We had two orphanages in Baghdad before the sanctions and the (Gulf) war. Now, we have four because the old ones became too crowded," Jabar said, as Emira sucked formula from a bottle. She shared her small bed with another, pale-looking infant.

"Emira's mother simply fled the hospital because the family has no money to feed her," Jabar said. She would not provide the exact number of orphans in Baghdad "because their number is soaring daily."
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Many people in Iraq live below the poverty line, and as a result, families who cannot afford to feed and clothe their children are forced to give them up.

Since 1990, when Iraq was one of the most prosperous Arab nations because of huge oil reserves, living standards have plummeted, and average monthly salaries dropped from the equivalent of $500 to $10.

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