Egypt grapples with the highest homelessness rate in Africa, reaching 11.6%. This issue affects a staggering 12 million people, including approximately 3 million children. Notably, Egypt’s divorce laws create vulnerabilities for women, putting them at risk of homelessness due to certain legal disadvantages.
Cultural Norms
Cultural norms and ideas reinforce women’s unequal access to housing from the moment they are born. Families often finance apartments or houses for male siblings but do not ensure female siblings’ housing. Instead, families tell their girls that guaranteeing them a place to live is unnecessary after marriage as this responsibility falls to their husbands. Because of this cultural perspective, women’s access to housing often depends on their marital success, which, in some cases, occurs at a young age. While the rate of early marriages has decreased in recent years, a 2021 survey revealed that 17.4% of women in their early 20s had been married or engaged before turning 18.
Discriminatory Egyptian Divorce Laws
Divorced Egyptian women and their children are particularly at risk of homelessness as Egypt’s divorce laws place them at a disadvantage. According to Egyptian family laws, mothers receive custodial rights to their children until the age of 15, however, a common occurrence is that fathers “kidnap” their children by refusing to relinquish them back to the mother after visitation hours are over.
A woman interviewed by the Egyptian news outlet Mada demonstrated the limited enforcement of mothers’ custodial rights in the country. After her children were kidnapped by her ex-husband, the policemen she spoke to refused to enforce her custodial rights by indicating that “a father does not kidnap his own son.” The legal protection of mothers’ custodial rights also ends when they remarry and a survey that the Association of the Development and Enhancement of Women (ADEW) conducted indicated that 90% of divorced mothers opted not to remarry to maintain custody of their children.
When women do retain custody, courts in Egypt are typically lax when enforcing alimony payments, leaving the already vulnerable women to take care of their children with limited financial means. At the age of 15, children living with their mothers can choose between continuing to live with their mothers or going to live with their fathers. Even if the child decides to keep living with their mother, the father can stop paying alimony. Additionally, he can choose to evict the mother and the children from the custody home. If the father decides to order their removal from the home, mothers have little legal recourse and often end up homeless along with their children.
The Reality of Post-Divorce Life for Egyptian Women
Other factors also make post-divorce life difficult for women in Egypt. In general, they only have access to limited income-earning opportunities. Attempting to reintegrate into the job market is especially difficult as some husbands expect wives to quit their jobs after marriage and divorcees end up with little to no job experience. The stigma associated with divorce also makes divorcees feel alienated and discriminated against. A woman’s plea for help after a divorce could meet disregard from her family due to the taboo of being associated with a divorcee. Even if the marriage ended because of the husband’s physical or psychological abuse, the blame for the end of the marriage falls solely on the wife and she must put up with derogatory labels such as “kharrabet beyout” (home-wrecker), or even “kharg beit” (secondhand).
The Perils of the Divorce Process
Aside from the insecurity divorce brings upon women, it is a much more arduous process for them than it is for men. Indeed, all men need to divorce their spouses is an oral renunciation recognized by a religious notary. They do not even require the assistance of a legal court.
On the other hand, a court has to accept a woman’s proposal for divorce, a process that can take years if the husband refuses. To obtain a divorce with full financial rights, a woman has to provide evidence that her husband has harmed and abused her. Additionally, all women, including those who have testified that their husbands have physically abused them, must attempt reconciliation in a court-ordered mediation process. During the often-long process of obtaining a divorce, women separated from their husbands are not eligible for state financial aid programs, condemning them to homelessness if they do not have any family to help them. In order to shorten the divorce proceedings and avoid homelessness, Egyptian women will sometimes have no choice but to sign away their financial and custodial privileges to the father.
A Catalyst for Disadvantageous Marriage Power Dynamics
Because Egypt’s divorce laws deprive women of economic security after divorce and due to the arduous process involved in obtaining a divorce, many Egyptian women may choose to remain in abusive or unhealthy marriages. Rates of domestic violence are also high in the country, with a study indicating that up to 86% of married women in Egypt have experienced physical or psychological abuse.
The lack of stability after divorce creates dangerous power dynamics within marital relationships. Ghada Abdel Fattah’s story, told by Al Jazeera, illustrates the dire consequences of divorcing in Egypt. After her husband asked for a divorce, Fattah and her daughter were kicked out of their home and would have had no shelter if it was not for her family who provided refuge. She eventually found employment and is now saving money to secure a home for herself and her daughter.
