How COVID-19 Is Changing Politics in Hungary

politics in hungary
Hungary is a landlocked European nation of nearly 10 million that operates under a parliamentary government system. Historically, the political divide in Hungary led to highly competitive elections, with the prime minister and presidential positions democratically grappled over. Elected as prime minister in 2010, Viktor Orbán is an outspoken Eurosceptic, self-proclaimed illiberal and member of the right-wing Fidesz party. Orbán has slowly centralized government powers, squashed political opposition and threatened freedom of the press for nearly a decade. Orbán supporters point to the prime minister’s rapid response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, which hit Hungary in March 2020 but has experienced near-eradication from the country, as evidence of his effectiveness. Implementing a five-year jail sentence for promoting misinformation about the virus, closing borders and shutting down non-essential businesses early, Orbán undoubtedly contributed to Hungary’s successful containment of COVID-19. However, the power he indirectly obtained from the virus also contributed to his controversial ambitions to redefine politics in Hungary.

5 Ways COVID-19 is Changing Politics in Hungary

  1. The Effects of Unilateral Decisions: In March 2020, Hungary’s Fidesz-dominated government approved a law allowing Orbán to make unilateral decisions concerning COVID-19 resources, response funding and guidelines. Orbán has since exploited this ruling, taking steps to weaken the platforms of opposing politicians, largely from left-leaning mayors, as the 2022 parliamentary election approaches. While this legislation was to bolster local responses to the virus without needing approval from parliament, its loopholes enabled Orbán to also reallocate municipal funds, neglect transparency about vaccination updates and control the media more tightly.
  2. Flawed Communication: Orbán has failed to provide local leaders data about vaccinations, case numbers, hot-spots and other vital public health information. As mayors lack this data, they have struggled to decide if and when their constituents can return to normal economic and social activities. Although parliament formally ended the Hungarian state of emergency in June 2020, the March legislation remains. Orbán and future prime ministers, through another legislative loophole, will still wield many of the unilateral decision-making powers that enable poor communication and vertical collaboration within the government.
  3. Targeted Tax Cuts: A contentious component of Orbán’s COVID-19 response strategy has been the tax cuts on both public and private businesses that stimulate local level economies. Before the pandemic, the Hungarian economy was relatively stable, with increased wages, low unemployment and steady growth despite the looming issue of inflation. Almost immediately after COVID-19 hit Hungary, Orbán cut taxes on several municipal services by making public parking free. With urban cities like Budapest already losing revenue from public transit and other public services, Orbán’s parking tax cut appears to assist citizens but drains local funding vital to the efficiency of politics in Hungary and virus containment.
  4. Economic Zoning: In another unilateral decision, Orbán categorized certain businesses as “special economic zones.” Under Orbán’s plan, revenue and taxes that businesses generated, qualifying as “special economic zones,” go toward the national COVID-19 response fund instead of stimulating local economies. Projections determine that working-class and factory towns, like God, could lose up to $170 million over the next four years as a result of Orbán’s zoning legislature.
  5. Refugee Restrictions: For the last decade, Orbán has vocalized his conservative stance on refugees and migrants. Using his newly acquired emergency power, Orbán, like many world leaders, has slowed the influx of all immigrants, even vulnerable refugee populations. In May 2020, despite low COVID-19 infection rates, Orbán further threatened the institution of asylum in Hungary. Justifying his actions with the pandemic, Orbán ordered the relocation and detainment of refugees and continued to build a fence at the country’s Serbian and Croatian borders. A product of unsound politics in Hungary, Orbán’s refugee policies leave former citizens of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran more vulnerable to the virus and with even fewer options for obtaining asylum in Europe.

Moving Forward

With an election approaching, approximately half of Hungarians approving of the Fidesz party and Orbán’s approval rating at an all-time high of 57%, the stability of politics in Hungary is in danger. As partisan leaders have largely failed in efforts to hold Orbán democratically accountable, NGOs like Freedom House are stepping in to influence politics in Hungary. Freedom House collects data on political overreach and provides educated reports and quantitative scores on the status of democracy in Hungary, where critical press coverage of the government is punishable. The reliable and in-depth assessments that Freedom House generates provide crucial evidence for Orbán’s political opposers. If these opposers, who advocate for democracy and decentralized government, can regain parliament seats in 2022, Hungarians in the political minority will likely regain a voice.

– Caledonia Strelow
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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The Fight Against Hunger in Togo

Hunger in Togo
Many West African countries have been struggling with the indirect effects of COVID-19, hunger being the worst of the side-effects that the pandemic brought on. Togo is one of these nations facing an escalating death rate due to the indirect results of COVID-19 such as hunger and malnutrition. Here is some information about the increased hunger in Togo.

Causes of Hunger in Togo

The decrease in demand for phosphate contributed to Togo’s economic struggles. Phosphate is a natural resource that the country produces abundantly. For the majority of the 19th century, Togo’s economy depended on the rare mineral, but since the early 2000s, phosphate prices have gone up and the sales have gone down. Thus, the republic is now agriculture-dependent, like many of its neighbors.

