The Republic of Lithuania is located west of Russia along the Baltic Sea. 3.3 million people live in this 65,300 square km country. Historic changes have taken place in just one generation.
Lithuania had been occupied by Russia since 1940, but regained its independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Thirteen years later, in 2004, Lithuania joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the EU (European Union).
This country has seen a lot of political change in the past 25 years. A new constitution in 1992 presented a new form of government for Lithuania, including a presidency.
However, despite advancements, there are still problems with human rights in Lithuania. The government and people of this Baltic country are working hard to improve human rights, but there are still four notable areas of concern.
1. Children’s welfare
The 2016 Human Rights Report on Lithuania stated that “despite a multi-year effort to combat violence against children, many problems continued.” The Council of Europe Commissioner of Human Services, Nils Muižnieks, plans on reducing child abuse and harm in Lithuania by “implementing the law banning all forms of violence against children through a coordinated strategy and effective and independent monitoring.”
One area that can be improved is the country’s child hotline. It was reported that in the first eight months of 2015, the hotline received over 421,000 calls but was only able to respond to 192. This lack of resources and funding is a serious issue that results in injuries to and sometimes deaths of children.
Another issue that needs to be addressed is the number of institutionalized and displaced children in Lithuania. There are close to 100 orphanages in the country, which house about 4,000 orphans as of 2015. It is an important goal for Lithuanian government officials and NGOs to improve the orphanage system, because many institutionalized children’s issues stem from their time without a family in these temporary homes.
2. Domestic violence
According to the 2016 Human Rights report, in Lithuania, “rape and domestic violence are criminal offenses” and are dealt with according to the degree of harm done to the victim.
Domestic violence is one of the biggest human rights issues in Lithuania. Although there have been efforts to stop it, violence still continues. “In the first eight months of the year, police received 33,453 domestic violence calls and started 6,718 pretrial investigations, including 24 for murder.”
Compared to the United States’ 20,000 calls a day for rape or domestic violence, Lithuania’s numbers may not seem substantial. However, when people are being harmed, any number is significant and needs to be addressed.
3. Discrimination against minorities
Human rights in Lithuania in regard to discrimination against minorities are a very prevalent issue. Whether it is a mentally disabled person or a Jewish person, discrimination occurs against various minority groups in Lithuania.
People with disabilities are among the groups that face the worst discrimination in Lithuania. Some rights that have been known to be unequal for disabled people include “inaccessibility, forced hospitalization, human rights violations in closed institutions and psychiatric wards, restrictions on the right to vote and an inadequate mental health system, which remained among the least reformed areas in the health sector.”
Jews also have a history of discrimination in Lithuania. Recent research has shown that between January and April of 2016, 90 Jewish people who applied for passports were rejected, compared to only 20 non-Jewish applicants rejected.
However, like most human rights issues in Lithuania, the government is working to improve the situation. About $14.3 million was put aside between 2013 and 2019 to be spent by the Department of Affairs of the Disabled.
4. Inhumane treatment of prisoners
Conditions in some prisons and detention facilities remain sub-standard. There have been credible allegations of inadequate access to hygiene products, poor sanitary conditions such as filthy blankets and mattresses, poor food and inferior medical care.
Some improvements have been made, though. “Between January and September, the government spent approximately 364,000 euros ($400,000) on the renovation of seven prison facilities.” With more aid and support, these prisons and detention centers can become healthy and safe places.
– Sydney Missigman
Photo: Flickr
Chinese Sex Education Textbooks to Help
Created by the Beijing Normal University after many tests and parent surveys, these Chinese sex education textbooks focus on both the physical and emotional aspects of sex and relationships. Accompanying the text are graphic illustrations of sexual imagery, including male and female genitalia, penetration and menstruation.
The Chinese sex education books cover a lot of the issues about the logistics of sex. These issues include different sexual acts, sexual protection and risks like sexually-transmitted diseases.
Along with those facts, the Chinese sex education textbooks also discuss the more social aspects of sexuality, one of these aspects being consent. According to the Huffington Post, the books highlight different ways in which children can decline consent, especially against predators, emphasizing how predators can be male or female.
