Nora Hanson is a senior at Colby College, double-majoring in History and Spanish, with absolutely no previous lobbying experience. Yet in her first month of lobbying as an intern with The Borgen Project, she got co-sponsorship for two acts that could make a huge difference in the lives of the world’s poor. Her early success is a clear example of how passion can overcome the notion that government is inaccessible.
Within her first batch of lobbying emails, she reached out to Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-7) by following the automated form on her website, and a legislative correspondent in D.C. got back to her within 24 hours. “Their efficiency and their work was a huge part of this, of my success,” Hanson said.
Communicating back and forth with the D.C. correspondent, Hanson had confirmation within one week that Rep. Velázquez would be co-sponsoring two global poverty reducing pieces of legislation: the Protecting Girls Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act and the Global Health Innovation of 2017 Act. Yet the bulk of Hanson’s work wasn’t the many follow-ups with the DC office, it was the careful research she did before ever reaching out to them.
After watching The Borgen Project director Clint Borgen give a “Lobbying 101” course, Hanson was motivated to do more research on her leaders.
“The idea that I should get to know my leaders as people really changed my process,” she said. She began to focus on “who these people were as people, and what they might be interested in, and what they might be passionate about.”
After researching Rep. Velázquez, the previous legislation she’d supported, and the current legislation in the Senate, Hanson chose the Protecting Girls Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act and the Global Health Innovation of 2017 Act. She believed that they appealed to Rep. Velázquez, who had a history of working toward emphasizing equality, education and a focus on community.
The Protecting Girls Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act aims to help the one in four displaced children who no longer have access to education, especially the women and girls whose risk for social and economic inequality skyrockets without school. The Global Health Innovation Act hopes to bring affordable and safe health technologies to the developing world.
It didn’t take long for her research to pay off, and now the co-sponsorship is “just a matter of her staffer officially putting her name on it,” Hanson said proudly.
After completing an internship with child legal services in San Francisco the previous summer, she had witnessed the struggles faced by children from across the globe being detained after crossing the Mexican border in the U.S. Her passion for helping under-served, underrepresented people was growing, and her experience that summer only left her wanting to do more. “Sitting there updating files just didn’t feel like enough,” she said.
Part of that drive seemed to result from her education. “My coursework tends to make me very solution-driven,” Hanson said, and The Borgen Project gave her the opportunity to “be on the front lines interacting with people, taking a really active role in helping.”
When she got the internship, she said she was “counting down the days before I could get to work and start trying to make a difference.”
And the difference that lobbying can have was immediately apparent in her communication with her correspondent in D.C., Jacob Hochberg.
“It’s nice to know that the leader’s offices are reading everything,” she said. “They were so willing to listen to me.”
Hanson is meeting next month with Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1), already pushing forward to make a greater difference and meet with more leaders. As for the future, she said, “I’m excited to continue following what The Borgen Project does even after I finish my internship…watch them make an impact, and grow, and affect politics.”
Making an impact, growing, and affecting politics aren’t simply elements of The Borgen Project, but of every individual intern, volunteer, and constituent who works with it. Nora Hanson is one shining example of how effective outreach can be.
Learn more about volunteering opportunities with The Borgen Project here.
– Brooke Clayton
Common Diseases in Nepal and Why The Country is Susceptible
In order to talk about common diseases in Nepal, one must first examine some of the facts and statistics that make the country prone to disease. Nepal, a Himalayan country with a population of nearly 29 million, is located in South Asia. It is home to some of the highest mountains in the world, such as the third tallest mountain, Kanchenjunga, situated on the border of Nepal and India, and the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest, located on its border with China. The birthplace of Gautama Buddha, Nepal is a favorite tourist destination for mountaineers and trekkers, while also attracting visitors for its rich cultural heritage, ancient temples and palaces.
Nepal was a monarchy for centuries until it was abolished in 2008 and the country was declared a republic. It is one of the poorest countries in Asia, and between 2010 and 2011 nearly 25 percent of its population was living on less than $1.25 a day. The mountainous and tectonically active terrain makes Nepal highly prone to natural disasters, which are some of the most common causes of death in the country, and obstruct its development. A devastating 2015 earthquake that killed nearly nine thousand people and injured thousands more remains one of the worst disasters in the country’s history.
