Iraqis see four-year jump in life expectancy

BAGHDAD, January 8 — Iraqis are witnessing improved life expectancy, by an average of four years, spokesperson for the Ministry of Planning, Abdul Zahra Al-Hindawi, said on Monday.

Al-Hindawi also said Iraq has no need for laws regulating birth control, as fertility rates among women have dropped by approximately two percent, coupled with a decline in the annual population growth rate.

Speaking in an interview on the “Sabahkum” program, Al-Hindawi said:

The Iraqi legislature currently does not consider the need for a birth control law, especially with the decline in the annual population growth rate to 2.5 percent, down from 3.5 percent. Additionally, the fertility rate among women has decreased from 5.3 to 3.3, indicating a lower number of births per woman of childbearing age.

Over the next 10 years, the rate of population growth is expected to fall below 2 percent, eliminating concerns of a population explosion.

The average life expectancy has increased, with men now living from 69 to 73 years and women from 73 to 76 years.

Iraq’s focus should be on implementing family planning policies, aiming to achieve population control without the need for birth control laws.

The National Document for Population Policies has set a family planning axis based on various factors, including family culture, education levels, upbringing, and economic conditions.

The government has distributed low-cost, high-quality bonds to impoverished families in several cities, including the recent initiative in Diwaniyah.

The Social Development Fund project aims to enhance living conditions for the poor, targeting 568 villages identified as the poorest in Iraq. These villages are receiving infrastructure improvements such as electricity, water, roads, and schools.

Exploration of remote areas ‘outside history’ revealed communities that had not seen electricity and water for decades. When these amenities finally arrived, residents were astonished, with one area in the Anbar desert having been without electricity for a century.

The Ministry is currently in the process of formulating the third Poverty Alleviation Strategy for the coming years (2023–2027).