In 1996, representatives from more than 185 countries came together to address lack of food security at the World Food Summit. During that time, the summit came to the conclusion that, “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life,” food security would be a global reality.
Thus, as the World Health Organization clarifies, food security necessitates three things:
1. Production
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, there is plenty of food to fulfill the nutritional needs of every single person living today. However, food is often wasted and unable to reach the hands of the hungry through current distribution channels.
2. Distribution
Thus distribution is by far the greatest explanation for why we still have hunger and malnourishment today.
For consumers and farmers trying to sell their produce, market access is often unobtainable because of time, danger or cost. In fact, an estimated 16 percent of rural persons in the developing world lack easy access to markets to sell their produce.
Furthermore, while enough food is produced globally to feed every living person, not everyone can afford the prices, which further exacerbates food insecurity.
To combat distribution problems, investments in high-quality infrastructure, such as roads or railroads to provide better access to centralized markets, are vital. Because many governments don’t have the capital to spend on large-scale infrastructure, private investments or grants provided by the International Monetary Fund could pay for, or at least offset, the cost of infrastructure.
Food subsidies are another option for governments with impoverished and food-insecure populations. Subsidizing the cost of food can help the poor afford it while ensuring farmers have enough incentive to bring their food to markets in the first place.
3. Education
Educating farmers about more efficient techniques for crop production would help global food production and reduce waste. The farmers that would benefit most from improved crop production techniques are often those who cannot make enough money from their crops to pay for their own needs or feed their families.
Research conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment found that “60 percent of nitrogen and nearly 50 percent of phosphorus applications exceed what crops need to grow.” The report also noted that over 30 percent of food is wasted worldwide, indicating farmers have a lot to learn on maximizing crop output while minimizing environmental impact.
Many university-sponsored programs already go out and educate farmers on this subject, but much more could be done to ensure farmers, particularly those in developing countries, have the knowledge to succeed at the highest level of food production.
The globe is already seeing increased food production from many countries in the developing world, especially in Africa. A March 2013 report by the World Bank predicted that the food and beverage markets in Africa would triple by 2030.
Unfortunately, food insecurity will remain an inevitability of global poverty if the core issues above are not addressed. Lawmakers in developing countries, members of the agribusiness sector and individuals affected by poverty all have a vested say in making the globe food-secure; time alone will not solve the problem.
– Joseph McAdams
Sources: World Health Organization, Food and Agricutlure Organization, MIT, University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment, sciencemag.org, The World Bank
Photo: Natural Habitats
Journalism Meets Indigenous Music
Raw Music International is a journalistic team consisting of host Cyrus Moussavi, photographer Jacob Russell and others. The team travels the world and lives with musicians in an effort to bring music “from the most innovative underground scenes [they] can find.”
Raw Music’s pilot episode took an inside look into Kenya’s indigenous music scene. Moussavi visited with Kenyan emcees, producers, and guitarists and helped bring attention to their music. In a video on Raw’s YouTube page, Moussavi meets with hip hop producer Vic da Produca.
During an interview with the producer, Moussavi asks why the majority of studios in Kenya he’s been to use Fruity Loops, a relatively inexpensive audio software. Vic Da Produca explains, “Fruity loops is much easier and cheaper. Because we can’t afford instruments. Instruments are really, really, very, very expensive.” Using a computer and CD of Fruity Loops, artists such as Vic da Produca can have access to thousands of instruments at a fraction of the price.
Raw Music also interviewed blind guitarist Olima Anditi and features a live acoustic video of his song “Apoli” on their YouTube page. Several more videos from Kisumu, Kenya artists are featured on the page as well.
NBC News picked up Raw Music’s most recent inside look into Kurdistan’s indigenous music scene. Moussavi describes the area’s music scene as a “rich musical tradition carried out under the most brutal conditions.” Moussavi goes on to describe how under Saddam Hussein’s rule all music, even singing, was considered political and many musicians who refused to give up their culture and stop singing were sentenced to death.
During Moussavi’s visit to Kurdistan he noticed “a musical void” in the country, an absence of what he describes as the “old musicians”. Since the end of Saddam’s regime and the monetary inflow of oil money entering the country, Moussavi explains many have left music behind in favor of capitalistic pursuits.
Moussavi also notes that the focus on capitalistic pursuits may be due to the Kurd’s long history of suffering. He reports that many feel this economic opportunity to be temporary and expect it to end soon. As a result, many have stopped playing music and have started focusing their time on making money.
