The global financial crisis hurt first world nations as well as developing countries. As one example of this, poverty in Cuba has been affected. The country is doing better than some Latin American countries, but the government is struggling to maintain services such as free healthcare and education.
Cuba opened up its economy as a result of the global financial crisis, but it is worse off as a result. Fifteen percent of the population is living in poverty in Cuba. This most recent data is at least 10 years old, though, and more recent numbers are not available.
Because of the USSR’s collapse, Cuba was left to fend for itself. This has led to a restructuring of how goods and services are distributed. For example, instead of a universal food supply in the form of food stamps for everyone, Cuba is targeting the most vulnerable.
One problem Cuba faces is people living longer, despite the availability of junk food. It is estimated that the population of those over 65 in Cuba will double in the next 20 years. That will swell the number of people seeking healthcare as well as the costs associated as such.
About 40 percent of Cubans fall within the “middle class,” which is broadly defined, according to the Brookings Institute, but the average take-home pay for Cubans is $20 per month, or $0.66 per day, based on a 30-day month.
Despite this, 90 percent of Cubans own their own homes. Most Cubans can buy and sell property, open small businesses, have cell phones and form cooperatives both on and off farms.” President Raul Castro, who encourages the high ownership rate, is trying to “preserve socialism while introducing new market-based mechanisms,” according to Ted Piccone, a senior fellow at the Brooking Institute who specializes in International Order and Strategy and Latin American Initiatives.
Just as towns that concentrate and depend on one industry or business, with the risk of seeing that business close or fail, Cuba replaced dependence on the United States with dependence on the former USSR, only to see it fall. Castro inherited a Cuba that was dependent on sugar production, but with the deep socio-economic and racial scars of slavery. Some believe the revolution interrupted capitalistic growth, while others say it was “a precondition to resolving the contradictions obstructing development by ending Cuba’s subjugation to the needs of U.S. capitalism.”
Adding to the problem was Batista’s taking millions with him as he fled. This left Cuba without much of the money it needed to rebuild.
Despite the country’s economic problems, prices are kept low across the board, with some services still coming free, such as education and healthcare. Those who rent do not pay more than four percent of their income. Cuba’s infant mortality rate is 4.5 per 1,000 live births, placing it among the rates in first-world countries, even ranking above the United States. The wealth indicators here are not necessarily material goods but instead are reflected in the quality of life. This quality does come at a price, though: Cuba’s infrastructure is in very poor shape.
Despite Cuba’s economic problems, its medical triumphs show how, despite the embargo by the United States, a country can survive if it looks for help elsewhere, and even become a leader. By investing in people and reaching out, poverty in Cuba and other countries like it can be reduced, and developing nations can make their mark on the world and life for its citizens better as time goes on.
– Gloria Diaz
Photo: Pixabay
10 Facts About Refugees in San Marino You Might Not Know
San Marino is a small country ensconced by its neighboring country, Italy. It is considered to be the world’s oldest surviving republic. Its population is a little over 30,000. The refugee population in the area is small, which makes it a low concern for the region. However, previous years reveal higher numbers of refugees. Here are 10 facts about refugees in San Marino.
10 Facts About Refugees in San Marino
Though the refugee population in the country is minute these 10 facts about refugees in San Marino are important to achieving a deeper understanding the European refugee crisis as a whole.
– Leah Potter
Photo: Flickr
The State of Human Rights in Jamaica
Poverty and public security are the primary human rights concerns in Jamaica. Gang violence and violent murders are rampant and affect a majority of the population, especially the poorest. Although there has been a slight decrease in gang activity in the last few years, gang violence still accounts for a majority of murders in Jamaica. Last year, the Acting Police Commissioner reported that 65 percent of murders were linked to gangs.
Police violence is also a major issue. The state’s answer to significant violent crime has largely been to respond with its own violence. Human rights activists in recent years have reported the prevalence of unlawful killings on behalf of the state police force on the order of – or complicit with – higher authorities. Since 2000, it is alleged that the Jamaican constabulary force has killed over 3,000 people. Although these killings have been decreasing since 2010, the numbers are still high. In 2016, there was an average of two police killings per week.
Beyond the killings themselves, international human rights watchdog organizations have claimed that police officers perpetuate an atmosphere of fear. The planting and tampering of evidence, along with the intimidation and terrorizing of witnesses, are commonplace.
