5 Ways Australia Supports Aboriginal Businesses

Aboriginal BusinessesAustralia, housing a large aboriginal population, started a new way for indigenous people to integrate their creations into society. Currently, 30% of indigenous people live below the poverty line. In addition, up to 80% of indigenous people are unemployed in Australia. With additional benefits for starting a company, aboriginal business owners have access to business advisors, training and financial support provided by the government. This allows indigenous people to start earning income and provide a stable household for their families without losing their culture to rise above the poverty line. Here are five ways that Australia supports aboriginal businesses.

5 Ways Australia Supports Aboriginal Businesses

  1. The Black Pages: The Black Pages is an online directory for aboriginal businesses and community enterprises founded in 1999 to develop the socio-economic status of indigenous people. This platform works with the government to provide a “marketplace” for businesses to advertise their products, services or events. As a result, this can help gain attraction amongst other companies.
  2. Supply Nation: Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council (AIMSC), now known as Supply Nation, is a government-funded non-profit organization aiming for indigenous integration into Australia’s supply chain. The organization connects government and corporate institutions to aboriginal suppliers. In 2014, 276 aboriginal suppliers processed $107 million worth (AUD) of transactions on the site.
  3.  Indigenous Business Australia: Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) is a government agency that invests in aboriginal businesses. It assists indigenous companies in becoming financially independent and economically self-sufficient. IBA provides not only money for businesses, but all the materials to create a stable institution. One of the agency’s efforts in creating sustainable companies in indigenous communities is helping indigenous people gain homeownership. IBA invested over $1 billion AUD in indigenous people, opening 203 job opportunities for indigenous workers in 2019. 
  4. Jawun: Westpac and Boston Consulting Group founded the nonprofit organization Jawun (Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships) in 2001 to create bonds between aboriginal people and non-indigenous corporations. Instead of offering employment opportunities to indigenous people, Jawun partners with companies to provide a haven for aboriginal people to be hired. They connect suitable “secondees” for different projects at various companies, including KPMG, Leighton Holdings, Wesfarmers, IBM, etc. Eighty-seven percent of their indigenous partners are satisfied with their experience, overall benefitting their economic status. 
  5. Indigenous Mentoring Program: The government started the Indigenous Mentoring Program to aid the owners of aboriginal businesses to create a long-lasting company. The program pairs mentors with companies to provide relevant advice on the industry. In addition, it helps them form networks to succeed in business. Mentors are volunteers and are government trained to help others flourish in the corporate world.

With multiple organizations dedicated to integrating indigenous people into the economy, the prominence of aboriginal companies will continue to rise. As a result, indigenous people will start seeing an increase in income and hopefully cross over the poverty line. 

– Zoe Chao
Photo: Pixabay

What to Know about Tuberculosis in South Africa

Tuberculosis in South Africa
Tuberculosis (TB), a bacterial disease, is contracted through airborne respiratory droplets from an infected individual. TB is also contractible from unpasteurized milk containing Mycobacterium Bovis, or Bovine Tuberculosis. Pulmonary TB primarily affects the lungs, but more than 90% of individuals with TB have a latent form known as drug-resistant TB (DR-TB). With tuberculosis as the leading cause of death in South Africa, the government and other organizations are working to help those with the illness. The South African government, with aid from the international community, is slowing the spread of TB through treatment, premature diagnosing, proper medical training and accessible testing. Here is what you need to know about tuberculosis in South Africa.

Tuberculosis: the Leading Cause of Death in South Africa

Tuberculosis is a major public health threat in South Africa, causing more than 89,000 deaths annually. Even so, the government is making strides toward eradicating TB in South Africa. Medical professionals in South Africa encourage early intensive action by screening all patients attending a primary medical provider. While premature screening is an important measure, it is also critical that the South African government encourages and helps individuals receive testing and remain on the treatment.

Treatment Availability and Effectiveness

Most individuals with TB are curable with a series of medicines. There are currently four recognized medicines that can treat TB: Isoniazid (INH), Rifampin (RMP), Pyrazinamide (PZA) and Ethambutol (EMB). After patients take the drugs for three to nine months and depending on the dosage, their bodies can successfully be rid of the bacteria. However, there is a handful of cases that are multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB). Around 1.8% of the new cases in South Africa are MDR.

