The South China Sea has been a topic of debate within the international community for months now, with Vietnam and China struggling to come to a consensus regarding sovereignty. Both countries claim sovereignty over the Paracel Islands and when the China National Offshore Oil Corporation placed its first oilrig just 130 nautical miles off of the Vietnamese coast in the beginning of May, tensions rose between the two governments.
However, this is far beyond a political and legal dispute. In the midst of this conflict, fishermen who use this sea area as their usual fishing grounds are struggling to get by. For example, the Chinese authorities instituted a ban from April to August, which marks the “high season” for Vietnamese fishermen, who refer to this area as the “East Sea.”
Since there is no regional authority in this particular sea area, Professor Erik Franckx, a sea law expert, noted that the Chinese have a right to impose a ban on Chinese fishermen, but not fishermen from other countries.
Although there is often conflict in the South China Sea between Vietnamese and Chinese fishermen, many fishermen have reported to the press that if there is any technical trouble or a boat is in any danger, they help each other. It is healthy competition. However, with the new political conflict between the governments, tensions are rising at sea.
For example, there have been cases of Vietnamese fishing boats being hit by Chinese fishermen. Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa, the owner of a fishing company reported that their boat was hit by a Chinese vessel and sank about 16 nautical miles from the oilrig. This caused all of the fishermen on the boat to lose their jobs in the meantime.
The ban that China has placed is seriously affecting the Vietnamese fishing industry as noted by Tran Van Linh, the chairman of Da Nag’s Fishery Association. He explained that “the oil rig is seriously affecting [their] fishing industry because its placement denies [their] fishermen access to” the area surrounding the Paracel Islands where the catch is much more plentiful.
Apart from the difficulties Vietnamese fishermen face with the ban, boats have also been confiscated. The Da Nang Fishery Association also lost 15 boats due to confiscation by the Chinese authorities in the last year.
Although efforts have been made between the governments, there are no signs of near future progress. The talk held on June 18 between Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh proved unsuccessful, demonstrating the strong stance both countries are taking on the matter.
Matters only seem to worsen, as in early July Chinese authorities arrested six Vietnamese fishermen caught in “Chinese waters.” Occurrences such as these have caused violent protests in Vietnam, as citizens are worried about the condition of their fishing industry. Recent protests have left at least two dead and numerous factories burnt to the ground.
As the situation progresses, other nearby countries are getting involved as well. The Philippines is outraged at the situation and has taken measures to take China to a United Nations tribunal.
Although political resolutions are vital, it is clear due to recent occurrences that progress is imperative for the sake of the safety and prosperity of Vietnamese fishermen who require access to the South China or the East Sea.
– Cambria Arvizo
Sources: ABC Local, BBC News Asia, Aljazeera
Photo: Dreams Time
Why Al Gore is Not Giving Up
Despite his many successes in Washington and Silicon Valley, Former Vice President Al Gore continues to struggle in the battle against climate change, and clearly laments the lack of progress made toward fighting global warming. Americans continue to rank global warming toward the bottom of national priorities, while greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.
In a recent interview by Australia’s Fairfax Media, Gore emphasized that “history will not be kind to those politicians” who continue to challenge the science and validity of human driven climate change.
As a former Washingtonian, Gore remains a “policy wonk,” and remains committed to his work promoting policies to address climate change. In a two hour interview with Darren Samuelsohn at Gore’s Nashville office, when prompted to describe his job, Gore answered, “I want to catalyze the emergence of a solution to the climate crisis as quickly as possible. Period.”
Nevertheless, Gore has been careful not to give too much criticism on the handling of the climate change agenda, considering the fact that a fellow democrat is in office. Certainly, this is coupled with his own failures in office and the desire to maintain a low profile.
According to accounts by friends and family, it is not by accident, but rather deliberate intent, that Gore remains under the radar. As a polarizing figure for climate issues, he does not want to make this issue about him.
It is is difficult to appeal to those in the middle when there is a clear bias toward one political side of the climate change debate. As put by Missouri Democratic Senator, Claire McCaskill, during an interview, “any politician with a background like Gore’s is bound to be a problematic face of the climate fight. I’d vote for a scientist..He may be a statesman, but I think once a politician, always a politician in the eyes of many.”
