Kuwait: Dumping in International Trade


Between Saudi Arabia and Iraq lies the country of Kuwait. Kuwait has the sixth highest GDP per capita in the world and has a thriving industrial economy. With the country being in such a great position to help, what is it doing to tackle global poverty in emerging markets?

On July 1, Kuwait reaffirmed its support for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which encourages globalization, cooperation among nations and environmental sustainability. Acting director-general of Kuwait’s Public Authority for Industry (PAI) Abdulkarim Taqui addressed the 45th session of the UNIDO’s Industrial Development Board (IDB).

According to the Arab Times, Taqui’s address included asking UNIDO to do more in stopping the negative outcomes resulting from liberating the international trade and “dumping.” Dumping in international trade is when a country’s businesses lower the sales price of its exports to gain an unfair market share in the consuming country. Taqui proposes to create systems that can make sure pricing stays fair in both the exported country and country of origin to combat dumping in international trade.

Dumping seems to be a severe problem according to Taqui, as he goes on to say “The UNIDO must set a host of projects and programs that are likely to develop practical and realistic solutions to remedy such practices that have been causing colossal damage to the industrial sector in many countries.”

This instance isn’t the first time that Kuwait and the UNIDO have teamed up together. The Public Authority for Industry and the UNIDO have started a project that will increase the export competitiveness of small Kuwaiti companies (SMEs) from the chemicals, rubber and plastic sectors. This project will hopefully counter dumping in international trade.

Taqui stresses that Kuwait will continue to cooperate with the United Nations and encourages other nations to not pull out of the UNIDO. He says that organizations like the UNIDO are necessary in maintaining a balanced world economy, and social stability.

When it comes to solving complex issues related to lifting people out of squalor, Kuwait seems to be on top of its game, without even taking center stage in the fight against global poverty.

– Vicente Vera

Photo: Flickr

The Surprisingly Low Cost of Living in Costa Rica


With a small cost of living and a luxurious lifestyle to offer, Costa Rica is an ideal location for retirement, particularly for Americans. Not only is the scenery breathtaking, but the cost of living in Costa Rica is even more alluring.

Surprisingly enough, day-to-day living costs are much more affordable in Costa Rica than in both the U.S. and the U.K. At the end of 2016, the minimum monthly required income for a single person in Costa Rica was $1,500 to $2,000. A majority of retired couples succeed on as little as $2,000 to $3,000 per month.

Medicare costs in Costa Rica are very affordable. Most consider the medical care to be of exceptionally good quality, yet it comes at a low monthly cost that includes free services.

The monthly cost to rent a lavish condo in Costa Rica is a mere $500 to $900 dollars. In many other countries as well as most of the U.S., this amount will hardly cover a basic, low-quality apartment.

As far as services go, the cost of electricity is around $200 per month, high-speed internet lands at a small amount of $25 per month and there is a $200 monthly fee for hiring a full-time maid if a resident desires to have one.

Food costs are astoundingly low as well, with a dozen bananas costing a mere $0.42. Fresh bread loaves cost about $1.25, and a pound of tomatoes is only $0.35. For Americans, this amounts to a 45% savings for the average amount of purchased groceries.

The low cost of living in Costa Rica combined with the beautiful landscapes and relaxing beaches is enough to make it the perfect place to live or retire. In fact, Costa Rica often gets mentioned on lists of best places to retire for this very reason. Those who are looking to move and have no ties to their place of origin will find Costa Rica to be a very affordable and appealing option.

– Noel Mcdavid

Photo: Flickr

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Water Quality in Qatar


The water quality in Qatar is improving, and experts say that both the tap and bottled water is usually safe to drink. However, those who live in the country should be cautious with imported water.

According to the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, or QEERI, tap and bottled water in Qatar is “very safe to drink.” The organization conducted a study looking at 113 samples of tap water and 62 samples of bottled water with favorable.

Based on QEERI’s findings, the water quality in Qatar complies with guidelines set by both the World Health Organization and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

QEERI confirmed that the water did not contain dangerous levels of contaminants, such as lead and arsenic, which can affect the taste and smell of the water in addition to causing health problems.

Nora Kuiper, a leading researcher for the project, said that the quality of water in Qatar is superior, contrary to any preconceived notions that residents might have.