Due to the quick shift between the two sectors, the agricultural aspect of the economy does not receive adequate support. In fact, only 16% of farms in Togo currently use fertilizers, meaning that they do not function optimally. Farms also only make up 2% of bank loans nationwide, which shows that farmers are not investing in technology to improve their business longterm. For the Togolese Republic, agriculture maintains nearly 40% of the economy. This field did not have the preparation for so many to be economically dependent on it, which is one of the reasons why 58% of the Togolese population live in poverty.

The Environment and Hunger

In the past 10 years, droughts in Togo have worsened significantly, with rainfall decreasing by 2.4% per decade and temperature increasing by 1.1°C in the last half a century. While these numbers may not seem high, they have a significant negative consequence on the success of agriculture. A 2°C increase in temperature, which predictions determine could occur by 2050, could create a decrease of 62.02% in the net revenue of the nation and put an even higher percentage of the population under the poverty line and into the malnourished category. An increase in the number of floods has further subdued agricultural progress.

Hunger in Togo Statistics

With impoverishment comes hunger. Togo is 81 out of 117 countries on the Global Hunger Index. As of now, 16.1% of the population experiences undernourishment. The Togolese Republic had decreased its hunger rates from 32% back in 2001. It has successfully stabilized its depth of hunger rates, with average nutrition being around 280 kilocalories and consistently lower than that of a healthy population for the last decade. Yet, to this day, nearly 30% of children under the age of 5 experience chronic malnourishment, with spikes of up to 43% in the Savannah region, where the dry, hot climate drastically worsens hunger and poverty.

Side Effects of Hunger

Although hunger in itself is a major human rights issue, there are many side effects of hunger and malnutrition that put the population at a further disadvantage. Poor cognitive development in children, diabetes and growth stunts are all severe byproducts of population malnutrition. The effects of hunger on mental health are just as devastating. Parents of malnourished children are 53.1% more likely to go through depression and 56.2% more likely to have PTSD.

These side effects can drastically decrease productivity in both the parents and the children once the children grow up, thus furthering the poverty and hunger in the family. It is arduous for governments to control hunger in the population as when it is so widespread. In fact, malnourished workers can further worsen the economy leading to more hungry citizens. Some believe that the estimated cost of malnutrition to the global economy is around $3.5 trillion per year.

Effects of COVID-19 on Hunger

The current global pandemic has negatively affected nearly every country in the world, but it seems that West African countries like Togo will struggle much more economically. The disease severely impacted Togo’s agriculture season. With enforced social distancing and curfews, limits on working hours and enforced policies on markets and sellers, farmers have experienced economic challenges. Environmental challenges have already been decreasing the success of farming in the West African region but the pandemic might have even worse effects. The closing of schools also meant that many children who relied on in-school meal plans, now have no access to nutrition.

Fighting Hunger in Togo

As previously highlighted, without government intervention, high rates of hunger in a population after time lead to even higher rates of hunger; therefore, it is economically beneficial for the government to involve itself. Yet, the Togolese government has not made the proper investment into agriculture or hunger initiatives over the past decade.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has been one of the main actors dealing with the issue of hunger in Togo. WFP has been present in Togo since 1968 and is currently participating in three main projects to help the country: United Nations SDG 2030 Fund, WFP Immediate Response Account (IRA) for emergency preparedness activity in Togo and U.N. Country Team (UNCT) for food assistance to those who experienced floods in the Togo maritime region. WFP has been working on increasing and improving food production strategies across the territory, providing technical and financial assistance to farms and training 95 national actors from northern Togo on a joint quick assessment of humanitarian needs after a catastrophe. WFP has also introduced food-for-work projects in the region, in which citizens receive nourishment for participating in reforestation or improvement of roads.

In order to help the Togolese government respond to COVID-19 properly, WFP has not only been providing food to those the pandemic has affected but also collecting data from 2,180 households about food security. However, the virus has now delayed many of WFP’s projects.

Although hunger has been rising drastically over the last couple of months globally, social response and aid have also been on the rise. Hunger in Togo will likely increase in 2020, but given the work of NGOs such as WFP, the citizens of Togo will hopefully receive the aid they need.

– Anna Synakh
Photo: Flickr

5 Facts About Poverty in Ecuador

Poverty in Ecuador
Ecuador is a country located in Western South America that is home to the Amazon rainforest and the Galapagos Islands. Despite its abundance of natural resources, the country has struggled with political instability and economic crises throughout its history: as of 2022, approximately 25% of the population still lived below the poverty line. However, recent economic growth creates hope for the eventual alleviation of poverty in Ecuador. Below are five facts about poverty in Ecuador.