Plagued with geological vulnerability, poverty and the associated issues of poor sanitation, air pollution and a lack of proper healthcare, Nepal is replete with both communicable and non-communicable diseases. According to data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and the World Health Organization (WHO), below is a list of common diseases in Nepal with some of the highest death rates.
Most Common Diseases in Nepal
According to the annual report of the Department of Health Services, Government of Nepal, for the years 2014 and 2015, combined efforts by the government and various national and international organizations toward the prevention and control of diseases in Nepal have achieved improved health outcomes over the years. These outcomes include higher life expectancy and reduced maternal and infant mortality rates. The report also identifies existing problems and challenges in the health sector and delineates possible actions for addressing these issues for continued progress.
– Ranjna Madan-Lala
Photo: Flickr
10 Facts About Refugees in Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in Asia with a population of just over 3,000,000. This East Asian nation is home to a small, yet geopolitically significant refugee population. Here are 10 facts about those displaced refugees in Mongolia:
Though their numbers may seem small, Mongolia still plays a crucial role in aiding North Korean refugees and defectors. Mongolia’s situation reminds us that even helping a handful of individuals has an impact on both personal lives and international relations.
– David Mclellan
Photo: Flickr
Volunteer Secures Co-Sponsorship for Two Critical Bills
Nora Hanson is a senior at Colby College, double-majoring in History and Spanish, with absolutely no previous lobbying experience. Yet in her first month of lobbying as an intern with The Borgen Project, she got co-sponsorship for two acts that could make a huge difference in the lives of the world’s poor. Her early success is a clear example of how passion can overcome the notion that government is inaccessible.
Within her first batch of lobbying emails, she reached out to Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-7) by following the automated form on her website, and a legislative correspondent in D.C. got back to her within 24 hours. “Their efficiency and their work was a huge part of this, of my success,” Hanson said.
Communicating back and forth with the D.C. correspondent, Hanson had confirmation within one week that Rep. Velázquez would be co-sponsoring two global poverty reducing pieces of legislation: the Protecting Girls Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act and the Global Health Innovation of 2017 Act. Yet the bulk of Hanson’s work wasn’t the many follow-ups with the DC office, it was the careful research she did before ever reaching out to them.
After watching The Borgen Project director Clint Borgen give a “Lobbying 101” course, Hanson was motivated to do more research on her leaders.
“The idea that I should get to know my leaders as people really changed my process,” she said. She began to focus on “who these people were as people, and what they might be interested in, and what they might be passionate about.”
After researching Rep. Velázquez, the previous legislation she’d supported, and the current legislation in the Senate, Hanson chose the Protecting Girls Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act and the Global Health Innovation of 2017 Act. She believed that they appealed to Rep. Velázquez, who had a history of working toward emphasizing equality, education and a focus on community.
The Protecting Girls Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act aims to help the one in four displaced children who no longer have access to education, especially the women and girls whose risk for social and economic inequality skyrockets without school. The Global Health Innovation Act hopes to bring affordable and safe health technologies to the developing world.
It didn’t take long for her research to pay off, and now the co-sponsorship is “just a matter of her staffer officially putting her name on it,” Hanson said proudly.
After completing an internship with child legal services in San Francisco the previous summer, she had witnessed the struggles faced by children from across the globe being detained after crossing the Mexican border in the U.S. Her passion for helping under-served, underrepresented people was growing, and her experience that summer only left her wanting to do more. “Sitting there updating files just didn’t feel like enough,” she said.
Part of that drive seemed to result from her education. “My coursework tends to make me very solution-driven,” Hanson said, and The Borgen Project gave her the opportunity to “be on the front lines interacting with people, taking a really active role in helping.”
When she got the internship, she said she was “counting down the days before I could get to work and start trying to make a difference.”
And the difference that lobbying can have was immediately apparent in her communication with her correspondent in D.C., Jacob Hochberg.
