Since 2001, the rate of poverty in The Bahamas has increased by approximately 59%, with close to 15% of Bahamians currently living below the poverty line as of 2013. Food insecurity, natural disasters and complications associated with a tourism-based economy are all factors contributing to poverty in The Bahamas.
Food Insecurity and Malnutrition in The Bahamas
As of 2021, 17.2% of Bahamians struggle with “moderate to severe food insecurity.” Their plight with food insecurity largely stems from the country’s heavy reliance on food imports, due to unpredictable climate conditions such as droughts and hurricanes that present challenges to agricultural success.
Only 10% of the food that people consume in The Bahamas is produced domestically, leaving the food supply vulnerable to international factors outside of the country’s immediate control. The structure of The Bahama’s food system often leads to inconsistent availability, prices and distribution of nutrient-dense foods, with residents of remote areas more susceptible to these shortages.
Globalization and the “growth of multinational food companies” have also made cheap, processed food much more accessible to Bahamians across all regions. This disproportionately high access to non-nutritious foods has resulted in mounting obesity and malnutrition, with the Caribbean region having the highest prevalence of overweight individuals in the world. Currently, 41% of Bahamian adults and 19% of Bahamian children are obese.
Housing Crisis in The Bahamas
As a country made up of islands, The Bahamas faces increased threats of natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tropical storms. Not only do these natural disasters wreak havoc on the country’s food supply, but they are capable of destroying Bahamians’ homes and businesses. In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas, a category 5 storm that demolished the homes of around 70,000 people, leaving approximately 17% of the Bahamian population without housing.
According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the overall cost of damages to Bahamian housing infrastructure totaled approximately $1.5 billion. In the hardest hit areas of the country, communities were left in complete rubble, with people seeking refuge at highly overcrowded shelters, or “in [any] houses that [were] still standing.” Rebuilding efforts were challenged with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic just months later, and there remains a considerable amount of rebuilding.
Unemployment in The Bahamas
Maintaining a labor market predominately reliant on tourism comes with its ups and downs. Global events that halt tourism such as natural disasters and pandemics take a massive toll on the stability of the Bahamian workforce, as this specific field accounts for approximately 60% of the country’s total GDP. Since the early 1990s, unemployment rates in The Bahamas have been unstable, with more recent rises and drops happening in correspondence to events such as Hurricane Dorian and the outbreak of COVID-19.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, The Bahamas experienced an “economic contraction” of 12.5% throughout 2020, with 13% of the Bahamian labor force claiming unemployment by May 2020. Additionally, the number of households earning below the minimum wage more than doubled between January and April 2020. With the post-COVID rebound of tourism, the current unemployment rate in The Bahamas sits at about 8.8%. However for Bahamians under the age of 25, the current unemployment rate is a startling 18.7%.
Government Actions
In January 2023, the Bahamian government announced the creation of a new National Food Policy. The Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs will oversee the National Food Policy, which aims to increase food security by strengthening Bahamian agriculture. This policy will work toward “[driving] domestic investment” in agriculture by aiding and incentivizing Bahamian farmers, with the goal of establishing a sizable internal food system and making the country less reliant on food exports.
Additionally, The Bahamas has taken steps to ensure the sustainability of its growing food market by attending the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit, making the commitment to align its agricultural goals with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Small Home Repair Program
In the face of the massive displacement of Bahamians at the hands of Hurricane Dorian, the Bahamian government has made “significant payouts” directly to affected individuals, amounting to more than $1 million. In order to mitigate the catastrophic damage done to thousands of homes, the Bahamian government enacted the Small Home Repair Program through its Disaster Reconstruction Authority.
As of 2020, this program has allocated approximately $3.3 million to repair homes and businesses and has assisted approximately 2,000 individuals. This program has also funded further debris removal done by Bahamian contractors. Aside from assistance from the government, humanitarian organizations such as All Hands and Hearts have been working since 2019 to provide disaster relief and reconstruct homes lost in the storm. As of November 2022, All Hands and Hearts has assisted 67 households and has had more than 700 volunteers.
The Skills for Current and Future Jobs in The Bahamas Program
While it appears that tourism may remain the predominant part of the Bahamian economy, the government of The Bahamas is working to create a labor force adaptable to other emerging markets and technologies. The Skills for Current and Future Jobs in The Bahamas Program introduced in 2019 specifically targets the most unemployed demographic, people aged 16 to 40, and teaches people essential skills that are vital to The Bahamas’ growing labor markets.
