In 2024, 40% fewer people acquired HIV and 54% fewer died from AIDS-related causes than in 2010. Many countries around the world have invested extensively in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with one country making notable progress despite the many obstacles it faces: Guyana.
Guyana is a country in the northeast region of South America, with a population of 878,674 as of 2022, largely centered on and around the Caribbean coastline. It was until the recent discovery of offshore oil reserves one of the poorest countries in South America, a socioeconomic effect which still impacts the country today in regard to government resources and public health.
Medical hospital infrastructure for instance was, until the most recent decade, a costly and difficult expense. Accessing necessary health treatment required a challenging trip to the capital city, Georgetown, often taking more than half a day to complete and having a disproportionate impact on low-income patients in terms of health and accessibility. Here is more information about HIV/AIDS in Guyana and what some are doing to address it.
International and Governmental Efforts
Recent strategic investments by the Government of Guyana, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have helped expand the region’s health care network. These ongoing efforts from international support organizations will, by 2027, open five more “smart” hospitals in the country which will provide far more expansive and high-quality healthcare access than ever before.
Similarly, the Universal Health Voucher Programme (UHVP) was a 2025 initiative by the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Health, aimed at improving healthcare service accessibility to all of Guyana’s citizens by providing each member of the public a $10,000 health voucher and reduced costs for valuable medical tests. The current president of Guyana, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, launched the UHVP with the goal of improving Guyanese healthcare and especially through improved health monitoring and early addressing of health conditions.
Critically Affected Populations
Research shows that HIV is still among the leading public health challenges in Guyana and the Caribbean, largely due to the combination of HIV/AIDS solutions lacking full accessibility and awareness in everyday life in Guyana.
There are an estimated 11,000 HIV/AIDS cases in Guyana, a prevalence of 1.5% among the population, and new cases have risen by 19% since 2010. This is compared to the global average of HIV/AIDS, which among adults aged 15–49 sits at around 0.7%, or less than half of Guyana’s HIV impact.
In 2017, the Global Fund approved an HIV grant of $4,539,985 to the Guyana Ministry of Health, lasting from the beginning of 2018 to the end of 2020. The proposed grant program targeted an epidemic of diverse and vulnerable populations, those being “men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers, transgender people, miners and loggers,” according to the Global Fund Technical Review Panel (TRP). The program worked to assess and implement a coordinated variety of strategies to address these populations and treat any and all HIV/AIDS cases more broadly, building upon recent efforts by Guyana on aiding key populations and with the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS and addressing detrimental social and economic impacts the epidemic creates.
Eliminating HIV/AIDS in Guyana
Guyana has made significant progress in its efforts to eliminate HIV/AIDS, though has not managed to meet its optimistic 95-95-95 targets completely. These goals mean for 95% of persons living with HIV to know their disease status, for 95% of persons with HIV/AIDS to have active treatment, and for 95% on treatment to have viral suppression aid. As of the National AIDS Programme 2023 Annual Report, Guyana has reported 94%, 72%,and 87% respectively, showing substantial improvement from a decade prior but without the 95% benchmarks being met which would signal an effective and complete eradication of the epidemic.
However, HIV infections are certainly not yet a settled case in the country. The year 2024 saw almost 500 new HIV infections recorded, with many of them being preventable, according to Guyana’s Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony. Guyana provides free nationwide testing and treatment services for HIV/AIDS, which is why this increase is so hard to explain by conventional resource explanations.
Studies assessing young people’s knowledge of HIV/AIDS and their views on sexual behavior and contraceptives in Guyana may help explain why. Almost a quarter of teenagers ages 12-14 years old were sexually active, jumping to more than one-third of teenagers for ages 15 or older. Just two out of every five of these groups utilized condoms and other measures, reflecting attitudes toward HIV/AIDS prevention affected by a lack of public knowledge and importance due to age and educational and religious teaching on these contraceptives. Guyanese cases ages 15-24 accounted for 14% of the 580 new HIV/AIDS infections recorded in 2023, and HIV prevalence for the age group rose from 0.2% to 0.3%, suggesting the problem is increasing despite measures being taken.
Actions by the Guyanese Ministry of Health
Rates of HIV/AIDS have stayed constant throughout the country as well, suggesting that the increased health accessibility reforms by Guyana’s government have not had the intended effect in the country. The Government of Guyana already funds every test, HIV tablet, ARV and viral load test, in contrast to most other developing countries which tend to rely on international financing for HIV/AIDS healthcare support.
The Government of Guyana additionally introduced PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) pills in 2019 through the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), pills which are highly effective in treatment for HIV/AIDS, but which have been largely ineffective due to a lack of public awareness. Research shows that PrEP awareness in Guyana exists largely through media sources, whereas PrEP access is significantly less commonly prescribed by a health care provider.
