In Lebanon, migrant domestic workers (MDW) experience multidimensional poverty on an exacerbated level. More than 250,000 migrant domestic workers in Lebanon predominantly come from “African and Asian countries” under the kafala system, a sponsorship system that is described as “modern-day slavery.” Women are most affected by this system. According to U.N. Women, women make up 76% of all migrant workers and 99% of MDW who come to Lebanon.
The Kafala System
The Lebanese state excludes MDW from the Labor Law, leaving them without basic legal protections. Instead, they are in a contractual relationship with their employer, who is responsible for their “legal status and visa.” Employers frequently confiscate passports and restrict movement, shaping their daily lived reality.
U.N. Women reports that “94% of employers withheld the worker’s passport and 61% of employers did not allow the worker to engage in social or learning activities with NGOs.” Working conditions for MDWs under the kafala system are extremely difficult. They are subject to long hours with little to no time off.
MDWs report “verbal and psychological abuse and physical violence” inflicted on them by their employer. U.N. Women has documented that 22.5% of Lebanese employers “always or sometimes lock their domestic worker inside the house.”
Racialized Labor and Social Discrimination Against MDWs
Racism underpins the treatment of MDWs in Lebanon. Migration patterns document that the majority of MDWs in Lebanon are from Ethiopia. As a result, the term “El-Ethiopiyye,” meaning “The Ethiopian,” is a derogatory label used to refer to all MDWs, regardless of what their actual nationality is.
Furthermore, health care access remains severely restricted for them. Hospitals and doctors turn MDWs away for “not having legal documents, or simply because they’re not Lebanese.” Many MDWs avoid seeking health care because they fear deportation and lack the financial means to pay for the treatment.
The combination of poor working conditions and inability to access health care is prevalent in the increasing number of cases in psychiatric consultations. Doctors Without Borders reports that from 2023 to 2024, “psychiatric consultations in the Bourj Hammoud clinic doubled.”
Economic Collapse, COVID-19 and Armed Conflict
Economic collapse, the COVID-19 pandemic and armed conflict have intensified the vulnerability of MDWs in Lebanon. Following COVID-19, the Lebanese lira depreciated, leading to wage cuts for MDWs. A worker who was able to send their family $200 is now only able to send $120, subject to fluctuating exchange rates.
The 2024 Israel bombing of Lebanon left MDWs extremely vulnerable. Many employers fled Beirut, leaving their workers behind. Doctors Without Borders reports that employers abandoned MDWs on the streets or locked them inside their homes as they fled for safety.
Doctors Without Borders
Doctors Without Borders is an international medical humanitarian organization that delivers lifesaving aid to people in crisis worldwide. The organization operates in more than 75 countries, including Lebanon. Since its founding in 1971, it has been working to deliver care, including surgery, vaccination, nutrition support and mental health support.
The charity has a clinic in the northern Beirut suburb of Bourj Hammoud. Here, the organization responds to medical needs through consultations, sexual and reproductive health services and mental health services. Its clinic also covers any life-threatening referral costs from hospitalization.
To break down barriers for migrant workers accessing health care in Lebanon, it offers translators for medical appointments. This decreases the risk of migrant workers being unable to access appropriate health care due to language barriers. The organization expands its medical care to encompass meeting migrant workers’ basic needs. To support this, it has social workers who refer patients to services that provide basic needs such as food and shelter.
Following the Israeli bombing of Lebanon, the initiative set up a mobile clinic from which it donated essential relief items and delivered medical care. During this aid effort, the organization delivered 400 kits of basic relief items to shelters, which included hygiene materials and mattresses. The organization further provided mental health outreach for those affected by the bombing.
Beatrice’s Story
Doctors Without Borders has helped hundreds of migrant workers, including Beatrice. It documented that on October 6, 2024, Lebanon was under bombardment by Israel and Beatrice had been left locked inside the house alone. To flee her employer’s home, Beatrice jumped from the balcony and broke her ankles.
The organization interviewed Beatrice, who stated: “My friends called an organization to see if they could support me with the treatment. That organization, along with Doctors Without Borders, covered my surgery, medication and the two-month recovery period.” Without the aid of the charity, Beatrice would have suffered her injuries without hope of medical attention.