Through a 12-month apprenticeship, participants receive hands-on experience in maritime, medical and allied services and information communication technology sectors, transforming them into ideal candidates for modern Bahamian employers. The Bahamian government is also aiming to improve The Department of Labour’s internal technologies and infrastructures in order to match job-seekers to potential employers better. As this program is very young, it could take several more years for The Bahamas to record measurable results.
A Hopeful Outlook
In addition to poverty in The Bahamas, the country also struggles with food insecurity, homelessness and unstable employment, particularly in the midst of recent pandemics and natural disasters. While there is no quick fix, the Bahamian government, U.N. and humanitarian aid organizations such as All Hands and Hearts are committed to reducing poverty in the Bahamas and keeping the country on track toward a sustainable future.
– Reagan McDaniel
Photo: Flickr
Why the Maldives Needs the Loss and Damage Fund
G20, an intergovernmental forum of countries like the United States (U.S.), Argentina and France — nations that are historically responsible for 75% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. However, changing weather patterns impact low-income nations the most and they often carry the burdens related to that even though they are not all as responsible for carbon emissions as other countries. For example, Pakistan emits less than 1% of global admissions yet has $30 billion in damages from severe flooding.
The Need for a Loss and Damage Fund in the Maldives
Climate-vulnerable countries have been demanding a loss and damage fund for more than three decades, with the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) spearheading the movement. G77 nations, a group with developing economies like the Bahamas, believe high-emission countries have a climate debt they need to pay to poor nations whose standards of living are suffering due to changing weather patterns.
As a result of extreme climate disasters, such as severe flooding, bushfires, species extinction, rising sea levels and crop failures, citizens of impoverished nations are losing their land and culture. One prime example of such a nation is the Maldives, as rising sea levels are affecting the country.
Trouble in the Maldives
The Maldives is a nation made up of 1,190 islands facing territorial damage as a result of changing weather patterns. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), heightened ocean temperatures as a result of global warming have led to rising sea levels and 70% of its coral bleaching. As a low-lying country with 99% of its territory consisting of seawater and most islands sitting at less than one meter above sea level, the Maldives sinks further into the ocean every year.
The Maldives’ most pressing issue is beach erosion. As a result of sea levels rising, sand ends up in the ocean and trees’ roots cannot support them, wiping away land from the islands as ocean levels rise 3 to 4 millimeters per year.
While the Maldives is losing its geographic and physical presence to the ocean, its population is also facing cultural erasure. As communities move once their homes and recreational centers become uninhabitable, a culture heavily connected to the sea is unable to properly interact with the water surrounding it. The waning biodiversity and health of coral reefs, beaches and mangrove ecosystems also prevent the traditional fishing industry from flourishing.
The Maldives and the Loss and Damage Fund
Due to the damaging sea level rise in the Maldives, advocates like former president Mohamed Nasheed were major supporters of developed countries providing financial assistance to island nations. Adaptations to help mitigate the effects of changing weather patterns on the population include a sea wall to prevent beach erosion and protect the main island of Malé from wave destruction. However, initiatives for improving urban infrastructure and disaster preparation are expensive, resulting in a World Bank loan of more than $16 million to the Maldives for climate mitigation measures.
The Maldivian government has supported the installment of a loss and damage fund so it could freely take measures to keep its population and land safe from changing weather patterns without owing massive debts to organizations like the World Bank. Now that the Maldives has passed the fund, the Maldives must wait until COP28 for financial planning to get underway. Nonetheless, $140 to $300 billion will likely go toward climate-vulnerable nations.
Looking Ahead
For now, the Maldives is looking to be resilient to climate impacts by exploring alternative measures. The government finished the construction of a man-made island, Hulhumalé, in 2018. Labeled the City of Hope by locals, it is two meters above sea level, which mitigates the impact of flooding, beach erosion and sea level rise on the island. With space for more than 240,000 people, the Maldivian government is hoping to move residents from the capital of Malé, where space is limited due to the island’s sinking, to new homes.
As the construction of Hulhumalé demonstrates, the Maldivian government and its people are tackling the effects of extreme weather patterns on their nation in innovative ways. The loss and damage fund established at COP27 appears to be a promising step in the direction of climate justice and resilience for impoverished nations.
