Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs in developing countries have been viewed as ambitious. However, more efforts have been invested in the continuous realization of these development goals by international communities, nonprofit organizations, civil societies and, of course, domestic governments.
SDGs and Developing Countries
According to reports, to achieve one of the SDG targets, the “sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” will cost $27 billion per year by 2030 and the infrastructure will cost up to $290 billion. Is this too ambiguous for the national governments in the developing world? Or a pitiable reason to hide from actualizing these goals nationally.
Developing countries have been a major focus of the SDGs. With the idea that ‘no one will be left behind’, the U.N. and its partners have contributed immensely in solving a long list of issues faced by the developing world. Funds have been deposited and used for different projects. Expertise in creating sustainable solutions and commitments are being made to secure a better future.
SDG Index
The SDG performance by countries is determined by the SDG Index and Dashboard on a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 represents the lowest level of performance and 100 is the highest level of performance. Countries like Sweden (84.5), Denmark (83.9), Norway (82.3) and Finland (81) rank high in achieving their SDGs.
Countries such as the Central African Republic (26.1), Liberia (30.5) and Niger (31.4) are not doing as well as the aforementioned countries. Evidently, these countries are some of the poorest in the world. A poor economy can be one of the causes for weak results.
Politics and SDGs in Developing Countries
One of the reasons slowing down the SDGs in developing countries is that development projects are usually abandoned by their governments. This normally happens in rival socio-political settings.
In Africa, most projects funded and managed by previous administrations are eventually stopped or replaced by the ruling administrations due to different political views, political parties or general lack of interest.
Some farmers in Nigeria have criticized the replacement of the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme by the former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration with the current president Muhammadu Buhari’s Agricultural Implements and Mechanisation Services (AIMS).
“There is always a policy somersault. This government will bring this one and when another person comes, they will bring another one whether it is good or not.”, said Daniel Okafor, Vice President of Root and Tubers of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
The farmers are upset with their government as it continues to create new programs without improving the old ones. More often, the development policies and programs are often aligned with the vision of developmental goals but may lack seriousness due to the ulterior motives.
In developing countries, parties struggle to own power and when they eventually do gain power, eliminating the projects of the previous administration becomes the primary goal.
The lack of bipartisanship in the polity environment brews enough hatred; shutting down any programs related to the opposition party no matter how promising they are.
Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the U.N. noted that bipartisanship can promote peace, unity and growth. Political parties should stand for a common goal regardless of their political views and hustle for power. Ideas can be shared and implemented with the help of the other parties.
Bipartisanship will ease congressional processes in changing, debating and making laws that can benefit the realization of SDGs.
Corruption and SDGs in Developing Countries
Corruption can also cause a lot of setbacks. Africa loses $50 billion every year due to corruption. The Sustainable Development Goal 16, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, covers commitments to fight corruption and encourage transparency.
Corruption impedes national development, hinders economic growth, slows or shutdown developmental programs on education, labor, healthcare, water and sanitation and leads to more poverty.
Recently, the U.K. suspended funding to Zambia after a report that $4.3 million intended for the poor population had gone missing. 17 million people in Zambia, or half of its population, live below $1.90 a day. It is important to find out how much of the monetary aid is really getting lost to corruption and the best method to curb it.
Criminalization of corruption can serve as a major tool in curbing corruption. Ruling parties must not protect corrupt public servants, especially in Africa where previous corrupt officers collude with the ruling parties in order to be shielded from scrutiny and court cases.
Governments must encourage transparency and promote access to national financial data and budget spending.
SDGs and Subnational Conflicts
Another factor that may impede the success of SDGs in developing countries is tribal or subnational conflicts which are still rampant in Africa and Asia.
While Asia experiences economic growth in the midst of subnational conflicts, Africa’s economy has always been affected by violent conflicts due to terrorist groups, tribal wars and minorities unrest.
Poverty will decrease when inequalities between different groups reduce as also when there are inclusive growth and participation of minorities in resource control. Combating unemployment will also lessen the high rate of conflicts in developing countries.
Conclusion
Domestic policies in the areas of trade, human development, agriculture, economy and climate change can reduce poverty and hunger, improve health systems, create resilient methods toward climate shocks and breed peace in societies.
