Top 10 Facts About Poverty in Libya

Facts About Poverty in Libya
While Libya may be primarily known for its involvement in the Arab Spring and the subsequent civil war, the country has since undergone a period of drastic socio-economic change. This period has left a large portion of Libya impoverished. These are current facts about poverty in Libya.

Facts About Poverty in Libya

  1. Oil is the primary source of wealth for Libya, accounting for 86 percent of the country’s revenue. This is three times higher than Libya’s 2017 earnings from oil. This increase in revenue has cut the national budget deficit in half, which may be an encouraging sign for poverty rates. 
  2. The rise in oil revenue, however, raises an interesting and unique issue in Libya. The 2018 oil figures are based on statistics from the Central Bank of Libya, which formally controls the country’s oil revenue. However, the Central Bank is based in Tripoli and controlled by the General National Congress (GNC). This government body was the formally-recognized government prior to the Arab Spring uprising, but has not been recognized by any international bodies since. Instead, the rival Council of Deputies is recognized as the established government, though it does not control the Tripoli-based Central Bank.
  3. The assassination of President Muammar Ghaddafi was a formative moment for the outbreak of poverty in Libya. Before his assassination, the poverty rate was so low that fewer people lived in poverty in Libya than in the Netherlands. Today, nearly a third of Libya lives below the poverty line.
  4. According to Global Research, Libya also once had the highest life expectancy rate and GDP-per-capita across Africa. Today, however, the country is what many consider to be a failed state, and GDP per capita is down nearly 10,000 USD.
  5. According to MSNBC, Libya is the largest gatekeeper of migrants attempting to travel to Europe through Africa. Without a functioning government to monitor the country’s Mediterranean coast, smugglers have consistently sent more than 100,000 migrants to Italy alone in the years following the government’s collapse. With even more migrants living in Libya until they can raise the money to travel to Europe, the country’s resources are being drained, further exacerbating poverty in Libya.
  6. Libya is not, however, a completely failed state. The Government of National Accord (GNA), which houses the House of Representatives, has been recognized by many international bodies. The GNA has even gone to great lengths to bring rival political factions together. While unsuccessful so far, the GNA has brought the clear majority of Libya under unified control, strengthening the fight against poverty. 
  7. While the U.N. successfully brokered the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement, progress in reaching peace between political bodies has stalled. Initially, the agreement sought to establish a temporary government to house both rival parliaments in order to bring them into dialogue. However, further talks between rival factions have fallen apart. This has left many to speculate the need for a new agreement to be reached as the current Libyan Political Agreement has clearly become null and void.
  8. In southern Libya, ethnic groups have been in armed conflict with each other or the national government ever since the country’s civil war. This has caused many in the region to fall into crippling poverty. Tribes often shut down oil facilities as a means to negotiate, but this leaves many in the region who are dependent on those jobs in dire circumstances.
  9. Ethnic groups and rival political factions are not the only groups contributing to poverty in Libya. ISIS formally established itself in 2014 and has since carried out countless attacks ever since, including a car bombing in recent elections.
  10. As a result of these continued issues, more than 180,000 Libyan citizens remain internally displaced. Due to this displacement, most do not have jobs and remain extremely impoverished. Many citizens left their homes during the civil war and are now attempting to return, but do not have the financial resources to do so.

These facts about poverty in Libya are complex and rapidly changing. While there is still considerable uncertainty for poverty in Libya, and for the country itself, Libya has already taken important steps forward. These steps will hopefully lift the country out of poverty and restore its economic power in the region.

– Sam Kennedy
Photo: Google

Top 10 Facts About Human Rights in Venezuela

Top 10 Facts About Human Rights in Venezuela
Once the richest country in South America, Venezuela has since been ridden with economic, socio-cultural and political turmoil. But there is hope, as the United Nations and its allies recognize the importance of salvaging the situation. Here are some important facts about human rights in Venezuela.