Hope Beyond Kafala
While the kafala system continues to exploit migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, the work of humanitarian organizations offers a powerful counter-narrative of hope and resilience. Groups such as Doctors Without Borders demonstrate that access to health care, dignity and protection is possible even within deeply unequal structures.
– Lucy Kerr
Lucy is based in Coventry, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
Tackling NTDs in Fiji
NTDs have a far-reaching impact on the communities where they circulate, often carrying a poor prognosis and leading to disfigurement or death. Beyond the severe physical implications, NTDs are associated with social exclusion and cycles of poverty stemming from the poor health of the infected individual. However, with effective management and coordination strategies, the impact of NTDs can be significantly reduced. Through sustained effort from both a social and medical perspective, Fiji has seen several landmark successes in its fight against NTDs. Below are three examples of progress in the fight against NTDs in Fiji.
Elimination of Trachoma
Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness in the world and is spread by direct contact with infected individuals. The overall number of people at risk of contracting trachoma due to residence in an endemic region has more than halved between 2010 and 2024, due to improved data collection and the successful implementation of the WHO’s reduction strategy. In 2025, Fiji eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This made it the first Neglected Tropical Disease in the country to achieve this status, as granted by the WHO.
The WHO attributed the elimination to extensive testing, public health initiatives and awareness efforts. The elimination of the disease marks a turning point in a country where trachoma had at several points been a public health concern, notably during a resurgence in the 2000s.
National Response to Scabies
Scabies is a highly infectious disease that is particularly prevalent in impoverished communities in tropical areas. It can lead to severe illness, including heart disease and kidney disease.
Scabies has historically been prevalent in Fiji. In 2016, the government found that skin and soft tissue infections, of which scabies is a part, were the fifth-highest cause of death in the country. Faced with this challenge, Fiji carried out a national scabies audit and subsequently embarked on a program of mass drug administration (MDA).
Fiji was one of the first two countries in the world to implement MDA for scabies. One study showed that the program significantly reduced community prevalence of scabies within a year, from 32% to 2%. The campaign was successful in reducing the prevalence of the NTD to a controllable level, marking a significant achievement for national disease prevention efforts.
Lymphatic Filariasis
Lymphatic filariasis is a Neglected Tropical Disease spread by infected mosquitoes that causes abnormal swelling. It is commonly found in low-income communities where access to health care and sanitation is limited. Although it has faced several challenges in the effective control of lymphatic filariasis, Fiji has made and continues to make progress in tackling the disease. Between 1997 and 2007, Fiji significantly reduced the presence of the NTD, partly due to successful mass drug administration. The mass drug administration program is still underway, with coverage having reached more than 94% of the population, and transmission of the disease among at-risk populations having dropped by 43%.
Looking Ahead
Neglected Tropical Diseases remain a significant global health priority, especially among impoverished communities in tropical areas. However, Fiji has demonstrated how public health measures, community engagement and awareness efforts can contribute to reducing, and in some cases eliminating, NTDs.
– Phoebe Lang-Clapp
Photo: Flickr
How Aid Groups Support Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon
The Kafala System
The Lebanese state excludes MDW from the Labor Law, leaving them without basic legal protections. Instead, they are in a contractual relationship with their employer, who is responsible for their “legal status and visa.” Employers frequently confiscate passports and restrict movement, shaping their daily lived reality.
U.N. Women reports that “94% of employers withheld the worker’s passport and 61% of employers did not allow the worker to engage in social or learning activities with NGOs.” Working conditions for MDWs under the kafala system are extremely difficult. They are subject to long hours with little to no time off.
MDWs report “verbal and psychological abuse and physical violence” inflicted on them by their employer. U.N. Women has documented that 22.5% of Lebanese employers “always or sometimes lock their domestic worker inside the house.”
Racialized Labor and Social Discrimination Against MDWs
Racism underpins the treatment of MDWs in Lebanon. Migration patterns document that the majority of MDWs in Lebanon are from Ethiopia. As a result, the term “El-Ethiopiyye,” meaning “The Ethiopian,” is a derogatory label used to refer to all MDWs, regardless of what their actual nationality is.
Furthermore, health care access remains severely restricted for them. Hospitals and doctors turn MDWs away for “not having legal documents, or simply because they’re not Lebanese.” Many MDWs avoid seeking health care because they fear deportation and lack the financial means to pay for the treatment.