It is for the central, state and local governments to take up these responsibilities to achieve the SDGs in developing countries. Civil Societies and private sectors should also see this as an opportunity to make the world a better place.
It is possible for developing countries to achieve at least 80 percent of their SDGs: it all depends on good governance and passion for humanity.
Photo: Flickr
The Strong Impact and Success of Humanitarian Aid to Guyana
Drug trafficking is a serious issue for Guyana, a nation that serves as a transit country for cocaine that’s delivered to other countries such as the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and West Africa. Drug trafficking influences the country’s political and judicial systems, and traffickers take advantage of Guyana’s “poorly monitored ports, remote airstrips, intricate river networks, porous land borders, and weak security sector capacity.” As a result, most of the humanitarian aid to Guyana goes toward combatting drug trafficking.
The Fight To End Drug Trafficking
Although the country has its own laws that aim to combat drug trafficking, the humanitarian aid to Guyana significantly helps in the fight. For instance, the Guyanese government has the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act of 2009 in place in order to improve the investigative procedures of law enforcement authorities and prosecutors who are trying to obtain convictions for drug traffickers.
However, “the government has sought no prosecutions under these laws,” and a U.S. State Department report previously disclosed that the government was not doing enough to combat drug trafficking in the country. The U.S. cooperates with Guyana and other Caribbean nations through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) in order to fight illicit trafficking and other transnational crimes that threaten regional security.
Humanitarian aid to Guyana through CBSI includes efforts to improve law enforcement capabilities, border and port protection, workforce development and anti-money laundering effectiveness. CBSI-funded programs “support Guyana’s maritime operations by providing interdiction assets, including riverine patrol boats delivered in December 2013 and relevant command and control systems.” The programs also offer logistical support and training, but Guyana still believes that it needs more assistance to combat this serious issue and has asked for additional assistance from the U.S.
Combatting HIV
While the human trafficking battle rages on, Guyana has been quite effective in its response to HIV. Humanitarian aid to Guyana to fight HIV has proven successful so far; for instance, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) was first launched in 2003 in Guyana when the country “appeared to be on the precipice of an HIV/AIDS crisis with a growing infection rate.”
The HIV/AIDS rates in Guyana have stabilized over the years as the people have an adequate supply of blood, and HIV-infected mothers receive necessary preventative care in order to prevent infecting their unborn children.
The success of humanitarian aid to Guyana in fighting the HIV virus illustrates that increasing foreign aid to combat drug trafficking can cause a plethora of positive results as a result.
– Mehruba Chowdhury
Photo: Flickr
Main Methods of Improving Sustainable Agriculture in Haiti
Located in the Caribbean, the country of Haiti has experienced tremendous devastation over the last decade. Political instability, a poor economy and the massive earthquake in 2010 has left millions of Haitians living in deep poverty and facing food insecurity. Prior to the earthquake, Haiti experienced some of the highest rates of malnutrition in the western hemisphere.
Approximately 40 percent of households are undernourished and up to 30 percent of children experience chronic malnutrition. This issue prompted finding solutions through sustainable agriculture in Haiti, and the Haitian’s government efforts coupled with support from the United States has led to significant improvements over the past several years.
Feed the Future Initiative
The Haitian economy is heavily dependent upon agricultural production. More than half of the entire population relies on agriculture as a primary source of income. However, the country suffers from significant environmental degradation that has continued to perpetuate food insecurity throughout the country.
Through the collaboration of USAID and the Haitian government, the Feed the Future Initiative was launched to improve sustainable agriculture in Haiti. The initiative works directly with farmers to increase agricultural production, modernize natural resource management and improve food security. Feed the Future has worked with more than 70,000 Haitian farmers to increase the production of maize, beans, plantains and rice.
As Haiti is highly susceptible to natural disasters, Feed the Future promotes proper resource management as a way to encourage farmers to reduce the planting of erosive crops in environmentally vulnerable areas. One major way they accomplish such a task is through the use of crops such as cacao and coffee — these types of plants are far less damaging and significantly more profitable for local Haitian farmers.
Partnerships for Change
Through their partnership with the Rural Research Center for Sustainable Development, USAID has trained over 7,000 farmers in sustainable farming techniques as well as established greenhouses that help to reduce pressure on the degraded environment. The program also put forth a value chain approach that connects farmers directly with suppliers and various food manufacturers.
