While Africa’s so-called Coup Belt may have been enveloped in a period of relative dormancy over the past decade, recent coups and rebellions in the Sahel have reignited concerns over political stability and governance in the region. The 2023 military takeover in Niger serves as one such prominent reminder of the underlying challenges facing the Sahel, highlighting the devastation insurgency can bear on critical aid and developmental support reaching its nations while forcing consideration of alternative routes to attaining regional sustenance and growth.
The Resurgence of West and Central Africa’s Coup Belt
The geographical stretch of West and Central Africa’s Sahel, what is referred to as its Coup Belt, has witnessed a resurgence of its historical tendency towards significant political unrest, characterized by rebellion and conflict, including Niger’s recent 2023 coup.
Turmoil in the Backdrop of One of the Poorest Nations
Within Niger’s harsh landscape, poverty looms large, leading to its Human Development Index ranking as the world’s third lowest in 2023. A staggering 41% of Niger’s population grapples with extreme poverty, while 40% of the state budget hinges on foreign aid.
Pressure on resources essential for sustenance has also been on the rise, with spillover from inflated food prices in Nigeria, the influx of refugees from conflict in neighboring states, as well as the lingering effects of Niger’s 2021 drought.
Additionally, early 2023 reports indicate that Niger struggles with severe food insecurity, affecting more than 3.3 million individuals, with approximately 7.3 million more faced with moderate food insecurity while perched on the edge of worsening conditions. Hence, agitation from the recent coup and its aftermath threatens to plunge a further 28% of the population into an even more dire state of hunger.
The International Reaction to Niger’s Coup
On July 26, Niger experienced momentous political upheaval as the military revolted, detaining President Mohamed Bazoum, suspending the constitution and installing General Abdourahmane Tchiani as the new head of state. The military further established the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a governing body that took hold of both legislative and executive powers.
Niger’s coup was immediately and vigorously met with international condemnation. Nations and international and regional organizations were quick to respond with varying means of pressure on the governing military to restore constitutional order, primarily through sanctions and rollback on foreign aid and assistance.
Following Niger’s coup, the EU promptly announced a suspension of all budgetary support and the cessation of security collaborations with Niger, a sentiment that reverberated in the individual responses of European governments to the coup.
International and Regional Organizations Respond to the Coup
Prior to the 2023 Coup, Niger had already been heavily dependent on international assistance. With external budget support and loans accounting for almost half its annual budget, foreign aid to Niger constitutes a crucial lifeline for its fiscal operations. Niger receives infusions of nearly $2 billion in development aid annually, making it West Africa’s second-largest beneficiary of international assistance.
Niger also possesses one of the most substantial portfolios within the World Bank in the African region, valued at $4.5 billion. Between 2022 to 2023 alone, Niger received a noteworthy $600 million in direct budgetary support extended by the World Bank.
However, in tandem with the global community after the coup, the World Bank suspended disbursements for most operations in Niger, except specific partnerships. While such measures are aimed at quelling political insurgency, they also bear direct repercussions on the livelihood of Nigeriens. For example, the termination of an ongoing joint cash program established between the Bank and Niger intended to provide support to vulnerable populations, is anticipated to impact an estimated 66,000 Nigerien households.
Regional Sanctions Highlight the Extent of Nigerien Dependency on Foreign Aid
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had committed to ending the recent surge of coups within the Sahel region of West Africa. Following the coup in Niger, ECOWAS enforced a series of sanctions, encompassing border closures, cessation of commercial activities, asset freezes and the suspension of financial aid to Niger. The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) also took a resolute stance, freezing Niger’s assets and shuttering its local branches due to operational risks.
The ECOWAS sanctions induced far-reaching effects, leading to the cancellation of Niger’s planned $51 million bond issuance in the West African regional debt market, invoking uncertainties over Niger’s ability to meet debt repayments. Additionally, the gravity of ECOWAS sanctions on Niger was exemplified by Nigeria’s cessation of power supply through the Birnin-Kebbi line, causing prolonged power outages in the Capital Niamey, among other cities.
Furthermore, Niger’s landlocked status amplified the impact as neighboring countries strictly enforced border restrictions. Nigeria, which supplies 70% of Niger’s electricity, severed the power link, raising concerns over economic repercussions across all sectors. As Niger’s primary supplier of food imports, the cessation of trade with Nigeria also resulted in a 17% increase in the price of rice within the first week of sanctions.
Nevertheless, a glimmer of hope remains. While ECOWAS had similarly imposed sanctions on Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso, it eventually lifted them, despite their remaining under military rule.
Hope for Niger
The military government of Niger has announced the reopening of borders with Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali and Chad. From among its neighbors, Mali and Burkina Faso have already signaled solidarity by planning a joint official delegation to support Niger. Algeria also emerged as an ally to Niger’s positive trajectory, advocating for a peaceful diplomatic resolution that would enable it to honor its long-standing commitment to building deeper political, security and economic relations with Niger.
Finally, in a broader context, while Western powers exert significant pressure on Niger for the restoration of the deposed president, indications of support for ECOWAS military interference remain scant, as concerns regarding potential immigration flows towards Europe in the aftermath likely deter from the idea.
– Nadia Asaad
Photo: Flickr
How the World Bank Leverages AI To Help Low-Income Families
Technology has been a lifesaver in developing countries during COVID-19, helping to maintain essential services and keep companies in business as the world went completely online. It has also offered a glimpse of a brighter future, one in which income gains and employment are driven by technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
The economic challenges brought on by COVID-19 and more recently, the war in Ukraine, have resulted in a marked slowdown across the globe. It is estimated that almost 7% of the world’s population will still be living on less than $2.15 a day in 2030, with most in Africa. The need to embrace innovative technologies such as AI could not have arrived at a better time.