The combination of poor working conditions and inability to access health care is prevalent in the increasing number of cases in psychiatric consultations. Doctors Without Borders reports that from 2023 to 2024, “psychiatric consultations in the Bourj Hammoud clinic doubled.”
Economic Collapse, COVID-19 and Armed Conflict
Economic collapse, the COVID-19 pandemic and armed conflict have intensified the vulnerability of MDWs in Lebanon. Following COVID-19, the Lebanese lira depreciated, leading to wage cuts for MDWs. A worker who was able to send their family $200 is now only able to send $120, subject to fluctuating exchange rates.
The 2024 Israel bombing of Lebanon left MDWs extremely vulnerable. Many employers fled Beirut, leaving their workers behind. Doctors Without Borders reports that employers abandoned MDWs on the streets or locked them inside their homes as they fled for safety.
Doctors Without Borders
Doctors Without Borders is an international medical humanitarian organization that delivers lifesaving aid to people in crisis worldwide. The organization operates in more than 75 countries, including Lebanon. Since its founding in 1971, it has been working to deliver care, including surgery, vaccination, nutrition support and mental health support.
The charity has a clinic in the northern Beirut suburb of Bourj Hammoud. Here, the organization responds to medical needs through consultations, sexual and reproductive health services and mental health services. Its clinic also covers any life-threatening referral costs from hospitalization.
To break down barriers for migrant workers accessing health care in Lebanon, it offers translators for medical appointments. This decreases the risk of migrant workers being unable to access appropriate health care due to language barriers. The organization expands its medical care to encompass meeting migrant workers’ basic needs. To support this, it has social workers who refer patients to services that provide basic needs such as food and shelter.
Following the Israeli bombing of Lebanon, the initiative set up a mobile clinic from which it donated essential relief items and delivered medical care. During this aid effort, the organization delivered 400 kits of basic relief items to shelters, which included hygiene materials and mattresses. The organization further provided mental health outreach for those affected by the bombing.
Beatrice’s Story
Doctors Without Borders has helped hundreds of migrant workers, including Beatrice. It documented that on October 6, 2024, Lebanon was under bombardment by Israel and Beatrice had been left locked inside the house alone. To flee her employer’s home, Beatrice jumped from the balcony and broke her ankles.
The organization interviewed Beatrice, who stated: “My friends called an organization to see if they could support me with the treatment. That organization, along with Doctors Without Borders, covered my surgery, medication and the two-month recovery period.” Without the aid of the charity, Beatrice would have suffered her injuries without hope of medical attention.
Hope Beyond Kafala
While the kafala system continues to exploit migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, the work of humanitarian organizations offers a powerful counter-narrative of hope and resilience. Groups such as Doctors Without Borders demonstrate that access to health care, dignity and protection is possible even within deeply unequal structures.
– Lucy Kerr
Photo: Flickr
The Rajpura–Mohali Rail Link & Regional Economic Access
Effective Regional Development
India’s rail network already serves as one of the largest public transportation systems in the world, carrying more than eight billion passengers annually. This development project to create a Rajpura–Mohali rail link will provide fast, affordable rail access, reduce commuting costs for low-income households and connect rural populations to urban job markets. The availability of reliable, affordable access to employment opportunities also enables workers to support themselves and their families while contributing to their communities by paying taxes and supporting local businesses.
Rail infrastructure is an important factor in reducing poverty, as it provides reliable access to employment opportunities through safe, affordable transportation. Reliable access to employment opportunities is essential to economic mobility; therefore, workers must be able to travel to their employment centers safely and affordably. Beginning with reasonably priced public transportation such as buses and trains, access to reliable employment allows workers to utilize employment opportunities they would not have had otherwise due to a lack of transportation.
Access to reliable employment opportunities also provides workers with the ability to increase their earning potential, which could provide them with a better quality of life through better living conditions, greater food security and better access to other necessities of life.
The Indian Government’s Infrastructure Development Strategy
Punjab is witnessing a significant increase in urbanization, primarily around Chandigarh. However, many rural and smaller towns are constrained by limited connectivity, hindering access to economic opportunities. The improved Rajpura–Mohali rail link may allow travelers to reach their destinations faster and rely less on expensive personal transportation.
