One of the most sizable problems surrounding poverty in vulnerable countries is the lack of clean, sustainable and sturdy homes. When communities are provided with little to no housing, it can cause an abundance of other problems such as unsanitary facilities, streets and a lack of clean water. However, there are different organizations actively combating this problem by volunteering their time and effort to building homes abroad.
All Out Africa
All Out Africa is a volunteer organization that exclusively concentrates on African countries, such as Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana and Zimbabwe. In Swaziland, All Out Africa’s main focus is structural building through the Build a Future Project.
This program employs the use of local goods and methods such as mud bricks to aid in building different infrastructure, homes and water systems for orphaned and vulnerable children. All Out Africa changes lives through their volunteer programs and allows those looking for opportunities to gain hands-on experience in building homes abroad.
Build Abroad
Build Abroad was founded by two architects, Pat McLoughlin and Chad Johnson. Build Abroad’s first trip was to Costa Rica, where they refurbished a women’s shelter and made easily accessible handicap ramps. As Build Abroad has branched out, it now takes volunteers to travel to Costa Rica, Haiti, Guatemala, Nepal and Peru.
In Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru, their main focus is on community renovation. In Haiti, Build Abroad concentrates on building affordable homes for low-income families in the Pignon community. Build Abroad’s Haiti program allows volunteers to build full, sustainable homes in just one week.
The volunteers and builders learn how to build a foundation, install windows and construct a roof, along with paint and trim. Most of these homes are built for farmers who already own land, but need extra help in building lasting homes.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is one of the most well-known organizations that builds homes for those who are struggling or in difficult situations, such as homelessness and poverty. But what many don’t know is that Habitat for Humanity works in many underdeveloped countries as well.
The organization’s humanitarian work ranges from countries such as Brazil and Columbia, all the way to the Philippines, India, China, Australia and New Zealand; Habitat for Humanity is truly a global organization.
The Habitat for Humanity Thrivent Builds Worldwide program concentrates on helping women and children in building clean, structurally sound homes, anywhere from Africa to Hawaii. Most of their work building homes abroad, however, is done through their Global Village program.
In this program, volunteers can choose to build as many homes as they like, as well as advocate for policy change, energy efficient projects and populations such as children, women and the disabled. Habitat for Humanity not only concentrates on building homes abroad, but it also contributes disaster relief, shelters and community rehabilitation through the Disaster Response project.
Projects Abroad
Projects Abroad is a volunteer program that provides scholarships, university credit and internships in major fields such as journalism, medicine and healthcare and International Development to those who wish to volunteer in building homes abroad. This group focuses on building homes in countries such as Ghana, Jamaica, the Philippines, Senegal and Tanzania.
Projects Abroad teaches its volunteers how to build bricks from mud and water for assembling quality homes and classrooms; how to fix and rebuild toilet facilities and homes for school children or those who have faced disaster; and how to create sanitation facilities for households, infrastructure and construction.
Brick By Brick
By building clean, safe and sustainable homes, these organizations aid in creating a better way of life for victims of poverty, helping areas recover from natural disasters and supporting those who feel defenseless and stuck in their situations.
Volunteer travel programs and disaster relief give hope, and volunteers building homes abroad are providing a wonderful global service.
– Rebecca Lee
Photo: Flickr
Improvements For Girls’ Education in Mali
In 2011, the U.N. reported Mali as an arduous place for girls to get an education – and it hasn’t improved. Mali is ranked sixth on the list of worst countries for girls to obtain an education. Historically, education has never been of high priority in Mali, so it’s no surprise that Malian girls are still fighting to be liberated through education. How can the world address girls’ education in Mali?
More than 130 million girls around the world are out of school. Most of them are in poor countries like Mali, where the achievement rate for education is 54 percent for boys and 44.8 percent for girls. Due to factors like gender inequality, boys in Mali complete school at a faster rate than girls and tend to be more literate.
The Role of a Girl
By age 14, young Malian girls are expected to marry, forcing them to leave school. Prior to marriage, younger girls are late to school or fail to appear at all due to expectations in the home like cleaning, cooking and caring for family members. In a study on girls access to education in 122 countries, it was reported that only 38 percent of Malian girls had completed primary school. Subsequently, the dropout rate for Malian girls is more than 50 percent, leaving a small 22.2 percent with the ability to read.