Another major obstacle to improving human rights in Jamaica is the treatment of the LGBTQ community. Hate crimes directed at these individuals have been committed both by citizens and the police. Between 2009 and 2012, estimates show that over 200 attacks, including physical attacks, mob attacks and home invasions, were directed at LGBTQ members. More recently, the government has formally acknowledged the issue and has put in place initiatives, such as a division of the police focused on diversity, to help aid the problem.
The state of human rights in Jamaica over the past decade has been improving. Initiatives on behalf of the government and the support and direction of human rights organizations have attempted to systematically address the issues that plagued the Jamaican community, and have already made progress. However, there is still a lot of room for improvement and as long as Jamaica suffers from chronic poverty, human rights issues will always be present.
– Alan Garcia-Ramos
Photo: Flickr
Human Rights in the Czech Republic
The condition of human rights in the Czech Republic is, for the most part, favorable. The Czech government takes an active role in protecting its citizens’ rights and appears open to positive change.
The main issue that the Czech Republic faces is a lack of acceptance of immigrants and minorities along with an increase in hate speech. While the nation complied with the European Union (EU) resettlement agreement of Turkish and Middle Eastern refugees, Amnesty International reports several demonstrations against the Romani people and asylum seekers. The general dislike of refugees and the view that they pose a threat to the Czech Republic was perpetuated by some political leaders, including the president.
Several polls reflected the general disapproval of Roma, including one in which 82 percent of the participants deemed Roma “unlikeable” or “very unlikeable,” according to the U.S. Department of State (DOS). Additionally, one-third of Roma lived in ghettos or similar conditions, and many Romani children went to special schools, putting them at an educational disadvantage.
Most reported hate crimes against both Romani and Muslim people have led to convictions, revealing a commitment to the improvement of human rights in the Czech Republic. The minister for labor and social affairs as well as the minister for human rights in the Czech Republic also supported legislation that would benefit minority and disadvantaged groups.
Freedom of speech and expression is largely unhindered by the Czech government with the exception of hate speech and those who deny the Holocaust. Unlawful Internet censorship is not an issue, and most homes have high-speed Internet access.
Government corruption still affects the Czech Republic, as demonstrated by an increase in crimes committed by prison workers and law enforcement officers between 2014 and 2015. Despite this, the government ensured that these offenders were subjected to the appropriate fines and prison time. Lawmakers and the like must publicly report their assets and are generally compliant, even if the information is sometimes difficult to access.
The unemployment rate among disabled persons remains high, but education conditions for the disabled have progressed. The U.S. DOS documents that legislation was recently passed that increased the attendance rate of disabled children in “mainstream schools.” This is indicative of a focus on improvement of human rights in the Czech Republic.
Although prisons struggle with sanitation and overcrowding, they are open to making the suggested changes of investigative forces – such as NGOs – that monitor prison conditions.
Human rights in the Czech Republic could improve in some areas, but thanks to the Czech government being attentive to the needs and rights of its citizens, not much improvement is needed.
– Emma Tennyson
Photo: Flickr
Five Main Causes of Poverty in the UK
While these issues are problematic for many people across the U.K., attempts have been made to alleviate the damage. The national living wage, introduced in 2016, was created in order to reflect the costs incurred by working people in the country. There are charities such as the Child Poverty Action Group and End Child Poverty that target vulnerable families. Though it may take time, the fight is certainly underway against poverty in the U.K.
– Gavin Callander
Photo: Flickr
Progress Made on Reducing Poverty in Cuba
Cuba opened up its economy as a result of the global financial crisis, but it is worse off as a result. Fifteen percent of the population is living in poverty in Cuba. This most recent data is at least 10 years old, though, and more recent numbers are not available.
Because of the USSR’s collapse, Cuba was left to fend for itself. This has led to a restructuring of how goods and services are distributed. For example, instead of a universal food supply in the form of food stamps for everyone, Cuba is targeting the most vulnerable.
One problem Cuba faces is people living longer, despite the availability of junk food. It is estimated that the population of those over 65 in Cuba will double in the next 20 years. That will swell the number of people seeking healthcare as well as the costs associated as such.
About 40 percent of Cubans fall within the “middle class,” which is broadly defined, according to the Brookings Institute, but the average take-home pay for Cubans is $20 per month, or $0.66 per day, based on a 30-day month.