This has caused conflict for some families. Moussavi interviewed an 18-year-old musician named Mohammad from the town of Kalal, who told Moussavi, “I crave art, but my family says make money. My mother burned my books. They don’t understand.”
Raw Music International provides publicity to artists who may not otherwise be known internationally. These talented musicians play music for the love of it. They are not famous celebrities with exorbitant wages: they truly are musicians and as such deserve the attention all artists do.
The work in Kisumu, Kenya can be described as the beginnings of a masterpiece and in the words of Eli Sketch, a local Kenyan emcee, “What do you draw before you draw a masterpiece? You draw a sketch.”
– Christopher Kolezynski
Sources: NBC, Raw Music International, Raw Music International YouTube 1, Raw Music International YouTube 2
Photo: MTV
China’s Rising Economy
China’s April-to-June quarter results have proved that the country is growing economically. China’s rising economy has expanded 7.5 percent in the past year, on target with the government’s goal, and retail sales and factory output has risen even just in the month of June.
This change is positive, but was somewhat expected, as China’s government has created a plan to boost economic growth. These quarterly results simply reaffirmed that they are on the right track.
Dariusz Kowalczyk, a senior economist in Hong Kong, said regarding the results, “The Result is very good and shows the economy has recovered very well in the second quarter.” He also confirmed that the improvements were the result of the “targeted stimulus measures undertaken by the Chinese authorities.”
This boost has come after a recent decline in China’s economy due to lowered demands of exports. The economic lull inspired the government to increase consumption domestically and rebalance their growth model.
One of the changes made to boost the economy was to lower the Reserve Requirement Ratio (RRR,) the cash amount required by banks to keep in reserve in order to have money to lend to agriculture related businesses and smaller companies. Smaller companies also received cuts on their taxes.
While the growth is something to celebrate, China still needs to practice caution. The growing economy may be completely dependent on the stimulus changes, and the momentum could easily fade. Chang Jian, an analysist with Barclays, stated that, “…the recovery is quite dependent on government support”.
There is also the question as to how genuine the rising economy is. The property sector, making up about 16 percent of China’s GDP, is going through a downturn. The government is working on taking out “shadow banking,” where alternative lending and finances are given outside of the government. House sales have fallen 9.2 percent. While these facts should be lending to a shrinking economy, the economy continues to grow, putting it under speculation by some.
Some believe that the numbers are inflated, and that the GDP has truly only expanded by 6 percent rather than 7.5 percent. Some economists worry that the growth will plateau, or that the government’s stimulus work will not be enough to sustain the momentum.
One thing to hope for is that the economy’s growth will continue because of these changes, even without the government continually tending to it.
Banks have been encouraged to lend more willingly to companies that export goods, which should increase exports over time.
China also plans to build railways, roads and airports along the Yangtze river, which would enable the country’s less developed areas to more easily reach Shanghai, giving economic opportunity to a larger variety of citizens.
Only time will tell if the rising economy of China is genuine and long lasting. This growth, or lack of growth, will surely affect the global economy as well.
– Courtney Prentice
Sources: BBC, Time, The Asashi Shimbun
Photo: Opinion-Maker
Tour de Meals: Biking to End Hunger
We all think of biking as a great way to exercise, but 67-year-old Tony Fritz found another great reason to ride his bicycle: ending world hunger. Fritz began this 1,500 mile route at the Global Aid Network (GAiN) Headquarters in Plano, Texas on June 30, and he estimates his arrival at the GAiN Distribution Center, which packages and ships food for humanitarian aid, in Mount Joy, Pa. on July 30.
Some of us may question why someone would commit themselves to this daunting task. Fritz provides a very straightforward and honest answer, “Because many people living in impoverished or war-torn areas do not have enough to eat, and because many of them die needlessly, I am raising money to send food.”
The U.N. estimates that 842 million people are suffering from hunger around the world, which is why Fritz is biking to raise awareness of this global health issue. According to Fritz, “If only one child in America died of hunger or related issue it would be a travesty and reported nationally. Tragically, it does happen thousands of times daily throughout the world and morphs into an impersonal statistic.”
Along with raising awareness, this bike ride known as the “Tour De Meals” is also a pledge-per-mile fundraiser. A mere penny given for every mile Fritz bikes equals a $15 donation, which will feed a child in need for a whole month.