Facts About Human Rights in Venezuela

  1. Autocratic Rule
    The Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, uses the Venezuelan security forces to maintain authoritarian control. It was reported by The Independent in April 2017 that the forces had detained 5,000 people. In the same month, the security forces were accountable for 46 of 124 reported deaths. Their other acts of violence include raiding houses and torturing innocent civilians and those detained.
  2. The Opposition
    To maintain an iron fist, the government has jailed several politicians on the grounds of acting as opposition. In 2017, more than 340 politicians were put in prison or brought for questioning by intelligence services. Several mayors were also subject to sentencing that did not comply with international procedure guidelines. Many leaders were also given prison sentences despite the lack of evidence supporting their charges.
  3. A Medical Crisis
    The circumstances have cost Venezuelans their right to quality health care. Currently, 85 percent of all medication is not available, and the political instability has led 13,000 doctors to flee the country. The prevalence of communicable diseases has greatly increased, as seen in the 69 percent rise in malaria cases between 2016 and 2017. However, the head of the WHO Global Malaria Program, Pedro Alonso, is devoting resources to rid Venezuela of malaria by working with regional bodies. The Venezuelan Health Minister, Luis Lopez, has also been key in implementing vaccination and fumigation programs.
  4. A Disproportionate Burden On Women
    Due to the heavy shortages, stores in Venezuela are missing menstrual hygiene products and birth control measures. The lack of contraception is especially alarming as Venezuela currently has the highest number of teen pregnancies in South America. Women resort to the black market to buy birth control pills or exchange basic food items like flour for pads and tampons. Fortunately, Girls Globe reports that social media has helped women gain greater access to these products.
  5. Consequences of Sanctions
    The United States, Canada and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Venezuela, making it harder for the nation to import essential medicines and nutrients. Although initially imposed to discourage human rights abuse and corruption, these sanctions have further locked Venezuela in a situation they cannot get out of, especially without external help.
  6. Social Unrest
    In light of the severe shortages and hyperinflation, Venezuelans have resorted to crime to make ends meet. In 2017, the murder rate reached a high of 89 deaths per 100,000 people. Moreover, close to 40 percent of residents have reported robberies in the past year alone. Venezuela currently has one of the highest crime rates in the world, which is yet another factor causing residents to migrate. However, there are several nonprofit organizations working in Venezuela’s major cities to deconstruct this image and promote revenue through tourism.
  7. Maternal and Infant Mortality
    In 2017, the Venezuelan health minister reported that in 2016, the maternal mortality rate had increased by 65 percent and infant mortality had increased by 30 percent. These alarming statistics can be attributed to the poor infrastructure offered by hospitals and the lack of sanitation and food. Cases of severe malnutrition also increased to 14.5 percent in September 2017 from 10.2 percent in February 2017, crossing the crisis threshold defined by WHO. These circumstances are undermining Venezuelans’ right to health and nutrition
  8. Freedom of Speech
    In Maduro’s quest to quell the opposition, several media agencies and sites have been suspended or disbanded altogether, and their journalists have been detained by security forces or had their equipment confiscated. International news agencies were also banned from entering Venezuela or detained for covering the local crises. This is in light of the Venezuelan government’s “Law Against Hatred,” which was passed in November 2017 and vaguely outlines the expected coverage content. The law even enforces a maximum jail sentence of 20 years for individuals and agencies that do not adhere.
  9. Displacement
    The lack of human rights in Venezuela has left almost 1.5 million Venezuelans seeking asylum or living as refugees in neighboring countries. Colombia, the largest of the neighbors, currently hosts more than 600,000 Venezuelans. However, in early 2018, Colombia discontinued temporary visas, making it extremely difficult for Venezuelans to find jobs and settle across the border and exacerbating the situation. However, organizations like Mercy Corps are helping Venezuelans make the best of the circumstances by protecting their human rights in Colombia as well as their home country.
  10. The U.N.’s Commitment
    In August 2017, the United Nations recognized the current state of Venezuelan politics as a violation of basic human rights and is looking to pursue charges against people at the highest levels of government. In May 2018, the United Nations Human Rights Council (OHCHR) also adopted a resolution acknowledging Venezuela’s position and declaring that the sanctions currently imposed on it do harm to the poor and the most vulnerable classes instead of serving their original purposes. With the WHO already involved in Venezuela’s malaria crisis and the OHCHR resolving to assuage these human rights violations, there is hope for collective action through the U.N.’s work.

Although Venezuela is going through a hard time, the work of non-profit organizations and allies of the U.N. has given the nation a fighting chance. With continued foreign aid, Venezuelans can expect to see better days.

– Sanjana Subramanian
Photo: Flickr

Girls’ Education in Togo

Girls_Togo_education
Togo is a West African Nation on the Gulf of Guinea. It lies between Ghana and Benin and has a population of 7.6 million. Almost 7 out of 10 people in Togo live on less than $2 a day, making it one of the world’s poorest countries.

One of the problems that has plagued Togo in the past is inadequate education, which contributes to the country’s poverty. Education is a key component in preventing and eradicating poverty. Due to government action and help from aid organizations, which have contributed billions to the cause, the education system in Togo has improved. However, due to the gender inequality inherent in the structure of the society, women are still less likely to benefit from these improvements.

