Beginning in 1980, Iraq endured years of conflict, including the Iraqi-Iranian War, the Kuwait Invasion, the U.S.-led military invasion and ethnopolitical violence. After the U.S.-led invasion, Iraq’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth dropped from -8.2% in 2002 to -36.7% in 2003 when the invasion began.
Poverty became a major concern and as of 2024, 17.6% of the population still lives below the poverty line, a decline from 21.5% in 2022. The government is taking steps toward Iraq’s reconstruction and development in light of these challenges. In January 2025, Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani met with prominent U.K. business leaders to showcase the steps Iraq is taking to improve the investment climate.
Iraq’s Reconstruction and Development Efforts
During the Iraqi-Iranian War, Iraq accumulated significant debt. After the war, Iraq invaded Kuwait, which made the United Nations (U.N.) place severe sanctions on Iraq. The sanctions banned all imports and exports with Iraq, which rendered Iraq unable to obtain building materials from abroad to begin reconstruction.
In the following years, the U.S.-led invasion and ethnopolitical violence further deteriorated the remaining infrastructure, strained the economy and displaced countless Iraqis, pushing many into poverty. After the 2003 invasion, very little was done to support Iraq’s reconstruction and development. It was after the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was defeated in 2017 that the prime minister announced that the rebuilding effort would require $88 billion.
The destruction covered around 80% of some cities and significant funding was required to remove the war remnants, including unexploded bombs, land mines and IEDs that had remained after the conflict.
The National Development Plan
However, in 2018, Iraq released its National Development Plan, which included a reconstruction and development framework for 2018-2030. The plan comprises 19 pillars that will target areas like education, employment, industry, social protection, health and more. The plan highlights many areas that can improve the quality of life for its citizens and promote economic growth.
Some of these include clearing “explosive hazards,” rebuilding damaged housing and buildings, upgrading electricity infrastructure and strengthening transportation and logistics services to encourage private sector recovery and expansion. It also involves initiating labor force surveys to identify the workforce’s needs, enhancing local inclusive governance and planning community needs, including those of displaced persons, youth and women.
Iraq-UK Partnerships and Investment Opportunities
In January 2025, Iraq’s Prime minister met with U.K. business leaders to explain the country’s plan to attract foreign investment and improve the Iraqi business environment. The two countries signed a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), including a range of export agreements and a trade deal of more than $12 billion. This agreement built upon a history of economic collaboration between Iraq and the U.K.
In 2024 alone, the U.K. participated in $1.5 billion worth of projects in Iraq. One notable initiative was a partnership with Vodafone, a multinational telecommunications company based in the U.K. In late 2024, Iraq authorized Vodafone to launch the country’s first 5G network, marking a significant step in the nation’s technological advancement. Beyond telecommunications, U.K. firms have expanding prospects in the construction, petrochemicals and energy sectors. In Iraq, building material accounts for around 30% of imports. Additionally, natural gas projects are progressing in nearly every oil field in the country, providing opportunities for U.K. firms.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister of Iraq also explained that “Reforms have been carried out in the taxation and customs systems, company registration processes and all approvals related to investment opportunities.” Alongside these reforms, Iraq will provide sovereign guarantees to the private sector, utilize “global intermediary banks” to conduct all financial transactions and allocate $100 billion to the investment budget. These reforms and financial commitments create an environment where U.K. firms can significantly contribute to Iraq’s economic growth and poverty reduction.
Conclusion
Iraq’s efforts to attract foreign investment, particularly through its U.K. partnership, are key to stimulating economic development and reducing poverty. U.K. firms can help those living under the poverty line in Iraq by contributing to construction, energy and petrochemical-based projects. Improved roads, ports, electricity and overall economic conditions can provide Iraqis with increased access to new markets domestically and internationally. The World Bank highlights that trade and investment can stimulate developing economies, increase higher-quality job opportunities and raise productivity.
With 60% of Iraq’s population falling within the working-age bracket (15-64), the country presents U.K. firms with a substantial labor force. Beyond economic benefits, this also creates an opportunity to address social challenges. Expanding employment prospects can help prevent youth from being pushed into violence, terrorism and poverty due to a lack of quality job opportunities, fostering greater stability in the region.
