July 30 is recognized as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Globally, an estimated 27 million people are victims of trafficking. While exact figures vary, reports show that trafficking rates in Latin America (44%) are higher than in regions like Asia and Europe.
Trafficking takes many forms, including forced labor, forced marriage, sexual exploitation and child exploitation. No region in the world is immune to trafficking. However, Mexico and other parts of Latin America face increasingly high and rising rates.
In response to this growing crisis, international collaboration is gaining momentum. Project Turquesa, a joint initiative by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and INTERPOL, brings together 16 countries to coordinate prosecuting human traffickers. New investigations are continuously launched until the projects end in September 2025. This combined effort has led to more than 200 criminal arrests, spanning dozens of countries and continents.
Alongside Turquesa, other key organizations are dedicating themselves to ending this inhumane crisis. Notably, six of the leading forces in the fight against trafficking are women-led. Here’s who they are:
CATW-Latin America and the Caribbean
Regional Director, Teresa Ulloa Ziáurriz, leads the Latin America and the Caribbean branch of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) organization, focusing on raising awareness and advocating for victims of trafficking. Besides her leading efforts at CATW-LAC, she is Mexico’s first female lawyer to defend women’s rights in court.
CATW-LAC not only focuses on advocacy but also on supporting surviving victims. This promotes expert leadership as victims who share their stories encourage awareness. In 2024, a survivors’ network addressed the Organization of American States General Assembly. This attendance advocates for perpetrator accountability.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Ghada Waly serves as the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna and as the Executive Director of UNODC. Since taking office, projects and reports represent a steady increase in awareness of trafficking in Latin America. Programs such as GLO.Act Women’s Network, MENTHOR, TRACK4TIP, STARSOM and others have been led by the UNODC.
The UNODC not only leads its projects but also collaborates with other organizations that share the goal of ending human trafficking. In 2024, the International Academy on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling was launched as a joint effort between the University for Peace, INTERPOL and other partners. Following its success, plans are underway to expand the academy.
The Marcela Loaiza Foundation
Founded by Marcela Loaiza, this powerful foundation supports trafficking survivors and offers them a platform to share their stories. Established in 2011, the Marcela Loaiza Foundation is a philanthropic organization that has partnered with UNODC and other key leaders in the fight against human trafficking.
“I am a survivor who is passionate about making significant changes to provide services to ALL people who have been hurt by this modern-day slavery now called trafficking in persons,” stated Loaiza. The organization spreads awareness and allows law enforcement to study the tactics and ploys traffickers use. One notable project, Breaking the Silence, was led by Loaiza’s foundation to unite international forces and survivors on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
Covenant House International
Carolyn Barker-Villena is Senior Vice President of Covenant House International’s Latin America division. The organization has a broad mission, supporting victims of human trafficking and other inhumane conditions. According to its 2024 impact report, Covenant House programs assisted more than 50,000 youth worldwide.
In Latin America, human trafficking data reveal that one in every two individuals at Covenant House has experienced trafficking. The organization offers long-term support through a strategic three-step model focused on prevention, intervention and restoration.
Together Women Rise
Co-founders Barbara Collins and Marsha Wallace launched this global movement to create an equal platform for women affected by injustice. Together Women Rise has contributed millions of dollars to support more than five million women worldwide for more than two decades. The organization provides active grants and strategic support to combat violence against women.
Through its Transformation Partnerships, Together Women Rise connects sister and brother organizations to address issues ranging from human trafficking in Latin America to economic equality in Asia. Some partnerships receive between $35,000 and $100,000 annually. One example is The Fuller Project, a newsroom reporting on gender inequality. Together Women Rise offers flexible funding focused on intervention strategies and driving systemic change.
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Amy Pope is the first female Director-General of IOM. For more than 70 years, IOM has focused on those who are in vulnerable, inhumane crises. As a leading organization in counter-trafficking, it has impacted more than 100,000 victims worldwide.
Regional Director María Moita leads IOM’s Latin America and the Caribbean office, where targeted counter-trafficking strategies are actively implemented. IOM collaborates with key regional partners, including the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), to strengthen prevention efforts and respond to trafficking operations. These joint initiatives continue to grow, leading to multiple plans and programs that contribute to the ongoing decline in trafficking across Latin America.
– Emma Rowan
Emma is based in Boston, MA, USA and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project..
