As World AIDS Day 2014 fast approaches, organizations strive to promote awareness and support for the cause. Led by groups such as the World Health Organization, World AIDS Day takes place on December 1 each year. This year’s campaign aims to promote social change and focuses on closing the access gap to important treatment.
Over 39 million people have lost their lives to HIV over the last few decades, and an estimated 35 million people were living with the disease in 2013. World AIDS Day is intended to pay homage to those who have died while advocating awareness and support for an HIV-free future.
The 2014 campaign asserts that closing the gap in HIV testing accessibility would help 19 million unknowingly affected people receive care and support. Additionally, the 35 million HIV-positive people across the world would gain access to vital medicine.
The campaign also aims to allow for children to receive better access to HIV treatment, as currently only 24 percent are able to receive care.
Organizations declare that by closing the access gap, the world could see an end to the AIDS pandemic by the year 2030.
The WHO plans to honor World AIDS Day by releasing new information and recommendations to assist countries in their progress toward HIV prevention and treatment. The new WHO guidelines will cover recommended use of antiretroviral drugs for those that have been exposed to HIV including healthcare professionals, sex workers and rape victims. The manual will also include information regarding the treatment of infections and diseases that can be detrimental to HIV patients.
For the last several years, the WHO has been a strong advocate of antiretroviral, or ARV drug treatment for HIV infections. The latest statement reported, “The ARV regimens now available, even in the poorest countries, are safer, simpler, more efficacious and more affordable than ever before.”
As World AIDS Day approaches, many are showing their support for the cause and the 2030 virus-free goal. Leader of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci, states, “With collective and resolute action now and a steadfast commitment for years to come, an AIDS-free generation is indeed within reach.”
However, WHO officials urge that there is still a great deal of work to be done in order for these treatments to become accessible to communities in need. Officials hope that the new HIV guidelines will help to close the gap in prevention and treatment for everyone affected.
In honor of World AIDS Day 2014, many companies are providing special offers that allow for proceeds to go toward the fight against AIDS. The (RED) campaign has partnered with businesses including the Apple Store, Starbucks, CocaCola, Bank of America and many more to raise awareness and gain support for the cause.
Getting involved this holiday season, either by participating in the campaign or helping as a consumer, can make an enormous difference in the future of our world.
– Megan Douches
Photo: World Aid Day UN AIDS, WHO
Photo: Flickr
Five Countries with Increasing Youth Literacy Rates
For a developing nation, a low literacy rate can be a major impediment to economic progress. The lack of a skilled work force prevents the development of a thriving economy. A 2012 study by the World Literacy Foundation estimated the economic cost of illiteracy in developing countries at over five billion dollars.
As the world continues to wage war on poverty, global education initiatives are winning key battles on the youth literacy front. In 2000, the U.N. established universal primary education as a Millennium Development Goal. While this ambitious goal has not yet been achieved, primary education enrollment in developing countries rose from 82 percent to 90 percent between 1999 and 2010. The gender gap in youth literacy continues to narrow, and the world youth literacy rate has improved markedly since 1990.
While there is still a long way to go in improving youth literacy in developing countries, these five countries are making huge strides.
– Parker Carroll
Sources: The Guardian, UNESCO 1, UNESCO 2, UNICEF 1, UNICEF 2, USAID
Photo: UNHCR
Measles Eradication Progress Stalled
The World Health Organization recently announced that progress toward eradicating measles has stalled. Since 2012, measles-related deaths have increased from 122,000 to almost 148,000 worldwide. According to the WHO, this means that 2015 eradication targets will not be met.
Overall, the number of measles deaths in 2013 shows a 75 percent decrease since the year 2000. However, this is significantly lower than the Millennium Development Goal of a 95 percent decrease between 2000 and 2015.
Global coverage of initial measles vaccines expanded to 83 percent by 2009, but this number has since remained stagnant.
Failed efforts to vaccinate children from measles make them prone to serious health issues including pneumonia, encephalitis, diarrhea and blindness. Developing countries currently account for the highest percentage of measles-related deaths. The latest statistics from 2013 report that 70 percent of measles deaths took place in just 6 countries including India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The last decade has seen impressive advancements toward eradicating measles, and approximately 15.6 million deaths have been avoided from 2000 to 2013. Still, reports show that these leaps in progress have lately been diminishing.
