Let's go to war on poverty

War on Want believes that another massive military campaign against Iraq will destroy the chances of durable peace, human development and stability to the Middle East.

War on Want believes that Saddam Hussein's regime brutally suppresses human rights but the charity is supporting a lasting and peaceful solution to conflict based on social justice in the Middle East.

War and sanctions have had a devastating effect on Iraq over the past ten years, turning it into one of the poorest countries on earth. UN surveys show that more than 10 per cent of Iraqi children show signs of wasting, and hundreds of thousands have died due to malnutrition and a lack of basic medicines. The Iraqi economy is in dire state, with unemployment running at 50% and inflation at 100%.

Steve Tibbett, War on Want's head of policy, said: “Ending poverty and introducing social justice are preconditions of peace and stability. In the Middle East, as elsewhere, achieving peace and security can only go hand in hand with ending poverty.”

Throughout its 50-year history, War on Want has consistently spoken out against totalitarian regimes that have denied people human and economic rights.