5 Facts About Poverty in Ecuador

  1. The incidence of poverty is higher in indigenous populations. Poverty and income inequality mostly affect ethnic minorities and indigenous populations who mainly work and live in the rural sector. There are approximately 1.1 million indigenous people in Ecuador— 24.1% reside in the Amazon and many account for a majority of the regional groups throughout the country. In the last decade, political disputes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the oil rupture of 2021 and 2022 have heavily contributed to the marginalization and exploitation of the indigenous population. As of 2022, over 50% of the indigenous had an average per capita income below the poverty line. Indigenous Ecuadorians are particularly vulnerable to a lack of water and sanitation, chronic child malnutrition, low-wage employment, low-quality education and poor housing conditions.  Women and children are especially at risk of poverty, discrimination and insufficient social protection coverage. 
  2. The government has made efforts to resolve economic issues and alleviate poverty. The Ecuadorian government has created multiple reforms to resolve statewide economic instability. After the collapse of the sucre, the former currency of Ecuador, the establishment of the United States (US) dollar as a legal currency in 2001 stimulated easier foreign transactions and facilitated an economic surge in trading sectors. In 2023, the government approved a $106.1 million individual loan and up to 1.6 million dollars in non-reimbursable funding to alleviate housing issues surrounding poverty. Additionally, it facilitated equal opportunity access to quality education by reopening 247 rural schools in 23 provinces while taking into account distance, mobility and local culture. 
  3. The value of oil causes fluctuations in Ecuador’s economic stability. The fact that oil is one of Ecuador’s main exports reveals how dependent the country’s economy is on the availability and value of this natural resource. The oil boom of the early 2000s gave the government incentive to expand poverty-alleviating programs, raise minimum wage and increase social security benefits. However, as the price of oil began to deteriorate in 2014, debt levels rose and poverty rates in Ecuador surged once again, leading to an economic recession in 2016. Although there was evidence of some recovery in 2017 given a shift in economic and institutional reforms, additional factors such as COVID-19 and organized crime have threatened Ecuador’s economy once again, plunging the country into threat of near-recession as of 2023.
  4. Ecuador has been experiencing relative economic growth in recent years. Beginning in 2016, Ecuador’s GDP growth rate in annual percentage rose to 2.37% in 2017 and remained in the positive margins at 0.05% in 2019. However, the percentage plummeted in 2020 during COVID-19 and has just managed to recover at 2.9% as of 2022. This percentage is still low in comparison to the overall GDP growth rate of 3.75% in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  5. FEVI Ecuador is an NGO group that is working to alleviate poverty in Ecuador. FEVI CARE International is one of several organizations committed to addressing the root causes of poverty and social inequality by educating boys and men on harmful gender-based social norms, strengthening climate emergency procedures and promoting civic engagement at the local and national level. The organization also focuses on helping Venezuelan migrants find employment and housing, as migrants are at risk of facing xenophobia and stigma by the media and locals. Overall, support for marginalized communities provides Ecuadorian residents with opportunities to achieve economic independence and break free from poverty.

A Positive Outlook

Despite the economic challenges that Ecuadorians have faced in the past, recent statistics reveal hope for the country in the years to come. The country’s GDP is recovering with the help of government reforms and the resilience of the Ecuadorian people, despite the economic instability that has characterized the past few decades. With the efforts of the local government and the international community’s continuous support in alleviating poverty in Ecuador, there may come a day when Ecuador can achieve freedom from its financial burdens and successfully combat poverty.

– San Sung Kim
Photo: Flickr

5 Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Chad 

Five Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Chad 
Chad is a land-locked country with sporadic rain patterns and regular droughts, but it has not given up its hope of ending poverty. With a population of approximately 15.5 million people, 66.2% of the population live in severe poverty with little access to clean water, healthcare and education. However, this has not stopped the Government of Chad or partnering organizations from aiding in the country’s advancement. Here are five innovations in poverty eradication in Chad.

5 Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Chad

  1. Bharti Airtel: This telecommunication company has operations in 20 countries in Africa and Asia. It has made it its mission to invest in human capital in Africa, proposing that tech training and literacy are key in African economic development and that they can open doors for knowledge and education that can empower the younger generation. Over 6,000 people will benefit from the ICT training programs Airtel is implementing in Chad. 
  2. ResEau Project: The ResEau Project is making great advances in aiding the reduction of water scarcity in Chad. In Chad, 57.5% of the population lacks access to basic water services. Additionally, only 6% of citizens receive water from unsafe open sources such as rivers. The ResEau Project is working with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Government of Chad to create 3D models and map well sites and other water sources. Since the ResEau Project started working in Chad, the success rate for water drilling has gone from 30% up to 60%.
  3. Chad Education Sector Reform Project (PARSET): The Chad Education Sector Reform Project has been working on providing primary education to children. It has built and supplied 500 schools and trained over 13,000 teachers. In addition, the program has improved the rate of children attending school from 87% to 96%. It has taught upwards of 20,000 children to read and write, and about 60% of the students are girls. Moreover, many children have struggled to have access to education as most of the population is displaced and their families need them at home to help provide water and other necessities. The project started in 2013 and will continue through the fall of 2020.
  4. Emergency Agriculture Production Support Project: In this project, The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Program (WFP) are providing food vouchers and nutritional supplements for malnourished children. Chad faces major food scarcity due to frequent drought, lack of access to social services and the effects of regional conflict. In 2020 alone, approximately 1.8 million children 5 years old and younger will suffer from malnutrition. The agricultural production and livestock stabilization component of this project has provided over 30,000 households with agricultural equipment, seeds and fertilizer. Over 10,000 households received training in production techniques and more modern agricultural technologies. 
  5. Gavi The Vaccine Alliance: The Gavi Vaccine Alliance has provided vaccines to countries in poverty for years, preventing over 13 million deaths. The Gavi Vaccine Alliance has frequently partnered with leading organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, developing countries, vaccine manufacturers, private sector partners and research agencies to provide vaccinations against debilitating and deadly diseases. The Gavi Vaccine Alliance provides vaccines for measles, pneumonia, typhoid, cholera, rotavirus, yellow fever, hepatitis B and tetanus among several others. As the organization continued its work in Chad, difficulties arose with nomadic peoples with the organizations’ conventional outreach and vaccine opportunities. In fact, only 3% of children in Batha are receiving basic vaccinations. Gavi started a “One Health” approach to this and has seen great results. The program vaccinates children and animals in one setting. Additionally, at the same time, the program tries to provide convenience and efficiency to the nomadic peoples. 