For those with DR-TB, the efforts of medical professionals and the government are poor. Treatments become inaccessible for many South Africans. Many local clinics run out of medication for MDR patients, or the wait times to receive prescriptions are several hours long. As a result, patients must go to hospitals also with long wait times and crowded waiting rooms. For individuals who lack the time, money and resources to wait, there are few alternatives. This discourages those with an MDR-TB diagnosis from finishing their treatment plans. If a patient skips one dose of the six-month long medication regime, TB can resurface in the individual and come back much stronger. It is crucial that the government of South Africa, with help from other countries and organizations, provide better accessibility to testing, medicine and capable medical staff to its citizens.

Other Obstacles to Overcome

Much of the spread of TB is the result of unknowingly transmitting the disease or total neglect to seek testing because of inaccessibility or social stigmas. The stigma surrounding a TB diagnosis is a real problem. In 2014, the South African Stigma Survey reported that teasing and mockery affect more than a third of individuals who have TB.

Poverty is also an important dimension. On average, treating a regular case of TB would cost 2,500 rand (about $144.05), which is a steep cost for families in a country with a poverty rate of nearly 50%. To reduce TB deaths in South Africa by 90% would cost the government five billion rand per year, or more than $288 million. However, with help from other countries and organizations, eradicating tuberculosis is possible.

HIV, COVID-19 and TB

HIV comorbidity with tuberculosis has been a fatal combination for decades. More than 6 million South Africans live with HIV, yet only one million were screened for TB in 2013. In 2014, only 34,000 of the millions of people eligible for testing received a test.

Now, according to studies from June 2020, researchers believe citizens with active TB are 2.58 times more likely to die after contracting the coronavirus. Still, TB and HIV pale in comparison to other major risk factors for COVID-19 like diabetes or old age.

The skills medical professionals have gained from treating patients with HIV and TB will hopefully help in handling the novel virus. Being familiar with protective gear, tracking diseases and reducing the spread of illness are all important ways in which TB has prepared South Africa for the pandemic.

Organizations in the Fight against Tuberculosis

The South African government could take several actions to mitigate cases of tuberculosis in South Africa. One potential preventative action is active case finding, where health professionals search communities for individuals with TB. Another action is contact tracing, the method of finding patients who have TB and testing those with whom they have been in contact. Many NGOs and campaigns are stepping up to help the government fight TB.

In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a new plan to tackle the epidemic of tuberculosis in South Africa entitled the End TB Strategy. In collaboration with the National TB Programme, the WHO encourages South Africa to research, use new innovative medicines and tools, collaborate across all sectors of government and properly assess the threat of TB in influenced areas. In addition, The TB Alliance helps to end the spread of tuberculosis by funding clinical drug trials for MDR-TB in South Africa.

 

When considering what the “ideal clinic” is, only 10% of the clinics in South Africa make the cut. These clinics have ample supplies, educated staff and fair policies. It is critical that the South African government receives enough funding to help more clinics reach this status and stay on track to significantly diminish TB by 2035.

– Danielle Kuzel
Photo: Flickr

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Preventing Hearing Loss in Developing Countries

Hearing Loss in Developing CountriesAs of 2018, an estimated 466 million people around the globe suffer from hearing loss. Access to technology and medical care to aid those with hearing loss is rather limited in developing nations. Language barriers, stemming from a lack of sign language interpreters, prevent communication between patients and doctors. By identifying the signs of hearing loss earlier, individuals may have opportunities to receive medical help and progress in their communities. Addressing hearing loss in developing countries through public health measures and advocacy will aid the economy and overall well-being of developing countries.

Causes of Hearing Loss in Developing Countries

The two primary kinds of hearing loss in developing countries are congenital and acquired. Congenital causes can come from a family history of hearing loss, prenatal factors or complications during childbirth. Severe infection during pregnancy often passes onto the baby. Low birth weight, a lack of oxygen during birth, premature birth or preeclampsia are all contributors to hearing loss in newborns.

Acquired causes of hearing loss happen at birth, during childhood or from aging. Old age or exposure to loud noises during one’s lifetime can destroy sensory cells in the ear. Trauma from an accident or even severe, recurring ear infections can also lead to deafness in one or both ears. For example, chronic ear infections in South-East Asia, the Pacific Islands and Africa affect up to 46% of their populations. In a study in Brazil involving 70 subjects, the Zika virus caused hearing loss for 7% of the children between 0-10 months.

