Poverty in Lebanon has become one of the country’s most urgent humanitarian challenges. By 2024, around 44% of the population was living in monetary poverty, while almost 80% were suffering from multidimensional poverty. By 2025, nearly 80% of families were in urgent need of support and 31% of households lacked sufficient drinking water, putting them at risk of disease.
The Economic Crisis
To understand poverty in Lebanon, it is necessary to revisit 2019, when the country’s financial system collapsed under years of mismanagement, massive debt and corruption. The economy had long depended on imports, remittances and high interest rates rather than domestic production. When foreign inflows slowed and confidence in banks crumbled, the fallout was severe. The currency crashed, savings disappeared, poverty escalated and basic services like electricity, health care and transport stopped working.
What followed was one of the worst economic collapses in modern history. Between 2019 and 2023, the Lebanese pound lost more than 98% of its value while food prices rose by 350%, the highest food price inflation recorded anywhere in the world. Families were forced to cut back on food, health care and basic expenses and the value of a lifetime of savings evaporated almost overnight. Years later, the crisis is far from over and has devastated daily life for millions of people.
Social Protection Programs in Lebanon
Social protection programs help cushion people from poverty through cash transfers, pensions and school feeding schemes. The World Bank finances the two largest social protection programs in Lebanon: The National Poverty Targeting Program (NPTP) and the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN). In 2021, the NPTP reached only 1.5% of the population, which led to the ESSN in 2022.
The ESSN now covers around 142,000 families, providing roughly $100 per month alongside support for schooling and health services. The ESSN, also known as AMAN, assists people living below the poverty line. Around 800,000 people now receive assistance through the ESSN.
However, in 2023, the World Bank provided an additional $300 million to expand the ESSN, extending cash transfers to 160,000 households and covering school costs for students. Three years later, in 2026, it approved a further $350 million to support social protection, promote the economic inclusion of women and youth and accelerate the digitalization of key public services. The investment aims to strengthen Lebanon’s economic recovery, support job creation and improve the state’s long-term ability to deliver meaningful public services to all citizens.
Oxfam’s Response to Poverty in Lebanon
Oxfam has been working in Lebanon since 1993, providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people. Its current five-year (2023-2028) plan focuses on accessible financial solutions, renewable energy projects and helping businesses survive the economic crisis. Marwan Isaam, a researcher and policy advisor at Oxfam Lebanon, told The Borgen Project that the organization works at multiple levels.
On the humanitarian front, Oxfam provides cash assistance to households for food, rent or multipurpose needs. As he explains, “This is usually not done directly by Oxfam; we work with local organizations to deliver them. We always try not to impose our projects from above; we try to understand communities, to see what they need.” Its work also combines short and long-term interventions. “For example, we provide the family with $200 and at the same time, we train the youth on finding jobs and securing long-term employment. We answer the short-term needs and long-term needs,” Isaam says.
Community Focus
Oxfam also collaborates with ministries to strengthen social development capacities. It works with municipalities on water networks and agriculture to secure resources for communities. It also produces research and policy reports on poverty and food security, which are sent to policymakers in an effort to influence them.
What sets Oxfam apart is its approach to targeting. Rather than using proxy means-testing to identify the very most impoverished individuals, it focuses on reaching entire communities. “We try to push for more universal social production measures, like reaching an entire group or entire region instead of trying to pinpoint who is the poorest, which comes with a lot of targeting issues,” Issam explains.
This also means extending support to groups that are excluded from government programs due to discrimination, including migrants, while prioritizing women and refugees who often lack access that other households might have. “What’s interesting about the work we do at targeting is that we often try to reach communities that are not reached by your mainstream social protection programs,” he adds.
Signs of Improvements
Lebanon’s government has made limited reforms, but some progress is visible. By 2025, signs of stabilization began to emerge for the first time since the crisis began, with inflation falling to double digits and the economy recording positive growth. Food insecurity also improved, driven by moderate inflation, remittances and continued humanitarian assistance.
