As thousands of Syrian refugees flood into neighboring countries, Lebanon stands out as a particularly sought-after harbor. The country’s proximity to Syria makes it a prime target for refugees and, the entourage of international organizations that come with them. Unlike their counterparts in other countries, however, Syrians in Lebanon are not living in camps—for the most part, they are looking for apartments, hunting for jobs, and otherwise acting like typical immigrants. Except that there are a million of them doing so.
Lebanon, which struggles to support its own population of four million, is staggering under the weight of the massive influx of refugees. Because the UN deliberately avoided internment as a solution, Syrians wander Lebanese streets and sleep under Lebanese roofs. Of course, a million extra people with no homes cause serious unrest, not to mention the dramatic surplus of demand that has thrown the Lebanese economy into a tailspin. As prices spike, jobs dwindle, and aid that originally flowed to the Lebanese gets repurposed for refugee relief, the Lebanese, understandably, grow hostile to the Syrians in their midst.
“At first, we were sympathetic, but now it has changed,” says one Lebanese family. “We used to get assistance, food parcels, assistance with school fees, food parcels, diesel fuel, and other aid, but we get nothing at all now.”
The growing dissent among locals signals the lack of coordination and direction of international efforts, which have collectively ignored host-side problems and thus complicated host-refugee relationships.
World Vision, one of the NGOs with the greatest presence in the Syrian refugee crisis, has been active in focusing on both short-term relief goals and longer-term development goals among host populations. The organization has long called for holistic programs aimed at refugee-host integration, increased funding for agencies that recognize the crisis’ underlying social problems, and improved consulting on the ground for a more effective and coordinated response.
In response to the ever-increasing need for both relief and local development, the World Food Program launched a food voucher program in the region in partnership with NGOs like World Vision. The program allocates aid money for expenditures in local food markets, a move designed to both feed hungry refugees and empowers the poor farmers and grocers who can feed them.
Sara Pantuliano, the director of the Humanitarian Policy Group at the Overseas Development Institute, applauds the work done by organizations like Vision and the WFP. Her institute focuses on protracted refugee situations and the myriad of issues surrounding population integration, and she sees plenty of hope in their work. “We see some improvement in donor responses, in some agencies’ response,” she said.
However, she also recognizes that much of their kind of work runs against the grain of the typical refugee crisis response. “They continue to be the exception in many ways,” she admitted.
– John Mahon
Sources: Devex, Overseas Development Institute, World Vision
Photo: The Electronic Intifada
More than a Ball: Alive and Kicking
Sports play an essential role in the development of children. They provide structure and help teach hard work and discipline. For underprivileged kids, it may be one of the only healthy releases from the difficult lives they have. For kids in Africa, the sport that supplies this release is football, known as soccer to Americans. Yet many African children live in environments where sports equipment – such as soccer balls – is not affordable or accessible.
Thanks to Alive and Kicking, these kids have not had to worry about how they can play soccer. The only legitimate manufacturer of sports balls in Africa, Alive and Kicking has provided over 500,000 balls to impoverished children. Their impact goes far beyond simply producing sporting equipment. Below are the positive impacts Alive and Kicking has on the people of Africa.
Alive and Kicking continues to make a profound impact in Ghana, Kenya, and Zambia. But they need help. Donations are instrumental in funding the production of sports balls. A generous donation of 100 dollars would provide eight soccer balls for school systems and communities, impacting the lives of many children. A much more modest donation of 15 dollars provides a child with a ball. These gifts may be small but will play an important role in a child’s life. For more information, visit Alive and Kicking’s website.
– William Norris
Sources: Alive and Kicking, CNN
Sources: Globo
Have You Heard of UNA-USA?
The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is a membership organization whose mission is to raise awareness among the American people about the ideals and work of the United Nations. Through its 120 Chapters across the United States, UNA-USA works with their local communities and elected officials to garner American support for the United Nations. UNA-USA’s sponsors range from USAID, Goldman Sachs, and the US State Department all the way to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The American Association for the United Nations, the original version of the UNA-USA, came out of the League of Nations Association in 1943. The Association was designed to promote acceptance of the Dumbarton Oaks proposals towards the formation of the UN in the late years of World War II. In the early years of the organization the AAUN led US representatives on a national tour to gain American support for the creation of the UN.
