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Ending Extreme Poverty: 10 Facts About the World Bank

10 Facts About the World Bank
Since 1944, the World Bank has built a massive global partnership with two major goals fueling its work. It is working to end extreme poverty by 2030 and to increase the poorest population’s share of national wealth in each country.

Below are 10 facts about the World Bank:

  1. The World Bank is just what its name says: a bank, albeit on a larger scale. Providing loans, knowledge and guidance, the organization works with governments, the private sector, civil society organizations and regional development banks.
  2. The organization was started over 70 years ago and was first called The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Originally the organization worked to improve conditions in countries devastated by World War II, but this quickly evolved into efforts to end global poverty once and for all.
  3. There are now 189 countries who are members of the World Bank Group. This means only seven countries in the world are not members of the institution. The leading members of the Group are the U.S., Japan, Germany, France and the U.K.
  4. The World Bank consists of five organizations: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, The International Development Association, The International Finance Corporation, The Multilateral Guarantee Agency and The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
  5. In 2015, the organization made 302 global commitments totaling $60 billion.
  6. So where does this money come from? The World Bank is backed by subscriptions paid by its member countries, bond flotations (money made from issuing new securities and expenses) from international markets and earnings from its own assets.
  7. The World Bank attributes much of its success to its diverse staff of economists, professionals in public policy and social scientists.
  8. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C., but today more than one-third of its staff are located in individualized country offices.
  9. Four issues that the World Bank has identified as standing before its goals are as follows: access to schools, healthcare, electricity and safe water.
  10. The World Bank’s impact is visible. In 2013, an estimated 10.7 percent of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty. Though this is nowhere near a stopping point, it is less than half of the percentage estimated in 1990.

These 10 facts about the World Bank illustrate its mission and actions that are making dramatic changes internationally. The organization has a new goal of ending global poverty by 2030 by lowering the number of people who make less than $1.90 a day to three percent.

– Emily Trosclair

Photo: Flickr

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Major Diseases in Moldova, One of Europe’s Poorest Countries

Diseases in Moldova
The Republic of Moldova is a parliamentary republic that has implemented an ambitious economic reform program. Agriculture dominates the economy, and the country depends on imports for energy needs. Moldova remains the poorest country in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European region, although it has made significant progress in economic growth. It had an estimated per capita gross national income of $1810 USD in 2010, according to the World Bank. Life expectancy estimates are two to five years higher than the other countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Most deaths are a result of diseases in Moldova. Both communicable and noncommunicable diseases have been increasing steadily since the country’s independence in 1991.

The most common causes of death in the country are circulatory system diseases, followed by cancer and digestive system diseases. Most of the deaths caused by diseases in Moldova are related to heavy alcohol and tobacco use, although chronic liver disease and cirrhosis rates have decreased over the last five years.

Key challenges in the fight against diseases in Moldova also include HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. The prevalence of tuberculosis has been rising since 1990 and has more than doubled to date, reaching 182 per 100,000 people. The most dramatic rate increase is in children.

The deadliest risk factors for diseases in Moldova are dietary risks, high systolic blood pressure and high body mass index. Lesser risks include tobacco smoke, alcohol and drug use and high fasting plasma glucose.

While Moldova has quite a bit of work to do, being number one in death rates due to liver diseases, number five in prostatic hypertrophy and number seven in both coronary heart disease and congenital anomalies, it is on the road to better lives for its citizens. It is pushing to reduce poverty, with many Millennium Development Goals being developed and maintained. The country is also working to develop agricultural sustainability and many different ways of importing medicine and products that will help with rates of diseases in Moldova.

– Rilee Pickle

Photo: Flickr

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Can Re-Elected President Hassan Rouhani Help Fix the Poverty in Iran?

Can Re-Elected President Hassan Rouhani Help Fix the Poverty in Iran?
During Iran’s recent presidential election, one issue was on the minds of most citizens: how is the new president going to end poverty in Iran?

In 2016, Iran’s unemployment rates reached 70 percent in at least 1,200 towns. Fifteen million Iranians are deprived of even the most basic social services. Much of this unemployment and consequent poverty suggests that the assets gained from the suspension of economic sanctions from the 2015 nuclear deal did not reach the population. The new president has the power to dictate whether Iran becomes a bigger part of the global economy. This led to the deal which passed, rather than pursuing the traditional economic isolation that the country previously had.