The CARE organization, whose goal is to end poverty, has stepped out as a leader for empowering women and girls. CARE Mali understands that forced marriages diminish the chances of successful girls’ education in Mali. They’re using financial efforts to target child marriage and gender-based violence — disparities that hinder Malian girls from being fully educated — to put women in the workforce. More women working helps stabilize the Malian economy and helps young girls focus on education rather than marrying young and tending to other adults in the home.
Because I Am A Girl
Plan International established the Because I Am A Girl movement to help empower young girls with barriers to education through a four-part initiative:
Hope for Girls’ Education in Mali
Of the Malian population, 49.97 percent are female and nearly half of them can’t read and don’t have continual access to education. But things are changing for girls’ education in Mali, with help. The U.N. Girls Education Initiative established a scholarship for girls in northern Mali to encourage them to remain in school. World Education works with local parent and mother associations to encourage the breaking away from traditional norms, which allows their young girls to focus on getting an education instead.
Although progress is underway in Mali, continual efforts must be made by organizations and governments to address access to girls’ education in Mali.
– Naomi C. Kellogg
Photo: Flickr
Creating Sustainability: Four Organizations Building Homes Abroad
One of the most sizable problems surrounding poverty in vulnerable countries is the lack of clean, sustainable and sturdy homes. When communities are provided with little to no housing, it can cause an abundance of other problems such as unsanitary facilities, streets and a lack of clean water. However, there are different organizations actively combating this problem by volunteering their time and effort to building homes abroad.
All Out Africa
All Out Africa is a volunteer organization that exclusively concentrates on African countries, such as Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana and Zimbabwe. In Swaziland, All Out Africa’s main focus is structural building through the Build a Future Project.
This program employs the use of local goods and methods such as mud bricks to aid in building different infrastructure, homes and water systems for orphaned and vulnerable children. All Out Africa changes lives through their volunteer programs and allows those looking for opportunities to gain hands-on experience in building homes abroad.
Build Abroad
Build Abroad was founded by two architects, Pat McLoughlin and Chad Johnson. Build Abroad’s first trip was to Costa Rica, where they refurbished a women’s shelter and made easily accessible handicap ramps. As Build Abroad has branched out, it now takes volunteers to travel to Costa Rica, Haiti, Guatemala, Nepal and Peru.
In Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru, their main focus is on community renovation. In Haiti, Build Abroad concentrates on building affordable homes for low-income families in the Pignon community. Build Abroad’s Haiti program allows volunteers to build full, sustainable homes in just one week.
The volunteers and builders learn how to build a foundation, install windows and construct a roof, along with paint and trim. Most of these homes are built for farmers who already own land, but need extra help in building lasting homes.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is one of the most well-known organizations that builds homes for those who are struggling or in difficult situations, such as homelessness and poverty. But what many don’t know is that Habitat for Humanity works in many underdeveloped countries as well.
The organization’s humanitarian work ranges from countries such as Brazil and Columbia, all the way to the Philippines, India, China, Australia and New Zealand; Habitat for Humanity is truly a global organization.
The Habitat for Humanity Thrivent Builds Worldwide program concentrates on helping women and children in building clean, structurally sound homes, anywhere from Africa to Hawaii. Most of their work building homes abroad, however, is done through their Global Village program.
In this program, volunteers can choose to build as many homes as they like, as well as advocate for policy change, energy efficient projects and populations such as children, women and the disabled. Habitat for Humanity not only concentrates on building homes abroad, but it also contributes disaster relief, shelters and community rehabilitation through the Disaster Response project.
Projects Abroad
Projects Abroad is a volunteer program that provides scholarships, university credit and internships in major fields such as journalism, medicine and healthcare and International Development to those who wish to volunteer in building homes abroad. This group focuses on building homes in countries such as Ghana, Jamaica, the Philippines, Senegal and Tanzania.
Projects Abroad teaches its volunteers how to build bricks from mud and water for assembling quality homes and classrooms; how to fix and rebuild toilet facilities and homes for school children or those who have faced disaster; and how to create sanitation facilities for households, infrastructure and construction.
Brick By Brick
By building clean, safe and sustainable homes, these organizations aid in creating a better way of life for victims of poverty, helping areas recover from natural disasters and supporting those who feel defenseless and stuck in their situations.
Volunteer travel programs and disaster relief give hope, and volunteers building homes abroad are providing a wonderful global service.