In 1964, the association merged with the US Committee for the United Nations to become the UNA-USA. Since then the UNA-USA has enacted many programs designed to educate Americans about the UN, including its Global Classrooms program – an educational program that engages middle school and high school students in an exploration of current world issues through interactive simulations. The core of the program is the model UN, where students act as UN Ambassadors to debate a range of issues on the UN agenda.
The mission of the UNA-USA is important for the operation of the UN and the continuation of its development and poverty focused programs. As the largest contributor to the UN budget—the US provides 22 percent of the UN’s total funds—support of the UN’s principles and work by US citizens is vital to sustaining the UN. Voters’ decisions in the US will ultimately have a large influence on how the UN is able to function. The UNA-USA is certainly succeeding to some degree: according to a Gallup poll in February 2013, two-thirds of Americans believe the United Nations plays a necessary role in the world today.
– Martin Drake
Sources: UNA-USA, Gallup, Global Solutions
Photo: Facebook
How African Artists Broke Through the Global Art World
African art sells for modest amounts in comparison to other contemporary works of art, so why are international collectors and enthusiasts racing to secure as much of it as they can? If worldwide critical acclaim and prestigious awards are any indications, African art could become a profitable investment.
With the South African country of Angola taking the Golden Lion award for best national participation at the Venice Biennale art exhibit, African art has generated extraordinary buzz amongst curators and collectors. The Bonham auction house in London holds the only annual sale dedicated to African art, and the house’s website notes that there has been “an explosion of interest” in recent years for the artwork.
“Created by artists from a multitude of cultures,” the site explains, “African contemporary art reflects the complex heritage of this dynamic continent and demonstrates tremendous potential for investment.”
El Anatsui, a Ghanaian sculptor and teacher at the University of Nigeria, is among the acclaimed African artists whose work has generated such enthusiasm. Channeling his Ghana heritage, many of his works incorporate either clay or wood in conjunction with local goods from his culture, such as Igbo palm mortars and Ghanaian trays. Some of his famous works blend common items together to form monumental and fluid sculptures. For example, his 2007 sculpture “Dusasa II” is a 361.6 lb melding of plastic disks, aluminum, and copper wire. One of his most recent works, “TISA-TISA—Searching for Connection,” was entirely constructed using recycled materials.
El Anatsui’s work is currently featured in museums such as the Brooklyn Museum in New York and the British Museum in London. He has also created a wall-hanging sculpture for the Royal Academy in London after receiving an invitation to the establishment. In an interview with Gulf News, El Anatsui explained how art has always existed as expression of cultures such as his, and it’s thanks to advances in modern communications that awareness of other cultures has increased.
Angolan photographer Edson Chagas has also garnered international attention after his showpiece Found Not Taken allowed his home country to take the Golden Lion award. A documentary and commentary on consumerism and capitalism, Found Not Taken compiles years of photos taken in Luanda: the city Chagas was born. Although he studied photography in London, he always intended to continue his projects from his home country. Chagas hopes the award will spark more interest in both his work and the art of other Angolan artists.
This increased exposure has allowed Cameroonian curator Koyo Kouoh to secure funding in London for a contemporary African art fair. She notes that African artists are using their art to “promote their country,” and the international focus on countries such as Angola is “not just on war anymore.” Modern art plays an important role in the common perception of cultures and societies, so Africa’s rising popularity will increase awareness of the continent’s triumphs and struggles on a global scale. With economies on the rise in many of Africa’s countries, citizens such as Chagas hopes their governments will take this opportunity to provide stronger education in the arts to train a new generation of artists.
– Timothy Monbleau
Sources: BBC, BBC Economy on the Rise,
Bonhams, Poetics of Line, Golden Lion Award, Metropolitan Museum of Art The British Museum, Gulf News, Tree Hugger, Contemporary And
Photo: skunkandraven
Why “Women’s Issues” Are Actually Human Issues
Many political campaigns, government agencies, and non-profit organizations categorize a series of topics as “women’s issues.” These issues generally address subjects such as birth control, reproductive rights, and women’s access to education and equal pay. Yet, these issues affect more than just women—they affect everyone. Women’s issues are actually human issues.
