Beginning in 2012 and concluding in 2016, the Battle of Aleppo has been a major war of attrition in the fight against the so-called Islamic State as well as served as a major impediment to the Astana Peace Process. Often dubbed ‘Syria’s Stalingrad’, the city of Aleppo is still reeling from the social, economic, and political ramifications of the offensive since the ceasefire deal reached last year in 2016.
With the death toll currently standing at over 31,000, many individuals continue to face the threat of internal displacement, diseases, and other human rights violations.
Aleppo in the Syrian Economy
Aleppo, an important city with a population of 2.3 million individuals, used to make up a notable part of Syria’s GDP in the past with its economic potential. Approximately, 60 percent of the city has been devastated — a significant proportion of that destruction being landmark cultural and heritage sites. As if infrastructure mistreatment wasn’t enough, the Battle of Aleppo was also infamously known for the rebels’ use of civilians as human shields and other forms of modern slavery.
According to the World Bank Group, the economic cost of the war comes to €200 billion so far. Over 1 million people were forced to flee the city — an influx to Europe that contributed significantly to the 2015 European Migrant Crisis. Consequently, since the beginning of 2017 alone, 300,000 people residing in Aleppo were forced to leave the city.
Humanitarian Aid
During the Battle of Aleppo, a significant number of humanitarian aid initiatives were spearheaded by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2165 was instrumental in ratifying the supply of aid to the country, particularly across border crossings and other obstacles.
In October 2017, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported casualties that amounted to the hundreds. Many schools and hospitals were destroyed in the crossfire of the combat against the Islamic State and other extremist groups in the country. Rural areas in the country faced especially damaging impacts since over 27 percent of Syrian homes were destroyed during the course of the Battle of Aleppo.
The U.N. has recommended that over $3.5 billion is needed to cover the social, economic and human costs of the Syrian Civil War. This figure means that Aleppo will hopefully be given a greater focus and priority in the future through the globe’s increased channeling of funding and resources.
Humanitarian aid is taking on a pivotal role in order to address the situation’s immediate needs. Russian military officers have delivered a batch totaling 1.3 billion tons of aid and, as a part of the initiative, 300 sets of food were also provided. Similarly, Iran also delivered humanitarian aid to rural areas of Aleppo with an aid convoy of 200 tons of food, clothing and medicine for affected civilians.
Aid Efforts
Various aid organizations currently address water and sanitation needs by equipping households with water tanks as full supply has still not been restored in many communities. Moreover, UNICEF has delivered water to over 700,000 individuals in Aleppo and aids in the maintenance of water storage tanks in the city.
Currently, the reconstruction of the city and resettlement of civilians in the future remains top priorities for various stakeholders, as many returning civilians come home to a city in ruination. To date, over 332,000 individuals have returned to Aleppo so far.
Based in the city of Budapest is the humanitarian program of the Aleppo Project, which acts as a large collaboration between various refugees, students and experts. The organization is active in Lebanon and Turkey and works concertedly to restore the city to order. Their focus on the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is the establishment of a participatory planning system that will help continue the present post-crisis restoration of the entire city. Within the city, the UNHCR is providing returning civilians with items like protective equipment to help them regain control of their lives.
With the city of Aleppo continuing to act as a major epicenter of the Syrian civil war, safe passages and avenues are needed for the affected and the vulnerable to remain protected. At this juncture, sustainable aid is thus required in order to have an effective solution to the crisis and mitigate negative impacts.
– Shivani Ekkanath
Photo: Flickr
The Battle of Aleppo and its Continued Significance in Syrian Civil War
Beginning in 2012 and concluding in 2016, the Battle of Aleppo has been a major war of attrition in the fight against the so-called Islamic State as well as served as a major impediment to the Astana Peace Process. Often dubbed ‘Syria’s Stalingrad’, the city of Aleppo is still reeling from the social, economic, and political ramifications of the offensive since the ceasefire deal reached last year in 2016.
With the death toll currently standing at over 31,000, many individuals continue to face the threat of internal displacement, diseases, and other human rights violations.
Aleppo in the Syrian Economy
Aleppo, an important city with a population of 2.3 million individuals, used to make up a notable part of Syria’s GDP in the past with its economic potential. Approximately, 60 percent of the city has been devastated — a significant proportion of that destruction being landmark cultural and heritage sites. As if infrastructure mistreatment wasn’t enough, the Battle of Aleppo was also infamously known for the rebels’ use of civilians as human shields and other forms of modern slavery.