Effects on Children

Unlike further developed countries, mothers and families are unable to screen their newborns during and after pregnancy. Approximately 34 million children have disabling hearing loss, and the majority of these children suffer socially and emotionally. Without the ability to communicate effectively, these children end up isolated within their homes. They can not receive an education, so in their adult life, they remain illiterate. A lack of education means higher unemployment rates throughout the country.

Some forms of prevention against disease may also put newborns at risk of developing deafness. Around 660,000 out of 219 million people die each year from malaria. Chemoprophylaxis is one of several forms of medication to prevent contracting the illness. Malaria can lead to low birth rate and deafness, but so can antimalaria medication such as Chemoprophylaxis. Other medicines used for infections during pregnancy or tuberculosis can similarly result in deafness for newborn children.

Organizations and Advocacy

Children must be immunized against severe diseases to aid hearing loss in developing countries. Mothers must be encouraged to take medications needed during their pregnancies properly, and earlier screenings on newborns need to be readily available. World Wide Hearing provides affordable hearing aids to countries lacking hearing clinics. With less than 10% of hearing aid distribution worldwide, World Wide Hearing ensures the deaf’s social inclusivity.

Partners for a Greater Voice built a school for the deaf in the Dominican Republic and also provides hearing aids to those with lower incomes. The trained teachers prioritize oral education and thus communicate effectively with students. Grand Challenges Canada pairs with Hearing Access World to distribute hearing loss diagnostic kits, and provide affordable screenings coupled with hearing aids. Along with donations and massive investments, projects involving Audio Techs also refer some patients to doctors that will cater to severe needs.

By preventing disease and providing needed resources, these organizations can limit the detriment of hearing loss in developing countries. Starting with the youth will benefit the economy as more children go to school and have jobs readily available. Age-related hearing loss must be managed through implementing active communication catered towards the deaf. Young or old, the deaf community will attain a better quality of life and socioeconomic confidence with accessible programs.

– Sydney Stokes
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Inequality and Poverty in Namibia

Poverty in Namibia
Even as one of the eight countries in Africa classified as an upper-middle-income country, Namibia is still striving overall to eliminate extreme poverty and inequality. The implementation of new socioeconomic structures from the Namibian government and partnering initiatives will soon make the vision of no poverty in Namibia a reality.

Living Below the Poverty Line

Of the nation’s population of 2.5 million people, 17.4% were living below the poverty line in 2015 and 2016. This is a drastic decrease of over 11% between 2009 and 2010 when 28.7% of the population lived below the poverty line. This progress aside, environmental conditions and employment rates have inhibited the growth of economic status and societal wealth in Namibia.

Although the poverty line decreased in 2016, unemployment remained at a steady rate of 34%. Unemployment was more likely to affect women at 38.3%, and youth counterparts suffered at a rate of 43.4%. The rates of poverty and unemployment are dependent on people’s surroundings. Youth living in rural areas are likely to experience more difficulty finding a job than those living in an urban setting.

Education in Namibia

Education in Namibia, similar to in the U.S., is a primary skill to have when looking for work. Therefore, poverty in Namibia significantly affects people who may not have access to education. This includes those living in rural areas, those disabilities affect and women. Inadequate access to education due to a lack of resources is more likely to affect people living in rural areas. Rural communities often have limited access to management, funding, technology and information. In many cases, these resources directly affect employment opportunities.

Unfortunately, one-third of students drop out of school before the 10th grade. This issue correlates to the lack of teaching qualifications, as more than 20% of teachers in Namibia have no formal qualifications. The number of students that continue to higher education also remains at a low estimate of 19%. To combat these challenges, there is a need for mobilization of employment policies to rural areas in Namibia.

The High-Level Panel on the Namibian Economy (HLPNE)

The Namibian government appointed the HLPNE in March 2019 to respond to issues regarding “the path toward recovery and growth.” The seminar discussed economic inequalities, examining the investments and policies for the creation of jobs. According to the ILO, “The HLPNE has four pillars of work that include building a $1 billion investment portfolio, removing policy impediments, promoting Namibia for tourism and investment and creating employment opportunities.”

Honorable Erkki Nghimtina, Namibia’s labor minister, and Chair of the HLPNE Johannes Gawaxab both spoke during the seminar. They believe that the economy needs funding to gradually allow for job creation. In turn, this would balance the socioeconomic disproportion in Namibia. Tax incentives and government funding from private sectors and organizations would provide the ability to implement this, allowing the country’s economy to respond properly.