Artificial intelligence combines large volumes of data with computing power to simulate human cognitive abilities such as reasoning, language, perception, vision and spatial processing.
The World Bank finances public projects and programs, providing technical advice and analysis, managing financial risk,and financing private sector investments to help countries share and apply innovative knowledge and solutions to the challenges they face. The World Bank leverages AI through multiple avenues, empowering private sectors and governments, to uplift the lives of people in developing nations.
Reducing Poverty and Boosting Shared Prosperity in FinTech
The World Bank leverages AI to address the financial needs of the unserved and the underserved, by empowering companies generating products and services such as credit scoring and targeted advertisements. Companies in Africa such as M-Shwari and M-Kajy are early examples of AI delivering financial services to the poorest.
Predicting and Fighting Poverty with Data
With more than 3.5 billion mobile subscribers in developing countries and thousands of satellites in Earth’s orbit, collecting data to predict poverty and vulnerability is within the reach of scientists, researchers and policymakers. The socio-economic status of an individual can be inferred using past history of mobile phone usage. In resource-constrained environments where censuses and household surveys are rare, this approach creates an option for gathering localized and timely information cost-effectively, with machine learning (ML) opening the possibility of using new data sources to measure poverty and vulnerability.
AI in Agriculture
AI-as-a-service solutions have been gaining popularity in recent years. A machine learning app, Nuru, has been used on farms in Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania to identify leaf damage in photos and send information to help monitor the presence of an invasive pest that threatens farm revenue and food security across East Africa.
AI in the Energy Sector
In Africa, 600 million people (53% of the total population) live without electricity, with conditions exacerbated in the sub-Saharan region. However, the continent has abundant solar, wind and bioenergy resources. Azuri Technologies has developed a solar-powered, innovative, pay-as-you-go model for 12 countries across Africa. The service utilizes AI to optimize power consumption — it learns home energy needs and adjusts power output accordingly by automatically dimming lights, slowing fans or managing how quickly devices are charged.
Barriers to Economic Growth
The lack of AI expertise and insufficient data often increase the cost of implementing AI solutions in low-income countries. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector in developing countries.
Through venture capital investments and investments in online educational platforms, local communities are empowered to take advantage of this technology to improve skills and gain access to AI-related solutions. However, private sectors cannot operate alone in emerging markets. Government support in establishing data and infrastructure, open access and regulatory governance to protect privacy and security are needed to aid the private sector specializing in AI solutions.
The World Bank Leverages AI Through Policy Mandates, Global Research and Training
Measuring AI Development is aided by Development Economics Analytics & Tools (DECAT), a prime research arm at the World Bank. The role of DECAT is to promote a global understanding of development policies and programs through analytical insights and recommendations.
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at UC Berkeley and DECAT partner and hold annual conferences on key topics, including the role of mobile data in global development research, emerging data and methods in global health research as data, infrastructure and governance hold the keys to enabling poor countries to embrace AI for economic growth in the coming years.
The World Bank has launched the AI for Development initiative and an Artificial Intelligence Lab. Through skills-building workshops and training programs on big data, AI and decision science, these programs work to enhance the skill sets of decision-makers with tools that rely on these technologies.
The UN’s AI for Good Global Summit 2023, a conglomeration of subject matter experts from tech giants, international universities and organizations, calls for innovative ways to make AI useful in addressing global issues.
Artificial Intelligence is Here to Stay
While the gaps in governance, data and infrastructure are key factors that need to be addressed on the global stage, the World Bank leverages AI in innovative ways to demonstrate the good the technology could bring to low-income communities.
– Sudha Krishnaswami
Photo: Flickr
Higher Education in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is home to the oldest university in Latin America, the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo—UASD). While UASD offers free education through government funding, there are numerous other universities and institutes across the country. Enrollment in higher education programs in the Dominican Republic continues to increase steadily.
The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo
Higher education in the Dominican Republic has a rich history that spans more than 400 years. Dishearteningly, the UASD, although established for more than four centuries, obtained its first patent in 2020.
However, the UASD was the Dominican Republic’s only university until the late 1980s when there were a recorded 26 institutions and 120,000 students enrolled in higher education programs. In 1998, these numbers only went up, as a new record revealed a total of “29 universities…and 7 institutes with a combined total enrollment of 213,200.”
In the 21st century, the Dominican Republic is experiencing the effects of higher education. According to the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers (AACRAO), “literacy among the 8,715,000 citizens is nearly 85% (up from 70% in [the] 1980s).” Additionally, there was a notable increase in tertiary school enrollment, with a recorded 61% enrollment rate in 2019.
The Ups and Downs
While higher education enrollment in the Dominican Republic has increased, there are concerns. The country’s economy relies heavily on tourism and hospitality, industries that often do not require advanced education or technical skills. As a result, higher education has not been a top priority.
Dominican Today addressed another alarming statistic. In this article, Dominican Today gives insight into “Report Zero National System of Scholarships and Educational Support Credit,” a report published by the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of the Presidency. This report reveals significant information on the employment trends of professionals with various educational levels. According to this report, individuals with higher educational degrees “take an average of 4.07 years to secure their first job after graduating.”
The Solution
Although the statistics for securing a job after more than four years can be startling, there is hope in the higher education of the Dominican Republic. It all begins with the National Council of Higher Education (Consejo Nacional de Educación Superior—CONES), an entity legislated in 1983 to formulate and coordinate plans and initiatives for the growth of higher education.
