Traditional gender norms and stereotypes in Georgia have led to inequality between men and women. A lack of equality between men and women’s rights has led to issues such as a 21.4% gender wage gap at a monthly level, a lack of women’s representation in political processes and poor education for women. However, there are four main areas where various projects are improving women’s rights in Georgia
Legislative Reforms
There have been numerous legislative reforms the government implemented to help protect women’s rights in Georgia. For example, in September 2022, the Government approved the second National Strategy for the Protect of Human Rights in Georgia for 2022-2030, which includes a whole chapter that focuses on gender equality. One major legal reform is the Istanbul Convention, which the Council of Europe adopted in 2011, stating that violence against women is a human rights violation and a form of discrimination. This was an incredibly important reform due to the high rates of physical and sexual violence against women in Georgia. According to the EU4GenderEquality: Reform Helpdesk, 6% of women in Georgia are victims of physical and/or sexual violence and there is a 14% rate of child marriage, compared to 1% of boys married before the age of 18.
In 2017, the Georgian government ratified the Istanbul Convention, confirming its commitment to combatting violence against women. Legislation reforms are important for protecting women’s rights in Georgia, as certain laws treat violence against women as a punishable offense, therefore encouraging women to report any instances of violence and rape.
Education and Awareness Programs
Another issue affecting women’s rights in Georgia Is the lack of comprehensive education for girls and women. Many girls drop out of school early due to child marriage. According to Girls Not Brides, in 2018, 48% of women between the ages of 20-49 were married before the age of 18 and only 29% completed upper secondary education, 14% completed vocational education and 8% completed higher education.
The ongoing education system reform aims to make education more flexible and modern and it focuses on quality education outcomes. The government developed a funding system to support inclusive education for children of all genders and special education needs. In 2018, the government also developed informational databases to collect data on persons with disabilities, including girls with disabilities in education, to help improve the quality of their education.
Furthermore, in 2019, “GITA launched a program for 3,000 advanced IT specialists in highly demanded professions.” The number of women and girls’ enrollment in the courses “has increased significantly” where “at least 45% of the beneficiaries of the Agency’s ICT courses are women,” according to U.N. Women.
U.N. Women reports that “GITA is also running STEAM boot camps where participants are chosen following strict gender balance, to ensure there are equal amounts of male and female participants enrolled.” Ensuring that women and girls have equal access to education is incredibly important, as it helps them to gain independence to the ability to seek employment later in life.
Women’s Participation in Politics
Efforts to increase women’s representation in political and decision-making processes could help to empower women and encourage more women to participate in leadership roles, leading to equality. Only 11% of women in Georgia are parliamentarians in national and local governments, meaning that there’s still a lot of work necessary. However, electoral reforms in Georgia established compulsory gender quotas to create gender balance in the party list in the elections. Although women’s participation in politics remains low, this is still a huge step towards gender equality.
Economic Empowerment
Economic empowerment is crucial for reducing gender disparities and financial independence. In 2020, the government introduced the Law of Georgia on Labour Assistance, which aims to support Georgians find employment. Furthermore, it added a provision on equal pay for work of equal value to the Labour Code, meaning that employers must ensure equal pay for men and women for the equal work they perform, according to the EU4GenderEquality: Reform Helpdesk.
In addition to this, the government’s SME Development Strategy of Georgia 2021-2025 aims to promote the development of women’s entrepreneurship in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The government aims to achieve this through “popularising the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), improving gender statistics in state programs, promoting women’s participation in state programs, strengthening women’s digital skills and the capacity building of state agencies to enable them to mainstream gender in their programs,” according to the EU4GenderEquality: Reform Helpdesk.
Overall, while there is still a lot of work necessary to help advance women’s rights in Georgia, the country has come a long way in its commitment to providing gender equality.