“It’s nice to know that the leader’s offices are reading everything,” she said. “They were so willing to listen to me.”
Hanson is meeting next month with Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1), already pushing forward to make a greater difference and meet with more leaders. As for the future, she said, “I’m excited to continue following what The Borgen Project does even after I finish my internship…watch them make an impact, and grow, and affect politics.”
Making an impact, growing, and affecting politics aren’t simply elements of The Borgen Project, but of every individual intern, volunteer, and constituent who works with it. Nora Hanson is one shining example of how effective outreach can be.
Learn more about volunteering opportunities with The Borgen Project here.
– Brooke Clayton
Canada Follows Sweden’s Lead With Feminist Foreign Policy Plan
Since 2015, the nation has revisited and revitalized the initiative regularly. Goals for 2017 focus on increasing rights for female migrants and refugees; creating economic freedom for women via legislation; reducing violence against women; capitalizing on women’s potential to suppress conflict and encouraging sexual and reproductive rights.
A statement on the Government Offices of Sweden’s website details plans to service these goals. Leaders plan to allocate funds through relevant stakeholders, who will utilize aid to combat human rights abuses, endorse women’s financial and judicial empowerment and enact laws that provide women the same rights that men have.
Funds will also benefit initiatives to break down cultural associations between masculinity and violence, encouraging men to act as peacemakers in their homes and communities, as well as bolster movements to provide open access to contraceptives.
Canada has recently adopted a similar feminist foreign policy plan. Like Sweden, Canada recognizes that significant improvements in global poverty over the past few decades have not provided equal benefit to both men and women. To foster equal opportunities, Canada will strategically invest foreign aid in efforts seeking to improve women’s access to resources that can raise them from poverty.
A statement on the Government of Canada website acknowledges the challenges for women in developing countries. The difficulty lies in intersections of deeply-rooted inequality, conflict and consequences of climate change. The statement also highlights that with enough support, women can better help their families and communities.
Human dignity, security, climate action and inclusive governance comprise the core values of Canada’s plan. Their ultimate goal is to reduce poverty and promote economic advancement by empowering women to participate readily in politics, the workforce and their communities.
Canada’s statement also includes plans to involve men and boys by disputing the norms that reinforce gender-based injustice. They also provide an intersectional scope that includes the interests of people of all races, ethnic backgrounds, identities and abilities.
While timeworn power structures cause disproportionate struggles for destitute women and girls, leaders around the globe are eager to eradicate the imbalance. Feminist foreign policy is an essential step toward this goal.
– Madeline Forwerck
Photo: Flickr
Wealth Inequality: On the Causes of Poverty in Mexico
The definition of wealth inequality is the unequal distribution of household or individual income across the various participants in an economy. Wealth inequality is a daunting social issue persisting in many countries. It is one of the main causes of poverty in Mexico.
Wealth inequality in Mexico is extremely high. Although Mexico is among the top 14 richest countries as calculated by GDP, over half the population lives in poverty. The gap between the wealthy and the poor in Mexico continues to expand.
Consuelo Lopez-Zuriaga, the Oxfam Mexico Executive Director states that “while the wealth of Mexican multimillionaires is multiplied by five, 48 percent of state schools have no access to sewage, 31 percent have no drinking water, 12.8 percent have no bathrooms or toilets and 11.2 percent have no access to electricity.”
Just one percent of the population owns about half of the country’s wealth. While their wealth increases, the poverty rate in Mexico has not decreased by much, leaving an estimated 53.3 million people living below the poverty line. From 2012 to 2014, the poverty rate in Mexico only fell by 0.3 percent. This implies that efforts to confront the issue have been unsuccessful.
President Peña Nieto recognizes that inequality along with corruption and global economic turmoil are the primary challenges that Mexico’s economy faces. Under President Peña Nieto, the poverty rate has only increased, and many criticize him for a lack of dedication to combating poverty. In fact, some say that encouraging large-scale private and foreign investment is the primary focus of the administration.