Other issues such as financial gaps can stunt a student’s progress in their educational career. Various scholarship programs have been designed and designated for individuals wanting to further their educational careers abroad. The Dominican Republic’s rural and low-income students have benefited from the economic opportunities provided by a program called Scholarships for Education and Economic Development (SEED) program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Other programs such as the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Fulbright Program offer scholarships, grants and financial assistance for those who may struggle economically to fulfill higher education goals. There is even the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund (MMMF), which specifically awards female students $12,000 a year in order for them to “return to their homeland for two years of service in work that will enhance and foster their country.”
Leaders in the Dominican Republic can benefit from higher education enrollment, and these programs provide increasingly valuable skills that support economic development. In an upper-middle-income developing nation like the Dominican Republic, an increase in higher education provides reason for hope, as it is essential to development and promotes economic growth for both individuals and the nation as a whole.
– Caleb Picone
Photo: Flickr
Niger’s Coup and its Repercussions on Foreign Aid
While Africa’s so-called Coup Belt may have been enveloped in a period of relative dormancy over the past decade, recent coups and rebellions in the Sahel have reignited concerns over political stability and governance in the region. The 2023 military takeover in Niger serves as one such prominent reminder of the underlying challenges facing the Sahel, highlighting the devastation insurgency can bear on critical aid and developmental support reaching its nations while forcing consideration of alternative routes to attaining regional sustenance and growth.
The Resurgence of West and Central Africa’s Coup Belt
The geographical stretch of West and Central Africa’s Sahel, what is referred to as its Coup Belt, has witnessed a resurgence of its historical tendency towards significant political unrest, characterized by rebellion and conflict, including Niger’s recent 2023 coup.
Turmoil in the Backdrop of One of the Poorest Nations
Within Niger’s harsh landscape, poverty looms large, leading to its Human Development Index ranking as the world’s third lowest in 2023. A staggering 41% of Niger’s population grapples with extreme poverty, while 40% of the state budget hinges on foreign aid.
Pressure on resources essential for sustenance has also been on the rise, with spillover from inflated food prices in Nigeria, the influx of refugees from conflict in neighboring states, as well as the lingering effects of Niger’s 2021 drought.
Additionally, early 2023 reports indicate that Niger struggles with severe food insecurity, affecting more than 3.3 million individuals, with approximately 7.3 million more faced with moderate food insecurity while perched on the edge of worsening conditions. Hence, agitation from the recent coup and its aftermath threatens to plunge a further 28% of the population into an even more dire state of hunger.
The International Reaction to Niger’s Coup
On July 26, Niger experienced momentous political upheaval as the military revolted, detaining President Mohamed Bazoum, suspending the constitution and installing General Abdourahmane Tchiani as the new head of state. The military further established the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a governing body that took hold of both legislative and executive powers.
Niger’s coup was immediately and vigorously met with international condemnation. Nations and international and regional organizations were quick to respond with varying means of pressure on the governing military to restore constitutional order, primarily through sanctions and rollback on foreign aid and assistance.
Following Niger’s coup, the EU promptly announced a suspension of all budgetary support and the cessation of security collaborations with Niger, a sentiment that reverberated in the individual responses of European governments to the coup.
International and Regional Organizations Respond to the Coup
Prior to the 2023 Coup, Niger had already been heavily dependent on international assistance. With external budget support and loans accounting for almost half its annual budget, foreign aid to Niger constitutes a crucial lifeline for its fiscal operations. Niger receives infusions of nearly $2 billion in development aid annually, making it West Africa’s second-largest beneficiary of international assistance.
Niger also possesses one of the most substantial portfolios within the World Bank in the African region, valued at $4.5 billion. Between 2022 to 2023 alone, Niger received a noteworthy $600 million in direct budgetary support extended by the World Bank.
However, in tandem with the global community after the coup, the World Bank suspended disbursements for most operations in Niger, except specific partnerships. While such measures are aimed at quelling political insurgency, they also bear direct repercussions on the livelihood of Nigeriens. For example, the termination of an ongoing joint cash program established between the Bank and Niger intended to provide support to vulnerable populations, is anticipated to impact an estimated 66,000 Nigerien households.
Regional Sanctions Highlight the Extent of Nigerien Dependency on Foreign Aid
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had committed to ending the recent surge of coups within the Sahel region of West Africa. Following the coup in Niger, ECOWAS enforced a series of sanctions, encompassing border closures, cessation of commercial activities, asset freezes and the suspension of financial aid to Niger. The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) also took a resolute stance, freezing Niger’s assets and shuttering its local branches due to operational risks.
The ECOWAS sanctions induced far-reaching effects, leading to the cancellation of Niger’s planned $51 million bond issuance in the West African regional debt market, invoking uncertainties over Niger’s ability to meet debt repayments. Additionally, the gravity of ECOWAS sanctions on Niger was exemplified by Nigeria’s cessation of power supply through the Birnin-Kebbi line, causing prolonged power outages in the Capital Niamey, among other cities.
Furthermore, Niger’s landlocked status amplified the impact as neighboring countries strictly enforced border restrictions. Nigeria, which supplies 70% of Niger’s electricity, severed the power link, raising concerns over economic repercussions across all sectors. As Niger’s primary supplier of food imports, the cessation of trade with Nigeria also resulted in a 17% increase in the price of rice within the first week of sanctions.
Nevertheless, a glimmer of hope remains. While ECOWAS had similarly imposed sanctions on Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso, it eventually lifted them, despite their remaining under military rule.