In utilizing this chain, farmers can gain financial stability and expand sales. Feed the Future also improves post-harvest handling, storage and processing. This, in turn, allows for greater market access and the ability to export products through sustainable agricultural practices.
Establishing sustainable agriculture in Haiti is fundamentally important for economic growth and improving the country’s overall food insecurity. By having initiatives such as Feed the Future, Haitians can be lifted out of poverty and experience tremendous economic growth.
Through greater financial support from the United States and other countries around the globe, sustainable agriculture in Haiti can be achieved and the livelihood of millions can be improved.
– Sarah Jane Fraser
Photo: Flickr
2 Key Projects Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Albania
Improved agricultural practices are currently bringing about poverty reduction and improved food security across the world. Sustainable agriculture in Albania is no exception. In a nutshell, sustainable agriculture is the effort to ensure that present agricultural activity will not deprive future generations of the ability to meet their own needs. This involves replacing problematic practices with ones that are easier on the environment, more economically profitable and less exploitative.
Major interest in sustainable agriculture in Albania is currently being generated and supported by two key sustainable development initiatives. A total of 71 percent of the Albanian population is employed in the agricultural sector, contributing 21 percent of Albania’s GDP. While many Albanians have long depended on agriculture as a means of subsistence, there are several cash crops endemic to the country which can compete strongly on the global market, especially when they are grown organically. This means that promoting sustainable agriculture in Albania would serve the Albanian people very well and lift many people out of poverty.
Two projects, in particular, are promoting sustainable agriculture in Albania and seeing great successes. Sustainable Agriculture Support in Albania, funded by the Swiss government, is undertaking efforts to introduce organic farming, to help organic farmers become and stay competitive in the global market and to promote organic Albanian products to consumers around the world. This project is working primarily to make organic farming profitable and attractive for Albanian farmers, and in doing so promote sustainable agriculture in Albania.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations also has an ongoing partnership promoting sustainable agriculture in Albania. In addition to the promotion of organic farming, the FAO is also working to promote innovation in agricultural practices. It is anticipated that greater innovation will help to keep Albanian agriculture profitable and competitive, especially as the country moves closer to European Union membership.
Other goals of the FAO partnership with Albania include preserving Albania’s rich biodiversity and helping to improve the management of Albanian fisheries in the Adriatic Sea. These are all critical if Albania is to successfully join the EU, which sets strict standards for agricultural products. Additionally, EU membership could pose a threat to Albanian farmers who cannot withstand the international competition that comes with access to the EU market. However, the hope is that the adoption of more sustainable practices will improve Albania’s competitiveness.
While some of the projects promoting sustainable agriculture in Albania may seem simple, their potential impact on rural Albanian communities cannot be understated. Rural Albania is seeing a massive outflow of people heading either to major cities or overseas to find better-paying jobs and a better quality of life. Rural areas tend to be underdeveloped and some lack basic modern conveniences.
Efforts to promote sustainable agriculture often bring with them improvements that, while helpful for farming, also majorly improve daily living for local residents. An example of this is a German-backed project called Support for Agriculture and Rural Development in Disadvantaged Areas in Albania (SARED). In addition to things like more fuel-efficient tractors and irrigation systems, sustainable development projects like SARED have also brought electricity and wastewater treatment systems to rural Albania.
The hope is that these projects will not only provide a better future for rural Albanians but that in doing so they will stop the steady stream of people leaving these parts of the country in search of a better life by enabling them to create one where they are.
– Michaela Downey
Photo: Flickr
The Impact of Improved Credit Access in Kosovo
Following 1989, the privatisation of public property in Kosovo caused many land disputes that were only exacerbated by the ethnic conflict. As people fled their homes before and during the war, property became de facto owned by people that did not have the legal right to it. The destruction of property during the war created further disputes that authorities have struggled to fully resolve.
The tumultuous history of property rights over the last 30 years has had a lasting impact on credit access in Kosovo. Given that property is an important form of collateral that is not plentiful in Kosovo, access to credit is very difficult. Many individuals and would-be entrepreneurs lack sufficient collateral to secure a loan, and banks continue to withhold credit from people who ostensibly have the necessary collateral because of legal uncertainty.