– Meilyn Farina
Photo: Flickr
The Jamaican Government’s Efforts To Destigmatize Mental Health
Background
Many Jamaicans live in disadvantaged communities with limited access to resources such as health care, education or employment. Conditions like this can lead to stress and inadvertently increase the risk of mental illness. Negative stigma about mental health exists all over the world. The stigma around mental health in Jamaica can make things incredibly difficult.
Many Jamaicans view mental illness as a weakness or a sign of fragility. This often leads to those with mental illness not seeking help out of fear of being judged. These harmful stigmas only force more Jamaicans to suffer in silence. The government has been working to solve this growing issue by increasing awareness and reducing the stigma around mental health in Jamaica.
Campaigns
One of the ways Jamaica is addressing this is with the “Speak Up, Speak Now” campaign by the Ministry of Health & Wellness.
The Ministry is a government organization that oversees Jamaica’s public health system and leads the national effort to protect Jamaicans’ rights to access health care services. Its most recent target has been mental health in Jamaica. According to their website, MOHW’s goal is to “ensure the provision of quality health services and to promote healthy lifestyles and environmental practices.” The ministry started the campaign to destigmatize mental health in Jamaica and to connect people to the resources that they need. It also aims to educate and encourage Jamaicans to speak freely about mental illness.
The Ministry’s website includes many different resources for Jamaicans seeking help with their overall health. The mental health section includes a short video giving encouraging words to those dealing with depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Below the video, there are more than a dozen posters with facts and tips about different mental health issues and how to overcome them.
When the campaign first launched, they activated a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline for Jamaica’s residents. The campaign also partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund, a digital platform that sends messages to cell phones, three times in 2019. The campaign reached more than 1,500 young people with suicide prevention tips. Since around 20% of Jamaican children have a mental disorder, the message needed to reach many people.
The number of children with mental illness is linked to poverty as well. In 2018 at least 25% of Jamaican children lived below the poverty line. When adults do not have access to essentials, it often leads to mental illness. The same thing applies to children.
Looking Forward
The campaign does not end there. In February 2022, the ministry worked with Bellevue Hospital in Kingston to upgrade its mental health services. Some of these improvements include developing guidelines for managing psychiatric emergencies, investing in buses for transporting patients and purchasing standardized restraints for hospitals and community emergencies.
This campaign has done wonders for its community ever since it emerged in 2019. It will no doubt continue to educate the population and destigmatize mental health in Jamaica.
– Brianna Leonard
Photo: Flickr
How Receiving Cows is Helping Those in Poverty in Burundi
Alongside being the poorest country globally, Burundi faces one of the highest poverty rates. However, the Great Lakes Regional Integrated Agriculture Development Project (PRDAIGL) is making significant strides in aiding those in poverty in Burundi. This effort is especially evident in its initiative to gift cows to households in need, a pivotal component of the project.
Poverty Rate in Burundi
The U.S. State Department declared Burundi as the poorest country in the world based on the country’s GDP. In Burundi, as of 2022, the GDP per capita is $238.40. Compared to developed countries like the U.S., with a GDP per capita of $76,398.60, or the U.K. with $45,850.40, the difference is substantial. Even Burundi’s neighboring country, Tanzania, has a GDP of $1,192.40. As of 2022, 87% of Burundians live on less than $1.90 a day.
Conflict’s Effect on Poverty in Burundi
Part of the reason for the state of poverty in Burundi is The Burundian Civil War. This conflict arose from long-standing tensions between the Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups. It stretched from 1993 to 2005, during which the GDP dropped 50%, and caused issues with food security, education, safe housing and general health. All in all, the rate of poverty in Burundi is high and highlights the need for external support. This is what PRDAIGL has set out to provide.
PRDAIGL’S Goals
The World Bank formed PRDAIGL in 2017 to improve the financial and living conditions of those living in poverty in Burundi. Despite being a largely agricultural country, with 80% of its people relying on agriculture for income, 50% of people in Burundi do not have enough access to food. In fact, food production in Burundi can only provide a person with enough food for 55 days a year.
PRDAIGL set out to alleviate financial struggles due to poverty in Burundi by providing livestock in the form of cattle, along with financial and technical support. Despite a difficult beginning to the project, with delays caused by bovine diseases and COVID-19 measures that prevented the importing of more than 3,000 cows to Burundi, PRDAIGL has finally been able to carry out its mission in 2023.