Many are concerned about limited access, side effects, and inadequate provider engagement in PrEP and other HIV/AIDS treatments, illustrating a lack of success in providing sufficient awareness efforts by the Guyanese government. However, more than half of the research participants also expressed a willingness to use PrEP, and more than three-quarters expressed a willingness to recommend it to their peers.
Final Thoughts
HIV/AIDS efforts in Guyana have been moderately successful, particularly in expanding healthcare access and treatment potential. Continued problems exist with spreading accurate information and reducing the systemic barriers present to current health care inaccessibility in Guyana, yet greater provider training, routine PrEP integration into medical spaces and targeted community outreach to improve public perception and access can combat it.
– Matthew Hecomovich
Matthew is based in Davis, CA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Widening Access To Higher Education in Uganda
The Weight of Poverty
Poverty shapes daily life for a large share of Uganda’s population. The World Bank estimates that about 51.5% of Ugandans lived below the international poverty line of $2.15 a day in fiscal year 2024–25, down modestly from 52.9% the year before. Agriculture accounts for 24% of GDP and employs roughly 72% of the labor force, with most workers relying on smallholder subsistence farming. The majority of jobs remain informal, low-productivity and vulnerable to climate shocks such as drought and floods, leaving household incomes unstable across much of the country.
Uganda’s national poverty rate, measured against the country’s own poverty line, stood at 20.3% according to the Uganda National Household Survey 2019/20, the latest available household survey. For families in this bracket, university fees, accommodation and the loss of a working-age child’s contribution to household income can make higher education feel out of reach before an application is ever made.
A Narrow Path After Secondary School
The path into a Ugandan university remains narrow. The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) estimates the tertiary gross enrollment ratio at 5.3%, far below the Sub-Saharan African average of 9.4% and the global average near 38%. Most secondary leavers do not transition to tertiary study at all, and among the small group that does, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programs dominate the funded pathways. That leaves humanities students and learners from low-income or rural backgrounds with fewer financing options.
The cost of tuition, living expenses and transport often pushes higher education out of reach for households already balancing food, health care and basic schooling for younger children. NCHE Executive Director Prof. Mary Okwakol has described access for rural and economically disadvantaged students as the sector’s biggest challenge.
Government Loans Closing Some of the Gap
One direct response to the affordability gap in higher education in Uganda comes from the Higher Education Students’ Financing Board (HESFB), which Parliament created under the Higher Education Students Financing Act of 2014 and amended in 2024. The scheme provides loans and scholarships to Ugandan students admitted to accredited institutions who demonstrate financial need. Most loans cover Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programs alongside a small set of humanities courses, and persons with disabilities can apply across both streams.
For the 2025/26 academic year, the Ministry of Education and Sports approved 2,047 of 7,125 applicants, according to a statement Minister of State for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo delivered to Parliament on October 29, 2025. Beneficiaries include 1,196 male and 861 female students, plus 45 students with disabilities, up from 29 the previous year. The allocation formula reserves 60% of slots through a district quota and weighs the remaining 40% on socio-economic vulnerability, an attempt to spread access beyond urban centers. Parliament has since urged the Ministry to expand funding and strengthen rural outreach, citing persistent regional imbalance.
Higher Education Access Programme in Uganda
A second active solution targets students who miss direct university entry by a narrow margin. The Higher Education Access Certificate (HEAC), a one-year accredited bridging program, sits inside the Higher Education Access Programme (HEAP), a partnership between FAWE Uganda and the Mastercard Foundation. Sixty-five universities and 20 other degree-awarding institutions hold licenses to deliver HEAC, offering 89 accredited programs nationwide.
On May 9, 2026, NCHE confirmed that more than 7,000 students have enrolled in HEAC, 44% of them female. Phase II of HEAP, launched in April 2024 and running through 2034, targets 2,000 learners across 65 districts. The program reserves 80% of bursaries for young women and sets aside explicit places for refugees and persons with disabilities. FAWE Uganda awarded 700 bursaries across universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions in the academic year 2025/26 alone.
Early outcomes look promising. NCHE reports that HEAC graduates perform as well as, and sometimes better than, direct-entry students, and they show high employability within their first year of completion. International interest follows. A delegation from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education visited Uganda from May 4, 2026, to May 9, 2026, to study the HEAC model for possible adoption.
Looking Ahead
Cost remains the dominant barrier to higher education in Uganda, and demand for both loans and bursaries far outstrips the supply of available slots. Even so, the combination of a national student loan scheme, an accredited bridging certificate and targeted scholarships shows that inclusive financing can move the needle. When degrees and diplomas reach students from low-income, rural, refugee and disability backgrounds and lead to formal work, higher education becomes less a privilege and more a route out of household poverty.
