Like many social issues, the homelessness crises around the world has a multitude of underlying factors. To be homeless is not just about having no physical home. Being homeless is about economic, social, familial, poverty, mental health and community factors. Like many countries, homelessness in Russia has been perpetuated for decades by the historical stigma which has prevented transitional change since Russia’s move to a market economy.
Historical Ties
Homelessness in the Russian Federation dates back centuries, but the inception of its modern homelessness can be traced back to the fall of the Soviet Union in December of 1991. After this, the Russian Federation was formed and communism was replaced with a market economy. Five years after the transition, roughly 1.5 million of Russia’s 147.2 million population found themselves homeless.
In communist Russia, vagrancy and begging were punished with a minimum two-year prison sentence so many homeless were classified as felons. In addition, the state government would aggravate the problem by revoking residency permits, so many felons would assume transient lifestyles after leaving prison. After Soviet-era vagrancy laws were repealed in 1992, major cities experienced an influx of homeless populations. The new market economy saw major disparities in wealth, driving people from their traditional roles and into the streets.
The implementation of the registration system in Russia worsened the homeless crisis. The registration system required those without housing to either acquire sponsorship from a relative who already had adequate living space or to purchase real estate. This system, coupled with the new market economy, lead to widespread real estate crime. Individuals with little to no knowledge of the real estate market were easily manipulated and scammed out of affordable long-term housing.
Homelessness Today
Today, homelessness in the Russian Federation is the problem everyone knows about but no one wants to address. According to Rosstat, the government organization responsible for tracking homelessness in the Russian Federation, there are 64,000 homeless people in Russia. However, the organization has not compiled new data since 2010. The real number is estimated to be roughly 5 million, approximately 3.5 percent of Russia’s population. These estimates correspond with reported numbers on Russians living below the poverty line. Out of Russia’s 144.5 million population, 13.3% live below the poverty line.
One of the most common issues that the homeless in Russia face is the loss of legal documents, such as passports and residency permits. Once Russian citizens lose these documents, they are no longer eligible to receive free social or medical care and have no path to recovering these benefits. Compounding the problem is the widespread exploitation of those without legal documents. Companies who rely on homeless populations for inexpensive labor often do not follow through on paying wages. When homeless workers are paid, they face scrutiny and exploitation from the police who are at liberty to take advantage of undocumented people.
Social Stigma
The unofficial mantra of the Russian Federation in regard to homelessness is, “out of sight, out of mind”. Although there are more homeless shelters in Russia today than in the past, they are sparse and inaccessible, many times located in the outskirts of districts. The Lyublino shelter has served as the primary center tackling the homelessness crisis for the last ten years. The shelter provides much-needed aid such as food, shelter, clothing, legal and medical services to its patrons. There are currently six shelters on the outskirts of Moscow including the largest, Lyublino, and five smaller ones. Plans for a homeless shelter in the city center were scrapped after widespread backlash from city residents. Instead, 30 vans patrol the city, picking up homeless and driving them to shelters nearly 15 kilometers outside the city center. Although these shelters are proof of progress, the societal response to ignore the issue prevents a head-on approach to tackling homelessness.
Other cities in the Russian Federation are addressing both the issue of homelessness and social stigma. In St. Petersburg, the Nochlezhka NGO feeds, counsels and shelters homeless populations. Funded mostly by donations, the crown jewel of the organization is a four-story rehabilitation center that houses roughly 50 people. In 2017, The Moscow Times reported that 145 people passed through the shelter and 51% now live in permanent homes. In 2018, in addition to their rehabilitation program, the organization provided food, shelter and legal services to 9,000 homeless in St. Petersburg. The organization also helps to educate Russian citizens on how people become homeless and what can be done to help. Through educational efforts, they hope to eliminate the decades-old stigma of homelessness. The organization’s work has been largely successful in St. Petersburg; however, the homeless stigma still persists in Moscow where an estimated 100,000 people are homeless. Nochlezhka hopes to employ the same measures that worked in St. Petersburg to Moscow.
Unraveling the decades-long homeless crisis in the Russian Federation cannot be done overnight. The largest challenge is not just overcoming homelessness itself by providing more shelters, but eliminating the stigma associated with it. As mindsets change, organizations educate and the Russian state government stops pushing homelessness out of sight, the state can ultimately overcome one of its most trying challenges.