In order to prepare for this 1,500 mile bike route across the country, Fritz began training indoors during the winter for at least an hour five days a week, and he rode up to 80 miles a week outside during the spring.
His hobby of bicycling with his son also helped him prepare for this long journey. Fritz has been riding bikes with his son for 15 years now, and they even planned a cross-country bike ride from San Diego to Pennsylvania together about four years ago. Although Fritz was not able to complete this 2,800 mile route, he was able to bike about 55 percent of it.
A native of Reamstown, Pennsylvania, Fritz has been volunteering at GAiN as a Food Process Manager ever since retiring as a math teacher in 2006. GAiN is a humanitarian organization that works to help the world’s poor and needy through relief and development projects in the Americas, Africa, Middle East and Central Asia.
Since its launch in 2003, GAiN has created five programs: food, agriculture, clean water, education and relief. Through its Food Program, more than 13 million meals were given to children and their families across the world in 2012. This specific program is mainly responsible for packaging projects, shipping food and providing lifesaving food aid to those most in need.
Fritz is a perfect example that anyone, by any means, can make a difference in the fight against global poverty and hunger. He sums this idea up perfectly: “There are a lot of good causes out there, a lot of things to pour your life into, and this is one of them. I don’t think everybody needs to do this, but everybody needs to have awareness of it.”
To follow Fritz’s bicycling journey across the country, read his blog and even donate to the cause. Visit TourdeMeals.org.
– Meghan Orner
Sources: Global Aid Network,, Tour de Meals, Mission Network News, Greene County Daily World, UN
Photo: Auto Europe
What Does Food Security Mean?
In 1996, representatives from more than 185 countries came together to address lack of food security at the World Food Summit. During that time, the summit came to the conclusion that, “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life,” food security would be a global reality.
Thus, as the World Health Organization clarifies, food security necessitates three things:
1. Production
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, there is plenty of food to fulfill the nutritional needs of every single person living today. However, food is often wasted and unable to reach the hands of the hungry through current distribution channels.
2. Distribution
Thus distribution is by far the greatest explanation for why we still have hunger and malnourishment today.
For consumers and farmers trying to sell their produce, market access is often unobtainable because of time, danger or cost. In fact, an estimated 16 percent of rural persons in the developing world lack easy access to markets to sell their produce.
Furthermore, while enough food is produced globally to feed every living person, not everyone can afford the prices, which further exacerbates food insecurity.
To combat distribution problems, investments in high-quality infrastructure, such as roads or railroads to provide better access to centralized markets, are vital. Because many governments don’t have the capital to spend on large-scale infrastructure, private investments or grants provided by the International Monetary Fund could pay for, or at least offset, the cost of infrastructure.
Food subsidies are another option for governments with impoverished and food-insecure populations. Subsidizing the cost of food can help the poor afford it while ensuring farmers have enough incentive to bring their food to markets in the first place.
3. Education
Educating farmers about more efficient techniques for crop production would help global food production and reduce waste. The farmers that would benefit most from improved crop production techniques are often those who cannot make enough money from their crops to pay for their own needs or feed their families.
Research conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment found that “60 percent of nitrogen and nearly 50 percent of phosphorus applications exceed what crops need to grow.” The report also noted that over 30 percent of food is wasted worldwide, indicating farmers have a lot to learn on maximizing crop output while minimizing environmental impact.
Many university-sponsored programs already go out and educate farmers on this subject, but much more could be done to ensure farmers, particularly those in developing countries, have the knowledge to succeed at the highest level of food production.
The globe is already seeing increased food production from many countries in the developing world, especially in Africa. A March 2013 report by the World Bank predicted that the food and beverage markets in Africa would triple by 2030.
Unfortunately, food insecurity will remain an inevitability of global poverty if the core issues above are not addressed. Lawmakers in developing countries, members of the agribusiness sector and individuals affected by poverty all have a vested say in making the globe food-secure; time alone will not solve the problem.
– Joseph McAdams
Sources: World Health Organization, Food and Agricutlure Organization, MIT, University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment, sciencemag.org, The World Bank
Photo: Natural Habitats
Instability Facing Nigeria
On July 24, 2014 an estimated 82 people were killed in a northern Nigerian city due to the blast of two bombs. The source of the bombs leads to the Islamist terrorist group in the area, Boko Haram.
Nigerian forces are currently at war with the terrorist group, and there is heavy speculation that the suicide bombs were a ploy to distract their attention from the war zone to a heavily populated area a few hundred miles away.
