There are no indigenous people and no inhabitants of the Spratly Islands. However, the Spratly Islands represent the claim on areas of sea that contain oil, gas and rich fishing grounds. The islands prime location within busy international shipping lanes draws focus to the political sensitivity of the area.
The Claim to the Spratly Islands
Although rival countries have been quarreling over the Spratly Islands and neighboring territories for centuries, tensions are building. China’s long-term strategy to build and expand its own industries threatens the livelihood of rural populations.
Backed by geographical proximity to the Spratly Islands, the Filipino population, whose livelihood is dependent on the fishing grounds that surround the Spratly Islands, fear a violation of their sovereign rights.
Intimidated by China’s goliath presence and associated economic, military and global influence, the Philippines sought international arbitration in regard to the U.N. Convention on the Laws of the Sea in 2013.
In July 2016, the Philippines case was backed by the tribunal and their claims supported. China was found guilty of violating the Philippines’ sovereign rights, a ruling that China found to be illogical and unsubstantiated.
Why is the U.S. invested?
Bound by a mutual defense treaty ratified in 1951, the U.S. and Philippines preserve a historic relationship. “Sharing a common bond of sympathy, mutual ideals and regional security, the treaty stated that no potential aggressor could be under the illusion that either of them stands alone in the Pacific area.”
Former U.S. ambassador Max Baucus warns that if the U.S. strategy toward China is not strong, careful and considered, China will continue to build its economic force to the “detriment of other countries.”
In addition, if the U.S. turns a blind eye to political power plays and poverty in the Spratly Islands’ neighboring countries due to protectionist island ideals, the U.S. runs the risk of yielding crucial global space to China. This is an ocean space in which $1.2 trillion worth of U.S. traded goods passes through annually.
China’s right to the Spratly Islands
At odds with the Philippines’ shared rights to the Spratly Islands is China’s nine-dash line. Spreading hundreds of miles south and east of its border, China claims territory and sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and the Paracel Islands, including its surrounding ocean areas.
China argues that the Spratly Islands lies within Chinese territory that can be identified in maps issued in 1947. According to the map, both island groups in the South China Sea are marked within China’s territory. The aforementioned maps contain no coordinates and claim all of the territorial water within the line.
How can the Spratly Islands reduce poverty?
According to the international poverty line, 18.4 million Philippines live in extreme poverty; their livelihood is dependent on the fishing grounds surrounding the Spratly Islands. Keeping sea territory in the hands of the Philippines is crucial to the families who rely on the income and produce of Filipino fishermen.
Furthermore, estimates made by Chinese analysts suggest poverty in the Spratly Islands will become a past notion due to its rich resources. With extensive research and extrapolation of the mineral wealth that surrounds the Spratly Islands, oil deposits and gas fuel increase debates over ownership.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates there are 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Spratly Island region.
Considering the economic climate of the Philippines, the rights to oil and natural gas resources in the Spratly Islands and the surrounding ocean area could drastically change the lives of millions of people. Poverty in the Spratly Islands and its neighboring nations remains a looming presence. The poorest provinces in the Philippines are in short supply of water sources, electricity and toilet facilities.
If the majority of wealth from these resources goes to the Filipino people, national capital will increase, new industries will be created and mass poverty could be eliminated. The economic infrastructure will also provide education, nutrition and healthcare.
For China the driving reason behind ownership of the Spratly Islands is territorial. Developing hydrocarbon resources in the South China Sea allows the Chinese ownership of regions and is of huge strategic value in the delineation of maritime boundaries.
For the Philippines, the U.S. and other associated nations, there is far more at stake.
– Emma Royce
Photo: Flickr
10 Facts About Starvation in Africa
In March 2017, the United Nations (U.N.) warned that some 20 million people in South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen face starvation and famine if the international community did not act quickly. This warning refocused attention on the ongoing food insecurity faced throughout the African continent. While the issue is completely preventable, starvation in Africa still exists.
Facts about Starvation in Africa:
The current levels of food insecurity and starvation in Africa are bleak. Humanitarian assistance is sorely needed to address the food crises in the hardest hit areas. While this would help to address the crisis in the short-term, more attention should also be given to long-term peace-building and food security efforts on the continent to prevent the recurrence of famine.
– Helena Kamper
Photo: Flickr
Poverty in Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein, despite its small size, is a hub of economic activity, with one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world, growing at an annual rate of 1.2 percent. As Dr. Kristian Niemietz of the Institute of Economic Affairs reports, median gross wages in 2009 averaged £3,500 per month or $4,374. Today, that average is about $6,436.