With all this going on in Iran, poverty was on the minds of many during this election. Candidates Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf both pledged to tackle corruption and poverty in Iran should they be elected. Qalibaf criticized the former Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, on his economic performances. “There are many poor people with low incomes in a country rich in both natural and human resources,” Qalibaf said in an interview with PressTV. “We have made plans to salvage the economy by the agency of the very people. The country has the capacity, but this cannot come about through traditional, conservative and rent-seeking-based management styles.”

In the elections, held on May 19, Hassan Rouhani won re-election by a landslide with 57 percent of the vote. Despite poor economic conditions, the people of Iran have decided to give Rouhani a second chance to deliver on his promises of alleviating poverty and reforming the government. Iran’s current government is run by a religious leader, with the president playing a big role in foreign affairs and other political decisions.

However, many Iranians want a government that supports more human rights and social freedoms. While Iran now has more access to social media and the internet, activists and journalists are still being jailed for speaking out against the government.

With Rouhani in office, the people of Iran hope that he will take the uphill climb to help Iran’s economy and social situations.

– Kelsey Jackson

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Croatian Refugees

10 Facts About Croatia Refugees
Croatia is a top tourist destination with its long, beautiful coastline along the Adriatic Sea, and tourism accounts for 17 percent of country’s annual gross national product. However, over the past 25 years, the country has been in headlines for something quite different. The Balkan Wars of the 1990s saw a large number of Croatian refugees leaving the country. In addition, the Syrian refugee crisis of the last few years has caused an influx of foreign refugees into Croatia. Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi refugees began arriving in Croatia in 2015. Below are 10 facts about Croatian refugees.

  1. Croatia declared its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. This resulted in a war that lasted until 1995. During this time, 900,000 Croats were displaced both inside and outside the country.
  2. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 ethnic Serbs left Croatia in August 1995 after a military conflict. In turn, 130,000 ethnic Croats left Bosnia and Herzegovina for Croatia.
  3. War broke out in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. During the war, an estimated 403,000 refugees arrived in Croatia as a result of the conflict.
  4. The Croatian refugees who left the country began returning in 1996. By 2012, more than 132,600 of the Croatian refugees of Serbian descent had returned to Croatia. One of the main issues impeding their return was housing. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has worked to help alleviate this problem as well as the legal, social and technical issues that arise for returning refugees.
  5. In 2015, Croatia faced new refugee challenges, when a huge wave of Syrian refugees arrived en route to northern Europe. During this influx, more than 800,000 people passed through Croatia.
  6. During this period, there were two refugee camps set up in Croatia, and the government provided free transport for refugees to Hungary and later to Slovenia.
  7. On September 16, 2015, Croatia became one of the main transit countries when Hungary closed its borders to refugees. Since then, the country sees approximately 12,000 entries each day.
  8. The Balkan refugee route was effectively closed in March of 2016, when Slovenia closed its borders to migrants, and Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia quickly followed suit. The aim was to end the flow of migrants to Europe through the Balkans.
  9. As a member of the European Union, Croatia has an obligation to abide by a plan to relocate refugees from Greece and Italy, countries where the most refugees have arrived.
  10. Croatia has agreed to receive a total of 1,600 asylum-seekers by the end of 2017 as agreed with the EU resettlement scheme.

These 10 facts about Croatian refugees demonstrate that the refugees that left Croatia in the 1990s as well as those that have entered the country since 2015 have brought Croatia into world headlines for the last quarter of a century.

– Jene Cates

Photo: Flickr

Fighting Waste in Bangladesh By Using Compost


Waste management is an increasingly daunting problem for the country of Bangladesh, where as much as 50 percent of waste goes uncollected. Uncollected waste goes untreated, resulting in more water contamination, disease and greenhouse gas emissions. Untreated waste generates methane, which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Between 2005 and 2020, emissions as a result of untreated waste in Bangladesh are expected to rise 22 percent.

The capital city of Dhaka is not only the most densely populated area; it is also home to the worst waste management in the country. In 2010, Dhaka generated 4,700 metric tons of waste daily. Fortunately, 80 percent of the waste Bangladesh produces is organic material. Maqsood Sinha and Iftekhar Enayetullah saw this as an opportunity and decided to turn the organic waste in Bangladesh into something both profitable and beneficial to the community: compost.