According to the World Bank Group, the economic cost of the war comes to €200 billion so far. Over 1 million people were forced to flee the city — an influx to Europe that contributed significantly to the 2015 European Migrant Crisis. Consequently, since the beginning of 2017 alone, 300,000 people residing in Aleppo were forced to leave the city.
Humanitarian Aid
During the Battle of Aleppo, a significant number of humanitarian aid initiatives were spearheaded by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2165 was instrumental in ratifying the supply of aid to the country, particularly across border crossings and other obstacles.
In October 2017, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported casualties that amounted to the hundreds. Many schools and hospitals were destroyed in the crossfire of the combat against the Islamic State and other extremist groups in the country. Rural areas in the country faced especially damaging impacts since over 27 percent of Syrian homes were destroyed during the course of the Battle of Aleppo.
The U.N. has recommended that over $3.5 billion is needed to cover the social, economic and human costs of the Syrian Civil War. This figure means that Aleppo will hopefully be given a greater focus and priority in the future through the globe’s increased channeling of funding and resources.
Humanitarian aid is taking on a pivotal role in order to address the situation’s immediate needs. Russian military officers have delivered a batch totaling 1.3 billion tons of aid and, as a part of the initiative, 300 sets of food were also provided. Similarly, Iran also delivered humanitarian aid to rural areas of Aleppo with an aid convoy of 200 tons of food, clothing and medicine for affected civilians.
Aid Efforts
Various aid organizations currently address water and sanitation needs by equipping households with water tanks as full supply has still not been restored in many communities. Moreover, UNICEF has delivered water to over 700,000 individuals in Aleppo and aids in the maintenance of water storage tanks in the city.
Currently, the reconstruction of the city and resettlement of civilians in the future remains top priorities for various stakeholders, as many returning civilians come home to a city in ruination. To date, over 332,000 individuals have returned to Aleppo so far.
Based in the city of Budapest is the humanitarian program of the Aleppo Project, which acts as a large collaboration between various refugees, students and experts. The organization is active in Lebanon and Turkey and works concertedly to restore the city to order. Their focus on the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is the establishment of a participatory planning system that will help continue the present post-crisis restoration of the entire city. Within the city, the UNHCR is providing returning civilians with items like protective equipment to help them regain control of their lives.
With the city of Aleppo continuing to act as a major epicenter of the Syrian civil war, safe passages and avenues are needed for the affected and the vulnerable to remain protected. At this juncture, sustainable aid is thus required in order to have an effective solution to the crisis and mitigate negative impacts.
– Shivani Ekkanath
Photo: Flickr
Entrepreneurship Boosting Women’s Empowerment in Moldova
Domestic violence is also an issue. About 22 percent of women in Moldova claim that they have been abused at the hands of a partner. This number can increase as the parties get older, according to a report by Promundo Global.
Like many countries, Moldova strains against a predominantly patriarchal society. There are women who own businesses, but they have to struggle to find resources. Women are often unable to obtain loans and lack control of their capital. In this male-dominated political society, women are not favored.
Despite these circumstances, there is hope for women’s empowerment in Moldova. The country has pledged to encourage gender equality. The biggest commitment is the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Highlighting the state of women’s rights is the primary purpose of CEDAW.
Another way the country has promoted gender equality is via the Women in Politics initiative. This initiative “works to increase women’s participation in Moldova politics and decision-making,” according to U.N. Women. It also supports women in media.
While women in politics and media are important, a big focus of organizations such as the World Bank is women entrepreneurship. Women-owned businesses make up 25 percent of all businesses in Moldova.
There is evidence that shows that productivity is higher when a business is owned by a woman. This is important for Moldova’s economy, as female-owned businesses employ more people, specifically women.
Women can generally outperform men in Moldova if they are given the chance to do so. In order for women’s empowerment in Moldova to be progressive, the restrictions that limit women need to be removed. The programs that are already underway are providing many opportunities to make that goal a reality.
– Dezanii Lewis
Photo: Flickr
How Much Does it Cost to End Poverty?
Today the world produces enough food for everyone on the planet. So why are more than a billion people still dying of hunger? Why is life itself tenuous for so many families while the eight richest people in the world have as much wealth as the poorest 50 percent of people in the world?
The answer is poverty. But poverty can be stopped, and this raises the question, “how much does it cost to end poverty?”