Vision 2030

Along with this, the Namibian government has created a developmental agenda to combat poverty in Namibia: Vision 2030. Vision 2030 enacts targets to create new and improved policies to form a more unified government between all sectors, both rural and urban. This agenda focuses on health care, education, housing and more in order to provide equal opportunity for those living in poverty in Namibia. Modernizing the economy within rural sectors will provide more funding and resources between schools. This will allow students to receive appropriate education, specifically developing skills needed for work in Namibia.

With help from new initiatives and improved policies and targets, awareness is emerging regarding poverty in Namibia. This awareness will allow for improvement upon the inequalities that still affect rural and urban sectors. These contributions will enable Namibia to continue making positive strides to eliminate poverty by 2030.

– Allison Lloyd
Photo: Flickr

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5 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch Out For

Female entrepreneursThroughout the world, women encounter obstacles to entrepreneurship as a result of gender-based violence, pay disparity and early pregnancy. However, in recent years, female entrepreneurs are the fastest growing demographic of entrepreneurs, regardless of ethnicity.

5 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch Out For

  1. Victoria Awine
    Victoria Awine has worked at a cocoa plantation in Sefwi Asawinso, Ghana since she was little before owning and operating her own three-hectare land in 1980. After enrolling in the Cargill Cocoa Promise, a program which promotes female cocoa farmers to become business owners, in 2014 Awine became a leading entrepreneur in her community. She has broken barriers to female business leadership, rejecting cultural norms by showing how she can succeed as a business leader, a mother of four, and an involved community decision-maker. Since joining the Cargill program, Awine has seen her cocoa farm’s revenue increase threefold.

  2. Njeri Rionge
    Njeri Rionge, a serial entrepreneur from Kenya, has started several multi-million dollar companies in quick succession. She started her first business at 19, selling yogurt in Nairobi, Kenya. Afterwards, she went on to sell clothes while maintaining other small businesses. Rionge also founded Wananchi Online, making her one of Africa’s leading female investors in the IT sector. Rionge later went on to be the founder of digital marketing company Insite, consulting agency Ignite, healthcare consulting agency Ignite Lifestyle and start-up incubator Business Lounge. “I believe Africa is the next economic frontier,” said Rionge in an interview with Forbes.

  3. Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu
    Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, an Ethiopian entrepreneur, started a sustainable footwear company, SoleRebels, when she realized the great artisan potential of the members of her community. SoleRebels has not only had great success in Africa, but has flagship stores worldwide. The shoe itself is modelled after a style commonly worn in Ethiopia. Materials are also locally sourced in a combination of recycled and organic material, like the Ethipian Koba plant, to make an eco-friendly shoe. Additionally, the production process of the shoes makes SoleRebels the first footwear company certified by Fair Trade.

  4. Nilda Callanuapa
    Nilda Callanupa, a female entrepreneur from Chinchero, Peru, is the founder of the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales de Cusco. Additionally, she is an author, speaker and expert in textiles. As a child, Callanuapa was responsible for tending her family’s sheep and weaving. Spending time in the field and learning about weaving designs, Callanuapa became interested in the history of Peruvian textile. So when she met an ethnographer as a teenager, and with the support of her community, Callanuapa attended college and determined to preserve and honor the tradition of textile in Peru. She is one of the world’s foremost experts on the subject of Peruvian textile weaving and has greatly contributed to the effort to preserve these textiles and its history.

  5. Oum Ali
    Oum Ali, a Syrian refugee and mother of six, started a small restaurant in Lebanon, employing other refugees like herself to feed many other community members. Ali started running her own business after inflation in Lebanon caused prices to rise higher than they had been in Syria. Looking to feed her children and having confidence in her home country’s cuisine, Ali rounded up a group of fellow Syrian women and set out to work. “My dream is to see a lot of Syrian women working and making their own money,” she said in an interview with BBC.

    These five female entrepreneurs demonstrate courage, perseverance and innovation in their approaches to business. Moreover, each of these five female entrepreneurs share a focus in community building and cultural conservation efforts. Surmounting gender-based obstacles among others, these entrepreneurs rise to the occasion for themselves and their communities, serving as excellent examples of leadership and strength.