In its pursuit to develop India, the Government of India views infrastructure as a key to long-term development. As part of this, it has committed, through the National Infrastructure Pipeline, to invest billions of rupees in transportation, energy and urban development to fuel long-term growth. Improved rail systems can create jobs during construction and support long-term employment by increasing mobility.
Research from the World Bank shows that infrastructure investment can boost productivity and reduce poverty when it improves access to markets and services. In regions where public transit remains the primary mode of travel for lower-income communities, expanding rail access can help narrow economic gaps.
Socioeconomic Mobility
Low-income households often spend a larger share of their income on transportation. Expanded rail access can reduce commuting costs and open up more job opportunities. Better connectivity also helps women access education and employment.
Students can commute safely to universities in Chandigarh, rural residents can reach specialized health care facilities and small businesses can move goods more efficiently. Transportation access is directly tied to economic participation. When people can move safely and affordably, they can earn better wages, improve health outcomes and invest in education.
Final Thoughts
The Rajpura–Mohali railway corridor shows how targeted rail development can reduce long-term geographic inequality in Punjab. The project will connect new urban centers with their surrounding areas. As construction moves forward, the corridor highlights a broader point: strategic infrastructure development is more than a physical building project. It can also be a powerful tool for reducing poverty.
– Julia Lavelle
Photo: Pexels
Digital Aid in Ukraine: Diia Platform as Wartime Lifeline
Aid Disruption
In addition to the growing number of casualties, of both soldiers and civilians, Ukraine has suffered the mass displacement of its citizens, economic and infrastructural decimation and a worsening refugee crisis. Since the beginning of the war, more than 14 million Ukrainians, roughly a third of the total population, have fled their homes. By November 2024, damage to infrastructure and resources had amounted to $170 billion.
Residential buildings, administrative buildings, energy supplies, health care services and digital infrastructure are the main targets.
Ukraine and E-Governance
However, in Ukraine’s case, the anticipated disruption to essential governmental and social services did not cause as much disruption. This is because the country significantly mitigated it six years ago by migrating from localized paper-based systems to an integrated digital “e-governance” platform called Diia. The government of Ukraine launched Diia nationally in 2020 under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine developed the platform as a mobile application and online portal to digitize public services and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency. The national platform allows citizens to access digital passports, business registrations and social services through a centralized system.
Diia During Warfare
Under siege, Diia has demonstrated administrative resilience and played a critical role in streamlining and maintaining the continuity of government operations disrupted by the war. For example, through its partnership with Visa, the system enabled the state to make financial transactions to citizens, ensuring they continued to receive financial aid throughout the conflict. This includes the UAH 6,500 ($158) in cash the government gave to those living in areas affected by the war and monthly government transfers of UAH 2,000 ($49) per adult and UAH 3,000 ($73) per child to those who have lost their homes and livelihoods.
Moreover, Diia has enabled accurate, consistent communication between the state and citizens, providing essential updates on the conflict’s proceedings. The public can also report any damage to property or infrastructure, keeping records precise and aiding the process of reparation and rebuilding. Vitally, Diia has ensured that Ukrainians can travel domestically and to neighboring European countries without hindrance, as border officials recognize Diia documents in several European nations.
Access to digital identification, including passports and relevant birth certificates, has streamlined crossings, reduced pressure on refugee processing systems and facilitated safer migration.
Final Thoughts
Responding to the mass displacement, infrastructural decimation and refugee crisis caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion, Diia has kept vital governmental services functioning and aided cross-border mobility. It has offered a unified platform for social assistance. By preserving digital aid distribution throughout Ukraine, the platform has restored financial and mobile agency to its citizens and bolstered their struggle against the disruptive and impoverishing effects of conflict.
– Jude Parsons
Photo: Flickr
Fighting Poverty Through Education in Latin America
Before COVID-19, roughly 52% of children in Latin America were unable to read and understand simple text. The pandemic has made this situation even worse, with young generations being less educated and lacking the tools necessary to transition into adulthood. However, international organizations are fighting poverty through younger generations by increasing investments in education to create a brighter future for millions of children across Latin America.
Learning Crisis
Over the last two decades, many countries in Latin America have experienced a learning crisis related to their younger generations. This crisis can take different forms across countries, depending on their specific geographic and social characteristics. In Argentina, for example, the most affected children are those living in rural areas, far from cities and their services.
