The Republic of Maldives is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean comprised of more than 1,000 tiny coral islands split into 26 geographical atolls. The country spans 90,000 square kilometers and is the flattest country on earth. As such, even the smallest rise in sea levels can have extensive effects on the country’s land mass, infrastructure, agriculture and water quality.
There are many reasons why there are troubles with water scarcity and poor water quality in the Maldives.
Changing climate conditions
The Maldives’ second greatest source of freshwater, after rainfall, comes from groundwater. The groundwater can be found under every island in what hydrologists call lenses. A lens refers to a curved layer of freshwater that floats on top of a denser layer of saltwater. However, as sea levels rise, groundwater becomes contaminated and salinized. Certain estimates state that if sea levels rise by one meter, it will reduce the capacity for groundwater by as much as 79 percent.Since the 1950s, the sea level in the Maldives has been rising by 0.03-0.06 inches every year and is expected to rise, at a mid-level scenario, 1.5 feet by 2100, losing 77 percent of the country’s land area. This will have a significant impact on water quality in the Maldives. Additionally, warmer temperatures continue to allow for high levels of evaporation, which reduces the amount of rainwater left to infiltrate through the ground into the aquifers.
Since the 1950s, the sea level in the Maldives has been rising by 0.03-0.06 inches every year and is expected to rise, at a mid-level scenario, 1.5 feet by 2100, losing 77 percent of the country’s land area. This will have a significant impact on water quality in the Maldives. Additionally, warmer temperatures continue to allow for high levels of evaporation, which reduces the amount of rainwater left to infiltrate through the ground into the aquifers.
Rising population and increase in water pollution
Groundwater that remains nonsalinized faces other obstacles, most notably, pollution from poor sewage systems. In the 1970s, rapid development in the capital city, Malé, caused an influx of immigrants from other islands to the capital. The quantity of water being extracted from aquifers increased tenfold, and groundwater pollution increased as well, due to more sewage in the system, causing poorer water quality in the Maldives.
Lack of government initiatives
The Maldivian government has been slow to assess the impacts of climate change and groundwater pollution and create policies around water resource management. However, many strides have been made and show positive potential future change.
The first important technique for managing quality water in the Maldives is rainwater harvesting. In 2013, in the Southern region of the Maldives, 69 percent of households had rainwater tanks, while only 36 percent of households in the South Central region had tanks. On the island of Muli, the capital of the South Central region, 80 percent of households had tanks. However, on the neighboring island of Ribudhoo, only 20 percent of households had tanks. Many islands do not have rainwater tanks whatsoever and have reported water shortages to the Maldive National Defense Forces and asked for emergency water supplies. Increasing the number of rainwater tanks could greatly improve access to clean water and overall water quality in the Maldives.
Saltwater desalination could help provide clean drinking water to not only the Maldivian islands, but to other island nations around the world. In February 2014, government officials met with from the Aquiva Foundation, Memsys, Aquaver, and STELCO, a local power company, to commission a desalination facility on the island of Gulhi. The goal was for the plant to produce up to 10 tons of quality water per day from seawater for drinking, cooking and hygiene.
Gulhi is a small island 600 meters by 300 meters with a population of 1,200 people. Seasonal rain does not provide adequately for year-round water needs, and the island has relied on imported water. Much of the population spent up to 50 percent of their income on safe water, and the rest of the population opted for cheaper, unsafe water which was causing diseases.
The new plant uses captured waste heat from energy generators and membrane distillation technology to power the desalination plants. The desalinated water is then mineralized using local coral sand. The water is distributed through taps at communal water kiosks and must be collected by citizens in reusable containers 1.5-20 liters. The water costs $0.05-$0.07 per liter, significantly lower than imported water.
In 2016, the Aquiva Foundation acknowledged the two-year anniversary of the desalination plant. Despite many bumps in the road, the plant has seen many great successes. It produces up to 10,000 liters of drinking water per day. It is energy efficient, reliable and consistent in producing high quality of water in the Maldives. The success of this plant provides hope to other island nations similar to the Maldives.
The best method to improve water quality in the Maldives is education. Thanks to ample understanding of climate change and NGOs educating citizens on the concerns of sea levels rising, there is potential for improvement. Creating sustainable irrigation to cut down on rainwater evaporation, increasing the number of rainwater tanks and building up infrastructure will all be vital in ensuring that the Maldives continues to have access to quality water.
– Phoebe Cohen
Photo: Flickr
What Does UNESCO Stand For?