– Amna Al Harrazi
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Child Marriage in Hawaii: 5 Key Steps Toward Reform
Why Addressing Child Marriage in Hawaii Matters
Historically, Hawaii has faced a disproportionately high rate of child marriage compared to many other states. A landmark study utilizing American Community Survey data revealed that Hawaii ranked among the top states for child marriage prevalence, with more than 10 out of every 1,000 children surveyed having been married. This statistic highlights a deep-seated issue that many local communities overlooked for decades, leaving young individuals vulnerable to early legal unions before they could fully realize their independence.
Addressing child marriage in Hawaii is also a crucial step toward eliminating local poverty. While Hawaii boasts a thriving tourism industry, many residents face a high cost of living that drives vulnerable families into economic hardship. Research demonstrates that marrying young increases an individual’s likelihood of living in poverty during adulthood by 28 to 31 percentage points – a rate even higher than the poverty risk associated with dropping out of high school. By eliminating child marriage, the state can systematically remove a major barrier to financial stability and protect its youth from long-term economic vulnerability.
1. Strengthening the Legal Foundation
The movement to reform the law regarding child marriage in Hawaii is gaining momentum through several key efforts:
2. Ending Child Marriage in Hawaii Through Education
Advocacy groups highlight how ending the practice of child marriage in Hawaii can lead to better economic outcomes:
3. Prioritizing Safety and Well-Being
Currently, researchers and advocates place a spotlight on the link between age-appropriate marriage and domestic stability:
4. A Rise in Legislative Reform
Addressing child marriage in Hawaii aligns with an inspiring national trend toward total reform:
5. Advocacy and Global Support
The tireless work of organizations like Unchained at Last bolsters the progress concerning child marriage in Hawaii:
The Push To End Child Marriage in Hawaii Continues
The momentum behind reforming the laws surrounding child marriage in Hawaii represents more than just a legal update; it is a vital step in breaking the cycle of poverty. By ensuring that every young person in Hawaii has the opportunity to complete their education and achieve financial independence, the state actively invests in long-term economic stability.
As advocacy grows and legislative efforts persist, Hawaii moves closer to a future where state laws protect, empower and give all children the tools to thrive in an autonomous life.
– Rebecca Cameron
Photo: Flickr
Eliminating the Pests That Spread Infectious Diseases in Taiwan
Hantavirus
Hantavirus is one of many infectious diseases impacting Taiwan that stems from rodents. There were a total of 44 infections between 2017 and 2026 – most of which were found on the northern part of the island in or near New Taipei City. One can become infected by simply breathing in or coming into contact with infected rat feces, urine or saliva. Symptoms include elevated body temperature, muscular pain, nausea and diarrhea. However, the mortality rate for this strain in Asia is much lower than in other parts of the world with only one confirmed death over that span. Although still rare, a deadlier and more common strain of the disease is also found in the southwest part of the United States.
Two Taiwanese men in their 70s were infected with the virus in 2026. A man who died in January was immunocompromised and had other preexisting conditions. A couple of the rats found near his house tested positive for the virus.
Environmental protection agencies respond to incidents such as these by setting traps and exterminating areas with confirmed cases of the virus to help limit its spread. Yearly numbers have always been low, but between 2022 and 2025, there were no more than four total cases each year.
By not leaving out food and keeping one’s area free of clutter, homeowners automatically put themselves in a better position to protect themselves from infestation. The use of gloves and a mask to clean up rat droppings has helped to curb the infection rate as well.
Chikungunya Fever
Infected mosquitoes that originate from China and south East Asian countries have found their way into Taiwan due to increased rainfall and typhoons. Although chikungunya fever has a low mortality rate, people who contract the disease experience joint pain throughout the body, fatigue, nausea and headache. It takes an average of four to eight days for symptoms to appear and about a week to recover.
There are an average of well under 100 infections each year in Taiwan, but in 2019, there were 107. These mosquitoes thrive in pockets of stagnant water like rain barrels, potted plant holders and gutters. In response to the uptick in infections, the government imposed a fine of up to $7,500 TWD for any person who leaves open water containers out in public. Although there have been fewer cases in following years, 2025 saw the highest number of cases since 2019 at 46. By implementing these measures, it has made eliminating the spread of diseases impacting Taiwan that involve mosquitoes much easier.
The government places ovitraps in a variety of infested areas to help determine the number of mosquitoes that carry the disease. An ovitrap is a shallow bucket of water in a shaded area, which is specifically used to count the number of mosquito eggs that appear over time. After data is collected, the areas that need attention are sprayed with insecticide. After the spike in infections for 2019, 2020 saw a grand total of three.
