Shafaq News- Baghdad

More than two million children remain outside Iraq's Public Distribution System (PDS) database due to delays in completing registration requests, a lawmaker told Shafaq News on Sunday.

Ibtisam Al-Hilali, member of the State of Law Coalition, indicated that many kids born after 2020 are yet to be added to the ration card system “because of bureaucratic procedures and the suspension of registration requests at several supply centers and branches during previous periods.”

She also pointed out that the Iraqi parliament plans to summon Ministry of Trade officials during the next legislative term to discuss the child registration topic, as well as measures related to transferring and updating citizens' ration card records, to accelerate applications and address obstacles.

On June 6, the ministry reactivated the service for adding children under 12 through the electronic ration card system, as part of its efforts to upgrade ration card services and simplify procedures.