However, this has not stopped Gore from continuing to lead the fight against global warming, even if it is from behind the curtains. With almost unlimited access to the White House, he prefers to lobby the President and private organizations behind closed doors. Even when he was invited by Congress to present an update on climate change, he chose to do it at the Capitol’s weekly luncheon.
While successes in the global warming fight are still few and far apart, Gore continues to work on various fronts with the clear mindset that, unless something is done, our planet will be much less habitable by the end of the century.
– Sahar Abi Hassan
Sources: Politico, Huffington Post Photo: Urban Splatter
5 Possible Products of Child Labor
Today, an estimated 115 million children are working — often forced — to produce many of the basic items we buy for cheap at local malls and retail stores. Ranging from the food we eat to the accessories we wear, there are reportedly around 128 goods which exploit and degrade the well-being of these children. Below is a list of the five most common products of child labor.
5 Main Products of Child Labor
5. Cocoa
According to the Department of Labor, cocoa is produced in at least five countries which utilize child labor, including Ghana, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Major candy companies such as Nestle and Hershey’s have been linked to some of these suppliers. Just recently, Nestle was accused of breaching its supplier code, including clauses of child labor, safety and working hours. Hershey’s, too, is reported to have at least thousands of children currently harvesting cocoa beans for the company in West Africa today.
4. Carpets
Currently being produced by five countries which utilize child labor, such as Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan, these products of child labor are being shipped to retail outlets around the world, including areas of Europe, Asia, and the United States.
3. Tobacco
One of the most popular goods in the world, tobacco has been reported to have been harvested in at least 15 countries that use child and forced labor. Philip Morris International, which manufactures Marlboro cigarettes, has actually admitted that the fields in which the company buys their plants have at least 72 child laborers: the youngest being 10 years old. Tobacco is being harvested by children in countries today such as Mexico, the Philippines, Argentina, Brazil and Uganda.
2. Electronics
Apple and Samsung, two of the world’s leading electronics corporations, have recently went under attack for alleged use of child labor. In fact, Apple recently discovered multiple infringements of child labor with some of their suppliers, including one Chinese company that employed at least 74 children. Samsung, too, has been accused by labor rights groups for employee mistreatment and for exploiting child labor. The investigation, which looked into eight factories in China, proved some employees were working at least 100 hours per month of overtime and that children were “knowingly employed.”
1. Cotton
Cotton is produced by at least 16 countries which use child labor, including China, Egypt and Turkey, according to the Department of Labor. In fact, some of our most popular retail chains — from H&M to Wal-Mart to Victoria’s Secret — have been accused of benefiting from child labor. H&M, one of the world’s leading fashion chains, is currently under pressure to eliminate its ties with clothing suppliers that buy cotton from Uzbekistan, where large amounts of the plant are harvested by children.
Before you buy something, know where it’s coming from. Stand up for what you believe. Let’s put an end to supporting these corporations who take advantage of children just like our own.
– Nick Magnanti
Sources: Huffington Post, Department of Labor, View Mixed
Photo: Bloomberg
Hunger in Malawi
It will prove to be (and has already been) a tough year for one of the poorest countries in the world, as more than 1.5 million people in Malawi will experience the adverse effects of food insecurity. Rural and refugee households are most at risk of the hunger and malnutrition caused by the alternating periods of drought flooding that periodically sweep through this landlocked African nation. Of Malawians, 90 percent live on less than the equivalent of U.S. $2 per day; this extreme poverty compounded by other social troubles such as rampant disease and a high illiteracy rate make hunger hard a difficult problem to fight.
It’s a problem that needs to be fought, though, and many aid organizations have turned their focus to Malawi since 2002, the year the country’s maize production decreased by nearly half. Malawi’s economy is highly dependent on agriculture and its primary crop is the grain plant, whose stalks grow in fields across Malawi. In 2002, though, budgetary cuts recommended by the International Monetary Fund forced the government to eliminate their seed and fertilizer distribution programs. The maize harvest has not yet recovered.