– Bethany O’Connell
Photo: Flickr
Advancing Women’s Rights in Georgia
Legislative Reforms
There have been numerous legislative reforms the government implemented to help protect women’s rights in Georgia. For example, in September 2022, the Government approved the second National Strategy for the Protect of Human Rights in Georgia for 2022-2030, which includes a whole chapter that focuses on gender equality. One major legal reform is the Istanbul Convention, which the Council of Europe adopted in 2011, stating that violence against women is a human rights violation and a form of discrimination. This was an incredibly important reform due to the high rates of physical and sexual violence against women in Georgia. According to the EU4GenderEquality: Reform Helpdesk, 6% of women in Georgia are victims of physical and/or sexual violence and there is a 14% rate of child marriage, compared to 1% of boys married before the age of 18.
In 2017, the Georgian government ratified the Istanbul Convention, confirming its commitment to combatting violence against women. Legislation reforms are important for protecting women’s rights in Georgia, as certain laws treat violence against women as a punishable offense, therefore encouraging women to report any instances of violence and rape.
Education and Awareness Programs
Another issue affecting women’s rights in Georgia Is the lack of comprehensive education for girls and women. Many girls drop out of school early due to child marriage. According to Girls Not Brides, in 2018, 48% of women between the ages of 20-49 were married before the age of 18 and only 29% completed upper secondary education, 14% completed vocational education and 8% completed higher education.
The ongoing education system reform aims to make education more flexible and modern and it focuses on quality education outcomes. The government developed a funding system to support inclusive education for children of all genders and special education needs. In 2018, the government also developed informational databases to collect data on persons with disabilities, including girls with disabilities in education, to help improve the quality of their education.
Furthermore, in 2019, “GITA launched a program for 3,000 advanced IT specialists in highly demanded professions.” The number of women and girls’ enrollment in the courses “has increased significantly” where “at least 45% of the beneficiaries of the Agency’s ICT courses are women,” according to U.N. Women.
U.N. Women reports that “GITA is also running STEAM boot camps where participants are chosen following strict gender balance, to ensure there are equal amounts of male and female participants enrolled.” Ensuring that women and girls have equal access to education is incredibly important, as it helps them to gain independence to the ability to seek employment later in life.
Women’s Participation in Politics
Efforts to increase women’s representation in political and decision-making processes could help to empower women and encourage more women to participate in leadership roles, leading to equality. Only 11% of women in Georgia are parliamentarians in national and local governments, meaning that there’s still a lot of work necessary. However, electoral reforms in Georgia established compulsory gender quotas to create gender balance in the party list in the elections. Although women’s participation in politics remains low, this is still a huge step towards gender equality.
Economic Empowerment
Economic empowerment is crucial for reducing gender disparities and financial independence. In 2020, the government introduced the Law of Georgia on Labour Assistance, which aims to support Georgians find employment. Furthermore, it added a provision on equal pay for work of equal value to the Labour Code, meaning that employers must ensure equal pay for men and women for the equal work they perform, according to the EU4GenderEquality: Reform Helpdesk.
In addition to this, the government’s SME Development Strategy of Georgia 2021-2025 aims to promote the development of women’s entrepreneurship in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The government aims to achieve this through “popularising the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), improving gender statistics in state programs, promoting women’s participation in state programs, strengthening women’s digital skills and the capacity building of state agencies to enable them to mainstream gender in their programs,” according to the EU4GenderEquality: Reform Helpdesk.
Overall, while there is still a lot of work necessary to help advance women’s rights in Georgia, the country has come a long way in its commitment to providing gender equality.
– Bethany O’Connell
Photo: Flickr
Employment in Moldova in Reducing Poverty
Employment as an Aid To Reducing Poverty in Moldova
The economic division of the Moldovan government, responsible for monitoring employment, reports that after 1999, the economy began to recover and thrive due to the inflow of remittances, relieving import limitations and encouraging growth. Furthermore, remittances have reduced the government’s reliance on borrowing, providing macroeconomic policy flexibility. By increasing consumption, remittances can directly contribute to reducing poverty in Moldova.