In many parts of the world, women are viewed as inferior to men. While boys are encouraged to receive an education, girls are often removed from school to take care of the home, losing out on an education that could increase a woman’s pay and her household’s earning potential in the future. At a microscopic level, a reduced household income increases the chance of a single-family living in poverty. However, when entire cultures neglect the role of women as productive members of society, not only do individual households suffer, but entire economies lag, negatively affecting everyone.
Even in societies where women are allowed to work, women are undervalued for their skills and labor. They are concentrated in “insecure jobs in the informal sector with low income and few rights.” According to the Global Poverty Project, “women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours, produce half of the world’s food, but earn only 10% of the world’s income and own less than one percent of the world’s property. On average, women earn half of what men earn.” This pay reduction, while better than a complete ban on allowing women to work, also contributes to poverty. When women earn less, their family earns less, increasing a household’s chance of living in poverty.
Because many areas of the world limit a woman’s access to education and job opportunities, women are often viewed as inferior to men and are left powerless in their societies. Throughout the globe, “three million women die each year because of gender-based violence, and four million girls and women a year are sold into prostitution. One in five women is a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.”
Societies are better off economically and socially when women are valued, are allowed to receive an education, are presented with equal work opportunities, and are protected from abuse. In areas where women are educated, fertility rates are lower, helping to reduce overpopulation and contributing to a higher GDP per capita. Children are also better cared for and healthier when their mothers are educated. And as stated before, women with access to education and equal work opportunities are able to earn higher wages, reducing the chance of their family living in poverty and improving overall economic production.
“Women’s issues” are truly human issues because they affect everyone. The role that women play in society not only affects sisters, mothers, and daughters, but also their brothers, fathers, sons, and husbands. By enabling women with the tools they need to be safe, healthy, and productive members of society, the entire world will be a better place.
– Jordan Kline
Sources: Global Poverty Project, UN Women
Photo: Current Gender Issues
New Crisis Models are Good News for Syrian Refugees
As thousands of Syrian refugees flood into neighboring countries, Lebanon stands out as a particularly sought-after harbor. The country’s proximity to Syria makes it a prime target for refugees and, the entourage of international organizations that come with them. Unlike their counterparts in other countries, however, Syrians in Lebanon are not living in camps—for the most part, they are looking for apartments, hunting for jobs, and otherwise acting like typical immigrants. Except that there are a million of them doing so.
Lebanon, which struggles to support its own population of four million, is staggering under the weight of the massive influx of refugees. Because the UN deliberately avoided internment as a solution, Syrians wander Lebanese streets and sleep under Lebanese roofs. Of course, a million extra people with no homes cause serious unrest, not to mention the dramatic surplus of demand that has thrown the Lebanese economy into a tailspin. As prices spike, jobs dwindle, and aid that originally flowed to the Lebanese gets repurposed for refugee relief, the Lebanese, understandably, grow hostile to the Syrians in their midst.
“At first, we were sympathetic, but now it has changed,” says one Lebanese family. “We used to get assistance, food parcels, assistance with school fees, food parcels, diesel fuel, and other aid, but we get nothing at all now.”
The growing dissent among locals signals the lack of coordination and direction of international efforts, which have collectively ignored host-side problems and thus complicated host-refugee relationships.
World Vision, one of the NGOs with the greatest presence in the Syrian refugee crisis, has been active in focusing on both short-term relief goals and longer-term development goals among host populations. The organization has long called for holistic programs aimed at refugee-host integration, increased funding for agencies that recognize the crisis’ underlying social problems, and improved consulting on the ground for a more effective and coordinated response.
In response to the ever-increasing need for both relief and local development, the World Food Program launched a food voucher program in the region in partnership with NGOs like World Vision. The program allocates aid money for expenditures in local food markets, a move designed to both feed hungry refugees and empowers the poor farmers and grocers who can feed them.