– Rebecca Lee
Photo: Flickr
COGRI: One Organization’s Impact on Children with HIV/AIDS in Kenya
In 2016, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) calculated that there are approximately 120,000 children living with HIV in Kenya. Even more shocking is that around 840,000 children between ages 0-17 were orphaned due to AIDS. Amidst this pandemic, the Children of God Relief Institute (COGRI) provides a glimmer of hope for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Kenya.
About COGRI
COGRI is a nonprofit organization that provides care for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) who are infected with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS; this group also aids the elderly and families impacted by this pandemic.
USAID supports this organization through funding received from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, and helps it deliver quality and impactful HIV care. This organization operates through four different programs based around some of Nairobi’s poorest settlements.
The first program is called Lea Toto and its purpose is to decrease the risk of HIV transmission through the use of home-based care packages and mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS. The Nyumbani Home is where children are given outstanding medical, nutritional and academic care with the hopes of becoming graduates and members of Kenyan society.
The organization’s third program, the Nyumbani Village, is a bio-friendly and self-sustaining community that cares for the young and old who have lost family members as a result of the pandemic. And finally, the Nyumbani Lab was opened in 2011 and is an internationally accredited laboratory working to find effective treatments and diagnostics for people with HIV/AIDS in Kenya.
A Holistic Approach to HIV/AIDS
Part of COGRI’s success is due to its holistic approach to the problem. The OVC receive the most support and care including treatment, counseling and testing, education, nutrition, shelter, child protection, case management, psychosocial support and household economic strengthening. Caregivers and communities receive secondary support as these programs impact children and their future income levels.
Healthcare is a huge focus of this organization. To support these children, COGRI provides access to medical care and supplies antiretroviral drugs. Another important part of treatment and protection includes providing sufficient amounts of food and combating malnutrition.
Evidence shows that higher rates of malnutrition contribute to greater deaths in people with HIV/AIDS in Kenya, and this occurrence has caused food security to become a bigger focus within the organization. They would like to guarantee age-appropriate feeding, infant, young child and elderly nutrition and food security for all clients and patients. Beyond physical health, the organization provides services to help with grief and the challenges presented by HIV.
Glimmers of Hope
The holistic approach combined with hope and advocacy make COGRI an effective organization. According to USAID, staff are passionate about advocating for children’s medical treatment and hope that in the future, no children in Kenya will get HIV in utero or during breastfeeding. Additionally, 73 percent of 377 children receiving HIV treatment at one of COGRI’s facilities achieved viral suppression due to correctly following a treatment regimen. This is relevant as Kenya’s overall viral suppression rate in children is only 65 percent.
USAID tells the story of a young man taken to Lea Toto who at age 12 was in poor health from untreated HIV. He received treatment immediately, and that combined with psychosocial support, helped him become a confident and healthier man. He is now 23 with a certificate in graphic and web design and has his own shoe business.
Examples like these show how COGRI’s holistic and passionate approach to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is changing the lives of children in Kenya and providing hope for a healthy future.
Photo: Flickr
Saudi Arabian Reform Opens Markets
With the recent rise to prominence of the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has committed to a vast economic and social reform plan. The Kingdom’s strategy is in its initial stages, but early signs indicate how the promise of socioeconomic Saudi Arabian reform opens markets for American business.
Saudi Vision 2030
The ambitiously conceived Saudi Vision 2030 is a reform plan for diversifying the Kingdom away from its traditional dependence on oil revenues. The plan’s goals are varied, with objectives ranging from enhancing the competitiveness of non-oil sectors, such as leisure and tourism, to increasing women’s participation in the workforce from 22 to 30 percent.
Although it is in its early stages, the plan has made some progress toward its social liberalization goals, providing an ongoing illustration of how Saudi Arabian reform opens markets. After the Saudi Ministry of Culture ended a 35-year ban on movie theaters late in 2017, the Chinese-owned, American-operated AMC Theaters obtained a license to open 30 movie theaters over the next 5 years as part of a joint operation with the Saudi government.
Film and Tourism
This expansion isn’t limited to AMC: one Saudi official estimates the cinema market to reach $21.3 billion over the next 10 years, and companies such as the U.K.-based Vue International and Imax of Canada plan to open 30 and 20 theaters in the Kingdom in the coming years, respectively.