According to the study, families with migrants often experience better financial circumstances than those without and remittances are crucial to the welfare of those left behind. The Moldovan economic division emphasizes that work represents the only long-term sustainable path out of poverty for most impoverished individuals. A continuous reduction in poverty requires economic growth, achieved by creating jobs that raise people’s standard of living.
Agriculture as a Specific Strategic Aim
Davalos and Meyer state that agriculture significantly contributes to the agricultural sector and reduces poverty for the rural populace in Moldova. Moldova’s rural economy heavily depends on agriculture, which makes it poorly integrated into the market economy. It is imperative for the agricultural sector to harmoniously coexist with other industries and assume a more substantial role in shaping the foundation of a free market.
The extent to which agriculture has developed and its ability to provide raw materials to the processing sector and the population’s necessities are linked to social and economic advancement. In Moldova’s rural areas, agriculture has significant potential to reduce poverty, primarily when it works with other interested entities.
Employment as a Catalyst for Economic Mobility
Dávalos and Meyer state that the change from one initial welfare distribution to another is called economic mobility. Depending on whether we are focusing on welfare distributions across generations, such as for a parent and child or the same person or household in two distinct periods, mobility measures can be studied in either the “intra” or “inter”-generational domain.
By tracking purchasing patterns for Moldovan households over time, this study examined intra-generational mobility by examining upward and downward mobility. For instance, poverty vulnerability can be better understood by analyzing economic mobility, which standard net poverty changes cannot give. The study’s use of mobility makes it possible to create poverty transition matrices linked to other pertinent and connected individual or household dynamics, like employment profiles and socioeconomic characteristics, to ascertain the best ways of reducing poverty in Moldova.
The study revealed that while only a few non-poor households faced poverty, a considerable proportion of low-income households could enhance their standard of living and rise above it. Despite being one of the poorest countries in the region, Moldova has demonstrated one of the fastest rates of economic progress in the last decade. Consequently, a more significant portion of society, such as the less fortunate, could benefit from the current sectoral transformation.
Conclusion
Verme’s findings indicate that Moldova has sustained consistent economic growth and a marked decline in poverty rates from 2001 to the present day. During this period, there has been a relative decline in spending on the lowest quintile while overall spending has increased significantly. Furthermore, population coverage has undergone a dramatic expansion.
Verme’s incidence analysis reveals that social benefits have enhanced the likelihood of escaping poverty and mitigated the risk of falling into it. Moldova’s poverty reduction strategy has prioritized employment as a critical driver for change in multiple social sectors. This approach has proven to be a promising step in addressing poverty-related issues and sustaining progress. Moldova’s prioritization of employment is an effective model for other countries seeking to alleviate poverty.
– Jordan Cunningham
Photo: Unsplash
Empowerment Initiatives for Women in Palau
Women in Palau
Domestic violence remains a significant problem, with one in four women experiencing physical or sexual violence by a partner in their lifetime. A lack of institutional support for tackling domestic violence further exacerbates this issue. Additionally, while women still play roles in traditional decision-making, there is still an underrepresentation of women in the political arena. Another concern is the limited childcare provision in Palau, along with a lack of standard regulation for daycare facilities. These challenges highlight areas where further work is necessary to ensure true gender equality in Palau. However, alongside these challenges, women in Palau have achieved significant progress as well.
Women in Political Leadership
A landmark event in 2023, the first-ever “Meeting of Women in Elected Leadership” in Palau, marked a pivotal moment for women’s political representation and gender equality in Palau. With the support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), this event brought together 33 women members from the Senate, House of Delegates, State Executives and State Legislatures of Palau. The meeting aimed to reflect on the challenges and successes of women in government and to recommend actionable changes to enhance women’s empowerment in decision-making institutions.
Palau’s second female Vice President, Honorable Vice President J. Uduch Sengebau Senior, emphasized the critical role of women’s representation in public office for achieving Palau’s developmental objectives. Despite their presence in various executive and legislative roles, the number of women in these positions remains relatively low, with women holding only 6% of seats as of 2022, indicating an ongoing need for improvement.