A Case Study of the PRDAIGL Project
An example of how the project has supported those in poverty in Burundi is 56-year-old Christine Nyabenda, whose financial situation improved after receiving a cow from PRDAIGL. After receiving training in animal husbandry and receiving assistance in building a structure for the cow, Nyabenda has started a successful dairy business.
With the profits from selling dairy products, she has since been able to buy a second cow, build a shop for her products and hire four employees. She has also used her increased earnings to improve her family’s living conditions. And she has been able to take care of the cows properly after receiving training from PRDAIGL in how to monitor their health, keep them and their enclosures hygienic and operate a sustainable farm.
How the Project Has Helped People
PRDAIGL’s successes during this project include:
Looking Ahead
In spite of being one of the poorest countries globally, Burundi receives crucial assistance from organizations like PRDAIGL. Charities and initiatives like these offer a glimmer of hope for the eventual eradication of poverty in Burundi.
– Jess Wilkinson
Photo: Flickr
What Is The “Social Supermarket” And How Is It Tackling Poverty?
In the fight to tackle food poverty, a concept titled the “Social Supermarket” has emerged. A social supermarket sells discounted food to those who are experiencing poverty or live on a low income, selling food 70% cheaper than high-street supermarkets.
What is the Social Supermarket?
The Observer’s restaurant critic and feature writer, Jay Rayner, explains in his article discussing the rise of the social supermarket for The Guardian that “it’s not about selling cheap food, but building strong communities.” Community First estimates that one-third of the food that the world produces goes to waste, meaning it converts to landfill and rots to produce methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas. It has also revealed that “1.9 million tonnes of food is wasted by the food industry every year in the U.K.” and “250,000 tonnes of the food that goes to waste each year is still edible.” This is where the “Social Supermarket” helps.
Run by voluntary organizations working with local food producers and suppliers, social supermarkets aim to provide products at a lower cost than traditional supermarkets. Torbay Food Alliance refers to social supermarkets owning the capability to help “prevent people reaching the point where they need a food bank.”
What is the Difference Between a Food Bank and a Social Supermarket?
A food bank is an emergency support service provided to people in crisis. It lacks control over the items on offer and the food is not always fresh.
This concept aims to provide short-term support. Alternatively, social supermarkets provide a range of discounted food for, usually, up to six months. A social supermarket offers a variety of products from fresh food to toiletries and cleaning supplies.
Unfortunately, social supermarkets may soon experience high demand. As Money Magpie states, “Social supermarkets and food re-distributors have popped up in quick succession in the last few months. With food insecurity becoming a real issue for more people than ever before, the choice between heating and eating this winter is a real threat for people across the U.K.”
Who Can Use a Social Supermarket?
There are multiple social supermarkets around the U.K. for the public to use. Additionally, with 4.7 million people reported in 2021/22 experiencing food poverty, many can benefit from this service. Anyone is eligible to use a social supermarket — shoppers do not need to receive welfare benefits.
Community First has released the following statement about its work with social supermarkets: “We’re hoping that those who find themselves having to use FoodBanks have an alternative with the added benefit of taking away any stigma and providing healthy options at affordable prices.”
How Has the Social Supermarket Already Reduced Food Poverty?
The Mayor of London is funding three new social supermarkets in London, with Haringey, Enfield and Lambeth councils spending a share of £300,000 to set up the new stores. Hosting London’s very first social supermarket, Lambeth has helped 520 low-income households access discounted food and even employment; along with food access, social supermarkets also bring new jobs to underprivileged people. London Assembly explains that “the London Food Board will work to ensure that everyone in London can access good, healthy food at every stage of their lives, from new mothers to children, all the way through to older people who may be at risk of malnutrition often caused by inadequate diets.”
The social supermarket concept has helped many people overcome the struggle of food poverty. However, with 49 million people in 43 countries still experiencing food poverty and 3 billion people unable to fund a healthy, nutritious diet, there is still a need for more work.
– Katerina Petrou
Photo: Flickr
New Emissions Standards in Africa Make Used Car Exports Safer
UNEP reports that around two out of every five used cars exported worldwide find their way to Africa. Many African countries do not have age limits on imported cars, according to a 2020 report by Global Citizen. Furthermore, emissions standards in Africa are often not on par with those in Europe, leading to poor health and environmental consequences through air pollution.