Though the feeding programs established in Malawi have the short-term goal of reducing hunger wherever it occurs in a nation of more than 16 million people, humanitarian organizations also aim to collaborate with the Malawian government to rebuild the country’s agricultural sector in a sustainable fashion. Efforts to achieve this goal include reinstalling fertilizer and seed programs, replenishing soil that has been drained of all nutrients after seasons and seasons of overuse, and encouraging farmers to diversify their harvest to include beans and nuts.
Other efforts to reduce hunger in Malawi include global health programs targeting the prevalence of AIDS and malaria in Malawi, as well as successful microfinance initiatives to get local entrepreneurs up and running. The combination of these programs has so far been successful, reducing rates of both hunger and illness. There is much to be done yet, but that fewer people are hungry in Malawi today than they were 10 years ago is promising.
Even more promising? The drive of Malawian farmers, who are determined to bounce back from natural disasters and diversify their fields. In fact, many people in Malawi – not just farmers – are bent on eliminating hunger in their country, so much so that they’ve sparked a movement called “the right to food.” Begun in response to the 2002 fertilizer crisis and subsequent famine, proponents of the movement urge their government to commit to feeding its people. Malawi’s government has now codified its obligation to ending hunger.
If progress continues at this pace, Malawians can expect to enjoy much more food in their stomachs in the coming years.
– Elise L. Riley
Sources: Global Post, UNWFP
Photo: CRS
Ghanaians Seek Asylum in Brazil
The World Cup is over for another four years, and while Germany celebrates and fans from all over the world return home, at least 200 Muslims from Ghana are seeking asylum in Brazil.
The Ghanaians, who went to Brazil as tourists supporting their country in the World Cup, claim that they are afraid to return home due to violence in Ghana stemming from religious conflict. The Ghanaian government has released a statement saying that there is no such violence in the country.
The religious makeup of Ghana is 71 percent Christian, 18 percent Muslim and 5 percent indigenous beliefs. The Muslim population resides primarily in northern Ghana, which coincidentally is also where poverty rates are highest. Southern Ghana has seen promising economic growth in the past 30 years and in 2011 the country received the status of lower middle class, but poverty in the north is declining at a much slower rate.
A major reason for this is little economic opportunity outside of agriculture, and a tendency for droughts and food shortages. Farmers in the north do not have access to modern technology that would result in higher crop yields.
The Ghanaians have been allowed to stay in Brazil for now, while the Justice Ministry listens to their cases and makes rulings. The Brazilian city in which many have applied to live, Caxias do Sul, is a very prosperous one and a magnet for foreign workers. It is more than 1000 miles away from where Ghana’s national team, the Black Stars, competed in the tournament. The Stars were ousted early on after losing to both the USA and Portugal.
The number of Ghanaians seeking asylum in Brazil could jump to 1000 now that the World Cup is over, but to be given asylum they will have to prove that conditions in their home country are unsafe. Ghana is frequently cited as one of Africa’s most peaceful nations, with cooperation between Muslims and Christians. However, those seeking asylum claim that the conflict and aggression is between different Muslim factions and not other religions. Whether or not their claims are true or they are simply searching for a new life with better economic opportunity remains to be seen. The Ghanaian government has proclaimed that they are scandalized by the ordeal.
While the Justice Ministry reviews these cases there are many Syrians in Brazil seeking asylum for the same reasons. Those who live in Caxias do Sul do not seem particularly open to the idea of hundreds of new residents, saying that the area is overcrowded as it is.
– Taylor Lovett
Sources: New York Times, BBC, Rural Poverty Portal
Photo: London Evening Standard
Zakat Foundation of America
Founded in 2001, the Chicago-based Zakat Foundation of America seeks to show the “inclusive beauty of Islam” through humanitarian work in their community and abroad.
The organization is funded largely by ‘zakat,’ or almsgiving, one of the five Pillars of Islam. At its start, donations were used for emergency relief and seasonal programs — programs offered during the year’s greatest giving periods.
Both operations maintain a strong presence in the organization today: Zakat still responds to natural disasters with food, medicine and hygiene packages. It even constructs temporary shelters. ‘Seasonal programs’ are campaigns structured to make seasonal giving easy and effective. During Ramadan, for example, giving within the Muslim community is strongly encouraged.