Gender Equality in Disaster Risk Management
Palau has also been proactive in incorporating gender perspectives into its disaster risk management. Palau’s National Emergency Management Office (NEMO), Bureau of Ageing, Disability and Gender (BADG) and UNDP conducted a training workshop where participants received training to integrate gender, age, disability and cultural perspectives into disaster risk management policies and practices.
This initiative is part of the broader Enhancing Disaster and Climate Resilience through Improved Disaster Preparedness and Infrastructure (EDCR) project, which aligns with Palau’s national goals, including gender equality and women’s and girls empowerment. The EDCR project aims to strengthen gender-sensitive disaster communication, enhance disaster responders’ readiness and improve community disaster resilience with integrated gender and social inclusion awareness.
Pacific Women Lead Program
Tkakl Mekreos, the Pacific Community (SPC) Country Focal Officer for Pacific Women Lead, is working closely with the Palauan Government and communities to promote gender equality. He focuses on changing the traditional narrative that confines women to caregiving roles, advocating for women’s participation in decision-making and leadership positions. A significant achievement in this regard is the development of the National Women’s Forum in Palau for International Women’s Day, which has become a well-established platform for discussing women’s issues and empowerment.
The 2021 Pacific Women Lead program, a major five-year commitment to gender equality, also plays a central role in SPC’s work for gender equality in the Pacific. With support from Australia, the program provides technical, convening and funding support to government ministries and civil society partners, driving gender equality efforts in the region. Australian government allocated $170 million for initiatives across 14 Pacific Island countries, indicating a broad and significant impact on women’s lives in these regions. Although a precise number of women directly benefited is not specified, the program’s wide-reaching initiatives and partnerships suggest a substantial impact on women’s lives in the Pacific.
The progress reflects a growing recognition of the importance of women’s rights and gender equality in Palau across various sectors. The initiatives, ranging from political representation to disaster risk management and regional gender equality programs, demonstrate Palau’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable society. Continued efforts in these areas will be crucial for ensuring that women in Palau not only have equal opportunities but also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of their nation.
– Hosna Hossain
Photo: Flickr
Healing Hernias in Ghana: Robert Hicks Recognized
With such high rates of hernia complications and operations, Robert Hicks, a doctor from Northamptonshire, U.K., decided to do something to aid in healing hernias in Ghana. In 2011, Hicks made his first trip over to Carpenter, a small village in Ghana, where he and his team of four medical staff would collectively perform more than 250 hernia repairs in nine days. In 2018 Hicks and his wife, Dr. Jo Inchley, would go on to start Hernia International Carpenter, a charity dedicated to healing hernias in the country.
Robert Hicks’ Story
Hicks was raised in Newport, Wales. He would go on to receive surgical training at St Thomas’s Hospital in London in 1989 before finding himself at Northampton General Hospital. After his trip to Ghana in 2011 and the subsequent founding of his charity in 2018, Hicks partnered with Canadian and Ghanaian charities to found Leyaata Hospital in Carpenter in 2022. Hicks and his team continue to organize trips to Ghana with teams of volunteers providing aid to those seeking medical help in the treatment of hernias and other conditions. In 2024, Hicks was awarded MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his work in Ghana and his charity’s continued aid to the disadvantaged.
Hernia International Carpenter
The early days of Hernia International Carpenter (HIC) consisted of a trip to Ghana once a year for Hicks and his team of volunteers. With their trips being personally funded, their supplies generously donated and their window of operation just two weeks, Hicks and his team made it their mission to perform as many surgeries as possible within their limited time. Eventually, the HIC team partnered with the Ghana Health Team to travel to Carpenter, where they performed over 250 hernia repair operations in 2019.
The aftermath of their work led to them being invited to a durbar (a traditional event for the royal court to meet and greet their people), in which they were celebrated by and with local chiefs and queens. In November 2023, Hicks set out to Ghana to perform his work for the first time inside of Leyaata Hospital. While this trip did have the main objective of performing surgery, the HIC team’s secondary goal was to provide education and training to the hospital staff, ensuring that Carpenter remained in good hands while Hicks was in the U.K.