– Haley Parilla
Haley is based in Cape Coral, FL, USA and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Pexels
How Emergency Response Rooms are Alleviating Poverty in Sudan
Community-Led Aid in Sudan
The first ERRs in Sudan began in 2019 and now comprise more than 700 volunteer-run spaces that provide food, medicine and support for communities, alleviating poverty in Sudan. While international agencies face limitations, the ERRs deliver community-led support that improves how donations are used and localizes the delivery of aid. This approach—known as mutual aid—has reached more than 11.5 million people. The ERRs’ impact has earned them a nomination for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Through community networks, efficient delivery and adaptable structures, ERRs offer a localized model of aid in Sudan.
Community Links and Flexibility
In addition to adapting quickly to the civil war’s impact on aid delivery, the ERRs operate within local communities and use pre-existing resources. The outbreak of war worsened Sudan’s food crisis, putting 25 million people at risk of starvation. While U.N. food trucks are restricted to refugee camps in neighboring Chad, ERRs can deliver food supplies. ERRs in the state of West Kordofan feed 177,000 people daily.
As Kholood Khair, director of the think tank Confluence Advisory, puts it, “[ERRs] are able to negotiate access locally; they are able to buy from local markets; they are able to make their activities as flexible as needs be, very unlike NGOs.” That flexibility has allowed ERRs to serve various roles over the years. A forerunner to the ERRs started in 2013 in response to mass flooding and ERRs played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic by raising awareness, disinfecting hospitals and distributing medicine. The ERRs’ local roots and adaptability continue to help address crises as they arise.
Mutual Aid and Cost Efficiency
International aid often involves donor dependency and external control. ERRs, by contrast, give local communities the tools to manage their own needs. Rather than relying on international structures, mutual aid efforts in Sudan have created local alternatives. According to the Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition—a group of philanthropic and aid organizations that support ERRs—$0.95 of every $1 donated goes directly to local actors. In comparison, UNICEF reports that £0.75 of every £1 goes toward its work for children and the British Red Cross states that £0.65 of every £1 helps people in crisis. This higher percentage of funds reaching local communities reveals how ERRs provide a more direct use of donations.
The Future of ERRs and International Aid in Sudan
In September 2024, the Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition pledged to allocate $2 million to ERRs by the end of the year, calling mutual aid “the most viable and cost-effective mechanism to reach at-risk communities.” While this support remains essential, some challenges persist. A recent report from the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform stated that the success of ERRs might “enable a new era of localization in Sudan,” but noted that international aid frameworks do not align with the ERRs’ model.
Bringing ERRs closer to international aid networks could increase funding opportunities. However, doing so could reduce the flexibility and responsiveness that have made them effective. Maintaining the ERRs’ local approach can potentially preserve their ability to respond directly and efficiently to community needs.
– Oliver Tanner
Photo: Flickr
Norovirus in India Pushes New Public Health Plan
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, these symptoms can appear as early as 12 hours after exposure. Children under 5 and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. As pandemic-related restrictions have eased, increased person-to-person contact has led to higher transmission rates of various infectious diseases.
Norovirus Transmission and Prevention
Norovirus spreads through direct contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food or water or touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the mouth. Unlike some other pathogens, norovirus is resistant to alcohol-based sanitizers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasize that proper handwashing with soap and water is more effective in preventing norovirus infection than using alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Government Response: National Health Mission
In response to the rising burden of infectious diseases like norovirus, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched initiatives to improve public health outcomes through the National Health Mission (NHM). The NHM outlines development strategies for improving sanitation, food and water safety and health infrastructure in both rural and urban areas. The mission uses a performance-based framework. States that meet health benchmarks receive increased funding, promoting both accountability and innovation. The 2018–2019 Health System Strengthening Conditionality Report details how these benchmarks are designed to reflect the diverse health needs of India’s states.
Guiding Indicators for Public Health Improvements
To monitor and encourage improvements in health outcomes, NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and technical assistance from the World Bank, developed the State Health Index. This index assesses states and union territories based on health outcomes, governance and key inputs or processes. The index aims to nudge states toward transformative action in the health sector. The NHM uses various key indicators to evaluate state-level progress:
Incremental performance based on the NITI Aayog Health Index
Operationalization of health and wellness centers
Implementation of human resource information systems
Grading of district hospitals
Mental health service expansion
Screening of individuals aged 30 and older for noncommunicable diseases
Performance ratings of urban and rural primary health centers
These indicators aim to identify specific needs across states and tailor support accordingly. The goal is to encourage cooperation while allowing state governments to focus on the communities ’ most urgent health issues.