More recent is Zakat’s ‘Perpetual Charity,’ which rests on the organization’s missions to create sustainable services for those in need. They offer micro-loans and erect buildings in underdeveloped areas. They establish health clinics, some of them mobile, provide health and hygiene training and supply food and clean water. Education is a priority, so Zakat builds schools, trains teachers and offers scholarships.
Through Zakat, donors can sponsor orphans who have lost parents to war, illness and natural disasters. Sponsored children are assured of clothing, education, healthcare and nutritious food.
Domestically, Zakat manages social service programs. They distribute backpacks full of school supplies. Hot meals are given to poorer communities during Ramadan and fresh meat given to poorer families during Udhiya/Qurbani. Special attention is paid to struggling Navajo communities, where food packages are often needed.
To keep administrative costs low, the Zakat Foundation operates with a small staff. Volunteers are consequently as, if not more, important than donations. They help man community centers and make up service trip teams.
Yet in the Zakat foundation, donors, employees and volunteers alike are guided by the principles of the Quran:
“They feed with food–despite their own desire for it– the indigent, and the orphan and the captive (saying): ‘We feed you purely for the sake of God. We desire no reward from you, nor thankfulness.’”
– Surah al-Insan 8-9
– Olivia Kostreva
Sources: Zakat, Zakat, Zakat, Zakat, InterAction
Photo: Google Play
Vietnamese Fishermen Clash with China
The South China Sea has been a topic of debate within the international community for months now, with Vietnam and China struggling to come to a consensus regarding sovereignty. Both countries claim sovereignty over the Paracel Islands and when the China National Offshore Oil Corporation placed its first oilrig just 130 nautical miles off of the Vietnamese coast in the beginning of May, tensions rose between the two governments.
However, this is far beyond a political and legal dispute. In the midst of this conflict, fishermen who use this sea area as their usual fishing grounds are struggling to get by. For example, the Chinese authorities instituted a ban from April to August, which marks the “high season” for Vietnamese fishermen, who refer to this area as the “East Sea.”
Since there is no regional authority in this particular sea area, Professor Erik Franckx, a sea law expert, noted that the Chinese have a right to impose a ban on Chinese fishermen, but not fishermen from other countries.
Although there is often conflict in the South China Sea between Vietnamese and Chinese fishermen, many fishermen have reported to the press that if there is any technical trouble or a boat is in any danger, they help each other. It is healthy competition. However, with the new political conflict between the governments, tensions are rising at sea.
For example, there have been cases of Vietnamese fishing boats being hit by Chinese fishermen. Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa, the owner of a fishing company reported that their boat was hit by a Chinese vessel and sank about 16 nautical miles from the oilrig. This caused all of the fishermen on the boat to lose their jobs in the meantime.
The ban that China has placed is seriously affecting the Vietnamese fishing industry as noted by Tran Van Linh, the chairman of Da Nag’s Fishery Association. He explained that “the oil rig is seriously affecting [their] fishing industry because its placement denies [their] fishermen access to” the area surrounding the Paracel Islands where the catch is much more plentiful.
Apart from the difficulties Vietnamese fishermen face with the ban, boats have also been confiscated. The Da Nang Fishery Association also lost 15 boats due to confiscation by the Chinese authorities in the last year.
Although efforts have been made between the governments, there are no signs of near future progress. The talk held on June 18 between Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh proved unsuccessful, demonstrating the strong stance both countries are taking on the matter.
Matters only seem to worsen, as in early July Chinese authorities arrested six Vietnamese fishermen caught in “Chinese waters.” Occurrences such as these have caused violent protests in Vietnam, as citizens are worried about the condition of their fishing industry. Recent protests have left at least two dead and numerous factories burnt to the ground.
As the situation progresses, other nearby countries are getting involved as well. The Philippines is outraged at the situation and has taken measures to take China to a United Nations tribunal.
Although political resolutions are vital, it is clear due to recent occurrences that progress is imperative for the sake of the safety and prosperity of Vietnamese fishermen who require access to the South China or the East Sea.