Poverty can be categorized as moderate, relative or extreme. Here we will try to define the cost needed to end extreme poverty. But first, what is extreme poverty? It refers to the state of the poorest people in the world. They are barely able to meet their minimal needs for survival, as they live on less than $1.90 per day, according to the World Bank.
But poverty is more than just very low incomes. It is hunger, high mortality rates, conflicts, a lack of education or health services and a lack of a future for hundreds of thousands of women, men and children.
Broadly, poverty affects most of the people in the world. In 2005, 71 percent of the world’s population lived on an income below $10 a day. To eradicate poverty is possible, but at what cost?
In his book End of Poverty, Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, provides one answer to the question “how much does it cost to end poverty?”
He argues that poverty could be eliminated by the year 2025 thanks to “well-placed development aids”. Investment in local farms to boost capital and productivity, education for both children and adults, enhancing access to health services and leveraging renewable energy resources are the best ways to end poverty.
So, how much does it cost to end poverty?
Jeffrey Sachs, as one of the world’s leading experts on economic development and the fight against poverty, stated that the cost to end poverty is $175 billion per year for 20 years. This yearly amount is less than 1 percent of the combined income of the richest countries in the world, and only four times the United States’ military budget for one year.
Ending poverty is possible and at a low cost. Now we just need ordinary citizens as well as multinational corporations to start meeting their responsibilities to help the poor and the left behind.
– Léa Gorius
Photo: Flickr
Savings and Loan Groups Key to Women’s Empowerment in Benin
With nine million inhabitants, Benin is one of the most stable countries in Africa, but also one of the poorest countries in the world. With this poverty comes great gender inequality.
Thus, even if Benin’s constitution guarantees gender equality and even prohibits gender discrimination, ancient customs and traditions are still huge obstacles to women’s empowerment in Benin.
However, it has been proven that societies benefit from women’s empowerment, and associations are now intervening to encourage women’s empowerment in the country. One of the key priorities has been to help promote women in decision-making positions, but also in different sectors such as introducing them in civil society organizations.
One of the ways to improve women’s empowerment in Benin is to help women become financially independent through savings and loan groups to help them run their own business.
Most of the time, the loans are used to invest in their cultures: buying seeds, cattle and tools to increase their productivity. Within these groups, women have also access to a solidarity fund, which can be used in case of emergencies in issues concerning their business, but also in everyday life, such as paying tuition or hospital fees.
“I strongly believe in the use of saving and loans groups to empower rural women in Africa, as I have seen thousands of lives transformed not only in Benin but also in Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire and Ethiopia, using this methodology,” says Gaelle Demolis, U.N. Women Fund for Gender Equality Programme Specialist for Africa.
Recently, a new way to push women’s empowerment in the country has been created through theater. The plays have one aim: engaging community members in important women’s issues like domestic violence or child marriage. Most of the time, after the performances, a panel discusses the various challenges embodied in the plays. Thanks to this new psychological approach, women can discuss their problems without fear and in an accessible way. Women’s empowerment in Benin seems to be on a path to progress.
– Léa Gorius
Photo: Flickr
Infrastructure in Ukraine Slowly Becoming Modernized
The local energy sector, in particular, is in a poor state. Earlier this year, radical politicians blockaded coal from the unrecognized People’s Republic of Donetsk region of Donbass from delivery to the rest of the country, exacerbating the issue of underdeveloped infrastructure in Ukraine. This threw the country into turmoil, as Ukraine does not have enough resources to serve its power plants without the coal, leading to a downward economic spiral and state of emergency.
Currently, Ukraine is working on modernizing its infrastructure with a focus on making it more energy-efficient. Konstantin Grigorishin, owner of Energy Standard Group and vast assets in the energy sector of Ukraine, stated in an interview with RealClearEnergy, “We should not reconstruct the old infrastructure but introduce complete modernization of the Ukrainian energy system in line with the latest industry trends.”
The World Bank ranks infrastructure in Ukraine at 80 out of 160 countries in its annual Logistics Performance Index. This is mediocre at best, and its transportation systems are out of date with respect to speed, safety, and efficiency. To remedy this issue, Ukraine came out with a plan, Ukraine’s Transport Strategy 2030, that focuses an updating all its internal transportation systems until it is on par with the rest of Europe.
Ukraine is strategically located between the E.U., Russia and the Black Sea, forming a critical point for maritime trade. Its position, and the Dnipro River linking its coast to the interior of the country, makes it uniquely capable of both international and regional trade. The only thing required to make this trade plan possible is a viable route along the Black Sea and the Dnipro River, and this is where issues arise.
