report does not showcase any new numbers or original research, but compiles previous UNHCR statistics and information gathered by the Iraqi government and other NGOs to construct a comprehensive, and bleak, assessment of the current state of Iraq's humanitarian needs.

According to the report, more than eight million Iraqis are in desperate need of immediate humanitarian assistance:

* Four million Iraqis – 15% - regularly cannot buy enough to eat.

* 70% are without adequate water supplies, compared to 50% in 2003.

* 80% do not have access to proper sanitation.

* 43% live on less than a dollar a day.

* 28% of children are malnourished, compared to 19% before the 2003 invasion.

* 92% of Iraqi children suffer learning problems, mostly due to the climate of fear.

* 90% of the country's hospitals lack basic medical supplies.

* More than 15% are either internally or externally displaced.

As a result of the lack of adequate nutrition or clean water, resulting illnesses, particularly diarrhoeal diseases, have been on the rise.

Jeremy Hobbs, director of Oxfam International, said: "The terrible violence in Iraq has masked the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Malnutrition amongst children has dramatically increased and basic services, ruined by years of war and sanctions, cannot meet the needs of the Iraqi people. Millions of Iraqis have been forced to flee the violence, either to another part of Iraq or abroad. Many of those are living in dire poverty."

Oxfam recommends the Iraqi government expand its distribution network of rations by issuing temporary ID cards so the displaced are able to receive an allotment of government subsidies. Oxfam also suggests decentralizing the management of humanitarian assistance to provincial governments. Another recommendation would have cash subsidies to Iraq's widows doubled from $100/month to $200/month, and Iraqi NGOs officially registered by the government so their operating status could be more secure.

As always, the biggest requirement for Iraq's humanitarian needs is cash, and while the lion's share of responsibility falls on the national government and the MNF, Oxfam includes a special appeal for those countries who have not had troops inside Iraq. Iraq's NGOs do not accept money from countries who have been involved in the conflict, so Oxfam specifically calls for Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland, to increase their funding for humanitarian action.

Rising to the Humanitarian Challenge in Iraq oxfam.pdf