Both events seem to be targeting influential political figures in Nigeria. The first target was “Muslim cleric, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi, who has repeatedly condemned terrorism as un-Islamic,” according to the Wall Street Journal. He coincidentally missed the attack by minutes, leaving civilians as the only victims of the first bomb.
The second target was “Mohammadu Buhari, the ex-military dictator who remains the country’s top opposition leader.” With both attacks at the intended targets turning into failures, the only victims were helpless civilians who got caught in the crossfire.
This is not Boko Haram’s first attempt to create havoc in Nigerian cities, as they have bombed myriad other areas while trying to gain control of certain war-torn areas.
Nigeria’s financial stability is questionable at best, but the attacks have forced the President into pouring money the country may not have into military efforts in order to protect and police the country. It’s reported that over $1 billion have gone into the military fund as a result of these attacks.
Nigeria is acknowledging the public: “We call on Nigerian authorities to fully investigate these attacks,” State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement. “We urge all Nigerians to avoid reprisals and continue to practice the interfaith cooperation that violent extremists seek to undermine.”
It’s hugely important to acknowledge that the terrorist group behind these bombings are the same people that have kidnapped over 200 young girls, drawing international attention to the Nigerian political stage. The ruthlessness of their actions demonstrates the fact that little will stop them before they reach their goals of control of the nation.
Attacks on civilians are another of the many actions Boko Haram has taken to make its point clear, their brutality is unmatched in the area and the terrorists have little trouble demonstrating it at any given time.
The instability facing Nigeria is nearing its peak and it is beginning to look like there is a high chance that these attacks will manifest into a full out war within the nation, with unknown risks on the line. Nigeria has few resources to aid them, causing the strength of the country to waver in the eyes of civilians.
– Elena Lopez
Sources: Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press
Photo: Associated Press
UNICEF Campaign in Haiti
UNICEF and the Haitian government have combined forces to combat the cholera epidemic by providing access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities in the rural areas of Haiti. This week they launched the National Sanitation Campaign, which will target 55 communities, 3.8 million people, 2,500 schools and 500 health centers.
Cholera has not been documented in Haiti for a century prior to its outbreak in 2010. Since then, the government has reported 703,000 suspected cases of cholera and 8,500 cholera-related deaths in Haiti.
In 2012, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched an initiative for the elimination of cholera in Haiti and the Dominican Republic through prevention, treatment and education.
The UN’s efforts in fighting the epidemic have included establishing mobile teams for rapid health response, setting up 150 cholera treatment facilities and 700 water chlorination points and distributing buckets, water tanks and cholera kits to Haitian residents. International aid has contributed to reducing the toll of cholera: rates have declined 74 percent in the first five months of 2014 compared to the same time period last year and the fatality rate is below the World Health Organization’s one percent goal.
Despite this progress, cholera still remains a global health emergency for the Haitian population, one that will only be resolved by keeping infected waste out of food and water. With lack of sanitation infrastructure and poor hygienic practices, cholera and other waterborne diseases which can lead to dehydration and death will remain a potential threat to Haitians, particularly those residing in rural communities.
According to UNICEF, less than one in two families have access to a safe, improved water source in rural areas of Haiti, compared with 77 percent in urban areas. In addition, only one in four families have access to functional toilets. Risks of cholera are increased by the environment and are even higher during the rainy season.
Edouard Beigbeder, the UNICEF representative in Haiti, claims that the partnership’s approach is to “address the root causes of the problem and offer sustainable solutions.” The National Sanitation Campaign involves the combination of community outreach and infrastructure building to provide working water points in at-risk communities and appropriate toilets for up to 90 percent of the population in areas where cholera is present. The current program aims to “stop the spread of cholera and cut the incidence of diarrhea by half within the next two years.”
Ki-moon called attention to the cholera epidemic in Haiti after departing on a “necessary pilgrimage” to Los Palmas and attending a local church service. He sought support for the $2.2 billion 10-year cholera elimination initiative of 2012, which struggled to raise an initial $400 million needed for the first two years. Ki-moon’s visit will hopefully reach donors who have previously been slow to respond to the campaign.
Some Haitians criticized Ki-moon’s visit, as the UN refused to accept responsibility for introducing the disease to Haiti. Past evidence suggests that Nepalese peacemakers stationed near a tributary of the Artibonite river had discharged raw sewage that carried a strain of cholera which sparked the outbreak. Now lawsuits are being filed demanding compensation for victims of the epidemic and affected families.