Wrap Up
Hicks’s work is an example of the progress that can be made to help the disadvantaged. Hicks noted in an interview with the Argus that he could see the impact his team was having on the community of Carpenter. “Year-on-year, we would see an improvement in the living conditions of the community,” Hicks said. “And an improvement in the health of the children.” Hicks has made it clear that while he is honored to receive recognition for his work, he wants his team to get their due credit, noting that he could not have achieved what HIC had achieved without them.
– Beau Sansom
Photo: Flickr
Save the Children Saved 552,000 Ugandans Last Year
Health Care
Through the Save the Children and local leaders under the Strengthening Partnerships, Results and Innovations in Nutrition Globally (SPRING) program, efforts are directed toward improving nutrition for mothers, infants and young children. Working with government ministries and district partners, the charity has successfully identified the most vulnerable children and families in 35 communities. This initiative involves imparting knowledge and skills necessary for these communities to access essential services effectively. As a result, 227,000 children have benefited from these efforts, contributing significantly to their health and nutrition.
Education
Education is fundamental to Save the Children’s mission in Uganda, with the organization making substantial strides in enhancing access to quality learning. The construction of schools, teacher training initiatives and gender participation strategies significantly improved school enrolment rates, leading to a 17% gain in literacy and a 24% gain in numeracy.
In addition to its impactful work in health and nutrition, Save the Children’s education programs have positively impacted more than 167,000 girls and boys in Uganda. The investment in schools goes beyond imparting knowledge, as the organization is also actively involved in providing essential health services. This includes immunizations, as well as vision and hearing screenings in schools, ensuring that children have access to quality health care.
Child Protection
Child Protection is also at the core of Save the Children’s Initiatives, focusing on raising community awareness about children’s rights and actively implementing them. In Northern Uganda, the foundation’s Responsible, Engaged and Loving (REAL) Fathers project is making substantial strides in transforming parental practices and decreasing violence within homes. The project has achieved noteworthy reductions, including a 29% decrease in intimate partner violence and an 18% reduction in the use of physical punishment.
Additionally, it has a pioneering Gender Roles Equality and Transformations (GREAT) project in Northern Uganda, working towards reducing sexual and gender-based violence in the region. Furthermore, the Save the Children’s Life Skills for Success approach, which helps adolescent girls build vocational skills, has led to a 35% increase in the likelihood of their engagement in income-generating activities.
Refugee Response
Uganda hosts more than 1.5 million refugees (the world’s fifth highest), with 61% being children. An unfortunate reality is that many refugees in the country face poverty and food insecurity. Save the Children is actively addressing these issues through various initiatives. It provides cash for work projects and employment opportunities while also supporting local communities by engaging in tree planting and road repair activities.
Additionally, the Response Innovation Lab by Save the Children serves as a collaborative platform, facilitating the development of innovative solutions to address the unique and challenging problems faced by refugees in the region.
Final Remark
Since 1959, Save the Children has been instrumental in helping the lives of vulnerable children and their families in Uganda. Through various programs, the nonprofit has reached more than 552,000 children in the country in the past year. This fantastic progress demonstrates that change is not only possible but is actively happening in the lives of children across Uganda.
– Jack Timmins
Photo: Flickr
Healing Lives: Transforming the Livelihoods of Children in India
About Dr. Satya Prasad Koneru
Prasad’s mission to end poverty in India began five decades ago. As a young medical student, he founded the People Service Society to help people experiencing poverty. The society flourished, becoming a medical center, meal service provider, book bank for disadvantaged students and rehabilitation clinic for people with disabilities. After twenty years of devoting his life to those living below the poverty line, he donated his family home to build Heal Children’s Village, an orphanage that originally housed 26 children. After more than three decades, the orphanage is home to 250 children and 16 housemothers.