This lack of credit access in Kosovo is a major obstacle to economic development and is trapping banks in cycles of what amounts to economic contraction. This situation makes Kosovo a good candidate for aid from the United States in order to improve credit access.
Recently, USAID launched a project to help improve credit access in Kosovo by establishing the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund, which has pledged to back 50 percent of the value of loans given to small and medium-sized businesses. The first guarantees for these loans were issued by USAID in just September 2016, but they are already having a major positive impact on Kosovo’s business environment.
Beneficiaries report being able to secure financing that they could not have done without the help of the credit guarantees. This financing turns into investment elsewhere in Kosovo, multiplying the impact of this one small step to improving credit access.
These improvements to the economic situation as a result of improved credit access in Kosovo have a positive impact that stretches well beyond Kosovo’s borders. Kosovo is widely regarded as a good location for U.S. investment, and these improvements to the economy are sure to help the country attract more investment.
Improved economic forecasts also mean that Kosovo is fast becoming a valuable market for U.S. exports. This has the potential to benefit not only the people of Kosovo but of the United States as well. Despite lingering challenges, Kosovo is becoming a poster child for the success of this kind of foreign aid.
– Michaela Downey
Photo: Flickr
Pollinate Energy: Electricity Access for the Urban Poor of India
In India, there are almost 64 million slum dwellers who suffer from lack of basic necessities like clean water, sanitation and electricity. To compensate for the deficiency of electricity, they light kerosene oil lamps, which is dangerous, costly and damaging to the environment.
Indo-Australian nonprofit Pollinate Energy came up with an innovative solution of providing electricity access for the urban poor of India. Pollinate Energy is a social business, a model of self-sustainable business that aims to address social problems.
Solution for Electricity Access for the Urban Poor
The organization provides its solution through small, efficient solar panels with the ability to light LED lamps and also charging mobile phones. The system comes as a toolkit consisting of an easy-to-install solar panel, LED lamps and a rechargeable battery
The product is available in various types as torch, desk lamp, hanging light and even fixed light for separate rooms.
Method of Operation
The organization employs local men and women as salespeople, also known as pollinators, who help to sell the product in slum communities. These pollinators work on a commission basis and receive training, transport allowance and a smartphone to conduct their business. Along with selling the product, installing, servicing and collection of payment are part of their duties.
Customers are mainly families from slum communities who earn less than $2 per day, so they are able to pay in weekly installments over five to eight weeks. The customers are also given a trial period of one week to see whether the product fits their requirements.
The impact of the solution
To date, Pollinate Energy has serviced almost 953 communities, most of which were in slums. Pollinate Energy helped to save an average of $1.52 per week for each family by reducing kerosene use by 90 percent. It also prevented 2.97 million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions. In the whole process, it is also empowering the youth by training them in local entrepreneurship. This is a huge positive impact on the community as well as the environment.
Future Prospect
Pollinate Energy started in Bangalore, expanded to Hyderabad and Kolkata and will eventually target the other cities of India. Apart from providing electricity access for the urban poor, it sells other sustainable and innovative products like water filters, wind fans and cookstoves.
Pollinate Energy is taking revolutionary steps in bringing social business as part of regular life and fulfilling a number of key aspects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
– Mahua Mitra
Photo: Flickr
SDGs in Developing Countries
SDGs and Developing Countries
According to reports, to achieve one of the SDG targets, the “sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” will cost $27 billion per year by 2030 and the infrastructure will cost up to $290 billion. Is this too ambiguous for the national governments in the developing world? Or a pitiable reason to hide from actualizing these goals nationally.
Developing countries have been a major focus of the SDGs. With the idea that ‘no one will be left behind’, the U.N. and its partners have contributed immensely in solving a long list of issues faced by the developing world. Funds have been deposited and used for different projects. Expertise in creating sustainable solutions and commitments are being made to secure a better future.
SDG Index
The SDG performance by countries is determined by the SDG Index and Dashboard on a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 represents the lowest level of performance and 100 is the highest level of performance. Countries like Sweden (84.5), Denmark (83.9), Norway (82.3) and Finland (81) rank high in achieving their SDGs.
Countries such as the Central African Republic (26.1), Liberia (30.5) and Niger (31.4) are not doing as well as the aforementioned countries. Evidently, these countries are some of the poorest in the world. A poor economy can be one of the causes for weak results.