Though there are small successes in developmental programs aimed at combatting poverty in Mexico, it is not enough to resolve the underlying issues. Wealth inequality is one the worst causes of poverty in Mexico that is unsolved as it continues to increase the poverty rates. Strategization by those in power will need to be rethought in order to better distribute wealth to Mexico’s citizens in the future.
– Danyel Harrigan
Photo: Flickr
10 of the Most Common Diseases in Afghanistan
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently called the health status in Afghanistan one of the worst in the world. Most of the common diseases in Afghanistan are communicable, and epidemics are happening more frequently than in the past. The health system is trying to recover from decades of neglect, under-funding, institutional vacuum and fragmentation. These are the 10 most common diseases in Afghanistan:
These 10 common diseases in Afghanistan can be deadly when untreated. Luckily, many medical relief organizations are working to eradicate the likelihood of these diseases and to provide vaccinations to those in need of them.
– Emily Arnold
Photo: Google
The Current Issue of Human Rights in Vietnam
Lack of human rights in Vietnam remains a major issue. Citizens proceed to fight for their oppressed freedoms of speech and assembly, while harsh police brutality and imprisonment for activists and bloggers continues.
Authorities within The Communist Party of Vietnam continue to restrict basic rights, as bloggers and activists face frequent physical assaults and trial charges. According to the Human Rights Watch, during 2016, at least 34 people reported that unknown assailants beat them. Nguyen Chi Tuyen, a 43-year-old dissident blogger from Hanoi, wasn’t able to identify his attackers. However, he stated with complete certainty, “We know they were organized by the [country’s] security forces.”
The number of bloggers and activists convicted and sentenced to prison has risen from 7 to at least 19 within the past year. Consequently, it is clear that many human rights in Vietnam, such as freedom of speech and assembly, have been seized by the government.
Many of the bloggers on trial were accused of “abusing rights to freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state.” The judge who ordered their conviction also stated that their articles “present a one-sided and pessimistic view, causing anxiety and worry, and affecting people’s confidence [in the Communist Party].”
Despite the government’s accusations during these trials, many citizens argue that they have a hidden agenda working to withhold human rights in Vietnam. Governmental restrictions on freedom of movement are often used to keep bloggers and activists from attending public events, such as protests or human rights discussions.
Prominent rights campaigner Nguyen Quang A and blogger Pham Doan Trang were strategically detained by the government to prevent them from attending a private meeting with President Barack Obama during his visit to Vietnam. In reference to Nguyen Quang A, the Human Rights Watch reports that “between late March and early August 2016, police detained him six times to prevent him from meeting with foreign diplomats and delegations including Germany, the United States, the European Union and Australia.”
Commenting on the lack of U.N. assistance, Nguyen Anh Tuan, a 27-year-old Hanoi activist, stated, “I would say that the U.N. in Vietnam is very active when it comes to the less sensitive issues, for example, HIV prevention, but when it comes to political rights, for example, freedom of expressions, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, they are less active.”
As forceful government intervention continues to keep citizens from their basic human rights in Vietnam, it is important that their struggle for justice does not go unnoticed and more drastic interference is taken on the part of the United Nations.
– Kendra Richardson
Photo: Flickr
10 Facts About Uzbek Refugees
The Republic of Uzbekistan is a Central Asian country with a population of about 32 million. From 1924 to 1991, Uzbekistan was a constituent republic within the Soviet Union. Since gaining independence in 1991, the Uzbek people have been dominated by an authoritarian government. Here are 10 critical facts about Uzbek refugees from the former Soviet state:
Torture is commonplace in the Uzbekistan justice system, and adults and children are subjected to forced labor. Collecting data on Uzbekistan, especially on its human rights violations is difficult. This lack of information is due to Uzbekistan refusing to allow U.N. human rights experts access to the country since 2002.
Some Uzbek refugees have had to bounce from country to country until they feel safe from the Uzbekistan government. Furthermore, countries like neighboring Kyrgyzstan, close to Uzbekistan geographically and culturally, deport Uzbek refugees in compliance with the Uzbekistan government’s request. Kyrgyzstan has never granted the request of an Uzbek refugee.