Taking Action
In 2o22, three Egyptian college students started a campaign called “Enty Zel Nafsek” (“You Are Your Own Shadow”) to raise awareness about the issues divorced women face in Egypt and to reduce the unfair stigma associated with divorce. The girls seek to provide emotional support to divorced Egyptian women and also support women’s businesses by advertising the businesses on their social media accounts.
Another organization founded by Engy Raafat, a survivor of domestic violence, helps women get back on their feet after divorce by providing financial, emotional and legal support. Raafat’s organization, called You Can, has had a tremendous impact on the lives of women across Egypt, helping more than 5,000 women find jobs.
– Tatiana Gnuva
Photo: Stockvault
Foreign Aid to Haiti: How the US and Ecuador Are Helping
In 2021, Haitian President Jovenel Moise was killed in his own home in an attack planned by individuals from Columbia all the way to the U.S. The current situation in Haiti remains hostile as a result, with street gangs perpetrating intense acts of violence — violence that is only possible with consistent political instability, insecurity and poverty in Haiti.
Those factors have massive effects on its people, many of whom are living in severe poverty on top of being under constant threat. It starts from the top down; nearly 66% of the capital city of Port-au-Prince is under that threat. With no stability in the capital, the outer regions of the country can not gain a foothold themselves, and the unemployment rate rises as businesses are forced to close, driving poverty rates.
Because of the violence taking place, more than 160,000 people are internally displaced which has hindered NGO aid efforts including CARE and the International Organization for Migration, the latter being boots on the ground providing access to clean water and health services in the most dangerous regions. Change is needed at the source and both the U.S. and Ecuador are stepping up efforts to fight poverty in Haiti. Here is some information about foreign aid to Haiti.
Foreign Aid to Haiti to Help With Stability
Ecuador played a role in discovering who took part in the plot against the country’s president, offering a chance to hold those involved accountable while closing the door on a solemn time in Haitian history. It shed light on Columbia due to the perpetrators residing there but also because of an Ecuadorian presidential candidate who suffered the same fate as other armed men based in Colombia. Venezuela voiced its support for Ecuador’s claims by saying a “gang of Colombian hitmen” committed political violence outside Colombian borders.
The United States backed support with action by signing the December 21 Accord, along with a host of other political actors and civil society groups, that aims to establish a new transitional and representative government that will lead to free and fair elections by the end of 2023. United States Ambassador Robert Wood stated the accord is “an opportunity for Hattians” to work towards bringing stability to the country by “improving governance.” Ecuador was crucial to the negotiations and drafting of the resolution that relied heavily on international support.
Foreign Intervention
In late 2022, Prime Minister Ariel Henry made a plea for armed, multinational support. Kenya stepped forward volunteering to lead such a force, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres supporting the deployment, believing it needs to be both “robust” and “rapid.” The U.S. previously said it would provide foreign aid to Haiti, and with Ecuador, introduced a resolution to the United Nations that would authorize the deployment; an action that long-term, is designed to bring stability to and fight poverty in Haiti by the U.S. and Ecuador.
The Haitian people back the force because it is a way for the country to push out street gangs, which are the root cause of much of insecurity and poverty in Haiti. Reuters reports that around 70% of people would support it in coordination with the national police.
Both countries reiterated their support for Haiti at the United Nations Security Council meeting in early 2023, with the U.S. saying it is encouraged by the outpouring of support and Ecuador acknowledging the efforts of the national police under the conditions. Haiti lacks the resources to “resolve this crisis alone,” said Victor Généus, Haiti’s Foreign Affairs Minister and the security risk that Haiti is facing, is a security threat to the whole region. Stopping it at the source is mutually beneficial for many near the small Caribbean nation.
– Benett Crim
Photo: Flickr
NGOs Help Women in Syria Tackle Period Poverty
The Crux
Period poverty, according to Medical News Today, is the lack of access to menstrual products, education, hygiene facilities, waste management or a combination of these. It impacts approximately 500 million people worldwide. With part of the country still under siege and other parts submerged by an earthquake, women in Syria are facing period poverty and at an alarming rate.
Amid the ongoing war, prices of food and other necessities in Syria have skyrocketed leading to a high cost of living. Pads that were sold for between 15 and 25 Syrian pounds now cost 2,500 to 4,000 pounds.