Politics and SDGs in Developing Countries
One of the reasons slowing down the SDGs in developing countries is that development projects are usually abandoned by their governments. This normally happens in rival socio-political settings.
In Africa, most projects funded and managed by previous administrations are eventually stopped or replaced by the ruling administrations due to different political views, political parties or general lack of interest.
Some farmers in Nigeria have criticized the replacement of the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme by the former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration with the current president Muhammadu Buhari’s Agricultural Implements and Mechanisation Services (AIMS).
“There is always a policy somersault. This government will bring this one and when another person comes, they will bring another one whether it is good or not.”, said Daniel Okafor, Vice President of Root and Tubers of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
The farmers are upset with their government as it continues to create new programs without improving the old ones. More often, the development policies and programs are often aligned with the vision of developmental goals but may lack seriousness due to the ulterior motives.
In developing countries, parties struggle to own power and when they eventually do gain power, eliminating the projects of the previous administration becomes the primary goal.
The lack of bipartisanship in the polity environment brews enough hatred; shutting down any programs related to the opposition party no matter how promising they are.
Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the U.N. noted that bipartisanship can promote peace, unity and growth. Political parties should stand for a common goal regardless of their political views and hustle for power. Ideas can be shared and implemented with the help of the other parties.
Bipartisanship will ease congressional processes in changing, debating and making laws that can benefit the realization of SDGs.
Corruption and SDGs in Developing Countries
Corruption can also cause a lot of setbacks. Africa loses $50 billion every year due to corruption. The Sustainable Development Goal 16, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, covers commitments to fight corruption and encourage transparency.
Corruption impedes national development, hinders economic growth, slows or shutdown developmental programs on education, labor, healthcare, water and sanitation and leads to more poverty.
Recently, the U.K. suspended funding to Zambia after a report that $4.3 million intended for the poor population had gone missing. 17 million people in Zambia, or half of its population, live below $1.90 a day. It is important to find out how much of the monetary aid is really getting lost to corruption and the best method to curb it.
Criminalization of corruption can serve as a major tool in curbing corruption. Ruling parties must not protect corrupt public servants, especially in Africa where previous corrupt officers collude with the ruling parties in order to be shielded from scrutiny and court cases.
Governments must encourage transparency and promote access to national financial data and budget spending.
SDGs and Subnational Conflicts
Another factor that may impede the success of SDGs in developing countries is tribal or subnational conflicts which are still rampant in Africa and Asia.
While Asia experiences economic growth in the midst of subnational conflicts, Africa’s economy has always been affected by violent conflicts due to terrorist groups, tribal wars and minorities unrest.
Poverty will decrease when inequalities between different groups reduce as also when there are inclusive growth and participation of minorities in resource control. Combating unemployment will also lessen the high rate of conflicts in developing countries.
Conclusion
Domestic policies in the areas of trade, human development, agriculture, economy and climate change can reduce poverty and hunger, improve health systems, create resilient methods toward climate shocks and breed peace in societies.
It is for the central, state and local governments to take up these responsibilities to achieve the SDGs in developing countries. Civil Societies and private sectors should also see this as an opportunity to make the world a better place.
It is possible for developing countries to achieve at least 80 percent of their SDGs: it all depends on good governance and passion for humanity.
Photo: Flickr
What Was the Cause of The Bosnian War?
In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Balkan states of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and Macedonia became a part of the People’s Republic of Yugoslavia, a communist country held together by its leader Josip Broz Tito. Part-Croat and part-Slovene, Tito checked both separatism and ethnic nationalism with stiff jail sentences.
Tito rebuilt Yugoslavia as a Communist federation of six equal republics, but the ethnic conflict was never far from the surface. Serbians disliked Tito’s recognition of the Macedonians and the Muslims of Bosnia-Herzegovina as distinct nationalities. However, these bad relationships alone were not the cause of the Bosnian War. The collapse of Communism in the Balkan states was punctuated by Tito’s death in 1980. Following this, the Balkan states clamored for independence.