The two enterprising men started an organization called Waste Concern and set up community-based composting. Several families (three to seven) share chest-high metal barrels into which they deposit their food scraps. The composting barrels hold up to 400 pounds of waste, sit on concrete bases and, through specially drilled holes, encourage aerobic decomposition.

Sinha and Enayetullah started Waste Concern in 1995, taking their barrels door-to-door. Since then, the organization has served 30,000 people in Dhaka city and 100,000 people in 14 other cities and towns in Bangladesh, including slums and low and middle-income communities. Composting the organic waste reduces methane emissions by half a ton and eliminates a significant amount of municipal waste. Community-based composting helps control waste in Bangladesh and also opens up job opportunities for low-income sectors, helping to lift people out of poverty.

The project has saved over $1 million in waste management due to the revenue created from the compost itself and the simple, cost-effective system needed to create it. As a result of its success as a small-scale operation in Dhaka, Waste Concern plans to expand into a bigger operation, consume more waste and dump out more compost.

The project’s growth reflects Bangladesh’s push to reduce the country’s waste output and strengthen its economic status. Getting the community involved not only decreases the waste in Bangladesh, but it also establishes an environment of accountability and family.

– Taylor Elgarten

Photo: Flickr

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A Beginner’s 10-Step Guide to Lobby Politicians


A crucial part of the political process is to engage in dialogue with one’s representatives at the local, state and federal level–this is what it means to lobby politicians. State definitions of the terms “lobbying” and “lobbyist” vary, but the common perception of lobbying is influencing government action through written or verbal communication. As such, compensation does not define the lobbying process. However, it is a necessary component of being a professional lobbyist.

Some state regulations place thresholds on the amount of money and time required to categorize lobbyists properly. Others use reimbursement of any form to classify the activity under statutory laws. Types of compensation may include food, entertainment and other recreational activities furnished to legislators. There are exceptions to lobbying activities in many states such as journalism, written correspondence and testifying.

Often, the term lobbyist carries a negative connotation: big money, special interests and a rigged system. The term may be used to describe those who are employed professionally: corporate advocates who fight for favorable policies. The term is also used to described citizens engaged in the prodding of politicians to improve representation. This article discusses the latter.

So, how does one lobby politicians? Here are 10 tips to effectively lobby for a cause, bill or issue you are passionate about.

  1. Download mobile apps, such as TrackBill or Countable, to monitor the progress of legislation through Congress. Find bills to support or reject and request your representatives to co-sponsor them or vote accordingly.
  2. Write letters to your senators and representatives or email them through The Borgen Project. Another quick and effective tool is to lobby politicians through social media platforms, such as Twitter or Facebook.
  3. Email the White House to inform the president of your views on various regulations, policies and tax issues.
  4. Attend an on-site or virtual town hall event in your congressional district.
  5. Schedule an appointment to meet with a congressional staffer or your representative face-to-face in one of their multiple district offices. These meet-and-greet opportunities may sway a vote on the floor of the house or senate; never underestimate the power of a 30-minute meeting. Prepare beforehand – research the politician, their views, prior votes and legislative positions. Be knowledgeable about counter-arguments to your position and use data whenever possible.
  6. Call your congressional representatives frequently and add their numbers to your phone. At the very least, leave short and concise messages. Staffers compile a weekly legislative report on the number of calls, letters and emails on issues or bills received from engaged citizens. These reports are used by politicians to enhance or redirect their legislative agenda.
  7. Join and donate to nongovernmental organizations, such as The Borgen Project, to support their mission and charitable work. Lobbying efforts on an organizational level carry financial strength, unbridled energy, citizen mobilization, clear legislative agendas and media outreach.
  8. Do not complain about a piece of legislation: offer an amendment to grant exemptions. Take time to develop a viable solution and present it to your leader.
  9. Craft letters to the editor based on interactions with legislative staff and congressional representatives. Such correspondence enriches political discourse and may inspire readers to take action.
  10. Mobilize others to become involved in politics. Call leaders, write articles, organize events and march for a cause. Meet with politicians to bring awareness to issues which matter most to your family, friends, organization or community. Perhaps you are an expert in a particular subject which your representatives are not; lend them your recommendations. If you have an idea for improving policy, make it known.

Citizen advocacy, or personal lobbying, is a vital element of participatory democracies. Individuals who are unaffiliated with a political party, nongovernmental organization or special interest groups may participate in the political process through email, letters, phone calls and congressional meetings on matters of interest. Download legislative apps, track legislation, contact your leaders, mobilize your friends and family, post on social media, utilize personal connections and take action!