Relief items sent by donors, rarely however, contain products for menstruation. These gender-blind responses discriminate against women as other items including food, clothing and shelter are deemed more important than menstrual products. These and other factors have led to period poverty in Syria.
A Helping Hand
Utopia, an NGO made up of women started making hand-sewn pads to cater for the gap in the market as a result of the war. Within the one hour of constant electricity supplied by the government as a result of the country’s war-ravaged power plants followed by a five hour power cut, the small team makes a little over 20 reusable, economical and eco-friendly pads. The organization has been able to sell/donate around 370 pads and 900 diapers for the aged and babies.
To combat period poverty in Syria, Utopia sells the pads at the manufacturing cost of 1,000 pounds per pad. The NGO used to provide food, drugs and financial assistance to needy students but had to include pad production as a result of the changing times and its impact on Syrian women.
Local NGO, Arab Women’s Society, has partnered with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the Syria Trust for Development to provide hygiene kits, including menstrual pads, to families in the vicinity. The society and its partners distribute period products and hygiene kits to 1,200 women in rural parts of Deir Ezzor, three times a month.
Founded by Evelina Llewelly, the period poverty-fighting organization, Jeyetna, based in Lebanon collects donations in cash and in-kind and gives them out to individuals on the ground.
The organization, which makes combatting period poverty in Syria and eliminating the stigma around periods their aim said in an interview with Alarabiya News, “In the case of natural disasters, period poverty worsens due to the gender-blind prioritization of other needs perceived as more essential like shelter, food, and water.”
A Look Ahead
Periods do not stop during war or earthquakes. It is commendable that these local NGOs are doing all within their power to help eliminate period poverty in Syria with scanty resources during these trying times. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr, “Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others.
Yet, it goes without saying that more could be done to alleviate this situation bedeviling Syrian women.
– Angela A. Darkwah
Photo: Flickr
Navigating Gender Equality in Turkmenistan
Historical Overview: Understanding the Journey of Gender Equality in Turkmenistan
Like many countries in Central Asia, Turkmenistan has a traditional society influenced by deeply rooted cultural norms and patriarchal values. Especially under the Soviet Union in 1920, women had limited opportunities for education, employment and political participation until the country gained independence. After 1991, the government began to address gender inequality. This included “aligning Turkmenistan’s legal framework, policies and practices for children and women with international standards and best practices.”
Education Equality: Breaking Barriers to Provide Equal Access to Education
Turkmenistan has made significant progress in providing equal access to education for women. Women and men in Turkmenistan have equal rights to pursue education at all levels. According to data from UNESCO, the number of girls enrolled in primary education was approximately 275,071 in 2022 compared to the number of boys enrolled, which was 289,941. As well as education being accessible at primary levels for girls, women in Turkmenistan have the opportunity to pursue higher education. Universities and institutions of higher learning admit both male and female students with no gender-based restrictions on education choices. According to figures from UNESCO, the number of female students enrolled in higher education institutions was 237,454 in 2022 compared to the number of male students enrolled, which was 248,425.
Political Participation: Women’s Role in Shaping Turkmenistan’s Future
Turkmenistan has made efforts to increase women’s political participation, with women occupying seats in the national parliament and local government bodies. In the March 2023 elections, 25.6% of the parliament seats were held by women. This represents substantial progress compared to previous years; in 2013, women made up 16.8% of parliament. The presence of women in parliament works in hand with the legislation aimed at protecting women’s rights, which includes measures against domestic violence and gender-based discrimination. These include:
Women as Agents of Change: Gender Equality in Turkmenistan
Turkmen women have increasingly joined the workforce, making vital contributions to the nation’s economy. As established businesses and start-ups become more frequently present throughout the country, entrepreneurship is on the rise among Turkmen women. One woman in particular has put this into practice. Bahar Shihkulieva founded and directs The Business Women’s Center. It supports the “development of women’s entrepreneurship in Turkmenistan” and their creative initiatives by organizing events that strengthen and expand the cooperation of Turkmen women. With empowered women like Bahar founding organizations that actively support women in the workforce, this actively inspires and promotes education among children and future generations.
To further advance women’s rights in Turkmenistan, it is crucial for the government and civil society organizations to work together to continue the efforts made to promote education among women and children. Promoting gender equality requires not only legal reforms but also changes in societal attitudes and behaviors. Turkmenistan has come a long way in promoting women’s rights. However, there is still work to be done to ensure that women can fully participate in all aspects of society without discrimination.