Slobodan Milosevic rose to power in Yugoslavia in 1986 as a lightning rod for nationalism. Milosevic was a leader who deliberately created conflict between Serbians, Croatians and Muslim Bosniaks (the three main ethnic groups in the region). Milosevic, also called “The Butcher of the Balkans” took advantage of the ethnic tensions that would be the cause of the Bosnian War.
Croatia and Slovenia fought alongside Germany and Austria in World War I, while Serbia fought alongside the allies. Because of this, Serbs regarded themselves as the dominant partners when they joined the Croats and Slovenes in 1918 to found the state what would be called Yugoslavia.
By using old grudges, stirring up nationalistic emotions, and inciting dreams of a “Greater Serbia,” a country made up of only Serbians, Milosevic succeeded in rallying support for himself. By 1971 in Bosnia, Muslims represented the largest single population group. In a 1991 census, Bosnia’s population of some four million was nearly half Bosniak.
Bosnia’s Serbs, led by a man named Radovan Karadzic and backed by Milosevic, resisted and threatened bloodshed when Bosnia proclaimed its independence in 1992. The Serbs wished to remain part of Yugoslavia and create a nation only for Serbians.
Two days after the European Community and the United States recognized Bosnia’s independence, the Serbian Democratic party — whose members wanted to be part of the “Greater Serbia” — launched an offensive with the bombardment of Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo.
The Bosnian War was marked by ethnic cleansing, with thousands of civilians killed and millions displaced. On July 11, 1995, Serbian forces attacked and overwhelmed the city of Srebrenica, a city the U.N. had designated as a safe haven in 1993. The forces separated the Bosniak civilians at Srebrenica, putting the women and girls on buses and sending them away while killing the men and boys on the spot or bussing them off to mass killing sites. An estimated 8,000 people died in the massacre.
Following this, awareness and international outcry over the war reached its zenith. In November 1995, the United States sponsored peace talks between the Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats, resulting in the creation of a federalized Bosnia divided between a Croat-Bosniak federation and a Serb republic.
Tribunals over the war crimes committed during the war were established 23 years ago. Serbia only acknowledged the massacre of Srebrenica in 2004. Milosevic was jailed in 2002 on 66 counts of genocide and war crimes and died in his cell in March of 2006.
Last month in 2017, a Croatian general charged with war crimes had his sentence of 20 years upheld, and instead of submitting himself he chose to drink poison in the middle of the courtroom.
– Sam Bramlett
Photo: Flickr
Forging an Equal Future: Women’s Empowerment in Timor-Leste
The small island suffers from one of the highest poverty rates in Asia as well as high levels of malnutrition. Women in Timor-Leste face challenges including poverty, gender-based violence and a lack of opportunities to be seen as community leaders.
The country’s government, as well as outside groups, is working to make sure that these issues are addressed. It is imperative that women’s empowerment in Timor-Leste is a top priority as the country seeks to provide a better future for all its inhabitants.
When Timor-Leste became an independent nation, a Gender and Constitution Working Group was formed with support from U.N. Women. This group was tasked with making sure that gender equality and women’s empowerment would be an integral part of Timor-Leste’s new constitution.
Because of the Gender and Constitution Working Group’s efforts, gender equality is included in Timor-Leste’s constitution, as well as a provision declaring that all citizens must be given equal opportunity in the social and political sphere. Due in no small part to these policies, Timor-Leste now has the largest percentage of women in political positions in the Asia Pacific Region.
A report by Mercy Corps found that increasing women’s empowerment in Timor-Leste helped to reduce childhood malnutrition and improve children’s health. Mercy Corps reported that when women have control over household finances, they are more likely to use funds to benefit themselves and their children. Similarly, when women have increased decision-making power they are more likely to make an expedient decision to get a sick child the care they need.
Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) is another organization that supports women’s empowerment in Timor-Leste. According to AVID senior program officer Alita Verdial, the nation’s “patriarchal society means that women do not have sufficient respect and resources to allow them to make their own decisions.” The organization is combatting these problems by providing volunteers to support local workers in areas such as human rights, education and economic empowerment.
Timor-Leste is a young country which faces many challenges. Women in the country do not yet have equal opportunity in the social, economic or political spheres. But key policies have been implemented to make sure women have equal protection under the law, and international programs are working to support the country’s women.
If Timor-Leste’s government and humanitarian organizations can continue to make women’s empowerment in Timor-Leste a priority, there is hope that the country will have a freer and more equitable future.