Beyond theatrical entertainment, the emphasis on promoting tourism in the reform plan is opening up investment opportunities for international hospitality companies and employment opportunities for local women. Marriott International’s managing director for the Middle East and Africa has said that the demand for new hotels in the country has been steady, with the company scheduled to more than double its hotels in Saudi Arabia from 23 to 52 by 2022.
Steps Towards Gender Equality
And an increasingly greater shares of the jobs created in this industry are being filled by women. Saudi women appear to be more amenable to working in the hospitality sector than their male counterparts, the latter tending to seek roles in traditional public or energy sector jobs. In fact, a 2017 working paper by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Research cites researchers’ belief that women will an essential role in the tourism sector.
The social progress made by Saudi Vision 2030 is incremental and should not be overstated. The merits of the highly publicized repeal of a ban on women being granted a driver’s license are countervailed by the country’s continued human rights violations, such as this month’s arrest for dissent of women activists who had fought in previous years to overturn that very ban.
A Decade For Progress
However, as the name of the reform plan suggests, the timeline for Saudi Vision 2030 completion is over a decade.
A final judgment of its success will take time, but incremental progress to date shows how, if implemented, social and economic Saudi Arabian reform opens markets and could enhance opportunity for international businesses. The plan could also liberate opportunities for both male and female residents of the Kingdom in the coming years.
– Mark Fitzpatrick
Photo: Flickr
Life Changers: Keaton Lee and The Shoe That Grows
Sometimes, the simplest invention can change millions of lives. That’s the goal of The Shoe That Grows, a sandal invented by Kenton Lee. These shoes can adjust its size, allowing children in impoverished nations to grow up without having to go barefoot. The shoes, which come in catch-all Small and Large sizes, can grow five sizes and last at least 5 years.
The Power of a Pair of Shoes
According to The Shoe That Grows, “There are over 300 million children who do not have shoes. And countless more with shoes that do not fit.” Children without shoes are susceptible to injuries and parasites that infect humans through our feet. Rachel Garton of Buckner International Shoes for Orphan Souls says, “Just by putting a pair of shoes on a child, we can increase their health by 50 percent.”
From physical improvement to being able to participate in a society, shoes can improve:
Over 1.5 billion people suffer from soil-transmitted diseases worldwide. Most notable in the susceptibility are the impoverished children who simply cannot afford shoes. Without shoes, children are especially vulnerable to soil-transmitted diseases and parasites that can cause illness and even death.
Dangers of Bare Feet
Improper sanitization along with the lack of foot protection can lead to parasitic worms being able to bore itself into a foot in a corkscrew-like manner. Severe illness would then follow after a hookworm infection with anemia being the biggest health concern.
While the hookworm epidemic is no longer a concern in the U.S. today, the need for proper footwear is still critical as a way of reducing the risk of certain parasitic diseases and foot infections in third world countries.
According to the Global Partnership for Education, an estimated 69 million primary-school-age boys and girls are not in school. This is due to a varying range of variables from poverty to disease. These factors however go hand-in-hand when children do not have the financial capabilities to afford proper footwear to protect their feet from life-hindering diseases.
Children who get sick miss school, can’t help their families and ultimately, suffer needlessly. Moreover, many countries require school uniforms which definitely include shoes, and since children’s feet grow so quickly, they often outgrow donated shoes within a year, leaving them once again exposed to illness and disease.
Shoes and Foot Development
Shoes not only help our feet to heal but can also aid in support and stability of our foot. Not all feet are perfect, so properly fitting shoes can help align your feet, ankles, knees, hips and back to correct gait and improve posture. It is important to also note that poorly-fitted shoes can have a negative impact on your foot health, but accounting for the foot length and width can help prevent any foot development disorders.
Additionally, growth spurts in children are rapid so proper and regular foot measurements are important; replacement of worn-out shoes is necessary to maintain optimal foot conditions and protection for your feet.
In addition, without supportive shoes, unnecessary impact and stress on areas of the feet and knees not made for shock absorption/pressure can eventually lead to increased back, knee and foot pain.
Small to Large: Sizes and Impact
Through his innovation of The Shoe That Grows, Kenton Lee has seen how small things have the power to make a big impact. Since its beginning, The Shoe That Grows has distributed over 120,000 pairs in 91 countries.