The organization UNESCO is a crucial part of any discussion of peace and unity among foreign powers. However, few people know the mission of this global organization, let alone its role in decreasing global poverty. So, what does UNESCO stand for?
UNESCO stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. According to the organization’s official website, it is responsible for fostering transnational ties in the areas of scientific advancements, equality in education, cultural development and freedom of expression.
Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the organization, UNESCO is able to effect change through a variety of platforms and to reach many populations. UNESCO’s extensive reach allows it to have a considerable influence on global issues, namely global poverty.
UNESCO defines the effects of poverty not only in terms of the economic disadvantage but also in terms of social, political and cultural hardships. UNESCO not only advocates for individuals living in absolute poverty but also for those suffering social exclusion and isolation as a result of relative poverty.
What does UNESCO stand for in terms of forming global alliances? UNESCO addresses these indirect consequences of poverty in several of its recent campaigns and goals. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was the most recent proposal by UNESCO to counteract the repercussions of poverty in the global community.
In this document, UNESCO identifies extreme poverty as the greatest global challenge to sustainable development and emphasizes several targets to focus on in the next 15 years, including peace, prosperity and partnership. This campaign contributed to an international alliance to end extreme poverty and set up time-bound goals that hold constituents of the U.N. accountable for their pieces of the partnership.
These goals prioritize the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, education reform, women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability and several economic growth initiatives. The U.N. hopes to fulfill them by 2030.
In addition to providing resource-poor areas with necessities, UNESCO promotes a “culture of peace.” In order to establish this culture, the organization pushes for international cooperation through Water for Peace programs as well as geopark and biosphere reserve management. Another UNESCO priority is engaging community members by providing human rights education and sustainable development training.
One peace promotion and cultural inclusion strategy that UNESCO uses is funding and protecting World Heritage Sites. These sites are selected for their cultural, scientific or historical significance. The organization’s ultimate goals in protecting these sites are encouraging peacefulness in the present and contributing to these sites’ posterity. The Great Wall of China, the Sydney Opera House and Jerusalem, to name a few, meet World Heritage Site classification criteria.
What does UNESCO stand for? Over the years, UNESCO has contributed to a number of diverse campaigns, but its overarching mission remains the same. UNESCO stands for human rights advocacy, social inclusion and allowing every human being to fulfill his or her full potential with dignity and equality. These values will continue to be included in the organization’s agenda and initiatives.
– Sarah Coiro
Photo: Flickr
Locally Grown Produce Can Help Prevent Hunger in Guadeloupe
Residents of Guadeloupe bore witness to the 2009 food crisis in Haiti, watching as people protested in the streets, asked for more food from their government. Fights don’t occur over hunger in Guadeloupe; the people do what the government says, and do their best outside of that.
Guadeloupe authorities have neglected subsistence agriculture and have favored export crops, like bananas and sugarcane. These two crops cover half of the island’s cultivated land alone. While this is great for trading and exports to other nontropical countries, big-buck companies often dominate these trades, yielding high profits and strictly maintaining farmers and crops. Plus, agriculture only accounts for 3.3 percent of the workforce. Guadeloupe needs government support to start focusing on locally grown foods. Otherwise, hunger in Guadeloupe is inevitable.
Guadeloupe has good soil, although often polluted. Produce farming locally could be year-round due to its tropical climate. It also has a wide array of plants and animals, with more than 220 edible species including 60 vegetables and 130 fruits, because 43 percent of the island is a forest. All of the locally grown products are rich in antioxidants and Vitamins A, C and E. The two main causes of premature death in Guadeloupe are diabetes and cardiovascular disease, both of which can be helped by these vitamins and nutrients.
This would be great news for hunger in Guadeloupe, except that the French territory imports 80 percent of its food. People there have grown accustomed to importing their food. The locals prefer to consume imported food and don’t trust locally grown foods that they’ve never seen. They consume products that have likely been processed and only do so because the imported food is accessible and cheaper than locally grown produce.
Hunger in Guadeloupe is a difficult statistic to measure due to it being a part of France. However, most people agree that the islanders can still improve their way of living to avoid a hunger crisis. If the nation pushes for the purchase of local produce off shelves and for imported foods to go down from 80 percent, and tries to convince government officials and authorities that half the land isn’t needed to farm exported goods, Guadeloupe would save itself from the possibility of a future food crisis.
– Rilee Pickle
Photo: Flickr
Infrastructure to Maintain Water Quality in the Maldives
The Republic of Maldives is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean comprised of more than 1,000 tiny coral islands split into 26 geographical atolls. The country spans 90,000 square kilometers and is the flattest country on earth. As such, even the smallest rise in sea levels can have extensive effects on the country’s land mass, infrastructure, agriculture and water quality.