Photo: Unsplash
The Gavi Board’s New Plan for Improving Global Health
The Impact of Gavi
In the last 25 years, Gavi has reduced child mortality by half. This has been made possible by providing children with access to life-saving vaccines, which is especially important for underserved countries. For instance, regions in West Africa still experience deadly outbreaks of diseases like meningitis, a disease which is extremely rare in the U.S. Developing nations are unable to afford the same vaccination access as countries like the U.S. or the U.K. Gavi aims to help finance this and allow children to be saved from preventable diseases.
Gavi has also helped many countries become financially independent. Nineteen countries that Gavi once supported have now become faithful donors. Not only has the organization provided vaccines for millions, but it has also helped whole countries escape poverty.
The Trump Administration’s Foreign Aid Review
Historically, the U.S. government has been one of Gavi’s largest donors, making up 13% of its total funding. However, this has all changed after the Trump administration’s foreign aid review earlier this year. The administration has announced that its Fiscal Year 2026 budget will not provide funding for Gavi.
Gavi has provided catastrophic estimates that outline what the lack of U.S. funding could mean for the world. Its statistics show that more than 1.2 million children will lose their lives because they will not have access to vaccinations. This is because the help that Gavi provides is only made possible through the support of other countries and organizations. These changes in funding are what inspired the Gavi Board’s new plan for improving global health.
Support From the UK
Like the U.S., the U.K. has been a long supporter of Gavi. However, while the U.S. is withdrawing its support, the U.K. is pledging more than $1.5 billion to Gavi. This will provide vaccination access to millions of children over the next five years.
The U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy was quoted as saying: “Our ongoing partnership with Gavi will give millions of children a better start, save lives and protect us all from the spread of deadly diseases.” This pledge will also have a positive impact on the U.K. Working with health organizations across the globe provides jobs for thousands of people within the U.K.
Additionally, by funding Gavi, there is better security for U.K. citizens. Funding research and vaccine development reduces the likelihood of deadly diseases reaching the U.K. This guarantees less stress on U.K. health workers and hospitals.
The Future of Gavi (2026-2030)
The Gavi Board’s new plan for improving global health has factored in its limited financial resources. Due to the Trump administration, as well as other donors who have withdrawn their support, Gavi is now operating with $3 billion less than it anticipated for the next five-year period. As a result of these budget cuts, Gavi will be giving less support to immunization programs. Yet, the organization is continuing to ask for more funding from potential donors, so hopefully, this can change in the future.
Despite the financial challenges Gavi is currently facing, the board has announced the creation of a Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) maternal vaccine program. The details of this program aren’t yet released. However, the organization has stated that it will work to eradicate one of the key causes of pneumonia in children aged less than 5. The board is also now starting its funding for the development of an Mpox emergency vaccine stockpile.
In the case of an emergency outbreak, vaccines would be provided quickly to the areas affected. This is an essential step in working to end the current Mpox epidemic in Africa. Gavi is now working to provide children across the globe with access to vaccines through its first health system strategy. This strategy will create unique programs for a variety of countries with a simpler funding process. Primary health care will be a large focus of this operation.
New funding policies have been implemented as part of the Gavi Board’s latest plan for improving global health. The board has requested that countries participating in its vaccination programs make greater financial contributions. Additionally, an amended Health Systems and Immunization Strengthening (HSIS) policy will be introduced in 2026. This policy will help countries finance their vaccine programs effectively.
Conclusion
Overall, the Gavi Board’s new plan for improving global health overcomes the obstacles the Trump administration has put in place. Gavi is still managing to introduce lifesaving programs despite its limited resources. The organization is also hopeful that if other donors decide to re-commit to being sponsors, it will achieve even greater success in protecting the globe against deadly diseases.
– Katie Gray
Photo: Flickr
Bidipads: Menstrual Products in Uganda Refugee Settlement
Refugee Settlements in Uganda
Uganda is home to the largest number of refugees within East Africa, serving as a place for safe settlement for more than 1.2 million asylum seekers. The country of origin for many of these refugees is South Sudan or the Democratic Republic of Congo, both of which have faced instances of extreme instability in recent years.
Established in 2016. Bidibi is a settlement within the Yumbe district to address the influx of South Sudanese refugees. In less than a year, this settlement became home to a quarter million refugees, reaching its maximum capacity and making it one of the largest refugee settlements in the world.
Bidipads
Within Bidibi, several groups have come together to establish an initiative to improve menstrual hygiene within the community. The initiative does this by employing women within the settlement to manufacture hygiene products ranging from reusable pads to soap. The bidipads project is formatted in a cooperative structure with 30 women from the settlement and 30 women from the host community participating at a time, according to the Global Compact on Refugees.