President Islam Karimov ruled Uzbekistan from its independence from the Soviet Union until his death in September 2016. The current president, Shavkat Mirziyaev, has vowed to bring human rights reforms to Uzbekistan. However, organizations like the Human Rights Watch say that there has been little to no progress thus far.
– David Mclellan
Photo: Google
New Strides in Girls’ Education in Saudi Arabia
With the first private school for girls opening in 1956 and the first public school opening around 1960, the history of girls’ education in Saudi Arabia is relatively brief. And though some gender disparity remains in the country’s adult literacy rate, the education gender gap is rapidly closing due to new kingdom-wide objectives.
Though just 91.84% of women are literate versus 96.95% of men, the disparity is significantly smaller among the youth population, with both male and female literacy hovering around 99%—an astounding rise from the two percent female literacy rate in the 1970s.
Primary, middle and secondary schools are free and open to both boys and girls. Though boys enroll at a slightly higher rate than girls—99% versus 96.35%—the education system is well on its way to gender equality, in spite of the kingdom’s reputation for severe treatment of women.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan drives these advancements. Implemented under King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the plan aims to structure the kingdom’s social, political and fiscal future—and recognizes women’s potential to bolster the workforce. Many citizens have adopted this point of view, as well as the idea that all children, regardless of sex, gain greater opportunities to contribute as adults when they have access to quality education.
In service of these values, Vision 2030 aims to foster an educational environment congruous with the demands of the evolving job market. Schools also now prioritize students’ ability to meet personal goals.
Though public schools are divided by gender, leaders strive to improve and diversify the educational system for both girls and boys. The upcoming school year will bring an exciting new opportunity for girls in Saudi Arabia: physical education classes.
Some citizens of Saudi Arabia oppose women’s access to sports, as they are considered masculine activities, but many others are satisfied with the development. Hatoon al-Fassi, a Saudi women’s historian, anticipates that the motion will help girls to build bodily autonomy.
Advancements in girls’ education in Saudi Arabia have indeed empowered women to pursue their own potential. Beyond secondary school, many Saudi women earn advanced degrees. Data from 2015 shows that women account for 51.8% of students at Saudi Universities. Around 551,000 women are enrolled in undergraduate programs, with 24,498 in graduate programs and 1,744 pursuing PhDs. An additional 35,537 study abroad in 57 countries.
Women in Saudi Arabia faced many obstacles to get to where they are today. With the continued support of many citizens and leaders, the disparity between men and women is bound to dissolve.
– Madeline Forwerck
Photo: Google
The Cost of Living in Peru Versus the United States
In the United States, the first image of Peru that might come to mind is Machu Picchu or an equally stunning mountainous view. Stereotypes aside, those sorts of natural monuments mask the growing economy and standard of living in Peru.
Peru was listed as the 20th most free economy in the world as of 2015, progressing slightly slower than Chile, its southern neighbor. This is due to the decreasing value of copper, gold, silver and other major exports in Peru.
One characteristic of economic growth in poorer countries is that eventually places of historical and cultural values will begin to be preserved even at the expense of population growth or economic growth. For example, a new highway project in Lima was altered in order to prevent the destruction of a historical site.
Due to this growth, Peru is now in a sweet spot where the standard of living is decently high and the cost of living is low. Outside of Lima, $2,000 per month would cover one’s basic expenses. While living in Peru, international supermarkets cost more than grocery shopping at a local market. Interestingly enough, going out to eat at local restaurants often costs even less than shopping and cooking for oneself. You can get a three-course meal for three dollars at a local Picanteria.
One source puts costs of Peru and the United States against each other, and overall, consumer prices in Peru are 45.61% lower than in the United States. Paying rent is 60.37% lower than in the U.S. and paying for groceries is 50.71% lower than in the U.S. Living in Peru makes it easy to stick to a budget.
For anyone looking to retire in Peru, it’s possible to do so at $500 per month, though this makes extremely frugal living necessary. However, Peru is still one of the least expensive places to live in South America and one of the nicest.
– Ellen Ray
Photo: Flickr