– JG Federman

Photo: Flickr

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A Long Way to Go for Health Care in Developing Countries


It is no secret that health care in developing countries is abysmal. Inhabitants in these countries suffer from unclean water, poor sanitation conditions and a high risk of contracting infectious and severe diseases. In the 1970s, the World Health Organization set a goal to have universal health care across the globe by the year 2000. It is now 2017, and that goal is nowhere near being achieved. Much of the disparity centers on health inequities between and within countries, especially in those less developed.

Low-income countries not only suffer from a lack of technology and education, but they also lack in the number of skilled professionals working in communities, where the result is people dying from treatable diseases like diarrhea. Another problem is that little research and development is conducted on diseases that affect such areas. Most global research spending on health care goes toward the prevention and curing of diseases suffered in the developed world, leaving little behind for developing countries.

This being said, there has been a recent shift towards bringing health care to developing countries. First, the United Nations acknowledged the health disparities and the lack of health care systems. To resolve these disparities, the Millennium Development Goals were created, with the Sustainable Development Goals following close behind. Each set of goals attempts to improve health care in less-developed countries using the resources available to the world’s more-developed nations. Strategies were formulated under the belief that “leaders in health care have an important stewardship role across all branches of society to ensure that policies and actions in other sectors improve health equity.”

The global health care crisis comes down to the cooperation of all nations working in concert to assure adequate health care in developing countries. This means using the resources of developed countries to research and set up prevention plans based on factors experienced in developing countries. It also means educating those in less-developed nations on safe sanitation practices and simple prevention methods.

To achieve universal health care, a team effort is required.

– Taylor Elgarten

Photo: Flickr

11 Facts About the International Monetary Fund

International Monetary Fund Facts
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in combination with the World Bank, is the world’s largest public lender today.

Key Facts About the International Monetary Fund

 

  1. In the 1930’s the world was overtaken with financial turmoil from the Great Depression. Markets all over the world collapsed and countries closed their doors to foreign imports. The IMF was conceived in July 1944 at the United Nations Bretton Woods Conference in New Hampshire, to protect the world from a similar blow and hasten financial recovery in war-torn nations.
  2. The Fund was created to act as a credit union and watch over the values of the world’s currency, while facilitating International Trade, promote employment and sustainable growth and help to reduce global poverty. Its main aim is to maintain economic stability and help countries complete financial transactions.
  3. The three main responsibilities of the IMF are: Surveillance — specifically to monitor the economic and financial policies of its members; financial assistance through loans to its members experiencing balance of payments issues; and technical assistance to help members design and implement economic policies that foster stability and growth.
  4. Primary aims of the IMF: Promote international monetary cooperation, facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of international trade, promote exchange stability, assist in the establishment of a multilateral system of payments and make resources available to members experiencing balance of payment difficulties.
  5. The IMF is accountable to 189 member countries. Its Headquarters is located in Washington D.C.
  6. A country’s voting power is based on the size of its economy and the amount of the quota it pays when it joins the IMF. The U.S. has the largest share of votes (approximately 17 percent). Decisions require a supermajority– 85 percent of votes.
  7. The IMF advocates currency devaluation for governments of poor nations with struggling economies.
  8.  The largest borrowers of the IMF are Portugal, Greece, Ukraine, and Pakistan. The largest number of IMF loans have gone to the African Continent.
  9. The U.S. contributes about 20 percent of the total annual IMF Budget. The largest member of the IMF is the U.S. while the smallest member is Tuvalu.
  10. The fiscal year for the IMF begins on May 1 and ends on April 30.
  11. The head of the IMF staff is the Managing Director. The Managing Director also acts as Chairman of the Executive Board and serves a five-year term. The present Managing Director is Christine Lagarde of France. The Executive Board Members monitor the day to day work with the guidance of the International Monetary and Financial Committee.

Studies show that contrary to the criticism of the IMF, it fulfills its functions of promoting exchange rate stability and helping its members correct macroeconomic imbalances.

– Aishwarya Bansal

Photo: Flickr

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Prevention of Waterborne Diseases in Developing Countries


Water is an easy traveling venue for many small particles and microorganisms. Many developing countries suffer from poor prevention of waterborne diseases. Much of the water in areas with poor water filtration is filled with particles ranging from natural silt and oils to human waste and animal feces. These particles infiltrate a community’s water system, including the drinking water, leading to easy infection. Eighty percent of all diseases in developing countries are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions. Within developing countries, 1.8 million people die each year from waterborne diseases. Of these deaths, over 90 percent are children under the age of five.