– Elise Ghitman
Photo: Wikimedia

Human Trafficking in Bangladesh

Human trafficking in BangladeshHuman trafficking is defined by the United Nations as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception.” Put simply, it is the sale of human beings for labor, sexual abuse or forced prostitution. Trafficking affects people across almost every nation, but the U.N. has seen recent trends that show developing nations are a breeding ground for human trafficking. These nations generally have a higher percentage of people who are at risk of human trafficking. This is because there are many vulnerable impoverished people and undocumented immigrants who can be easily manipulated.

The most common tactic used by traffickers to attract men and women for illegal labor is the promise of a better life, better pay to feed their families and security from the violence and war in their nations. This is often due to a lack of support, opportunities and help from their own governments, which make it tantalizing for people to accept all offers of better wages and a new life.

Human Trafficking in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the majority of traffickers look for Rohingya migrants from Myanmar, promising them asylum and work in Europe. This is the result of a large influx of Burmese migrants in 2017 due to violence and discrimination. Approximately one million Rohingya are undocumented in Bangladeshi refugee camps, meaning they are desperate for work, homes and support. Traffickers prey on undocumented immigrants because they are invisible to their communities and to the government. Thus, their disappearances go unreported due to the families of victims fearing deportation or imprisonment.

Rohingya women and children are the most vulnerable for human trafficking in Bangladesh. They are often promised housekeeping and nanny work in private homes and hotels. However, this is only to have their passports and identification stolen and to be sold into sex trafficking. Girls are sold into prostitution as young as 10 years old. It is also worth noting that Bangladesh has the highest rate of child marriage under age 15, although a 1929 doctrine outlawed marriage under age 18. In Bangladesh, 59% of girls are married before age 18, and 22% are married before age 15. Girls trafficked in Bangladesh are often forced to marry, another tactic used by traffickers to create bonds with their victims.

Progress in Ending Human Trafficking in Bangladesh

In 2019, the United States made a major stride in punishing and resolving human trafficking in Bangladesh. USAID’s Bangladesh Counter for Trafficking in Persons partnered with the Forensic Training Institute and the Bangladesh police on a five-day training program on human trafficking. This event was highly successful, and the U.S. continues to work closely with Bangladesh on the issue. Furthermore, the U.S. has invested $8 million in shelters and programs for trafficking victims. The Bangladeshi and American governments also created a program to take place from 2018 to 2022 that works to reform trafficking policies. It creates new standards for officers and works to improve interagency communication through protocol. This partnership has led to a new awareness of human trafficking. Thanks to these new initiatives, Bangladesh has improved from Tier 3 to Tier 2 on the Human Trafficking Watchlist.

Bangladesh, with the assistance of USAID, is making strides in prosecuting traffickers and making resources for victims more accessible, such as taking the mental and physical effects of trafficking more seriously. Hopefully, this new motivation will continue, and Bangladesh will see less trafficking and stricter punishment of traffickers.

– Raven Heyne

Photo: Pixabay

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5 Things to Know About Water in Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s population of 36 million has suffered violent conflict in recent history. According to the UN, the scarcity of water in Afghanistan remains the greatest obstacle blocking its path to national stability. Here are five things to know about water in Afghanistan.

5 Things to Know About Water in Afghanistan

  1. Afghanistan’s instability has brought more than war to the people who live there. According to the United Nations, the worst result of the political unrest and lack of sound government in Afghanistan is lack of water accessibility. A reported 22 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces currently suffer from drought. Only 67% of people have access to safe drinking water.
  2. Most people in Afghanistan do not have access to proper sanitation. Only 43% of people in Afghanistan have access to safely managed sanitation, meaning citizens must be separated from contact with human waste. Diarrhoeal diseases, caused by poor sanitation, are the second most frequent cause of death for children under five years old, with a mortality rate of six out of 1,000 live births.
  3. Afghanistan has enough water for all of its people. The nation’s five prominent basins have the potential to provide around 3,063 cubic meters of water per capita. Therefore, the problem lies not with water availability but the government’s capacity to distribute it to the people. The government uses less than 60% of the water in four out of those five basins. The constant and destructive war seen recently in Afghanistan has largely destroyed the country’s water management system.
  4. Glacial depletion has contributed greatly to these problems. The glaciers of the Hindu Kush mountain range have long provided the majority of Afghanistan’s water. Due to rising average temperatures, however, these glaciers face depletion. Estimates predict that the Hindu Kush glaciers will lose 36% of their mass by the year 2100, initially causing destructive flooding and eventually leading to further drought. Afghanistan has also recently seen a 62% drop in precipitation. The Ministry of Water and Energy has identified glacier depletion as the cause of its troubles.
  5. Despite these challenges, organizations are stepping in to help. UNICEF has named open defecation and a severe lack of water distribution in impoverished regions as major contributors to Afghanistan’s sanitation problem. The organization aims to eliminate open defecation by 2025 through public education about building and using latrines to keep people healthy. UNICEF has also helped the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development implement a water supply project to reconstruct the nation’s water systems. USAID has stepped in as well to impact the situation. With the help of USAID, 1.5 million people received drinking water access between 2008 and 2017 and 200,000 people received improved sanitation between 2008 and 2017.

