2025-11-29T18:18:47+00:00
font
Enable Reading Mode
A-
A
A+
Shafaq News
Rising prices and stagnant wages are pushing a growing
number of young Iraqis away from traditional jobs and into freelance work — a
shift that has accelerated since the Covid-19 pandemic and is reshaping the
country’s labor landscape.
With more than 60% of Iraq’s population under thirty, the
surge is driven largely by Generation Z — born between 1997 and 2012 — who see
self-employment as a route to higher income and faster skill development than
what low-wage private-sector jobs can offer. Estimates show the average
private-sector worker earns around 2,000 Iraqi dinars ($1.5) per hour, a rate
many say no longer covers basic living costs.
In Baghdad’s Mansour district, Riya Saeed stands among
bouquets and scented displays that tell the story of her departure from
private-sector employment. Years of long shifts and flat pay convinced her that
the job market offered neither security nor growth.
“I worked nine hours
a day for about 750,000 dinars (about $570) a month. It wasn’t enough for
essentials, let alone improving my skills,” she told Shafaq News. With prices
climbing, she said her salary “barely covered clothing, not life.”
Determined to change course, Riya launched a home-based
flower business through social media — an effort she admits began with losses
due to inexperience. “I lost a lot at first,” she said. “But I believed I would
succeed eventually.” That persistence led her to open a small shop near a
Baghdad college, where early setbacks quickly turned into steady profits.
A similar transformation took shape for Nahida al-Hassani,
who sells handmade soaps and perfumes online. She described her venture as
liberating. “Managing my own work gave me full freedom. No routines, no low
salaries, no endless instructions. I choose my hours and shape my progress.”
Young men are making the same move. Abd al-Hassan al-Zaidi,
who runs a juice shop, sees freelance work as far more promising than formal
employment.
“A job helps you
survive the month but doesn’t build a future,” he said. “Daily attendance and
fixed hours turn a person into a robot. Running your own business gives you
room to move — and movement means more income.”
Still, al-Zaidi warned that independent work brings serious
challenges: early losses, constant pressure to improve, and the risk of failure
for anyone who stops developing their project. “Without patience and continuous
effort, no small business survives,” he noted.
Economists say the rise of freelance work reflects a global
shift accelerated by the pandemic and technology. Ahmed Abd Rabboh, an economic
researcher, told Shafaq News that self-employment has become “one of the core
engines of the modern economy,” offering flexibility and enabling young workers
to enter the market with diverse skills outside traditional hiring systems. “It
boosts innovation and energizes productive and service sectors,” he said.
But Abd Rabbeh also warned of risks in an unregulated
environment. The lack of legal protections, social security systems, and
financial stability leaves freelancers vulnerable. Without a clear framework,
he added, the sector could suffer from falling prices and market fragmentation,
threatening the long-term viability of independent ventures.
Despite these challenges, freelance work is gaining ground
across Iraq’s major cities — propelled by a young population searching for
autonomy, income, and opportunities beyond the constraints of conventional
employment.
Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.