Politically, the election of a new president and prime minister brought renewed pledges to tackle the economic crisis. The cabinet approved a draft law to establish a mechanism for returning depositors’ funds lost during the crisis. The draft still needs to be approved by parliament to become law.
However, it is the government’s first attempt to return funds to individual depositors whose bank accounts were frozen. Issam welcomes some of these developments but remains cautious. “There are some areas where adaptability and transparency have improved,” he says, “but the main model of how the country operates at an economic level, at the political level, so far remained unchanged.”
He argues that the socioeconomic system still prioritizes protecting business and political elites and marginalizes underserved communities.
The Future of Poverty Policy in Lebanon
After years of crisis, something has shifted. A new government, a stabilizing economy and renewed investment in social protection signal cautious progress. While Lebanon has not yet fully recovered, recovery may finally be within reach for the first time in years.
– Jeanne Pellet
Jeanne is based in London, UK and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
Informal Economy in Uganda Supports Poverty Reduction
Parish Development Model
One policy initiative addressing the informal economy in Uganda is the Parish Development Model. Launched by the government of Uganda in 2022, the program aims to help subsistence households participate more actively in the country’s money economy.
The Parish Development Model focuses on delivering financial services, agricultural support and business development resources at the parish level. Through local savings groups and small business financing, the initiative encourages entrepreneurship among low-income households. By supporting small-scale economic activity within communities, the program aims to improve income stability and reduce rural poverty.
SENTE
Another initiative addressing the informal economy in Uganda is the Supporting Jua-Kali Enterprises to Transition into the Formal Economy (SENTE) Program. The SENTE Program provides tools, equipment and training to informal business groups such as mechanics, metalworkers and carpenters.
These programs focus on helping workers increase productivity and expand their operations. Access to improved equipment allows artisans to produce goods more efficiently and improve product quality. In turn, these changes help small enterprises increase income and create employment opportunities within their communities.
Affordable Empowerment Credit Program
Financial inclusion initiatives also play a role in supporting informal workers. The Affordable Empowerment Credit Program offers low-interest loans designed to help individuals start or expand small businesses.
Access to credit remains a barrier for many informal entrepreneurs who lack traditional banking relationships. Programs that provide affordable financing allow small business owners to purchase materials, invest in equipment and grow their enterprises. These financial tools can reduce economic vulnerability while encouraging long-term economic participation.
Skilling Uganda Program
Workforce training initiatives also contribute to strengthening the informal economy in Uganda. The Skilling Uganda Program focuses on vocational education and technical skills development for young people and unemployed workers.
Through training in trades such as construction, mechanics and tailoring, the program helps individuals gain practical skills that can support income generation. Many graduates use these skills to establish small businesses or secure employment in local industries. By expanding access to technical education, Skilling Uganda supports workforce development and economic mobility.
Looking Ahead
Programs supporting the informal economy in Uganda demonstrate how policy initiatives can help strengthen small businesses and improve economic stability. Government initiatives such as the Parish Development Model, SENTE Program, Affordable Empowerment Credit Program and Skilling Uganda Program provide financial resources, training and equipment that support workers seeking to expand their economic opportunities.
As these initiatives continue to develop, they highlight the importance of supporting informal workers as part of broader poverty reduction strategies. Strengthening the informal economy in Uganda can help expand employment opportunities, increase household incomes and support long-term economic development across communities.
– Jason Hill
Photo: Unsplash
Improvement in the Treatment of TB in Kenya
Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment
One treatment used today is tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT). Its goal is to prevent certain individuals from developing active TB by administering anti-tuberculosis medicine. The treatment destroys bacteria that have infected the body before they can harm organs or spread the illness. TPT specifically targets people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV weakens the body’s ability to fight infections, making individuals more vulnerable to TB. It is recommended for HIV patients to undergo this treatment to reduce the chance of developing TB. The preferred course consists of three months (3HP), during which the antibiotics isoniazid and rifapentine are taken once a week. However, this prescription may interact with other medicines, so each patient’s case should be considered individually.
