The expansion of a country’s middle class has often been regarded as a sign of development. In recent years, there has been a rise of the middle class in the developing world, resulting in economic prosperity, as well as a potential for more social security.
A report by Homi Kharas titled “The Unprecedented Expansion of the Global Middle Class” provides significant statistics on this topic. Worldwide, there are approximately 3.2 billion middle-class members, with this number expected to increase in the upcoming years.
Such is due in part to a decline in world poverty, with the rate of those living on less than $1.90 a day being about 10 percent. The largest reduction in poverty can be seen in Asia, particularly in the countries China, Indonesia, and India.
However, progress in poverty reduction and its related development of the middle class has been disproportionate. Regions of sub-Saharan Africa still see the greatest diffusion of poverty, with half of the world’s extreme poor being housed here.
Yet, despite this, there is cause for optimism. The GDP of developing countries, measured in terms of purchasing power parity, grew from approximately $35 trillion in 2005 to more than $40 trillion in 2011. Such an increase is reflective of an enlargement of the middle class.
While this clearly has economic consequences, it also has social ones. Predictions have been made regarding advancements in world democracy, as more middle-class citizens in developing nations recognize their potential to bring about governmental change. Strength comes in numbers.
As OECD director Mario Pezzini comments: “Middle-class expectations in emerging and developing countries are rising and evolving as their countries’ economic situations improve… They are no longer satisfied with simply having access to public services; they are increasingly concerned with their quality.”
This, in turn, may have repercussions for world poverty, assuming governments are able to meet public demands. It has been universally recognized that causes of poverty include insufficient access to public resources such as education and healthcare, especially for rural inhabitants.
Assuming governments are able to meet public demands, if these public resources are not only expanded but improved, it is likely that global poverty will be further reduced. However, such is only speculative. Only time can reveal the future of poverty worldwide.
What appears to be certain, however, is that the rise of the middle class in the developing world has a number of positive consequences. Collective leaders should continue to ensure such growth in order to reduce poverty, bring about economic expansion and increase social opportunities worldwide.
– Gigi DeLorenzo
Photo: Flickr
The Battle to Alleviate Global Poverty
The Trump Administration has recently proposed severe budget cuts that will drastically reduce U.S. foreign aid in the developing world. In response to this potential risk, it is essential to identify the various developing countries that receive financial assistance that is necessary for developing the economic, political and social structures. Being able to differentiate between varying forms of foreign assistance is necessary in fully understanding what the U.S. can do to develop these struggling countries around the world.
Although foreign aid is extremely beneficial in efforts to alleviate global poverty, it is temporarily effective when compared to the long-term sustainability that is achieved through foreign investments. Nonetheless, foreign aid is extremely vital in potentially liberating a developing country from the negative consequences of recession, malnourishment and poverty. In distinguishing between foreign aid and foreign investments, it is crucial to understand how both efforts fundamentally affect the world’s poor.
Foreign aid is simply the donation of goods and services to developing countries, which generally is represented by a “cash value” articulated through the goods and services. However, alongside this aid derives contingencies for the recipient. For example, the goods and services heavily influence economic, political and ideological deviations that ultimately benefit the progression of the donor’s advancements in their worldly position.
Although this foreign aid is very resourceful during struggling times, citizens of developing countries seek more than just donations from countries around the world. The citizens strive for opportunities from development organizations to train them in various life skills that will help them lead healthy and successful lives. These developments will aim to improve their social and economic situations, giving them the tools and opportunities to raise themselves out of poverty, thus furthering the efforts to alleviate global poverty.
On the other hand, foreign investment is preferred to aid due to the long-term sustainability that accompanies the ventures made in developing countries. By investing in the encouragement of entrepreneurship, the development of small businesses and growth of financial investments, it benefits both the donors and the recipients. These investments generate economic activity and employment for not only the developing countries, but it produces additional consumer markets to boost trade within the host countries.
Nonetheless, foreign aid is an effective form of assistance for a developing country that needs immediate relief before devastating living conditions become destructive to the country’s well-being. By only lending goods and services to these developing countries instead of implementing teaching techniques, it could potentially hurt the development of encouragement and self-sufficiency overseas.