Hope for Niger
The military government of Niger has announced the reopening of borders with Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali and Chad. From among its neighbors, Mali and Burkina Faso have already signaled solidarity by planning a joint official delegation to support Niger. Algeria also emerged as an ally to Niger’s positive trajectory, advocating for a peaceful diplomatic resolution that would enable it to honor its long-standing commitment to building deeper political, security and economic relations with Niger.
Finally, in a broader context, while Western powers exert significant pressure on Niger for the restoration of the deposed president, indications of support for ECOWAS military interference remain scant, as concerns regarding potential immigration flows towards Europe in the aftermath likely deter from the idea.
– Nadia Asaad
Photo: Flickr
How Transitional Justice Can Eliminate Poverty
Transitional justice is a multilevel approach to addressing human rights violations in periods of political transition or post-conflict recovery. The approach’s relevance in poverty reduction efforts stems from an understanding that socioeconomic inequalities are frequently both a cause and a result of conflict. Poverty and inequality may exacerbate grievances that lead to social unrest and violence, while war itself can result in infrastructure loss, displacement and economic disruption for targeted groups. Transitional justice programs can foster stable government and inclusive development by addressing the issues and injustices that underpin conflict and authoritarian leadership.
Accountability
Transitional justice mechanisms, such as prosecutions for human rights violations and truth commissions, not only hold criminals responsible but also act as a deterrence to future breaches. This promotes a culture of openness and good governance, which may prevent corruption, a significant cause of poverty, and create an environment in which public resources are distributed equitably to benefit all citizens.
Additionally, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRC) offer a broader conception of justice enabling truth-telling and reconciliation. For instance, the South African TRC’s work exposed the systemic corruption and human rights abuses of the previous regime. This helped establish a foundation of accountability and transparency, which contributed to addressing the socio-economic disparities inherited from apartheid.
Reparations and Redistributions
Reparations programs, which include financial compensation, education, health care and land restitution, address the socioeconomic consequences of violence and repression directly. Transitional justice projects can contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty and exclusion by giving survivors and marginalized groups the resources to rebuild their lives, encouraging economic empowerment and social reintegration. Reparation programs are among transitional justice’s most effective tools as they have the potential to offer survivors individualized assistance while simultaneously transforming society’s socioeconomic conditions.
Institutional Reform and Inclusive Development
Transitional justice is frequently associated with wider institutional reforms such as legal and judicial system overhauls, power decentralization and social reforms. These societal improvements have the potential to strengthen the rule of law, promote good governance and provide a favorable atmosphere for long-term growth. The inclusive and participatory decision-making procedures that frequently follow these changes ensure that marginalized people’s needs and views are taken into consideration, contributing to more equitable development. Indeed, transitional justice can involve the change of institutions and laws that have used violence and prejudice to keep people out of society.
Reconciliation and Social Cohesion
Transitional justice methods promote open communication, truth-telling and the recognition of past wrongs by investigating patterns of human rights abuse and providing a narrative.
This can assist in the healing of wounds caused by violence and division, generating a feeling of solidarity among previously polarized populations. Social cohesiveness is critical for stability and development in that it facilitates collaboration, minimizes the likelihood of recurrent violence and provides a platform for collaborative efforts to overcome poverty and inequality.
By fostering accountability, reparations, institutional reform and reconciliation, Transitional justice forges pathways toward equitable development through political and peace transitions. Although the implementation of said mechanisms is still limited, transitional justice has the potential to have a transformative impact on reducing poverty during political and peace transitions.
– Hannah Klifa
Photo: Flickr
The Economic Potential of the IWOSS Sector in Nigeria
High levels of joblessness have emerged as a critical policy issue in Nigeria. From 2010 to 2018, the unemployment rate surged from 5% to 23%. Compounded by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy is failing to create an adequate number of employment opportunities, especially for women and young people. As the shortcomings of traditional sectors like manufacturing in driving economic growth and employment have become apparent, attention has pivoted toward investigating alternative sectors that can stimulate both economic development and job opportunities.
Industries Without Smokestacks and Their Impact
Industries without smokestacks (IWOSS) encompass industries with superior labor productivity compared to traditional agriculture. These sectors encompass agro-processing, financial and corporate services, information and communication technology (ICT), tourism, formal trade and transportation.
The growing significance of the IWOSS sector in Nigeria is particularly important, given that data suggests the employment crisis has escalated into a significant issue. For instance, the financial and business services sector led to an increase in employment rates, accounting for 23.5% of the growth share between 2010 and 2018. In contrast, sectors like mining demonstrated minimal improvement, registering a mere 0.1% increase, underscoring the transition from traditional sectors to newer, service-oriented ones.
IWOSS sectors provide diverse job opportunities that cater to individuals with a range of skills and expertise levels. This opportunity means that people with lower levels of education or skills can still find employment in these sectors, helping reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty.
Job Opportunities for Women and Youth
A notable feature of the IWOSS sector in Nigeria is their propensity to hire women, young individuals and those with low education and skills. These sectors have consistently attracted a greater proportion of workers from these specific demographics in comparison to sectors outside the IWOSS realm. In 2018, for example, 34% of the IWOSS sector in Nigeria consisted of females, while the non-IWOSS workforce exhibited a lower representation of women at 32%. Predictions indicate that the IWOSS sectors will experience a continued rise in female employment by 2025. These figures demonstrate the advancement of gender equality in the labor force. This sector offers favorable prospects for women to overcome the obstacles that have historically hindered their participation and progress in conventional industries.