Heal Children’s Village
Since its conception, Heal Children’s Village, otherwise known as Heal Paradise, has fostered the health and education of children. The comprehensive curriculum at Heal Children’s Village adopts children and empowers them with lifetime skills and knowledge. The children at Heal engage in nutritional education, financial and vocational programs and environmental and sustainability initiatives.
The nonprofit also offers reproductive health workshops, creating a supportive and safe environment for children to learn about adopting safe sexual health practices. As well as educational initiatives, Heal Paradise provides disability programs specifically for blind children.
The Elizabeth Panton-Heal Artificial Limb Center
In 2014, the initiative “built the Elizabeth Panton-Heal Artificial Limb Center (ALC) on the Heal Paradise campus, in partnership with Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope (ELoH), to provide the health care support that poverty-stricken child amputees traditionally lack.” As of today, there are 10 million amputees in India, with amputation being notably prevalent in the impoverished communities of Andhra Pradesh. This prevalence is attributed to diseases, deformities and infected sores from a lack of shoe access. Generally, disabled children in India are five times more likely to be out of school compared to their non-disabled counterparts.
Since its establishment in 2014, the Elizabeth Panton-Heal Artificial Limb Center has been a source of long-term emotional and physical support. The center has also played a crucial role in providing vital surgeries and prosthetic limbs to 108 disadvantaged young amputees in Andhra Pradesh. The dedicated team at the Elizabeth-Panton Artificial Limb Centre consists of technicians and orthopedic surgeons, each working tirelessly to rebuild and transform the lives of child amputees. The team also hosts clinics in their mobile center for poverty-stricken children who live in rural areas outside of Paradise Village.
– Sapphire Hope
Photo: Flickr
How SAMRC Is Improving Public Health in South Africa
Limited resources, persistent socioeconomic disparities and ongoing issues related to sanitation and clean water further compound the public health troubles South Africa faces. This demonstrates the urgent need for comprehensive and sustainable health care initiatives like the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), which is becoming one of the most prominent organizations improving public health in the country today.
Unveiling SAMRC: A Brief Overview
SAMRC was established in 1969 to improve the health of populations throughout South Africa. Through efforts in research, innovation and technology transfer, they have significantly contributed to recent advancements in health care for the country. Their scope of research delves into laboratory investigations, clinical research and public health studies. They address prevalent diseases and promote preventive measures with evidence-based health care policies, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes and a better quality of life for all South Africans.
Glenda Grey became SAMRC’s president in 2019. In her first five years leading the organization, grant initiatives significantly improved funding for young African scientists. Under Gray’s leadership, the organization’s mission is to advance the nation’s health, enhance quality of life and address inequity by conducting and funding relevant and responsive health research and research translation. In areas with limited access to health care services, SAMRC establishes mobile clinics to provide on-site medical care, screenings and research participation opportunities directly in the community.
Programs and Research Technology
Leading the health care innovation at SAMRC is a company group labeled Strategic Health Innovation Partnerships (SHIP) unit. This initiative partners with the Department of Science and Technology to raise funds and manage projects to develop new drugs, treatments, vaccines and prevention strategies. More recently, SHIP has worked hard to actively drive health innovation by enhancing South African science’s capacity in research and development.
To gain support and funding for development, the group uses competitive open calls to identify projects within its strategic areas. All applications are subjected to in-depth international review. The SHIP Steering Committee, which comprises officials from SAMRC, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Health, approves the selection procedures and recipients.
While SAMRC funds many South African health projects. They also connect their innovative researchers with like-minded organizations worldwide that provide more external funding opportunities. One of these recent research initiatives is the SAMRC’s Self-initiated Research Program (SIR).
The SIR project aims to support young researchers at recognized research institutions in various areas of health. Up to $200,000 in grants for SIR are given annually for three years. These grants pay for the facilities, equipment and research costs necessary for the initiatives. These projects directly impact the largest populated areas of the country, significantly improving public health in South Africa.