Chad is working hard to lift its people out of poverty. This is evident in its unique approaches in important areas such as agriculture and livestock, education and technology access, life-saving vaccines and access to clean water. Increasing access to education and technological literacy along with high child vaccination rates in several areas should heavily aid in bringing a generation out of poverty. In addition, they should have opportunities in their adult lives to continue to work on even more innovations to further the success of their country. 

– Madalyn Wright
Photo: Flickr

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Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Haiti

Poverty Eradication in HaitiHaiti has experienced a long history of natural disasters and extreme poverty. Despite these challenges, Haiti could eventually thrive through technology and innovation. Technology and innovations in poverty eradication in Haiti have set the stage for new products and ideas, but expertise and transformation have also allowed the country to improve on assets that already exist.

Foreign Direct Investment

Digicel, a communications and entertainment company headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica, set up its mobile phone venture in Haiti in 2005. Until its arrival, operators Comcel-Voilà (now Voilà) and Haïtel controlled the mobile phone market. When Digicel entered the Haiti market, its economic impact was almost immediate. Within two years, Digicel contributed to more than 15% of the Haitian Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Meanwhile, paired with its two competitors, the contribution of all three was more than 25% of the GDP.

During the years 2005-2009, Digicel invested more than $250 million in Haiti’s economy which led to more than 60,000 jobs. Not only had Digicel poured into Haiti’s bottom line with job creation, in a market with two telecom competitors, but it was also able to account for almost 30% of tax revenue. The company has definitely been working on poverty eradication in Haiti.

In 2012, Digicel acquired Voilà, which substantially increased its market share penetration and helped maintain its presence. All of this occurred despite the fact that Haiti had experienced a major earthquake that displaced 5 million people and killed 250,000 people in 2010 on top of the devastation of Hurricanes Isaac and Sandy that occurred in 2012. Those setbacks have not derailed Digicel as of 2020. The company is still strong as it continues to provide innovations in poverty eradication in Haiti by keeping the country connected.

Education: Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

Many have proven and echoed that children are the future and that they need to have exposure to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to keep pace with the future innovative job market. Haiti’s challenge is that it lacks some capabilities and resources as an underdeveloped country.

Enter the NGO, Pennies for Haiti. This NGO’s long-term goal is to end Haiti’s series of poverty by providing sustenance and educating the country’s children. Meanwhile, its short-term objective is to equip Haiti’s children through education as a means to help them rise above their current situation. While Pennies for Haiti has several ongoing projects that serve 200 people a year, two of the projects focus on education.

The first is Haiti STEM Alliance, which is open to both boys and girls. The second is STEM 4 Girls, which places emphasis on girls. While both of these projects pour their energies into helping each participant achieve higher education and realize the vast employment opportunities in STEM, the difference is that STEM 4 Girls delves into personal growth and the benefits of higher learning. Pennies for Haiti hopes to instill in young women how STEM jobs can open the door to economic freedom.

In addition, the organization visualizes engaging an abundance of youth in the STEM industry as it will create more opportunities for technology and automation careers in Haiti. Pennies for Haiti is counting on the success of both of these programs with a focus on poverty eradication in Haiti and to boost Haiti’s image to the world and make them attractive to those companies who are looking to subcontract jobs as well as showing that they are a leader in gender equality and STEM careers.

Entrepreneurs

People may not know Haiti as a startup oasis, but over 75% of its residents operate some type of business to supplement their income. As a result, it is evident that Haiti is full of citizens who have demonstrated they can build, operate and sustain their own companies. Their startups range from fresh markets to tech platforms, and these enterprises are redefining the Haiti business culture.

One citizen, Christine Souffrant Ntim, who founded the Haiti Tech Summit (2017), has firsthand experience. She answered her entrepreneurial call as a youngster by helping her grandmother and mother sell goods in the streets of Haiti.

The Haiti Tech Summit brings together entrepreneurs, stakeholders, superstars and visionaries to address humanity’s extreme difficulties via tech and entrepreneurship. It has generated tangible results in its short existence such as helping an Airbnb sign a five-year multiple year contract with Haiti’s governmental branch that specializes in culture, tourism and the arts. Also, Facebook launched Haiti’s initial globally recognized grassroots pioneer group in 2017.

The Haiti Tech Summit’s success is based on the Ecosystem Map methodology, a vigorous arrangement of unified organizations that rely on each other for shared survival. As the Summit gains more energy and notoriety across the globe, Ntim’s focus is for the association to become the world’s next major tech innovation hub by 2030.

Poverty eradication in Haiti has made positive headway as it continues to rebuild its community and successfully learn how to navigate a technology-driven society. It has the existing tools to help bridge the gap with the main ingredient, being themselves. With the assistance of foreign aid, continued support of educational equality, especially among girls and entrepreneurs mobilizing the next generation, Haiti should be ready to move into the future with momentum.

