Obtaining precise data on the number of children orphaned by the Iraq war is impossible. Numbers range from 800,000 according to a UNICEF examination in 2011, and 3,000,000 according to Iraqi government sources. In the case of the latter, this number is expected to reach 5,000,000 during 2013. The sheer growth in the number of orphans is a social crisis in itself. In addition to that, the Iraqi government’s policy on child protection is still in the making. Consequently, it is estimated that 1 in 3 children staying in state-run orphanages are subject to abuse.

The number of orphans and abandoned children began to surge after 2003, and it is only expected that an increase in the numbers of orphans and underprivileged people will translate into higher levels of crime in the future. Noteworthy is that not only are orphanages in bad condition, but Iraqi families lack the facilities to foster orphans. It is increasingly difficult to find families who will house orphans because of the economic pressures that years of sanctions and war have imposed on Iraqi families. Providing for one’s own children alone has become a heavy strain. The government has distributed stipends for those families, who agree to take orphans in, offering a monthly sum that covers the child’s needs.

Having the children hosted by their extended families seems like the optimal alternative. But considering the high prevalence of harsh discipline against children, sending the children back to families who are otherwise economically incapable of providing for these children could put them at a risk of neglect or abuse. UNICEF has found that 80% of children between the ages of 2 and 14 are subjected to violent discipline. 1 in 3 receives severe violent punishment. Among young women, 1 in 5 of those aged between 15 and 19 are married.

The large number of young orphans now growing into adolescence without a strong support system to provide for them creates a big security problem, especially in light of the country’s political instability. The lack of opportunity makes them easy targets for terrorist groups as they can be easily drawn into their circles. The troubling experiences that these children have been through- with some even witnessing extreme cases of violence- could make them more prone to resorting to violence themselves. While boys are mainly sought after by terrorist organizations, young girls can be forced into marriages or prostitution. This necessitates immediate intervention by the government and non-governmental organizations to prevent the abuse of these children.

So far, the Iraqi government has been pre-occupied with the challenges of sectarianism plaguing the country. The legislation needed for child protection has therefore been put aside. If anything, sectarian tensions make finding a solution to the problem of orphans more pressing as children and adolescents become involved in crime and violence, and families less likely to adopt children. If Iraq is ever going to find political stability, investing in its youth is imperative. Undermining the challenges that the war has imposed on children will only produce reversible effects in the future.