BPaL Regimen
The BPaL regimen is a treatment course lasting six months. The WHO has recommended it as an alternative to lengthier treatments. The regimen combines four antibiotic medications: bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid and moxifloxacin. It targets drug-resistant TB, a form of the disease that does not respond to some standard medications. This treatment is primarily for adult patients and teenagers older than 14. Studies have shown a success rate of 89%, making it more effective than previous regimens.
Digital Adherence Technology
TB treatment outcomes have also improved with digital adherence technology (DAT). DAT refers to digital tools that use technological devices to record a patient’s daily medication information. Examples include smart pill boxes and medication sleeves. Researchers believe DAT motivates individuals with TB to take their daily medication consistently.
A 2026 study evaluated whether certain digital interventions improved TB treatment outcomes. The study found that digital platforms such as Keheala reduced the percentage of failed TB treatments, supporting the use of digital tools in TB care. DAT offers several benefits. Patients can choose the most suitable time to take their medication, fitting it into their routine. Patients can receive SMS reminders. Health care providers can access their patients’ information, allowing them to monitor consistency and identify patients who need additional support.
Looking Ahead
Although TB remains a serious issue in Kenya, the treatments discussed have demonstrated their effectiveness. Kenya has earned recognition from the WHO for its progress. The country has set further goals to reduce TB death rates by 90% and TB cases by 80% by 2030. Efforts in Kenya to reduce the impact of TB continue to show measurable results.
– Lara Ibrahim
Photo: Flickr
Everything You Need To Know About Hunger in Nepal
The country’s overall hunger level is classified as “moderate” by the Global Hunger Index, reflecting both progress and ongoing challenges. Malnutrition remains one of the most serious aspects of the problem. Limited dietary diversity and poor access to nutritious food contribute to long-term health issues, particularly among women and children.
The Geography of Hunger in Nepal
Geography plays a central role in shaping hunger in Nepal. Mountain regions are among the most isolated in South Asia, with limited road networks and difficult terrain. Transporting food to these areas is costly and time-consuming, which drives up the price of basic staples.
According to the World Food Programme, food prices are two to three times higher in mountain regions, even when national food prices remain relatively stable. Limited farmland, harsh weather conditions and seasonal isolation also make it difficult for many communities to produce enough food locally. As a result, households in remote regions are more vulnerable to shortages and price shocks.
What Drives Hunger in Nepal?
Several interconnected factors contribute to hunger in Nepal, with poverty remaining one of the most important drivers. In rural areas, employment opportunities are limited and many households depend on small-scale agriculture, but limited land and low productivity restrict income and food production. For example, the average farm size is only about 0.7 hectares, and more than half of farming households cultivate less than 0.5 hectares, making it difficult to produce enough food beyond subsistence levels.
Changing weather patterns and environmental hazards also intensify food insecurity. Natural disasters such as floods and landslides frequently damage crops and disrupt food systems, while many farmers rely on rainfall because only just over half of Nepal’s agricultural land has irrigation.
Geographic and infrastructural challenges further compound the problem. Food access is particularly limited in mountainous regions, and child stunting rates reach 46.8% in mountain areas compared with 36.7% in the Terai, highlighting regional inequalities in nutrition and food access. Poor infrastructure and limited market connectivity in remote areas make it more difficult for farmers to transport food and access markets, reinforcing existing food insecurity.
Progress Made in Reducing Hunger
Despite these challenges, Nepal has made notable progress in reducing hunger in Nepal over the past two decades. Economic recovery and steady development have helped improve household incomes and strengthen food access.
The country’s GDP growth increased from 1.9% in 2023 to 3.9% in 2024, with projections reaching around 5% in 2025.