– Max Lang
Photo: Flickr
9 Facts About Homelessness in Spain
For many, Spain conjures images of sun-soaked beaches, mouthwatering paellas, mesmerizing flamenco dancers or idyllic windmills towering over Don Quixote. However, Spain is more than the stereotypes that attract its many tourists. It is a complex country with pressing social and economic issues. One such issue is the prevalence of homelessness. Although Spain is a developed country, many are living within its borders without a place to call home. Here are nine facts about homelessness in Spain.
9 Facts About Homelessness in Spain
Economic crises and rising housing costs during the last 15 years have left scars that continue to harm Spain’s homeless population. Additionally, the Spanish economy’s dependence on tourism has led some politicians to enact changes that push homeless people away from popular cities, like Madrid. However, the national government is taking steps to combat homelessness, and this will perhaps inspire mayors and leaders of autonomous communities to follow suit.
– Addison Collins
Photo: Flickr
2 Revolutionary Products That Fight Period Poverty
Roughly 12.8 percent of the menstruating population lives in poverty. These extreme financial challenges leave many unable to afford conventional sanitary products, causing them to turn to less safe alternatives such as newspapers, plastics bags, and socks to manage their monthly periods.
In addition to the health concerns, period poverty also results in people being discriminated against and ostracized during their menstrual cycle. In countries like Venezuela, for example, members of the household require menstruators to sleep in huts during their periods. This is not an uncommon practice around the world.
Period poverty does not only affect people during menstruation; it can have long-term negative effects. It causes severe implications for an individual’s education and career. In Kenya, for example, people miss 20 percent of the school year due to menstruation. Luckily, Fly and Flo are working to fight period poverty around the world.
Fly
In India, 70 percent of reproductive diseases are a result of unhygienic menstrual care. Understanding this and the high cost of sanitary products in India, Arunachalam Muruganantham set out on a mission to create a cheap sanitary pad in hopes of making India a “100 percent napkin using country” compared to a level of less than 10 percent at the time.
After four and a half years of research, Muruganantham created a low-cost, four-step method to make sanitary pads. Muruganantham then brought that method and machinery to over 1,300 villages in India so that women can produce and sell cheap sanitary napkins to their community. The success of the product is documented in the 2019 Netflix documentary Period. End of Sentence., which tells the story of women in Kathikhera, India, who use Muruganantham’s method to make pads for their village.
In addition to bringing cheap pads to Khathikhera, this innovation has empowered the women of the village to create their own brand of sanitary napkins known as “Fly.” The company creates over 600 pads every day, bringing stable jobs to women in the village. The product is also slowly accomplishing Muruganantham’s original goal, as sanitary napkin usage in Khathikhera has climbed to 70 percent.
The success of Fly has inspired Muruganantham to spread his product to countries affected by period poverty across the globe, such as Kenya, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
Flo
While affordable sanitary napkins are becoming increasingly more available, 90 percent of the menstruating population still use reusable pads. People can use reusable pads safely; however, due to stigmas, many people struggle to properly disinfect their pads during menstruation, a lack of hygiene which can lead to infection. To combat this issue, a group of students at the Art Center College of Design created Flo: a kit that allows people to wash, dry thoroughly and store sanitary napkins during menstruation.
The device is made up of “two bowls, a basket, and string, and uses half the water and detergent than a standard hand washing method requires.” After washing the pads, they can be spun inside the basket to wring out excess water and reduce the drying time. Flo then converts into a drying rack for the pads to hang outside. In addition to being a transportable washer-dryer, Flo also serves as discrete storage for dirty and clean pads.
The tool kit costs $3, making it an accessible, long term solution for those who struggle with period poverty. The inexpensive and hidden nature of Flo helps to reduce some of the burdens for those affected by menstrual stigmas by providing a sense of privacy and ensuring sanitation during monthly periods. The creators of Flo are still finalizing the marketing and sale strategies for the product, however, the future for Flo looks bright as it has already won several awards including an International Design Excellence Award. As the product continues to work on getting itself off the ground, its creators encourage people to build their own Flo models using any available resources and the product design of the group’s website.
The Future of Period Poverty
As the world works to fight period poverty, innovations like Fly and Flo bring hope to menstruating people across the globe. With these products, menstruation no longer inhibits people from attending school or jobs out of fear of embarrassment or inconvenience. Moreover, as these products become cheaper, access to adequate period care will someday hopefully be universal.
– Mary Kate Langan
Photo: Wikimedia
The Process of Ending Hunger in the DRC
The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has forced many people to abandon their livelihoods, preventing them from making a living to provide for themselves and their families. According to the World Food Program, the Democratic Republic of Congo ranks second in the list of countries facing the world’s worst hunger crisis. Approximately 15.6 million people are food insecure in the DRC our of a total population of 86 million. Additionally, hunger in the DRC is causing many children in the country to suffer from malnutrition. Approximately 3.4 million children are acutely malnourished.