When it comes to consensual relationships, however, one of the most controversial aspects of the series, according to Quartz, is its take on homosexual relationships. The textbooks support both homosexuality and those who choose not to be in a relationship, explaining how both are natural and should be respected. The former is frowned upon because there is a huge taboo against homosexual relationships in China.
Overall, however, the Chinese sex education textbooks teach children to take responsibility for their own bodies and sexual health. The creators of the books also hope that the series encourages healthy, thoughtful sexual behavior.
These Chinese sex education textbooks illustrate how China is improving with regards to sexual education. According to the Huffington Post, knowledge about sex is seriously lacking, leading to a lack of knowledge about things such as menstruation or contraception beyond abortion.
Many Chinese parents, however, have condemned the books. According to Quartz, the parents believe that the series is too graphic and mature for elementary school children. They also argue that the young students may imitate what they see.
Proponents of the series, however, express that it is the parents’ own lack of sexual education that makes them uncomfortable. They also highlight, as explained in Quartz, how the series helps young children understand, and may even protect them from molestation.
In spite of the pushback, this series of Chinese sex education textbooks will help remedy the lack of sexual education that China has experienced.
– Cortney Rowe
Photo: Flickr
The State of Relative Hunger in Guernsey
With 87 percent of the economy coming from services, the unemployment has remained at 1.2 percent, with an accompanying unknown percentage of those living below the poverty line. Due to other unknown data, there is no current percentage of those living in hunger in Guernsey.
Further, in 2011, it was reported that for Guernsey residents to maintain a minimum standard of living, residents need a 20-30 percent higher income, and this rises to 40 percent for older residents. The same goes for necessities such as electricity. Guernsey natives could spend upwards of $240 a month on garbage, water, heating and electricity alone for an 85-square-meter apartment. Even with a milder climate, natives still spend approximately 36 percent more on food and drink than U.K. residents.
However, even with higher costs on food, due to the decline in agriculture, residents are still able to maintain a sufficient lifestyle, and there have been no recent reports of a spike in hunger rates, depth of hunger or malnutrition prevalence.
Although there is no current data on the number of those living in hunger in Guernsey, with the economy supported by financial services and the island’s continued ability to send aid to countries in need like South Sudan, it can be inferred that hunger in Guernsey is not an immediate or existing problem.
– Amira Wynn
Photo: Pixabay
Common Diseases in Bulgaria
Communicable and non-communicable diseases affect Bulgaria at different rates. According to Healthgrove, the most common deadly non-communicable diseases include cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory disease.
In 2013, the three most deadly cancers were tracheal, bronchus and lung cancer; colon and rectum cancer and stomach cancer. These comprised 44.1 percent of all deaths from cancer in Bulgaria at the time.
Common communicable diseases in Bulgaria include:
These diseases are spread through contact with an infected person or breathing in particles from an infected person sneezing or coughing into the open air or on a non-infected person.
In 2015, the death rate per 100,000 people was 1,500 people. The following non-communicable common diseases in Bulgaria caused the most deaths:
Although it is difficult to prevent non-communicable diseases as they occur from the environment or are common within a family, communicable diseases can be prevented, meaning that many of the most common diseases in Bulgaria can be tackled. With vaccinations readily available for communicable diseases, good hygiene also plays a factor. Washing hands frequently, staying away from contaminated food and covering your mouth while coughing or sneezing can help lead to a disease-free, healthier lifestyle.
– Stefanie Podosek
Photo: Flickr
Five Ways to Help People in Vietnam
Though Vietnam’s economy has improved greatly in a relatively short amount of time, many of its poorest citizens are left in the dust. And while there are many small things to do to help people in Vietnam, these being just a few of them, it will take the country actively deciding to make its own impoverished people a priority for real change to occur.
