UN-Habitat Iraq Newsletter | ISSUE 3 | December 2020

10 December was Human Rights Day, the day that the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). Adequate housing is universally viewed as one of the most basic human needs. Yet, according to the figures from the Iraq Humanitarian Needs Overview, almost 2.6 million people in Iraq do not have adequate living conditions and at least 3.3 million live in informal settlements. The most cited shelter needs include insulation from extreme weather; protection from rain leakages; improved safety and privacy; protection from hazards – including floods; and improved sanitation facilities which have become essential during the COVID-19 pandemic.