Recent increases in measles cases were due in part to considerable outbreaks in China, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. Many countries around Europe have also seen a re-emergence in disease diagnoses including Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine. These regions are burdened by poor healthcare systems, conflict and population displacement, causing forestallments to vaccination efforts.
In addition, many countries are now experiencing reduced funding for measles eradication campaigns. This lack of support has hindered progress in eliminating the disease, causing measles cases to rise.
“The net effect of reduced global funding by governments and partners has caused postponed and suboptimal immunization campaigns, resulting in large outbreaks that threaten our hard earned gains,” said UNICEF’s Senior Health Advisor, Robert Kezaala.
Members of the Measles & Rubella Initiative state that in order to recommence progress in eliminating the disease, organizations must promote measles awareness and the dangers surrounding the disease.
Additionally, obstacles that are preventing vaccination advancements must be addressed.
Dr. Peter Strebel of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals urges countries to take action against measles. “Countries urgently need to prioritize maintaining and improving immunization coverage. Failure to reverse this alarming trend could jeopardize the momentum generated by a decade of achievements in reducing measles mortality,” says Strebel.
– Meagan Douches
Sources: Think Progress, Reuters, Measles Rubella Initiative, WHO
Photo: Karmavision
World AIDS Day 2014
As World AIDS Day 2014 fast approaches, organizations strive to promote awareness and support for the cause. Led by groups such as the World Health Organization, World AIDS Day takes place on December 1 each year. This year’s campaign aims to promote social change and focuses on closing the access gap to important treatment.
Over 39 million people have lost their lives to HIV over the last few decades, and an estimated 35 million people were living with the disease in 2013. World AIDS Day is intended to pay homage to those who have died while advocating awareness and support for an HIV-free future.
The 2014 campaign asserts that closing the gap in HIV testing accessibility would help 19 million unknowingly affected people receive care and support. Additionally, the 35 million HIV-positive people across the world would gain access to vital medicine.
The campaign also aims to allow for children to receive better access to HIV treatment, as currently only 24 percent are able to receive care.
Organizations declare that by closing the access gap, the world could see an end to the AIDS pandemic by the year 2030.
The WHO plans to honor World AIDS Day by releasing new information and recommendations to assist countries in their progress toward HIV prevention and treatment. The new WHO guidelines will cover recommended use of antiretroviral drugs for those that have been exposed to HIV including healthcare professionals, sex workers and rape victims. The manual will also include information regarding the treatment of infections and diseases that can be detrimental to HIV patients.
For the last several years, the WHO has been a strong advocate of antiretroviral, or ARV drug treatment for HIV infections. The latest statement reported, “The ARV regimens now available, even in the poorest countries, are safer, simpler, more efficacious and more affordable than ever before.”
As World AIDS Day approaches, many are showing their support for the cause and the 2030 virus-free goal. Leader of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci, states, “With collective and resolute action now and a steadfast commitment for years to come, an AIDS-free generation is indeed within reach.”
However, WHO officials urge that there is still a great deal of work to be done in order for these treatments to become accessible to communities in need. Officials hope that the new HIV guidelines will help to close the gap in prevention and treatment for everyone affected.
In honor of World AIDS Day 2014, many companies are providing special offers that allow for proceeds to go toward the fight against AIDS. The (RED) campaign has partnered with businesses including the Apple Store, Starbucks, CocaCola, Bank of America and many more to raise awareness and gain support for the cause.
Getting involved this holiday season, either by participating in the campaign or helping as a consumer, can make an enormous difference in the future of our world.
– Megan Douches
Photo: World Aid Day UN AIDS, WHO
Photo: Flickr
Education in Comoros
Known as one of the poorest countries in the world, Comoros, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, has struggled to get children enrolled in schools. Education in Comoros is mandatory between the ages of six and 16, yet a large portion of the population still receives little to no education at all. Primary school lasts for six years, followed by seven years of secondary school. However, given that the country only has one university, most students seek higher education abroad.
Comorans attain an average of 2.85 years of schooling, leading to an adult literacy rate of around 75 percent. While under French rule from 1843 to 1975, Comoros based its education system after that of France. Today, the education system is composed of the formal school, taught mainly in French, and the Koranic school, due to the vast majority of Comorans being Sunni Muslims. Often as a result of financial issues, many families opt to send their children to Koranic schools, where students can receive an Islamic education for free.