Looking Ahead
India’s public health efforts are being shaped by both long-term planning and immediate challenges. The recent increase in norovirus cases has highlighted existing gaps in sanitation and preventive care. Government-led initiatives such as the National Health Mission offer targeted approaches to address these ongoing issues while promoting systemic improvement. Continued implementation of state-specific strategies may help reduce disease incidence and improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations.
– Jonathan Joseph
Photo: Flickr
Safi Organics Brings Sustainable Agriculture to Rural Kenya
Safi Organics
Samuel Rigu and Joyce Kamande founded Safi Organics in 2015 to partner with local farmers in Kenya. After graduating from agricultural college, Rigu noticed that Kenyan farmers were burning farming waste like rice husks while the land decayed. He developed a method to make soil more productive using local materials. With partnership from MIT graduate Kevin Kung, they introduced a new process to convert agricultural waste into organic fertilizer, helping to improve long-term sustainability. Safi Organics created a decentralized business model where crop residues are locally processed into organic fertilizers, reducing transportation costs and empowering rural farmers economically.
The company employs rural farmers to help produce the organic fertilizer from agricultural waste. It also works with more than 35,000 farms across Kenya to expand access to sustainable farming practices. Its partnerships give farmers unique access to sustainable agricultural practices that help even the playing field of systemic inequality.
Economic Impact for Farmers in Kenya
Farmers using Safi Organics fertilizer have seen a 30% increase in crop yields. About 600 farmers using the fertilizer reported a 50% rise in income. The fertilizer also reduces the need for expensive chemicals, allowing farmers to spend 60% to 70% less on fertilizer. Safi Organics has helped preserve more than 6,000 hectares of farmland and repurposed large volumes of waste, contributing to environmental sustainability in Kenya.
Challenges and Opportunities for Growth
Access to credit and financing remains a challenge for many farmers. This challenge makes it difficult for farmers to invest in the new technology that Safi Organics offers. Infrastructure in rural areas in Kenya is underdeveloped, increasing the cost of transport. The company provides more affordable options than international fertilizer providers. With greater outreach and further efforts to help the marginalized in the agricultural industry, the company could further expand awareness of sustainable farming practices.
Safi Organics demonstrates how local agricultural innovation in Kenya can contribute to farmers’ poverty reduction. By transforming farm waste into affordable, eco-friendly fertilizer, the company improves crop yields, boosts incomes and creates employment for farmers in rural Kenya. As more rural farmers achieve financial independence, the benefits extend to their households and communities. With additional investment and strategic partnerships, Safi Organics could scale its impact, supporting sustainable development and economic inclusion.
– Divya Beeram
Photo: Flickr
Silent Killers: Neglected Tropical Diseases in South Sudan
Civil War and the Health Care System
The South-Sudanese Civil War occurred from 2013 to 2020 due to President Salva Kiir’s accusation towards Riek Machar, former deputy, and 10 others of attempting to start a coup d’etat. Conflict broke out between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), devastating the country’s social structures, such as the democratic institutions, the weak economy and the fragile healthcare system. South Sudan currently ranks third in the world on the Fragile States Index.
The war catalyzed a vast humanitarian crisis that shook the very core of the nation, destabilizing the basic structures and needs for the population to survive. The inflation rate soared, reaching a peak of 835%, which made commodity prices exponentially rise and plummeted the value of the Sudanese Pound. Millions fled their homes during the conflict, leaving them displaced in a famine and relying on an already-overwhelmed health care system.
In 2020, essential health care coverage stood at 44% and critical care services such as child health care were at risk due to shrinking national fiscal space. Additionally, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, more than 8 million people out of the total 13 million population needed humanitarian aid.
Neglected Tropical Disease Outbreak
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes 20 neglected tropical diseases, 19 of which affect South Sudan. While South Sudan has been formulating plans and programs to combat neglected tropical diseases for decades, progress is slow and has only in recent years bolstered more support.
In 2008, the Ministry of Health identified the top neglected tropical diseases that affected South Sudan: visceral leishmaniasis (VL), human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), onchocerciasis, dracunculiasis (Guinea worm), lymphatic filariasis (LF), schistosomiasis, trachoma and soil transmitted helminths (STH).
The ministry recommended the use of integrated mass drug administration (MDA), however, it feared that “the existing financial resources and global political commitment are not sufficient to reach the goals of elimination or control by 2020 at the latest.”