– Mia Deniz Duru
Photo: Flickr
Organic Underwear Company Tackles Period Poverty in Austria
Targeting Period Poverty in the EU
The humanitarian organization Plan International says period poverty occurs when monthly expenses for period products pose a “financial burden,” leading to a lack of products and adequate hygiene. Over the past few years, studies in EU countries like France, the Netherlands and Germany revealed period poverty and barriers to accessing hygiene products for certain groups in these countries.
In 2007, the European Commission allowed EU countries to lower the tax on feminine hygiene products to as little as 5%. Although some EU countries still tax menstrual products over 20%, the same amount as wine and cigarettes, other countries like Austria opted to lower the tax in response to protests. On Jan. 1, 2021, Austria reduced the tax on menstrual products from 20% to 10%. Before Austria’s policy change, menstrual products were taxed 10% more than unprocessed tobacco and caviar.
The progress in fighting period poverty in Austria is thanks to the combined efforts of activists and independent businesses. One of these businesses is Strawberry Week, which sells organic underwear and period products. Strawberry Week started campaigning in 2016 with an open letter to the Austrian Finance Minister. The group also protested in front of the Ministry of Finance with other activist organizations in late 2019. These activists are part of a growing movement to end period poverty in the EU. It is finding success with signature campaigns, referendums and demonstrations.
Period Poverty Continues in Austria
According to the OECD Better Life Index, Austria is relatively prosperous and ranks high in living standards. Despite this, Strawberry Week says the costs of monthly period care pose difficulties for Austrians living in poverty. Seventeen percent of the Austrian population is at risk for poverty.
Strawberry Week calculates the average menstruating person in Austria spends 7,000 EUR (over $7,400 USD) on period products and contraception in their lifetime. Although menstrual products are necessary for hygiene, people struggling financially must spend money on food and other essentials before period care.
3 Recent Solutions to Combatting Period Poverty In Austria
Since the tax decrease at the beginning of 2021, humanitarian organizations and activists have implemented several initiatives to reduce period poverty in Austria further.
Austria is just one example of how people face barriers to accessing basic hygiene products, even in countries that enjoy high living standards. Despite progress in tax policy, organizations like Strawberry Week keep advocating for greater accessibility of menstrual products to eliminate period poverty in Austria.
– Lia Freeman
Photo: Flickr
Murhaf Hamid: A Story of Grace
Murhaf Hamid of Southern Sweden has captured the public’s attention and everyone’s affection. Hamid worked for a local campaign that fights poverty by selling “majblomman,” which are “little pins sold by children aged 9–12 to collect money for charity.” By simply selling flower pins, the young boy has raised more than $230,000 for charity and went viral on social media for his gracious acts.
Who is Murhaf Hamid?
Although born in Sweden, Murhaf Hamid, 11 years old, was born to Ethiopian parents. In Sweden, many young children between the ages of 9–12 participate in a campaign that sells flower pins for charity. These children also get to keep 10% of the profits that they raise.
Originally, Murhaf was just hoping to raise enough money to buy food to split with his friends. He went in with no intention of raising a significant amount of money. When Murhaf began to sell his flower pins, many told him to leave the streets and received minimal support from the public. A family friend realized his hard work was not getting the attention it deserved, so then took to social media to help spread the word.
Praised by Many
Once Murhaf’s efforts were posted on Facebook, the 11-year-old quickly went viral. He made multiple headlines across the globe, including receiving almost an additional $11,000 in tips to continue his campaigning from donors all over.
Not only did his recognition spread across social media, but the prime minister also recognized Murhaf and he even received an invite to The Swedish Parliament and the Town Hall in Malmo. Murhaf was even able to sell one of his pins to the prime minister once he met with him. On top of Murhaf raising this money, it also allowed the charity to gain more publicity, leading to more participants and donors toward poverty in Sweden.
Poverty in Sweden: How Has It Changed?
Sweden, a socialist state, has received recognition across the world for having a low poverty rate. In fact, Sweden has one of the lowest poverty rates in Europe. It prides itself on having a stable government and an effective welfare system and can provide jobs. Despite this, Sweden has recently struggled with a recession and has a low-performing economy, leaving poverty to skyrocket. Currently, poverty in Sweden is growing “in a way that we have not seen before.”