Through its parent charity organization, Because International, The Shoe That Grows works with nonprofits, churches, individuals and organizations serving kids in need. The business covers the cost of the shoes through donations and fundraisers, and after shoes are then packed and sent to groups before they travel.
Lee now tells his story to audiences who are eager to make a difference at home, work, and in their local and global communities. He not only inspires others through his speeches, but he lives out practical compassion everyday through his full-time work with his nonprofit organization. Lee serves as a model and inspiration for us all.
– Richard Zarrilli, Jr.
Photo: Flickr
Addressing the Barriers to Proper Health Care in Ethiopia
There are many barriers to residents obtaining proper health care in Ethiopia. It is estimated that 76 percent of Ethiopian women live in rural areas and do not have access to health care due to long traveling distances with lack of transportation.
Why Better Health Care in Ethiopia is Necessary
There are 1,949 health stations and 141 health centers in Ethiopia. Many of these facilities do not have a physician present to provide care. Therefore, many people, particularly women, do not want to travel long distances to a facility that may not have a proper physician to provide care. This is especially true for women that must travel alone because of the high rate of rapes and abductions that take place in Ethiopia.
There is a great need for proper health care in Ethiopia when disease is responsible for 74 percent of deaths. The conditions that are most responsible for deaths include malaria, acute respiratory infections, nutritional deficiencies, diarrhea and HIV/AIDS. In 2009, there were 1.7 million cases of malaria reported and 1.1 million cases of HIV/AIDS. Ethiopia is ranked third in all of Africa and eighth in the entire world for the most cases of tuberculosis.
The lack of health care in Ethiopia has resulted in a high rate of infant and maternal deaths. There are an estimated 59 deaths for every 1,000 live births and 88 deaths for every thousand children under the age of five. 34 percent of children are born underweight and 50 percent are stunted due to nutritional deficiencies by the age of five.
Understanding Issues in Ethiopia’s Current System
Ethiopia’s government has been largely focused on battling famine which is why the health care system has suffered. However, in 2012, the government built 13 new medical schools and increased the enrollment in the already established schools. The government has proposed that with the estimate of 85 percent of the rural population not having access to health care in Ethiopia, a large barrier is the lack of physicians available in the public sector.
A study in 2009 that surveyed how many physicians were working in Ethiopia showed that there were 2,152 physicians in the public sector (about one physician for every 42,000 patients). The same survey showed that 73 percent of physicians that graduated from a residency program in Ethiopia either left the public sector to work privately or immigrated overseas for more income. The government has made efforts to increase the number of residency programs to train more doctors and surgeons. However, the increase in students is not enough to support the population.
The deficit of surgeons is even greater than general physicians. Until 1980, all surgeons were trained outside the country and there were roughly three surgeons to every 1,000,000 patients. This improved when the Tikur Anbessa Hospital established the first surgical residency program in 1980 and has since continued to improve.
Since 2005, there have been seven more surgical residency programs added that have incorporated subspecialty training such as neurosurgery, urology, cardiothoracic surgery, plastics and reconstructive surgery. This program accepts only 25 new residents a year and each student will rotate between six different hospitals around the city of Addis Ababa.
How the Government is Battling the Issue
The local government has decided that increasing the number of students and graduates will decrease the physician shortage which is currently the worst barrier of proper health care in Ethiopia, but the increase in student enrollment has compromised the quality of physician training. One factor that contributes to lowering the quality of training is the limitation of resources; there are on average 30 students to one cadaver.
Another damaging factor to the quality of medical training due to the increase of enrollment is the lack of instructors. There are not many incentives in teaching students, therefore recent graduates with little clinical experience are asked to instruct the new students.
There is a desperate need to develop health care in Ethiopia. The lack of attention to the health care system is due to the great efforts to end famine in the country. However, the country’s government is making small efforts to improve citizens’ access to health care in Ethiopia.
– Kristen Hibbett
Photo: Flickr
Lesser-Known Humanitarian Organizations You Should Know About
When thinking about the growing issue of poverty, classic humanitarian organizations come to mind like the Red Cross, UNICEF and Oxfam. However, there are many other deserving and impassioned groups who do not receive the same media time as these large organizations, but who should be noticed for their work and compassion. Here are five lesser-known humanitarian organizations working to reduce global poverty.
Hunger Plus, Inc.