While access to water and sanitation remains a major issue in Afghanistan, the situation is improving. UNICEF reports that in 2017, almost 300,000 people in Afghanistan gained clean water access. The percentage of people in Afghanistan practicing open defecation dropped from 26.2% to 12.74% between 2000 and 2017. Since then, the efforts of organizations such as UNICEF and USAID continue to make a positive impact on sanitation and water in Afghanistan. 

– Will Sikich
Photo: Flickr

Personal Debt in the Czech Republic

debt in the Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a country cradled in Central Europe and is a member of the European Union. Despite its membership in the EU, the Czech Republic opted out of adopting the Euro in favor of keeping its own currency, the Koruna (CZK). Formerly a communist country in the Soviet Bloc, the Czech Republic adopted democratic market-oriented policies following the Velvet Revolution in 1989. With this shift toward free markets and an industrial economy, the Czech Republic experienced a credit boom in the early to mid-1990s. Unfortunately for Czech households, with rising credit comes rising debt in the Czech Republic as well.

A Closer Look at Debt in the Czech Republic

After shedding the yolk of communism in 1989, the Czech Republic embraced free-market policies focused on industrialization and the growth and privatization of business. Deregulation ensued, with particular focus placed on unshackling the banking and lending industries.

Following the credit boom of the 1990s, a reform on the lending system in 2001 provided the opportunity for a slew of private bailiffs to emerge to collect debts racked up throughout the spending boom in the previous decade. These private debt collection agencies often employ aggressive strategies to enforce repayment. The private bailiffs often pursue debts regardless of the debtor’s ability to pay. They utilize brutal strategies for recollection such as freezing bank accounts and siphoning earned income. They even enter into debtors’ homes to seize property.

How Debt Destroys Opportunity

Currently, 863,000 Czechs face at least one seizure order. This means, due to the current legal framework, their income above a certain minimum amount can be forcibly redirected towards debt repayments. This represents roughly 10% of the current population of the Czech Republic.

Personal debt in the Czech Republic can become financially crippling for many people. Those with outstanding debts have their income siphoned away to pay the interest. This leads many to enter into the black market to find jobs which would not disclose their income. This expansion of the black market is exacerbating a labor shortage within the Czech economy.

People who accumulate even small debts such as those from telephone bills may face compounding debt traps. This is a result of poor financial literacy and loose regulations on lenders and financial institutions. In addition, there are laws that make bankruptcy declaration extremely convoluted and difficult. This legal and institutional framework of the Czech debt system regressively places an undue burden upon the middle and lower classes to pay debts which they cannot afford. Thus, it stifles economic mobility and magnifies the financial hardships faced by the Czech people.

Finding Ways Out of Debt in the Czech Republic

Fortunately for many within the Czech Republic, various government and non-government solutions are being implemented. Financial literacy is critical when navigating the complex landscape of personal debt, which is one of the main services that Czech nonprofit People in Need provides. People in Need offers debt advisory services to Czech citizens to help them understand financial planning, borrowing and repayment of loans. People in Need also helps debtors legally defend themselves from unjust collections strategies as well as petition for bankruptcy. This can be an important tactic for alleviating debt in the Czech Republic.