Infrastructure in Ukraine requires an investment of at least $2 billion from private investors for maritime trade to be a viable option. To increase investments, the Ministry of Infrastructure intends to establish private-public partnerships (PPPs) with businesses. The Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on November 14, 2017, declaring their intention of mobilizing infrastructure development through PPPs.
The Minister of Infrastructure, Volodymyr Omelyan, has stressed the importance of these partnerships, stating, “Ukraine’s infrastructure needs are enormous. We need to crowd-in private investment to modernize the country’s infrastructure and upgrade it. IFC’s support and technical expertise will help ensure we are implementing the best possible solutions efficiently and transparently.”
Ukraine’s economy is relying on the success of these investments and the jobs they will create. With continued cooperation between the government and the PPPs, the country will steadily overcome its obstacles to infrastructure development.
– Kayla Rafkin
Photo: Flickr
Reducing Poverty in Southwest China
Poverty in Southwest China results from several major factors: the development of transportation is relatively slow, communication and technology often fall behind and large areas of mountain and plateau restrict the growth of the economy and education in this region.
Conventional views are aimed at “treating poverty by education.” Hence, the government in impoverished areas tried to get rid of poverty with the aid of intellectual support provided by education. In spite of the severe hardships of financial budgeting, it still did their best to develop education and even at the cost of heavy debts. However, the data suggests that education levels in impoverished areas have not effectively changed the status of poverty even after a large amount of investment.
Nevertheless, there has been progress in the fight against poverty in Southwest China. The Tibet Poverty Alleviation Office announced that last year, 150,000 rural residents rose out of poverty in Tibet. In its thirteenth five-year plan, China aims to help Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan to release about one million people from poverty each year. The ultimate goal is to eradicate poverty in Southwest China by 2020.
It is well recognized that improving transportation is a prerequisite for gaining wealth. As part of the thirteenth five-year plan, the city of Chongqing will see the investment of $60 billion toward constructing the transport hub in southwest China. Besides dozens of new projects in other southwest provinces, local governments have also been installing new solar street lamps and water heaters, upgrading roads, houses and cultural activity rooms. Such measures create conditions for the acceleration of economic developments in rural, remote areas in Southwest China.
A further measure is reinforcing vocational education in poor counties and paying more attention to the economic growth and education of ethnic minorities. In the Yunnan province, a project was launched by the World Bank and provincial government in 2012, which was oriented to improve the quality and relevance of technical and vocational education and training, in order to produce skills matching the demand of labor markets.
Nine vocational schools were implemented, where 6,000 teachers and school managers were trained. As a result, more than 24,000 students benefited from training in crucial economic sectors, 80 percent of whom were from poor, rural areas and about 30 percent of whom belonged to ethnic minorities.
In order to achieve the comprehensive alleviation of poverty in Southwest China by 2020, governments and international organizations are working hard with specific, feasible and staged plans toward this goal.
– Xin Gao
Technology Boosts Credit Access in Brazil for Small Business
Small businesses have driven tremendous growth in the Brazilian economy in the 21st century, raising millions of Brazilians out of poverty, but these businesses still face numerous difficulties in their daily operations. For example, credit access in Brazil has historically been expensive and difficult to obtain. This poses a challenge for small businesses and sole proprietors wishing to borrow modest amounts to cover inventory or to invest in new ventures.
Among the 20 largest world economies, Brazil has had the highest interest rates for commercial lending in recent decades, and banking fees are similarly high. Brazil’s financial system is highly concentrated, with a few large banks handling the vast majority of assets and transactions.
In recent years, however, new players have entered the market for consumer and small business finance in Brazil. Financial technology (FinTech) firms are making inroads into the largely untapped market for credit access in Brazil and giving many small businesses in the large South American nation new opportunities for growth. A 2017 report by Goldman Sachs noted that the unusually high-interest rates and bank fees in Brazil increase the incentives for upstart financial companies to compete with large established banks. Because of the unusual concentration of banking in just a few small firms, FinTech stands to have a much larger impact by increasing credit access in Brazil than it does in other nations where the financial system is already more diverse.
By September 2017, Brazil had the largest number of operating FinTech startup companies in Latin America, topping even strong growth in Mexico, the region’s next most populous country. NuBank, Brazil’s most visible new financial technology company, has received more than 10 million applications in the past three years for new credit accounts. NuBank offers small business loans as well as personal credit in Brazil and the firm has recently seen growth as fast as 10 percent per month.