Many citizens who were not struggling prior to the recession now find themselves with nowhere to turn and have to rely on Red Cross Shops for their food. Many experts say this recession will last into 2024, and it will take time and effort for Sweden to bounce back from this setback. That is why efforts from individuals like Murhaf Hamid and his dedication hold such significance.
– Ryan Balberman
Photo: Flickr
How Poverty in the DRC Impacts Epidemics
Disease, Vaccination and the DRC
For the African continent, the DRC has a history of being “ground zero for infectious diseases,” according to Foreign Policy. It is plagued with annual epidemics such as malaria, Ebola, polio and cholera. Insufficient financial resources and the country’s territorial size stifle efforts to contain the outbreaks. Still, there have been mass vaccination initiatives from both governments and NGOs to alleviate the impact of epidemics.
This produced a steady increase in immunization rates, both in the DRC and globally. But COVID-19 temporarily reversed this trend. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF collected data in 2019–2021 that showed the percentage of infants who received DTP3 (three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccines) had fallen to 81%. That was five percentage points down from pre-pandemic levels.
In the DRC, the decline in vaccination rates was even greater. UNICEF reported that “the coverage of vaccination against all the recommended early childhood diseases…had decreased between 8 to 10 percent,” and, “coverage of other vaccines against chickenpox, measles, yellow fever…has decreased between 4.5 and 1.5%.”
The Impact of Poverty in the DRC
In these conditions, the many facets of poverty (lack of accessible water, low sanitation levels and food insecurity) in the DRC only exacerbate the disease epidemics. According to Global Waters, in the DRC, “52% of the population…has access to basic water and 29% has access to sanitation.” These two factors have detrimental consequences. First, low sanitation levels mean less preventive protection against disease and more areas where it can thrive. The lack of accessible water forces people to travel longer distances to attain necessary resources, raising the likelihood of interacting with infected persons. Such consequences are not contained in the DRC. Migrating persons and cross-border travelers carry the disease to the populations in other countries.
Another indirect facet of poverty is access to education. Persons who spend their waking hours hungry, laboring or searching for food and water, have less time and fewer resources to allot to other activities. They do not have the luxury of free time or disposable income for education.
In the context of pandemics this lack of education, specifically the lack of access to correct information, increases the susceptibility of persons to be misinformed on vaccines. Videos likely produced outside of Africa containing lies about the vaccine — that it caused death and infertility — fueled a greater distrust in vaccines, according to PBS. This, in turn, discouraged persons from vaccinations, furthering the disease spread in the population.
Recent International Developments
Fortunately, the plight of the Congolese people did not go unnoticed. In 2020, The DRC government invested twice as much in purchasing vaccines, and a range of international organizations and financial partners (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, Rotary, USAID and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) offered assistance in the immunization efforts.
The decline in child vaccinations has been mostly overturned. The WHO reported that “the number of children missing out on any vaccination…improved from 18.1 million in 2021 to 14.3 million in 2022, nearly back to pre-pandemic 2019 levels.”
The DRC still remains a likely epicenter for potential disease outbreaks. But with the assistance of international organizations, the country’s government could play a significant role in containing the next outbreak.
– Nicholas Jaramillo
Photo: Flickr
Empowering Women Through Vocational Training Centers in Pakistan
Farida courageously advocated for economic development through the education of local women. Her tragic murder serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by women’s rights activists in the FATA (Federally Administrative Tribal Areas) regions of Pakistan. In these parts of the country, women are often expected to strictly follow pardah. This enforces their seclusion and perpetuates their vulnerability. Through providing vocational training to women and girls, Farida’s NGO challenges norms and traditions that threaten both women’s rights and Pakistan’s development.
The Benefits of Vocational Training Centers in Pakistan
Creating a skilled workforce is vital for fighting poverty in any nation. Globally, the work landscape is rapidly evolving with emerging technologies and digital advances. The TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) mission, as defined by Pakistan’s Ministry of Education, is to provide skilled manpower to the labor market, enacting a shift from curriculum-based education to competency-based training.
In a landscape where a historical caste system has stigmatized many valuable occupations, the government’s support for vocational training centers in Pakistan is much needed. Higher education is often considered the more reputable option, but this prejudice may contribute to stunted economic development. Small-scale vocational institutions can provide quality training with fewer costs than universities. This would make them accessible in smaller towns across Pakistan, enabling more people to increase their human capital and prospects.