– Kim L. Patterson
Photo: Pixabay

Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Egypt

Poverty Eradication in Egypt
Innovations in poverty eradication in Egypt have taken a sustainable and decentralized form in the last four years. Through local initiatives and collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Egypt has incorporated social welfare and development programs aimed at improving the standard of living in its poorest governorates and providing a permanent path out of poverty for future generations.

With Egypt’s poverty rate rising to 5% in 2019, how exactly does Egypt plan to have a “competitive, balanced, diversified, and knowledge based economy” that would eliminate poverty by 2030?

UNDP Sustainable Development Strategies

One significant innovation in poverty eradication in Egypt is the UNDP’s adoption of a social entrepreneurial and minority centralized model. Through partnerships with Egypt’s public sector, private companies and civil society, the UNDP not only helped prioritize economic development but also made women, children and disabled people a focal point.

  1. The GSER Program: The GSER program under the Misr El-Kheir Foundation, a nonprofit development institution in Egypt, organizes social innovation camps with UNDP’s support. Youth from all parts of Egypt co-scheme solutions to improve the livelihoods in Fayoum’s fishing community, one of Egypt’s poorest governorates. Accomplishments include a redesigned shrimp peeling table for fishermen’s wives, which advanced hygiene and shell quality in Fayoum.
  2. The IBM Academic Initiative: The IBM Academic Initiative invested $70 million with the objective of providing over 25 million Africans free digital skills training and launching one of its regional offices in Egypt. UNDP’s contributions will help Egypt cultivate a STEM-oriented workforce through access to IBM’s cutting edge tools and course material.
  3. The Game Changer Fellowship: The Game Changer Fellowship is a one-year program that provides incubation support to aspiring Egyptian game designers through a partnership between UNDP Egypt and the Engagement Lab at Emerson College in Boston, U.S.A. This has enabled Egypt’s youth to uniquely approach development challenges by stimulating behavior change. Given that 84% of Egypt’s unemployment rate comprises young men and women, such initiatives are imperative in enhancing human capital in order to prevent an underdeveloped workforce.
  4. The Mobile Ramp App: The Mobile Ramp App helps Egypt’s disabled community lead easier, more integrated lives. UNDP partnered with Fab Lab Egypt and the Misr El-Kheir Foundation to launch a media campaign that promotes and teaches sign language as well as maps out locations with available ramps.

J-PAL’s (Abdul Latif Jamil Poverty Action Lab) Innovative Research

Despite these innovations in poverty eradication in Egypt, reports determined that there were 32.5% of Egyptian citizens living below the poverty line in 2019. According to J-PAL, a global research center aiming to reduce poverty, this extreme poverty figure of 32.5% indicates that the policies and programs designed to alleviate Egypt’s poverty are not as effective as they could be.

In order to achieve successful innovations in poverty eradication in Egypt, J-PAL’s MIT branch is launching a research center at the American University in Cairo. Through research and professional training to inform evidence-based policies and engage governments and relevant NGOs, Egypt will establish a culture of empirical policy making so that it can adequately evaluate the efficacy of its plans. 

Institutionalizing Social Innovation and Sustainable Development

While international efforts facilitate innovations in poverty eradication in Egypt, government and grassroots organizations in Egypt have adopted technological and sustainable based solutions to economic problems through their own localized projects and findings.

  1. The Egyptian Government: The Egyptian government is investing EGP 47bn ($3 billion) to Upper Egypt governorates in its 2020-2021 fiscal year. This is a 50% increase from 2019, representing 25% of total government investments.
  2. The Takaful and Karama Program: The Takaful and Karama program provides income support to the poor through a conditional and unconditional cash transfer program that aims to increase food consumption and necessary healthcare. Nevin al Qabbaj, the Social Solidarity Minister, reported that by 2020 around 2.5 million Egyptian families have benefited from the program.
  3. SEKEM: SEKEM, an Egyptian sustainable development organization, is working with the Egyptian government to implement Egypt Vision 2030. The plan includes 12 “pillars” targeting economic development, social justice, innovative research, education, health and the environment. Additionally, along with local NGOs, SEKEM has revitalized Egypt’s desert land and developed its agricultural businesses using biodynamic methods.

Egypt’s ability to mitigate poverty across all demographics using sustainable, innovative and ethical practices is testimony to its economic and cultural prosperity. Egypt’s innovations in poverty eradication are unique in that they exemplify the duality of individual, entrepreneurial growth in the private sphere and collective, righteous leadership in the public sphere.

– Joy Arkeh
Photo: Flickr

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The Process of Reducing Homelessness in Lithuania

Homelessness in Lithuania
Lithuania has experienced many issues with poverty and an increase in homelessness since its independence in the early 1990s. Its independence quickly led to high unemployment, low wages, poor state support in security housing, gaps in social housing provisions and an underdeveloped social services sector. This eventually resulted in a surge in homelessness in Lithuania.

Despite the overall increase in homelessness, Statistics Lithuania reported over 4,000 homeless people in 2017. While significant, the 4,000 homeless people in 2017 is actually a reduction since 2012 when reports determined that there were about 4,957 homeless people in Lithuania. The Lithuanian government has put some social policies in place in the case of unemployment; people who register with employment services can receive benefits while also using provided resources to look for another job.