Indeed, in the 2016-2020 South Sudan National Master Plan, it outlined that “the allocation of funds to states and countries through inadequate, lacks guidance on allocation of funds to specific programs areas such as NTD control.” In 2008, the Ministry of Health estimated that around 3.9 million people were at risk of trachoma in surveyed areas, and in 2024, South Sudan remained with the highest prevalence of active trachoma anywhere in the world, with up to 80% of children under 9 suffering from the condition.
The Good News
The story is not all bleak, however, as the continued efforts have been gradually paying off. The 2023-2027 South Sudan NTDs Master Plan details that increased attention has allowed for “significant strides globally in the control, eradication and elimination of NTDs.” These positive steps include 70-80% member states previously NTD-endemic in 2020 now declaring the elimination of at least one disease, 44 member states certified free of guinea-worm disease compared with 2020, and 44 states fully mapped for PCT-NTDs (preventative chemotherapy NTDs) compared with 2020.
With support from the WHO, since 2021, the country has managed to treat almost 17 million people for river blindness, elephantiasis, bilharzia, trachoma and soil-transmitted worms. Additionally, a treatment drive in 2023 traveled house-to-house, performing MDA against bilharzia. Increased awareness and education efforts are allowing isolated villages to receive more accessible treatment diseases; Dr Aja Kuol, the president of South Sudan’s Ophthalmologic Association and first South Sudanese female ophthalmologist has been travelling across the country with her team to perform sight-restoring operations to those suffering from sight-related diseases, reaching almost 4,700 people in 2023, The Telegraph reports.
Lastly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) introduced Project ECHO, which aims to reduce clinical variations and improve the quality of care for patients. As of 2024, the project conducted nearly 200 sessions and 3,500 health care workers across the nation have received the training.
Closing Remarks
The civil war in South Sudan caused not only physical mass destruction and damage but also took a huge mental toll on the population. The efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases across the country have been slow and demoralizing at times, however, the effort has paid off. Now that the society is breaking initial barriers such as poor awareness and education, the country can expect improvement, with the most recent master plan facilitating “multi-sectoral collaboration” that can achieve the nation’s vision of a neglected tropical disease-free country.
– Helena Pryce
Photo: Flickr
The Gender Wage Gap in Haiti
Education
Education is a significant factor in women’s employment, as educated women are more likely to have jobs in higher positions. The literacy rate for women in Haiti is among the lowest in Latin America and the Caribbean, which plays a role in the gender wage gap in Haiti.
Child marriage and early childbirth are two major factors that prevent girls in Haiti from attending school or completing secondary education. Secondary education is essential for women to access higher-paying jobs, as simply finishing primary school is often insufficient to secure employment.
Textiles
Women dominate the textile industry in Haiti, which holds promise for creating more jobs and potentially higher pay for women. However, entry-level positions, predominantly filled by women, offer extremely low wages. Although two-thirds of the workers in the industry are women, higher-ranking positions are often occupied by men. Many women in textiles have limited education and face additional disadvantages due to the country’s low minimum wage, which further impacts their earning potential.
Unemployment During the Pandemic
There was a significant decrease in women’s employment during the pandemic. This is likely attributed to inequality in pay for domestic work. Data shows that most women did household chores like laundry, cooking, cleaning and caring for children. Only 35% of people surveyed said that the man and woman of the household shared these duties. Women-dominated fields, such as firms, were closed disproportionately during the pandemic, causing these women to work solely domestically.
Economic Factors
While a legal framework mandates equal pay, certain jobs, such as night shifts, dangerous roles and industrial positions, typically offer higher wages. However, women often do not have equal access to these opportunities. This creates a loophole that perpetuates the gender wage gap in Haiti. This disparity significantly contributes to unequal pay between men and women in the workforce.
Women in Haiti are entitled to only 12 weeks of paid leave, compared to the recommended 14 weeks, while men are granted just one week of paid leave. Additionally, women with children under 5 are less likely to participate in the workforce. This policy creates significant barriers to women’s full employment and career advancement.
Empowering Women
To address the gender wage gap in Haiti, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supported the Haitian Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women’s Rights (MCFDF) through the project “Supporting the Government of Haiti for the Socioeconomic Empowerment of Rural Women.”