There are many reasons why there are troubles with water scarcity and poor water quality in the Maldives.
Changing climate conditions
The Maldives’ second greatest source of freshwater, after rainfall, comes from groundwater. The groundwater can be found under every island in what hydrologists call lenses. A lens refers to a curved layer of freshwater that floats on top of a denser layer of saltwater. However, as sea levels rise, groundwater becomes contaminated and salinized. Certain estimates state that if sea levels rise by one meter, it will reduce the capacity for groundwater by as much as 79 percent.Since the 1950s, the sea level in the Maldives has been rising by 0.03-0.06 inches every year and is expected to rise, at a mid-level scenario, 1.5 feet by 2100, losing 77 percent of the country’s land area. This will have a significant impact on water quality in the Maldives. Additionally, warmer temperatures continue to allow for high levels of evaporation, which reduces the amount of rainwater left to infiltrate through the ground into the aquifers.
Since the 1950s, the sea level in the Maldives has been rising by 0.03-0.06 inches every year and is expected to rise, at a mid-level scenario, 1.5 feet by 2100, losing 77 percent of the country’s land area. This will have a significant impact on water quality in the Maldives. Additionally, warmer temperatures continue to allow for high levels of evaporation, which reduces the amount of rainwater left to infiltrate through the ground into the aquifers.
Rising population and increase in water pollution
Groundwater that remains nonsalinized faces other obstacles, most notably, pollution from poor sewage systems. In the 1970s, rapid development in the capital city, Malé, caused an influx of immigrants from other islands to the capital. The quantity of water being extracted from aquifers increased tenfold, and groundwater pollution increased as well, due to more sewage in the system, causing poorer water quality in the Maldives.
Lack of government initiatives
The Maldivian government has been slow to assess the impacts of climate change and groundwater pollution and create policies around water resource management. However, many strides have been made and show positive potential future change.
The first important technique for managing quality water in the Maldives is rainwater harvesting. In 2013, in the Southern region of the Maldives, 69 percent of households had rainwater tanks, while only 36 percent of households in the South Central region had tanks. On the island of Muli, the capital of the South Central region, 80 percent of households had tanks. However, on the neighboring island of Ribudhoo, only 20 percent of households had tanks. Many islands do not have rainwater tanks whatsoever and have reported water shortages to the Maldive National Defense Forces and asked for emergency water supplies. Increasing the number of rainwater tanks could greatly improve access to clean water and overall water quality in the Maldives.
Saltwater desalination could help provide clean drinking water to not only the Maldivian islands, but to other island nations around the world. In February 2014, government officials met with from the Aquiva Foundation, Memsys, Aquaver, and STELCO, a local power company, to commission a desalination facility on the island of Gulhi. The goal was for the plant to produce up to 10 tons of quality water per day from seawater for drinking, cooking and hygiene.
Gulhi is a small island 600 meters by 300 meters with a population of 1,200 people. Seasonal rain does not provide adequately for year-round water needs, and the island has relied on imported water. Much of the population spent up to 50 percent of their income on safe water, and the rest of the population opted for cheaper, unsafe water which was causing diseases.
The new plant uses captured waste heat from energy generators and membrane distillation technology to power the desalination plants. The desalinated water is then mineralized using local coral sand. The water is distributed through taps at communal water kiosks and must be collected by citizens in reusable containers 1.5-20 liters. The water costs $0.05-$0.07 per liter, significantly lower than imported water.
In 2016, the Aquiva Foundation acknowledged the two-year anniversary of the desalination plant. Despite many bumps in the road, the plant has seen many great successes. It produces up to 10,000 liters of drinking water per day. It is energy efficient, reliable and consistent in producing high quality of water in the Maldives. The success of this plant provides hope to other island nations similar to the Maldives.
The best method to improve water quality in the Maldives is education. Thanks to ample understanding of climate change and NGOs educating citizens on the concerns of sea levels rising, there is potential for improvement. Creating sustainable irrigation to cut down on rainwater evaporation, increasing the number of rainwater tanks and building up infrastructure will all be vital in ensuring that the Maldives continues to have access to quality water.