Girls’ Education in Togo: The Facts

According to UNICEF, 44.5 percent of Togolese women between the ages of 15 and 24 cannot read or write. Education is hard to come by regardless of gender in Togo, but inequality in the country makes it even more difficult for girls to enroll in and stay in school. Close to 30 percent of children in Togo are forced into child labor, and the majority of them are girls. “Porter children” consist mostly of young girls who transport burdens to various market stalls.

Prostitution and Human Trafficking

Every year, thousands of Togolese girls unwittingly enter into prostitution and other forms of servitude. They are sold into the trade by family members or older female traffickers in their communities known as ogas. These ogas are often former victims themselves, creating a circular system of trafficking. The girls are sent to work in nearby countries and communities. Other girls turn to prostitution as a source of income to support themselves and their families. Whatever the situation, all of these girls are at high risk of STD’s, unwanted pregnancies and physical and sexual abuse.

If the girls manage to escape sexual slavery, they often end up living in porterhouses on the streets of Togo, shunned by family members and society.

Child Marriage

Another significant barrier to education for girls in Togo is child marriage. Nearly 25 percent of girls in the country are forcibly married before the age of 18. Once these girls have to take on the roles of wives and mothers, they do not have the time to pursue an education. Due to cultural norms, girls are also trained from a young age on how to be good wives rather than being taught the importance of education.

Progress for Female Education

Despite the barriers to girls’ education in Togo, progress is being made in various ways:

  • The government has been putting in considerable effort in the past few years to improve the country’s education system. The primary education system is now free, so parents in rural areas no longer have to pay for their child’s first six years of education.
  • Togo joined the Global Partnership for Education in 2010 and received a $45 million grant, which yielded impressive results. As of June 2014, the country received another $27.8 million grant. This grant is even more devoted to strengthening girls’ enrollment in school. One of its three core components is, “Strengthening access and equity in primary education through school construction and equipment, promoting girls’ schooling, and provision of uniforms and sanitary kits.”
  • Togo has also developed an education strategy for the years 2014 to 2025, with the goal to “develop a quality basic education to achieve universal primary education by 2022.”
  • There have been many successes as a result of the funding that Togo has received. The country’s repetition rate decreased from 18.5 percent in 2013 to 8.38 percent in 2016. During that time, 14,549 primary teachers and head teachers were trained in the use of the new curriculum.
  • In 2015, the primary completion rate for girls rose to 78.5 percent from 55.8 percent in 2008. The Primary Gross Enrollment rate has risen substantially as well.

Education is often forgotten as an essential tool in the reduction of poverty. When women are educated, they contribute to the economy and alleviate poverty. Time will tell how the grant and education strategy in Togo will play out, but the statistics are encouraging. With continued effort, Togo’s goal of universal primary education by 2022 can be fulfilled.

– Evann Orleck-Jetter

Photo: Flickr

8 Facts About Poverty in Guatemala and Ways to Get Involved

Poverty in Guatemala
Chase Mangrum, a rising senior at Harding University majoring in Exercise Science and minoring in Medical Missions, recently spent six weeks in Guatemala in May and June as part of Health Talents International’s Medical Evangelism Training. She covered some ground during her trip, traveling to four different spots in total, and accomplishing a wide array of activities, such as taking Spanish language classes, living with multiple host families and working in local medical and dental clinics along the way. Mangrum came back equipped to share observations in an interview with The Borgen Project that underscore eight major facts about poverty in Guatemala.