The project, which ran from January 2020 to December 2021, aimed to raise awareness among rural women about the importance of their roles and potential within their communities. It provided 1,200 women, organized into 15 associations, with both technical and financial support to help foster women’s freedom.
Summary
The gender wage gap in Haiti is driven by limited education, unequal job opportunities and systemic barriers, particularly for women with children. Despite legal frameworks for equal pay, women face significant challenges accessing better-paying jobs. However, initiatives like the FAO’s empowerment project provide valuable support, offering women the tools to improve their economic independence. Addressing these issues is crucial for reducing the gender wage gap and creating a more equitable society in Haiti.
– Ella Burke
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
How Kenyan Inventors Are Turning Waste to Affordable Prosthetics
These systemic barriers and inequalities continue to perpetuate poverty, but David Gathu and Moses Kiuna are breaking them down. They prove that restoring dignity to individuals with disabilities and ensuring affordability can go hand in hand. Their low-cost prosthetics, made from e-waste, are a fraction of the price of commercial alternatives. Through their AI project, they go even further, addressing not only the physical needs of persons with disabilities but also the social isolation they often face.
David Gathu and Moses Kiuna
Gathu and Kiuna, the brilliant minds behind an AI-powered prosthetic designed to empower individuals with disabilities, may seem like seasoned engineers. However, the two Kenyan inventors are self-taught high school dropouts driven by an unwavering passion for innovation. Their journey began in primary school when Gathu, inspired by a friend who was an amputee, sought a way to restore his ability to use his hand. Witnessing his struggles with everyday tasks like eating and writing, Gathu researched harnessing neural signals to create a functional solution. Working from their grandmother’s granary, the duo set out on a mission: to uplift people with disabilities by fostering independence through technology.
What started as childhood curiosity turned into groundbreaking innovation. Using salvaged electronic components, they developed a bionic hand that translates brain signals into movement, allowing users to grasp objects effortlessly. “Just like a microphone; it listens to the brain signals or waves that are coming out of the skull because every time you are thinking or talking there is that activity that happens in the neurons. These neurons release electrical pulses which are electoral magnetic. This gadget listens to these magnetic waves and converts them into electrical and then this electrical is converted into digital signals. These digital signals are transmitted away, so this gadget itself amplifies these digital signals and transmits them into the robotic arm,” David explained to BBC’s Newsday.
After spending countless hours and years, their efforts finally paid off, as their prototype now operates flawlessly. With just a simple thought, the device springs to life effortlessly, requiring no physical input from the user.
The Poverty-Disability Cycle
Gathu and Kiuna’s work is important because their low-cost, e-waste prosthetics provide hope for persons with disabilities in Kenya, who are more likely to experience poverty. This bidirectional relationship is especially prominent in low- and middle-income countries, where poverty often leads to unsafe living conditions and poor quality of life, heightening the risk of disabilities. The exclusions faced by individuals with disabilities often trap families in economic hardship. Women and children with disabilities encounter even greater challenges, as cultural stigma and gender inequality often deny them opportunities for empowerment. The lack of affordable assistive devices further amplifies these barriers, leaving many amputees without the mobility they need to fully engage in daily life.
Therefore, the development of AI-powered prosthetics by Gathu and Kiuna, if fully implemented, can make assistive devices affordable and accessible to low-income individuals with disabilities in Kenya. By providing affordable prosthetics, these innovations can empower individuals to participate in the workforce, engage in daily activities and regain their independence. This increased mobility and autonomy can help break the cycle of poverty, improving economic stability for families and communities and ultimately contributing to greater social inclusion and empowerment for people with disabilities.
Support and Market Access
While their work has gained both local and international media attention, gaining coverage on the BBC and other global media outlets, they have yet to receive significant institutional or financial backing to scale their innovations. Recognition has come, but resources to transition to mass production have hindered their progress.
Nonetheless, their journey exemplifies more than innovation. What originated in their grandmother’s granary could spark a movement transforming every discarded circuit board into a symbol of hope and each prototype into a stride toward a more equitable society. It highlights the remarkable impact of grassroots creativity in changing lives. With increased backing, these two self-taught innovators have the potential to change numerous lives for the better, with affordable prosthetics.
– Grace Ruria
Photo: Flickr
How HUSK and RGF Are Fighting Poverty
RGF
Sarah Basemera founded RGF with a modest $3,000 grant and an ambitious goal: to address Uganda’s reliance on charcoal while creating employment opportunities. Uganda’s high dependence on charcoal for cooking and heating—used by more than 85% of households—posed an environmental and economic challenge. In response, RGF developed biomass briquettes as an alternative energy source, ultimately shaping the foundation into a thriving social enterprise.
