Poverty Eradication Efforts in Iraq and Its Challenges in the Perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Iraq faces high levels of poverty, exacerbated by conflict and political crisis. The sustainable development goals (SDGs) offer a framework for overcoming poverty. This research aims to explore efforts to eradicate poverty in Iraq and its challenges from an SDGs perspective. This qualitative study uses in-depth interviews with 15 key informants from the government, non-governmental organizations, and academics in Iraq. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. This research found that Iraq has made several efforts to alleviate poverty, including social assistance programs, investment in education and health, and economic reform. However, these efforts face various challenges, such as corruption, weak infrastructure, and political instability. In conclusion, Iraq still has a long way to go to achieve the SDGs regarding poverty alleviation. More targeted and sustainable efforts are needed to overcome existing challenges.


Introduction
Iraq, a country nicknamed Mesopotamia and the Ancient River Valley Civilization, has abundant natural wealth.Its oil and natural gas reserves are among the largest in the world.Ironically, behind this natural wealth, Iraq is shackled in the paradox of poverty that shackles its people.Based on 2018 World Bank data, 20% of Iraq's population is trapped in poverty, living below the national poverty line.This paradox is increasingly exacerbated by prolonged conflicts and political crises that have undermined the country's stability.Poverty in Iraq is not just a numerical statistic.Poverty there has become a deep wound that colors the lives of its people.Access to basic needs such as clean water, food, education, and health is still a dream for many people.Iraqi children cannot escape the grip of poverty.Poor nutrition and lack of access to education hinder their future.On the other hand, Iraqi women also face gender disparities that make it difficult for them to achieve decent life opportunities (Alkire, 2022;Arnstein, 2022;Arnott, 2023).
The conflict and political crisis that have hit Iraq for years have become a fire sprinkler for poverty.
Infrastructure is destroyed, the economy is hampered, and investment is hindered.This situation is increasingly exacerbating the gap and robbing people of the opportunity to get out of poverty.In the midst of a challenging situation, the sustainable development in achieving the SDGs (Bakari, 2022;Banerjee, 2021;Bevan, 2022).

Theories related to poverty
Poverty, like a chronic disease that undermines the Neo-liberal theory offers a different solution, emphasizing the role of free markets and economic growth as the key to overcoming poverty.It is believed that deregulation, privatization, and free trade will create jobs and increase income, thereby lifting people out of poverty (Bigsten, 2022;Carter, 2023;Cornia, 2023).

Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
In an era full of global challenges, the sustainable development goals (SDGs) are like a road map that guides us towards a more sustainable and prosperous future.Inaugurated by the UN in 2015, the SDGs are a global commitment adopted by 193 countries to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all people by 2030 (Giddens, 2022).
The 17 pillars towards a sustainable future: 1).No poverty: Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere.2).
No hunger: End hunger, achieve food security and good nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
3).Healthy and prosperous living: Ensuring healthy and prosperous living for all people of all ages.4).
Quality education: Ensures quality education that is inclusive and equitable and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all.5).Gender equality: Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.(Gough, 2022;Herrero, 2022).

Methods
This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method.A qualitative approach was chosen because it allows researchers to understand in-depth   (Hulme, 2023;Kanbur, 2022;Lipton, 2021).Iraq, a country rich in natural resources, ironically is still grappling with the problem of poverty that grips most of its people.To ease the burden and help them  (McGillivray, 2020;Milanovic, 2022;Morrisset, 2021).

Results and Discussion
Although social assistance programs have provided many benefits, there are still several challenges that need to be faced.Corruption in the distribution of social assistance is still a problem that needs to be addressed.Social assistance is sometimes not welltargeted and does not reach the people who need it most.Social assistance programs can create dependency and reduce people's motivation to work.
The Iraqi government needs to continue to strive to improve its social assistance programs to make them more effective and efficient.This can be done by increasing transparency and accountability in the distribution of aid, as well as carrying out more precise targeting.The social assistance program in Iraq is an important step in efforts to overcome poverty.By continuing to improve it, it is hoped that this program can help improve the standard of living of the poor and achieve the SDGs related to poverty eradication in Iraq.
Poverty in Iraq, despite its natural wealth, is still a bitter reality for many people.One of the Iraqi services (Bakari, 2022;Chen, 2022).