But UNICEF recognizes that it has a “moral duty” to end the world’s worst cholera epidemic. Major donors including the Canadian government and Japanese Agency for International Cooperation will facilitate the fulfillment of this goal. With new initiatives and a specific focus on sanitation systems and clean water, the National Sanitation Campaign aims to eradicate cholera from Haiti once and for all.
– Abby Bauer
Sources: UNICEF, United Nations News Centre, The Guardian, Global Research
Photo: UNICEF
Gaza Protests in Paris
On July 19, pro-Palestinian protests in Paris found trouble with the police. A ban was announced regarding a planned rally against violence in the Gaza strip, to which some Parisians responded actively.
In northern Paris, protestors launched projectiles at police, who responded with teargas and stun grenades. Demonstrators outwardly protested Israel by burning the Israeli flag. Other protests took form in climbing buildings and setting at least one car on fire.
By the end of the night, 38 of nearly 5,000 protestors were arrested as the riot came to a close.
The heightened conflict with Gaza has contributed to growing tensions in France between its Muslim and Jewish populations.
Following the protests, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls stated that France “will not tolerate attempts to—with violence, words or acts—import the Israeli-Palestinian conflict onto its soil.”
The ban took place as a result of a march on synagogues in Paris the previous weekend, which ended in eight arrests. President Francois Hollande banned possibly violent protests to prevent further clashes between citizens and police.
However, it was the ban itself that angered anti-Israeli Parisians who gathered on Saturday chanting “Israel, assassin.” These peaceful protests were not limited to the capital. All across France protests have taken place regarding the Gaza conflict.
President Hollande has taken a great amount of criticism for the government’s apparent failure to take a stand against Israel’s recent actions in Gaza. However, there is another side of opposition against Hollande from the far-right National Front who has criticized the government for being too “soft” regarding crimes and illegal immigration.
The European Decolonial Network, based in the Netherlands, started a petition to preserve the rights of the protestors and to dissemble the ban. So far, the petition has 200 signatures from around the world.
Jewish community leaders have complained that the ban on demonstrations promotes discrimination against the Jewish community in France.
Pro-Palestinian protestors were attacked by members of the Jewish Defense League, which often advocates the use of violence against Palestinian supporters.
One protestor compared the current situation to the liberation of African-Americans in the 60’s. Aya Ramadan stressed, “It’s evident that today when we see a mass of Arabs and black people coming together over the Palestinian cause…It’s relatively the same thing: Arabs supporting and independence movement abroad. And they face violent repression.”
Protests have been seen all around Europe, such as in Geneva and London. Nearly 300 protestors gathered outside the U.N. European Headquarters to demonstrate against Israel. In London, thousands marched peacefully outside of the Israeli embassy while clutching Palestinian flags and displaying banners that read, “Stop the bombing” and “Free Palestine.”
The conflict in Gaza rages on, and it seems that the rest of the world will remain involved until a solution is reached. Although Israel houses only about eight million people, this is a conflict that has harnessed the hearts and lives of the entire international community.
– Cambria Arvizo
Sources: Al Jazeera, The Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera, Reuters
Photo: The Independent
GOP Seeks to Change Unaccompanied Minors Bill
Members of the GOP have insisted that President Obama’s $3.7 billion immediate spending demand to curtail the flow of children across the U.S. border is too costly.
Republicans want to pass legislation that would accelerate the deportation of unaccompanied minors. Since the end of 2013, more than 40,000 children from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala have turned themselves over to officials at the border.
Senator John McCain, R-Arizona, insists that the best way to stop the flow of children is for them to be returned to their families in their homeland. He stated that it would discourage families and traffickers from sending children to the U.S. border.
While McCain agreed that many of the children are escaping danger and violence at home, he also claimed, “We cannot have an unending stream of children, whether it’d be from Central America or any place else, to come into our country with all of the strains and pressures that it puts on our capabilities.”
The legislation that Republicans want to introduce would allow Central American minors to be deported more quickly. Unaccompanied minors from any country would be able to have a hearing within seven days of their processing by the Human Services and the Department of Health and Human Services. An immigration judge would rule within three days whether the child could stay or would have to be deported.
The Obama administration has agreed to give support for laws that will speed up deportation proceedings, even though prominent congressional Democrats are against it.
Representative Mike McCaul, R-Texas, Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, stated that Republicans are contemplating a limited emergency funding bill that would supply aid through the end of the fiscal year.