The Bad: Unsafe Emissions
Vision of Humanity report from 2023 examines the causes and effects of used car exports to developing countries, especially Africa. The European Union (EU) alone sent more than 7.5 million vehicles abroad from 2015 to 2018, with many vehicles meeting emissions standards in Africa but falling short in Europe due to “poor fuel economy and higher emissions.” Vision of Humanity’s report goes on to explain that most of these vehicles “contain inefficient diesel engines, a major source of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx),” both of which reportedly share links with climate change and risk of respiratory diseases.
Lack of Emissions Standards in Developing Countries
According to a 2023 article by the World Economic Forum, about 10 years ago, European motor vehicles were previously required to emit a little over 130 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer of travel. However, in developing countries dominated by the used car market, cars now consume nearly 1.5 times that amount of fuel.
For additional perspective, the World Economic Forum’s article continues that four in five used vehicles exported to Africa fail to meet “basic emissions standards” like those in Europe. In this article, Margo Oge, formerly of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, claims that improved emissions standards in Africa and elsewhere in the developing world could cut vehicle emissions by up to 99%.
The Good: Progress Toward Safer Emissions Standards in Africa
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) covered an instance of progress before the pandemic. In February 2020, environment and energy ministers from every nation in the Economic Community of West African States conferred to adopt elaborate new standards for ensuring that fuels emitted by area vehicles were cleaner than they had been.
As part of these new emissions standards in Africa, there are several significant changes. By 2030, the average fuel consumption of imported vehicles was reduced from 8 liters to 4.2 liters per 100 kilometers traveled. Additionally, sulfur fuel composition standards were lowered to 50 parts per million (ppm) in diesel and gasoline. This is a significant reduction from levels as high as 10,000 ppm in some of the region’s nations.
With nearly seven years remaining to meet fuel consumption goals, the environment looks forward to concrete evidence of progress in safer imported used cars. Improved emissions standards in Africa offer a pathway to a healthier environment, particularly in central and western Africa, without diminishing the life-changing impact that used cars can have on individuals like Mwangi.
– Noel Teter
Photo: Flickr
5 Facts About Being Poor in Spain
5 Facts About Being Poor in Spain
Minimum Wage Increases Sow Hope for Future Economic Improvements
In February 2023, the Spanish government approved an 8% increase to the nation’s minimum wage, bringing the total increase since 2018 to 47%. Despite the findings of a recent study commissioned by Spain’s Ministry of Labor that found that minimum wage increases caused the loss of 28,000 jobs, it determined that overall wage inequality was reduced and 1.5 million workers had improved living conditions.
In addition, Spain’s economy grew 5.5% in 2022 and the country created nearly 500,000 jobs last year. These promising statistics have given government officials hope that the Spanish economy is headed in the right direction.
– Tristan Weisenbach
Photo: Flickr
How Renewable Energy Can Help Rural Colombian Communities
Colombia’s Renewable Energy Potential
Colombia already embraces renewable energy, long relying on hydroelectric power for up to 77% of its energy needs, according to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Yet, changing weather patterns and climate shocks like droughts have increasingly compromised the reliability of hydroelectric power. Furthermore, the maintenance of such systems has posed a challenge.
For instance, in 2011, a school in the small rural village of San Antonio installed a micro-hydroelectric power plant in hopes of ensuring access to reliable and affordable power for students and teachers. Yet, due to insufficient servicing and installation, the plant’s efficiency fell short, providing only five hours of electricity per day. This highlights the need for proper implementation and ongoing maintenance for the sustained reliability of renewable energy sources. Moreover, diversifying energy profiles in rural Colombian communities could enhance reliability and establish long-term solutions for addressing poverty.
On the bright side, Colombia holds great potential for energy diversification, with many rural Colombian communities presenting ideal conditions for wind and solar energy generation. Since these communities are off-grid, renewable energy plants and infrastructure can be tailored to their specific strengths and needs, enabling rural Colombian communities to implement locally suitable and sustainable energy production methods, as is being done on Colombia’s Providencia Island.
Impact on Education
Implementing reliable renewable energy infrastructure could significantly help improve education in rural Colombian communities. For example, even the five-hour daily supply of electricity that the San Antonio school generated with its hydropower plant was unreliable due to ongoing work on dams in the area. Power outages frequently reduced planning time for teachers and study hours for students. Additionally, the school’s health center, a vital community resource, lacked sufficient power to refrigerate vaccines and anti-venom serum, putting the many students who boarded at the school and inhabitants of this geographically-isolated community at great risk.