The Czech government is also aware of these systemic issues. As of 2017, Parliament has debated bills addressing these strict policies regarding seizures and bankruptcy. Since the early 2000s, the law allows companies to better collect their loans by paying collections agencies. These agencies can cause the fees owed by debtors to skyrocket, potentially over ten-fold. This is due to costly collections processes as well as fees collected by the agencies. Both the government as well as nonprofit organizations like People in Need are working on ways to lower fees. They also work to expand access to the possibility of bankruptcy and more generous debt relief.

Conclusion

The Czech Republic serves as an important case study in national debt policy. Even a relatively rich country in Europe can still place undue financial burdens on its lower classes through inadequate lending laws and aggressive privatization of the credit industry. The work being done by nonprofits and the government should act as an example in reforming household credit markets and hopefully create a more just and forgiving landscape for lenders within the Czech Republic.

– Ian Hawthorne
Photo: Flickr

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4 Forces Advancing Women’s Rights in Yemen

Women's Rights in Yemen Women in Yemen are enduring one of the worst humanitarian crises in history. After a 2011 Arab Spring uprising forced longtime dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh out of office, deputy Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi took power and enlivened Yemenis with hope for change. In contrast to these expectations, however, civil unrest and development setbacks like corruption crippled Hadi’s government. The Houthi movement, a militant Shiite group, capitalized on this political disarray in 2015 and seized huge territories throughout the country, including the capital in Sana’a. Soon after, a coalition of U.S.-backed, Sunni-majority countries deployed troops to eradicate this Shia influence in Yemen. A brutal war followed that has expelled Hadi from the country, killed thousands and deepened extreme poverty and food insecurity for millions. The conflict has subjected women, who are already victims of deeply rooted prejudice, to increasingly unjust gender roles and violence. Fortunately, numerous organizations and legislation are working to advance women’s rights in Yemen.

Gender Inequality in Yemen

Patriarchal norms have long prevailed in Yemen. For 13 years, the Global Gender Gap Index has identified women’s rights in Yemen as the worst in the world. As the fighting continues, widespread instability is magnifying the country’s vast gender inequality.

Educational and economic opportunities for Yemeni women are severely limited. According to the World Economic Forum, only 35% of women are literate compared with 73% of men. While a majority of women receive primary education, only 40% continue on to secondary schooling. Such educational gender disparity, coupled with misogyny in the job market and burdensome responsibilities at home, contributes to women’s shockingly low labor force participation rate of 6.3%.

Beyond economic injustice, Yemeni women face a bleak social landscape. Tasked with managing the domestic sphere, women strain to procure even basic necessities such as food. This is especially true recently, as the civil conflict has subverted conventional supply lines. The concept of males as female guardians further jeopardizes women’s safety in Yemen, as a woman is considered safer when escorted by a male. With working husbands and pressing needs at home, however, women are forced to venture out unaccompanied. Without effective laws to defend them, women are left vulnerable to sexual assault and physical violence.

Years of conflict have eroded the institutions that once might have protected these women. The urgency of national stability has also relegated women’s security to a position of low priority. Even in previous times of peace, however, women had little means to voice grievances and even less power to enact change. Today, Yemeni women’s political participation remains low, with women making up a paltry 0.3% of parliament.

Amid the global push for gender equality, traditionalist insecurities drive men to violent retaliation against societal change, exacerbating the challenges women already face. But the outlook is not entirely hopeless. Here are four forces that are working to advance women’s rights in Yemen.

4 Forces Advancing Women’s Rights in Yemen

  1. Yemeni Women’s Pact for Peace and Security. Formed in 2015 after collaboration with U.N. Women, the pact is an association of Yemeni women aimed at ending the country’s protracted civil war. Beyond its aspirations for peace, the group has spearheaded women’s involvement in civic activism, paving the way for long-term political empowerment.
  2. Yemeni Women’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG). Also working to redress women’s exclusion from politics, the TAG comprises women from various areas of vocational expertise and serves as an advisory body. In addition to conferring on policy, TAG members participate in various peace talks. One such conference was the 2018 Stockholm consultation, in which the warring parties arranged to remove troops from Hudaydah, where fighting threatened to close off a crucial port to the Yemeni population. Though both sides have yet to observe this consensus, the Stockholm agreement set a precedent of women’s involvement in the civil negotiation of a violent, divisive conflict.
  3. Keeping Girls in School Act. Already passed in the House of Representatives, the Keeping Girls in School Act would combat global gender disparities in education. Under this act, USAID would execute a procedure to circumvent common obstacles to girls’ education, such as child marriage and patriarchal norms, and to boost female enrollment in secondary schooling. If passed, this act would abate Yemen’s severe educational inequality and equip adolescent girls with the knowledge and skills for future occupational success. Not only would the Keeping Girls in School Act enhance women’s rights in Yemen; according to Congressional findings, increasing girls’ education sparks development and economic progress. Thus, the act is both a form of social reform and a strategic necessity.
  4. Girls’ Leadership, Engagement, Agency, and Development (LEAD) Act. Referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in late 2019, the Girls LEAD Act has the potential to advance adolescent girls’ political involvement and civic engagement. The bill provides for USAID’s implementation of a comprehensive plan to educate and empower girls in developing nations. The Girls LEAD Act, if passed, would extend unparalleled political opportunity to Yemeni girls, helping to dismantle restrictive gender norms and molding once-disenfranchised women into agents of meaningful change.