Representative Hal Rogers, R-Kentucky and House Appropriations Chairman, told reporters that the current bill was excessive, but did not comment on what funding level the committee seeks.
A new poll reported that there is broad public disapproval of both President Obama and Republican congressmen’s handling of the flow of unaccompanied minors at the southern border. In fact 58 percent of Americans, including 54 percent of Latinos, disapprove of Obama’s management of the situation.
66 percent disapprove of the GOP’s handle on the crisis of unaccompanied minors.
The administration’s attitude towards this crisis is also facing opposition from Democrats and immigrant rights organizations who are afraid that deporting the children will put them at risk of returning to dangerous conditions in their home countries.
– Colleen Moore
Sources: USA Today, The Washington Post
Photo: ABC News
Influx of Migrants to EU Continues
On July 18, 446 North African migrants reached the Italian island of Lampedusa in the Mediterranean Sea via boat. Their arrival comes after the recent deaths of 19 migrants who choked on engine fumes en route to Italy aboard a boat holding over 600 people. Their deaths bring the total to 45 deaths in the past month attributed to asphyxiation and being crushed on board crowded and often shoddy boats headed to southern Italy.
August has not yet begun, but the number of migrants arriving in Italy has already surpassed 2013’s total of 42,000 people. Italy’s border patrol, Mare Nostrum, began in 2013, following the deaths of 360 migrants off the coast of Lampedusa. The patrol agency costs Italy $13 million a month. This year alone, it has already rescued 60,000 migrants from the Mediterranean making their way, often haphazardly so, to Italy’s southern coast.
What awaits those migrants are overcrowded asylum centers buckling under a demand for housing which they simply cannot accommodate. For many, however, these centers are merely a pit stop from which they embark further into Western Europe.
Italy is not the only European country experiencing large numbers of migrant arrivals. Greece’s Public Order Minister Vasilis Kikilias has stated that Greece has endured an 800 percent increase in the number of migrants reaching its coast by boat from Turkey over the past two years. Greece is now seeking more EU funding to deal with the increased arrival of undocumented immigrants.
While the number of non EU migrants to EU countries is increasing, so are anti-immigration sentiments. An EU court recently struck down a law in place since 2007, which required Turkish immigrants seeking visas in Germany to display proficient understanding of the German language before receiving a visa. Of Germany’s 6.2 million foreigners, nearly half are of Turkish descent.
However, despite rising tides of resentment, the droves of migrants rushing to EU boarders show no sign of abating. There were 435,760 asylum claims in the EU last year, an increase of 30 percent from 2012. In the first three months of this year alone, applications have increased by 29 percent compared with the same period last year.
Foreigners remain willing and eager to join the EU. What will happen to them when they do, though, is the real issue at hand.
– Taylor Dow
Sources: Ekathinmerini, The Wall Street Journal, US News, BBC 1, BBC 2, The Journal, World Bulletin
Photo: Venitism
Child Abduction Bill Passes Senate
On July 16 the Senate passed an international child abduction bill by voice vote. The bill, inspired by David Goldman’s five year struggle to bring his son Sean back to the United States from Brazil, aims to enhance the federal government’s ability to aid U.S. parents in rescuing their children abducted abroad.
Aptly titled the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act, the bill is now headed to the House of Representatives for approval. It was first introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Mendez (D-NJ) and ranking Republican Bob Corker (R-Tenn.). Commenting on the bill’s Senate approval, Menendez stated, “I encourage my colleagues in the House to act swiftly to protect our children.”
The Sean and David Goldman bill serves to bolster a similar bill passed unanimously by the House in December of 2013. That bill, H.R. 3212, was sponsored by New Jersey Republican Chris Smith. The bill currently headed to the House would provide funds for the training of foreign officials in abduction matters for the 2015 and 2016 fiscal years. The bill also requires the State Department to produce a comprehensive annual report detailing international parental child abductions.
It is reported that over 1,000 children from the United States are noted missing in international abduction cases annually. This figure, and the impending fissure of families which it entails, is evidence of the urgent problem of kidnapping on the international level. It also raises concern over the communication, or lack thereof, between the U.S. and foreign officials to locate these children and assist in their safe return to their families. The pressure to ensure this process occurs as efficiently as possible is now upon the House.
– Taylor Dow
Sources: APP, Political News, Tennessean
Photo: Hukuk de Ner