As a result, many teachers are forced to teach children from multiple grades, ages and abilities in the same classroom, being unable to personalize the learning experience and focus on individual students. In other countries, such as Haiti, the learning crisis is related to the provision of educational opportunities to all members of the population.
In Haiti specifically, nearly 80% of primary schools are non-public, thus limiting access to education to those who can pay, on average, $130 per year. Many families cannot afford education and other necessities, so they decide not to send their children to school.
What Is Being Done?
To address the education crisis plaguing Latin America, several international organizations have stepped up efforts to expand access to education across the region. In September 2025, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) launched the LAC Future Bank. It is a five-year strategy designed to benefit 50 million children in Latin America through a $5 billion regional investment.
These funds will be used to develop projects that prioritize children and their needs, including education. Although this initiative addresses other issues related to childhood well-being, education is a main area of focus to “break cycles of poverty and inequality.” In Haiti, programs and organizations, such as the International Development Association (IDA) and its partners, have focused primarily on funding for millions of children.
From 2013 to 2023, IDA and partner organizations provided roughly half a million tuition waivers to children who could not afford to attend school. In other countries, such as El Salvador, projects like the “Growing up and Learning Together: Comprehensive Early Childhood Development Project” are working to create safe, clean schools with essential services for children.
The Impacts
Although it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of these investments in the short term, there have been early signs of improvement. World Bank investments have enabled middle-income countries to reduce their dropout rates and boost learning outcomes. Slowly but surely, improvements in education quality and access in Latin America are key to a more productive, inclusive and sustainable development pattern in the future for many countries across the region.
– Rodrigo Salgado
Photo: Unsplash
Digital Banking in Sierra Leone Expands Financial Inclusion
Financial Exclusion and Structural Barriers
Financial exclusion remains closely tied to poverty. Data from the 2023 Multidimensional Poverty in Sierra Leone report shows that 81.6% of the population lives in a household without a bank account. Additionally, 55.2% of the population is both multidimensionally poor and lives in a household without a bank account.
One major barrier is identification. Although 6.4 million people have a National ID number, fewer than 500,000 physical ID cards have been issued as of 2024 due to cost constraints in its first year. However, on July 31, 2024, Sky Bank partnered with Orange Money to launch “Bank2wallet” services, enabling seamless transfers between bank accounts and mobile wallets.
How Digital Banking in Sierra Leone Works
The Bank of Sierra Leone and the U.N. Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) are promoting digital financial services in the country by jointly producing the State of the Digital Financial Services Market report. The report tracks adoption trends, transaction patterns and barriers to inclusion to inform policy and market strategy. Their collaboration helps shape regulatory priorities and supports efforts to expand mobile money, agent networks and inclusive digital channels. This enables more people, especially women and underserved groups, to participate in the formal financial system.
Mobile money and USSD technology let users with basic feature phones access financial services without internet connectivity. By dialing short codes, users can check balances, transfer funds and pay bills. The system works through “push and pull” integration, allowing transfers between bank accounts and mobile money wallets such as Orange Money and Afrimoney.
Telecom providers Orange Money and Africell (Afrimoney) are the country’s main mobile money operators, while commercial banks have expanded their digital channels. Sierra Leone Commercial Bank offers the “Mi Yone” suite, which integrates with mobile wallets. Sky Bank provides mobile and online banking and enables transfers to Orange Money and Afrimoney via USSD.
Impact on Households and Small Businesses
Digital systems are increasingly used to deliver government support. In a recent emergency program, 35,000 households received cash transfers directly on their mobile phones. Linking digital IDs to mobile money is helping farmers access credit and markets and the instant payments switch is expected to make it easier for citizens to get loans and start businesses.
Broader economic initiatives have supported women and entrepreneurs. Action on Poverty helped 3,500 women and girls start small businesses and boosted incomes for 6,000 people by at least 50% by the end of 2019. The African Development Bank also partnered with Access Bank to fund small and medium-sized enterprises in Sierra Leone.
With several households lacking traditional bank accounts, digital banking in Sierra Leone offers a scalable alternative that avoids costly physical infrastructure and documentation barriers. By leveraging mobile money and USSD technology, these services expand access to basic financial tools.