Some of the circumstances fueling these changes have been readily apparent on the streets of Rio de Janeiro and other large Brazilian cities for years. In the busiest urban blocks there, dozens of young people chat with each other using Internet-connected smartphones, and strangers exchanging information for the first time often offer a WhatsApp account or Facebook handle instead of a traditional phone number. FinTech firms are taking advantage of this phenomenon by developing a strong mobile presence and enthusiastically engaging with mobile and internet commerce.
Small enterprise is everywhere in Brazil’s large cities as well. Sidewalk kiosks and small local businesses make up the vast majority of retail establishments on every block of Rio’s densely packed downtown and its historical and beachfront neighborhoods. The scene is similar in Salvador and São Paulo, Brazil’s largest and third-largest cities, respectively.
Small business is an essential element to developing the economic potential of Brazil, the world’s sixth most populous country. Expanding employment and commercial opportunities can raise the standard of living for millions of low-income citizens who have not yet been fully helped by Brazil’s robust economic growth in the past few decades. With millions of Brazilians employed by these ubiquitous small businesses and the access to personal capital expanding at a rapid rate, the FinTech revolution in Latin America’s largest economy promises to be a winning story for economic development and poverty reduction for years to come.
– Paul Robertson
Photo: Flickr
Transport Infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been recovering from the destruction brought by the Bosnian War in 1995 ever since its end. The two main ways of travel, the motorway and the railway, have been and still are the priorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina when reconstructing and rehabilitating after the war. There have been several projects set forth to create safe and business-boosting infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Motorway Transport
Many roadways have been constructed parallel to railways to improve travel times. Corridor Vc is one of the most popular and best ways to travel from big cities like Sarajevo, Zenica and Mostar to the E.U. Recently, there has been a motorway built to lessen the amount of time it takes to travel between these cities.
“It used to take double or even triple the time…when you travel to the north to visit friends and family, it is very convenient” a woman stopping at the toll station told the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Between the years of 2007-2011, a Road Infrastructure and Safety Project was put in place to improve traffic conditions, increase road safety and modernize road maintenance procedures. A total of 30 million U.S. dollars were used to finance the rehabilitation of the roadways.
When the Road Infrastructure and Safety Project came to an end in 2011, 61km out of the 241km of road projected to be done had been rehabilitated. Road safety had progressed and the Republika Srpska, a road safety agency, was created to monitor roadway safety. Lastly, a maintenance contract was signed in March 2010 with the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to assist in modernizing road maintenance procedures.
Railway Transport
Since the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina are rich with resources like metal, steel and aluminum, it is vital to have proper and heavy duty railways for transportation of these resources. The EBRD contributed 101 million Euros in the early 2000s to build new tracks, reconstruct tunnels and install new signaling systems for the railways.
After the initial contribution, the construction of a better railway boosted business in the country. Heavy industry organizations, such as iron and steel manufacturers, were located along the route and access to their markets became easier.
Based on the Railways of the Federation website, there are 14 core activities that are done to ensure the best railway infrastructure. Included is the organization and management of railway traffic, safety of both passenger and cargo transport, routine maintenance of signaling, telecommunication and contact networks and development of railway regulations.
Also included on the website are tips for passenger and freight traffic for resident travelers and transporters. The traffic indicators let a passenger know what they should expect when taking a train to a different city. For a transporter, there are diagrams that show the tons of goods being transported along the Bosnia and Herzegovina railway.
Transport infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been improving each year. Overall, the country has been able to create faster transportation and more efficient means to transport goods in order to increase business.
– Brianna Summ
Photo: Flickr
Infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is a recovering ex-soviet state with infrastructure dating back to its occupation. Landlocked within the mountain range without many natural resources, international trade is difficult. The country uses the resources it does have to its benefit, the government is on good terms with many of its neighbors and as long as the current government does not follow the suit of former leaders, Kyrgyzstan is set to grow. However, infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan must improve along with its economy.
Traveling throughout Kyrgyzstan, although a challenge, is not impossible. Most travel takes place between its northern and southern regions; in the north, Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan is the main destination and in the south, it is Osh, home to one of the oldest bazaars in the world. The capital is home to the nation’s only international airport but because air services do not match the safety specifications of many nations there is not a high demand for international air travel. It is in Bishkek where the main train line runs across the northern border to Kazakhstan.