– Audrey Palzkill
Photo: Flickr
Improving Nigerian Education: Reading and Numeracy Activity
The Nigerian education system, aided by many years of effort, still remains weak. Literacy rates are very low among Nigerians above the age of 15, at 69.2 percent for boys and 49.7 percent for girls. In an effort to aid the problem, U.S. nonprofit FHI 360 is implementing a program dubbed the Reading and Numeracy Activity (RANA).
FHI 360 is a dedicated nonprofit human development organization focused on locally driven solutions for human development. FHI 360 with collaboration from Nigeria’s Ministry of Education is implementing a Reading and Numeracy Activity pilot project in an effort to expand the project nationally.
The aim of the project is to improve the quality of literacy and numeracy instruction for girls and boys in primary grades one to three. In the pilot stage, approximately 200 schools will be instructed using the RANA system. The pilot stage will be spanning two states, Katsina and Zamfara. In those two states, the dominant mother tongue is Hausa, and RANA has provided teaching and learning materials in Hausa for 800 teachers and 51,000 students. The Hausa materials provided by the pilot program include a step-by-step teacher guide and student workbooks.
The Reading and Numeracy Activity system is still in the pilot phase and it may take years to analyze the data, but students, teachers and parents are already feeling the effects of the program. A parent involved in the program told the advocacy organization ONE: “The RANA lessons have made him more hardworking and love school. I will support his education to any level within my means. I am very grateful to RANA for giving school a new meaning.”
– Yosef Mahmoud
Photo: Flickr
Top Diseases in Cabo Verde
Cerebrovascular Disease
Referring to disorders of ischemia or bleeding in the brain, cerebrovascular disease often leads to cases of stroke. In 2015, it was recorded that cerebrovascular disease had consistently been the most lethal of the top diseases in Cabo Verde for the past decade. Although it remains the archipelago’s most dangerous disease, instances of cerebrovascular disease had decreased by 4.7 percent over the decade.
Ischemic Heart Disease
Ischemic heart disease, also called coronary artery disease, refers to problems resulting from narrowed arteries of the heart. Such a disease can lead to a heart attack. In 2015, ischemic heart disease was recorded as Cabo Verde’s second most common cause of death. Fortunately, the prevalence of the disease has actually decreased by 4.3 percent since the previous decade.
Lower Respiratory Infections
Referring to infections of the lower respiratory system such as bronchiolitis, influenza, acute bronchitis and pneumonia, lower respiratory infections account for high death rates around the world. However, lower respiratory infections are communicable and can be treated if given proper care and attention. Lower respiratory infections are currently the third most fatal of the top diseases in Cabo Verde. However, since 2015, instances of the disease in the archipelago were reported to have decreased by 12.3 percent.
As previously mentioned, every one of the top diseases in Cabo Verde has been decreasing in prevalence since 2005. Additionally, in January of 2014, Cabo Verde opened the doors of the National Institute of Health of Cape Verde, an organization founded on the core value of universal health access. With this new development, the international community may see that the nation is dedicated to providing a higher standard of healthcare to their people.
– Shannon Golden
Photo: Google
The Long-Lasting Effects of Education in Conflict Zones
Many affected families flee their homes in pursuit of an education for their children as well, braving violent odds to become refugees. A UNICEF survey found that one in three parents or guardians in Greece cited better education opportunities as the reason why they left their country for Europe.
“At no time is education more important than in times of war,” stated to Josephine Bourne, Chief of Education for UNICEF. “Without education, how will children reach their full potential and contribute to the future and stability of their families, communities and economies?” UNICEF works in affected countries to ensure that displaced children receive an education in conflict zones, training teachers, rehabilitating schools and delivering supplies. The organization and its partners work in 190 countries and territories today, with a focus on children in the most vulnerable settings.
The combination of a lack of social skills, lack of education and loss of hope and happiness stemming from growing up in a conflict area often create conditions for radicalized refugee children. They may find it difficult to resist joining their country’s armed forces. Many Syrian children, for example, would rather receive a $400 monthly salary to join the war rather than work long hours for $10 a day at a shoe factory.
