Mexico’s indigenous communities experience poverty at nearly double the rate of the population at large, with a whopping 80.6% of indigenous people living on less than $2 a day. Extreme poverty goes in hand with issues like food insecurity and a lack of access to education, health care and clean water. Only half of Mexico’s indigenous people have a primary school education, and poor indigenous communities have a lower life expectancy than the rest of Mexico’s population because they have not received the same opportunity to develop their communities as non-indigenous populations have. However, there are efforts that are occurring to address poverty in Mexico’s indigenous communities by developing these communities sustainably and integrating them into Mexico’s economy, without erasing their cultures and traditions.

Cultural Diversity Among Mexico’s Indigenous Communities

Mayans and other indigenous people in Mexico experience isolation from other communities and public policies that fail to fully integrate the diverse populations living in a state or region continually hurt them. Mexico is one of the most diverse countries in Latin America, with around 68 different indigenous communities making up around one-fifth of the country’s population. Combating poverty in Mexico’s indigenous communities, without leaving one group at a disadvantage, is difficult when there are so many different cultures present. These communities are all still living with the legacy of Spanish colonialism, which robbed native peoples of their resources and stifled their cultural practices and traditions. Assimilating indigenous communities might seem like a way to foster unity, but this practice has resulted in native communities with very limited autonomy and renders development programs that don’t account for cultural diversity ineffective and inaccessible to indigenous communities.

In response to this issue, Mexico’s National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy has advocated for a “full inclusion approach,” in which all Mexicans have equal access to development through education, health care and job stimulation that account for cultural diversity among indigenous communities. With public policy that intentionally prioritizes full inclusion, the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy hopes that indigenous communities will be able to compete in the labor market, gain access to social security and rise out of poverty without sacrificing their languages and traditions. This may be the best way to address poverty in Mexico’s indigenous communities.

Anti-Poverty and Development Efforts

The Mayan community of Quintana Roo has experienced efforts to combat poverty that have both ignored and accounted for cultural differences. The Mayan community is heavily reliant on ejido lands, or communal land that the community has farmed and forested for centuries. Largely with the intention to combat poverty among Quintana Roo’s Mayan population, but also in response to a surge in the tourism industry, wealthy developers began privatizing ejidos. Mayans were part of these private development projects, but their traditional farming, forestry and beekeeping practices were not. Therefore, when external funding ran out, the locals were unable to continue the work or reap any rewards for their communities.

However, when development projects have worked within existing ejidos, such as the World Bank’s Dedicated Grant Mechanism (DGM), all decisions are up to the indigenous communities. The DGM in Quintana Roo provided ejidos with the funding to design and implement sustainable farm and forestry businesses. Juan Ortegon of Ejido Miguel Colorado wrote that Mayans had “never been consulted in the past,” and that these bottom-up development projects finally allowed Mayans to address the needs of their communities.

The Future of Addressing Poverty in Mexico’s Indigenous Communities

Positive steps are occurring to combat poverty in Mexico’s indigenous communities, but development programs stand the greatest chance of success when they not only account for cultural diversity but embrace it, allowing indigenous people to make decisions for themselves.

– Macklyn Hutchison
Photo: Flickr

Kuwait is a small country in Asia that has an undeniable amount of wealth. Many of the citizens of Kuwait still live in extreme poverty, however. Kuwait’s wealth through natural oil reserves often masks the country’s poverty issues. Oil is the most important industry within the country and Kuwait’s top percentage of citizens possess most of the wealth. The nation only employs about 70 percent of its citizens leaving one in four people without incomes to support their families, a half a million people living in rental houses and over 100,000 people looking for a home. While conditions are difficult for citizens that do not profit from natural oil, Kuwait also has a negative reputation for being a challenging country to live in for expats. These top 9 facts about living conditions in Kuwait acknowledge both internal and external issues facing the country.

Top 9 Facts About Living Conditions in Kuwait

1. Kuwait’s public transportation primarily includes buses and taxis. Kuwait has a very poor safety record on the roads with one of the highest accident rates in the Middle East. A government solution has proposed a plan to install GCC-railway terminals so that citizens and tourists can get around safely.
2. Kuwaitis receive high medical care and are entitled to free medical treatment at government facilities. Kuwaitis always get priority over expats, which can make the cost and wait time for tourists a nightmare. A governmental implementation that segregates local and expat patients and foreign medical staff ensures that Kuwait’s citizens receive the highest and fastest level of care first.
3. The overall environment of Kuwait is extremely unclean. The country has a significant litter problem as citizens tend to throw garbage in the streets. It is common for citizens and expats to drive around with piles of trash on the side of the road. The government is working with nonprofit organizations such as Operation HOPE in forming groups to clean litter on the roads weekly.
4. The cost of living poses a challenge for the Kuwait people. Housing, education and clothing are too expensive for citizens not working in the natural oil industry. With only 70 percent of the country employed, half a million can only afford rental homes while 100,000 people are homeless.
5. Women in Kuwait are making progress but there is still a long way to go. Women have been trailblazers in turning the country around following the Kuwait Parliament Act signed in 2005, granting women full suffrage. Kuwait still lacks laws against domestic abuse and husbands can prohibit their wives from working, though.
6. Kuwait has an issue with extremely high temperatures, especially during the summer season. The average temperature from June through August is 101 degrees. The country has many months’ worth of dry periods making agriculture extremely difficult in producing a profit. The winter months are cooler but still face an average of 70 degrees.
7. Operation HOPE in Kuwait is one of many nonprofit organizations working toward bettering the country. HOPE stands for Helping Others Practically and Everyday without discrimination or disrespect to anyone. Members of the organization do many things from cleaning the streets to making blankets for prisoners. The organization also provides food, toiletries and bedrolls to those in need.
8. Non-citizens that came from tribal families and settled in the community over 50 years ago face the most serious economic problems. No citizenship means segregation by the government which makes earning a living extremely challenging. People can apply for citizenship, yet the process is long and challenging.
9. Although the natural oil industry is the backbone for wealth in Kuwait, oil prices worldwide have dipped 60 percent since 2014 challenging the country to buckle down on spending and begin finding alternative ways to make revenue. This solution can lead to unemployed citizens finding work in whatever the government is going to deem profitable.