Final Remarks
Recent years have seen rapid growth in digital banking in Sierra Leone. In 2023–2024, Metro Cable launched Vult, a digital banking platform designed to unify bank accounts, mobile money and payment services. The app onboarded more than 475,000 users into interoperable payment systems, making financial services more accessible to rural and low-income populations.
As partnerships among the government, the World Bank, UNCDF, telecom providers and commercial banks continue to expand, digital banking in Sierra Leone is gaining momentum. Indeed, it is becoming a measurable, technology-driven push to reduce financial exclusion and strengthen economic resilience.
– Aila Alsakka
Photo: Unsplash
Debt Relief in Zambia and Support for Public Health Systems
On June 22, 2023, Zambia’s Ministry of Finance and National Planning announced that Zambia had reached an agreement with its Official Creditors’ Committee on debt treatment under the Common Framework. The IMF issued a statement the same day welcoming the agreement and describing it as a significant step toward restoring debt sustainability. The Paris Club has also documented the establishment of a creditor committee for Zambia under the Common Framework, identifying the coordination structure for official creditors participating in Zambia’s treatment.
Structure of the IMF Program Supporting Debt Relief
In August 2022, the IMF Executive Board approved a 38-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement for Zambia. The IMF stated that the program aimed to restore macroeconomic stability and restore debt sustainability. It further noted that the arrangement was designed to create fiscal space for social spending.
In January 2026, the IMF reported the completion of the sixth and final review under the ECF arrangement, noting total disbursements under the program and describing ongoing reform efforts. The IMF has publicly linked the ECF-supported reform program to fiscal consolidation measures and debt restructuring milestones. The debt treatment agreement under the Common Framework, according to the IMF, was consistent with restoring debt sustainability.
International Institutions Supporting Zambia’s Health System
The World Bank Group issued a public statement on June 22, 2023, welcoming the Official Creditors’ Committee agreement on Zambia’s debt treatment. The Group described it as a milestone toward restoring debt sustainability. In addition to macroeconomic support, the World Bank documentation identifies active health-sector projects in Zambia.
The “Zambia COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project” states that its development objective is to prevent, detect and respond to COVID-19 threats in Zambia and strengthen national public health systems for preparedness. The World Bank also hosts documentation on Zambia’s National Health Compact, which outlines financing targets and policy commitments in the health sector. There is insufficient data, based solely on the publicly available compact document, to verify whether all financing targets have been fully implemented.
Debt Relief in Zambia as a Fiscal Policy Tool
Public statements from Zambia’s Ministry of Finance and the IMF describe debt relief in Zambia as part of a broader effort to restore debt sustainability and stabilize public finances. IMF communications explicitly state that creating fiscal space for social spending is an objective of the ECF-supported program. There is insufficient data, from the cited sources alone, to verify a quantified causal relationship between specific debt restructuring milestones and year-by-year changes in Zambia’s public health budget allocations.
Verification would require direct reference to Zambia’s enacted national budgets and attributable institutional analysis linking debt-service adjustments to sectoral expenditure changes.
– Aiden Moriarty
Photo: Unsplash
How Women’s Cooperatives in Morocco Are Boosting the Economy
Women’s Cooperatives in Morocco: A New Proud Tradition
The cooperative movement in Morocco is a relatively modern phenomenon, becoming prominent only in the late 20th century. Cooperatives were first established as a powerful response to limited employment opportunities for women seeking financial independence and a sense of solidarity and collaboration. They have since transformed into an economic force in both agriculture and artisanal production.
In 2025, there were 7,891 women’s cooperatives in Morocco, comprising more than 73,000 members. They involve 267,000 women who farm, produce and sell products ranging from embroidered textiles and carpets to livestock, agricultural products and cosmetics. This practice not only drives local economies but also unites rural communities, where 61% of women’s cooperatives in Morocco are located.
It also empowers poor women with limited economic opportunities to gain financial agency, real market power and a stake in the nation’s future.
Toudarte, Agadir: Argan Oil
For the last 22 years, Toudarte has been at the center of a growing community of women finding solidarity, purpose and employment in a growing argan oil cooperative. Meaning “life” in Amazigh, Toudarte has, from the start, prioritized developing an operation that delivers sustainable products and practices for both the environment and the now 100 women who make up its ranks.