Governments and their people prioritize necessities like food, shelter and water during times of war over education. But without a substantial education, children grow up without the essential knowledge needed to contribute to a peaceful, economically and politically stable society. A suspension of education in conflict zones is responsible for the loss of entire generations of productive members of society, forced to be soldiers instead of scientists and child-brides instead of teachers.
– Katherine Gallagher
BOBS for Skechers Charitable Program Helps Children in Need
Skechers shoes leave a charitable footprint through its BOBS for Skechers charitable program, in collaboration with charities such as Delivering Good, Inc. and Soles4Souls. Delivering Good, Inc. (formerly K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers) is a nonprofit that accepts donations in the fashion, home and children’s industries, which are then sent to help millions of kids, adults and families facing poverty and disaster. Since 1985, over $1.6 billion of donated products have been distributed through the charity’s network of community partners. Delivering Good, Inc. has been a partner of Skechers for five years and has distributed a total of 7.5 million pairs of shoes in that period to organizations domestically and internationally.
Founded in 2006, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 30 million pairs of shoes in 127 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Skechers, through its alliance with Soles4Souls, provides short-term relief and long-term solutions to individuals without access to a good pair of shoes. Every day children are kept from attending school and adults are unable to work because of the burden of walking without proper shoes, and a single pair has the power to provide relief in many developing nations around the globe. Furthermore, Soles4Souls states, “Our micro-enterprise model provides entrepreneurs the ability to start small businesses by providing a steady supply of high-quality, low-cost product; a powerful and sustainable way for people to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.”
In addition to working with various charities, Skechers involves celebrities in the process to help raise awareness about the brand and its mission to give back. Singer-songwriter Camila Cabello is the latest celebrity to work on a campaign with Skechers. The 20-year-old recently took to Twitter to share her upcoming involvement with the brand, on which she expressed, “One of the things that attracted me to Skechers is their philanthropic efforts to children in need and animals in need… because that’s something that’s important to me and close to my heart.”
Through its nonprofit partners and millions of donations, Skechers helps deliver individuals from extreme poverty, even in the simplest of ways. The Skechers movement has reached children and adults struggling with a variety of circumstances across the nation and in more than 30 countries worldwide, helping each of them one step at a time.
– Mikaela Frigillana
Photo: Flickr
4 Concerns About Human Rights in Lithuania
Lithuania had been occupied by Russia since 1940, but regained its independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Thirteen years later, in 2004, Lithuania joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the EU (European Union).
This country has seen a lot of political change in the past 25 years. A new constitution in 1992 presented a new form of government for Lithuania, including a presidency.
However, despite advancements, there are still problems with human rights in Lithuania. The government and people of this Baltic country are working hard to improve human rights, but there are still four notable areas of concern.
1. Children’s welfare
The 2016 Human Rights Report on Lithuania stated that “despite a multi-year effort to combat violence against children, many problems continued.” The Council of Europe Commissioner of Human Services, Nils Muižnieks, plans on reducing child abuse and harm in Lithuania by “implementing the law banning all forms of violence against children through a coordinated strategy and effective and independent monitoring.”
One area that can be improved is the country’s child hotline. It was reported that in the first eight months of 2015, the hotline received over 421,000 calls but was only able to respond to 192. This lack of resources and funding is a serious issue that results in injuries to and sometimes deaths of children.
Another issue that needs to be addressed is the number of institutionalized and displaced children in Lithuania. There are close to 100 orphanages in the country, which house about 4,000 orphans as of 2015. It is an important goal for Lithuanian government officials and NGOs to improve the orphanage system, because many institutionalized children’s issues stem from their time without a family in these temporary homes.
2. Domestic violence
According to the 2016 Human Rights report, in Lithuania, “rape and domestic violence are criminal offenses” and are dealt with according to the degree of harm done to the victim.
Domestic violence is one of the biggest human rights issues in Lithuania. Although there have been efforts to stop it, violence still continues. “In the first eight months of the year, police received 33,453 domestic violence calls and started 6,718 pretrial investigations, including 24 for murder.”