Sara Pantuliano, the director of the Humanitarian Policy Group at the Overseas Development Institute, applauds the work done by organizations like Vision and the WFP. Her institute focuses on protracted refugee situations and the myriad of issues surrounding population integration, and she sees plenty of hope in their work. “We see some improvement in donor responses, in some agencies’ response,” she said.
However, she also recognizes that much of their kind of work runs against the grain of the typical refugee crisis response. “They continue to be the exception in many ways,” she admitted.
– John Mahon
Sources: Devex, Overseas Development Institute, World Vision
Photo: The Electronic Intifada
World Bank Plan for Energy Sector Investments
The World Bank Group’s report “Toward a Sustainable Energy Future for All: Directions for the World Bank Group’s Energy Sector” was released on July 16, and lays out principles-based plans for the World Bank’s work in the energy sector. The report puts a special focus on expanding energy access and sustainable energy.
The report, also known as the Energy Sector Directions Paper, focuses on the poor in terms of their energy access, stating that “supporting universal access to reliable modern energy is a priority.” The report points out the connection between poverty and lack of energy access asserting that “economic growth, which is essential for poverty reduction, is not possible without adequate energy.”
The Energy Sector Directions Paper also emphasizes supporting renewable energy. Declining costs of renewable energies like wind and solar power are increasing their usefulness, and hydropower in particular is one of the largest untapped sources of renewable energy in the developing world. The energy sector directions paper underscored the importance of these renewable energies for sustainability and also in order to increase energy access while trying to reduce climate change. The World Bank Group asserted that they would support and invest in coal power development “only in rare circumstances.”
1.3 billion people are without access to electricity and 2.6 billion people rely on the traditional use of biomass for cooking, which causes harmful indoor air pollution. These people are mainly in either developing Asia or sub-Saharan Africa, and in rural areas. In order to foster sustainable development in these countries, plans like the World Bank Group’s Energy Sector Directions Paper need to be enacted to give the poor access to renewable energy sources.
– Martin Drake
Sources: World Bank, International Energy Agency
Photo: Value Walk
What the Supreme Court Did for HIV Prevention
On June 20, the United States Supreme Court delivered their decision in the case of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) v. Alliance for the Open Society Institute International (AOSI). The highest court in the country ruled 6-2 that USAID had violated the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution by requiring private organizations to take a pledge not to provide funding for HIV prevention to sex workers. The landmark decision means that HIV/AIDs prevention organizations all over the world will now be able to seek USAID funding without having to sign a pledge that would exclude the very people they are trying to serve.
In 2003, USAID implemented a new law that required all groups receiving U.S. government funds for international HIV/AIDs work to adopt policies opposing prostitution. The “anti-prostitution loyalty oath” mandated that these organizations take the official position on prostitution that the U.S. government does, which is that all forms of sex work are illegal. The oath resulted in the defunding of numerous HIV prevention organizations that deliberately serviced sex workers.
The government, and by proxy USAID, officially equate prostitution with human trafficking. These organizations, however, take the stance that not all sex work is the result of trafficking and that some women and men willfully enter into prostitution. They want to make sex work safer for those involved, recognizing that it will continue despite attempts to stop it.
In September 2005, AOSI began challenging the loyalty oath in federal courts, labeling it unconstitutional. They argued that the oath was in violation of private organizations’ first amendment rights because it required them to adopt the government’s point of view and restricted what they could say or do. The Supreme Court agreed. This ruling brings the U.S. one step closer to accomplishing its goal of eradicating HIV. Instead of adopting policies that contradict their objective, USAID will now have to align itself with it.
– Allana Welch
Sources: Huffington Post, Johns Hopkins, PR News Wire
Photo: Politics PA
Is Ugandan Coffee Climate-Friendly?
In Mount Elgon, a region in southeastern Uganda, a new public-private partnership is helping smallholder coffee farmers adopt climate-friendly farming methods in order to increase their yield.
The region is known for the production of Arabica beans, a high-quality coffee bean that only grows in certain conditions. The Mount Elgon region is ideal for the bean, because of its rich volcanic soil, high altitude and good rainfall. However, farmers have only been able to produce one-third of the potential yield in recent years because of climate change and poor farming techniques. As temperatures rise, so does the number of pests and diseases, and the area has become prone to landslides because of an increase in heavy rainfalls, deforestation and uninformed farming practices.