8 Facts About Poverty in Guatemala

  1. Wealth distribution is unbalanced. Mangrum observes that bigger cities like Guatemala City, Antigua and Xela are modern and prosperous, but the villages she visited like Chicacao, Suchitepéquez along the coast and Chichicastenango, El Quiche in the highlands, were poorer. However, she also admits that the differences between wealth in towns and villages is not completely straightforward, explaining, “People who live in the smaller towns may seem to have more than those out in the villages, but they don’t own any land so most times they are still what you would consider impoverished.” Statistics corroborate Mangrum’s experiences. The vast majority of the population does live in poverty. Though those in the big cities are relatively better off, still 75 percent of the population lives in poverty and 58 percent in extreme poverty.
  2. The indigenous, non-Spanish-speaking population has limited access to education and opportunities. She noticed stark differences between Chicacao, where the majority of inhabitants are descended from Spanish colonists and speak Spanish, and Chichicastenango, where the predominant language is a Mayan dialect called Quiche. Again, statistics back up Mangrum’s observations. More than 90 percent of the indigenous population survives on an income below the poverty line, a higher percentage than the average for Guatemala.
  3. Water systems and waste management remain undeveloped and unhygienic in many parts of Guatemala. Mangrum shares: “The homes I stayed in had a water source but it was not pure; [w]e had to filter our water to drink. Some places have flushing toilets and showers, but there are many places that are latrine only and people take bucket showers.” Many of the country’s water systems are considered to be in partial or complete failure by Water for People. However, hope exists as 93 percent of Guatemalans have access to improved water, and the rural population only lags a little behind, with 87 percent access.
  4. Many depend on farming inherited land as their sole source of income, contributing to cyclical poverty in Guatemala. As 65 percent of the land is controlled by 2.5 percent of farms, land is passed down through families and most consider farming one of their only options. Do to perceived limited opportunities, many Guatemalans whose parents lived in poverty remain trapped in poverty.
  5. Guatemalans often depend on informal jobs for their income. The United Nations estimates that 70 percent of Guatemalans are employed informally, meaning they do not receive any kinds of benefits that come from a formal contract and employer.
  6. Inexpensive diets of rice and tortillas resulting from poverty in Guatemala make diabetes a prevalent issue. Mangrum believes Type 2 diabetes is the most prominent health issue she encountered in Guatemala. She related this to the corn tortillas that were a cheap diet staple for many of her host families. At seven and a half percent, the diabetes rate in Guatemala is not beyond help, but 47.7 percent of the population is overweight, 16.4 percent of the population is obese and 12.4 percent of the population is considered physically inactive. All of these risk factors make potential growth rates of diabetes a concern.
  7. Fatalistic views from generations of poverty in Guatemala have caused rampant dental hygiene problems. Tooth decay is one of the main issues seen by dentists in Guatemala, attributed to lack of personal knowledge and prioritization of dental hygiene, fluoride lack and unhealthy diets. Mangrum explains this worldview she encountered as a hopeless belief that because one’s parents had bad teeth, no amount of prevention can keep the next generation from having bad teeth as well. This meant that most of the patients Mangrum saw during her time in local dental offices came to have their teeth extracted rather than having preventive check-ups. Mangrum sees a lot of hope for addressing poverty in Guatemala through medical missions. She says, “In societies like Guatemala where there [are] still traditional healing practices that influence health care, it is crucial to address the patient’s spiritual health. Many times they believe they are sick due to an unbalance in their body and spirit or that something in their life like sin is affecting their health.”
  8. Poverty in Guatemala cyclically continues because many Guatemalans cannot afford education past elementary school. Most Guatemalan children must help provide for their families, making secondary education a luxury few can afford. Enrollment in primary school is very successful, nearly 100 percent, but more than two million Guatemalans from ages 15-24 do not meet the criteria to enter the workforce. Therefore, they remain on those family farms, excluded from the economy by the farming elite, or they join the informal workforce, and therefore in poverty.

Ways to Get Involved

Thanks to Mangram’s on-the-ground perspective, one can see the validity of these top eight facts about poverty in Guatemala. With such an eye-opening view, many may ask what can be done to aid in some of these issues; one of the best methods is emblematized by Magnum — go offer assistance directly in the country itself through established aid organizations.

Other options are more remote in nature — contacting representatives in favor of foreign aid legislation, donating to sustainable outreach and development programs, sponsoring local businesspeople — but no matter the route, aid to Guatemala can be as effective and eye-opening as in Mangram’s journey.

– Charlotte Preston
Photo: Flickr

Girls’ Education in Mauritania

Girls' Education in Mauritania

Mauritania is a deeply divided and struggling country. Slavery has only recently been legally abolished, about 20 percent of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day and over half of adults are illiterate. Although one of the biggest threats to Mauritania remains the increasing influence of Al Qaeda, poverty and lack of female educational opportunities are some of the worst perils facing Mauritanians in their daily lives. To understand the current reality of girls’ education in Mauritania, it is first necessary to know where the country has been.

Mauritania’s History

Initially settled by Berbers and Arabs in the 3rd century A.D., Mauritania was a trading and transport hub for connecting West Africa to the Maghreb. In the 1850s, France came to control the territory militarily, leading a brutal regime of oppression. This regime left those living in the area profoundly divided between Arabs and Berbers and subjugated to subhuman conditions. By 1904, France formally established Mauritania as a colony, and in 1920, Mauritania became part of French West Africa and was subsequently administered by Senegal. Mauritania became an overseas territory in 1946; by 1958, the country was self-governing and became independent in 1960. 