Despite the school options available, enrollment rates have been on the decline, with schools being affected by political instability and unrest from teacher strikes and student protests. After the country gained independence, a large number of French teachers were let go, causing the system to be plagued by poor teacher training and even poorer results.
Dropout rates are high, with only 35 percent of students advancing to secondary school. Although enrollment for primary schools has improved, the transition to secondary school is only around 60 percent.
To cope with the constraints of the education system, the Education Sector Support Program in Comoros (PASEC) was implemented during the 2005-2010 period in collaboration with the European Union. In spite of that, it was not until recently that the country started seeing results.
Around 320 primary and secondary schools were refurnished and remodeled, while training was provided to school directors, education inspectors and teachers. Around $16.5 million has gone into PASEC and has assisted Comoros in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. With such assistance, net access to primary education has increased by six percent over the span of seven years and the gap between boys and girls enrolled in schools is steadily decreasing.
– Leeda Jewayni
Sources: UNDP, World Bank, Les Comores, EEAS
Photo: Flickr
Uzbekistan’s Progress in Eradicating Hunger
This year, the Global Hunger Index (GHI) ranks Uzbekistan at 5.7 percent for its undernourished population from 2011 to 2013.
More than 800 million people suffer from hunger and the GHI examines 120 of the low-income countries that account for the vast majority of global undernourishment.
In the last 14 years, Uzbekistan has shown a steady improvement in eradicating hunger, with a decline from 3.6 million to 1.7 million of the country’s population facing food insecurity.
However, the country is still in need of renewed political commitment to achieving food security in order to continue making progress against hunger, which not only stunts physical, intellectual and even economic growth but can also lead to death.
Yuriko Shoji, the recently appointed Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Sub-regional Coordinator for Central Asia and country representative for Uzbekistan, spoke on the topic at a launch event at Tashkent State Agrarian University.
“Despite good progress made in the past two decades and an increasingly favorable environment, the full potential of agriculture – and food security for everyone – have yet to be achieved,” said Shoji. “With renewed political commitment, and good practice that can be shared with the world, food security of each and every household is within reach.”
Shoji highlighted the key requirements for overcoming the limitations to prioritize food security and nutrition issues. The event served as a platform for discussing global hunger and malnutrition.
Uzbekistan’s positive trend to combat malnutrition serves Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 1 of halving the proportion of undernourished people by next year. It’s a goal that is within reach if Uzbekistan and other developing countries continue making political efforts toward food security.
According to the FAO, 63 developing countries have reached the MDG target and six more are on track to reach it by 2015.
Though Uzbekistan has seen significant progress in hunger, the country must continue to set the path for others that remain chronically undernourished in order to meet next year’s MDG target.
– Chelsee Yee
Sources: The Guardian, UN, Data Wrapper
Photo: EurasiaNet
Eradication of Polio at Risk Due to Taliban
Two years into a ban on polio vaccinations implemented by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani Taliban branch, the number of cases of children with polio in Pakistan has risen dramatically. Compared to 58 cases in 2012 and 72 in 2013, there are 257 cases in 2014 so far.
The ban was put into place in northern Pakistan, or the tribal belt where the Taliban has control, in retaliation for U.S. drone strikes in the area. The group says it will lift the ban when the strikes stop.
Polio only remains endemic in three countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. At the height of infection, polio affected over 350,000 people. In 2013, there were 416 polio cases reported worldwide. Projections say this number will rise in 2014, largely because of an extreme uptick in cases in Pakistan.
Pakistan has been very aggressive in the eradication of polio efforts, with health workers going as far as setting up roadblocks for vaccine stops and boarding public buses and trains to vaccinate any child that looks to be under five years of age. The country also runs regular vaccination campaigns in both its rural and urban regions, reaching hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of days.
Nonetheless, Pakistani health officials estimate that there are roughly 300,000 children living in the tribal belt along the Afghan-Pakistani border that are missing their vaccinations. This region is largely rural and in extreme poverty.