Such high-income hints decreased poverty rates, but, unfortunately, statistics on poverty in Liechtenstein are practically nonexistent. Its strong standard of living, however, provides some significant insight.
The country’s unemployment rate is approximately 2.6 percent, with a Liechtensteinian at the 25th income percentile in 2009 earning a monthly wage of £2,700 or approximately $40,494 annually in U.S. dollars. In comparison, a U.S. worker at the 20th income percentile in 2009 was earning about $20,000 annually, demonstrating a vast difference between the two countries in what constitutes poor.
In addition, Liechtenstein boasts a strong education system that contributes to its wealth. Students benefit from small classes, typically at an average of 15 children, as well as highly motivated teachers that provide them with the skills needed for successful careers. Standardized testing is also regular, which helps to identify struggling students, who are provided with extra assistance through resources such as learning workshops and psychological support.
Such efforts are paying off. In a 2012 OECD education exam for 15 year-olds known as PISA, which stands for the Programme for International Student Assessment, Liechtenstein came in eighth place for mathematics, 12th for reading, and 11th for science.
Furthermore, Liechtenstein has a strong healthcare system. There is private healthcare available, but universal public healthcare is guaranteed. The Ministry of Public Health monitors health services, ensuring that medical standards are met and procedures run accordingly. A combination of skilled medical professionals as well as a small population means citizens enjoy high-quality healthcare.
Despite all this, Liechtenstein still struggles with equality, especially in regard to income. For example, the 2010 gender pay gap in Liechtenstein was about 17.8 percent. One possible solution to this comes in calling for more female representation in the working world.
Regardless, Liechtenstein is a country of immense wealth and prosperity for citizens of both genders. The average poor person in Liechtenstein is considered wealthy by worldly standards, making poverty in Liechtenstein, at least for the time being, a non-issue.
– Genevieve T. DeLorenzo
Photo: Flickr
Lack of Infrastructure Compounds Hunger in Djibouti
Djibouti is a small country on the Horn of Africa, in which more than 23 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty. The prevalence of extreme poverty in the Republic of Djibouti is more than seven times higher in rural areas than in the capital, despite rural inhabitants only comprising one-fourth of the total population. These disparities result in a large prevalence of hunger in Djibouti.
An Absence of Agriculture
While a majority of civil strife in Djibouti has been resolved since 2001, a large proportion of the population still experiences the effects of the former social instability. During the recovery period, the rural population often depended almost entirely on emergency food aid, with little emphasis on rebuilding infrastructure. Poor rural Djiboutians lack access to reliable financial services, which are needed for more lucrative business opportunities outside the agricultural field.
With less than 1,000 square kilometers suitable for farming, Djibouti has a chronic food deficit. Agricultural production accounts for only three percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), so Djibouti imports 90 percent of its food commodities.
This reliance means it is highly sensitive to external economic disruptions and natural disasters such as floods and droughts. Any variation in the international prices has a considerable impact on the poorest segment of the population, who spend 77 percent of their household budget on imported food.
Lack of access to affordable food correlates with high rates of malnutrition in Djiboutian children, currently affecting 29.7 percent of children under five.
Collaborative Solutions
The World Bank’s 2014-2017 Country Partnership Strategy marks a collaboration between the International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The strategy supports the government’s goal to reduce extreme poverty by 2035. The strategy will also build the infrastructure to benefit all members of the population through harnessing the country’s human and economic potential by reducing vulnerability and strengthening the business environment.
By improving long-term infrastructure and opening markets for poor rural communities, rural citizens may eventually escape poverty and subsequently hunger in Djibouti.
– Casie Wilson
Photo: Flickr
Biodegradable Sanitary Pads Elevate Feminine Hygiene
Healthcare startup Saathi is on a mission — to empower Indian women through increased access to sanitary pads. Saathi’s unique approach involves recycling discarded banana fibers into a biodegradable and compostable form of feminine hygiene.
Founded in 2015 by MIT graduate Kristin Kagetsu, Saathi addresses the unfortunate reality that only 16 percent of Indian women use sanitary pads during menstruation. Sanitary pads and other feminine hygiene products like tampons and menstrual cups are out of reach for most Indian women because of the cost.