Hunger Plus focuses its efforts on reducing global hunger and deaths caused by it. It is Hunger Plus’ goal to find a way to reduce global poverty by promoting access to a simple, yet very necessary thing: food. The organization also spends time and effort bringing medication to those in need to provide care against preventable and communicable diseases. Hunger Plus focuses its outreach both domestically and internationally and recently aided victims from Hurricane Harvey.
Save the Children
Save the Children is an aptly named organization as it focuses on just that – saving the children and bringing a future to every child born. The group works in 120 countries, providing access to education, food and safety from violence. The majority of donations within the organization go directly to children in need and Save the Children is quick to mobilize their funds. The organization works in times of crisis and in everyday life as a first responder to protecting children in harm’s way. During a crisis, Save the Children ensures children and their families are protected and have the resources necessary to survive the emergency.
Action Against Hunger
While Action Against Hunger works internationally, it is still one of the lesser-known humanitarian organizations. It works to reduce hunger by providing hands-on assistance and by shifting the focus from groups to individuals. Action Against Hunger believes that world hunger can be reduced by focusing efforts on mothers in developing countries. One of its goals is to educate women to accurately diagnose hunger needs and assist in reducing malnutrition. Action Against Hunger has won numerous awards and has been the leading force against hunger for approximately forty years.
Relief International
Relief International is an international organization that works in 19 countries to prevent human suffering. It is one of the lesser known humanitarian organizations and focuses on implementing the RI Way, a method used by the organization to encourage communities to discuss solutions for current situations. The group then assists in implementing the solutions. Its method is to deliver immediate access to basic resources like money, food, water and medication. Relief International also remains until a long-term solution has been established as a success. The aim is community-based, so individuals within the community are thinking of the best solutions for their group instead of accepting existing solutions that may not work.
Doctors Without Borders
Doctors Without Borders is a volunteer-based humanitarian organization that focuses on delivering medical care where necessary around the world. While it is a large organization, Doctors Without Borders is one of the lesser-known humanitarian organizations because it rarely uses the media as a means of promoting itself. The organization does not receive funding from the U.S. government in an effort to remain impartial and independent in times of crisis. Doctors Without Borders treats many medical issues from stitching up a cut to providing emergency services to treat HIV/AIDS, malaria, meningitis and more. The group also teaches medical education to ensure safety standards are maintained when it leaves.
There are many lesser-known humanitarian organizations outside the media’s influence that are worthy of donations and assistance. More widespread focus on certain issues and attacking the same problem from different angles may just be the way to reduce global poverty.
– Kayleigh Mattoon
Photo: Flickr
Women’s Empowerment in India: The Fight for Gender Equality
We live in a world of gender inequality. Every country experiences it, and India is no exception. India is a country dominated by men, where women have significantly less opportunities; as a result of this disparity, Global Vision International created a campaign called the Women’s Empowerment Project to work with disadvantaged women to close the gender inequality gap.
By supporting these women gain access to employment, education and health care, GVI hopes to eliminate women’s oppression in a country so focused on men.
Women in India
In India, women are born into a society that is designed to have less opportunity for women. Although this population faces many challenges, there have been numerous changes to their situation over the past few decades. While the country has grown in aspects, there are certain areas where women are still lacking support. One of these is education.
Education in India
Around 82 percent of adult men in India are educated, and only 65 percent of women are known to be literate. This creates even more gender inequality — if a woman is married, and hasn’t had the opportunity to access any sort of education, she must rely on her husband. This doesn’t leave very much room for independence. Thankfully, there are a few organizations fighting for women’s empowerment in India.
Progress for Women
Along with Global Vision International’s Women’s Empowerment Project, The United Nations Development Program has created eight Millennium Development Goals, the third of which is directly related to women’s empowerment in India. The goal is to eliminate gender inequality in education on both the primary and secondary levels.
The government of India has made many changes over the past several decades. Since 1956, many laws have been passed that provide women with increased opportunities and independence. India recognizes that when women are empowered, the whole of society benefits. Some recent government acts include the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act of 2005, and the Hindu Succession Amendment, ensuring that women get an equal share in ancestral property.
Women’s empowerment in India has come a long way, with the support of many organizations, and the passing of laws that protect women. Women’s empowerment starts with eradicating poverty at the core, protecting women from violence and domestic abuse, and providing adequate education and job opportunities.