However, without foreign aid, these crisis-stricken nations would not be able to save the structural components of the countries. In order to alleviate global poverty and produce long-lasting effects on many struggling countries across the developing world, philanthropic nations need to understand that strongly investing in developing countries creates bigger impacts on furthering the world’s poor.
– Brandon Johnson
Photo: Flickr
Charitable Giving: From the Business to the State
Pip’s Original Doughnuts and Chai is a quaint doughnut shop situated in the heart of Portland, Oregon. Last year it received media attention because of its Freedom to Give initiative. This initiative provides employees with an extra $30 in their paycheck. Employees are to use this extra cash to give to those in need as a form of charitable giving. Pip Employees may give their $30 to whoever and whatever they desire.
This story has inspired Pip’s employees and the surrounding community. Pip’s is the quintessential mom and pop shop, but giving back is not limited to small business.
Goldman Sachs, one of the largest investment banks in the world, has been striving to increase its charitable giving, particularly after the 2008 financial crisis. The Goldman Sachs Foundation has initiated the 10,000 Women and the 10,000 Small Businesses campaigns. The 10,000 Women campaign focuses on training women around the world in management and business. The 10,000 Small Businesses campaign serves to provide business assistance to small businesses around the world for up to five years.
The desire for small businesses to help the needy and commitment of big businesses to do so as well is similar to state involvement in fighting poverty. The reality is that small states tend to spend much on foreign aid, whereas big states could afford to spend more on fighting global poverty.
According to the World Economic Forum, a nonprofit foundation based in Geneva, the U.S. spends the most on foreign aid. Germany and the United Kingdom come second and third. However, when considering the percentage of a state’s gross national income, the U.S. does not even rank among the top ten. Sweden ranks first, the United Arab Emirates ranks second, and Norway ranks third.
This phenomenon demonstrates that big states have the capacity to give more than they currently do, just as a big business can afford to expand its charitable giving.
– Rebeca Ilisoi
Photo: Flickr
The Role of the OAS in Poverty Reduction in the Bahamas
The Organization of American States (OAS) in the Bahamas is a catalyst for the country’s development and offers many programs and activities that contribute to poverty reduction in the country.
The OAS has specifically focused on preserving the heritage of the Bahamas through the revitalization of the downtown area of capital Nassau and preserving the country’s historic sites while promoting local artisanship.
The organization is also focused on security for the Bahamas and facilitated strengthening the capacity of law enforcement and prosecutors in the Bahamas as well as the Caribbean. Security has always been a very important mandate for the organization and important to the role that the OAS plays in poverty reduction in the Bahamas.
The OAS has specifically worked along with the ministry of foreign affairs and the ministry of education, science and technology to offer fellowships and scholarships while empowering Bahamians and reducing poverty.
As of recently, the OAS has been working on partnering with the University of the Bahamas to reduce poverty through education, while expanding its role in poverty reduction in the Bahamas and the country’s further development.
The OAS has been very vocal about the low level of Bahamian participation in the scholarship opportunities by Bahamians. In 2013 alone, many scholarships were made available that Bahamians were not made aware of or did not participate. These scholarships give Bahamians access to financing and promote the organization’s role in poverty reduction in the Bahamas.
Jerome Fitzgerald, the minister of education, science and technology stated, “We have been given a world-class education. We, therefore, are mandated and required as leaders in education and policymakers to ensure that we afford all of our citizens the same opportunities for success.”The
The OAS promotes education as the key to poverty reduction in the Bahamas. Through organizations like this, poverty reduction in the Bahamas is hopeful.
– Rochelle R. Dean
Photo: Flickr
Chronic Illness: Top Diseases in Mongolia
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2002, chronic diseases caused 13,000 out of 19,000 deaths in Mongolia. Of these, 30 percent were caused by cardiovascular disease. Various types of cancers caused another 21 percent of the deaths.
In 2015, 75 percent of men and 79 percent of women were overweight. Based on data presented by the WHO, focusing on implementing healthier diets and increasing physical activity could prevent 40 percent of occurrences of cancer and at least 80 percent of premature heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation spent five years encouraging healthier lifestyles in Mongolia and concentrated on early diagnosis and treatment plans of the top diseases in Mongolia, including heart disease and strokes. These two diseases alone cause 30 percent of the deaths in Mongolia, despite easy prevention. This project, which ended in 2013, funded schools and other organizations that encouraged healthy practices in the community and worked closely with the Mongolian government to increase funding for public health programs.