– Aaron Childree
Photo: Flickr
The History of the United Nations
A key event in the history of the United Nations is the San Francisco conference, which convened on April 25, 1945. The conference was presided over by Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. Fifty nations were represented at this conference, most of which were from the North, Central, and South American republics.
The nations met in San Francisco to draw up the U.N. Charter, which was signed on June 26, 1945. However, the U.N. did not officially come into existence until October 24, 1945 when the majority of the signatories ratified the Charter. The charter did not come into force until this date because the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — ratified it.
The main goal of the U.N. Security Council is to maintain international peace, which was among the original aims that many nations had in mind when founding the U.N. Of the five permanent members of the Security Council, all but France were intended to serve as the enforcers of peace, as claimed by Roosevelt. The other allied nations were tasked with establishing other organizations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to aid the U.N. in its tasks.
Prior to the creation of the U.N., another organization, the League of Nations, existed with a similar goal of achieving peace and promoting international cooperation. The 58-member League of Nations was established under the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. After failing to prevent the Second World War, the League of Nations ceased its activities. Thus, the history of the United Nations began, as many countries saw the necessity for a more successful international organization.
Prior to the more well-known San Francisco conference was the Quebec conference of August 1943. During this conference, Secretary of State Cordell Hull and British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden decided to begin drafting a declaration calling for an international organization.
Since its creation, the U.N. has addressed many global issues, such as women’s rights, children’s rights and the refugee crisis. Keeping in mind its original goal of maintaining world peace, the U.N. created the U.N. Emergency Force (UNEF) on November 7, 1956. The UNEF, as well as many other organizations and individuals, have been awarded Nobel Peace Prizes.
Today, U.N. membership totals 193 countries and includes almost every single recognized independent state. The U.N. still focuses on its main goals of peacekeeping and building, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance. Though it has accomplished a lot since its founding, the history of the United Nations has only just begun and the organization has a lot of work in store for the future.
– Haley Rogers
Photo: Flickr
Rural Education in Jiangsu Province of China
In 2016, the average length of education in Jiangsu was 9.5 years. In rural regions of Jiangsu, gender differences in education had been generally eliminated. The annual budget for educational investment indicated a 30 percent increase compared to five years prior. In the last five years, besides the enlarging scale of preliminary education, compulsory education displayed balanced development, and the number of students in higher education showed a 5 percent annual increase with equal opportunities to rural areas.
While the discrepancies in education between urban and rural areas are gradually shrinking, deficiencies and problems in rural education in Jiangsu remain. Students in Jiangsu are enduring top pressures in the 12 years before college entrance. Many rural schools, especially senior high schools in Jiangsu, have harsh schedules requiring students to arrive at school before 6:30 am and return home after 9:30 pm.
By the end of 2016, there were still 2.76 million rural people living below the poverty line in Jiangsu. Kids from poor farming families require sponsorship from charities for book allowances, food, clothing and school supplies. For instance, a German charity named as the Pfrang Association based in Nanjing, supported multiple classes at Xiaoliji Middle School in the Lianshui county of Jiangsu Province.
Another significant problem with rural education in Jiangsu comes from the imbalance of subjects. Since a few courses such as music and art, were not counted towards the total score on all sorts of entrance exams, these subjects often lose out to major parts of the curriculum such as Chinese, Mathematics and English. It is not unusual to see rural senior high schools sacrificing physical classes privately in order to make up classes on main subjects.
On Nov. 18, 2016, Jiangsu set up an educational target in the thirteenth Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), aiming at building an education system with more completeness and dynamics, for better equality and quality of education especially in rural areas. A variety of schemes have been proposed to support 280,000 rural teachers in Jiangsu, which include improving the status of working and living, holding regular training and providing more opportunities for tutorial exchanges. It aims to attract more teachers to enjoy teaching in rural areas of Jiangsu.
In early November 2017, a group of 84 foreign students from 37 countries participating in the Experience China Event visited Huaxi village in Jiangyin, a national model place in Jiangsu for rural developments.
Rural education in Jiangsu province of China has challenges and opportunities now and into the future. Improving and promoting education in this area urges both practical measures and feasible planning.
– Xin Gao
Photo: Flickr