Across rural Colombian communities, a lack of reliable electricity has hindered students’ learning, teachers’ teaching capabilities and schools’ ability to provide essential medical care, safe drinking water and basic sanitation services. Consequently, USAID and organizations like Tierra Grata have prioritized the implementation of reliable renewable energy resources in Colombia’s off-grid, rural regions. Already, the combined efforts from these organizations are making a significant impact on students, teachers and entire communities.
For instance, as part of a larger initiative “to develop renewable energy projects” in rural Colombian communities, USAID stepped in to help repair San Antonio’s hydropower plant, install supplementary renewable energy infrastructure and provide solar lamps for teachers’ home use. As one teacher noted, access to a solar lamp allowed him to prepare for classes at night, leading to more interactive classroom time. He also noted that, as a result of USAID’s interventions, children did not need to spend as much time gathering wood for energy, allowing them to devote more time to their studies. Overall, USAID’s interventions aim to reach more than 13,000 inhabitants across rural Colombia.
Impact on Local Economies
Implementing renewable energy production methods in rural Colombian communities could also contribute to poverty reduction by improving local economies. In addition to reducing energy consumption and costs, renewable energy can help create sustainable income opportunities, ensure environmental preservation, enhance efficiency and improve the quality of life in rural, off-grid communities.
For example, a common rice-drying practice involves laying rice out in the open, and this exposes the grains to animals who might consume it before it dries completely and is ready for sale. To address this issue, USAID is working to implement solar-powered grain dryers in communities that rely upon rice for income and sustenance. The initiative will allow for more efficient grain processing, minimizing product losses and allowing local economies to grow with increased production and sales of rice. As the rural development specialist of the USAID project summarized, this approach represents “rural development from the starting point of clean energy.”
Looking to the Future
Despite the inordinate poverty that Colombia’s rural communities face, such initiatives demonstrate how reliable access to renewable energy resources can help mitigate poverty and its many effects. Across these communities, the effective implementation and maintenance of renewable energy infrastructure could reduce energy and education-related inequality, foster growth in local economies through increased productivity and alleviate the disparities caused by geographic isolation.
– Ada Rose Wagar
Photo: Flickr
Social Protection in Vietnam
Social Protection in Vietnam
While Vietnam is a middle/upper middle-income country undergoing rapid socioeconomic development, social protection programs are still crucial to tackling relative poverty, social exclusion and increasing inequality. According to a 2019 World Bank report, the three main priorities of social protection are social insurance, social and welfare assistance and labor market programs.
Social protection aims to provide a safety net for individuals and households, protecting them from various risks and vulnerabilities. By addressing issues related to education, employment, health care, social welfare and poverty reduction, social protection in Vietnam seeks to enhance public well-being and quality of life and promote social cohesion within societies.
Successes and Achievements
Reports from the United Nations (U.N.) and the World Bank note rising access to social protection in Vietnam, such as education, health care, housing for the poor and disadvantaged, safe water, improved infrastructure, emergency relief, education and more.
The following are some of Vietnam’s developments in social protection:
At the beginning of 2022, The Vietnamese Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) began constructing a climate governance system, highlighting the country’s commitment to addressing climate change. The focus on streamlined policies, budgeting processes and climate finance planning demonstrates a proactive approach to achieving climate goals. The recognition of international support, including expertise, technology transfer and climate finance, showcases Vietnam’s determination to accelerate its green transition and ensure the sustainability of social protection in Vietnam.
Barriers and Challenges
Vietnam faces challenges due to the independent design and implementation of social protection and social insurance systems, resulting in coverage gaps, fragmentation and insufficient benefits. Consequently, Vietnam’s current social protection system fails to adequately protect children, the elderly and people with disabilities.
Many medical facilities in Vietnam operate under poor-resourced conditions: outdated facilities, chronic overcrowding and inadequate medical equipment. Furthermore, a shortage of qualified medical staff adds to the challenges, with doctors and nurses working under stressful conditions and receiving relatively low wages. Therefore, despite high health care insurance coverage in Vietnam, the quality of care remains inadequate and insufficient, particularly for impoverished, vulnerable groups.