The Situation
Conflict Prevents Progress
Many children are suffering in the Democratic Republic of Congo from lack of food. Child malnutrition is one of the leading underlying causes of death among children under 5. The child mortality rate for those under 5 is 88.1 deaths per 1,000 live births. To help fight against malnourishment and hunger in the DRC, the World Bank is spending $502 million through credit and grants to help finance the Multisectoral Nutrition and Health project.
Organizations Helping During the Food Crisis
The Democratic Republic of Congo is a country endowed with rich resources and good arable land. However, constant conflict in the region has made it difficult for families to make a living. Perhaps help in the form of money and humanitarian efforts will allow the DRC to take steps in the right direction.
– Joshua Meribole
Photo: Flickr
Peruvian Food Markets in the Midst of COVID-19
The Necessity of Food Markets
Furthermore, the Peruvian food markets provide another challenge, maintaining social distancing. On April 14, CNN affiliate TV Peru captured images of a Lima food market where shoppers waited for hours in lines or in masses while wearing masks but not practicing social distancing. This scene was then replicated outside of banks as people queued up in an attempt to access coronavirus relief funds. Peruvian food markets have quickly become hot spots for contagion, not just for shoppers but also for vendors.
Proving to be an Issue
Entrepreneurs feel Economic Strain
Despite the dangers surrounding vendors and shoppers, Peruvian food markets are only half of the equation. The global pandemic has also wreaked havoc on small producers and entrepreneurs.
People who work in small scale production don’t always have easy access to local markets which can lead to two things:
Although Peru is starting to grant transit permits to these small producers, the process has been slowed down due to the coronavirus. While numerous solutions have been proposed by the Peruvian government, only a few actions are igniting real change in providing help for citizens living below the poverty line.
One such solution is being enacted through the German partnership program: Welthungerhilfe. The international relief program focuses on ending food insecurity across the globe. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, it has dedicated relief efforts to communities most heavily impacted. In Peru, this can be seen in the community of Húanuco. Working with the Peruvian Institute of Development and Environment (Instituto de Desarrollo y Medio Ambiente), Welthungerhilfe implemented a delivery service, to connect local farmers and producers with markets and consumers in more urban areas. This effort will keep locally owned farms employed during the crisis and fight the food scarcity affecting local markets.
For the Peruvian people living in poverty, COVID-19 has uncovered many of the nation’s shortcomings including food insecurity. Producers, vendors and shoppers alike are struggling to operate within new health regulations and provide for their families in the crowded streets of Peruvian food markets. As a result, international relief agencies, like Welthungerhilfe, have been emerging to help those in need.
Photo: Pixabay
6 Facts About Diseases in Tanzania
6 Facts About Diseases in Tanzania
Despite being one of the most impoverished countries in the world, Tanzania has made great advancements in its healthcare. Combating many of the issues that come with poverty, Tanzania has found innovative ways to combat disease. With the efforts of UNICEF and local community groups, Tanzania has decreased diseases that are caused by poor healthcare and malnutrition.
– Kaitlyn Gilbert
Photo: Flickr
Healthcare in Haiti: 5 Things to Know
5 Facts About Healthcare in Haiti
Political conflict and poverty create difficulties when accessing healthcare in Haiti. Though the current pandemic presents new challenges, the World Bank created a $20 million COVID-19 Response Project for Haiti to help address the most pressing concerns. Aside from emergency health funding, the World Bank is also addressing gaps in other sectors such as WASH and food security which all relate to ensuring resilience in the health of as many Haitians as possible.
– Hannah Nelson
Photo: Unsplash
7 Facts About Child Marriage in Africa
Child marriages have been occurring for thousands of years. While child marriage is more commonly seen between female children and much older men, child marriage is defined as marriages where either one or both partners are younger than the age of 18. According to UNICEF, Africa has the highest rate of child marriages in the world. Specifically, sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates where every four in 10 girls are married before the age of 18. Within this region, the country of Niger has the highest child marriage rates, with 77% of girls married before the age of 18. Here are seven facts about child marriage in Africa.
7 Facts About Child Marriage in Africa
These seven facts about child marriage in Africa explain the difficulties young girls face every day. While child marriages around the world have been in a steady decline, Africa has been the slowest progressing area. According to the U.N., child marriages in Africa could actually continue to grow rather than decline. A continued growing awareness around the world helps to end child marriages. A group of girls in Africa started a petition to change the laws and raise the age of consent. So far, the petition has received over 245,000 signatures. Efforts like these continue to help bring an end to child marriages in Africa.