Advantages of IWOSS
An important benefit of IWOSS is its adaptability, which allows women to manage both their professional and family obligations effectively. Introducing remote work choices, freelance positions and flexible scheduling has transformed the job market, especially for women.
Given that IWOSS sectors in Nigeria prioritize skills over physical strength, they offer an equitable platform for women to excel and prosper. By offering flexible work arrangements and prioritizing skills over physical strength, IWOSS sectors create a more inclusive environment for women to participate in the workforce. Empowering women with employment opportunities can lead to economic independence and, in turn, reduce poverty among female-headed households.
Just like the manufacturing sector, these industries share the characteristic of being export-oriented, meaning they engage in trade and benefit from global markets. Additionally, they harness the advantages of technological innovations, leveraging cutting-edge tools and processes to enhance productivity and competitiveness.
Furthermore, their substantial reliance on a workforce encompassing individuals with lower to intermediate skills and expertise sets them apart. This reliance means that these sectors offer employment opportunities for a wide spectrum of workers, ranging from those with basic skills to those with more specialized training, making them accessible to a broader segment of the population.
The IWOSS sector in Nigeria is swiftly gaining prominence and playing a progressively larger role in employment. IWOSS can create many job prospects for Nigerians, particularly for the younger generation. The adaptability, inclusiveness and resilience that IWOSS has exhibited over the last two decades, even amid the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic posed, underscore its capacity to foster job growth.
– Susanna Andryan
Photo: Unsplash
Mercy Ships Brings Health Care Services to Africa
Mercy Ships, a U.K.-based charity, has offered to improve health care in developing nations for more than 40 years. With more than 44% of the world’s population living within 100 miles of a coast, Mercy Ships utilizes a fleet of repurposed and purpose-built vessels to bring life-changing health care where it is needed most. In recent years, Mercy Ships has focused on bringing health care services to Africa, particularly the sub-Saharan region. Central Africa has the highest extreme poverty rate in the continent at 54.8% as of 2022, making it a key area for Mercy Ships’ aid efforts.
Mercy Ships: History and Mission
Mercy Ships, founded in 1978, currently operates two hospital ships, the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy. Both ships have space on board for 400–600 volunteers, who do most of the charity’s work. The volunteers include doctors, surgeons, crew, cooks, teachers, electricians and more. The Global Mercy, the charity’s first purpose-built Hospital Ship, is currently the largest charity-run hospital ship in the world.
Mercy Ships’ vision is to tackle the issues in the countries it visits by providing access to free health care and collaborating with the host government to address the root causes of these issues. In 2021, Mercy Ships brought health care services to people in Liberia, Senegal, Togo, South Africa and Benin. Mercy Ships aims to strengthen the country’s health care systems and drive policy change via training and mentoring local health care professionals and improving health care infrastructure.
The Value It Provides
In sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for two-thirds of the global extreme poor population as of 2017, medical facilities with up-to-date equipment are often few and far between, with trained professionals difficult to hire and retain. With a chronic shortage of medicine and skilled personnel in the continent, deaths from preventable illnesses have always been an issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2021, there were 619,000 global malaria deaths, and Africa accounted for 96%.
Malaria can be prevented or treated with access to the appropriate medicines and treatment. As such, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 countries, providing services valued at around £1.3 billion. By working closely with their host country, Mercy Ships provides the medication, treatment and trained personnel to treat preventable illness in the locations it ports.
Mercy Ships also leaves a lasting impact through the training it provides and the medical infrastructure it assists in creating. In 2021, Mercy Ships brought health care services to Africa exclusively and provided 3,138 surgical procedures, 16,067 dental procedures and 157,812 hours of participant training.
A Lasting Impact
Mercy Ships has various strategies for the longevity of the host port long after its visit. When Mercy Ships reaches an agreement with the respective Government, two years of preparations begin before the vessel sets sail. This preparation includes extensive research on the needs of the host nation. The organization draws up a strategy to implement in the particular country. Educating medical professionals is usually a top priority. Mercy Ships aims to share its skills and knowledge with local professionals to contribute to improving health care delivery after it leaves. Local professionals observe the work aboard the vessels and receive training in plastic surgeries, eye operations, orthopedics and gynecology.
The hope is that the local professionals pass their knowledge on to others, improving health care throughout the country. Mercy Ships also provides online training courses free of charge to reach even more people beyond their direct impact. A second focus on medical longevity is the Mercy Ships Renovation Project strategy. The charity identifies that often, in developing countries, there is a choice between paying staff and improving facilities. By renovating facilities in the countries it visits, Mercy Ships solves the dilemma and enables local facilities to increase the capacity and quality of their surgical care.
Renovations are often underway before the vessel even arrives in the host country. The organization’s strategy entails acquiring and renovating outpatient facilities to house and care for patients who live far away from the port before the surgeries. A notable clinic is the hospital outpatient extension center in Madagascar, which Mercy Ships refurbished and donated back to the community. The charity also acquires and renovates eye and dental clinics. When the charity departs, the clinics and centers are given to the local government so that they can continue to use them.
Looking Ahead
Mercy Ships, a charity that aims to fight health care poverty one patient at a time, provides a life-saving service to people who need it most. Focusing on a lasting impact improves the long-term infrastructure of the places it visits and encourages the continual improvement of medical care in developing nations. Recently, Mercy Ships has acknowledged the need to bring health care services to Africa and has begun to focus on the region. Mercy Ships hopes that more attention and support will be provided to this area in need by continuing to do so.