The TTP has stemmed the number of children receiving polio vaccinations by using propaganda and bans against vaccinations, as well as committing violence against health workers. Since 2012, 61 health workers and accompanying security personnel have been killed in Pakistan and countless attacks and instances of intimidation have occurred. TTP claims responsibility for most of these actions.
Much of the pushback against vaccinations stems from a mistrust of the West and the U.S. after a CIA operation was revealed that involved a Pakistani doctor named Shakil Afridi. Afridi pretended to conduct a vaccination campaign while looking for information on the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden. This, coupled with dangerous and consistent drone strikes, gives the Taliban enough firepower to shoot down any vaccination campaigns.
Because of violence, poverty and insecurity along the Afghan-Pakistani border in the north, many people have moved farther into Pakistan, raising the risk of more cases of polio in unvaccinated children.
– Caitlin Huber
Sources: The News Tribe, Bloomberg, New York Times, NPR, CTC, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, WHO
Photo: Flickr
Japan’s Economy Failing
Japan is currently facing a dour economic situation comparable to 2011 when a tsunami struck Japan’s eastern coast. Following the tsunami, Japan’s economy started to shrink to 6.9 percent and is now down to its lowest rate since the environmental disaster.
Economists attribute Japan’s most recent third-quarter recession to lack of investment in housing in addition to a rise in taxes enacted as a part of a series of reforms. The value-added tax (VAT) has caused the world’s third-largest economy to shrink into recession.
The unpopular rise in taxes comes at an unfortunate time for current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is seeking reelection.
Another burdening issue for Japan is the vast economic debt it has garnered. The debt is due to the inequality between revenue and expenditures and Tokyo’s inability to address this serious problem.
As a major player in the world economic system, Japan’s recession is affecting U.S. markets as well. It could negatively impact the U.S. economy because Japan consumes a large number of U.S. goods as its fourth-largest trading partner. A surprising number of American-brand luxury retailers rely on Japanese consumers to buy their products.
On the bright side, however, the country is currently projected to increase the quantity of exports as demand is likely to rise. Japan is currently pursuing low interest rates offered by the central bank on long-term borrowing. This will allow Japan to rise slowly out of public debt while not incurring the backlash of high interest rates.
Prime Minister Abe outlined a three-step solution to resolve the economic crisis in 2012. First, the Bank of Japan increases inflation followed by increased government monetary spending including a hefty stimulus package. The last step of “Abenomics,” as the Prime Minister’s plan has been dubbed, is to completely restructure the system by implementing tax cuts and other long-term reforms.
Abenomics is essentially the coupling of short-term policies with long-term, structural reforms aimed at strengthening the overall economy. However, the projected benefits of “Abenomics” have yet to be seen and increased taxes have plunged the economy into recession.
Eventually, the system is meant to result in higher wages that will allow an increase in consumer spending over time.
– Maxine Gordon
Sources: Yahoo Finance, The Economist, Trading Economics, CFR, Reuters
Photo: Foreign Affairs
Combatting Malnutrition in Bolivia
Malnutrition is devastating Bolivia, with over 75 percent of households lacking access to basic food items. Conditions are much worse in the indigenous and rural communities, especially among children and pregnant women. Almost a quarter of Bolivian children suffer from hunger, while one in three children under the age of five suffers from stunting — a result of chronic malnutrition. Bolivia has the second-highest stunting rates in Latin America and the Caribbean, indicating the urgent need for food security solutions.
Furthermore, among women of childbearing age, nearly 27 percent are considered so anemic that they are at risk of passing iron deficiency to their unborn children. Anemia is often the result of poor dieting, which in certain parts of Bolivia is based on cheap carbohydrates such as rice and other starchy foods high in fat.
In response to this long-standing reality, the Government of Bolivia established a National Zero Malnutrition program in 2006 to combat severe malnutrition among the most vulnerable populations. The nonprofit organization Action Against Hunger has taken on parts of the plan and has aimed to provide long-term food security and agricultural support while strengthening the healthcare system to better serve children who are chronically malnourished.
By working closely with local communities, Action Against Hunger is able to propose alternative methods to deal with seasonal hunger, including diversifying livelihood options, promoting diet diversification and ensuring affordability of more nutritious foods.