Despite this, 90 percent of Cubans own their own homes. Most Cubans can buy and sell property, open small businesses, have cell phones and form cooperatives both on and off farms.” President Raul Castro, who encourages the high ownership rate, is trying to “preserve socialism while introducing new market-based mechanisms,” according to Ted Piccone, a senior fellow at the Brooking Institute who specializes in International Order and Strategy and Latin American Initiatives.
Just as towns that concentrate and depend on one industry or business, with the risk of seeing that business close or fail, Cuba replaced dependence on the United States with dependence on the former USSR, only to see it fall. Castro inherited a Cuba that was dependent on sugar production, but with the deep socio-economic and racial scars of slavery. Some believe the revolution interrupted capitalistic growth, while others say it was “a precondition to resolving the contradictions obstructing development by ending Cuba’s subjugation to the needs of U.S. capitalism.”
Adding to the problem was Batista’s taking millions with him as he fled. This left Cuba without much of the money it needed to rebuild.
Despite the country’s economic problems, prices are kept low across the board, with some services still coming free, such as education and healthcare. Those who rent do not pay more than four percent of their income. Cuba’s infant mortality rate is 4.5 per 1,000 live births, placing it among the rates in first-world countries, even ranking above the United States. The wealth indicators here are not necessarily material goods but instead are reflected in the quality of life. This quality does come at a price, though: Cuba’s infrastructure is in very poor shape.
Despite Cuba’s economic problems, its medical triumphs show how, despite the embargo by the United States, a country can survive if it looks for help elsewhere, and even become a leader. By investing in people and reaching out, poverty in Cuba and other countries like it can be reduced, and developing nations can make their mark on the world and life for its citizens better as time goes on.
– Gloria Diaz
Photo: Pixabay
Examining Tunisia’s Human Rights Record
In 2011, Tunisia was embroiled in revolution, eventually leading to the resignation of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the formation of a new, free, republic. Although Tunisia’s new government may be free, there is no guarantee that it will have a stellar human rights record. Following the revolution, Tunisia’s human rights record has been imperfect, and its new government still has issues to work out.
According to Amnesty International’s annual report, the biggest threat to human rights in Tunisia is the current nationwide state of emergency, which has been in effect since November 2015. Through this state of emergency, the government military force has been granted an expansion of powers in order to deal with the threat of the Islamic State along Tunisia’s borders. Instead, the military has used its power to take away the human rights and freedom of Tunisian citizens. Tunisia’s Truth and Dignity Commission, which was created to address Tunisia’s human rights violations, reported that it has received reports of more than 62,000 human rights violations.
Among said human rights violations include arbitrary arrests, intimidation and harassment, discrimination and the banning of assembly and free speech. Since the start of the state of emergency, there have been thousands of arrests and house searches, often without a warrant. Accompanying these arrests is a sense of intimidation and harassment, where law enforcement and military officials are threatening people in the name of counter-terrorism. Tunisian citizens are stereotyped, men in long beards and women in religious clothing are explicitly monitored and treated harshly and their homes are searched. These unlawful searches and arrests go against key human rights, including the right to work and freedom of movement – further injuring Tunisia’s human rights record.
The Human Rights Watch notes that Tunisia has been trying to prevent torture and ill treatment towards detainees in their prisons, with the National Constituent Assembly creating a High Authority for the Prevention of Torture, which elected 16 members in March 2016. Using unannounced inspections, torture in prisons and detention sites can be reduced. However, the Tunisian government is still unsure of how to preserve the human rights of citizens in police custody as reports of ill treatment by judges and police officers rise.
Addressing these reports, the U.N. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recommended, among other suggestions, that Tunisia should increase accountability amongst these police officers and judges by raising awareness of human rights. Thus, while the government continues to stabilize and search for ways to stem Tunisia’s human rights violations in the midst of the country’s ongoing state of emergency, there is hope that the treatment of its citizens will continue to improve.
– Rachael Blandau
Photo: Flickr
The Main Causes of Poverty in Samoa
Samoa is one of the most stable islands in the Pacific region. Its economy is reasonably healthy and the average family earns lower-middle incomes. As a developing nation, Samoa has made many impressive strides toward meeting the Millennium Development Goals.
