UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has concluded his visit to Iraq, expressing concerns that Iraq’s water crisis may have widespread regional implications. The situation necessitates proactive measures from all countries to manage water resources as a global public good. This marked the first-ever visit to Iraq by a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Water scarcity has been a perennial issue in Iraq, exacerbated by climate change and mismanagement by the government. In 2019, a report by Human Rights Watch attributed the 2018 crisis primarily to the government’s poor management of upstream water sources and inadequate regulation of pollution and sewage, coupled with the neglect and mismanagement of water infrastructure.
In spite of numerous protests triggered by the water shortages, drought conditions persist. A 2021 UNICEF report revealed that 60% of Iraqi children lacked access to safely managed water services, with less than half of all schools in the country having access to water. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has observed displacement of populations due to water scarcity, and recorded over 20,000 climate migrants in Iraq by the end of 2021.
The UN High Commissioner drew attention to the Iraqi government’s commitment to tackling the challenges of climate change and water scarcity. However, he also expressed concerns about the oppression of journalism and civil society actors, which hinders awareness raising, legislative and policy reform, and capacity building of institutions. Particularly sensitive to these issues, the UN is set to publish a subsequent report on the freedom of expression in Iraq.
While the situation remains critical, international organizations are jointly addressing the ongoing crisis. For instance, the International Organisation for Migration’s Iraq branch contracted Rawabi al-Kadhumia in 2022 to restore water pumps and supply water to two villages in Al Hadam, indicating the concerted global effort to address this problem.