As an alternative, Indian women will either use rags, sawdust, leaves or ashes for feminine hygiene. Unfortunately, these practices can negatively impact cleanliness and, in turn, adversely affect productivity. A 2011 Nielsen study discovered that an alarming 30 percent of girls in northern India dropped out of school once they started menstruating.
Saathi plans to address the cost issue by partnering with NGOs to sell the pads at discounted rates in rural areas and urban slums.
Sustainable Supply Chain
Saathi’s unique approach doesn’t just benefit women, though. The company supports sustainability and local agriculture by purchasing its banana fibers from local farmers. Thrown away before Saathi stepped in, the banana fibers now have a second life after the fruit is harvested. “We realized our strength and uniqueness was in the banana fiber itself. In Gujarat, the plant ends up getting tossed aside on the road,” Kagetsu said.
Kagetsu also acknowledged the importance of their supply chain approach: “Most other pad companies like to think about women as the beneficiaries. That is there, but the greater impact we have is on our supply chain. You can think of it as fair trade and ethical sourcing.”
Sustainability continues on the production floor. Saathi uses a chemical and plastic-free process, and all manufacturing waste is either sold or recycled. Even after the pads are used, the waste products can be recycled as compost feed or used to power biogas systems.
Women Helping Women
Saathi employs nine local women in its Ahmedabad factory. Once considered low-income, these women now enjoy empowerment. The female-led factory produces approximately 1,300 all-natural pads a day.
According to Saathi’s website, it is steadily growing. In Dec. 2016, they announced plans to hire a design engineer, supply chain engineer, an administrative assistant and a sales and distribution lead.
– Gisele Dunn
Photo: Flickr
Education in Georgia: Strategy and Action
Despite the harsh ramifications from the global economic crisis and major political challenges, Georgia has remained a leader in the Caucasus sub-region for education, specifically in positive student learning. Georgia’s education programs and reforms are recognized worldwide. As of 2014, Georgia has had a secondary school net enrollment of 92 percent, just above the U.S., which sits at around 90.5 percent.
In 2007, Georgia partnered with the World Bank and UNICEF to create the Consolidated Education Strategy and Action Plan. This program ensures early childhood development, preschool education, general education, higher education and non-formal education in Georgia, while simultaneously including education for children with special needs.
Things began looking grim when, in 2008, Georgia was politically challenged by the Russian Federation and suffered internal government issues. Additionally, the Georgian economy was at a low, with almost 60 percent of the population living below the national poverty line and a quarter of the population making less than $2 per day, affecting the education in Georgia.
Nevertheless, Georgia’s government continues to focus on its educational reform. In 2008, the program department of Georgia was established in the Ministry of Education and Science. This agenda prioritizes programs such as the Safe School Initiative and Education Resource Centers. According to the World Bank, enrollment rates have only been improving.
As of 2016, advancement is seen in poverty. Twenty-one percent of the population is below the national poverty line, a staggering difference compared to prior numbers.
UNICEF notes that Georgia likely prioritizes education partly due to the country’s lack of natural resources, which leaves the future of the country dependent on its human capital.
Even still, there are festering problems in Georgia’s system, despite the government working hard to ensure quality education. Severe inequities of the enrollment and attainment rates between the rich and poor persist, likely due to entry fees. Ethnic groups and children with disabilities are lagging behind.
Improvements have been made to make up for this, such as the Education Strategy and Action Plan for Children with Special Needs, but there is still room for progress.
Henry Kerali, the World Bank regional director for the South Caucasus, notes, “Georgia’s prospects to compete in the global economy will largely depend on its ability to produce a highly-skilled workforce via improved teaching and learning.”
– Morgan Leahy
Photo: Flickr
Nine Facts to Know About Yemen Refugees
The Yemen civil war has escalated the number of refugees fleeing from Yemen to safer locations for their families. Here are nine facts you need to know about Yemen refugees.
Before the war began in Yemen, poverty was already an issue for many in the country and it was the poorest nation in the Arabian Peninsula before the war. The war has only caused the number to rise. Refugees have been fleeing to neighboring countries, with Saudi Arabia taking in the largest amount of Yemen refugees. As a result of poverty, most refugees are not able to flee to the United States and Europe as often due to the high costs of traveling to these countries.