– Myron Westgarth
Photo: Flickr
Sustainable Farming Practices in Latin America
The Panorama of Sustainable Agriculture in Latin America
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in its 2021 report, highlights the progress and prospects of sustainable and resilient agriculture in Latin America. The region has made commendable strides in adopting sustainable practices that prioritize preserving its farming communities’ environment, biodiversity and livelihoods.
One of the standout initiatives is the promotion of agroecological practices. These practices are rooted in biodiversity conservation, soil health and reduced chemical inputs. It not only strengthens food security, which 40.6% of Latin America’s population has not achieved but also empowers local communities by reducing costs. For instance, in 2016, a project in Uruguay implemented by the government with 2,000 technicians and producers managed to save $40 per hectare by using good practices and alternatives to pesticides.
The Role of IICA in Promoting Sustainable Agriculture
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has played a pivotal role in spearheading sustainable farming practices in Latin America and the Caribbean. Agriculture uses 69% of the planet’s freshwater, significantly impacting freshwater systems worldwide. IICA recognizes that sustainable methods reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment while simultaneously decreasing rural poverty and providing food security.
Researchers from various international organizations found long-term incentives, such as perceived benefits for farms or the environment, drive farmers to adopt sustainable practices. While short-term economic benefits are crucial initially, the perception of favorable impacts on farms or the environment encourages sustained adoption.
A Sustainable Future: Our Hands, Latin America and the Caribbean
The World Bank has actively pursued sustainable farming practices in Latin America and the Caribbean. Latin America is a major global provider of ecosystem services and a significant contributor to the world’s food supply. However, these achievements have come at a cost, with agriculture utilizing a substantial portion of the region’s land and water resources and generating a significant proportion of its greenhouse gas emissions. The World Bank highlights the region’s successful farming systems and identifies inefficiencies, inequalities and unsustainability. The organization calls for reimagining the agricultural sector to maximize its positive outcomes for society, economies and ecosystems.
To avoid the costs of Latin America’s achievements, the World Bank brought researchers to create 20 actions for policymakers to enhance the region’s agri-food systems. Such actions include modernizing agri-logistics infrastructure, reducing food waste and climate-smart food systems. The report emphasizes the need for strategic approaches, well-crafted policies, investments and strong institutions to achieve sustainable agri-food systems, which promise economic growth, food security, nutrition, natural resources and climate change mitigation benefits.
Nature-Based Solutions: A Healthier Climate
The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental organization, has actively promoted nature-based solutions in Latin America. The organization challenges the notion that there must be environmental trade-offs to achieve global food security. It advocates for implementing nature-based solutions and underscores that farming can be part of the solution, helping mitigate climate change and protect biodiversity, ultimately leading to a healthier climate.
For example, in 2017, the Nature Conservancy incentivized sustainable ranching practices in Colombia, resulting in increased productivity, reduced chemical inputs, enhanced biodiversity and substantially reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly a million native trees have been planted, and 23,000 acres of land have been converted to silvopastoral systems as pastures and native land have been integrated. The success of such initiatives showcases the potential for scaling up low-carbon agriculture and its significant role in mitigating global emissions while increasing food production. Allying farming and habitat is the way forward for sustainable farming practices in Latin America and the fight against poverty.
A Greener Future
Sustainable farming practices in Latin America nurture a healthier planet and cultivate a greener future for its people. The region is making agriculture more resilient, productive and environmentally friendly by embracing agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, precision farming and nature-based solutions. These practices not only protect the livelihoods of smallholder farmers but also offer opportunities for economic growth. As the region continues to innovate and collaborate, it sets an inspiring example for the world in its commitment to alleviating poverty through environmentally responsible agriculture.
– Valentin Lyazov
Photo: Flickr
Successful Efforts to Avoid a Polio Outbreak in Ukraine
Background
Polio is a disease that causes paralysis, primarily in children under 5. The disease is highly infectious and transmitted through contaminated food or water. The last time polio cases were detected in Ukraine was in 2016, caused by the lack of an efficient health care system. The country went through a reform, but it was not easy. Corruption plagues the country, with health care money going towards corrupt individuals. As a result, the price of medicine and vaccines went up. From 2016 onwards, Ukraine took major strides to reform its health care, ensuring it was accessible to as many people as possible. Through these efforts, Ukraine ensured another polio outbreak would never happen again, with 83% of young children vaccinated for polio in 2019.
The war with Russia halted this progression, sending Ukraine into distress. On the health side, things were just as bad. The destruction of various medical institutes led to the delayed delivery of multiple medical supplies. The progress to protect the health of the citizens had slowed down, with only 53% of one-year-olds receiving vaccinations for Polio by October 2021. The displacement of a majority of the population did not help this deficit. Nearly one million people fled across the borders of Ukraine, and with them, the risk of polio spreading to other countries. With all this chaos in the air, something disastrous was bound to happen.
Efforts to Combat a Potential Polio Outbreak in Ukraine
In October 2021, polio was detected in Ukraine from a young boy. The polio had stemmed from an infection that traced back to Pakistan, one of the few countries still dealing with polio. The disruption in water and food made the polio very transmittable. Soon enough, 19 people tested positive for polio but showed no symptoms by December 2021. This increase led to an action plan to prioritize young children who had not received a vaccine. Unfortunately, that approach proved more difficult than planned.