– Phoebe Cohen
Photo: Flickr
5 Facts About the Water Quality in Trinidad and Tobago
Known for its beautiful beaches, tropical weather and delicious foods, Trinidad and Tobago is a dual-island Caribbean nation and a favorite vacation destination. The vast majority of its citizens live in Trinidad. Even though tourism accounts for less than 1 percent of Trinidad and Tobago’s entire economic output, about half of Tobago’s 60,000 residents are employed in the industry. Due to tourism’s importance, the government is extremely concerned with water quality in Trinidad and Tobago.
A year after construction began, contractor Triple ‘A’ Water Treatment Plant Limited said it had underpriced the project. To rectify this, the Inter-American Development Bank, which is already financing the project, agreed to provide the contractor with a $10 million second advance payment along with an attachment of terms and conditions.
While the water quality in Trinidad and Tobago has fluctuated, the citizens and government continue to do their best to keep it safe and clean.
– Jada Haynes
Photo: Flickr
How Fewer People in Poverty Creates More Jobs
Fewer people in poverty creates more jobs by spurring economic growth and instigating human development. Strategic solutions for combating poverty, including education and increasing labor demand for industries, help to develop employment opportunities for developing countries.
The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to cut the absolute poverty rate to 9 percent by 2020 and 3 percent by 2030. The SDGs include supporting quality education, good health, well-being, self-sufficiency and quality environments for countries to thrive.
Having fewer people in poverty create more jobs as the economy grows and generates a higher demand for labor. The Department for International Development (DFID) states, “Strong growth in the global economy over the past ten years means that the majority of the world’s working-age population is now in employment.”
However, youth unemployment is a major issue across the world. DFID finds that children comprise up to 25 percent of the working population but 47 percent of the unemployed. Employment opportunities encourage families to send their children to school to better their futures and avoid poverty later in life.
Fewer people in poverty creates more jobs through greater levels of education. With educational opportunities available to learn business skills, people not only make themselves marketable for employment but use their newly developed skill sets as entrepreneurs. As more people work, they fulfill labor demands and increase the consumer base, stimulating the economy.
DFID claims education promotes the number of entrepreneurs in poverty-stricken regions. USAID also states that entrepreneurs are critical to fueling the economy and creating jobs. Both of these factors contribute to ending extreme poverty.
USAID’s Partnering to Accelerate Entrepreneurship (PACE) Initiative brings private capital to early-stage entrepreneurs and makes investing easier. PACE’s 40 incubators, accelerators, and investors address obstacles entrepreneurs face to grow businesses, create jobs and improve access to goods and services for underserved populations. According to USAID, 78 percent of employment in low-income countries comes from small and medium enterprises.
USAID also facilitates training and placement centers for 100,000 Pakistanis, at least half of whom are women. Najeeb Ahmed participated in 2010 and learned to weld at age 30 under an experienced ironworker. This skillset allowed him to provide a comfortable life for his family of six. By cultivating job opportunities in emerging sectors (i.e. food processing, construction, educational and health services and jewelry), USAID helps Pakistani families such as Ahmed’s to escape poverty. With education programs offering job skill training and resources, individuals can improve their quality of living.
Nonprofit organization Sorenson / Unitus Ultra Poor Initiative recognizes that loans are not enough to help the impoverished of India outside of meeting their most basic food and healthcare needs. The nonprofit works with Indian NGOs to create opportunities for the countries poor which allow them to earn a stable income and pay for their food, healthcare, and other services.
Creating conditions that foster education and opportunities for self-sufficiency help mobilize the poor to achieve financial stability as well as human development. Economic growth is key to alleviating poverty, even for individuals residing in the most impoverished areas. Fewer people in poverty creates more jobs, giving greater opportunities for citizens and countries to thrive.
– Sarah Dunlap
Photo: Flickr
How to Run for Congress
The United States Congress is the singular place where all laws and regulations start, and where constituents have their concerns recognized and addressed. Running for Congress may be many American citizens’ next move in pursuing their political activism and career in leadership.
There is a lot to know about considering a step up into congressional office. Depending on the state a person resides in, as well as whether one is running for the House of Representatives or Senate, the specifics vary. So, how does one run for Congress?
How to Run for Congress Tips
The U.S. Constitution requires anyone running for the House of Representatives to be 25 years of age, a citizen of the U.S. for at least seven years, and a resident of the district they’re campaigning in. For the Senate, the candidate must be 30 years of age, a U.S. citizen for nine years, and a resident of the state they wish to represent.
Once the candidate reaches $5,000 in campaign contributions, within 15 days they must file a statement with the Federal Election Commission announcing they are running for candidacy. The campaign committee must also submit a Statement of Organization.