Shortly after Mauritania gained independence, a series of elections, coups and race riots took place through much of the latter 20th century. The elections and coups slowed to a considerably slower pace in the 2000s and the subsequent decade, providing Mauritania with some semblance of stability. This stability was vital; it allowed outside organizations such as the U.N. and UNICEF to offer much-needed assistance to the battered nation of 3.7 million. Between 2000 and 2007, for example, literacy declined nearly 8 points. This was primarily due to the Mauritanian government’s failure to dedicate any time, money or resources to education.

Successes in Education

While Mauritania has had significant struggles with education, there have been signs of improvement and cases of success. For example, the NGO Global Partnership for Education (GPE) began funding the Mauritania Basic Education Sector Support Project. Over the course of this program, gross enrollment rates increased from 88 percent to 97 percent and completion rates rose from 53 percent to 71 percent between 2001 and 2012. Girls’ education in Mauritania also improved significantly; 21,168 adolescent females have been enrolled in lower secondary education in 2016, as opposed to 7,400 in 2014. 

UNICEF has also forged a partnership with the Mauritanian government to promote education and provide resources for schools. This national partnership was reached following the success of UNICEF’s initial mission in the country. The new goal of UNICEF and the Mauritanian government is to achieve universal access and completion of secondary education for all Mauritanian children.

The Importance of Female Education

It is critical to recognize why female education in Mauritania is so important beyond the educational aspects. Girls’ education has been shown to lead to female empowerment. In a country so bitterly divided and struggling with social progress, support for women’s empowerment is a vital aspect. Improving education in Mauritania also improves poverty in the country. The United Nations Girls Education Initiative reports that many young girls in Mauritania face dire poverty. Since only 53 percent of households have access to clean water, disease is common, and there is insufficient access to vaccinations. Girls’ education provides access to schools, which in turn provides access to the water and medicine many desperately need.

While the challenges to girls’ education in Mauritania are plentiful and can seem immense, much headway has been made in recent years. With organizations like the U.N., UNICEF, and GPE working with the government, there is significant improvement on the horizon for girls’ education in Mauritania.

– Sam Kennedy
Photo: Flickr

8 Eye-Opening Facts About Human Rights In Tanzania

Tanzania
Tanzania is a well-known country in Africa with a slowly progressing economy that’s the result of gold production and tourism. Although the nation is working towards a reputable economy, Tanzania still remains one of the most impoverished countries in Africa. Human rights are an important factor to consider for improvement, and the people of Tanzania are looking for a positive change of laws and regulations to assist with poverty evolution. The critical facts about human rights in Tanzania are as followed.

10 Facts About Human Rights In Tanzania

  1. In Tanzania, the current legal marriage age is 18 for both boys and girls. The original law in 1971 granted marriage for boys at 18 and girls at 14 years old. As of July 2016, this law was revoked, and the constitutional court ruled all marriage would be illegal to everyone under the age of 18. According to the UNICEF, Tanzania has one of the highest child marriage rates, leaving 31 percent of children married by 18 years old.
  2. Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right of freedom and expression.” Although this law essentially means freedom of speech, the Tanzanian government uses the law to limit freedom of expression if one’s freedom conflicts with other human rights. An example would be the protection of the rights or reputations of others. Although freedom of speech and freedom of media can go hand-in-hand, the constitution of Tanzania does not specifically approve of freedom of the press. There are current laws in place that allow authorities broad permission to limit and control media. This is due to the media’s role in politics — withholding advertisement contracts from censorious sources.
  3. Female and male rights for the citizens of Tanzania haven’t always been equal, and that trend continues to today. Until 2014, a woman’s right to land ownership was denied even though Tanzania’s Land Act and Village Land Act, passed in 1999, provided women rights to the ownership of land. Due to traditional practices, people still left land control in the hands of men, but the current law is working to uphold equal rights.
  4. In 2016, the Tanzanian government terminated all tuition fees for primary and secondary schools. This change helped boost the secondary school enrollment but has been a hurdle for poor children that don’t live near schools or cannot afford school supplies and costs.
  5. Many girls in Tanzania under the age of 18 face discrimination in school. If a student is pregnant or married, school officials can expel the girls from school without question. As of May 2018, a new law allows for girls to return to school post-pregnancy.
  6. Women’s rights to land help in the efforts to tackle poverty issues in Tanzania. Women and children often deal with generational poverty, malnutrition and women’s economic empowerment. The improvement of these issues begins with increasing the rights of women to own land.
  7. For many women in Tanzania, it is becoming the norm for wills to be written to children and next of kin for land. Women don’t want their offspring to suffer from poverty, so being in the position to pass down ownership is a means for ending the cycle of poverty.
  8. In 2017, the president of Tanzania, President Magufuli provided for 240,000 refugees that came in from Burundi, Africa in April of 2015. As of 2018, President Magufuli ordered that the Burundian refugees’ registration of naturalization be suspended. This left the refugees to either live in poverty or return to Burundi.