These top 9 facts about the living conditions in Kuwait expose some issues that the country faces for citizens, non-citizens and expats settling into the country. The top 9 facts about the living conditions in Kuwait also acknowledges that the Middle Eastern nation has promise and viable solutions to issues facing the country. If the government can continue to implement and think of new and effective measures, Kuwait should continue to prosper into a successful nation.

– Aaron Templin
Photo: Flickr

Individuals living in poverty face disparities. Picture-perfect smiles are often out of reach for those living in impoverished conditions. This is due to various socio-economic factors like food insecurity or lack of dental coverage. The Pan American Health Organization found Latin Americans suffer from twice as many cavities as U.S. citizens. The top seven facts about poverty and oral health in Latin America are discussed here.

Top 7 Facts About Poverty and Oral Health in Latin America

1. Oral health literacy is a neglected topic of research in the Latin American region. A correlation between the levels of oral health literacy in parents and a child’s oral health is present. This demonstrates the importance of furthering research. The Journal of Oral Research states the lack of oral health research is worrisome for the region. Oral health status is unique to each country and region.
2. A 2016 report found Brazil’s dental market ranks third behind the United States and China. As a nation with one of the fastest-growing beauty markets, Brazil’s oral hygiene market is amongst the world’s leaders. Products such as toothpaste and mouthwash have seen an increase in recent years. A rising population, an emerging middle class, changes in consumer preferences and investment in promotions are causes of the growing market.
3. In Latin America, there is a shortage of oral health personnel. Most of the dental systems are limited to pain relief or emergency services. In developing countries, such as those in Latin America, individuals are insufficiently covered for oral health care. This is a result of deregulation or privatization of care. A World Health Organization report indicates Chile has a 1.6 dentist-population ratio (one dentistry personnel per 10,000 people). On the other hand, Brazil sits at 12.3 density. The top seven facts about poverty and oral health in Latin America are revealing Brazil to be a dominating country in dental hygiene.
4. However, the lack of government funding is a barrier for sufficient oral health care in Latin America. Often, government agencies are more likely to provide adequate funding to health care programs aiming at more serious diseases. Recent health surveys in Mexico investigated heart disease, addictions, immunization, chronic disease as well as violence against women. However, these surveys did not investigate oral diseases. Mexico spends approximately 6.2 percent of its budget on healthcare, a statistic below the 9.6 global average. Mexico’s healthcare system reform is projected to focus on prevention. It will reduce healthcare inequality through social factors and impose a new sales tax on sugared foods and beverages.
5. In 2015, two dental students from Columbia University’s College of Dental Medicine partnered with the U.S. International Health Alliance, a non-profit organization working to advance global health, to bring dental care to children in Guatemala. Nearly 1,000 children received toothbrushes and lessons on oral health care and prevention of disease. The two dental students mentioned the local diet and lack of access to medical or dental care as two causes for the severe dental decay they witnessed.
6. The Latin American Oral Health Association held a regional symposium to address the periodontal disease and its effect on general health in Latin America in January of 2019. Eighteen countries were represented as the aim of the symposium was to develop a regional plan to address gingival health issues. The symposium focused on the global burden of periodontal diseases on health, problems associated with diagnostic of the condition, problems associated with the treatment of the condition and possible solutions within Latin America.
7. The University of West Florida’s College of Health studied the impact of social determinants of health, availability of oral health services, drug use and oral hygiene practices in Ecuador. The surveys conducted found participants had a low level of education, high levels of carbohydrates in their diet, poor feeding and prevention practices. The researchers reported their findings to the local authorities and community officials. They also plan to work closely with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to develop a device to reduce fluoride levels in the community water system.

Though many countries struggle with oral health, these top seven facts about poverty and oral health in Latin America reveal the strides taken in minimizing the problem. Oral health is at the focus of various organizations both within and outside of Latin America. Researchers aim to look into oral health and increase education in the region. While certain countries like Ecuador and Guatemala struggle with oral health, Brazil acts as a model of what those nations can strive to become.

– Gwendolin Schemm
Photo: Flickr