Extreme poverty is very uncommon in Samoa. However, according to the Asian Development Bank, approximately 22% of the country’s population lived below the national poverty line in 2018. The causes of poverty in Samoa ultimately boil down to lack of access to education, youth unemployment and underemployment, gender inequity and threats to natural resources and farming land, such as natural disasters.
Disparity in Education
The gap between education in rural and urban areas is staggering, with few schools in the countryside and a need for updated curricula and textbooks in many areas. In a 2016 report, 7% of individuals aged 3 and older residing in rural Samoa had never attended school, compared to 6% in urban areas.
Further, many rural children go into agricultural jobs too early, jobs that ultimately are not sufficient to support families later on. Working out of necessity instead of continuing with education furthers the cycle of poverty in rural areas of Samoa.
Youth Unemployment
Another cause of poverty in Samoa is youth unemployment or underemployment, particularly between the ages of 15 and 24. The unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 is approximately 20%, while the overall unemployment rate stood at 10% in 2022. Unemployment is more prevalent among women aged between 15 and 24, at 24.5%, compared to men at 16.7%.
There is a noticeable lack of opportunity and social benefits in rural areas that disadvantage the growing youth community in Samoa, especially as the youth population increases and puts pressure on existing resources. There is also a disparity between men and women in Samoa, with many jobs, especially in agriculture, restricting women. This disparity results in a significant difference between male and female incomes in the country, contributing to family poverty.
Natural Disasters
Increasing natural disasters such as cyclones threaten marine and agricultural resources, causing communities to take a long time to recover from the devastation they inflict. While Samoa’s soil is fertile, it is very shallow and prone to erosion. These features are only intensified by rising temperatures and population increases, causing land degradation and shortages of resources.
Most Samoans rely on agriculture for their income, so any threat to their livelihoods affects them. To prevent environmental degradation and preserve Samoa’s natural resources, sustainable farming, fishing and logging practices must be implemented immediately.
Looking Ahead
Overall, Samoa is a moderately productive and stable country in the context of the Pacific region. However, more work can be done to ensure that the next generation of youth is employed and has the same natural resources at their disposal as their ancestors did.
Hopefully, these changes will be made with the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices. Samoans can expand from agriculture into manufacturing to continue working toward achieving their Millennium Development Goals.
– Saru Duckworth
Photo: Flickr
Updated: May 29, 2024
Mental Illness in Developing Countries
War, poverty and diseases such as AIDS and polio are major concerns regarding mental illness in developing countries. These countries are generally too overwhelmed by communicable diseases and ill-equipped to respond to depression, schizophrenia and other mental health problems.
Former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan believes that it is time to make mental health a priority and to allot resources for treatment, developing policies, and implementing reforms to address the growing problem of mental illness, especially in developing countries.
In a special issue of a British medical journal, The Lancet, health officials called for new strategies and more money to treat mental illness in developing countries. The authors of the journal argued that, without implementing measures to promote positive mental health, the future of these countries will be limited.
At the turn of the century, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a collection of papers titled “Mental Health: New Understanding, New Hope” that highlighted the importance of mental health.
“The WHO is making a simple statement: mental health – neglected for far too long – is crucial to the overall well-being of individuals, societies and countries and must be universally regarded in a new light,” former director general of the WHO Gro Harlem Brundtland said.
The WHO conducted a program, titled Project Atlas, to catalog mental health resources around the world. The program found that almost half the countries in the world have no explicit mental health policy and nearly one-third have no program for coping with rising brain-related disabilities.
The results for Project Atlas are as follows:
Depression, the most common form of mental illness, has seen an uptick of 18 percent between 2005 and 2015 bringing the total number of people with depression to a staggering 300 million worldwide.
Like most people with mental illnesses, those who suffer from depression often do not seek treatment. Almost 50 percent of people with depression or depression symptoms (such as loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, persistent sadness and problems with everyday activities) do not seek help.
Though there is still a lot of work to do to fight mental illness, especially mental illness in developing countries, some areas have already implemented strategies to fight these diseases. One of the poorest areas of India, with the help of mostly locally recruited mental health workers, showed the efficiency of community-based rehabilitation to manage severe brain-related disabilities. Other countries such as Chile have also implemented effective strategies to help fight mental illness.
The renewed global focus on mental health is encouraging, where mental illness in developing countries still remains a major problem. Through the implementation of new strategies as well as the development of positive policies regarding mental health, there is evidence that mental healthcare is gaining importance and is becoming more accessible in developing countries.
