Baghdad Combats Street Beggars

"The plan aims to remove the huge proliferation of street-beggars, many of them children, in the Iraqi capital in the wake of the 2003 US-led invasion that sparked job losses among many of the city's seven million residents."

"Anyone caught begging would be detained by police and dealt with according to their needs, Lami said."

"'The old will be sent to old-age homes, while those who don't have parents will be sent to the orphanages and juvenile delinquents to correction facilities.'"

"'Those who have parents will be locked up for some time and either they or their parents will have to sign a pledge promising not to allow their children onto the streets for begging,' he said."