As the civil war rages on, women’s conditions in Yemen may appear an irremediable predicament. Yet determined organizations, dynamic legislation and a country of women eager to escape society’s shackles are working to advance women’s rights in Yemen and make gender equality a reality.

– Rosalind Coats
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Mass Incarcerations in Colombia: 4 Things to Know

mass incarcerations in Colombia
Colombia is a country in South America with a population of nearly 50 million as of 2018. It is the second largest country located in South America, with the 38th largest economy in the world. The Colombian Justice System is structured similarly to that of the United States, where defendants have the right to a fair and speedy trial and are sentenced by judges.

Colombian prisons have a problem with mass incarceration. They have an overall capacity of 80,928 people; however, their actual capacity is at 112,864 people as of May 2020. The majority of people are incarcerated for non-violent crimes, such as drug-related offenses. Mass incarcerations in Colombia are also an issue because they lead to other health issues, such as the transmission of HIV and tuberculosis. Here are four more important things to know about mass incarcerations in Colombia.

Mass Incarcerations in Colombia: 4 Things to Know

  1. Capacity Rates: There are 132 prisons in Colombia with a total maximum capacity of just over 80,000 people. Despite this capacity, Colombian prisons have an occupancy level of 139.5%, or just over 112,000 people. Women make up approximately 6.9% of this number, or about 7,700 women. There are no children actively incarcerated in Colombian prisons. The country’s congress has regularly fought against the release of prisoners, instead choosing to keep the prisons full.
  2. Effects of COVID-19: Prison riots are becoming increasingly common in Latin America with the spread of the coronavirus. Mass incarcerations in Colombia have created panic amongst the prisoners, who have demanded more attention to their conditions. The Colombian Minister of Justice, Margarita Cabello, has not outwardly acknowledged the prison riots as demands for better care against COVID-19. Instead, she has stated that the riots were an attempt to thwart security and escape from prison. Furthermore, because of the scarcity in the number of doctors, many prisoners have contracted and/or died from COVID-19. In one particular prison in central Colombia, over 30% of staffers and prisoners have become infected with the virus.
  3. Infectious Diseases: Beside COVID-19, mass incarcerations in Colombia have allowed for the spread of other infectious diseases, such as HIV and tuberculosis. Colombian prisons have designated cell blocks for those who contract HIV, as it is common for prisoners to engage in sexual relationships with guards. Healthcare facilities are not readily available in prisons, and condoms are in scarce supply. Active cases of tuberculosis (TB) also correlate with mass incarcerations in Colombia. Approximately 1,000 prisoners per 100,000 were found to have active cases of TB with little to no access to affordable care.
  4. Possible Solutions: Local citizens Mario Salazar and Tatiana Arango created the Salazar Arango Foundation for Colombian prisoners. Salazar conceived the idea after being imprisoned in 2012 on fraud charges and seeking ways to make serving his sentence more tolerable. The Salazar and Arango Foundation provides workshops for prisoners in the city of La Picota and puts on plays for fellow inmates. Prisoners have found the organization to be impactful to their self-esteem and their push for lower sentences.

Mass incarcerations have had major impacts on the Colombian prison system. Issues such as food shortages and violence have given way to poverty-like conditions with little action. Despite these conditions, organizations such as the Salazar Arango Foundation look to make mass incarcerations in Colombia more tolerable for those behind bars. Hopefully, with time, mass incarcerations in Colombia can eventually be eliminated.

– Alondra Belford
Photo: Unsplash