In addition, the organization has provided sustainable solutions for Bolivia’s ongoing drought problem. In 2010, the country was facing a severe drought that caused widespread water scarcity and staple crop damage. Action Against Hunger immediately secured water supplies for over 50 communities, while also helping over 4,000 farmers retool their destroyed harvests. Moreover, the team is working on community-based agricultural projects in Rio Grande’s lower basin, and other areas prone to drought, by promoting techniques that maintain soil moisture and avoid soil destruction. Some methods include demonstrating proper crop rotation techniques and teaching ways to overcome livestock overgrazing. These projects are already making great strides in combating malnutrition in Bolivia and are paving the way to a healthier and more prosperous country.
– Leeda Jewayni
Sources: FSD International, IADB, Action Against Hunger
Photo: BCPS
Women’s Empowerment Program in Afghanistan
Often in the news for its ongoing bloody conflict, Afghanistan has now made headlines for a much different reason. In early November, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested $216 million in developing Promote, a program that focuses on the training, promotion and education of over 75,000 Afghan girls that will lead to a greater contribution from women in the country’s development. The million dollar investment has made Promote one of the largest women’s empowerment programs supported by USAID.
The five-year plan consists of four parts that aim to “improve women’s rights groups, boost female participation in the economy, increase the number of women in decision-making positions within the Afghan government and help women gain business and managerial skills.” Program planners will seek out women ages 18-35 who have had at least a secondary education to enroll in Promote. USAID is also seeking another $200 million commitment from additional donors that will assist them in their objectives.
Both President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah attended the launch of Promote in Kabul, along with USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah. The men were keen on giving women more power and voice in government decisions and wanted to continue the extraordinary progress Afghan women have made since the collapse of the Taliban regime in the early 2000s.
U.S. Ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues Catherine Russell has acknowledged this progress and emphasized that women must be even more present “at the table” and in greater numbers. First Lady Rula Ghani also added that Promote should not only reach out to women in urban areas but also the young girls in Afghanistan’s many provinces.
With help from USAID, Afghan women have already made vast improvements in health, education and empowerment. Maternal mortality has reduced exponentially leading to a 20-year increase in life expectancy and the number of girls in school is much higher, compared to 2002 when there was virtually none present. USAID hopes that Promote will continue encouraging and empowering women in Afghanistan, key components that are essential to the country’s own economic prosperity and national security. Or, as Dr. Shah puts it, “by investing in women as champions for development, we can advance peace and broad-based growth across Afghanistan.”
– Leeda Jewayni
Sources: USAID, Tolo News, Feminist.org
Photo: Washington Post
G20 Leaders Tackle Gender Employment Gap
At the G20 Summit 2014, leaders have agreed to tackle the persisting gender employment gap in their respective countries. The final agreement is to decrease the gap by 25 percent by 2025.
The gender employment gap varies from region to region. Developed regions generally have a lower gap, while developing regions have a higher gap. Currently in OECD countries, where the gap is one of the lowest, there is a 12 percent difference between the sustained, legal employment of men and women. In North Africa and the Middle East, where the gap is the one of the highest, there is a 50 percent difference in employment between men and women.
Ways of tackling the gap also vary region-to-region and country-to-country. Approaches include increasing access to education and childcare and making maternity leave options more attractive and widely available. More innovative approaches include things like fostering women in business and finance, creating opportunities for women in the public sector and encouraging investment in higher education for women.
Reaching the goal of decreasing the gap by 25 percent will add 100 million jobs for women across the world and add $1 trillion to the global economy.
In 2015, Turkey will take over leadership of the Summit. As the G20 country with one of the highest gender employment gaps, as well as its position at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Turkey and its leadership will be in the spotlight on this issue. For them especially, tackling the gap will mean pulling a large number of people into the workforce, which will create opportunities for households in poverty to have another income-generator.
The G20, in an official statement, said that this agreement “will significantly increase global growth and reduce poverty and inequality.” The G20 acts, in some ways, as an agenda-setter for the rest of the world. Effects on the gender employment gap could be seen in much more impoverished areas of the world simply because it is being addressed by the biggest economies in the world market. Employing women and expanding the workforce increases generated income, possibly creating drastic, positive outcomes for poorer, smaller economies.
– Caitlin Huber
Sources: The Australian, Work Place Information, University of Toronto
Photo: Employer Rights Blog