SAMRC Project Impact
In recent years, SAMRC has continued to drive several COVID-19 vaccine studies to guarantee that South African populations get tested for vaccinations developed globally. This study also includes information about South African policy on vaccination and boosting.
The organization delivered the Johnson and Johnson Ad26 COV2.S vaccine to 496,424 individuals during 2021-2022 through their research and studies. SAMRC has demonstrated its commitment to safeguarding public health and advancing scientific knowledge to improve it in South Africa and the world.
Another major SAMRC project making a massive impact in the country is the South African Population Research Infrastructure Network (SAPRIN). This initiative is a network of public and academic institutions in a long-term partnership to produce high-quality research and improve public health. SAPRIN is part of a strategic approach to building and strengthening research capacity in the country. It analyzes and has accessible and collaborative population-based health and demographic data.
A benefit of this networking is it offers an opportunity to aid in calibrating national datasets such as those from health facility data and electronic medical records. These can be linked to the longitudinal geolocated surveillance data and allow for the investigation of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental health, HIV and substance abuse. The resource findings from SAPRIN provide essential insights into understanding multi-morbidity disease patterns occurring in South Africa.
– Caleb Ilayan
Photo: Unsplash
Women in Sudan Receive Hygiene Support Amid Crisis
Menstrual Hygiene Amid Crisis
Women and girls in Sudan who have been forced to flee under intense gunfire and threats of sexual violence usually end up without essential dignity kits, including menstrual hygiene products. Evidently, when one is escaping war, everything is left behind, and menstrual products are not considered a priority. While families grapple with challenges securing food and water, inflation has made it difficult for women and girls to afford menstrual products. Additionally, disposable sanitary pads are not widely available in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
According to the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, “This situation of utter scarcity of menstrual products raises women and girls’ likelihood of developing infections, which are more likely to become life-threatening given the lack of access to clean water and medical services. These risks are even higher in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.” In their urgent need to address their menstrual needs, women and girls have resorted to using old cloth pieces, posing a risk of infections, mainly when proper hygiene practices are not observed.
Reusable Sanitary Towels Initiative
World Vision launched an initiative to promote reusable sanitary towels to help support adolescent girls through their menstrual cycles. This initiative was first introduced to the Blue Nile State with funding from the USAID-Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). Women from six vicinities were then divided into groups to be trained and equipped with start-up kits for making reusable sanitary towels.
Three prototypes were created with different ministries and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), utilizing the locally accessible cotton fabric. Two hundred units of each design were produced and given to a hundred girls in four other areas. Subsequently, a user survey was undertaken to gather feedback from the girls, ensuring that their insights were integrated into the final designs to improve acceptance and utilization. Five thousand pieces were produced, which World Vision purchased and distributed to 500 girls.
Now, World Vision has designated these trained women to teach others how to produce quality reusable sanitary towels in South Kordofan, South Darfur and East Darfur to advance the initiative. World Vision facilitated connections between the trained women groups and local suppliers to ensure easy access to raw materials. These women are also earning improved household income through this initiative.
UN Women and USAID Contributions To Menstrual Support
Through their campaign, U.N. Women distributed 1000 hygiene kits to internally displaced women in December 2023. According to USAID, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) has also reached approximately 161,000 individuals with dignity kits between April 15 and October 29, 2023. Dignity/Hygiene kits usually contain essentials like menstrual pads, bath soap, underwear, detergent powder, sanitary napkins, a flashlight, toothpaste, a toothbrush and a comb. These kits help women and girls maintain proper hygiene and preserve their dignity during times of crisis.
Conclusion
Dignity kits play a crucial role in humanitarian response by addressing the basic needs of individuals in crises, promoting hygiene, providing privacy and supporting the overall well-being of affected populations, especially women and children.
– Noura Dakka
Photo: Flickr
From Peril To Progress: Clearing Landmines in Somalia
The Halo Trust, a nonprofit organization founded in 1988, is methodically removing landmines in Somalia. Their work makes the country safer, improving the lives of Somalians.