RGF’s success is built on a women-led sustainable development model, utilizing a retail strategy that centers on women vendors. Instead of dealing with hundreds of small-scale buyers, RGF streamlined its sales through market agents, all women. This model has not only increased efficiency but has also empowered female entrepreneurs within local marketplaces.
Today, RGF produces four different types of briquettes, operates a factory and has implemented a digital sales platform. While adopting digital transactions remains slow, its app, Zeed Energy, has started gaining traction. By promoting online payments, RGF breaks traditional barriers and encourages financial inclusion.
Households using Zeed Energy solutions have seen a 40% reduction in energy costs, improved business productivity by 60% and reported a 30% increase in disposable income. RGF’s innovations in clean energy and business operations demonstrate the power of women-led sustainable development in driving economic progress.
HUSK Ventures
While RGF is making strides in Uganda, HUSK Ventures, co-founded by Heloise Buckland and Carol Rius, is reshaping sustainable agriculture in Cambodia through biochar technology. Grounded in the conviction that businesses can be powerful drivers of social and environmental change, Buckland and Rius established HUSK to combat soil degradation and improve farmer livelihoods.
HUSK’s method is highly scientific and deeply rooted in traditional agricultural practices. Agriculture experts, engineers and specialists in regenerative agriculture are among the organization’s diverse workforce and they collaborate to create sustainable, long-term solutions for small-scale farmers. Understanding that climate vulnerability and soil degradation pose serious risks to food security, HUSK incorporates a low-cost, high-impact technique to restore farms while reducing carbon emissions.
Biochar, a soil supplement that improves fertility, holds onto water and captures carbon, is at the core of this innovation. HUSK modernizes this centuries-old method by repurposing rice husks—a common agricultural byproduct—into biochar, carbon-based fertilizers and biopesticides using a practical, smokeless process called pyrolysis. This reduces the impact of climate instability by lowering waste and emissions while trapping carbon in the soil for hundreds of years. The organization’s innovative work has resulted in the first biochar plant installed inside a rice mill, marking a significant advancement in sustainable agriculture.
Through their work, Buckland and Rius are proving that women-led enterprises can drive meaningful transformation in both agricultural and environmental spheres. Their model offers a blueprint for balancing economic growth with ecological responsibility, reinforcing the vital role of women-led innovation in shaping a more sustainable future.
The Impact of Women-Led Sustainable Development
Both RGF and HUSK Ventures highlight the potential of women-led enterprises to drive social and environmental change. Their business models prioritize community engagement, sustainability and economic empowerment. The success of these initiatives demonstrates the importance of investing in female entrepreneurs tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
The journey of these organizations serves as a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of women entrepreneurs in the fight against poverty. With continued investment and support, women-led sustainable development initiatives like RGF and HUSK Ventures will continue transforming economies, empowering communities and contributing to a more sustainable world.
– Linnéa Matlack
Photo: Pexels
Iraq’s Reconstruction and Development: Markets for UK Firms
Poverty became a major concern and as of 2024, 17.6% of the population still lives below the poverty line, a decline from 21.5% in 2022. The government is taking steps toward Iraq’s reconstruction and development in light of these challenges. In January 2025, Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani met with prominent U.K. business leaders to showcase the steps Iraq is taking to improve the investment climate.
Iraq’s Reconstruction and Development Efforts
During the Iraqi-Iranian War, Iraq accumulated significant debt. After the war, Iraq invaded Kuwait, which made the United Nations (U.N.) place severe sanctions on Iraq. The sanctions banned all imports and exports with Iraq, which rendered Iraq unable to obtain building materials from abroad to begin reconstruction.
In the following years, the U.S.-led invasion and ethnopolitical violence further deteriorated the remaining infrastructure, strained the economy and displaced countless Iraqis, pushing many into poverty. After the 2003 invasion, very little was done to support Iraq’s reconstruction and development. It was after the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was defeated in 2017 that the prime minister announced that the rebuilding effort would require $88 billion.
The destruction covered around 80% of some cities and significant funding was required to remove the war remnants, including unexploded bombs, land mines and IEDs that had remained after the conflict.