“The quality of Qatar’s drinking water is very high, higher than many local consumers think,” Kuiper said.

Candace Rowell, another researcher for this project, said that the most important outcome of the study was finding that tap and bottled water are comparably safe.

“The real takeaway message is that tap water in the country is just as safe as bottled water, either locally produced or imported brands,” Rowell said.

The main concern that the study addressed was that imported water was not always up to standards. According to QEERI, some samples of imported water showed higher concentrations of contaminants, such as arsenic.

According to Doha News, researchers have expressed concerns regarding the mineral content and how this affects the water quality in Qatar. The study found that while water is typically free from harmful chemicals and bacteria, it can lack vital minerals. According to this article, at least 50 percent of Qatar’s water supply requires extensive salt removal due to the country’s limited access to freshwater.

Jerome Nriagu, a professor emeritus at the School of Public Health and Research and the Center for Human Growth and Development at the University of Michigan said that this “synthetic” water lacks essential minerals.

“By constantly drinking water with low potassium and magnesium, you increase the risk of getting obesity and hypertension, and [certain] metabolic disorders,” Nriagu said.

Nriagu said that it would be beneficial for officials to add essential minerals to better the water quality in Qatar.

“We’re not getting enough from our foods to start with, and now drinking [this type of] water compounds the problem,” Nriagu said.

– Leah Potter

Photo: Flickr

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Important Facts and Figures in Nepal


Nepal is known for being a hub of outdoor excursions and adventurous vacations in South Asia. However, the area has been plagued with poverty and natural disasters that are limiting its economic growth. Here are some important facts and figures in Nepal that are key to understanding the region’s poverty.

  1. Nepal has experienced numerous natural disasters including avalanches and landslides over the past few years. There are now heavy financial burdens from cleanup and repairs as well as hardships with respect to agriculture.
  2. Overall, the landscape in Nepal is uneven and rocky. This makes it difficult to cultivate for farming. A combination of poor-quality soil and infrequent rainfall further contributes to low agricultural holdings in the region. Erosion and flooding in the area also result in low crop yields.
  3. With limited growth in the agricultural sector, the living standards in rural areas continue to decline. This is further exacerbated by a growing population.
  4. The majority of Nepal’s population lives in rural areas and greatly depends on subsistence farming. In these areas, more than 50% of the children under the age of five experience malnutrition.
  5. Approximately 25.2% of those living in Nepal live below the national poverty line. In addition, of those unemployed in the country, 12.5% earn less than $1.90 per day of purchasing power parity.
  6. The poverty rate increases to approximately 45% in the mid-western region of Nepal and about 46% in the far western region.
  7. Approximately 25% of children are engaged in family and/or wage labor.
  8. Approximately 2.9% of Nepalese infants perish before their first birthday. Facts and figures in Nepal show that infant mortality is typically higher for girls.
  9. According to a 2013 report from the United Nations on human development, Nepal has a Human Development Index of approximately 0.463. Nepal ranks 157th out of 187 countries.
  10. According to the national living standards survey conducted between 2010 and 2011, more than 30% of those living in Nepal have less than $14 per person to spend each month.

A general lack of economic opportunity has led to the country’s current impoverished state. These facts and figures in Nepal reveal that poverty is an ongoing problem.

– Leah Potter

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Hunger in Serbia

The hunger and deprivation that plagued refugee camps during the Kosovo War inspired Clint Borgen to found The Borgen Project, and one of the countries that saw the largest influx of suffering refugees during that time was Serbia. Though conditions today are far better than they were in 1999, hunger in Serbia is still a problem. Here are 10 facts about the past and present conditions.

