United Nations, May 27: In an effort to help stabilize the situation in Iraq where unemployment remains high and public services have collapsed, the United Nations has launched a scheme aimed at providing jobs to some 250,000 people. "UNDP (UN Development Programme) plans for an exponential increase of these urgently needed activities, subject to the availability of funds," the world body said adding that increasing insecurity in the war-shattered nation is hampering humanitarian operations in Iraq.

Rising violent crimes and other security concerns including 'drive by' shootings and rocket-propelled grenade attacks are making it difficult to deliver humanitarian aid to the needy people. "The insecurity," the world body says, "is being fueled by black market in arms where an AK-47 rifle costs just 50 dollars."

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is working to address Iraq's high rate of malnutrition, estimated to have nearly doubled among the young from 4 per cent before the war to 7.7 per cent now, agency spokesman Geoffrey Keele said here.

Prior to the outbreak of conflict, UNICEF was supporting a network of care centres where malnourished children could receive treatment. "Unfortunately, this system collapsed with the onset of fighting," he said adding that the world agency was trying to hard to re-establish the entire network with some success achieved in Umm Qasr and in Baghdad.

Bureau Report