This employment opportunity allows for increased economic empowerment for the participating women, something desperately needed after the relocation that these refugees have faced. As one of the women in the cooperative remarked, “I am very happy to be part of the training. The skills I have acquired here will improve my life and ensure that I am always self-employed. For me, this is my biggest joy because as a refugee, we are always dependent, and I am tired of this dependency,” Global Compact on Refugees reports.
Community Education
Along with the production of menstrual and hygiene products, this initiative also seeks to educate and reduce stigma around menstruation within the refugee community. It seeks to do this in both home and school environments, hoping to encourage a change in perspective around menstruation on a large scale. When developing this initiative, members of the cooperative hosted a workshop to brainstorm how physical products can contribute to stigma reduction in the community. Considerations around religious and cultural backgrounds are part of the design of the products, including color and cleaning instructions. In doing this, the initiative takes a necessary hygiene product and transforms it into a tool for women and girls that is free from awkwardness and shame.
The Future
Working within the Bidibi community, organizations like HEKS/EPER and YUGNET have come together to help the refugee women of Uganda on several fronts. Through the Bidipads initiative, women receive employment and empowerment within their wage-earning status, while receiving necessary hygiene products and educational programming to address cultural stigmas around menstruation.
– Gwyneth Connor
Photo: Flickr
Women-Led Groups Fighting To End Trafficking in Latin America
Trafficking takes many forms, including forced labor, forced marriage, sexual exploitation and child exploitation. No region in the world is immune to trafficking. However, Mexico and other parts of Latin America face increasingly high and rising rates.
In response to this growing crisis, international collaboration is gaining momentum. Project Turquesa, a joint initiative by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and INTERPOL, brings together 16 countries to coordinate prosecuting human traffickers. New investigations are continuously launched until the projects end in September 2025. This combined effort has led to more than 200 criminal arrests, spanning dozens of countries and continents.
Alongside Turquesa, other key organizations are dedicating themselves to ending this inhumane crisis. Notably, six of the leading forces in the fight against trafficking are women-led. Here’s who they are:
CATW-Latin America and the Caribbean
Regional Director, Teresa Ulloa Ziáurriz, leads the Latin America and the Caribbean branch of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) organization, focusing on raising awareness and advocating for victims of trafficking. Besides her leading efforts at CATW-LAC, she is Mexico’s first female lawyer to defend women’s rights in court.
CATW-LAC not only focuses on advocacy but also on supporting surviving victims. This promotes expert leadership as victims who share their stories encourage awareness. In 2024, a survivors’ network addressed the Organization of American States General Assembly. This attendance advocates for perpetrator accountability.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Ghada Waly serves as the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna and as the Executive Director of UNODC. Since taking office, projects and reports represent a steady increase in awareness of trafficking in Latin America. Programs such as GLO.Act Women’s Network, MENTHOR, TRACK4TIP, STARSOM and others have been led by the UNODC.
The UNODC not only leads its projects but also collaborates with other organizations that share the goal of ending human trafficking. In 2024, the International Academy on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling was launched as a joint effort between the University for Peace, INTERPOL and other partners. Following its success, plans are underway to expand the academy.
The Marcela Loaiza Foundation
Founded by Marcela Loaiza, this powerful foundation supports trafficking survivors and offers them a platform to share their stories. Established in 2011, the Marcela Loaiza Foundation is a philanthropic organization that has partnered with UNODC and other key leaders in the fight against human trafficking.
“I am a survivor who is passionate about making significant changes to provide services to ALL people who have been hurt by this modern-day slavery now called trafficking in persons,” stated Loaiza. The organization spreads awareness and allows law enforcement to study the tactics and ploys traffickers use. One notable project, Breaking the Silence, was led by Loaiza’s foundation to unite international forces and survivors on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
Covenant House International
Carolyn Barker-Villena is Senior Vice President of Covenant House International’s Latin America division. The organization has a broad mission, supporting victims of human trafficking and other inhumane conditions. According to its 2024 impact report, Covenant House programs assisted more than 50,000 youth worldwide.
In Latin America, human trafficking data reveal that one in every two individuals at Covenant House has experienced trafficking. The organization offers long-term support through a strategic three-step model focused on prevention, intervention and restoration.
Together Women Rise
Co-founders Barbara Collins and Marsha Wallace launched this global movement to create an equal platform for women affected by injustice. Together Women Rise has contributed millions of dollars to support more than five million women worldwide for more than two decades. The organization provides active grants and strategic support to combat violence against women.
Through its Transformation Partnerships, Together Women Rise connects sister and brother organizations to address issues ranging from human trafficking in Latin America to economic equality in Asia. Some partnerships receive between $35,000 and $100,000 annually. One example is The Fuller Project, a newsroom reporting on gender inequality. Together Women Rise offers flexible funding focused on intervention strategies and driving systemic change.