A number of the victims in Yemen are civilians who have been caught in the crossfire of the war. A six-year-old was shot in the back while walking in his home city of Taiz with his father, according to the BBC. Civilians that spoke with BBC described multiple times when civilians have been shot at and innocent people that have died due to the war. Also, many refugees that have fled end up returning to different parts of Yemen in order to help their family members, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
About 3,000 Yemen refugees have been fleeing to the Horn of Africa, a place where war and crisis are also prominent. The countries in the Horn include Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Sudan, all of which have suffered from many political issues. Everything from famine to bombings has disrupted the region, but still, many Yemen refugees migrate across the Gulf of Aden to escape the danger in their home country.
With many citizens being displaced across the country and region, some of the biggest needs include food, water and shelter, according to Ayman Gharaibeh, the country representative for Yemen for UNHCR. “More than half the population is without adequate food and health care and this will only worsen,” said Gharaibeh in an interview with UNHCR. Many refugees are living in poor conditions, which just increases the spreading of diseases among them.
On Jan. 27, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order banning immigrants for 90 days from seven countries, one of which was Yemen. The other countries, which comprise Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia and Libya, were placed on a ban to “prevent a terrorist or criminal infiltration by foreign nationals,” according to the United States Department of Homeland Security.As of recently, President Trump’s ban has been suspended by multiple federal judges who repealed the ban. This now allows citizens of the seven countries to come to the United States. President Trump does have plans to fight the repeal in court.
There are countless stories of refugees leaving their homes and lives behind in order to find a safe place to stay while the war continues. Many have fled to neighboring countries and other countries in the world, but many have also ended up in refugee camps. Al Kharaz is a refugee camp in the southwest region of Yemen near the Gulf of Aden. More than 16,000 refugees live in this camp, with many from Somalia and Ethiopia, according to UNHCR.
Around the world, many groups and organizations have brought attention to the crisis in Yemen since the civil war began. UNHCR is just one of the many organizations bringing aid to Yemen. Others include UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP).
As with the story of the six-year-old who was shot in the back, many children have been victims of the war. About 500,000 children are in need of care in Yemen due to malnutrition, according to UNICEF. One child dies every ten minutes in Yemen due to starvation and malnutrition, also according to UNICEF.Not only are children starving, but many have been caught in the crossfires in their own towns. In President Trump’s first raid, 10 women and children died due to an airstrike in al-Bayda, according to Al Jazeera.
Through the countless organizations in the world that are helping those in Yemen, any citizen can donate money to the organizations to help feed and care for the Yemen refugees. Another way to help is by learning about the situation or supporting a group such as Doctors Without Borders in order to help those in need in Yemen
As the war in Yemen continues, people will continue to flee the country to seek the necessary resources to live safely, causing the crisis to grow and for more refugees to need help.
– Hailey Rose McLaughlin
Photo: Flickr
Why is Poverty in the Spratly Islands Key to the US?
There are no indigenous people and no inhabitants of the Spratly Islands. However, the Spratly Islands represent the claim on areas of sea that contain oil, gas and rich fishing grounds. The islands prime location within busy international shipping lanes draws focus to the political sensitivity of the area.
The Claim to the Spratly Islands
Although rival countries have been quarreling over the Spratly Islands and neighboring territories for centuries, tensions are building. China’s long-term strategy to build and expand its own industries threatens the livelihood of rural populations.
Backed by geographical proximity to the Spratly Islands, the Filipino population, whose livelihood is dependent on the fishing grounds that surround the Spratly Islands, fear a violation of their sovereign rights.
Intimidated by China’s goliath presence and associated economic, military and global influence, the Philippines sought international arbitration in regard to the U.N. Convention on the Laws of the Sea in 2013.
In July 2016, the Philippines case was backed by the tribunal and their claims supported. China was found guilty of violating the Philippines’ sovereign rights, a ruling that China found to be illogical and unsubstantiated.
Why is the U.S. invested?
Bound by a mutual defense treaty ratified in 1951, the U.S. and Philippines preserve a historic relationship. “Sharing a common bond of sympathy, mutual ideals and regional security, the treaty stated that no potential aggressor could be under the illusion that either of them stands alone in the Pacific area.”
Former U.S. ambassador Max Baucus warns that if the U.S. strategy toward China is not strong, careful and considered, China will continue to build its economic force to the “detriment of other countries.”
In addition, if the U.S. turns a blind eye to political power plays and poverty in the Spratly Islands’ neighboring countries due to protectionist island ideals, the U.S. runs the risk of yielding crucial global space to China. This is an ocean space in which $1.2 trillion worth of U.S. traded goods passes through annually.
