Shafaq News – Baghdad

Terrorist attacks in Iraq fell by 38% over the past year, while incidents of social violence climbed by 12%, the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq said on Wednesday.

In a statement marking World Human Rights Day, the center’s Deputy Head, Hazim Al-Rudaini, said the data from 2024–2025 reflects a “complex and conflicting” human rights picture, where security gains are being offset by persistent social and institutional pressures.

The center recorded more than 13,200 cases of domestic violence in 2024, an 8% increase from the previous year, while women’s economic participation remained below 15%. It also documented over 9,000 cases of child economic exploitation, with school dropout rates holding at 11%, figures the center described as a direct threat to Iraq’s future social stability.

On press freedoms, Iraq ranked 155th globally in the 2025 Press Freedom Index, underscoring what the center called an urgent need to strengthen legal protections for journalists and safeguard free expression.

Environmental conditions were also flagged as a growing rights concern. Baghdad ranked 13th worldwide among the most polluted cities, while health authorities recorded more than 19,000 respiratory disease cases in the first half of 2024 alone. Meanwhile, around 930,000 displaced Iraqis remain in need of lasting solutions to secure voluntary return and stable living conditions.

The center warned that sustained progress on rights requires political will, expanded legal reform, active oversight, accountability, and deeper engagement with civil society. It renewed calls for the swift passage of the Domestic Violence Law, stronger national protection frameworks for women and children, clear environmental action plans, and wider international cooperation on technical support and training.