This new project, initiated by the Welsh Assembly Government and funded by the Cardiff-based Waterloo Foundation, is helping farmers cope with the climate changes. The project has initiated a pioneering new approach to farming coffee beans and has introduced techniques such as using shade trees for the coffee plants, organic compost, better soil management, proper spacing between coffee trees, pruning, control of pests and the recycling of plastic. Together, these initiatives are helping to double the output of coffee. Simon Hotchkin, Sustainability of Harrogate, said, “We think there’s potential to double the output of coffee even from the best-managed farms we’ve seen. Most of these farmers have very little influence over the international coffee markets, so the thing that they can control and influence is the output and the livelihood that they generate from coffee.”
The project is also providing funding for new nurseries that over time will create over one million new trees, as part of a three-year climate change action plan. The trees will give shade to the coffee plants, over time will yield fruit, and some will be harvested for timber and firewood. The project hopes that in the future, consumers will be willing to pay more for the higher quality Arabica coffee bean, which in turn will help growers in Uganda to continue adapting to global warming.
– Chloe Isacke
Source: The Guardian, New Agriculture
Photo: Wallpapers Ad
Revamp or Remove India Free School Lunch Program?
In Bihar, India 22 school children dies and dozens more became ill of contaminated school lunches. The food was made with cooking oil that had been stored in a used pesticide container. Now, parents and officials are questioning the reliability of the food and some children are even refusing to eat the lunches after the incident. The “Mid Day Meal Scheme” has been an integral part of India’s attempt to help impoverished children, and could now be facing its own end. Should the program that now feeds 120 million children a day and that has provided many of those children with their only meal of the day for so long face the chopping block? Or should the Indian government work to improve it?
While eating their daily meal of lentils, beans, rice, and potatoes the children complained that the food did not taste right. Shortly after, large numbers of them started to suffer from vomiting and diarrhea. Students were sent home to deal with the illness, but they did not find help there. The local private clinics were overrun with patients and could not deal with the sudden influx.
Akilinand Mishra, father of one of the students, told the New York Times that he tried to take his son to the clinic once he became ill. He was finally able to hitch a ride to the hospital, but his son died in his arms on the way there. Mr. Mishra stated in the interview, “It was poison that the children ate, not food. Food contamination doesn’t happen that fast. It was poison.” Bacterial contamination is relatively common throughout India and poisoning, although much more rare, has been known to happen in schools that take part in the program.
The Mid Day Meal scheme originated in 1925 in the Madras Municipal Corporation as a way to help disadvantaged children. The idea spread slowly through the country and in 2001 the government mandated that all states provide lunch to their students. According to the UN’s State of School Feeding 2013, India’s school lunch program has resulted in higher levels of student enrollment and lower levels of absenteeism. Due to low-income, many children are required to stay home from school in order to work, but with the promise of a free meal, many parents have started sending their children to school so they do not have to worry about feeding on their own pocket.
The Evaluation Study on Cooked Mid Day Meal did by PEO Planning Commission shows that only 13% of children receiving the free lunch consume fruit during meals at home on a daily basis and 33% get milk at home every day. Some surveys suggest that as much as 50% of children in India suffer from some form of malnutrition, thus these meals can play a very important role in helping these children grow into adults. But, according to parents, this may not be enough of an incentive to continue relying on the program. With contaminated food occurring regularly and corruption in all levels of the CMDM scheme, it is risky for parents to allow their child to eat at school.
That does not necessarily mean that there should be an end to the program altogether. While there are numerous issues that need to be addressed, the CMDM is the largest free lunch program in the world. Therefore it could easily be one of the most helpful if it were run properly. The problems with the overall implementation of the program are certainly outweighed by the positive effects it has already had and the even better results that could come if the program was improved.
– Chelsea Evans
Sources: New York Times State of School Feeding 2013 Performance Evaluation of Cooked Mid Day Meal
Photo: The Nation
5 Easy Solutions to Global Poverty
– Martin Drake
Source: The Borgen Project, Reuters
Photo: Flickr