As stated in a 2016 Vietnamese Government and UNDP report, the social assistance transfer system offered limited coverage and minimal impact on poverty reduction. Social assistance transfers are government programs or initiatives to support individuals in extreme impoverishment through cash transfers, food assistance, housing subsidies, education grants, health care subsidies and more. Compared to other middle-income countries, the value of social transfers in Vietnam is minimal, undermining their potential impact on family well-being and economic growth. Delivery systems of social protection are undeveloped, with limited use of technology for implementation. The provision of social care services is inadequate, with a shortage of professional social workers and insufficient support for vulnerable individuals.
Improvements to Social Protection in Vietnam
Although Vietnam has made tremendous progress in social protection, challenges remain. There appears to be a need for the country to make additional efforts that aim to strengthen coordination among programs, expand coverage and benefits for vulnerable groups, improve health care infrastructure and education, enhance the capacity of social workers and health care professionals and mobilize resources and international support. Implementing these measures could reinforce Vietnam’s social protection system and ensure the well-being and inclusion of all its citizens.
– Freya Ngo
Photo: Flickr
Addressing Poverty in the Bahamas
Food Insecurity and Malnutrition in The Bahamas
As of 2021, 17.2% of Bahamians struggle with “moderate to severe food insecurity.” Their plight with food insecurity largely stems from the country’s heavy reliance on food imports, due to unpredictable climate conditions such as droughts and hurricanes that present challenges to agricultural success.
Only 10% of the food that people consume in The Bahamas is produced domestically, leaving the food supply vulnerable to international factors outside of the country’s immediate control. The structure of The Bahama’s food system often leads to inconsistent availability, prices and distribution of nutrient-dense foods, with residents of remote areas more susceptible to these shortages.
Globalization and the “growth of multinational food companies” have also made cheap, processed food much more accessible to Bahamians across all regions. This disproportionately high access to non-nutritious foods has resulted in mounting obesity and malnutrition, with the Caribbean region having the highest prevalence of overweight individuals in the world. Currently, 41% of Bahamian adults and 19% of Bahamian children are obese.
Housing Crisis in The Bahamas
As a country made up of islands, The Bahamas faces increased threats of natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tropical storms. Not only do these natural disasters wreak havoc on the country’s food supply, but they are capable of destroying Bahamians’ homes and businesses. In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas, a category 5 storm that demolished the homes of around 70,000 people, leaving approximately 17% of the Bahamian population without housing.
According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the overall cost of damages to Bahamian housing infrastructure totaled approximately $1.5 billion. In the hardest hit areas of the country, communities were left in complete rubble, with people seeking refuge at highly overcrowded shelters, or “in [any] houses that [were] still standing.” Rebuilding efforts were challenged with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic just months later, and there remains a considerable amount of rebuilding.
Unemployment in The Bahamas
Maintaining a labor market predominately reliant on tourism comes with its ups and downs. Global events that halt tourism such as natural disasters and pandemics take a massive toll on the stability of the Bahamian workforce, as this specific field accounts for approximately 60% of the country’s total GDP. Since the early 1990s, unemployment rates in The Bahamas have been unstable, with more recent rises and drops happening in correspondence to events such as Hurricane Dorian and the outbreak of COVID-19.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, The Bahamas experienced an “economic contraction” of 12.5% throughout 2020, with 13% of the Bahamian labor force claiming unemployment by May 2020. Additionally, the number of households earning below the minimum wage more than doubled between January and April 2020. With the post-COVID rebound of tourism, the current unemployment rate in The Bahamas sits at about 8.8%. However for Bahamians under the age of 25, the current unemployment rate is a startling 18.7%.
Government Actions
In January 2023, the Bahamian government announced the creation of a new National Food Policy. The Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs will oversee the National Food Policy, which aims to increase food security by strengthening Bahamian agriculture. This policy will work toward “[driving] domestic investment” in agriculture by aiding and incentivizing Bahamian farmers, with the goal of establishing a sizable internal food system and making the country less reliant on food exports.
Additionally, The Bahamas has taken steps to ensure the sustainability of its growing food market by attending the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit, making the commitment to align its agricultural goals with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Small Home Repair Program
In the face of the massive displacement of Bahamians at the hands of Hurricane Dorian, the Bahamian government has made “significant payouts” directly to affected individuals, amounting to more than $1 million. In order to mitigate the catastrophic damage done to thousands of homes, the Bahamian government enacted the Small Home Repair Program through its Disaster Reconstruction Authority.