Women, who invest 90% of their income back into their communities (as compared to 35% for men), should not be overlooked in this endeavor. In developing countries like Pakistan, leveraging the power of women, who make up half the population, should be high on the agenda. As UN Women states, “When more women work, economies grow.” Estimates suggest that if women’s participation in the labor force equaled that of men, Pakistan’s GDP could increase by 60% by 2025. Yet women make up only 20% of the workforce in Pakistan, lower than the global average of 38.8%. Social norms are a strong contributing factor to this. Expectations for women to perform extensive unpaid household labor and patriarchal mindsets limit their mobility and choice of work.
Vocational Training for Marginalized Women: SAWERA and the Empyrean Foundation
Farida Afridi’s legacy lives on through the organization she co-founded, SAWERA. This women-led grassroots NGO empowers girls and women in FATA through projects that promote literacy, employment opportunities and vocational training. Additionally, it also combats domestic violence. In the FATA region, the dominance of local male elites and the scarcity of local community organizations have left the abuse of women unchallenged in many households. The presence of militant elements has disrupted pro-women reform processes, hindering progress. Despite these challenges, SAWERA has equipped 30 community-based women’s organizations with management skills. This enables them to engage in local business ventures. Even women in acute poverty have received grants to start businesses, offering them a chance to create a brighter future.
Meanwhile, other vocational training centers in Pakistan offer hope for marginalized women who would otherwise encounter limited opportunities for education. In Pakistan, women bear the burden of poverty disproportionately. The Pakistani Poverty Alleviation Fund reported that for every four Pakistanis in poverty, three are women or girls. The Empyrean Foundation provides skills training to emancipate women bound by conditions of poverty from marginalized communities. Its motto is “Empower a Girl, Empower a Nation.”
The Empyrean Foundation’s artisan programs and projects provide life skills and mentoring alongside formal training in fashion design technology and textile and handicraft skills. Furthermore, the organization offers short educational courses in everyday finance, entrepreneurship, job search, counseling and promotion skills, complementing core education diplomas. Empyrean envisions launching a leadership and mentorship program, which would train girls for regional and international development roles.
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Pakistan
Clearly, there is a strong impetus for the development of women’s skills. This will help to break the cycle of poverty and challenge deeply rooted stigmas. Farida Afridi’s legacy and the work of organizations like SAWERA and the Empyrean Foundation exemplify the resilience and determination of women striving for economic empowerment for themselves and their nation. While there is much work to be done, these initiatives offer hope for a more equitable and prosperous future for Pakistan.
– Anum Mahmood
Photo: Flickr
Addressing HIV/AIDS in Lebanon
To address this issue, the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) established the National AIDS Control Program (NAP) in 1989. NAP is actively working to develop solutions for individuals living with AIDS. Additionally, the program is collecting data on reported cases to help prevent further spread and provide treatment across Lebanon. This proactive approach is crucial to managing the HIV/AIDS situation in the country.
Voluntary Counseling and Testing
To combat HIV/AIDS in Lebanon, the National AIDS Control Program (NAP) has implemented a strategy called Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT). These centers are responsible for testing and monitoring HIV/AIDS throughout Lebanon. VCT has earned recognition as an effective method for enhancing surveillance due to the assurance of confidentiality it offers. This approach has also contributed to reducing the stigma associated with AIDS among affected individuals. Presently, there are more than 60 VCT centers located across the country, providing access to the entire Lebanese population.
Antiretroviral Therapy
Another method currently being used to fight HIV/AIDS is Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). ART is a treatment designed to block the replication of HIV. This prevents further immune damage and other HIV-related illnesses. The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) provides this treatment free of charge to Lebanese citizens and Palestinian refugees. From March 2020, almost 1,600 Lebanese Nationals were on ART treatment, and among those on treatment, 92% are virally suppressed.
Participation in International and Regional Workshops
The National AIDS Program (NAP) also engages in international and regional workshops as a key step. The National AIDS Program (NAP) represented Lebanon in the Global Human Rights on HIV/AIDS forum in Geneva and also presented a poster on the most at-risk population. Along with advocating for treatment for patients and raising awareness, they are developing a National Strategic Plan (NSP) designed to fight HIV/AIDS for the coming five years. This includes prevention, treatment and care for the most at-risk populations. Through advocacy, Lebanon can benefit its population currently suffering from AIDS.