  1. In 1999, the U.N. World Food Program distributed 145,000 tons of food to Serbia, feeding approximately 890,000 undernourished people. At that time, the WFP compared conditions in Serbia, where 10 percent of the population faced a humanitarian crisis, to those in North Korea.
  2. In 2008, the Global Hunger Index (GHI) was 7.8 in Serbia and has since dropped to 7.1 in 2016. The GHI uses undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting and child mortality in their formula for determining hunger levels.
  3. The proportion of people experiencing hunger in Serbia, meaning they have insufficient caloric intake, was 6.9 percent in 2016, an improvement from 7.4 percent in 2008.
  4. The prevalence of wasting in children younger than five, which means their weight is low relative to their height, was 3.9 percent, down from four percent in 2008. Wasting is a measure of acute malnutrition.
  5. The prevalence of stunting in children younger than five, which means their height is low for their age, was six percent, down from 7.4 percent in 2008. Stunting is representative of chronic malnutrition.
  6. The mortality rate for children under the age of five is .7 percent, a small improvement from .8 percent in 2008.
  7. Of 113 index countries, the Global Food Security Index ranks Serbia 47th in affordability, 65th in availability and 52nd in quality and safety. Their overall rank for food security is 59.4, making them 52nd overall of the 113 countries.
  8. The Global Food Security Index also reports that hunger in Serbia leaves the average intensity of food deprivation at eight kilocalories per person per day. Each day, Serbia’s population lacks a total of 336,00,000 kilocalories.
  9. Because the nation has been a member of the U.N. since 2000, hunger in Serbia is a major factor in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The agenda is comprised of 17 goals, the second of which is “zero hunger.”
  10. Because it is far cheaper, it was reported that Serbians ate three times more bread than the average EU citizen in 2014 (89 kilograms/year), and close to a third of the amount of meat, at 35 kilograms per year, compared to 90 in Germany, 91 in Italy and 102 in France.

Conditions have been steadily improving to help eliminate hunger in Serbia. Where the country faced a humanitarian crisis at the beginning of the century, it is now working with the U.N. to meet a goal of zero hunger by 2030. The statistics concerning Global Hunger and Global Food Security clearly illustrate the successes of aid programs and domestic growth in the country, while the presence of malnutrition and child mortality reiterates that until there is no hunger, there is always more to be done.

– Brooke Clayton

Photo: Flickr

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Postpartum Depression in Developing Countries

Postpartum depression in developing countries occurs at a higher rate than in developed countries and has negative impacts on the health of both the mother and the infant. About 13 percent of women worldwide experience depression after childbirth; in developing countries, 19.8 percent of women have postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression is a form of clinical depression. Symptoms vary but may include fatigue, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, anxiety, social withdrawal and sadness. Mothers may also experience guilt regarding their childcare abilities. New mothers face a greater risk for depression because of hormonal changes resulting from pregnancy, childbirth and the added stress of caring for a child.

Poor maternal health can negatively impact the mother and child in several ways. First, severe postpartum depression can lead to suicide, which is a significant cause of death in mothers in developing countries. Postpartum depression can also affect the mother-infant relationship and decrease attachment. Finally, maternal depression is positively correlated with stunted child growth.

In developing countries, stunted growth can lead to lower-than-average adult height, low educational performance, reduced economic productivity, impaired work capacity and susceptibility to diseases. Infants are directly dependent upon their mothers to meet their nutritional needs and are highly sensitive to their environment. Therefore, they are perceptive of changes in their mothers’ mental health.

A variety of stressors act as risk factors for postpartum depression in developing countries. There is not a direct association between the state of poverty and postpartum depression in low and middle-income countries, but financial stress and difficulties are positively correlated with maternal depression. Unsurprisingly, hunger is also related to postpartum depression. A lack of food security places a lot of stress on the provider(s) of a household. Mothers exposed to violence or conflict situations have an increased risk for postpartum depression.While global health

While global health organizations have programs to combat postpartum depression in developing countries, more help is needed since most cases are undetected and untreated. Currently, some programs are evolving with non-specialized workers. These community-based helpers work with mothers to care for their children and increase their education and confidence.

Programs of this nature are already successful in Pakistan. The World Health Organization is trying to integrate maternal mental healthcare into routine pregnancy and infant care. This will help detect cases early and treat them without stigma. Development is an important factor in stress reduction for new mothers in developing countries.

– Sarah Denning

Photo: Flickr

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Common Diseases in Nicaragua

The most common diseases in Nicaragua include bacterial diarrhea, Hepatitis A, typhoid fever, dengue fever and malaria. Recently, countries in this region of the world have also seen a rise in Zika transmission. Common diseases in Nicaragua are food and waterborne diseases and vector-borne diseases.