Dengue Fever
Dengue fever is another example of a disease that mosquitoes, both native and foreign to the island, are known to spread. Unlike the other two, dengue fever is primarily found on the south end of Taiwan which shows that the risk for diseases from pests extends to all parts of the island. Dengue fever is much more common. Primary symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain and pain behind the eyes. Around 1% of cases can develop into severe dengue in which the person has difficulty breathing due to plasma leakage. Older adults with weaker immune systems are at a much greater risk to have this happen.
The number of cases varies significantly from year to year depending on several factors like weather patterns and how much the population has achieved herd immunity. Migrant workers from other countries like the Philippines and Vietnam bring the infection from their home country into Taiwan, increasing the overall rate of the disease impacting Taiwan. It is estimated that the vast majority of baseline cases of mosquito-related diseases originate in other south east Asian countries.
The government has also stepped in to teach people about the seriousness of the disease and how to stay healthy. There is a widespread awareness campaign about how to prevent infections around one’s home as well as protection methods one can use outside the home like covering up skin with light colored clothing.
Just like Chikungunya Fever, there are large-scale efforts to set ovitraps and collect data for the purposes of determining which areas to spray. In 2023, there were 26,706 total cases, but in 2025 there were less than 300. About 44 people died of the disease in 2023, and each year less than 1% of people die from Dengue Fever. The CDC also made surveillance of the disease widely available with more than 430 hospitals signed up to report data about the disease.
Conclusion
There are many other infectious diseases in Taiwan that are transmitted by rodents or mosquitoes besides the three discussed in this article. While herd immunity is attainable through vaccination and widespread recovery from infection, there will always be new variants and other external factors, such as climate, that cause brand new spikes in infection. However, by continuing with the collective effort to curb the spread on the part of both the Taiwan CDC and the Taiwanese citizens, the country will be a much healthier place for both citizens and visitors alike.
– Logan Hessek
Photo: Unsplash
Treatment Access and Awareness for HIV/AIDS in Guyana
Guyana is a country in the northeast region of South America, with a population of 878,674 as of 2022, largely centered on and around the Caribbean coastline. It was until the recent discovery of offshore oil reserves one of the poorest countries in South America, a socioeconomic effect which still impacts the country today in regard to government resources and public health.
Medical hospital infrastructure for instance was, until the most recent decade, a costly and difficult expense. Accessing necessary health treatment required a challenging trip to the capital city, Georgetown, often taking more than half a day to complete and having a disproportionate impact on low-income patients in terms of health and accessibility. Here is more information about HIV/AIDS in Guyana and what some are doing to address it.
International and Governmental Efforts
Recent strategic investments by the Government of Guyana, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have helped expand the region’s health care network. These ongoing efforts from international support organizations will, by 2027, open five more “smart” hospitals in the country which will provide far more expansive and high-quality healthcare access than ever before.
Similarly, the Universal Health Voucher Programme (UHVP) was a 2025 initiative by the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Health, aimed at improving healthcare service accessibility to all of Guyana’s citizens by providing each member of the public a $10,000 health voucher and reduced costs for valuable medical tests. The current president of Guyana, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, launched the UHVP with the goal of improving Guyanese healthcare and especially through improved health monitoring and early addressing of health conditions.
Critically Affected Populations
Research shows that HIV is still among the leading public health challenges in Guyana and the Caribbean, largely due to the combination of HIV/AIDS solutions lacking full accessibility and awareness in everyday life in Guyana.
There are an estimated 11,000 HIV/AIDS cases in Guyana, a prevalence of 1.5% among the population, and new cases have risen by 19% since 2010. This is compared to the global average of HIV/AIDS, which among adults aged 15–49 sits at around 0.7%, or less than half of Guyana’s HIV impact.
In 2017, the Global Fund approved an HIV grant of $4,539,985 to the Guyana Ministry of Health, lasting from the beginning of 2018 to the end of 2020. The proposed grant program targeted an epidemic of diverse and vulnerable populations, those being “men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers, transgender people, miners and loggers,” according to the Global Fund Technical Review Panel (TRP). The program worked to assess and implement a coordinated variety of strategies to address these populations and treat any and all HIV/AIDS cases more broadly, building upon recent efforts by Guyana on aiding key populations and with the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS and addressing detrimental social and economic impacts the epidemic creates.
Eliminating HIV/AIDS in Guyana
Guyana has made significant progress in its efforts to eliminate HIV/AIDS, though has not managed to meet its optimistic 95-95-95 targets completely. These goals mean for 95% of persons living with HIV to know their disease status, for 95% of persons with HIV/AIDS to have active treatment, and for 95% on treatment to have viral suppression aid. As of the National AIDS Programme 2023 Annual Report, Guyana has reported 94%, 72%,and 87% respectively, showing substantial improvement from a decade prior but without the 95% benchmarks being met which would signal an effective and complete eradication of the epidemic.