Looking Ahead
While Lebanon is beginning to tackle HIV/AIDS through various methods, more work is necessary. Voluntary Control Testing (VCT) is a notable effort in monitoring cases throughout the country. Also, there is a need for initiatives that aim to decrease the stigma that affects those with AIDS. Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) appears to also be a step in the right direction to end HIV/AIDS in Lebanon.
ART provides those residing in Lebanon with free treatment to prevent the spread of AIDS as well as any related illness that may come with it. Participation in widespread advocacy and enacting new plans, like the National Strategic Plan (NSP), could also benefit those struggling with HIV/AIDS in Lebanon.
– Sara Agosto
Photo: Flickr
How Women are Supported Through HIV/AIDS in Angola
The Current Situation
Angola has a relatively low HIV/AIDS prevalence of 1.6% compared to neighboring Namibia and Zambia, with HIV/AIDS prevalence of 11.8% and 10.8% respectively. Even though there is a low prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Angola, there are still 16,000 yearly related deaths and 20 new diagnoses in 15-24 year olds daily.
Verangola
These numbers disproportionately affect women (who account for 66% of Angolan HIV/AIDS cases) with teenage girls being three times as likely to become infected with HIV/AIDS as boys. In 2022, 7,900 Angolan women were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS compared to 3,800 men. These figures highlight the additional risk women face due to HIV/AIDS in Angola. Angola’s struggle to combat HIV/AIDS in women is linked to its high rates of poverty. Rural areas especially suffer from high rates of poverty, with 57% of rural Angolans living in poverty compared to a national average of 41%.
Many women living in poverty will turn to prostitution for economic reasons which risks exposing them to the virus. Lack of access to hospitals in rural areas also means women are often left to care for HIV/AIDS patients, increasing the risk of transmission.
International Aid
The international community is providing support to Angolan women living with HIV/AIDS. UNICEF’s funding in Angola has earmarked nearly $5 million (15% of the total package) for HIV/AIDS support and a goal to provide antiretroviral treatment (ART) to 3,000 women. Improving access to treatment is especially important as less than half of HIV/AIDS-positive pregnant women are accessing ART and risk transmitting the virus to their babies.
The U.N. Development Program (UNDP) has also allocated $103.2 million to improve health care in Angola. The grant will primarily focus on HIV/AIDS in Angola by providing testing, treatment and “reducing infections in children of HIV-positive mothers”. The funding has an additional $30 million compared to previous years, allowing Angola to increase its efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS.
Local Initiatives
Many Angolans are also getting involved with the fight against HIV/AIDS. Angolan singer Yola Semedo is the UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Angola. She expressed her commitment to spreading the message about curtailing HIV/AIDS in Angola.
The organization Mothers2Mothers has been supporting women since 2019. Women living with HIV/AIDS in Angola are able to access treatment through the service to prevent mother-to-child transmission. Mothers2Mothers also offers contact tracing for sexual partners to prevent further spread of the virus. In 2021, more than 10,000 women benefited from these services across 28 locations.
Locally run groups, such as Bancanas Femininas (Women’s Band) give women living with HIV/AIDS a space to discuss their feelings and provide resources to access support. This organization also educates women about protecting themselves from HIV/AIDS and promotes awareness of treatment. Community counselors also provide essential services by encouraging testing and improving access to ART. These efforts contribute to keeping the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Angola relatively low.
Angola has struggled in past years to tackle the HIV/AIDS crisis partly due to high poverty rates. With support from local and international organizations though, there is hope that the situation is improving.
– Jamie Paterson
Photo: Flickr
How Egypt’s Divorce Laws Put Women at Risk of Homelessness
Egypt grapples with the highest homelessness rate in Africa, reaching 11.6%. This issue affects a staggering 12 million people, including approximately 3 million children. Notably, Egypt’s divorce laws create vulnerabilities for women, putting them at risk of homelessness due to certain legal disadvantages.
Cultural Norms
Cultural norms and ideas reinforce women’s unequal access to housing from the moment they are born. Families often finance apartments or houses for male siblings but do not ensure female siblings’ housing. Instead, families tell their girls that guaranteeing them a place to live is unnecessary after marriage as this responsibility falls to their husbands. Because of this cultural perspective, women’s access to housing often depends on their marital success, which, in some cases, occurs at a young age. While the rate of early marriages has decreased in recent years, a 2021 survey revealed that 17.4% of women in their early 20s had been married or engaged before turning 18.