With these policies, Lithuania has experienced a drop in unemployment from over 17% in 2010 to 6.35% in 2019. The Lithuanian government has stepped in over the past few years in response to the homelessness crisis and implemented provisions that promised public housing and services to those in need of assistance. The following key points will explain how Lithuania is combating the crisis and the challenges it is facing.

How Lithuania is Combating the Homelessness Crisis

According to the European Social Policy Network, the Lithuanian government put legislation and policies in place to help people experiencing homelessness:

  1. Shelters and crisis centers for homeless people: There are provisions for shelter in two forms: short-term temporary housing and crisis centers. Short-term temporary housing is for homeless people and people with addictions or other critical situations that threaten a person’s health or life. Services there include information, medication and representation, access to basic facilities for personal hygiene and access to health care. The duration of these services can last up to three nights. Crisis centers are for homeless people and victims of violence. Services include social and psychological support, employment consulting, skill-building, access to healthcare and more. Crisis center services aim to restore independent living and social connections and to help people reintegrate into society. The duration of these services may last up to six months and can receive an extension. There are also day centers for the homeless. These facilities allow people a safe place to stay during the day, to make food, attend courses and receive other social services.
  2. A brief history of social housing in Lithuania: Prior to Lithuania’s independence, the Soviet Union enacted a mass construction of social housing. Students, workers and young people leaving foster homes were the main demographic of people using this housing. The Lithuanian government dismantled public housing and allowed citizens to restore their property in the form of real estate after gaining its independence. Mass privatization eventually led to a surge in housing prices. As a result, vulnerable groups unable to afford housing returned to the streets.
  3. Ex-convicts received a chance to live independently: Ex-convicts received counseling and services aimed at preparing them for independent living. The ex-convicts would often receive access to these services toward the end of their sentences. There are no statistics on exactly how many ex-convicts are homeless, but the number of ex-convicts in homeless shelters has gone down in recent years.
  4. Larger cities with the highest rates of homelessness have their own policies in battling homelessness:  In the city of Vilnius, the municipality has a program that establishes transitional supported accommodation for people moving from homeless shelters to independent living. Accommodations have the support of social workers to manage finances and debt. They also offer counseling services to help people adjust.
  5. Recent legislation allows municipalities to provide housing for those in need:  Effective January 2019, an amendment allowed municipalities to rent housing from private or legal persons and then sublet it to people in need of housing support. This was in response to the issue of people illegally renting houses which prevented people from receiving rent assistance. This amendment addressed the stigma associated with poor and homeless people in the rental market.

The Challenges Lithuania Faces in the Fight Against Homelessness

The current programs and policies show the progress Lithuania has made since its independence. However, the country still faces challenges in its fight against homelessness:

  1. The number of evictions from social housing is increasing: The Lithuanian government made provisions for financial compensation to help with the cost of utilities for low-income citizens. Municipalities can also provide debt relief to recipients of social assistance. During the coronavirus pandemic, financial assistance increased and Lithuania facilitated new conditions for obtaining assistance. Despite this, evictions increased and counseling for debt relief became nonexistent.
  2. There is low-level reliability of funding for social protection for housing: Financing social housing in Lithuania has increased over the past decade but it has been low in comparison to the rest of the E.U. In 2016, the expenditure on social housing in purchasing power standards in the E.U. was about €54 per inhabitant whereas Lithuania’s expenditure was about €12 per inhabitant. The Ministry of Social Security and Labor planned to allocate over €3 million in housing support for 2019.
  3. The duration of stay in shelters is insufficient: Staying at a shelter for three nights does not solve the complex problems of homeless people. In many cases, once a person leaves the shelter they receive no further support and return to the streets.
  4. Social housing is difficult to obtain: It can take people anywhere from three to 12 years to receive social housing depending on the municipality. In 2014, the number of persons and families waiting for social housing was about 32,000. The waiting list decreased to approximately 10,500 in 2017. This was due to revisions on the waiting list and the enforcement of duty to declare assets and income.

Lithuania’s Ministry of Social Security and Labor has put into effect policies to help decrease the wait times for social housing. In 2024, wait times for social housing could decrease to five years. Meanwhile, in 2026, expectations determine that the wait times could decrease to about three years. If municipalities do not provide social housing by the deadline, they must compensate part of the rent to families in their current housing while they wait for social housing.

The policies the Lithuanian government has put in place have helped many homeless people get back on their feet. However, it is clear that Lithuania has a long way to go to resolve the issue of homelessness.

– Jackson Lebedun
Photo: Flickr

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New Law Violates Human Rights in Hong Kong 

Human Rights in Hong Kong
As a British crown colony for more than 150 years, Hong Kong served as the gateway between the East and the West. With its unique position, this singular city rose and secured itself as the top trade hub of the Asian region. This resulted in Hong Kong’s GDP skyrocketing, topping 180 times the GDP of 1961 in 1997. This economic prosperity marked the birth of the first Asian Tiger. Moreover, as a British crown colony, the people of Hong Kong enjoyed basic human rights, such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press – to name a few. However, the colony’s lease, which it signed in 1842, expired. In 1997, the British returned Hong Kong to China under the strict “One Country, Two Systems” agreement, which proclaimed that Hong Kong shall retain its rights until at least 2047.