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Amy Pope is the first female Director-General of IOM. For more than 70 years, IOM has focused on those who are in vulnerable, inhumane crises. As a leading organization in counter-trafficking, it has impacted more than 100,000 victims worldwide.
Regional Director María Moita leads IOM’s Latin America and the Caribbean office, where targeted counter-trafficking strategies are actively implemented. IOM collaborates with key regional partners, including the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), to strengthen prevention efforts and respond to trafficking operations. These joint initiatives continue to grow, leading to multiple plans and programs that contribute to the ongoing decline in trafficking across Latin America.
– Emma Rowan
Photo: Unsplash
Fighting Climate-Driven Poverty in Mexico
Nonetheless, significant progress still needs to be made, especially in rural areas, where more than 40% of the population lives in poverty. For many of these communities, the economy is based on agriculture. In recent years, this source of income has been increasingly unstable as climate emergencies disrupt weather patterns.
Shifting Weather Patterns
In Mexico’s Yucatán state, the rainy season once began “roughly the same week every year… like clockwork,” said Dr. Ken Seligson, an anthropology professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills and an archaeologist based in Yucatán, in an interview with The Borgen Project.
With shifting weather patterns, the rainy season is much more unpredictable, affecting the livelihoods of subsistence farmers who need to optimize their schedules for planting crops. When their farms have lower yields, they are forced to pick up extra jobs, not to supplement their incomes, but to be able to put food on the table.
Climate-driven poverty in Mexico uproots routine. According to Seligson, this instability sparks desperation, forcing Mexican farmers with no choice but their last resort: “leaving their homes, going to the larger cities and seeking employment in the service industry.”
Low Water Supply
Seligson excavated an archaeological site in the hilly Puuc region in Yucatan, where groundwater only exists hundreds of feet below ground. Thus, families in Puuc address the destructive effects of the changing climate on their lives by utilizing traditional Mayan methods like harvesting rainwater in cisterns.
Even when long-awaited rain finally arrives, it’s often still not enough. In Mexico City, 2025 has seen one of the rainiest Junes in recent history. Yet the water supply remains low, severely affecting the most underserved communities and forcing the general population to conserve before taps run dry.
The infrastructure, such as pipes, is heavily damaged and leaking, preventing the supply of precious water to those who need it. Plus, the effects of sudden precipitation can be more destructive than beneficial for farmers as land now unaccustomed to rain suddenly experiences a dramatic downpour.
Organizations Staving Off Disaster in Mexico
Global nonprofit CADENA works to fight the effects of climate-driven poverty in Mexico, particularly among people in Chiapas. The organization provides humanitarian aid, but beyond that, it proactively engages with communities to train Mexicans to respond to coming disasters.
Some of CADENA’s key accomplishments:
Founded in 2007, the nonprofit Cantaro Azul ensures access to safe drinking water and sanitation in rural Mexico. In addition to its core mission, the organization has responded to several national crises, including:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cantaro Azul launched a public awareness campaign and distributed hand sanitizer to vulnerable communities. The nonprofit also installed dozens of public handwashing stations, known as Safe Water Systems, which used UV Pitcher technology to purify water on-site and promote hygiene in areas with limited infrastructure.
In the wake of Hurricane Otis and Hurricane John, UNESCO supported Mexico’s coastal communities by using its Heritage Emergency Fund to restore cultural and educational institutions. It restaffed the San Diego Fort Historical Museum, a public space for learning and celebrating local culture. By doing so, people affected by disasters can become more resilient despite the struggles they have overcome. UNESCO’s workshops also tackled sexual abuse, migrant inclusion and recovering from grief.
Final Remarks
Besides its detrimental impacts on the planet, changing climatic conditions ultimately drive human problems, especially poverty. Climate-driven poverty in Mexico only exacerbates the instability of employment opportunities while also causing water scarcity and along with that, many other issues. Climate resilience looks a little different for every community. However, each nation unites in the global fight to protect the environment and, most importantly, its people.
– Klara Jones
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Women-Led Solutions to Period Poverty in Uganda
Girls for School Pads by Global Girls Glow
Founded by Kashish at just 18 years old, Girls for School Pads focuses on changing the way communities perceive periods. Safe spaces are being created for girls to ask questions about their bodies and, in turn, understand how to effectively manage their health and well-being. Alongside providing affordable and reusable sanitary products, educational workshops and community dialogues are created to inform people about menstruation. The proceeds made from these events go directly to funding scholarships for girls’ education. Since its startup in 2018, Girls for School Pads has impacted 500 women and girls and 60 girls within three Ugandan cities are pursuing their education through the scholarship programme.