A highly recommended aspect is being involved with the local office before deciding to take it to the next level, positions such as city commissioner, mayor, or governor. This gives the person an opportunity to be more well known with supporters and a better chance of being elected when running for Congress.
Even though candidates are not required to have a degree in political science or law, someone running for Congress should understand how it works, have a grasp of the Constitution, the process of lawmaking, and all that goes into being an elected representative.
After passing the objective requirements, one must campaign, and appeal to voters in order to win that seat in office. This involves raising enough money in donations and contributions, as well as having a campaign staff that helps spread the message. The candidate must be able to go out and talk to people in that area in order to be knowledgeable on the issues they’re concerned about.
Just being able to resonate with local people and the things they care about is so important, the candidate should make it known that they will vote in the voice of the people if elected. This is how to run for Congress.
– Emma Dale
Photo: Flickr
Hunger in Uzbekistan Declining in the Past Decade
With a population of 32 million, Uzbekistan is one of the largest and fastest-growing countries in Central Asia and, as a result, it has faced a number of challenges regarding hunger and malnutrition. In 2016, the Global Hunger Index listed Uzbekistan as a country suffering from moderate hunger problems, citing 4.2 percent of the population as undernourished. Uzbekistan ranks 63rd on the 2016 index, just outside of the top 50 countries experiencing “alarming” hunger rates. This ranking comes as no surprise, but the nation has taken great strides toward addressing the underlying causes of hunger in Uzbekistan.
In the last decade, Uzbekistan has made monumental progress in battling its hunger issue. Compare the undernourished population of 4.2 percent in 2016 to 2013’s 5.5 percent — and 2008’s 9.4 percent. Since 1990, Uzbekistan has been one of the 26 countries to have successfully reduced hunger by more than half.
One of biggest reasons for these decreasing hunger rates is a decline in the amount of poverty in Uzbekistan thanks to sustained economic growth, educational opportunities and increased employment. The former Soviet Republic leads Central Asia with an economic growth rate of around eight percent annually since 2011. Prosperity in recent years even prompted the World Bank in 2011 to reclassify the country from a low-income to a lower middle-income nation.
A concentrated effort to increase wheat production has specifically attacked the issue of hunger in Uzbekistan. As the country continues to grow, greater demand for agricultural products like wheat and cattle has helped rural farmers feed their communities and contribute to solving the hunger problem.
The efforts of countries like Uzbekistan helped contribute to a 29 percent drop in hunger levels globally since 2000, according to the Global Health Index. The GHI’s main goal focuses on achieving zero hunger by 2030, a mark dependent upon further reform and the acceleration in hunger’s decline in Central Asia, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
– Nicholas Dugan
Photo: Flickr
How India is Serving the Growing Delhi Slum Population
As the population in India continues to increase steadily, so does the number of people living in slums. The country’s 2011 census revealed that the slum population currently stands at 65 million people, up from 52 million in 2001. 2,613 of India’s 4,041 towns are classified as slums. In the territory of Delhi, where capital city New Delhi is located, 1.8 million of the 22 million residents live in 22 slums.
The India census defines the term “slum” as an area resided in yet unsuited for human habitation. These places are deemed unfit if they are a hazard to human health and safety due to lack of space, ventilation, cleanliness and other factors. These areas also lack hygienic drinking water facilities, functional bathroom areas and plumbing.
The Delhi slum population lives day-to-day without the basic amenities of electricity, plumbing and gas. Most of the residents are unemployed or daily wage workers, making less than the equivalent of one U.S. dollar a day.
In the 2011 census, slums are categorized in three different subgroups – notified, recognized and identified. Notified and recognized slums are legally established, while identified slums do not hold official slum status by the Indian government. The residents living in identified slums do not have access to legal protection and civic services.
Identified slums must have a population of at least 300 people with 60-70 tenements. Over one million of the growing Delhi slum population reside in identified slums and receive no aid from the government.
With the drastic population increase of the slums, the few resources these areas have are becoming even more depleted and run down.
However, not all of the census’ findings are negative. During the 10-year period under review, the Indian slum population grew at a rate slower than the general urban population. The average household size in slums is no larger than the average household size of urban areas. Slum literacy rate rose from 72.2 percent in 2001 to 77.7 percent in 2011. This is still below the overall Indian literacy rate of 84.1 percent.
WaterAid India is an organization that works to help some of the main issues the growing Delhi slum population is facing: lack of water, sanitation and hygiene, abbreviated as WASH. WaterAid aims to increase Delhi’s access to WASH through deliveries, supporting communities to manage and monitor their own services and advocating for improved WASH conditions from the government.