However, HIV infections are certainly not yet a settled case in the country. The year 2024 saw almost 500 new HIV infections recorded, with many of them being preventable, according to Guyana’s Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony. Guyana provides free nationwide testing and treatment services for HIV/AIDS, which is why this increase is so hard to explain by conventional resource explanations.
Studies assessing young people’s knowledge of HIV/AIDS and their views on sexual behavior and contraceptives in Guyana may help explain why. Almost a quarter of teenagers ages 12-14 years old were sexually active, jumping to more than one-third of teenagers for ages 15 or older. Just two out of every five of these groups utilized condoms and other measures, reflecting attitudes toward HIV/AIDS prevention affected by a lack of public knowledge and importance due to age and educational and religious teaching on these contraceptives. Guyanese cases ages 15-24 accounted for 14% of the 580 new HIV/AIDS infections recorded in 2023, and HIV prevalence for the age group rose from 0.2% to 0.3%, suggesting the problem is increasing despite measures being taken.
Actions by the Guyanese Ministry of Health
Rates of HIV/AIDS have stayed constant throughout the country as well, suggesting that the increased health accessibility reforms by Guyana’s government have not had the intended effect in the country. The Government of Guyana already funds every test, HIV tablet, ARV and viral load test, in contrast to most other developing countries which tend to rely on international financing for HIV/AIDS healthcare support.
The Government of Guyana additionally introduced PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) pills in 2019 through the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), pills which are highly effective in treatment for HIV/AIDS, but which have been largely ineffective due to a lack of public awareness. Research shows that PrEP awareness in Guyana exists largely through media sources, whereas PrEP access is significantly less commonly prescribed by a health care provider.
Many are concerned about limited access, side effects, and inadequate provider engagement in PrEP and other HIV/AIDS treatments, illustrating a lack of success in providing sufficient awareness efforts by the Guyanese government. However, more than half of the research participants also expressed a willingness to use PrEP, and more than three-quarters expressed a willingness to recommend it to their peers.
Final Thoughts
HIV/AIDS efforts in Guyana have been moderately successful, particularly in expanding healthcare access and treatment potential. Continued problems exist with spreading accurate information and reducing the systemic barriers present to current health care inaccessibility in Guyana, yet greater provider training, routine PrEP integration into medical spaces and targeted community outreach to improve public perception and access can combat it.
– Matthew Hecomovich
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
From Crisis to Resilience: Food Security in Nicaragua
Agriculture’s Role in Food Security
Agriculture is central to food security in Nicaragua, especially in rural regions where smallholder farmers grow staple crops such as beans, corn and rice. The World Bank reports that climate change has increased the frequency of droughts and the intensity of flooding in areas such as the Dry Corridor, directly impacting crop yields and household incomes. When harvests fail, families lose both their food supply and financial stability.
Farmers adopt strategies that support long-term food security in Nicaragua. These include crop diversification, soil conservation methods and drought-resistant seeds. In some communities, farmers also use small-scale irrigation systems and rainwater harvesting to reduce dependence on rainfall. These changes help reduce risk in regions where weather patterns have become less predictable.
Current Responses:
Continued Efforts Needed
While challenges remain, progress is being made through combined local and international efforts. Strengthening food security in Nicaragua depends on continued investment in rural communities, climate-resilient farming tools and programs that connect local production with stable food systems. Evidence from ongoing initiatives shows that food insecurity can be reduced through coordinated long-term action.
– Suheiry Frayre
Photo: Flickr
Nations Unite on a Historic WHO Pandemic Agreement
This failure was in stark contrast to high-income versus low-income countries during the pandemic. By November of 2023, vaccination coverage in some countries was below one-third, compared to the four-fifths of residents vaccinated in many high-income nations. Legal barriers such as patent waivers for vaccines were dismantled, yet doses still never reached the countries that needed them because of manufacturing capacity issues. One African manufacturer secured the ability to produce a vaccine, but its production lines sat idle because no African governments placed any orders. In short, the system was broken. The Pandemic Agreement was the world’s attempt to fix it.
How the WHO Pandemic Agreement Came to Be
The World Health Assembly session launched the process in December 2021, as the Omicron variant was spreading globally and wealthy nations sat on stockpiles of doses the rest of the world could not access. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Body that followed held 13 formal rounds of talks along with countless informal sessions. Negotiators overcame walkouts, last-minute standoffs and a hostile political environment, including open rejection from some political leaders as well as pressure from the private sector.
What the Pandemic Agreement Does
Critical ideas that had no legal definition during COVID-19, such as One Health or equity, now have standing in international law, offering governments a stable framework for future pandemic response, according to a J Law Med Ethics article.