The railways are the major trade lines in and out of Kyrgyzstan. Many of the roads in the country are not open all year round due to the winter conditions in the mountains. But because 14.9 percent of the economy and 48 percent of the workforce is based on agriculture, the roads are essential since they are the only way for the people to get their goods to a trade hub. The majority of the manufactured goods come from urban industrialized areas. The steep frozen mountains are a blessing and a curse to infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan. The blessing is that 79.4 percent of electricity produced in Kyrgyzstan is hydro-electric. The many rivers and streams that run down from the mountaintops are a perfect environment for generating electricity, cutting down the country’s need to import natural gas and petroleum.
With electricity comes the internet. Currently, around 1.9 million people in Kyrgyzstan use the internet. The number is set to grow over the next decade. With the help of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Kyrgyzstan’s government is working to upgrade its domestic telecommunication systems. Much of the infrastructure in use is dated and left over from Soviet times.
The EBRD is not the only bank interested in improving the infrastructure of Kyrgyzstan. The Asian Development Bank has invested in Kyrgyzstan to help fight poverty and increase the country’s economic growth and sustainability. One way that the ADB is supporting the infrastructure of Kyrgyzstan is by allowing Kyrgyzstan’s entry into the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation Program. CAREC consists of 11 countries, their goal is economic growth in the region. The ADB is supporting the construction of three major transportation infrastructure projects in Kyrgyzstan. The projects are three of six corridors linking the CAREC countries to each other and the world. Europe, the Mediterranean Sea and Russia all have three major roads running through Kyrgyzstan.
In time, and with a stable government, infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan will improve and Kyrgyzstan will improve as a whole. Hopefully making access to its beautiful landscapes easier for everyone.
– Nick DeMarco
Photo: Flickr
The Importance of Improving Women’s Empowerment in Zambia
Zambia is a nation directly above Zimbabwe that has made a concerted effort in the past year to stave off both gender-based violence and child marriage. The nation realizes that in order to enjoy a brighter future, it must educate all members of the household and strive for women’s empowerment in Zambia.
The female Vice President of Zambia, Inonge Wina, made a statement in August of this year wherein she commended the nation for making great strides in not only championing for women’s empowerment in Zambia, but also in taking practical steps in appointing women to positions of leadership.
“However, there is [still a] need to adopt laws in our country and policies that empower women and enhance their leadership roles and equitable participation in governance, politics and in the labor force,” she said.
In 2017, Zambian police recorded 55 gender-based violence (GBV) murder cases, an increase of nearly a quarter compared to 41 recorded in the same period in 2016. There was also a spike in cases of assault, with 1,644 cases recorded this year.
Independent advocacy groups such as the Non-Governmental Organizations Coordinating Council (NGOCC), have been pushing for the implementation of an anti-GBV fund to help survivors. NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale has also advocated for the full implementation of the “anti-GBV law,” which includes constructing shelters for survivors in the districts.
In response to the increase in gender-based violence, Zambia’s Ministry of Gender launched a strategy aimed at aiding women who have experienced gender-based violence financially.
The Gender-Based Violence Survivors Income Generating Activities Tracking Strategy has already helped to empower 6,500 survivors by providing them with financial opportunities; evidence has shown poverty to be one of the causes spurring gender-based violence.
Lawmakers and government officials in Zambia point to a lack of education as one of the main reasons that gender-based crimes occur so frequently. At the moment, the law in Zambia describes a child as anyone under the age of 16, and allows anyone to marry at the age of 18.
Chief Cooma of the Tonga-speaking people in Zambia’s Choma district, capital of the southern province of Zambia, has taken a strong stance on early marriages. He has warned his subjects against doing so, saying he will not hesitate to have any perpetrator prosecuted by the full power of the law.
Esnart Siandavu of Sikaunzwe, Kazungula, says gender-based violence does not apply only to battery, but in the distribution of resources as well.
“I think gender-based violence is not only when a husband beats his wife. Like here, women are involved in farming while their husbands go drinking. Surprisingly, when it is time to sell the produce to the Food Reserve Agency or private buyers, it is the husbands who take a central role as if we do not know where the FRA depots are. I think it is a violation of our rights because we do not see the money after toiling for the whole farming season,” she said.
Even though women’s empowerment in Zambia is continuing to make strides through education, the patriarchal systems in place still make it difficult for women to take full control of their own financial situations.
– Sam Bramlett
Photo: Flickr