Not only does Toudarte empower and economically benefit a region and its residents, but its authentic, traditional production methods also protect a historic Amazigh practice from soulless industrialization. Since its founding in 2004, the co-op has seen steady success. The women at Toudarte now plan to expand their independent business and open an inn for guests who want to experience the argan forest and its production process.
Not only does this development signal an ever-improving economic outlook for Toudarte, but it also brings further hope to a rural community transformed by the presence and success of a women’s cooperative.
Al Kawtar, Marrakech: Homeware and Clothing
The majority of women’s cooperatives in Morocco are rurally situated, making the most of tight-knit, sometimes remote, communities with shared knowledge, interests and fortunes. However, the work of the minority that operates in urban centers like Marrakech is just as vital. That can easily be said of Al Kawtar, a homeware and clothing co-op that specifically offers women with disabilities the chance to earn a steady income and build a community.
The cooperative’s goals are to give women with physical disabilities the opportunity to independently earn a living based on their own talents and abilities. In the process, Al Kawtar creates a space for the most vulnerable women in Morocco to stand on their own two feet and receive fair market prices for their craft.
Coopérative Timnay, Sirwa: Textiles and Carpets
Coopérative Timnay takes the idea of community and self-reliance one step further, incorporating the larger local shepherding community and utilizing regional materials whenever possible. Vitally, it also uses a proportion of the cooperative’s profits to support the paid training of young women and to facilitate the benefits of membership, including health care, a group savings fund, child care and career progression.
Rather than merely a source of income, Coopérative Timnay offers the opportunity for a lifelong career. Understanding the extra demands that women in Morocco face, the charity ensures that a meaningful and rewarding future is available to those who might otherwise be forced to migrate for employment. Cooperatives like these protect Amazigh people and practices, allowing a prosperous future for the rural communities that desperately need it.
The Difference Maker in the Fight Against Poverty?
Since the turn of the 21st century, there has been significant progress in reducing poverty in Morocco, with the national poverty rate steadily decreasing. COVID-19, droughts and the international impact of the Russia-Ukraine war interrupted this trend in the early 2020s. However, with an improving economy in 2023–24, the World Bank expects poverty to resume its two-decade-long decline, falling below 3.9%.
Women’s cooperatives like those mentioned above have the potential to further advance this development by providing women and families with the financial resources they need to improve their economic outlook. Regional surveys prove that membership in a co-op can more than double a family’s household income. An improved income of this scale also offers individuals the freedom to hold bank accounts, build savings and access credit, opening the door to long-term increased prosperity.
The empowerment of women in any developing country is essential to its social and economic success. Women gaining personal and financial autonomy means a larger working population, greater and more diverse markets, higher average incomes and smaller, more prosperous families. The cooperative movement, therefore, has become a driving force in reducing poverty in Morocco.
It has offered a future for its women, who are more able than ever to access essential opportunities for personal and economic growth and security.
– Evan Meikle
Photo: Flickr
Efforts To Address Maternal Health Care in Zimbabwe
Challenges To Maternal Health Care in Zimbabwe
There is a high rate of adolescent pregnancies in Zimbabwe, with more than 10% of births coming from women aged 15–19 years. For adolescent mothers in particular, the biggest barrier to receiving maternal health care is the stigma that comes with being a young mother. Other barriers for expectant mothers include cost, distance, cultural preferences, religious beliefs, a lack of information and distrust in the formal health care system.
Many women in Zimbabwe are hesitant to seek care from the public health system because of the lack of privacy and genuine care from these health professionals. With almost half of the population living in poverty, it becomes very difficult to afford private health services or travel out of rural areas to receive them. That being said, according to Amnesty International, more than 20% of women give birth without any skilled assistance.
Traditional Birth Attendants
In response to cultural preferences and religious beliefs, many women in rural Zimbabwe seek maternal health care from traditional birth attendants. These are often other women with extensive experience with live births, whether from their own births or those of family or friends. They assist expectant mothers who are unable to access the public health system.
Traditional birth attendants mainly operate in rural areas without sufficient maternal health care support. These women do not have any professional training or the tools necessary to conduct safe births. They function solely on their independent knowledge and desire to help pregnant women who have no support from family.
However, their presence is still incredibly helpful in ensuring safer births that would otherwise not occur. In particular, the group Women in Action, which is based in Epworth, a populated community near Harare, has become an essential resource for young women expecting children. Women in Action was founded in 2003 and has since assisted with more than 50,000 live births.