– Chelsea Wolfe
Photo: Flickr
4 Facts About Housing and Homelessness in Cambodia
4 Facts About Housing and Homelessness in Cambodia
Habitat for Humanity
Since 2003, Habitat for Humanity has been working in Cambodia to “break the cycle of poverty through safe, durable, affordable housing solutions.” To date, Habitat Cambodia has helped provide more than 22,000 families with shelter. The organization works with both international and local NGOs, local and national authorities and other groups to tackle the homelessness situation in Cambodia.
The organization’s innovative approach includes market development, advocacy for secure land tenure and collaborating with other NGOs and community-based organizations in order to create housing solutions for the poor in Cambodia. Habitat for Humanity has also been working in three of Cambodia’s biggest cities — Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Battambang — to provide housing solutions and help secure land for the homeless and other in-need groups including those living with disabilities, orphans and those affected by HIV/AIDS. In 2018, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) reported that these efforts reached 73,000 children and adults.
In 2014, Cambodia adopted a National Housing Policy to improve access to housing. However, according to Habitat for Humanity, this policy has not yet reached low-income and middle-income families. To combat this, Habitat Cambodia is advocating for “effective implementation of the National Housing Policy” in order to provide access to housing for the growing number of Cambodians in urban areas.
Though housing shortages and homelessness in Cambodia are still serious and ongoing issues, organizations like Habitat for Humanity are helping combat the issue — one habitat at a time.
– Emma Benson
Photo: Flickr
The Social Stigma of Homelessness in Russia
Historical Ties
Homelessness in the Russian Federation dates back centuries, but the inception of its modern homelessness can be traced back to the fall of the Soviet Union in December of 1991. After this, the Russian Federation was formed and communism was replaced with a market economy. Five years after the transition, roughly 1.5 million of Russia’s 147.2 million population found themselves homeless.
In communist Russia, vagrancy and begging were punished with a minimum two-year prison sentence so many homeless were classified as felons. In addition, the state government would aggravate the problem by revoking residency permits, so many felons would assume transient lifestyles after leaving prison. After Soviet-era vagrancy laws were repealed in 1992, major cities experienced an influx of homeless populations. The new market economy saw major disparities in wealth, driving people from their traditional roles and into the streets.
The implementation of the registration system in Russia worsened the homeless crisis. The registration system required those without housing to either acquire sponsorship from a relative who already had adequate living space or to purchase real estate. This system, coupled with the new market economy, lead to widespread real estate crime. Individuals with little to no knowledge of the real estate market were easily manipulated and scammed out of affordable long-term housing.
Homelessness Today
Today, homelessness in the Russian Federation is the problem everyone knows about but no one wants to address. According to Rosstat, the government organization responsible for tracking homelessness in the Russian Federation, there are 64,000 homeless people in Russia. However, the organization has not compiled new data since 2010. The real number is estimated to be roughly 5 million, approximately 3.5 percent of Russia’s population. These estimates correspond with reported numbers on Russians living below the poverty line. Out of Russia’s 144.5 million population, 13.3% live below the poverty line.
One of the most common issues that the homeless in Russia face is the loss of legal documents, such as passports and residency permits. Once Russian citizens lose these documents, they are no longer eligible to receive free social or medical care and have no path to recovering these benefits. Compounding the problem is the widespread exploitation of those without legal documents. Companies who rely on homeless populations for inexpensive labor often do not follow through on paying wages. When homeless workers are paid, they face scrutiny and exploitation from the police who are at liberty to take advantage of undocumented people.
Social Stigma
The unofficial mantra of the Russian Federation in regard to homelessness is, “out of sight, out of mind”. Although there are more homeless shelters in Russia today than in the past, they are sparse and inaccessible, many times located in the outskirts of districts. The Lyublino shelter has served as the primary center tackling the homelessness crisis for the last ten years. The shelter provides much-needed aid such as food, shelter, clothing, legal and medical services to its patrons. There are currently six shelters on the outskirts of Moscow including the largest, Lyublino, and five smaller ones. Plans for a homeless shelter in the city center were scrapped after widespread backlash from city residents. Instead, 30 vans patrol the city, picking up homeless and driving them to shelters nearly 15 kilometers outside the city center. Although these shelters are proof of progress, the societal response to ignore the issue prevents a head-on approach to tackling homelessness.