The Regional Office for the Western Pacific portion of the WHO looked at life expectancy rates in Mongolia and found that between 2010 and 2030 both women and men can expect a significant increase in life expectancy. Men are estimated to live 16.2 years longer and women 19.6 years. It is also estimated that the population of individuals over the age of 60 will outgrow the population of people 14 and under. They warn that this increase in the older population of the country will also lead to an increase in the occurrences of cardiovascular diseases since the elderly are more susceptible to these types of diseases and issues.
Furthering research and instituting prevention and interventions will be able to prevent this major increase in cardiovascular and other diseases of this nature.
Similarly, the Millennium Challenge Corporation believes that through programs that work to improve the health of Mongolians, the country is securing a better future and aims to target the youth of the nation, teaching them a healthy lifestyle before they become more susceptible to these top diseases in Mongolia.
– Helen Barker
Photo: Flickr
Top Diseases in Argentina
Although Argentina meets a fairly high standard of health, with a life expectancy of about 77 years, it is prone to a number of diseases partially due to environmental conditions, as well as social activities. Here are some of the top diseases in Argentina that are non-communicable.
Top Non-Communicable Diseases in Argentina
Communicable diseases are also common in Argentina although they only account for 11 percent of deaths nationwide. Here are some of the top communicable diseases in Argentina.
Top Communicable Diseases in Argentina
Fortunately, Argentina has one of the strongest public healthcare systems in Latin America with plenty of resources and research designed to counter these diseases. Through sustained medical attention, these top diseases in Argentina, both non-communicable and communicable, could be eradicated in the future.
– Gigi DeLorenzo
Photo: Flickr
The Rise of the Middle Class in the Developing World
The expansion of a country’s middle class has often been regarded as a sign of development. In recent years, there has been a rise of the middle class in the developing world, resulting in economic prosperity, as well as a potential for more social security.
A report by Homi Kharas titled “The Unprecedented Expansion of the Global Middle Class” provides significant statistics on this topic. Worldwide, there are approximately 3.2 billion middle-class members, with this number expected to increase in the upcoming years.
Such is due in part to a decline in world poverty, with the rate of those living on less than $1.90 a day being about 10 percent. The largest reduction in poverty can be seen in Asia, particularly in the countries China, Indonesia, and India.
However, progress in poverty reduction and its related development of the middle class has been disproportionate. Regions of sub-Saharan Africa still see the greatest diffusion of poverty, with half of the world’s extreme poor being housed here.
Yet, despite this, there is cause for optimism. The GDP of developing countries, measured in terms of purchasing power parity, grew from approximately $35 trillion in 2005 to more than $40 trillion in 2011. Such an increase is reflective of an enlargement of the middle class.
While this clearly has economic consequences, it also has social ones. Predictions have been made regarding advancements in world democracy, as more middle-class citizens in developing nations recognize their potential to bring about governmental change. Strength comes in numbers.
As OECD director Mario Pezzini comments: “Middle-class expectations in emerging and developing countries are rising and evolving as their countries’ economic situations improve… They are no longer satisfied with simply having access to public services; they are increasingly concerned with their quality.”
This, in turn, may have repercussions for world poverty, assuming governments are able to meet public demands. It has been universally recognized that causes of poverty include insufficient access to public resources such as education and healthcare, especially for rural inhabitants.
Assuming governments are able to meet public demands, if these public resources are not only expanded but improved, it is likely that global poverty will be further reduced. However, such is only speculative. Only time can reveal the future of poverty worldwide.
What appears to be certain, however, is that the rise of the middle class in the developing world has a number of positive consequences. Collective leaders should continue to ensure such growth in order to reduce poverty, bring about economic expansion and increase social opportunities worldwide.
– Gigi DeLorenzo
Photo: Flickr
10 Things You Need to Know About Refugees From Iraq
Most refugees from Iraq were forced to leave their homes after the militant group ISIS invaded the region. ISIS began to infiltrate Iraq in 2014, creating a large-scale humanitarian crisis in the region. Since then, ISIS has gained control of some of the largest cities in the country and has caused 3.4 million individuals to be uprooted from their homes.
Increasing numbers of displaced persons are fleeing war-torn regions of Iraq, and in response to the crisis, international organizations are rallying to provide relief. Ahead are 10 facts about refugees from Iraq.