Development Opportunities

The updated human rights in Tanzania have made a positive impact on the country and its citizens. There is more work to be done, but with limited control and freedom of speech and activism, the government will continue to call the shots and the world hopes those decisions will be beneficial to the nation’s people.

– Kayla Sellers
Photo: Flickr

Girls’ Education in St. Lucia Empowers Women

Girls’ Education in St. Lucia
Saint Lucia, a developing nation and part of a chain of islands located off the coasts of Puerto Rico and Venezuela, is known primarily in the United States for its white sand beaches, prime vacation rentals and banana exports; in fact, the country is among the wealthiest developing nations in the world.

Along with captivating scenery and booming resort and banana revenues, there are several other commendable situations in St. Lucia. One area in particular is the status of girls’ education in St. Lucia.

What’s Trending?

In St. Lucia, the current differences between female and male education are not significant. About 91.9 percent of females in St. Lucia attend primary school, and 78.4 percent of females are expected to attend secondary school.

These figures are compared to 94 percent of males attending primary school and the expectation of 80.1 percent of males attending secondary school. This gender disparity is hardly a disparity at all; in fact, it reflects St. Lucia’s immense progress as a nation that values women in their educational and career aspirations.

Gender Equality

A surprising revelation for most people is that more females than males actually complete primary school education in St. Lucia, despite the higher percentage of males that actually attend primary schooling.

It may then seem obvious that in St. Lucia more females than males will go on to attend post-secondary school education — females make up 86 percent of the student population in the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, the single community college on the island.  

Girls’ education in St. Lucia has been on the rise over the last decade with the implementation of several new programs and pushes for female education and careers.

These pushes have sparked more and more female interest in completing school, a surprising trend in a typically male-dominated world. The progress goes further in St. Lucia with Governor General Dame Pearlette’s pushes for education — these new measures will benefit all genders, such as the push for technological incorporation in schools.

A Look into the Future

What happens when females are educated? According to the Hamilton Project — an organization that presents economic strategies to the public — the higher one’s education, the greater likelihood that person has to earn more money.

Typically, education has been male-dominated, naturally pushing males into the higher earning categories. However, with the rise in female education, females are now able to compete for higher earnings. This allows for better markets, increased diversity and more prosperous societies as an entire half of St. Lucian society now has higher earning potential.  

The improved focus on girls’ education in St. Lucia is certainly a deviation from the norm compared to other developing countries and even the rest of the world. St. Lucia’s educational rates for both females and males are significantly higher than those of other developing countries — including those of Pakistan — which have been steadily on the rise over the last two decades.

A Global Model

Facts such as these display St. Lucia’s success in female empowerment. St. Lucia is among the first island nations to propel female achievement so far forward that any gender disparities essentially dissolve.

Hopefully, St. Lucia will become a trendsetter in the coming years, encouraging other island nations to empower their women.

– Alexandra Ferrigno
Photo: Google

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The Significance of Cuts to Global Healthcare Funding

Global Healthcare Funding
President Trump’s budget request for the fiscal year of 2018 includes drastic cuts — 32 percent — from foreign aid. The drop of 4.6 billion in humanitarian assistance and global health spending comes along with a call for “the world to pay their fair share” in terms of global healthcare funding.

While the U.S. did contribute nearly one-third of the global spending on Development Assistance for Health in 2016, foreign aid makes up less than 1 percent of the national budget; that same year it was only 0.22 percent.  Looking at countries’ spending as a percentage of gross national income, the U.S. ranks 23rd for foreign aid and healthcare funding.

What Would Cutting Aid Mean?

Cutting foreign aid would lead to:

  • Less disease surveillance
  • Decreased diagnostic testing and vaccines
  • A shortage of research
  • Less life-saving medications
  • Fewer healthcare facilities
  • Instability
  • Decreased economic productivity
  • More deaths from curable or treatable diseases
  • Mitigated interest from local governments
  • Increased risk of domestic disease
  • Diminished soft power and global influence

The Brookings Institute forecasts that the domestic cut to foreign aid would drop healthcare funding from 39.2 to 28.8 billion, marking the lowest American investment in the last decade.