China’s recent legislation, the Hong Kong National Security Law, effectively ends the ‘“One Country, Two Systems” agreement that was codified in The Basic Law adopted in 1990. The Basic Law defined the relationship between China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and included the protection of specific rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. Now, under the new National Security Law, these human rights in Hong Kong – along with Hong Kong’s political, social and economic autonomy – are all but dissolved.

What Led to the National Security Law?

In February 2019, the Hong Kong Security Bureau proposed amendments to the then-current extradition laws, allowing extraditions from Hong Kong to mainland China and other countries. This proposal resulted in immediate social outrage. Protests erupted in Hong Kong, with tens of thousands taking to the streets, demanding the revoking of the bill. For months the conflict continued to worsen – protestors rampantly vandalized public property and government police increasingly brutalized the citizens.

It was not until October 23, 2019, that the bill was officially withdrawn. By then, Hong Kong plunged into a recession. The people continued their protests, now a pro-democracy movement, and Beijing became increasingly agitated. In response to the upheaval and the pro-democracy movement, China’s legislature unanimously passed the Hong Kong National Security Law on June 30, 2020, effectively taking complete control over Hong Kong.

What is the new Hong Kong National Security Law?

The Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is an ambiguously worded 66-article legislation that covers a broad spectrum of political crimes, some of which are punishable by imprisonment for life. The legislation is for political crimes such as collusion, separatism, subversion and terrorism. However, these crimes have such broad definitions that they cover most criticism of the Communist party.

For instance, on Monday, August 9, 2020, claiming “collusion with a foreign country,” the Hong Kong police arrested pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai. This arrest dispelled all hope that the law was only for rioters. Continuing their attack against the democracy movement, more than 200 police officers stormed the Apple Daily, Mr. Lai’s publication. The police arrested four executives of the company and then also arrested Mr. Lai’s two sons, who did not have an association with the publication.

On August 10, 2020, the Hong Kong police made its second prominent apprehension under the National Security Law, arresting Agnes Chow for “inciting succession.” Politician Agnes Chow’s pro-democracy views also disqualified her candidacy for running for election. According to the National Security Law, Hong Kong can hold the trials of those arrested in secret, without a jury or bail, and it can also extradite them to mainland China (Articles 41, 42, 46, and 56).

International and Local Responses

The people of Hong Kong are suffering. After enduring months of police brutality and civil unrest, they are now facing an economic recession and a totalitarian takeover. The adversity standing before the citizens of Hong Kong is truly overwhelming.

Countries are trying to help in the wake of this unprecedented violation of human rights in Hong Kong. The United Kingdom has pledged a path to citizenship for almost 3 million Hong Kong citizens. Those who were born before 1997 are receiving recognition as having British national overseas status. As a result, they can either enter and stay in the U.K. for five years, granting them “settled-status,” which allows them to apply for citizenship.

Taiwan has been helping Hong Kong citizens for months by offering asylum to pro-democracy activists. Furthermore, on July 1, 2020, the day after the passing of the National Security Law, Taiwan opened the Taiwan-Hong Kong Office for Exchanges and Services in Taipei city, which will provide relocation and humanitarian aid to Hong Kong refugees.

The United States responded to Beijing by passing the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which imposes sanctions on Chinese officials who are crushing democracy in Hong Kong. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), one of the act’s cosponsors, stated: “This legislation sends a strong, bipartisan message that the United States stands with the people of Hong Kong. We urge the Government of China to abandon their ongoing efforts to repress freedoms in Hong Kong. There will be a price to pay if they continue down that path.”

On August 9, 2020, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States issued a Joint Statement on the Erosion of Rights in Hong Kong. Countries around the world are condemning the Hong Kong National Security Law and are urging the Chinese Communist Party to reconsider.

In response to the foreign criticism, senior Chinese official Zhang Xiaoming replied: “It’s none of your business.” However, hopefully, with both local and foreign pressure, human rights in Hong Kong will improve over time.

– Jacob Pugmire
Photo: Flickr

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Child Poverty in Ethiopia

Child Poverty in EthiopiaEthiopia, a diverse nation located in the horn of Africa, is home to approximately 115 million citizens. The steady growth of the country’s population has led to economic growth and increased job opportunities. Unfortunately, population growth has also led to certain difficulties in controlling and diminishing poverty in Ethiopia. Child poverty in Ethiopia is particularly prominent.

Surviving on the Streets of Ethiopia

A native of Ethiopia, 20-year-old Mohamed Yimer has experienced the reality of child poverty in Ethiopia. In an interview with The Borgen Project, Yimer revealed that at only 6 years old, he lived in the streets of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, where he had to survive with almost no access to basic necessities like food, water and shelter.

Yimer “would make money by throwing people’s garbage out and collecting metals such as nails and any scraps.” The money he collected would hopefully buy him enough food for the day. According to Yimer, restaurants would often give uneaten food or leftovers to him and other young kids who were unable to afford enough to eat.

While Yimer’s childhood experience was extremely challenging, he understood that there are millions of children experiencing the same situation. Estimates have determined that 36 million out of the 41 million children in Ethiopia live in severe poverty. Moreover, approximately 88% of the child population is unable to obtain necessary goods or access basic services.

In addition, rampant poverty, when parents have an obligation to send their children to full-time work rather than school, characterizes child poverty in Ethiopia. This allows children to contribute financially to the family at a very young age but deprives them of an education and a true childhood.