She for She Pads
She for She Pads is a social enterprise that produces and provides sanitary products for schoolgirls and women in the labor market. The production of sanitary products creates jobs for vulnerable women, ensuring safe working conditions, training and income. Recently, the organization provided 800 pads to orphans in Uganda, addressing period poverty by helping girls remain in school and women stay in the workforce. This women-led solution helps break the cycle of period poverty and empowers girls and women to take control of their lives. Furthermore, through job security, stable income and access to education, they are able to reach their full potential.
Mulatsi Church of Uganda
Mulatsi Church partnered with Compassion Church after the approval of funding for menstrual hygiene interventions. Educating communities about the importance of menstrual hygiene and teaching how to make reusable products became their immediate call to action. Women and men, including parents, local leaders, children and students from three local schools, completed training. Afterward, they were asked to train others, allowing the movement to grow quickly and spread awareness. Through this effort, “48 churches are educating 4,800 adolescent girls and boys.” This women-led initiative also helped challenge men’s attitudes toward menstruation and feminine hygiene, leading many to become active participants in the fight to end period poverty.
Going Forward
All three women-led initiatives play vital roles in reducing period poverty in Uganda. Community support drives these projects, helping break the cycle and empower women from a young age through adulthood. Furthermore, increased awareness and safe spaces allow women and men to dismantle the stigma around menstruation. More girls and women can access sanitary products, remain in education and the workforce and care for their bodies in a safe, informed and hygienic way.
– Jule Riemenschneider
Photo: Flickr
How Economic Growth in Albania Is Reducing Poverty
Economic Growth in Albania
In 2024, Albania’s economy grew by 3.3%, bolstered by private consumption, tourism and construction. Projections by the World Bank estimate a slight uptick in 2025, with growth expected to reach 3.4%. Inflation has eased significantly and employment has risen, particularly in the private sector, where wages have increased by an average of 12.7% across all industries. As a result, poverty rates are declining steadily, falling by 1.7 percentage points in 2024 alone. This economic growth in Albania is part of a broader regional trend, as Western Balkan economies benefit from increased domestic consumption and improved EU market access. Structural reforms have also played a crucial role, including efforts to enhance regional connectivity and diversify exports.
Addressing the Roots of Poverty
While Albania’s economic trajectory is positive, challenges remain. Rural communities continue to face disproportionately high poverty levels. A 2025 study by the Agricultural University of Tirana emphasizes the need to increase agricultural productivity and address the urban-rural divide through targeted policy reforms. Government initiatives have since focused on macroeconomic restructuring and prioritizing growth sectors like tourism, digitization and agriculture. In particular, improving food security through updated calorie-based consumption baskets and enhancing data collection methodologies has refined poverty measurement and intervention planning.
EU Integration and Long-Term Vision
Albania’s recent progress is also tied to its EU accession efforts. Since opening formal negotiations in late 2024, the government has launched policy overhauls across public procurement, financial management and human capital development. The World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework for Albania (2023–2027) underscores three core goals: creating more and better jobs, strengthening human capital and enhancing resilience to economic shocks. As part of this strategy, Albania signed new development loans and grants totaling more than $600 million, including $80 million for GovTech reforms in April 2025.
Solutions in Action
One critical component of Albania’s poverty reduction strategy is agricultural development. Since rural areas exhibit higher poverty levels, boosting agricultural productivity has direct poverty-alleviation effects. National programs now prioritize training for rural farmers, infrastructure investment and access to regional markets. One of the most visible examples of economic growth reducing poverty in Albania is the World Bank-supported Regional and Local Roads Connectivity Project, which is helping rural communities regain access to essential services and markets.
In the small village of Darëzezë e Re, farmers once spent hours waiting to cross a collapsed bridge. Road rehabilitation and bridge construction have cut travel times dramatically, boosting both safety and productivity.
Additionally, the World Bank emphasizes managing migration effectively as a development tool. Nearly one in four people from the Western Balkans lives abroad. According to the World Bank, migration, when harnessed correctly, can reduce poverty by increasing remittances, encouraging skill development and fostering “brain gain” through returning migrants. Policy recommendations include creating mobility training programs, bilateral social security agreements and diaspora investment channels.
Looking Ahead
While Albania’s economic growth faces risks — such as global trade tensions and domestic fiscal pressures — the current trajectory remains positive. Structural reforms, combined with continued EU integration and targeted poverty reduction policies, are improving lives across the country. With sustained effort, economic growth in Albania is on track to significantly reduce poverty and achieve long-term equitable development. Albania’s progress shows how targeted economic aid can reduce poverty and build sustainable futures.