How Does Foreign Aid Help Global Healthcare?

Since pathogens such as zika, influenza, and Ebola are prone to spread across borders, aid cuts threaten the health of U.S. citizens. The Ebola breakout killed over 11,000 people; an additional 21,000 died due to a reduction in access to healthcare services.

Investment in surveillance programs greatly reduces the risk of a pandemic and eliminates the spending that an outbreak necessitates. The entire Ebola outbreak cost a total of $3.6 billion — $2.3 billion of which came from the U.S.

Foreign investment also inspires a response from local governments and organizations. By prioritizing health, global support helps to foster expectations that governments should do the same. Funding for HIV/AIDS research, testing and education have resulted in every African country possessing a national AIDS strategy and commission. Between 2011 and 2015, African countries increased their own funding by 150 percent.

How Does Promoting Healthcare Help the World?

Supplying vaccinations promotes prevention and may lead to a complete eradication of deadly diseases. Every dollar invested in childhood immunizations begets $44 in economic benefits, which includes saving money that families lose when a child is sick and the parent is unable to work.

Global healthcare funding and other types of humanitarian spending tend to increase a nation’s soft power — supporting basic human rights and humanitarian causes generally garner influence and respect. In aiding global healthcare funding, the U.S. is able to look out for foreign policy priorities, address national security concerns, and bolster global economic productivity and development.

A healthy individual will become a more productive member of society at large than his/her sick or dead peer; health is a direct determinant for economic stability.

Waves of Improvement

Bill and Melinda Gates sum up the importance of global healthcare funding in saying: “By preventing the spread of disease, we save lives in other countries and at home. By stimulating economic development, we open new markets for our country’s goods. By making conflict less likely, we advance our own national security. And by lifting up the poorest, we express the highest values of our nations.”

Global healthcare funding relates to each point, and thereby creates waves outside of the medical sector.

– Jessie Serody
Photo: Flickr

Three Ways Countries Could Make Foreign Aid More Effective

More Bang for Your Buck: Making Foreign Aid More Effective
A highly contentious issue, the effectiveness of U.S. foreign aid has long been the subject of debate among congressmen and concerned citizens alike. From how much money is allocated to recipient nations to the impact that aid actually has on issues such as poverty and civil war, advocates and critics of foreign aid point to various criteria to evaluate the merits, or lack thereof, of continued U.S. aid.

The Case for Aid

Proponents of foreign aid insist programs are instrumental in fostering socioeconomic growth, reducing poverty and improving the overall quality of life. There are certainly examples that support this notion. USAID-funded programs have significantly reduced maternal and child mortality, helping at least 4.6 million children and 200,000 mothers, according to agency officials. As of 2015, more than 7.6 million people had received improved access to drinking water and more than 4.3 million people had improved sanitation. Furthermore, 41.6 million children saw improved reading instruction and safer learning environments between 2011 and 2015.

Foreign Aid Skepticism

Yet critics of aid remain steadfast in their opposition, pointing to fraud and corruption, lack of transparency, foreign aid dependency and general ineffectiveness as indicators. Around $1.17 billion in aid that was given to Malawi in 2012 was exploited by corrupt politicians and businessmen. At least $30 million was taken from the treasury and robbed from the 17 million poor and AIDS-ravaged inhabitants. In fact, these sentiments are so strong that, according to ABC News-Washington Post polls, “the only possible federal spending cut a majority favored was for foreign aid.”

Clearly, there are two sides to the story when it comes to foreign aid. When allocated and distributed properly, it can work wonders for the world’s poor and developing countries. However, corruption and misuse still stand in the way of much of its potential. These issues can be addressed by exploring various ways of making foreign aid more effective.

Making Foreign Aid More Effective

There are three important ways that countries around the globe can make foreign aid more effective.