Its work is not confined to the immediate birth. The organization also helps with prenatal and postnatal care, something many women in rural Zimbabwe do not receive. “Soon after delivery, [the women] accompany mothers and newborns to nearby facilities for postnatal attention and even help arrange housing for new mothers if needed, bridging a critical gap in Zimbabwe’s overstretched maternal health system.”
Traditional birth attendants are essential to achieving adequate maternal health care in Zimbabwe. They should be provided with more support to help pregnant women best.
AI Midwife
Another innovation helping maternal health care in Zimbabwe is the creation of the AI midwife, Nyamukuta. This AI chatbot was created by a group of Zimbabwean women who noticed the lack of maternal health care in their communities. They designed the app to generate no profit, but rather to help pregnant women access more accessible care.
Given concerns that many people lack internet access, Nyamukuta was designed as a WhatsApp chatbot to make the midwife accessible in areas with slow internet access. Alongside the AI informational chatbot, the creators of Nyamukuta distributed blood pressure machines to pregnant women to help them monitor their health more effectively.
Conclusion
Combining Nyamukuta’s efforts with those of traditional birth attendants could have a significant impact. Traditional birth attendants lack the proper tools to serve their communities adequately.
With portable blood pressure machines and access to the information Nyamukuta provides, they would have a significant advantage in the care they can offer. Meaningful strides are already being made to address maternal health care in Zimbabwe and the trend is upward.
– Kaitlyn Crane
Photo: Flickr
Advancing Women’s Health Care in Lebanon
Positively, the World Bank reported that the country witnessed a “fragile rebound” in its economy at the end of 2025. The Group foresees steady GDP growth in 2026. However, it warns that multiple threats could put this trajectory at risk of another collapse.
With government systems failing, families have had to rely on nonprofits for essential aid. Anera, a nonprofit organization that previously focused on aiding refugees, estimates that about 50% of the people it is helping now are Lebanese. Moreover, due to hostilities from Israel–Hezbollah conflicts, the European Commission estimated a total of 2.2 million Lebanese people in need of humanitarian aid in 2025.
Health Care, Women and Gender Biases
While the economy is faltering, the number of women entering the health care sector in Lebanon is spiking. Now, in 2026, they represent nearly half of the medical students. This progress stands in contrast to the country’s broader gender disparities, as Lebanon ranks 136th out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Index.
Despite the trend of increased feminization of the workforce, women remain underrepresented in management and academic positions. They nevertheless have limited access to esteemed fellowships and specialty positions and are not paid the same wage as their male counterparts. Looking past the statistical disparities of women in the workforce, women in Lebanon face numerous barriers in health care accessibility and quality.
The economic crisis mentioned earlier exacerbated the cost of seeking health care, affecting women and girls, especially those in underprivileged areas. Prices for menstrual products, for example, rose by up to 234% for local brands and 409% for imported ones. As a result, 66% of girls could no longer afford them and instead turned to unsanitary and often dangerous alternatives.
UNFPA
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a human rights agency working in more than 150 countries globally to ensure that the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls are met fairly. In partnership with organizations such as UNICEF, it has raised funds, written training manuals for health care professionals and provided health care services to advance social equality and tackle gender-based violence. Its ultimate goal is to break the cycle of poverty by investing in the education of girls on the subjects of sexual and reproductive health.
Women Now for Development
Based in Syria and founded in Paris in 2012, Women Now for Development is a grassroots organization operating in Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. Its goal is to support, protect and empower women in their day-to-day lives. At its centers, it offers psychological and family counseling, educational support, recreational activities, vocational training and child care services.
It targets the most vulnerable female populations: refugees and disabled women and children. Over the years, it has helped many families regain dignity and autonomy.
Looking Forward
Nonprofit organizations such as UNFPA and Women Now for Development are significant steps forward in creating a sustainable, accessible future for women’s health care in Lebanon. Evident in the country’s ever-growing poverty statistics, however, is that there is still much to be done. Part of this effort includes securing Lebanon’s economic momentum; positive reforms and efforts to uphold political stability are essential to ensuring a Lebanese health care system that is accessible, fair and inclusive.
– Brittany Buscio
Photo: Flickr