– Robert Darke
Photo: Flickr
SDG 3 in Brazil: Advancing Health and Well-Being
SDG 3 includes targets to reduce maternal mortality, combat infectious diseases, improve mental health and ensure universal health coverage. Brazil has made significant progress in some areas, although gaps remain. The country is advancing this goal through a combination of public policy, innovation and grassroots action.
According to the Sustainable Development Report, Brazil is making steady progress on SDG 3 in Brazil, particularly in reducing child mortality and expanding access to primary health care. However, ongoing challenges in infrastructure and staffing call for targeted investment and coordination. Here are five ways Brazil is working to enhance the health and well-being of its people.
1. Expanding Universal Health Coverage
Brazil created the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) in 1988, declaring health a right for all citizens. SUS now provides free and universal health care to more than 200 million Brazilians, including vaccines, preventive care, childbirth support and HIV/AIDS treatment.
Despite challenges, Brazil continues to strengthen SUS through mobile health units, telemedicine and community outreach. These efforts, in particular, benefit rural and underserved populations in the Amazon and Northeast. SUS is a cornerstone of progress toward SDG 3 in Brazil, as it reduces inequality and ensures that all Brazilians—regardless of income or location—can access essential care.
2. CONASS and the Oral Health Care Network
Oral health inequality remains a serious issue in Brazil, particularly among low-income populations. Many families cannot afford dental services, and untreated oral diseases disproportionately affect people experiencing poverty. In response, the National Council of Health Secretaries (CONASS) and Conasems created the Oral Health Care Network (RASB) in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
This initiative aims to make comprehensive and preventive dental care accessible through the SUS network. The federal government increased investment in oral health programs from R$1 billion to R$4.5 billion, a fourfold rise. This funding supports public dental clinics, mobile services and training for oral health teams. By addressing an often-overlooked dimension of public health, this initiative helps Brazil advance SDG 3 in Brazil more equitably.
3. Addressing Doctor Shortages in Remote Areas
Remote regions of Brazil face a chronic shortage of doctors. In 2023, the government relaunched the Mais Médicos (More Doctors Program) to place trained physicians in underserved areas.
The program now includes incentives for long-term placements, expanded residency opportunities and support for Brazilian medical graduates. Its goal is to reduce turnover and strengthen primary health care delivery where it is most needed. Brazil advances SDG 3 by implementing strategies that enhance continuity of care and guarantee equitable access to health services across all regions.
4. Community-Led Health Outreach in the Amazon
Since 1987, Projeto Saúde e Alegria (PSA) has been working in the Amazon region to deliver health services to remote Indigenous and riverine communities. These groups often lack access to public clinics and face threats from illegal mining and environmental degradation.
PSA operates mobile clinics, provides clean water solutions, and trains community health agents. In response to mercury contamination from mining and the COVID-19 pandemic, PSA expanded its water and hygiene programs. Serving more than 30 villages, PSA shows how grassroots, community-led models can close health gaps and contribute directly to SDG 3 in Brazil.
5. Brazil’s Role in Global Health Policy
In 2024, Brazil hosted the G20 Health Working Group in Salvador, highlighting the need for sustainable financing in primary health care (PHC). To advance SDG 3 in Brazil, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) co-hosted the event, bringing together global leaders to discuss sustainable health financing.
At the summit, Brazil helped launch the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas, a regional initiative to boost PHC investment and resilience. Brazil’s leadership showcased its commitment to building equitable health systems, both domestically and across Latin America. This international engagement reflects Brazil’s growing role as a health leader and its long-term investment in achieving SDG 3 in Brazil.
Progress and Outlook
Through programs such as SUS, Mais Médicos and PSA, Brazil has made significant strides toward achieving universal health coverage, particularly in marginalized regions. Oral health investments and regional partnerships further illustrate its multifaceted strategy to achieve SDG 3 in Brazil. According to recent SDG dashboards, Brazil is showing steady progress in reducing maternal and child mortality and expanding primary health care.
Challenges remain—particularly in infrastructure, staffing and rural care access—but Brazil’s combination of national policy and local innovation is producing measurable impact. Continued investment and coordination will be crucial to sustain progress and enhance the well-being of all Brazilians by 2030.