With a campaign in place, the delivery began in February 2022. Considering the dangerous situation in Ukraine, the supplies proved challenging to deliver. WHO, the World Health Organization, assisted in delivering the vaccines. While the campaign initially went smoothly, things became harder when Russians invaded the area. Citizens had to scatter, interrupting the progress of health care workers. With thirty-four hospitals destroyed, the goal to rid polio seemed dire. There were still 100,000 children who required vaccination. Despite this disruption, international health organizations remained steadfast in their eradication of polio. GPEI, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, assisted WHO in distributing the vaccines to citizens still in Ukraine, setting up laboratories to help with the process. To ensure the disease does not emerge from outside the country, UNICEF set up vaccine stations along refugee routes. No matter the difficulty, the teams continued to push forward, dedicated to protecting the people of Ukraine. Thankfully, through the hard work of many, UNICEF delivered 890,000 doses of inactivated polio vaccine to Ukraine by 2023, with a large majority being administered to the remaining citizens in need of vaccination.
In May 2023, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners conducted an assessment. After testing most of the Ukrainian population, they determined they had eradicated polio within their borders. Ukraine had overcome polio. Ukraine is still not in the clear. Because of its vulnerable position, polio can still enter the country. Thankfully, The Ministry of Health has dedicated efforts to ensuring that another outbreak does not occur.
Final Thoughts
Through combined efforts, one of the most deadly diseases has been stopped during one of the deadliest times of war. It is a testament to what belief and hope in a cause can do for an entire population. If Ukraine can overcome polio, they can certainly do anything they want.
– Uzair Khan
Photo: Flickr
Imran Khan’s Humanitarian Legacy Uplifting Pakistan’s Poor
After losing his mother to cancer in 1985, Imran Khan dreamed of constructing a free cancer hospital to help others. Imran Khan spent significant time and effort raising money for this cause because he was committed to building a center that would offer quality cancer care to low-income patients in Pakistan regardless of their ability to pay.
Khan’s dream came true in 1994 when the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital opened in Lahore as the first charitable cancer hospital in South Asia after almost a decade of tireless fundraising. The hospital carries Khan’s mission that low-income people should have access to advanced cancer care. Later, Khan built two more hospitals, one in Peshawar and another in Karachi. These medical facilities have restored health to tens of thousands who had given up hope while empowering Pakistan’s poor.
Providing Access to Health Care to Help Pakistan’s Poor
With nearly a quarter of Pakistan’s population living below the poverty line, millions lack access to quality health care. Rural communities in particular face shortages of medical infrastructure, staff and essential medicines. Cancer patients are especially impacted, as treatment is often prohibitively expensive. Shaukat Khanum’s free cancer care is therefore highly significant, providing world-class diagnosis, treatment and medicines to thousands of underprivileged patients who would likely not receive care otherwise. Charity hospitals worldwide help get people out of poverty by giving them access to high-quality health care. In a country where getting good medical care can be expensive, SKMCH’s free cancer treatment is nothing short of remarkable.
The hospital guarantees that cancer will not put families deeper into poverty by covering all medical expenses, so they can focus on improving. Since it opened in 1994, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital will have seen more than 127,900 people with cancer by 2022. Breast, colon and lip/oral cancer are some of the most common types of cancer treated at the hospital. The hospital’s cancer registry listed more than 7,300 new cancer cases in 2022 alone. These numbers show how many cancer patients are in Pakistan and how hard Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital works to help them.
Paving the Way for Better Policies
Policymakers have taken notice of the success and impact of SKMCH’s work to aid Pakistan’s poor. The hospital’s innovative way of treating cancer for free has led to talks and plans to make health care easier to receive nationwide. SKMCH’s work to improve health care infrastructure has affected policy decisions, leading to more government support and funding for health programs that help people in economically disadvantaged regions.
Beating the Odds: A Teen Overcomes Cancer
At the Shaukat Khanum Hospital in 1999, 14-year-old Waqas Khan learned he had blood cancer. Even though the news was terrible, Waqas found hope in the charitable cancer hospital. He was able to access free treatment and medicines that his family could not afford on their own. Waqas kept going through years of hard chemo treatments with the help of caring doctors at SKMCH. He got strength every day from his hope to finish school. He beat the odds and beat cancer after 3.5 years of hard treatment. In 2023, Waqas is a successful university student about to graduate. His story shows how impoverished cancer patients find life-saving care and hope at Shaukat Khanum Hospital that changes their lives.
A Gateway of Opportunity: The Founding Vision of Namal University
Imran Khan founded Namal University in 2008 to empower Pakistani youth through access to higher education, regardless of socioeconomic standing. Namal provided poor, hard-working students with a chance to go to college, which seemed like an impossible dream.
Namal University, located in Mianwali, was envisioned as Pakistan’s first model institution of higher education. More than 500 students have graduated with the help of the program’s merit and need-based scholarships. The school encourages students with exceptional potential from all walks of life to apply.
Building Skills to Uplift Communities
The main subjects in Namal’s curriculum are engineering, science, computer science, business, marketing and agriculture. Students learn technical and analytical skills that fit the needs of their communities. For example, engineering graduates work on projects like irrigation and clean water, which help farmers make more money.
Through her studies at Namal University, aspiring electrical engineer Bushra Sardar has earned a chance to break new ground. Sardar, from Faisalabad, joined the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in the United States. It is a very competitive program. A woman from Namal has been accepted into an academic and cultural exchange program, making her one of the first two from her region to do so.
Sardar is a pioneering woman in engineering, a field men have always dominated. During her time at Namal, her love of engineering and passion for doing well in school has opened doors for her. Sardar’s selection shows how talented Namal’s many different students are. It shows that the university wants to give female students the tools to reach their goals.