Organizational Support
Working alongside of the aforementioned organizations is a department of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, called The Ministry for Women and Child Development. This department was established specifically to formulate plans and provide health and safety for the women of India.
With so many organizations fighting for gender equality and women’s empowerment in India, the country has grown leaps and bounds from its former ways. Women are no longer oppressed and forced to live in the shadow of the men around them as often. Women are now able to work where they want, access higher education and thrive in their independence.
For a country that has given men opportunities for so long, India is now making long overdue strides towards eliminating gender inequality. A cohesive society starts with providing the same opportunities to everyone regardless of gender, and India is showing that change is possible.
– Allisa Rumreich
Photo: Flickr
Sustainable Economic Growth in India in the Face of Climate Change
Hotter temperatures, more frequent monsoons, droughts and climate refugees: these are all predicted to occur in the years to come in India because of climate change. Luckily, it remains possible for sustainable economic growth in India to occur.
India and Climate Change
India has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. In many ways, however, it is unsustainable and promotes the use of fossil fuels. The research that the Binzagr Institute on Sustainable Prosperity carries out is trying to change this model, and promotes sustainable economic growth which could help local communities in India grow and thrive! Their motto — People, Planet and Prosperity — aims to expand the world to think about more than the bottom line and GDP.
Check out the list below to see three ways that economic growth in India can happen while saving the planet:
Hopeful Solutions
As we can see, while there are a lot of problems facing this world, there are solutions developing that can rectify the situation of poverty in India and hopefully prevent the disastrous effects of climate change that could have dire consequences for India’s impoverished. Sustainable economic growth in India can be promoted through the implementation of these strategies.
– Jilly Fox
Photo: Flickr
Women’s Achievements Through Education in Israel
As Israel has become a center for innovation, the nation has attracted investors and entrepreneurs from across the globe. In fact, new technology in computer science and cyber security entices nearly 15 percent of the world’s venture-capital in the industry. While the standard of living in Israel ranks around 19th in the world, over one-fifth of its population lives in poverty.
Education Combats Poverty
One of the ways in which the country combats poverty is through access to education in Israel. Israeli culture and history emphasizes the importance of education and employment in traditionally white collar jobs. Israel’s education system is three-tiered, schooling children from age 5 to 18.
The OECD’s report on education recognizes Israel as one of the most educated countries in the world; almost half of the countries 25 to 34 years old held bachelor’s degrees. While there is high participation in higher education, there are major gender inequalities.
Gender Inequality in Israel
UNICEF’s data indicates that girls fare better in primary and secondary schools with rates slightly higher than their male counterparts.While access to education in the state-run school system is generally equal, the outcomes of this system are not. Education in Israel succeeds in educating its population through 18, but does not always provide ample employment opportunity for its women.
Women in Israel are enrolling in higher education, making up about 57 percent of incoming students. They are outperforming their male peers but are less likely to find work upon graduation.
Women are also paid around 30 percent less than their male counterparts, which is higher than the OECD average of 26 percent. Despite a well-educated population, over 20 percent of Israel’s population lives below the poverty line; the connection between gendered wage disparities and poverty is curious. Arab women and haredi men tend to see the highest rates of unemployment. Engaging women in the workforce and building on the classroom education experience could benefit the economy and quality of life for families in Israel.
Women in the Workforce
Women participating in the workforce, although earning less than men, also work fewer hours. The primary reason for the large portion of women working part-time is child care — only half of women with higher education and children aged 0 to 4 worked, while their husbands, with similar education levels, were employed at a rate of 84 percent.
The cost and responsibility of childcare rests primarily on women’s shoulders, preventing women from adding to the family income and also creating a ripple effect in delaying a woman’s professional development and the timeline for her career. That being said, Israel does have policies to protect women in the workforce before, during and after their pregnancy. With 6 months maternal leave, about 3 months paid, these policies provide incentives for women to remain in the workforce during childbearing years.
Keeping Israel’s Future Bright
While the future of Israel looks bright, low participation in the workforce remains a daunting problem hindering economic development and poverty reduction. By continuing to explore ways to strengthen the system of education in Israel, the state can improve on one of its best assets — its people.
An asset-based community development plan can help firms benefit from improved labor participation, and benefit families living below or near the poverty line. All in all, creating opportunities for women and using their education in Israel can lead to reduced poverty and a more robust economy.
– M. Shea Lamanna
Photo: Flickr