The National Development Plan
However, in 2018, Iraq released its National Development Plan, which included a reconstruction and development framework for 2018-2030. The plan comprises 19 pillars that will target areas like education, employment, industry, social protection, health and more. The plan highlights many areas that can improve the quality of life for its citizens and promote economic growth.
Some of these include clearing “explosive hazards,” rebuilding damaged housing and buildings, upgrading electricity infrastructure and strengthening transportation and logistics services to encourage private sector recovery and expansion. It also involves initiating labor force surveys to identify the workforce’s needs, enhancing local inclusive governance and planning community needs, including those of displaced persons, youth and women.
Iraq-UK Partnerships and Investment Opportunities
In January 2025, Iraq’s Prime minister met with U.K. business leaders to explain the country’s plan to attract foreign investment and improve the Iraqi business environment. The two countries signed a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), including a range of export agreements and a trade deal of more than $12 billion. This agreement built upon a history of economic collaboration between Iraq and the U.K.
In 2024 alone, the U.K. participated in $1.5 billion worth of projects in Iraq. One notable initiative was a partnership with Vodafone, a multinational telecommunications company based in the U.K. In late 2024, Iraq authorized Vodafone to launch the country’s first 5G network, marking a significant step in the nation’s technological advancement. Beyond telecommunications, U.K. firms have expanding prospects in the construction, petrochemicals and energy sectors. In Iraq, building material accounts for around 30% of imports. Additionally, natural gas projects are progressing in nearly every oil field in the country, providing opportunities for U.K. firms.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister of Iraq also explained that “Reforms have been carried out in the taxation and customs systems, company registration processes and all approvals related to investment opportunities.” Alongside these reforms, Iraq will provide sovereign guarantees to the private sector, utilize “global intermediary banks” to conduct all financial transactions and allocate $100 billion to the investment budget. These reforms and financial commitments create an environment where U.K. firms can significantly contribute to Iraq’s economic growth and poverty reduction.
Conclusion
Iraq’s efforts to attract foreign investment, particularly through its U.K. partnership, are key to stimulating economic development and reducing poverty. U.K. firms can help those living under the poverty line in Iraq by contributing to construction, energy and petrochemical-based projects. Improved roads, ports, electricity and overall economic conditions can provide Iraqis with increased access to new markets domestically and internationally. The World Bank highlights that trade and investment can stimulate developing economies, increase higher-quality job opportunities and raise productivity.
With 60% of Iraq’s population falling within the working-age bracket (15-64), the country presents U.K. firms with a substantial labor force. Beyond economic benefits, this also creates an opportunity to address social challenges. Expanding employment prospects can help prevent youth from being pushed into violence, terrorism and poverty due to a lack of quality job opportunities, fostering greater stability in the region.
– Haley Parilla
Photo: Pexels
World Bank Decreasing Women’s Poverty in Latin America
Honduras’s Safe Municipalities Project
The World Bank’s Safe Municipalities Project in Honduras aims to make Honduran cities safer. First, the project empowers law enforcement locally and nationally. Second, it tackles the underlying causes of rising crime. Finally, the initiative increases the government’s ability to respond to criminal threats quickly and efficiently. Although this project aims to improve Honduran municipalities, it uniquely helps women who are the most affected by crime in Honduras.
More than a quarter of Honduran women experience physical or intimate partner violence in their lifetimes and Honduras has one of the highest global rates of femicide. Often, poverty is at the root of this, prompting the circumstances that put women at risk. However, the Safe Municipalities Project is decreasing women’s poverty in Latin America by supporting women financially and building legal systems that protect their livelihoods.
Peru’s Promoting Gender Equality Program
The World Bank is working to decrease gender-based violence in Peru in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations. To increase awareness and response to gender-based violence, the organizations have pursued four avenues:
Women in Peru have already seen improvements in equality, including many more women joining the workforce and receiving higher education. Despite this, they face challenges in combating societal stigma and achieving beyond the traditional framework. Therefore, this World Bank initiative is giving women more ability to report violence and introducing developmental ways of limiting gender-based violence.
El Salvador’s Integrated Social Protection Project
The Integrated Social Protection project helps the Red Solidaria program create a new conditional cash transfer system in El Salvador. This system is aimed at helping families access capital to get necessities for their children and uplift underprivileged groups. In tandem with its finance-oriented approach, the program combines social protection measures with gender-based violence prevention. It provides women with financial assistance and links them with services to escape violence, like vocational training and legal assistance.