At the heart of the deal is a pathogen access and benefit-sharing system (PABS). Under this mechanism, countries agree to share genetic sequence data about circulating pathogens with WHO. In return, pharmaceutical manufacturers who participate commit to making 20% of their real-time production of pandemic vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics available to WHO, with at least half of it being donations and the rest at affordable, realistic prices, according to PAHO. To put that in concrete terms, if a manufacturer makes 10 billion vaccines, around 2 billion will flow to WHO for distribution based on public health needs, particularly to developing countries.
Formal Emergency
The agreement directly links the PABS system to a formal pandemic emergency declaration under the International Health Regulations, making redistribution automatic rather than dependent on the goodwill of individual actors, according to a J Law Med Ethics article.
Beyond access to vaccines, the agreement takes a broader view of what pandemic preparedness means. It incorporates a One Health approach by recognising that around 75% of emerging infectious diseases originate in animals, so it requires countries to have surveillance systems linking human, animal, and environmental data, according to the WHO. A Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network will address gaps in medical supply chains before the next crisis. Plus, for the first time, the protection of health workers during pandemic emergencies is enshrined as an international legal obligation.
A Foundation for a Fairer Future
During COVID-19, the problem was not only a shortage of doses but also of capacity. Article 11 of the agreement pushes beyond the patent waiver model and calls on technology-holders to share know-how, skills, and proprietary information through WHO-led hubs to build genuine manufacturing capability across the Global South.
The agreement still requires work. A critical annex detailing the operational specifics of the PABS system still requires adoption at the 79th World Health Assembly in May 2026, and ratification by at least 60 countries is necessary before the WHO Pandemic Agreement enters into force. But for the first time, the architecture exists. Equity is now a legal obligation, agreed upon by the overwhelming majority of the world’s nations.
– Gia Sen
Photo: Flickr
Solar Bottle Entrepreneurs
This initiative focuses on the idea of using everyday materials found in poor neighbourhoods, allowing the bulbs to be constructed using simple skills. It is constructed by using a clear, plastic bottle filled with water and bleach. The bottle is then fitted securely into a hole in the roof, with part of it exposed to incoming sunlight outside. The water inside the bottle then refracts and disperses natural light below. This design can provide illumination equivalent to 50-60 watts, according to UNFCCC.
Alongside its clear environmental benefits, the Litre of Light campaign also plays a fundamental role in improving the quality of life in low-income communities.
Lowering Household Costs
The most significant impact of these improvised light sources is their ability to reduce household expenses. Currently, the average electric bill in the Philippines per month is ₱5,388 ($87.26). Yearly, this equates to a rough cost of $1,04. By providing affordable, energy-efficient lighting options, low-income families are able to reduce their electricity consumption and save money, often around an estimated average of $6 per month, according to UNFCCC.
Although this may seem like a small amount, it can make a significant difference for poorer households.
Families could redirect this money towards more essential needs, such as school supplies or transportation costs to schools, all of which contribute to improved educational outcomes.
Empowering Communities
Another less direct advantage of this project is that people can build it easily using only a few basic tools and materials. This means that people of all ages and skill sets can participate in assembling this energy product. Participants receive all the tools and materials they need to assemble the bulbs, as well as provide assistance with quality control during the first installations, according to UNFCCC.
This creates a strong community volunteer model that members can scale up effectively. This approach of large-scale implementation has already undergone tests with groups of up to 100 people, and in some cases as many as 300, helping to build hundreds of solar bottles in remote rural areas
The Future
The success of this initiative lies in its ability to contribute to poverty alleviation by creating new sources of income for low-income communities. This project has helped establish a market for solar bottle entrepreneurs, such as Mang Demi, enabling individuals with limited employment opportunities to build small businesses. Once unemployed and struggling to afford electricity bills despite having basic carpentry skills, Demi now earns up to $0.40 per installation, demonstrating how small-scale innovations can cultivate economic opportunities and relieve financial pressures, according to UNFCCC.
Ultimately, this simple innovation shows how small, accessible solutions can create meaningful change. By transforming everyday plastic bottles into a source of light, communities are not only lighting up their homes, but solar bottle entrepreneurs are also expanding opportunities to resist poverty.
– Sophia Lupo
Photo: Flickr
8 Facts About the Gender Wage Gap in Vanuatu
1. Gap in Labor Force Participation
According to the 2020 National Population and Housing Census, the labor force participation rate for women sits at 42.1%, while men participate at a rate of 51.5%. This nearly 10% difference highlights how few women are entering the formal workforce. Beyond the numbers, women are also struggling with a “data gap.” The UN Women Data Hub notes that essential labor indicators, including specific pay gap statistics, are still missing for Vanuatu, making it difficult for policymakers to address the root of the problem. Limited access to formal employment also increases women’s vulnerability to poverty, especially in households that rely on a single income source.