– Drew Hazzard
Photo: Pixabay
Why is Nigeria Poor?
Nigeria is overflowing with oil wealth. It is the sixth-largest exporter of petroleum in the world. However, almost 100 million out of 180 million are living in poverty. Wealth is so concentrated among the rich in Nigeria that the top five richest people own enough capital to completely end extreme poverty in their country.
So why is Nigeria poor? There are several factors. Firstly, as indicated by OXFAM’s index, the country’s government and economic elite have shown little effort to end poverty. Education and health spending make up a dismal five and three percent of the national budget, respectively, despite the government’s oil revenue.
Years of poor funding and neglect have caused illiteracy rates to be as high as 66 percent. Moreover, according to UNICEF, more than 10 million children are out of school in the country.
The public healthcare system in Nigeria is unable to cover the Nigerian populace. In Nigeria, 3,000 women and children die each day because they lack access to basic healthcare. The infant and under five mortality rates remain especially high. HIV/AIDS, in particular, is a major problem, with a prevalence of 4.4 percent; approximately 2.9 million Nigerians live with the virus. The virus has already increased the orphan population in the country to seven million.
Labor laws in Nigeria are largely ineffective. The country’s minimum wage is extremely low and there is a significant gender wage gap. Nigeria was ranked as one of the worst in Oxfam DFI’s Global Gender Gap Report. The average female Nigerian worker makes $3,000 less annually than her male counterpart.
Finally, according to Ventures Africa, Nigeria’s taxation system benefits the rich and burdens the middle class. Arbitrary and multiple taxes on the use of commodities like radios and TVs hurt not only the middle class but also small businesses. Meanwhile, big business and wealthy individuals benefit from tax waivers and concessions. A 2014 report cited in Newsweek found that $2.5 billion was given out in tax breaks for the rich between 2011 and 2013.
All these factors intensify in the northern part of the country, where the poverty rate ranges from 76 to 86 percent. Why is Nigeria poor? Economic inequality, poor healthcare and lack of access to education have all contributed. For economic inequality to no longer be a problem, the world needs to step forward to improve health, economic conditions and education in the country. The people of Nigeria are poor, but we have the means to improve their lives.
– Bruce Edwin Ayres Truax
Photo: Pixabay
Simple Interventions Prevent Common Diseases in Cameroon
According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, HIV/AIDS is the current leading cause of death in Cameroon. Following this is malaria in second and lower respiratory infections in third. Lower respiratory infections is are most often diagnosed as pneumonia or bronchitis.
For those unfamiliar with these illnesses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contains a wealth of information. The CDC states that HIV/AIDS is a disease that weakens the immune system by attacking important cells. Though no cure exists as of today, it is preventable by avoiding contact with an infected individual’s blood or sexual fluids.
Lower respiratory infections are diseases of the lungs that are contracted by things like viruses, bacteria, and fungi. People affected by these infections will experience weakness, fever, coughing, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
Malaria is an illness that is obtained via mosquito bites and claimed the lives of 429,000 people in 2015, most of whom which were African children. Victims of this illness are affected by high fevers, chills and flu-like symptoms.
What’s notable about these three diseases is that they are all communicable; in other words, they are diseases that are contracted from person to person, or from animal to person. This means that these are diseases that can be prevented by taking precautionary actions, in most cases. In fact, seven out of the top ten causes of death are communicable, and nine out of ten in cases of premature death.
So, the common diseases in Cameroon that plague most of its population are contracted. This means that preventative measures can be taken. One example of a dramatic improvement in Cameroon’s health care comes from a very simple, yet relatively unheard of item: bed nets.
In short, bed nets are used to prevent mosquitoes from spreading malaria. Thanks to groups like One Billion Nets, malaria decreased tremendously. Back in 2005, malaria was the number one cause of death in Cameroon, but since fell to number two with a 55.8 percent drop.
According to One Billion Nets, millions of lives were saved thanks to bed nets and other sources of malaria intervention. This includes a 58 percent decline in the child mortality rate in Africa.
As just one example of the significant improvements made to Cameroonian and African health alike, this serves as a testament to why groups like The Borgen Project continue to keep aid for things like bed nets from being cut. With additional aid in the future, the rates of the common diseases in Cameroon are sure to fall in the future.
– Stephen Praytor
Photo: Flickr