The food and waterborne diseases seen in Nicaragua are bacterial diarrhea, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid fever. These can be contracted by ingesting contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A attacks the liver, resulting in fever, jaundice and diarrhea. About 15 percent of infected individuals will have these symptoms for more than six months. Typhoid fever leads to extremely high fevers, and when left untreated it has a mortality rate of 20 percent.

Dengue fever and malaria are spread by vectors, just like the Zika virus. Dengue fever is transferred through mosquito bites and has a death rate of 5 percent caused by shock or hemorrhage. Malaria is also spread through mosquitoes.

The CDC is most concerned with the prevalence of the Zika virus, because of the lasting effects it has on a population. Although the virus does not usually lead to death, it is an issue for pregnant women, who transfer the disease to their unborn children. When infected, these children will suffer from a lack of development in their skulls, which will cause major problems throughout their lives.

The good news is that the common diseases in Nicaragua are fairly easy to prevent with vaccination and proper hygiene. By avoiding contact with animals and bodily fluids, as well as preventing the spread of germs, the likelihood of contracting these diseases lessens greatly.

– Helen Barker

Photo: Flickr

Why is Venezuela Poor?

Venezuela is a country in South America with a population of over 31 million. With such a large population, it may come as a surprise that 82 percent of its citizens live in poverty. Why is Venezuela poor? There are many reasons, and following are a few of them.

  1. Economic crisis: Venezuela is in its third year of recession, which is the main answer to the question ‘why is Venezuela poor?’ Its economy is expected to contract by 10 percent this year according to the International Monetary Fund. Consequently, while the economy shrinks, the prices of goods are skyrocketing. This year, inflation is expected to rise 475 percent, and Venezuela’s currency has plummeted in value. Consider this: one dollar equaled 100 bolivars exactly two years ago. Today, one dollar is equivalent to 1,262 bolivars.
  2. Venezuela’s broken engine: Oil prices began to plunge in 2014. The oil prices contribute to Venezuela’s list of reasons for being poor. Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves, but the problem is that oil is the only game in town. It makes up more than 95 percent of Venezuela’s revenue from its exports. If it doesn’t sell oil, the country doesn’t have money to spend. Oil prices were over $100 per barrel in 2014. Today, they hover around $50 per barrel, after dropping as low as $26 earlier this year.
  3. Soaring food prices and broken hospitals. The food shortages became extremely severe this year, contributing to Venezuela’s poverty. Venezuelans went weeks, in some cases months, without basics like milk, eggs, flour, soap and toilet paper. Despite a crashing currency and dropping oil revenue, the government continued enforcing strict price controls on goods sold in the supermarkets. Only recently has the government stopped enforcing price controls, and food has returned to supermarket shelves. However, prices are so high that few Venezuelans can afford the food.

These points scratch the surface of the question ‘why is Venezuela poor?’ Venezuela is poor and running out of cash quickly. In the near future, it won’t have the money to pay its bills. Venezuela will owe $15 billion by the end of 2017, while the nation’s central bank only has $11.8 billion in reserves. The state-owned oil company is pumping less oil and risking default. Most of its reserves are in the form of gold. So, to make debt payments this year, Venezuela has shipped gold bars to Switzerland. China used to bail out Venezuela and loan it billions of dollars. However, even China has stopped giving its Latin American ally more cash.

– Paige Wilson

Photo: Google

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Assad Diverts Foreign Aid from Those in Need

The U.S has spent a total of $6 billion in Syria as of 2016. The need for this assistance is extensive. USAID estimated that there are 13.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Syria. However, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria diverts foreign aid from those who need it. He uses it for political goals.

Every day, Russian aircraft drop tons of food in the government-controlled neighborhood of Deir Ezzor. This has saved the lives of countless Syrians in the city. However, in towns controlled by the opposition, countless Syrians starve. Through the use of systematic regulations, President Assad diverts foreign aid from those in need. He then uses foreign aid as a political tool to increase his authority. Syrian expert Joshua Landis said that the Syrian government needs to manipulate foreign aid because “food is loyalty.”