– Cambria Arvizo
Sources: ABC Local, BBC News Asia, Aljazeera
Photo: Dreams Time
SDGs: Future of Development
2015 will mark the target year for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs,) a set of eight development objectives set by world leaders as a commitment to reduce extreme poverty worldwide. The current goals seek to:
The U.N. recently released the 2014 MDG Annual Report, in which it applauds progress toward the Millennium Development Goals, encourages continued effort for the initiative’s remaining year and lays the groundwork for a post-2015 development agenda. The new set of goals, referred to as the Sustainable Development Goals, ambitiously aims to “end poverty everywhere” by 2030. A zero draft was released on June 2, in which the Open Working Group laid out 17 post-2015 goals. Concerns have been raised over the length of the draft and the abstract nature of the objectives, which are listed as follows:
One notable characteristic of the proposed list of SDGs is its emphasis on science and technology. The draft touches on issues of climate change, water sanitation, energy supply, biodiversity preservation and ocean conservation. Where the document falls short, according to voices in the scientific community, is in its implementation section, which fails to explicitly define the strengthening of science and technology in developing countries as a key focus. Yet, besides the arguments between scientific and political pundits, the trajectory of the SDG project is clear. As published in the SDG zero draft, “we recognize that poverty eradication, changing unsustainable and promoting sustainable patterns of consumption and production and protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development are the overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development.” – Kayla Strickland Sources: United Nations 1, United Nations 2, SciDev.net 1, SciDev.net 2 Photo: Reegle
“The Drinkable Book”
When Theresa Dankovich began researching the sanitizing potential of silver nanoparticles in 2008, little did she know that her work would contribute to “The Drinkable Book.” The book is actually a filtration kit equipped with a filter box and a book with pages that offer sanitation advice and function as filter sheets.
Designed by researchers at the University of Virginia, Carnegie Mellon University and WATERisLIFE (a nonprofit dedicated to providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene services worldwide,) “The Drinkable Book” operates as a cheap purification kit that eliminates 99.9 percent of bacteria found in water — comparable to the quality of tap water in the U.S. Each page from the book can filter up to 100 liters of water, and each book has 20 sheets of paper. That’s enough clean water to last one person’s needs for four years, WATERisLIFE claims.
But how does it work exactly? The book is printed like any other, except the pages are lined with silver nanoparticles, which costs only a few extra cents. As needed, one can rip out a half-sheet of paper from the book, place it in the filter box, which also serves as the book’s cover, and allow the silver ions to attach to and kill harmful bacteria. The water seeps through the paper, leaving it safe to drink. Tips for clean drinking are also printed on every sheet with food-grade ink.
Dankovich, the chemist who conceived the idea, says the product is one of the cheapest ways to make water safe to drink. “It doesn’t require power and it’s very intuitive,” she said.
Last year, Dankovich field-tested the product in South Africa, and she now plans to take it to Ghana for more tests. “Our main goal is to reduce the spread of diarrheal diseases, which result from drinking water that’s been contaminated with things like E. coli and cholera and typhoid,” Dankovich said.
For the 3.4 million people who die each year from water-related diseases, the innovative product offers renewed hope. It’s cheap to produce, inventive and one of the niftiest products WATERisLIFE has seen in recent years.
“The Drinkable Book” has the potential to enhance the lives of an untold number of individuals worldwide. But the implications don’t stop there. Women spend a collective 200 million hours a day to find and collect water that is safe to drink. If those same women had access to “The Drinkable Book,” millions of hours would be saved — hours that could be used for work, education and social activities to enrich and extend the lives of family members.
– Joseph McAdams
Sources: Wired, NPR, Adweek, Water.org
Photo: Wired
Hunger & Agriculture in Togo
The Togolese republic, a strip of land east of Ghana and west of Benin, has a population of 7.3 million. People there are of 37 different tribes. Most speak Ewe or Mina, though a history of French colonialism makes French the official language and the language of commence.
Since declaring independence from France in 1960, Togo has gradually transitioned to democracy. Historically powerful political parties have proved a great challenge — they are reluctant to let go. Human rights abuses (especially within prisons,) capital punishment and a corrupt police force are widely reported.