10 Things You Need to Know About Refugees From Iraq
Though the situation of many refugees from Iraq is bleak, hope remains. Organizations are working to provide relief to those displaced by the conflict. The fight to return ISIS-controlled regions of Iraq to their people will continue.
– Lindsay Harris
Photo: Flickr
The Current Water Quality in Tajikistan
Tajikistan has a population of 8.3 million, with an average life expectancy of 68 years. In the past 15 years, the country’s health policies were targeting many issues, including the water quality in Tajikistan.
The country has plentiful water resources through its two main river systems — the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya. These rivers account for 90 percent of Central Asia’s river water and 75 percent of the water used in irrigated agriculture, which account as fresh water reserves. The hydro-graphic network of Tajikistan is comprised of more than 25 thousand rivers, which mostly originated from glaciers totaling 69,200 km in length.
Despite the abundant water resources in the country, the drinking water supply system in rural areas remains underdeveloped. As much as 57.6 percent of the population had access to safe drinking water in Tajikistan in 2011.
After the first visit of Léo Heller, a U.N. expert on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation in 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) had launched a support program for Tajikistan. The program particularly focuses on water quality in Tajikistan’s rural areas, which includes nearly 72 percent of the country’s population.
Water Safety Plan, one of the main guidelines on managing drinking water quality and sanitation developed for Tajikistan is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The plan was adopted by the government to be utilized prior to 2020. This was “a critical moment for the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation in Tajikistan,” Heller said.
Meanwhile, water in Tajikistan is mainly used for irrigation, as the water traveling through pipes is not safe for consumption. The government of Tajikistan is attempting to prioritize its budget to help fundamental human rights and slow the spread of water-borne diseases through allocating its budget for sanitation and water supply. These measures are to ensure access to drinkable water in every part of the country.
– Yana Emets
Photo: Flickr
What Are the Top Diseases in Bolivia?
Bolivia is the poorest nation in South America, and has a population of more than 10 million people. Nations that struggle with poverty often struggle to fight disease as well. Some of the top diseases in Bolivia are spread by insects, cannot be prevented by vaccination and are frequently life-threatening.
Vector-borne diseases (diseases spread by insect bite) such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and Chagas disease are common in Bolivia. Travelers to the country are warned about malaria and dengue fever. Malaria is spread by mosquitoes and can be life-threatening. There isn’t a vaccination against it, making it even more dangerous. Dengue fever is a viral disease that is also spread by mosquito bite. While not as serious as malaria, dengue fever also has no vaccination.
Only found in certain areas, yellow fever is also a huge concern in Bolivia. Every traveler to the country has to show certified proof of vaccination against the disease upon entrance. Yellow fever is another disease spread by mosquito bite, and it usually lasts between three and six days. For 60 percent of those who fall ill with yellow fever, the disease will be fatal. There is no treatment.
Chagas disease, which exists mainly in Latin America, is life-threatening and said to kill even more people than malaria does. Bolivia is home to the fourth largest number of people living with Chagas disease, with an estimated more than 607,000 people infected in 2015. It is the number one country when it comes to the prevalence of the disease, with the most infections per inhabitants.
Because of the prevalence of these diseases in Bolivia, attempts to help prevent HIV/AIDS sometimes come as an afterthought. In 2015 an estimated 18,000 adults in Bolivia were living with HIV/AIDS. Poorer nations such as Bolivia need assistance in order to combat the diseases that affect people’s livelihoods.
– Shannon Elder
Photo: Flickr
What Does Education in Iceland Look Like?
Education in Iceland is incredibly important. In a 2016 study, Iceland was ranked the third most literate nation in the world, trailing behind Finland and Norway. The small island country is home to a population of around 332,000 people.
Iceland is well known for being progressive. Its equality endeavors are evident in the structure of its education system. According to the nation’s website, “A fundamental principle of the Icelandic educational system is that everyone should have equal opportunities to acquire an education, irrespective of sex, economic status, residential location, religion, possible handicap and cultural or social background.”
Education in Iceland is a four-level system.
With a literacy rate of 99 percent and an unemployment rate at around 2.7 percent, perhaps the rest of the world can learn from the system of education in Iceland.
– Shannon Elder
Photo: Flickr