Conclusion
Efforts to eradicate poverty in Iraq have shown some progress, but there are still many challenges faced, such as: Lack of coordination between various stakeholders, limited resources, political and security instability and corruption.
goals (SDGs) launched by the UN in 2015 offer a glimmer of hope.The SDGs, in particular, target ending poverty in all its forms throughout the world by 2030.The Iraqi government has demonstrated its commitment to achieving the SDGs by undertaking Poverty Eradication Efforts in Iraq and Its Challenges in the Perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Ammal Yasser 1* This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License various poverty alleviation efforts.Social assistance programs, investment in education and health, and economic reform are the main focus.However, these efforts are still hampered by various obstacles, such as corruption that erodes resources, weak infrastructure, and political instability that hinders progress.This research aims to explore efforts to eradicate poverty in Iraq and identify the challenges faced in achieving the SDGs.It is hoped that this research will provide a deeper understanding of the complexity of poverty in Iraq and produce constructive recommendations for overcoming various challenges social and economic order, has become a scourge for various countries in the world.Various theories have been put forward to understand the complexity of this phenomenon, offering different lenses for diagnosing the root of the problem and formulating appropriate solutions.Structural theory sees poverty as a product of unequal social and economic structures.Inequity in the distribution of wealth, access to resources, and life opportunities is the main factor that plunges individuals and groups into the abyss of poverty.Cultural theory focuses on cultural and mental factors as causes of poverty.Values and norms that hinder progress, such as fatalism, low aspirations, and lack of work ethic, are considered internal factors that exacerbate poverty.Capitalist theory criticizes economic systems that exploit the working class and widen the gap between rich and poor.Market liberalization and globalization, according to this theory, exacerbate poverty by shifting profits into the hands of elites and marginalizing marginalized groups.
and contextually the efforts to eradicate poverty in Iraq and its challenges from an SDGs perspective.The case study method was chosen because it allows researchers to study one particular case in depth, namely Iraq.This case study allows researchers to understand the complexity and unique context of poverty alleviation efforts in Iraq, identify and analyze the various factors that contribute to the success and failure of poverty alleviation efforts, develop a more holistic understanding of the challenges Iraq faces in achieving the SDGs related to poverty eradication.Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 15 key informants from the government, nongovernmental organizations, and academics in Iraq.Key informants were selected based on their knowledge and experience of poverty alleviation efforts in Iraq.Interviews were conducted using interview This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License guidelines that had been prepared previously.The interview guide contains questions about Efforts that have been made by the Iraqi government to eradicate poverty, challenges Iraq faces in achieving SDGs related to poverty alleviation, and key informants' perspectives on appropriate solutions to overcome these challenges.Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Thematic analysis is a data analysis method used to identify and analyze themes that emerge in the data.into text.2. Reading and marking up data: The researcher reads and marks up the transcribed text to identify emerging themes.3. Coding data: Researchers code the identified themes.4. Data analysis: Researchers analyze coded data to produce research findings.The validity and reliability of qualitative research can be maintained by data triangulation: Researchers use multiple data sources to triangulate data and ensure the validity of research findings.Member checking: Researchers conduct member checking with key informants to ensure research findings are accurate and match their perceptions.Audit trail: The researcher documents all research steps to ensure the reliability of the research.This research was conducted with due regard to research ethics.Informed consent: The researcher explains the purpose of the study and obtains key informants' consent before conducting the interview.Confidentiality: Researchers maintain the confidentiality of the identities of key informants and the data obtained.Objectivity: Researchers strive to remain objective in analyzing data and producing research findings.
meet their basic needs, the Iraqi government launched various social assistance programs.Social assistance programs in Iraq come in various forms, with the aim of helping the poor in various aspects of life.Here are some examples of such programs: 1. Cash assistance: These programs provide cash to poor families periodically to help them buy food, clothing, and other basic needs.2. Food assistance: This program provides food to poor families to help them meet their nutritional needs.This assistance can be in the form of rice, flour, cooking oil, and other basic food ingredients.3. Housing assistance: This program helps poor families find a decent place to live.This assistance can take the form of house rental subsidies, building cheap houses, or renovating houses that are This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License uninhabitable.These programs have had a positive impact on poor communities in Iraq.Cash transfers help them improve their standard of living and meet basic needs.Food aid helps them avoid hunger and improve nutrition.Housing assistance helps them find a decent and safe place to live.One of the most significant social assistance programs in Iraq is the cash assistance program.This program was launched in 2014 with the aim of helping poor families affected by conflict and the economic crisis.According to a study by the World Bank in 2018, this cash assistance program has been successful in helping reduce poverty in Iraq.The study found that this program has helped increase the income of poor families and helped them meet basic needs government's efforts to combat poverty is through investment in education and health.This effort aims to improve the quality of life of the poor, open up better job opportunities, and increase their income.The Iraqi government has increased access to education for children from poor families by building more schools and providing free education.This effort is accompanied by an increase in teacher salaries and training to improve the quality of education.Better education provides many benefits to poor people, including 1. Improved skills and knowledge: Better education helps poor people to improve their skills and knowledge, which in turn helps them get better in turn drives economic growth.3. poverty reduction: Better education helps poor people escape the cycle of poverty and improve their standard of living.4. Increased community awareness and participation: Better education increases people's awareness of their rights and encourages their participation in decision-making processes.In 2017, the Iraqi government launched a free education program for all children from kindergarten to grade 12.This program has helped increase access to education for children from poor families.According to UNESCO data, the school enrollment rate in Iraq increased from 85% in 2015 to 92% in 2020.The Iraqi government also increased access to health services for the poor by building more health centers and hospitals and providing free health services.This effort is accompanied by an increase in salaries for health workers and training to improve the quality of health developing other sectors, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.4. Improving the quality of the workforce: The Iraqi government provides training programs to improve the skills of the workforce and prepare them for the needs of the job market.Iraq's economic reforms have shown several positive results: 1. Economic growth: Iraq's economic growth has accelerated in recent years.2. Job creation: There has been an increase in employment opportunities in the private sector. 3. Increase in people's income: The Iraqi people's income is increasing slowly.One example of significant economic reform in Iraq is tax reform.The Iraqi government has simplified the tax system and lowered tax rates to encourage investment and economic activity.These reforms have resulted in increased tax revenues and stimulated economic growth.Despite showing progress, Iraq's economic reforms still face several challenges: 1. Political instability: Political instability in Iraq could hinder investment and economic growth.2. Corruption: Corruption remains a serious problem in Iraq and can hinder the effectiveness of economic reforms.3. Lack of infrastructure: Lack of infrastructure, such as roads and electricity, hinders economic growth.Iraq's economic reforms have shown several positive results in increasing economic growth and creating jobs.However, there are still many challenges that must be overcome to achieve Iraq's economic development goals.Sustained and focused efforts are needed to strengthen the investment climate, improve the quality of the workforce, and

Table 1
such as: 1. Lack of infrastructure: The lack of infrastructure, such as schools and health centers, in rural areas hinders the poor's access to education and

Table 1 .
Poverty alleviation efforts in Iraq.