Asha is another organization seeking to aid Delhi’s slum residents. Asha provides many services for slum dwellers such as access to healthcare, financial services and education. They seek to meet basic environmental and healthcare needs of the population and empower and educate slum dwellers to change their own futures. These are just two of the many organizations seeking to improve the lives of the growing Delhi slum population.
– Hannah Kaiser
Photo: Flickr
10 Richest Countries in the World Include Some of the Most Generous
Several of the 10 richest countries in the world are also leaders in foreign aid and charitable donations to organizations that fight poverty both at home and abroad.
According to Global Finance Magazine, which utilized data provided by the International Monetary Fund, the 10 richest countries in the world by GDP per capita are Qatar, Luxembourg, Macao, Singapore, Brunei, Kuwait, Ireland, Norway, the United Arab Emirates and San Marino.
Kuwait
Number five on the list with a per capita GDP of $71,263, Kuwait has a history of offering humanitarian aid to developing countries, particularly in the Arab world. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has provided a total of $18.5 billion in loans to 104 countries in support for education, health services and agricultural development since the fund’s establishment in 1961. Part of the fund is also put aside to assist Kuwait’s citizens in finding housing.
Kuwait is also known for providing humanitarian relief in the wake of natural disasters and violent conflict. The country recently provided $500 million to Yemen and pledged another $500 million to Syria. In 2015, Kuwait’s contribution to foreign aid was 2.1 percent of its GDP, more than twice the U.N. Official Development Assistance target.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Ranked ninth on the list with a per capita GDP of $67,696, in 2013 the UAE was recognized as the top humanitarian donor of the year, having contributed nearly six billion dollars in aid to over 140 countries to provide food, shelter and education to vulnerable populations, particularly in countries such as Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories. Dubai, the UAE’s largest city, is also the location of the International Humanitarian City, which houses more than 50 commercial companies and nongovernmental organizations instrumental in the delivery of aid to areas of the world in need.
Ireland
Ireland is the seventh richest country in the world and has a GDP of $69,374. In 2013, 49 of the top Irish companies donated over 24 million euro to local groups and organizations that focus on issues such as homelessness, education and disability services. The country increased its foreign aid budget, offering 640 million euro for developmental assistance in 2016, a seven percent increase from the previous year. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan defined the fight against poverty and hunger worldwide as being “at the core of Irish foreign policy.”
Norway
Just behind Ireland with a GDP of $69,296, Norway allocates large amounts of aid money toward global education and health. It spent the third-highest percentage of gross national income on foreign aid in 2016 out of all the countries in the U.N., placing it just behind the UAE. Norway has recently proposed to double its support for renewable energy and is working with Kenya through the Oil for Development program to help Kenya protect its natural resources while gaining a foothold in the petroleum sector.
These nations, four of the 10 richest countries in the world, give back for a variety of reasons. The UAE claims that the humanitarian element is the single deciding factor in its policy on foreign aid, citing an Islamic belief that it is an obligation to help the less fortunate. Others see foreign aid as a means to strengthen its own political, diplomatic and economic positions. According to Dr. Hessah Al-Ojayan, assistant professor of finance at Kuwait University, Kuwait uses foreign aid to achieve “smaller ‘wins’ in the day-to-day global political arena.” Similarly, Norway’s partnership with Kenya, which the government has called “an engine of economic growth in Africa” and “increasingly important for Norwegian interests,” has the potential to be mutually beneficial.
Several of the 10 richest countries in the world have also made it to the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) World Giving Index top 20. The rankings are determined by three criteria: the percentage of people surveyed from that country who say that they have helped a stranger, donated money or volunteered time. These statistics show that not only the governments of these countries, but also the citizens themselves, are generous to the less fortunate. Ireland ranks ninth on the list, followed by the UAE at 10th, Norway at 14th and Kuwait at 19th.
– Emilia Otte
Photo: Flickr
Top 10 Human Trafficking Statistics and Their Implications
Defined as a modern-day version of slavery, human trafficking is a global human rights crisis. Throughout the world, traffickers manipulate victims through tactics such as violence and threats into exploitative forced sex and/or labor. Since many never experience liberation, comprehensive data does not exist on the matter. This being said, below are the top 10 human trafficking statistics:
As evidenced by these top 10 human trafficking statistics, it remains incumbent upon lawmakers and citizens alike to challenge the escalation of human trafficking globally. Recent successes of both legislation and outreach programs indicate that intervention tactics can help.
– Emily Chazen
Photo: Flickr