2. Many Women Work in Informal Jobs
Most women in Vanuatu earn their living through informal channels like market vending, subsistence farming and handicraft sales. These jobs rarely offer legal protections or steady paychecks. While women make up between 75% and 90% of all market vendors in the Pacific, they are rarely given a seat at the table when it comes to managing those workplaces. Furthermore, approximately two-thirds of these women remain “unbanked,” meaning they lack the credit and financial tools needed to grow their operations. As a result, many women struggle to escape cycles of poverty because they cannot safely save money or expand their businesses.
3. Rural Communities Face Greater Economic Challenges
Geography plays a major role in the gender wage gap in Vanuatu, as 77.7% of Vanuatu’s female population lives in rural areas. These women must constantly balance agricultural production with domestic duties. The 2022 National Agricultural Census found that women make up 51% of agricultural household members, yet they face the biggest hurdles in turning that labor into a stable income. Without reliable transportation or local banking, rural women are often locked out of the wider economy. These barriers make it harder for women in rural communities to earn stable wages and support their families financially.
4. Lowest Globally for Political Empowerment
Economic power and political power go hand in hand. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report recently ranked Vanuatu among the lowest in the world for political empowerment, with a score of only 0.6% parity. As of early 2024, women held a mere 2% of parliamentary seats. This lack of representation means that women’s perspectives are often missing when laws regarding labor rights, pay equity and economic development are written.
5. Poverty and Economic Inequality Continue To Affect Women
The gender wage gap in Vanuatu continues to drive poverty, especially among women living in rural areas and working in informal sectors. According to the Asian Development Bank, approximately 39% of Vanuatu’s population lives below the national basic needs poverty line. Employers often pay women lower and less stable wages through jobs such as market vending, subsistence farming and informal trade. In addition to earning income, many women also manage unpaid domestic labor and childcare responsibilities, which limits their ability to pursue higher-paying opportunities. The gender wage gap in Vanuatu therefore contributes to cycles of poverty that affect both women and their families, particularly during economic or climate-related crises.
6. UN Women’s Markets for Change
The Markets for Change initiative, launched in 2014, has become a vital lifeline for female vendors. The program has reached more than 50,500 people across 26 markets in the Pacific, including Vanuatu. By focusing on financial literacy and better market infrastructure, the project helps women transition from simply surviving to actually managing their own finances. A second phase of this project, backed by the Australian Government, is currently set to run through 2026. The program has also helped improve sanitation, safety and leadership opportunities within marketplaces, allowing women vendors to work in more stable environments. The initiative reduces poverty among market vendors and their families by improving women’s financial stability and workplace conditions across more than 50,000 participants in the Pacific.
7. The Government and International Partners
Vanuatu’s government is starting to take the income gap more seriously through its National Gender Equality Policy. This plan aims to boost productivity by supporting women-owned businesses and improving local marketplaces. These efforts reflect a growing consensus: closing the gender wage gap in Vanuatu is not just a matter of fairness, it is essential for the country’s economic future. These policies could reduce poverty by increasing women’s access to stable incomes in a country where around 39% of people already live below the basic needs poverty line.
8. SAVER PLUS
The SAVER PLUS initiative supports women working in Vanuatu’s informal economy by helping them open bank accounts, improve financial literacy and develop long term saving habits. Since 2019, the UNDP-ANZ partnership behind the initiative has delivered financial literacy training to more than 2,800 vendors and farmers across the pacific islands. More than 400 women in Vanuatu alone have received training in the past two years. In a 2025 cohort, 28 women market vendors completed a 10-month savings and financial literacy program that offered matched savings of up to VT26,000. These efforts are especially important because only 32% of female adults in Vanuatu previously reported owning a bank account, compared to the 41% of men. By increasing women’s financial independence and access to banking services, SAVER PLUS helps address poverty and supports efforts to reduce the gender wage gap in Vanuatu.
Looking Ahead
The gender wage gap in Vanuatu continues to limit economic opportunities for women across the country, particularly in rural and informal communities. However, government policies and international initiatives are helping women gain financial independence, improve workplace conditions and access banking services. As Vanuatu continues addressing gender inequality, closing the wage gap could play a major role in reducing poverty and strengthening the country’s long term economic stability.
– Nay Mohamad
Photo: Pexels
4 Key Facts About Mental Health in Nicaragua
Yet Nicaragua faces significant barriers that prevent its citizens from receiving adequate care and support. Understanding mental health in Nicaragua requires examining both economic conditions and the healthcare system that serves the population.
Mental Health Struggles and Poverty Have a Close Link
Mental health in Nicaragua is closely linked to poverty, with about 25% of the population living in poverty, according to the World Food Program (WFP). Individuals in Nicaragua are exposed to stressors like food insecurity, economic instability and limited access to basic services for survival. These socioeconomic pressures lead to lifelong struggles and psychological distress.