– Isaac Nelson
Photo: Unsplash
Mobile Banking: How Internet Access is Reducing Nigerian Poverty
Poverty in Nigeria
Based on data from the World Bank, poverty significantly impacts Nigeria. The 2025 research shows nearly one-third of Nigerians live on less than $2.15 per day. Inequality in poverty is also drastically exacerbated by region. Research from 2018/19 found that 46.5% of residents within Nigeria’s northern provinces experienced poverty compared with 13.5% of those in Nigeria’s south.
Efforts to reduce extreme poverty have slowed since before the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Lack of national economic policy transformation has only exacerbated the Nigerian struggle of increasing employment opportunities. This has left the majority of living conditions suboptimal. Though Nigeria’s government has made macroeconomic changes to stimulate the economy, income has remained unable to keep up with sustained inflation, the World Bank reports.
Growth in Technology
As modernization brings technological access around the globe, nations experiencing substantial poverty bear the benefits. Smartphone technology has brought both global connectivity and the availability for benefiting from applications which require the internet. The 2018 Pew Research data found that 32% of Nigerians own a smartphone. Though figures show that smartphone ownership is broadly stratified by income, Nigeria has notably high low-income ownership compared to other sub-Saharan nations.
In 2018, 93% of high-income Nigerians owned smartphones, alongside 74% of low-income Nigerians. With ownership rates soaring overall, a 2020 GSMA and the World Bank study named Nigeria as “the largest mobile market and economy in Africa.”
Reducing Nigerian Poverty
Other global research studies have found a link between internet access, mobile banking, and reductions to national poverty rates. The 2020 GSMA and World Bank study focused on monitoring the effects of internet access on Nigerian poverty. In addition to the study’s assertion of Nigeria as one of Africa’s mobile giants, researchers found that after two years of broadband internet access, 2.5 million Nigerians had escaped extreme poverty. Additionally, the study noted how Nigerian households in rural areas benefited more substantially than those in urban communities.
The benefit of internet access experienced by impoverished Nigerians in rural communities is one reflected in a 2023 national survey. Conducted by the Department of Finance and Banking at the Rivers State University in Nigeria, scholars cited how rural communities often lack local banking branches. 2018 data from the World Bank noted that Nigeria has only 4.3 banks per 100,000 people. With access to the internet for these rural communities, mobile banking allows the ease of financial literacy without the necessity of extensive travel.
The study notes statistical evidence that mere knowledge around savings, payments, and credit positively impacts the poor and the success of new businesses. The researchers concluded that digital payment platforms provide substantial poverty alleviation for Nigerians in the Rivers State with implications for the nation at large.
Companies/Governmental Initiatives
In light of these findings that internet access is reducing Nigerian poverty, the national government has recently sought to expand broadband across the country. As Nigeria’s economy continues to stagnate, government officials see the availability of broadband as a possible solution for future economic growth.
The Broadband Strategic Plan 2020-2025 focuses on providing free nationwide areas where Nigerians can access the internet free of charge. Though the government has designated 75 public places itself (like airports, universities, marketplaces), Nigeria’s seven state governments have instituted their own initiatives for free Wifi. The Edo State government, for example, launched its “Free Wifi Initiative” in June 2023. The initiative provides free 24-hour internet coverage in both governmental and recreational areas, according to ICT Works.
Mobile Money on the Rise
As Nigeria continues to promote free internet access for its citizens, access and usage of mobile banking have only increased. In addition to governmental Wifi initiatives, institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria have planned to highlight their mobile framework.
In its 2024 Report on Mobile Money, the GSMA cited how in 2022 alone, Nigeria saw exponential growth in the usage of online banking services. As evidence proves that internet access is reducing Nigerian poverty, the continuance of government broadband initiatives and financial education programs could continue to be instrumental in this national eradication of hardship.
– Piper Aweeka
Photo: Flickr
Eradicating Poverty Through Higher Education in Indonesia
Challenges in Indonesian Higher Education
Higher education in Indonesia is a large and complex system made up of thousands of institutions, including public and private universities, community colleges, polytechnics and more, offering a wide range of programs. However, as a means for impactful economic change, its higher education system faces considerable challenges. Regional access inequities limit many in Indonesia’s large population to few options for a post-secondary education, as most institutes concentrate in the country’s most populous area, such as Java. For example, Jakarta’s 12% enrollment ratio eclipses 11% in smaller populations like Bangka Belitung. A growing private sector also means that more often than not, poorer students with these limited options end up paying more for a lower-quality education.
With an expansion in access comes the challenge to maintain quality and ensure students are graduating with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully join the job market. Yet, while enrollment is currently expanding, graduate unemployment and underemployment rates are high. This need for a stronger link between program subjects and quality and current workforce needs has barred higher education in Indonesia from a better international reputation and rank, and created a challenge in creating meaningful economic change.