China’s right to the Spratly Islands
At odds with the Philippines’ shared rights to the Spratly Islands is China’s nine-dash line. Spreading hundreds of miles south and east of its border, China claims territory and sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and the Paracel Islands, including its surrounding ocean areas.
China argues that the Spratly Islands lies within Chinese territory that can be identified in maps issued in 1947. According to the map, both island groups in the South China Sea are marked within China’s territory. The aforementioned maps contain no coordinates and claim all of the territorial water within the line.
How can the Spratly Islands reduce poverty?
According to the international poverty line, 18.4 million Philippines live in extreme poverty; their livelihood is dependent on the fishing grounds surrounding the Spratly Islands. Keeping sea territory in the hands of the Philippines is crucial to the families who rely on the income and produce of Filipino fishermen.
Furthermore, estimates made by Chinese analysts suggest poverty in the Spratly Islands will become a past notion due to its rich resources. With extensive research and extrapolation of the mineral wealth that surrounds the Spratly Islands, oil deposits and gas fuel increase debates over ownership.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates there are 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Spratly Island region.
Considering the economic climate of the Philippines, the rights to oil and natural gas resources in the Spratly Islands and the surrounding ocean area could drastically change the lives of millions of people. Poverty in the Spratly Islands and its neighboring nations remains a looming presence. The poorest provinces in the Philippines are in short supply of water sources, electricity and toilet facilities.
If the majority of wealth from these resources goes to the Filipino people, national capital will increase, new industries will be created and mass poverty could be eliminated. The economic infrastructure will also provide education, nutrition and healthcare.
For China the driving reason behind ownership of the Spratly Islands is territorial. Developing hydrocarbon resources in the South China Sea allows the Chinese ownership of regions and is of huge strategic value in the delineation of maritime boundaries.
For the Philippines, the U.S. and other associated nations, there is far more at stake.
– Emma Royce
Photo: Flickr
10 Facts About Hunger in Moldova
Situated between Romania and Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe. With an economy that relies heavily on agriculture, the Moldovan people are especially vulnerable to floods and droughts, which often bring more hunger to the country. Here are ten facts about hunger in Moldova:
1. Of the country’s roughly 3.5 million people, 20.8 percent live below the poverty line. While high, this is an improvement, as the poverty rate was 70 percent in 2000.
2. In order to make ends meet, many Moldovans move abroad to work and send money back home. Forty percent of the working-age population work abroad, and remittances, or the money they send back to their home country, make up 30 percent of Moldova’s GDP.
3. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, agricultural practices changed drastically, cutting production in half. This was devastating for Moldova since agriculture is a huge part of the country’s economy, making up one-fifth of its GDP.
4. Poorer families often struggle to afford nutritious food. A third of children under the age of five, as well as half of the pregnant women, suffer from anemia. This is especially prevalent in rural families.
5. A severe drought in 2007 worsened hunger in Moldova as 96 percent of families experienced production losses. As a result, a third of households were in debt in order to meet food needs, with poor families spending half of their income on food.
6. Climate change is also a threat to food security in Moldova, due to changes in the agricultural landscape. “The rural poor will be disproportionately affected because of their greater dependence on agriculture, their relatively lower ability to adapt, and the high share of income they spend on food,” said William Sutton, lead agriculture economist at the World Bank.
7. Digestive disorders are one of the leading causes of death in Moldova. While this is in part linked to poor nutrition, alcohol is also a culprit. Moldovans drink more than 18 liters of pure alcohol a year, almost three times the global average.
8. Despite high rates of poverty, alcoholism and hunger in Moldova, life expectancy is two to five years higher than richer countries in the Commonwealth of Independent states, such as Russia. In 2010, Moldovan life expectancy was 69.13 years.
9. While the EU has supplied aid in order to address issues such as hunger in Moldova, high levels of corruption and weak institutions weaken the affect this support has.
10. There are many development projects created by organizations such as USAID and the World Food Program that aim to alleviate hunger in Moldova. Many of these projects focus on diversifying Moldova’s economy in order to give Moldovans non-agricultural sources of income.
While the people of Moldova are facing economic and nutritional challenges, both the government and aid organizations are starting to implement promising programs that could play a key role in improving the country’s economic potential and alleviating hunger in Moldova.