Waterborne diseases are easily transmitted through unclean hands, uncovered food and contaminated water. The bacteria and worms that live in the contaminated water can easily be prevented. However, in a low-income country where health care is dismal, infections become detrimental to a person’s life. On top of living in an area with poor sanitation facilities, children living in these areas usually suffer from malnutrition. This leads to a weakened immune system, leaving them unable to fight off the infections caused by waterborne diseases.

Many steps are taken to aid in the prevention of waterborne diseases in developing countries. The easiest way to prevent diarrhea diseases is simple sanitation actions. This includes boiling water to disinfect it, washing hands frequently and cleaning dishes. On a small scale, these actions are incredibly helpful to reduce the risk of infection. On a large scale, much more must be done to prevent waterborne diseases. However, most developing countries do not have access to the necessary sanitation products such as soap. They also lack access to water systems that can easily filter out bacteria and waste.

Organizations such as Clean the World and The Water Project have dedicated their resources to make it possible to prevent waterborne diseases in low-income areas and provide access to soap, clean water and sanitation facilities. Clean the World distributes hygiene products, especially soap, to low-income areas that normally do not have access to such goods. This is done through recycling old, barely-used hotel soap and re-purposing them to developing countries. The Water Project combats diarrhea diseases by going directly to the source. It is an organization that brings clean water filtration to developing countries by building wells, rainwater catchment systems and spring protections. Clean water and sanitation is the key to preventing waterborne diseases.

– Taylor Elgarten

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Refugees in Malawi


Situated in southeastern Africa, Malawi is landlocked between Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. Over the last few decades, this largely agrarian nation experienced turbulent times. Despite inflation, corruption, HIV/AIDS and underdevelopment, Malawians are tenacious and remain incredibly friendly people. Here are 10 facts about refugees in Malawi:

  1. There are two camps for refugees in Malawi: Luwani (in the south) and Dzaleka (to the north). Luwani was reopened by the Malawian government in March 2016 to cope with refugees from Mozambique in the wake of conflicts between the government and opposition groups.
  2. At the end of March of this year, 3,073 Mozambican nationals who fled the Tete Province resided in the southern Luwani camp, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This was a reduction of 382 refugees in Malawi from the end of February.
  3. The Dzaleka encampment, near Malawi’s capital Lilongwe, houses refugees and asylum-seekers from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Somalia. Most stay a few weeks before heading to South Africa.
  4. In a March 2017 press release, the UNHCR officially claimed the “Dzaleka refugee camp, originally built for a population of some 9,000 people now has more than tripled in size to nearly 28,000 people.”
  5. According to Monique Ekoko, UNHCR’s Representative to Malawi, “The new arrivals of refugees in Malawi has been at a steady rate of between 400 to 700 people per month over the past two years.”
  6. More than one million Mozambican refugees fled to the Luwani Camp during the nation’s civil war from 1977 to 1992.
  7. Due to weather-related events, the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) suggests that 39 percent of the population (6,491,847 people out of a total population of 16,832,910) will not receive the minimum food requirement for 2016 and 2017. This is an increase of 129 percent since the previous year, a fact which makes it difficult to feed increasing numbers of refugees in Malawi.
  8. Mozambican officials pressure the Malawian government to refrain from recognizing every individual who crosses the nation’s borders as a refugee.
  9. Malaria, water shortages, dwindling food rations and respiratory infections are rampant in the encampments. Without proper funding, these and many other problems will persist.
  10. The Dzaleka camp’s health center serves a combination of 65,000 refugees and Malawians. Nearly 60 percent of the individuals cared for are Malawians.

The pressing problem of food insecurity – due to unpredictable weather and rising food prices – will be a major hurdle in the region’s recovery. Among its key planning figures for 2017, the U.N. expects to distribute an average of 2,100 calories to each refugee in Malawi and construct 920 latrines in the Dzaleka camp to meet sanitation standards. To reach long-term goals of peace and security, the UNHCR cites a 30 percent primary school enrollment figure for refugee children. With help of the international community, these activities should improve the lives of individuals in Malawi and promote regional prosperity.

— JG Federman

Photo: Flickr