Other cities in the Russian Federation are addressing both the issue of homelessness and social stigma. In St. Petersburg, the Nochlezhka NGO feeds, counsels and shelters homeless populations. Funded mostly by donations, the crown jewel of the organization is a four-story rehabilitation center that houses roughly 50 people. In 2017, The Moscow Times reported that 145 people passed through the shelter and 51% now live in permanent homes. In 2018, in addition to their rehabilitation program, the organization provided food, shelter and legal services to 9,000 homeless in St. Petersburg. The organization also helps to educate Russian citizens on how people become homeless and what can be done to help. Through educational efforts, they hope to eliminate the decades-old stigma of homelessness. The organization’s work has been largely successful in St. Petersburg; however, the homeless stigma still persists in Moscow where an estimated 100,000 people are homeless. Nochlezhka hopes to employ the same measures that worked in St. Petersburg to Moscow.
Unraveling the decades-long homeless crisis in the Russian Federation cannot be done overnight. The largest challenge is not just overcoming homelessness itself by providing more shelters, but eliminating the stigma associated with it. As mindsets change, organizations educate and the Russian state government stops pushing homelessness out of sight, the state can ultimately overcome one of its most trying challenges.
– Max Lang
Photo: Flickr
PIVOT Data in Madagascar Is Improving Healthcare
After working in Rwanda with Partners In Health, PIVOT founder Matt Bond saw the importance of statistical analysis when it comes to long term change within a healthcare system. Bond aspires to have a lasting impact on Madagascar’s health system. In addition, he develops interventions that can be implemented across the world to help improve health conditions. With the support of the Harvard Medical School, PIVOT focusses its efforts towards interventions that have significant statistical results within Madagascar’s medical system.
Madagascar’s Healthcare Challenges
PIVOT has established its goal to improve accessibility to healthcare facilities. Around 60% of the population lives more than three miles away from a medical facility. Additionally, many communities are unable to access medical treatments due to the uneven distribution of medical professionals and supplies. This issue is highlighted with the current COVID-19 pandemic. As of May 19, 2020 Madagascar has confirmed 322 cases of COVID-19. Madagascar has a Healthcare Access and Quality index rating of 29.6 out of 100. This is well below the sub-Saharan average rating of 40 out of 100. A healthcare system with such a low rating may struggle with the increased demand for medical attention. Madagascar’s government has set a strict curfew in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, however, the healthcare system will still be challenged by the pandemic.
The Data
The initial studies conducted by PIVOT began in 2014, with 8000 subjects to be followed up with every 2 years. The study collected data on over 840 variables, from basic demographics to access to healthcare. The long term studies aim to identify changes in mortality rates and access to medical resources. In addition, this extensive study required collaboration with the National Institute of Statistics of Madagascar. The results indicated maternal mortality rates to be one in 14, twice the estimated previous national Madagascar health predictions.
Astrophysicist Jim Herrnstein, helped Bond found PIVOT and their data focussed approach to healthcare in Madagascar. Herrnstein believes that the scientific method used to back PIVOT’s interventions highlights which projects are beneficial to the overall health of Madagascar’s population. The data suggest that single-layered interventions such as providing mosquito nets are important. However, it does not offer widespread and long term solutions. Initiatives such as hiring and training healthcare workers have decreased maternal mortality rates and increased delivery care accessibility by 20%.
The data collected is not just based on Madagascar’s population; PIVOT also researches and tracks environmental factors that can affect health and well-being. These studies focus on the environmental factors that contribute to malaria rates, childhood diarrhea and access to healthcare. The environmental terrain is an obstacle itself when it comes to healthcare access. Between 60-70% of Madagascar’s people will travel between three to six miles by foot to reach medical facilities. Additionally, only 34% of the population has access to clean water, which contributes to the rates of communicable diseases.
The Results
Within the first two years of operation, PIVOT has made a substantial impact on Madagascar’s healthcare system. The data suggests that access to healthcare for fever-related symptoms has increased by over 25 percent in areas where PIVOT has established interventions. The use of maternal health services has increased by 63 percent, and the overall use of healthcare facilities by Madagascar’s population has tripled.
PIVOT has proven the importance of using data to support healthcare interventions in Madagascar. The organization’s scientific approach has allowed them to target specific elements within Madagascar’s healthcare system to most effectively improve the medical environment. PIVOT continues to track the population’s well-being and use of medical facilities to ensure their programs continue to benefit the health of Madagascar’s population.
– Laura Embry
Photo: Flickr