As of 2020, this program has allocated approximately $3.3 million to repair homes and businesses and has assisted approximately 2,000 individuals. This program has also funded further debris removal done by Bahamian contractors. Aside from assistance from the government, humanitarian organizations such as All Hands and Hearts have been working since 2019 to provide disaster relief and reconstruct homes lost in the storm. As of November 2022, All Hands and Hearts has assisted 67 households and has had more than 700 volunteers.
The Skills for Current and Future Jobs in The Bahamas Program
While it appears that tourism may remain the predominant part of the Bahamian economy, the government of The Bahamas is working to create a labor force adaptable to other emerging markets and technologies. The Skills for Current and Future Jobs in The Bahamas Program introduced in 2019 specifically targets the most unemployed demographic, people aged 16 to 40, and teaches people essential skills that are vital to The Bahamas’ growing labor markets.
Through a 12-month apprenticeship, participants receive hands-on experience in maritime, medical and allied services and information communication technology sectors, transforming them into ideal candidates for modern Bahamian employers. The Bahamian government is also aiming to improve The Department of Labour’s internal technologies and infrastructures in order to match job-seekers to potential employers better. As this program is very young, it could take several more years for The Bahamas to record measurable results.
A Hopeful Outlook
In addition to poverty in The Bahamas, the country also struggles with food insecurity, homelessness and unstable employment, particularly in the midst of recent pandemics and natural disasters. While there is no quick fix, the Bahamian government, U.N. and humanitarian aid organizations such as All Hands and Hearts are committed to reducing poverty in the Bahamas and keeping the country on track toward a sustainable future.
– Reagan McDaniel
Photo: Flickr
How Singapore Is Eliminating Poverty
Singapore’s History
The “little red dot” has always been an entrepôt for different cultures. From the ancient Malay kingdom of Srivijaya to the British Straight Colony, it was not until the 20th century that modern Singapore emerged.
Following the British departure from the region in 1963, Singapore, alongside Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak, established the country of Malaysia, and it did not take long for Malaysia to grow uncomfortable with Singapore’s presence in the federation.
Singapore has a vast Chinese population, where 77% of its population identified as such in the 70s. This resulted in the Parliament of Malaysia expelling Singapore from the federation as a result of ethnic tensions and deep political differences between the ruling parties of Singapore and Malaysia.
Singapore’s Economy
Leading up to its independence, Singapore’s leaders became increasingly concerned over their economy as the country lacked sufficient land to carry out agricultural and developmental activities.
The tiny island nation then depended on international trade where it received imported goods, and then processed and re-exported them to other countries. This has made the Port of Singapore the busiest port in the world in terms of shipping tonnage, with an average of 140,000 vessels linking Singapore to more than 600 ports around the world.
With such fundamental industrialization, Singapore has managed to position itself as a global trade center that focuses on modern skilled tech-centered labor that lapsed traditional manufacturing. This resulted in Singapore’s high GDP which, in 2022, stood at $466.79 billion and a per capita GDP of $82,807.
Poverty in Singapore
Singapore’s success does not reflect on everyone in the country. For instance, Nurhaida Jantan, an unemployed single mother with six children has to live in a tiny flat, just 30 square meters, with little to no finishing.
As explained in an interview with the BBC, the children share a single bedroom with only mattresses and blankets as their bedding. Nurhaida on the other hand, sleeps on the sofa and receives weekly donations from charities. She explains she cannot afford anyone being sick in the house as their finances are too tight.
How Singapore is Eliminating Poverty
Singapore’s major effort to eradicate poverty has been on its agenda since its independence and has always been improving. On March 2, 2022, Mr. Leon Perera of Aljunied GRC spoke to Parliament to submit several proposals to alleviate poverty where he suggested an increase in accessibility of state assistance schemes to those who needed it. He also recommended the increase of financial relief based on beneficiaries to ensure the attendance of those children in poverty to be at school.
Besides the legislative, the Singaporean Government has also taken measures to combat poverty. In particular, it adopted three policy focuses: education, work and family relationships. The Government has emphasized that education should be subsidized for low-income households. In addition, schemes are made available through the Workforce Development Authority such as Skills Future credit to provide mechanisms to enable and facilitate access to opportunities.
Looking Ahead
While most Singaporeans enjoy better living conditions compared to many other countries, there are still instances of neglect that persist. Nevertheless, Singapore is actively addressing poverty and effecting positive change.
– Kent Anderson
Photo: Flickr