The World Needs More Leaders Like Imran Khan
Imran Khan is known for his impact on sports, politics and humanitarian efforts to help Pakistan’s poor. Imran Khan’s charitable projects are aiding Pakistan’s underprivileged population. Khan, hailing from Pakistan, has gained immense popularity worldwide. This is evident from the huge number of followers he garnered within a week of creating his TikTok account. He has gone from being a cricket star to a philanthropist to a political leader.
Khan has given the people of Pakistan hope and pride. Shaukat Khanum Hospital made many cancer patient’s dreams come true by giving them the care they needed. Namal University gave bright students from low-income families a chance to attend college. By helping people get better and giving them more power, these humanitarian projects show how much Imran Khan cares about improving the country he loves.
– Asia Jamil
Photo: Flickr
Slovakia: The World’s Highest Rate of Income Equality
In today’s stark reality, the richest 10% of individuals hold more than half of global income, while the poorest half of the world’s total population shares 8.5% of it; a disparity that has doubled over the last 20 years. However, Slovakia is one of the few success stories of inclusive growth, maintaining the third-lowest risk of poverty in the EU in addition to achieving the world’s highest rate of income equality.
Defying Poverty and Disparity
Europe constitutes no exception from the global trajectory of wealth distribution. Among the EU’s most equitable nations, Denmark and Sweden have witnessed income inequality increase by approximately 14% since 2006. In contrast, Slovakia experienced a reduction of the same amount during this period. While income levels in Slovakia remain relatively low, they are nevertheless the most evenly distributed.
In fact, the Slovak Republic attained a Gini coefficient of 23.2 in 2023 — a statistical measure quantifying income inequality and economic concentration — which constitutes the lowest figure achieved by any nation today. Meanwhile, Slovakia is also recognized as having the world’s fourth-best Palma ratio, a gauge of wealth disparity between the top 10% and bottom 40% of the population.
Additionally, Europe’s income growth has generally remained stagnant over the past quarter-century, while Slovakia exhibits one of the most rapid income growth rates among OECD states. A 2019 OECD report found that in 2022, 21.6% of EU citizens were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, while the individual figure for Slovakia averaged around 12%. Finally, as poverty can be understood as an extreme expression of inequality, Slovakia’s progress towards equality attained commendable triumphs on the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1, which is towards the eradication of poverty.
A Closer Look at Slovak Policies
Since the split of Czechoslovakia into Slovakia and the Czech Republic, the two republics have introduced a number of social policies along with the phased introduction of market-based democracy. Slovak efforts encompassed state-directed reforms aimed at improving the national level of education, labor force participation and occupational class structure in addition to a number of social safety nets. Notably, since the 1990s, Slovakia saw a significant increase in the share of university graduates, as well as an expansion of routine non-manual jobs that currently employ one-fourth of the Slovak population.
Slovakia exhibits a unique tax mix with extensive pre- and post-income distributive functions. Much of Slovakia’s tax revenue stems from the social security contribution tax, which accounts for 13.3% of Slovak GDP, while corporate income tax constitutes the state’s second-largest source of tax revenue. Slovakia’s progressive tax is attributed to a 42% reduction in the inequality rate within the country, where a 17% to 20% tax rate is enforced on the highest earners, while a 0% to 5% is taxed from the lowest incomes. On a national level, this results in the top 10% of earners in the workforce accounting for 30% of all social contributions, while the collective taxed amount from the lowest-earning half of the population contributes a quarter of the total funds. In fact, the majority of retirees’ income, about 80-90%, is derived from progressive tax, deeming it primarily funded by those with the highest incomes.
From the earliest days of independence, pension schemes introduced in Slovakia aimed to better employment rates without having to suppress wages. To reduce labor supply, Slovakia increased personal income tax for workers above retirement age along with marked increases in pension benefits. Despite earnings in OECD states averaging more than three times those in Slovakia, public spending on pensions comprises 7% of Slovakia’s GDP. In fact, 2013 studies on OECD and G20 countries revealed that poverty rates for the elderly were among the lowest in Slovakia, averaging 4.3% in 2010, while the overall OECD average stood at 12.8%.
Another notable dimension of Slovak welfare schemes includes parental leave. Early reforms in the Slovak Republic established a three-year paternal allowance, that continues to rank Slovakian parental leave policies amongst the top 10 in the world, with Slovakia being the first on the list with equal days of fully paid leave for male and female parents.
How Social Welfare Has Improved Income Equality in Slovakia
Furthermore, Slovakia’s dynamic of proactively seeking social welfare has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to endure in the face of international economic shocks. According to the projections of the European Commission, Slovakia was among the EU economies tackling the 2008 global economic crisis most effectively. Slovakia was quick to establish the Institute for Subsistence Law, which defined vulnerable portions of the populace based on fixed amounts of minimum monthly incomes below which they would become entitled to social assistance benefits. Consequently, between 2008 and 2015, the risk of poverty in Slovakia dropped by 2.5%, with an 8% decrease in the overall poverty level within the 10 years leading up to 2015.
Moreover, studies by the Slovak Institute for Financial Policy found that intergenerational elasticity in Slovakia — the extent to which an individual’s income is determined by their parents’ economic status — was at 18.4%, a figure significantly lower than that of any Western European nation. Therefore, Slovakia also stands out in the fact that parents’ income levels serve as a poor indicator of their offspring’s earning prospects, indicating a limited effect on a child’s opportunities.
In the words of the Center for Eastern Studies’ Tomasz Dąborowski, the Slovak experience is “a model of successful economic transformation,” demonstrating that a focus on economic justice and social welfare can yield transformative results amidst the current landscape of challenges to income equality.
– Nadia Asaad
Photo: Flickr