The U.N. admits that it can only work with a small number of partners approved by Assad. Assad’s wife and close friend run two of these partnerships. Other humanitarian relief contracts are awarded to individuals under sanction and members of the Syrian regime known for their brutality and oppression. This is because the Syrian relief effort is the most challenging and complex operation the U.N. has ever seen. This gives Assad more bargaining power. He diverts foreign aid only to areas he controls. He only allows the U.N. into the country without interference if they play by his rules.

Moreover, a Russian airliner company, Abakan Air, carries out the aid transportation. Two Russian nationals, Nikolai Ustimenko and his son Patel, own the company. Both have previously been barred from doing business with the U.N. on account of bribery. It is unclear to what extent they play in Assad’s distribution of foreign aid.

It wasn’t always this way. Initially, the U.N. and Syrian Red Cross delivered aid impartially to the Syrian people. However, as the world turned its attention elsewhere, the Syrian government began blocking aid deliveries to rebel-controlled towns.

Advocates of the foreign aid program point to the amount of good aid have done in the region. Even through the aid only affects certain areas, civilians in need are still being fed. They say it would be unfair to punish those civilians in desperate need by withdrawing aid.

The USAID and UNICEF have done well to give aid. However, it is not good enough. The fact that Assad diverts foreign aid must be addressed. People are starving in Syria and aid needs to be distributed equally.

– Bruce Truax

Photo: Google

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Five Organizations Promoting Education in Haiti

In the United States, public education is frequently taken for granted. The plethora of education choices we are afforded often blinds those with privilege from how fortunate they are. In developing countries such as Haiti, these options are non-existent. The following nonprofits and other organizations are promoting education in Haiti.

Education for Haiti
With only about nine percent of Haitian children graduating from high school, Education for Haiti sees it as vital to ensure that children stay in school. The founder, Richard Ireland, spent time in the Peace Corps working in Haiti and saw firsthand the lack of access to education. After identifying six families living in extreme poverty, he decided to pay their children’s tuition. Altogether the six families had 33 children that he was able to send to school.

This legacy carries on today as the organization continues to provide tuition assistance to children of Haiti. While six families were helped last year, the organization hopes to grow to help even more.

Global Partnership for Education
Global Partnership for Education focuses on education all over the world. Through a series of grants, this organization is affecting change in Haiti. The first grant awarded to Haiti lasted from 2010 to 2015 and was utilized to increase access to education, boost student performance and increase governance in the school system.

The second grant to promote education in Haiti, which is $24.1 million, is set to last from 2014 to 2018. This grant is more targeted at enrollment. This reached 102,000 students the first year and an additional 35,444 the following year. This program is a tuition assistance initiative aimed at reaching children who otherwise would not be able to afford a non-public education.

UNESCO
As the educational and cultural arm of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is renowned for its contributions to discovery and innovation around the world. Haiti is one of 181 countries in which UNESCO has created schools that are part of the Associated Schools Project Network.

With two primary schools, six secondary schools and 13 colleges, the organization is making notable changes in Haiti. The establishment of these schools not only bolsters Haiti but also helps the United Nations to reach the Education for Sustainable Development plan. These schools bring new perspectives based on innovation and experience.

Hope for Haiti
Like many nonprofits, Hope for Haiti focuses on more than one problem in Haiti, but education remains a key issue. Rather than focusing on ground-relief, it uses donations to power the organization and promote education in Haiti.

The nonprofit requires only $5 to provide school supplies to a student, and $100 can support an entire education. The scholarships provided to students through donations are able to change lives. One student, Marie Francelene, was able to attend nursing school through the organization’s assistance. Without Hope for Haiti, she would have been like thousands of other unfortunate students and unable to continue her education.

Haiti Foundation Against Poverty
The Haiti Foundation Against Poverty has narrowed its view to a specific area of Haiti. The United Nations labeled the slum Cite Soleil one of the most dangerous places in the world, but this label only encouraged the Foundation. In 2008, Les Bours School was opened on the outskirts of the notorious slum.

Les Bours School was established to promote education among the most disadvantaged children in Haiti. These are children living in unimaginable conditions surrounded by violence and gangs. The school created hope for these children’s futures. To continue this program, each student at Les Bours School is matched with a sponsor in order to continue funding.

These organizations promoting education in Haiti have left a substantial impact on the small island country, with every bit of aid making a big difference.

– Sophie Casimes

Photo: Flickr