– Alexi Worley
Photo: Flickr
Italy Helps Fight Hunger in Ukraine With Donation of €1 Million
Amidst facing a humanitarian crisis and lack of mine regulations, Ukraine received aid totaling one million euros from Italy through the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF to help those impacted by the actions in Eastern Ukraine in 2017. The donation will help the WFP provide basic necessities and humanitarian assistance Ukrainians need to combat hunger, while also fighting against their own government and people.
Among a population of 45.2 million, more than 4.4 million Ukrainians have been impacted, and more than 3.8 million still need humanitarian assistance.
Who the Donation Will Help Most
“Our contribution to WFP and UNICEF operations will help ease people’s suffering, in particular for the most vulnerable, providing food assistance, increasing knowledge and building safe behaviour practices to deal with the risk of mines,” said Davide La Cecilia, the Italian Ambassador to Ukraine in a press release published by the WFP.
Thanks to Italy’s donation, UNICEF will help protect 500,000 children and their guardians from the dangers in mines by supporting the mine risk education program.
The WFP plans to help those who do not receive assistance from other humanitarian actors and further small-scale recovery activities, such as providing food, to aid local citizens. UNICEF will use the funding to promote children’s education programs and for families living in areas close to the contact line, which divides the government and non-government controlled areas and where the fighting is most intense.
Giancarlo Stopponi, WFP deputy country director in Ukraine, said, “WFP greatly appreciates Italy’s support at a time when communities across Ukraine continue to experience the negative consequences of the conflict.”
The WFP has been aiding those experiencing hunger in Ukraine since 2014 by providing emergency food services to internally displaced citizens in Eastern Ukraine, handing out monthly food packages and food assistance. To this day, about 850,000 of most Eastern Ukraine’s most vulnerable people have received food from WFP, despite attempts to bar humanitarian staff.
Ongoing Efforts to Battle Hunger
The program plans to continue its efforts, aiming to assist 220,000 citizens in Eastern Ukraine. These people both rely on and need WFP’s food assistance, along with their other operations, such as the Logistic Cluster Support to the Humanitarian Response in Ukraine.
In 2017, UNICEF has appealed to the U.S. for $31.3 million to be used towards combatting hunger in Ukraine. The money will be used for health and nutrition needs, education, water, hygiene and sanitation, and protection for those most vulnerable to the conflict, such as children and families.
– Mary Waller
Photo: Flickr
The Battle Against Hunger in Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire continues to experience aftershocks of the military coup in December 1999, which turned into an all-out civil war in 2002, leading to the creation of a North and South Côte d’Ivoire. This resolution was supposed to be disbanded in 2010, but there was a conflict over the results of the election for the new leader of the unified government, complicating the transition of power. This threw the country into another five months of the war. The political unrest in Côte d’Ivoire has created widespread economic instability and food security issues.
Following the conflicts in 2011, President Alassane Ouattara adopted the National Agricultural Investment Program (PNIA), and the National Development Plan (PND) in an effort to alleviate the widespread hunger in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as to repair social relations between the polarized country. The country is ushering into a new era of human rights, job creation, availability of social services, sustainable resource consumption and poverty reduction. This new phase, which will run until 2021, and is focused on decoupling agriculture from deforestation by using more sustainable farming methods, is projected to create 400,000 jobs. This shows that the aid given will cultivate lasting economic growth for the country.
Unfortunately, despite all the positive forward momentum in the government, Côte d’Ivoire still ranks in the bottom tenth percentile of the United Nations Development Programs Human Development Index. Twenty-three percent of the population lives below $1.25 per day. Primary school enrollment is at 50 percent. And there is still widespread hunger in Cote d’Ivoire, with 13.3 percent of the population experiencing undernourishment in 2016, and 30 percent of children under 5 years old experiencing growth stunting. The country received a global Hunger Index Score of 25.7 out of 100 in 2016.
So what’s being done about it? The World Food Program opened up a Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation to save lives and combat hunger in Côte d’Ivoire. The program has opened a school breakfast program that has fed 571,000 children. Action Against Hunger (ACF) has also started a program that has successfully provided food to 792,688 people and helped 848,698 people gain access to safe water and sanitation.
Difficulties for the future will depend on the influx of foreign aid to sustain these development projects. However, it is clear that Côte d’Ivoire is on the right track. It has reached a period of stability and has been able to focus inward on lowering hunger in Côte d’Ivoire and raising the quality of life. Things look bright for the country’s future.
– Joshua Ward
Photo: Flickr