Still, under the leadership of President Faure Gnassingbe, arbitrary arrest and political persecution have subsided. His own election (2007) and reelection (2010) were considered credible by international observers.
The Togolese economy relies heavily on commercial agriculture. Cocoa, coffee and cotton make up about 40 percent of revenue on exported goods and employ much of the population. Nearly 65 percent of the labor force works in agriculture. Subsistence farming is relied upon by many Togolese, 58.7 percent of whom live below the poverty line.
Despite the dominance of agriculture in Togo many still suffer severe hunger. In 2006, almost half the population was underfed. In 2010, 16.5 percent of children under the age of 5 were underweight. Trading Economics reports that undernourished people in Togo have a deficit of nearly 280 kilocalories daily. Why?
The success of a harvest depends on much. In 2007, northern floods destroyed crops and livestock. Malnutrition in the region, among Togo’s poorest, increased significantly. The south was hit the next year with rain that inundated fields and washed away roads. Good weather in Togo is as vital as it is unreliable.
Then there’s the fact that crops need to be planted, and seeds are in short supply. As a whole, Togo has struggled to support a rapidly growing population with increased food production. It has become difficult for rural farmers to access both fertilizers and grains in time for planting.
Fortunately, there has been some, if not extraordinary, international aid in Togo. The World Bank, the United Nations and the World Food Programme all maintain a presence there. Most remarkable, though, is the attitude of the Togolese government. In 2012, President Gnassingbe announced a 1 billion dollar food security investment plan. Ideally, agricultural imports will be reduced while agricultural techniques and conservations expedite production.
The goal is ambitious, but Togo has the capacity for self-sufficiency and a government that cares enough to try for it.
– Olivia Kostreva
Sources: Africa Review, Trading Economics, U.S. Department of State, CIA
Photo: The Guardian
Poverty in Kazakhstan
While Sacha Baron Cohen may have put Kazakhstan on the map with his fictitious role as a journalist in the movie “Borat,” Kazakhstan today stands as a country that continues to face hurdles despite consistent economic growth over the past few decades.
A Central Asian country of nearly 18 million people, Kazakhstan is no stranger to economic uncertainties. Since gaining independence in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan has experienced relatively steady economic growth, thanks in part to its expanding oil sector.
The country’s poverty rate declined by more than 50 percent between 1999 and 2004. Between 2004 and 2013, the nation’s GDP increased by more than 500 percent.
Nevertheless, nearly half of the country is considered to be in a low income class. Roughly 47 percent of the population maintains a monthly income of approximately $70.
Arguably most frustrating to many Kazakhstan citizens are the disparities in gross regional product (GRP.) Because some parts of the country are more resource-rich than others, inconsistencies in wealth have affected some Kazakhstanis more than others.
Even though the country has seen substantial economic growth in recent years, specifically in the oil, gas and minerals industries, employment levels in these industries have not matched the nation’s economic growth.
Following the turn of the century, much of the nation saw considerable gains in employment and labor productivity. Yet, the agricultural region of Kostanay and North Kazakhstan did not experience the same growth as others parts of the country. West Kazakhstan saw significant economic gains in the late 1990s following the introduction of an oil pipeline stretching from the Caspian Sea to China.Perhaps surprisingly, Kazakhstan’s oil-rich areas have also become the nation’s most impoverished.
The minimum income level below the subsistence minimum in Kazakhstan is $35 per month. Any amount below the minimum is considered as poverty. Between 1998 and 2003, the number of people living in poverty in the country fell from 5 million to 3 million.
According to a recent U.N. Development Programme report, unemployment and low income remain the primary causes of poverty in Kazakhstan.
Yet, it is hard to overlook the respectable economic gains the country has seen over the past two decades. Kazakhstan has made considerable headway in its attempts to cement its standing on the world stage. Last month, President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a new law to lift to visa restrictions, enact tax exemptions and help stabilize tax rates to interest foreign investment, especially with the United States and other Western powers. These moves, among others, will help the country in the long-term as it continues to make strides against poverty.
– Ethan Safran
Sources: The World Bank, World Health Organization, CNBC, IRIN, USAID
Photo: Breitbart