Improving Agropastoralism
In August 2021, the Halo Trust celebrated the clearance of one million square meters of land in Somalia from landmines. Land clearance positively impacts agropastoralism. Once land is safe from explosives, herders can use it for livestock grazing. They no longer have to worry about losing their cows and donkeys to accidents, which can be worth more than two months’ wages.
Communities also use cleared land to produce frankincense, made from the resin of Boswellia sacra trees and earn income. These trees have been growing in the region for thousands of years and can generate frankincense nearly year-round. Harvesting frankincense offers a way for people in Somalia to earn a reliable income and support their families.
Increasing Safety Through Education
Clearing landmines is painstaking work and takes significant time. Until the Halo Trust can rid Somalia of landmines, it is educating communities on avoiding their risks. Education efforts prioritize children because they are often curious and at high risk for landmine accidents. The Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, a program researching and monitoring worldwide landmines and munitions, reported that 88% of deaths from landmines in Somalia in 2019 were children.
Employing People in Landmine Communities
Creating jobs in Somalia is critical. The World Bank reported in 2022 that 70% of its citizens are impoverished. In recent years, the country has faced droughts and widespread food insecurity.
The organization employs people from the communities where it works, creating jobs while propelling landmine clearance. Halo Somalia employs nearly 400 men and women from landmine communities in Somalia. These jobs are concentrated along the border between Somalia and Ethiopia, where most of the nation’s landmines are located. Jobs are often scarce in these regions, especially for women. Through this work, locals benefit economically while helping to make their communities safer.
Though much work remains to declare the globe landmine-free, the Halo Trust is progressing and improving lives in Somalia.
– Kelly Carroll
Photo: Flickr
Maternal Mortality in Egypt
Factors and Facts
Upper Egypt and rural areas face more challenges regarding maternal mortality. These areas lack sanitation, services and hygiene. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), rural areas are home to 8.4 million people without improved sanitation. In 2014, 15% of the population did not have adequate sanitation. A lack of sanitation and hygiene facilitates the spread of disease, significantly impacting maternal and children’s health.
UNICEF highlights a concerning statistic, i.e., just 82% of women in Egypt receive postnatal care within two days of childbirth. It leaves a notable gap, with 18% of women missing out on crucial postpartum support and medical attention. Failure to receive postnatal care can be hazardous, as most deaths occur within the first six weeks of delivery. Postnatal care can help detect diseases, promote a healthy lifestyle and identify medical complications.
Intervention
UNICEF has partnered with the Ministry of Health and Population. This partnership aims to provide women and babies with high-quality, easily accessible health, nutrition and hygiene education. The cooperation offers immunizations for mothers and newborns to eliminate tetanus and polio eradication. The Integrated Perinatal Health Care and Nutrition program strives to reduce “neonatal mortality by 20% and child malnutrition by 30% in the targeted disadvantaged areas.” This organization aims to create an environment for women and newborns to thrive by providing access to health care providers, promoting change and strengthening health care systems.
The Health Quality Improvement Program, a World Bank-funded initiative, assists Egypt’s 1,000 poorest communities in accessing medical facilities that satisfy the country’s health care standards. UNICEF supported the project and evaluated the health care facilities to ensure they met federal standards.
The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) is taking several steps to reduce maternal mortality in Egypt. They train nurses and midwives to become certified and skilled, focusing on rural Upper Egypt, where many women need adequate medical attention. Additionally, they have partnered with the Ministry of Health to support the Safe Motherhood Committee.
The Ministry of Health has also gained support from the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2015, they planned to build 1,402 health facilities in underprivileged and underserved communities, reaching 22 million people. WHO is working with the Ministry of Health to develop better protocols and guidelines, provide enhanced training to nurses and midwives and monitor the success of implementations.
Conclusion
Although there are still many struggles with maternal mortality in Egypt, there are many partnerships, programs and interventions that are helping reduce the maternal mortality rate.
– Abby Trussell
Photo: Flickr