Compared to the United States’ 20,000 calls a day for rape or domestic violence, Lithuania’s numbers may not seem substantial. However, when people are being harmed, any number is significant and needs to be addressed.
3. Discrimination against minorities
Human rights in Lithuania in regard to discrimination against minorities are a very prevalent issue. Whether it is a mentally disabled person or a Jewish person, discrimination occurs against various minority groups in Lithuania.
People with disabilities are among the groups that face the worst discrimination in Lithuania. Some rights that have been known to be unequal for disabled people include “inaccessibility, forced hospitalization, human rights violations in closed institutions and psychiatric wards, restrictions on the right to vote and an inadequate mental health system, which remained among the least reformed areas in the health sector.”
Jews also have a history of discrimination in Lithuania. Recent research has shown that between January and April of 2016, 90 Jewish people who applied for passports were rejected, compared to only 20 non-Jewish applicants rejected.
However, like most human rights issues in Lithuania, the government is working to improve the situation. About $14.3 million was put aside between 2013 and 2019 to be spent by the Department of Affairs of the Disabled.
4. Inhumane treatment of prisoners
Conditions in some prisons and detention facilities remain sub-standard. There have been credible allegations of inadequate access to hygiene products, poor sanitary conditions such as filthy blankets and mattresses, poor food and inferior medical care.
Some improvements have been made, though. “Between January and September, the government spent approximately 364,000 euros ($400,000) on the renovation of seven prison facilities.” With more aid and support, these prisons and detention centers can become healthy and safe places.
– Sydney Missigman
Photo: Flickr
Human Rights in Guinea
According to the United States Department of State’s 2016 Human Rights Report on Guinea, the country’s second democratic presidential campaign in 2015 was more peaceful than the previous one in 2010 or the 2013 legislative elections. Incumbent president Alpha Condé won re-election with 58 percent of the vote. The report does mention, however, that a few deaths still occurred during confrontations between demonstrators and state security forces.
Human Rights Watch has reported that the election was flawed, though Condé’s government took steps in 2016 to consolidate the rule of law and address the excessive use of force employed by security forces. Human rights violations by these security forces have reportedly decreased, but the Guinean judiciary appears to have done little to investigate past instances of state-sponsored violence – except the 2009 massacre of unarmed protesters. The massacre occurred under the military rule of Moussa Dadis Camara and resulted in the death of over 100 protesters. According to Human Rights Watch, while the investigation received political and financial support from the government, there was significant failure to suspend high-ranking government suspects from their positions.
In addition to the use of force against dissidents, the freedoms of speech, press and assembly are also restricted in order to decrease public criticism of the government. Since 2016, there have been multiple cases of citizens being imprisoned or fined for defamation or being in “contempt of the President.” In June 2016, journalist Malick Bouya Kébé of a private radio station was fined one million Guinean francs (approximately $112) for complicity in contempt of the President; he failed to interrupt a listener who criticized the president during a phone-in segment. His listener, another journalist, was sentenced to a year in prison and fined 1.5 million Guinean francs (approximately $168). To put this in perspective, the average annual income in Guinea is approximately $446. Both were tried without access to a lawyer.
Discrimination and violence against women and girls have also been human rights issues needing improvement in Guinea. In accordance with Guinean law, violence against women causing injury is punishable by up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of 30,000 Guinean francs (approximately $3.30). Though the law does not specifically address domestic violence, a charge of general assault carries a sentence of two to five years and a fine of up to 300,000 Guinean francs (approximately $33). Though grounds for divorce, the U.S. State Department has found that police rarely intervene in instances of domestic violence. It has also been reported that approximately 96 percent of Guinean women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation or cutting.
Key international actors such as the European Union, the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and the International Criminal Court have undertaken efforts to strengthen judicial reforms, support security sector reform and engage national authorities on progress in investigations into state-sponsored violence. In its 2017 World Report, Human Rights Watch asserts that there must be more international pressure put on the Guinean government from these international actors in order for there to be lasting improvements made on human rights in Guinea.
– Amanda Quinn
Photo: Flickr