  1. Improving Aid Quality: By dividing foreign aid into smaller projects, donor countries can control the volatility and lack of predictability of aid, thus significantly decreasing the deadweight loss of development assistance. In 2008 alone, deadweight losses from official aid amounted to $7 billion. Smaller projects, according to Brookings, can lead to further innovation and scaling up, thus offsetting deadweight losses.
  2. Linkage: In order for foreign aid to maximize its impacts in a developing country, it must be linked to other important development policies, namely trade, investment and migration. For example, in Haiti and Pakistan, countries in which the U.S. has a significant economic stake, trade restrictions on textile and garment imports prevent further growth.
  3. Mobilizing the Private Sector: It is generally accepted that in order to foster economic growth and development, countries must turn to the private sector. Unfortunately, foreign aid has yet to reflect that sentiment. In fact, much of it is still directed toward the public sector. Cities harbor the most economic growth yet receive only $1 to $2 billion in aid a year. Approximately one billion slum dwellers reside in the city centers of developing countries and represent the key to mobilizing economic growth.

At the end of the day, foreign aid aims to foster social and economic growth in developing countries by enfranchising governments, health care systems, education institutions and infrastructure. Consequently, growth in these developing nations helps developed nations by opening up new markets and increasing stability. When confronted with corruption or misuse or any of the other criticisms of foreign aid, governments should not slash foreign aid budgets, but rather should apply these three crucial ways of making foreign aid more effective.

– McAfee Sheehan
Photo: Flickr

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USAID Works to Improve Gender Equality in Pakistan

Gender Equality in Pakistan
Throughout the years, U.S. organizations and agencies have worked in cooperation with the government of Pakistan and other development partners to establish gender equality in Pakistan. These efforts work to ensure Pakistani women feel empowered to pursue opportunities just as brazenly as their male counterparts.

History: Relations Between Pakistan and the United States

Since Pakistan gained independence in 1947, the United States has provided considerable support in the overall development of the country. The U.S. was one of the first nations to recognize Pakistan as an independent nation.

For more than 60 years, Pakistan and the U.S. have forged a strong, cooperative relationship that has proven to benefit the people of both countries.

Achieving Gender Equality in Pakistan

In recent years, there have been important advancements in gender equality in Pakistan. Today, Pakistani women are more likely to participate in the labor force and access health and educational services than their mothers and grandmothers would have. Pakistan also has a relatively strong women’s political representation —  about a fifth of parliamentary seats held by women.

However, there is still significant progress to be made if Pakistani women are to be full partners in the development of Pakistan. Women comprise more than half of Pakistan’s population and yet only 22.7 percent are part of the labor force. Even those who are part of the labor force belong largely to the informal sector, receiving little pay and few legal protections.

Also, while Pakistan enjoys a high gross enrollment rate of 89 percent of girls in primary schools, that rate drops to about 41 percent of girls who are enrolled in secondary schools.

Female Empowerment

The empowerment of women and girls is a critical aspect of any prosperous, democratic society. Female empowerment in Pakistan will not only safeguard human rights but also further international peace and security while establishing a growing, vibrant market economy.

Through the efforts of a combination of many organizations such as the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pakistan is even closer to achieving gender equality.

USAID: The Gender Equality Program (GEP)

The Gender Equality Program (GEP) actively works to diminish the gender gap in Pakistan by supporting women’s economic, political, and social advancement. The program helps women become full and active members of their own society by providing access to information, resources and public services.

The GEP also works to change the derogatory societal attitudes towards women in Pakistan. This program educates women about their fundamental rights at home, at work and in society.

A staggering 32 percent of all Pakistani women have experienced physical violence; 40 percent of married Pakistani women have experienced spousal abuse. Even more concerning, one in two Pakistani women who have experienced physical abuse never sought help.

Through the support of the GEP, local activities are conducted to expand women’s knowledge of and ability to exercise their rights and obtain justice. The GEP helps women’s shelters provide legal aid, counseling and vocational skills that connect women to potential employers.

Empowering Girls Through Education

USAID also has programs such as the Sindh Basic Education Program and the Improving Education Quality Project to ensure more girls have the opportunity to pursue an education. These programs mobilize communities to increase girls’ school enrollment rates and train more female teachers, which encourages Pakistani families to send their girls to school.

USAID also provides scholarships to women pursuing higher education through the Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship program (MNSBP) and the Fulbright Program. MNSBP gifts university scholarships to academically talented, economically disadvantaged Pakistani students.

Major Accomplishments in Gender Equality in Pakistan

Pakistani women have experienced major improvements in regards to gender equality. The USAID has provided shelter, legal, health and economic support to nearly 40,000 victims of gender-based violence while also committing $70 million to help educate and empower over 200,000 adolescent Pakistani girls.

Although, societal beliefs of traditional gender roles may be difficult to break, raising awareness about women’s rights and supporting pro-women laws is a significant step towards achieving gender equality in Pakistan.

– Lolontika Hoque
Photo: Flickr