Discriminatory Egyptian Divorce Laws
Divorced Egyptian women and their children are particularly at risk of homelessness as Egypt’s divorce laws place them at a disadvantage. According to Egyptian family laws, mothers receive custodial rights to their children until the age of 15, however, a common occurrence is that fathers “kidnap” their children by refusing to relinquish them back to the mother after visitation hours are over.
A woman interviewed by the Egyptian news outlet Mada demonstrated the limited enforcement of mothers’ custodial rights in the country. After her children were kidnapped by her ex-husband, the policemen she spoke to refused to enforce her custodial rights by indicating that “a father does not kidnap his own son.” The legal protection of mothers’ custodial rights also ends when they remarry and a survey that the Association of the Development and Enhancement of Women (ADEW) conducted indicated that 90% of divorced mothers opted not to remarry to maintain custody of their children.
When women do retain custody, courts in Egypt are typically lax when enforcing alimony payments, leaving the already vulnerable women to take care of their children with limited financial means. At the age of 15, children living with their mothers can choose between continuing to live with their mothers or going to live with their fathers. Even if the child decides to keep living with their mother, the father can stop paying alimony. Additionally, he can choose to evict the mother and the children from the custody home. If the father decides to order their removal from the home, mothers have little legal recourse and often end up homeless along with their children.
The Reality of Post-Divorce Life for Egyptian Women
Other factors also make post-divorce life difficult for women in Egypt. In general, they only have access to limited income-earning opportunities. Attempting to reintegrate into the job market is especially difficult as some husbands expect wives to quit their jobs after marriage and divorcees end up with little to no job experience. The stigma associated with divorce also makes divorcees feel alienated and discriminated against. A woman’s plea for help after a divorce could meet disregard from her family due to the taboo of being associated with a divorcee. Even if the marriage ended because of the husband’s physical or psychological abuse, the blame for the end of the marriage falls solely on the wife and she must put up with derogatory labels such as “kharrabet beyout” (home-wrecker), or even “kharg beit” (secondhand).
The Perils of the Divorce Process
Aside from the insecurity divorce brings upon women, it is a much more arduous process for them than it is for men. Indeed, all men need to divorce their spouses is an oral renunciation recognized by a religious notary. They do not even require the assistance of a legal court.
On the other hand, a court has to accept a woman’s proposal for divorce, a process that can take years if the husband refuses. To obtain a divorce with full financial rights, a woman has to provide evidence that her husband has harmed and abused her. Additionally, all women, including those who have testified that their husbands have physically abused them, must attempt reconciliation in a court-ordered mediation process. During the often-long process of obtaining a divorce, women separated from their husbands are not eligible for state financial aid programs, condemning them to homelessness if they do not have any family to help them. In order to shorten the divorce proceedings and avoid homelessness, Egyptian women will sometimes have no choice but to sign away their financial and custodial privileges to the father.
A Catalyst for Disadvantageous Marriage Power Dynamics
Because Egypt’s divorce laws deprive women of economic security after divorce and due to the arduous process involved in obtaining a divorce, many Egyptian women may choose to remain in abusive or unhealthy marriages. Rates of domestic violence are also high in the country, with a study indicating that up to 86% of married women in Egypt have experienced physical or psychological abuse.
The lack of stability after divorce creates dangerous power dynamics within marital relationships. Ghada Abdel Fattah’s story, told by Al Jazeera, illustrates the dire consequences of divorcing in Egypt. After her husband asked for a divorce, Fattah and her daughter were kicked out of their home and would have had no shelter if it was not for her family who provided refuge. She eventually found employment and is now saving money to secure a home for herself and her daughter.
Taking Action
In 2o22, three Egyptian college students started a campaign called “Enty Zel Nafsek” (“You Are Your Own Shadow”) to raise awareness about the issues divorced women face in Egypt and to reduce the unfair stigma associated with divorce. The girls seek to provide emotional support to divorced Egyptian women and also support women’s businesses by advertising the businesses on their social media accounts.
Another organization founded by Engy Raafat, a survivor of domestic violence, helps women get back on their feet after divorce by providing financial, emotional and legal support. Raafat’s organization, called You Can, has had a tremendous impact on the lives of women across Egypt, helping more than 5,000 women find jobs.
– Tatiana Gnuva
Photo: Stockvault