Women are given unique access to the cash transfer system, allowing them to temporarily limit financial abuse and gain independence. Only 29% of women in El Salvador have access to a financial account, compared to 45% of men, highlighting a significant gender gap in financial inclusion. Therefore, this cash transfer system plays a vital role in bridging that divide by providing women with the same financial access as men. Economic independence is often a key factor in escaping gender-based violence and the Integrated Social Protection Project is gradually dismantling this barrier, empowering women with greater financial security and autonomy.
Brazil’s Recife Urban Upgrading Project
In Brazil, particularly in urban areas, most of the population lacks adequate housing. More than 8% of Brazilians reside in favelas or urban communities with insufficient infrastructure. To address some of the challenges associated with urban poverty, the World Bank launched the Recife Urban Upgrading Project.
The project will improve favelas with roads, drainage, sanitation and formalized housing. By supporting the government in assisting people experiencing poverty in urban areas, the World Bank is also advancing opportunities for women. In Brazil, women are disproportionately affected by homelessness and its consequences. More than one-third of Brazilian women over the age of 16 experience gender-based violence at some point in their lives, with homelessness being a significant contributing factor.
The Recife Urban Upgrading Project gives women access to housing services they would not otherwise access. Through housing and the expansion of welfare services, women gain more protection from poverty-driven violence. Through formal homeownership, women gain a foothold and financial leg up to compete with men and they are connected with new employment opportunities to improve economic stability.
Conclusion
The World Bank’s initiatives across Latin America are breaking cycles of poverty and gender inequality by improving financial inclusion, protection and opportunities for women. While challenges remain, these programs pave the way for a more equitable future.
– Divya Beeram
Photo: Flickr
How Art Offers Relief from Stress Due to Poverty in Sierra Leone
History
Sierra Leone’s underdevelopment has deep roots in the aftermath of the country’s 11-year civil war, one of the bloodiest wars in African history. Despite attempts at economic recovery post-civil war, the country was consistently rated as one of the world’s poorest countries, ranking third out of 20 impoverished countries in 2025. This immense conflict caused the loss of several lives and displacement, as well as disruption in the nation’s economy and infrastructure.
Poverty in Sierra Leone
According to UNICEF, 60% of 8.8 million people live below the national poverty line and 13% live in extreme poverty conditions. Sierra Leoneans live on less than $1.90 daily, making the cycle of accessing education, food and safe water problematic to escape from. The northern region has a higher poverty rate and a lower rate in the West of Sierra Leone. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in several citizens’ incomes and citizens who receive income from self-employment jobs, such as farmers, were hit the hardest. COVID-19 disrupted Sierra Leone’s poverty reduction actions and made people find different ways to make ends meet for their families.
Culture of Artistic Expression
Some residents in Sierra Leone seek an escape route from reality by participating in the arts. Through the arts, individuals can express their emotions and tell their stories to reduce anxiety, ease depression and view problems from a different perspective. Coping with the trials of life, such as poverty, builds strength to communicate and manage feelings of hopelessness. Sierra Leone residents take pride in their culture, specifically the nation’s traditional musical instruments, such as the balangi and dance, such as the Bondo dance. The art culture allows the people of Sierra Leone to surround themselves with one another as a community to address communal values and social issues.
The Arts and Poverty-Related Stress in Sierra Leone
Musicians are tackling the rise of poverty and related stress in Sierra Leone. While many believe Sierra Leone’s musicians have escaped poor living conditions, singer and songwriter Emmerson Bockarie uses his music to advocate for truth and justice in his country. “I stand with the people; I am with the country,” Bockarie said. In his single “No Easy Eh,” he sings, “Wi weh no born mit money/ less opportunity/ still wi wan be somebody/ e no easy eh.” Bockarie highlights the struggles of the youth population facing poverty-related stress in Sierra Leone, underscoring the enduring hardships that the country wants the government to address.
Spreading Hope for the Future
Art culture is a motivational characteristic of fighting poverty-related stress. It articulates social and economic concerns from the voiceless to government officials to rally local and international support for social shifts. Sierra Leonean artists assist the impoverished population and encourage the community to bond and nurture resilience during challenging circumstances. People feel emotional relief through art that endures the spirit of Sierra Leone, navigating their socio-economic landscape.
– Makayla Johnson
Photo: Flickr