Inadequate Living Conditions

Shelter, a priority and basic need for child growth, is incredibly difficult for many children to find in Ethiopia. Yimer explained that “hundreds of children would sleep in tents, whether it be on the side of the road or under bridge ways.” While orphanages in Ethiopia allow children to receive education, shelter and food, the living conditions there are considered to be extremely poor and insufficient for child growth.

Yimer was able to stay in an orphanage for several years during his childhood. The orphanage provided meals such as bread and tea for breakfast and basic meals, which consisted of cooked vegetables. Yimer emphasizes that they “would only receive meals with meat on holidays such as Christmas.” He also describes inadequate and poor sanitation systems in orphanages. In an orphanage filled with hundreds of kids, there was only one bathroom for both boys and girls.

Poverty Reduction

Though child poverty in Ethiopia has been a severe problem, several studies have shown some progress throughout the last two decades. Research shows that the percentage of children living in poverty has decreased from 90% to 88%.

From 2000 to 2011, overall poverty has decreased from 44% to 30%, which many consider a remarkable improvement. A focus on agricultural and economic growth, as well as focused attention on helping children access necessary goods easily, have made this possible.

Many organizations have made several recommendations in the hopes of further reducing child poverty in Ethiopia. Some of those suggestions include speeding up certain investments toward reducing child poverty. Moreover, organizations hope to improve collaborations to reduce child poverty, whether it be to provide education, better sanitation services or basic everyday necessities to children.

Though child poverty is still evident in Ethiopia today, it is important to notice its slight but steady decline throughout the last two decades. By speeding up investment, garnering higher public recognition and improving non-profit collaboration, it is possible for child poverty in Ethiopia to decrease at a much faster rate in the future.

– Elisabeth Balicanta
Photo: Flickr

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A Developing Industry: Technology in Ukraine

technology in Ukraine
Ukraine, despite its successful farming and metal industries, still suffers from elevated unemployment and static poverty levels. Due to foreign aggression and weak infrastructure, Ukraine has not been able to rebound from many of its economic downturns. Additionally, outdated models of production have caused the metallurgy sector to fall behind the global pace, and low productivity alongside restrictive laws limit Ukraine’s agricultural sector. As Ukraine looks to develop further, it has turned its focus to technology, creating a robust field that is rapidly expanding around the world. What was once a developing industry in Ukraine is transforming into a successful business model worldwide. As Ukraine continues to recover from the conflict and corruption plaguing its history, the continued expansion of technology into its economy will be the greatest investment for the country’s development. These five facts about technology in Ukraine are integral to understanding the country’s shifting economic state and transition out of poverty.

5 Facts About Technology in Ukraine

  1. Engineers and technicians were among the first to start businesses in Ukraine, which is a key factor in how the technology in Ukraine has grown to the industry it is today. One of the first companies that found international success was SoftServe, an outsourcing and out-staffing company. Two Ukrainian graduates founded the company in Lyiv and it now operates in the big data, cloud computing, DevOps, e-commerce, security and experience design technology sectors. SoftServe has grown into a company employing over 8,000 people in 35 offices worldwide.
  2. Ukraine’s tech engineers have already founded companies that have overtaken the global stage. Software companies saw unprecedented growth in the early 21st century, driven by increased demand and the introduction of an IT Creative Fund. One Ukrainian technology group founded during this period, Ciklum, provides client services including custom solutions development, quality engineering, data analytics and consulting. Now employing over 3,500 people, Ciklum has achieved recognition as a Fortune 500 company.
  3. Domestic economic developments have improved Ukraine’s ability to participate in the technology boom. The first development in the last decade is the drastically increased productivity of Ukrainian workers. Matching the efforts of surrounding developing economies such as Poland’s, Ukraine has been able to increase output per employee by about 22%. The second development comes in the rapid emergence of an information and communications technology sector, resulting in more than $3.5 billion in exports and accounting for more than a 10th of foreign investment in 2017.
  4. Individuals with Ukrainian heritage have become founders and leaders of some of the most powerful companies on the planet. The founder of the international messaging service WhatsApp, Jan Koum, is Ukrainian. Max Levchin, PayPal co-founder, and Alexander Galitsky, co-inventor of Wi-Fi, are of Ukrainian descent as well. Perhaps the most famous Ukrainian is the co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak. Ukrainians have played integral roles in the creation of many global businesses, and they participate in the development of economies worldwide.
  5. Kiev, the capital and most populated city in Ukraine, is home to one of the world’s most rapidly developing start-up hubs. Ukraine also boasts one of the world’s largest outsourcing hubs. Tens of thousands of workers are outsourced to Ukraine from companies like Oracle and Google, resulting in a thriving industry in the heart of Ukraine. Outsourcing technology firms like AMC Bridge, Ciklum, Miratech and Sigma Software are only some of the Ukrainian companies listed on the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals’ annual list of the world’s best outsourcing companies.

Despite these advancements in technology in Ukraine, in its fight against poverty, Ukraine still has a long road ahead. Progress has occurred through the development of technology, but many other industries lag behind due to continued attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. Though Ukraine does well with regard to foreign investment, there are many avenues to establish greater connectivity with the global market that remain unexplored, especially within the European Union. With continued government support and a strong start-up culture, Ukraine has the potential to become a country that provides prosperity to its population.

– Pratik Koppikar
Photo: Flickr