Addressing the mental health struggles linked to life in Nicaragua’s economy is complicated by financial hardship and limited access to care.
Not Enough Mental Health Professionals Are Available
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nicaragua has approximately 610 mental health workers nationwide, including psychologists, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses. There is only one mental health facility in the whole country, which is located in Managua, called Hospital Psiquiátrico Nacional. Fewer mental health resources and access to care mean an insufficient amount of treatment and awareness.
Mental health issues are not as prioritized as other health problems, leaving people untreated and without support.
Based on the WHO-AIMS evaluation data reported for Nicaragua (circa 2004), the government allocated about 1% of the overall health budget to mental health. The lack of attention and investments leads to minimal resources for the institutions already established. It creates growing concern for mental illnesses left untreated.
Due to Nicaragua’s political instability and recurring natural disasters, mental health care is often not prioritized. These challenges contribute to poor mental health outcomes, yet according to research published in Global Health Action, fewer than 25% of the population receive treatment.
Stigma, high costs of care, a limited number of trained professionals and a lack of services and facilities all contribute to the ongoing crisis in mental health and create significant barriers. While national efforts to address mental health needs represent progress, the primary challenge lies in how effectively funds are allocated.
Final Remarks
Mental health care in Nicaragua faces significant challenges due to underreporting, limited resources and widespread poverty, all of which restrict access to treatment. While developed countries are placing greater emphasis on mental health, developing nations like Nicaragua continue to face financial and political barriers that limit adequate care for citizens. In response to these challenges, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) returned to Nicaragua in 2018 to provide psychosocial support.
The organization assisted people experiencing anxiety, adjustment disorders and post-traumatic stress after witnessing or enduring violence linked to civil and political unrest.
– Suheiry Frayre
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Higher Education in Tonga
Background of Tonga
The country of Tonga is in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. It has 170 islands, separated into three main island groups. The south has Tongatapo, the center has Ha’apa and the north consists of Vava-u. The Tonga Islands were united in 1845, and unlike many neighboring countries, Tonga was never formally colonized. The country’s current population is 110,353, 99% of whom are literate.
Not Enough Money
Many Tongans do not make enough money to survive in their country. The average person in Tonga makes $10,800 per year, while the cost of living is just over $1,000 per month. While Tonga has free public schools, many families opt to send their children to private mission schools. The mission schools provide education to nearly 83% of primary students, and 90% of secondary students.
In the past, if these students wanted to move on from primary and secondary education to university or college, they had limited options. The two accredited universities in Tonga may not have their program of study, and it could cost a lot of money for them to go to school and live on their own. But in 2020, online education exploded as the world adapted to the COVID pandemic. This was great for Tonga, because distance learning can work well from any environment.
Distance Learning
Distance learning has been successful in Tonga. For one thing, distance learning offers students a high-quality higher education in Tonga. For example, at the end of 2020, the completion rate for lower secondary schools for females was at 89.6% and for males was at 80.9%. In 2021, the literacy rate for female adults ages 15 and up was at 99.5%, and for male adults ages 15 and up, it was at 99.4%. For another thing, distance learning is reaching a lot of students.
The University of South Pacific is one of two regional schools worldwide that provides higher education in Tonga to the people of many Pacific Island nations. The university has introduced distance and flexible learning starting in the 1970s by using its Extension Services. Since allowing students to enroll in their school, it continues to be committed to overcoming the obstacle of giving the best education for people despite any circumstances that make the region continue to change. The total student enrollment in 2016 was 13,475 students studying at this school. This shows the quality of tertiary education in the region.
Training in the Classroom
Teachers need training to teach effectively online, just like in the classroom. In December 2024, 159 Tongan teachers were offered eight courses that covered practical skills for Open Distance and Flexible Learning. As a result, there was proof of positive feedback from more than half of the learners.
It also helps that the Tongan government and international partners are focused on investing in education in Tonga. UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu Sanaka Samarasinha said that “Investment into education is crucial for the creation of peace, tolerance and sustainable development.”
Under these conditions, some Tongan students and academics have truly excelled. In 2025, Dr. Jean M Vaske Allen and Dr. Siobhus Tulakoi accepted the Early Career Research Excellence Award. Dr. Allen received recognition for her work in Pacific Youth well-being, digital relationship and decolonial health education. She also received a $360,000 Marsden Fast-Start Grant for a project on Virtual Voyagers, Amplifying Pacific Gamer Voices, which analyzes the impact online gaming has on Pacific Girls well-being and social connections.
Education
Education is essential for breaking the poverty cycle. In Tonga, many children encounter barriers to getting a quality education. Through online learning, adaptability and hard work, Tongan students can accomplish many achievements in life.
– Debra Pierre
Photo: Wikimedia Commons