Reforms Underway
Recent studies have highlighted education to be a crucial key in reducing poverty and inequality in Indonesia, as well as the value of knowledge as an economic resource. An investment in improving education equips individuals with better knowledge and skills, making them more productive, effective and relevant members of the workforce and Indonesia is making the investment.
In 2025, Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology identified three key areas for higher education development: “strengthening institutional autonomy, promoting impactful research and innovation and emphasizing science and technology for sustainable socio-economic transformation.” These focuses aim to prioritize quality, consistency and stability in Indonesian higher education and pave the way for innovation and, in turn, economic advantage and employability for students. A more autonomous higher education system can better respond to local and national needs. Likewise, encouraging innovation and targeted research helps address Indonesia’s most urgent challenges, from poverty and inequality to sustainability. An increased focus on science and technology will also ensure that academic programs align with labor market demands, thereby improving graduates’ employability and contributing to broader economic growth.
Improving Accessibility To Higher Education in Indonesia
Apart from just improving higher education is ensuring it is accessible to those it can impact the most, putting equity, opportunity and accessibility for poorer students in Indonesia as another focus in reform. A new Equity and Access policy is calling on all higher education institutions to ensure at least 20% of their newly admitted students are of a low socioeconomic status. Programs such as the Smart Indonesia Card (KIP), a government program that provides financial assistance to cover tuition fees and living expenses for low-income students, will also be continuing as a great tool for students on their educational journey and in the pursuit of poverty alleviation. These efforts are designed to ensure that education becomes a meaningful lever for poverty alleviation, providing not only knowledge but the chance to thrive.
– Jannah Khalil
Photo: Flickr
Forced Migration is Driving Poverty Among Russian Refugees
To better understand the human impact of this forced migration, The Borgen Project spoke with Ekaterina, a 20-year-old woman who left Russia with her sister in 2022. Her story reflects not only personal hardship but also a broader crisis affecting displaced people worldwide.
Life Before and the Urgency to Leave
Before the war escalated, Ekaterina lived a relatively stable life in Saint Petersburg, studying at a university and preparing for her future. However, as political pressure mounted, peaceful protesters were arrested, media outlets shut down, and fear spread quickly.
“People were being arrested for saying what they thought, and even peaceful protests became dangerous,” she told The Borgen Project. “We did not feel safe anymore.”
Faced with uncertainty, she and her sister decided to leave Russia in 2022. With no concrete plan and limited resources, they packed what they could and left their home behind.
Poverty in Disguise: Starting Over with Nothing
Although many Russian migrants are often perceived as educated or middle class, their relocation often pushes them into poverty. Most leave without stable income, savings, or access to local support systems. For Ekaterina and her sister, this meant relying on short-term housing with acquaintances and struggling to find legal work.
“We did not know how anything worked — the documents, the healthcare, even just how to rent an apartment,” she said. “Money was the biggest stress — we did not have savings and could not work right away.”
The sisters depended on public transportation and occasional food support. Emotional stress, legal uncertainty, and cultural barriers added to their hardship.
Gaps in Support for the Russian Refugees
One of the most pressing challenges for displaced Russian people is that many do not qualify for official refugee status, leaving them in a legal limbo. Yet despite these barriers, some organizations have stepped in to help.
For example, founded in 2022, Ark helps Russian political exiles and conscientious objectors by providing legal assistance, housing guidance, and relocation resources across Europe and North America. It also runs Telegram channels and support hotlines for Russian speakers seeking asylum or temporary protection.
In the U.S., organizations like Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) provide broader resettlement services for asylum seekers, including Russian migrants — but access can vary by location and case status.
Still, as Ekaterina noted, “We were lucky. A few volunteers helped us with paperwork and told us where to get food. But many others didn’t speak English and did not know where to go.”
Migration and Poverty: An Inseparable Link
Forced displacement — whether from war, authoritarianism, or repression — often leads to poverty, regardless of one’s previous economic standing. The loss of home, employment, and legal stability can create long-term economic hardship, even for those who were once secure.
Ekaterina’s story is not unique. Thousands of Russian refugees and refugees from other countries like her are now living in financial and emotional uncertainty. Their experiences reveal that poverty is often not a result of laziness or poor choices, but of circumstances beyond one’s control.
Supporting displaced people through legal aid, housing access, language support, and mental health care is essential not only for recovery, but also for breaking the long-term cycle of poverty.
As she put it, “We did not choose this easily. Most of us had jobs, education and plans. Now we are just trying to survive.”
– Polina Makarova
Photo: Flickr