Food insecurity has also declined compared with recent years. While 16.5% of Nepalis were food insecure in 2024, this represents a 6.4-percentage-point drop from the peak recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Programs Tackling Food Insecurity
Several initiatives are working to address hunger in Nepal. The World Food Programme has been supporting food security programs in the country since 1963, assisting vulnerable communities and responding to disasters.
One key initiative is the national school feeding programme, which in January 2026 expanded when 1,039 schools in Sudurpaschim Province were integrated into Nepal’s Mid-Day Meals Programme.
Nutrition education programmes initiated by the World Food Programme are also helping communities improve diets. Cooking demonstrations and training sessions have taught thousands of caregivers how to prepare healthier meals using locally available ingredients.
However, experts note that most nutrition policies in Nepal have historically focused on undernutrition, with far less attention given to overnutrition and diet-related diseases. While undernutrition remains a major concern, Nepal is increasingly facing a “double burden” of malnutrition, where both undernutrition and obesity coexist. For instance, 35.8% of children under five were stunted and 11% suffered acute malnutrition in 2016, indicating persistent undernutrition. At the same time, rates of overweight and obesity are rising: 22.8% of women and 19.1% of men were classified as overweight, and overweight among women aged 15–49 increased from 13% in 2011 to 21% in 2016.
Diet-related health risks are also growing, with noncommunicable diseases accounting for about 66% of total deaths in Nepal. These trends are linked to limited access to diverse, nutritious foods and changing dietary patterns, particularly in geographically isolated areas where access to fresh foods can be restricted.
Changing Weather and the Future of Food
Agriculture remains central to Nepal’s economy and food system, but changing weather patterns are increasingly shaping how farmers produce food. Changing rainfall patterns and extreme weather events threaten crops and rural livelihoods. To strengthen resilience, initiatives such as Farmer Nutrition Schools have trained about 4,000 smallholder farmers in climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive agriculture. These programs promote techniques such as improved irrigation, composting and crop diversification to help farmers adapt to environmental pressures.
The Road Ahead
Nepal’s progress in addressing hunger in Nepal shows that sustained investment in nutrition, agriculture and social protection can make a difference. Yet geography, climate risks and persistent inequalities continue to shape who benefits most from that progress.
Experts say that while Nepal has adopted numerous food and nutrition policies, many lack clear implementation and monitoring mechanisms, limiting their long-term impact.
Strengthening these systems, alongside improving road networks, supporting climate-resilient agriculture and expanding nutrition programs, will be essential to ensuring that all Nepalis have reliable access to nutritious food.
– Sayanee Mandal
Photo: Unsplash
Gift of the Givers: How Disaster Relief Can Reduce Global Poverty
Gift of the Givers
Founded by Dr Imtiax Sooliman on August 6, 1992, Gift of the Givers focuses on reliable disaster response, hunger alleviation, water provision and human development through education. Guided by the philosophy that the “best among people are those who benefit mankind”, the organization provides food, shelter and medical care to vulnerable populations and maintains large donation reserves to enable rapid emergency responses.
The work of organizations like Gift of the Givers is critical because disasters, even when they do not affect everyone directly, can have long-lasting economic and social effects. These effects can hinder both national development and affect vulnerable communities. According to the World Bank, in 2024 alone, global economic losses from disasters reached record levels, hitting poorest countries hardest. Between 2019 and 2023, natural disasters caused economic losses of more than 5% of GDP and, in some cases, exceeded 30-50%.
These economic losses not only disrupt livelihoods but also erode infrastructure and strain public services, further worsening poor living conditions. This emphasizes why effective disaster risk management works close with growth, fiscal stability and job creation. By providing immediate relief and ensuring access to essential resources, including clean water, the work of Gift of the Givers demonstrates how disaster relief can reduce global poverty and save lives.
Water Provision
One of the most direct ways disaster relief reduces poverty is through ensuring access to essential resources, including clean water, which is a key focus of Gift of the Givers. Water is vital, serving as a foundation for growth and development. However, Dr Sooliman notes how it is dwindling in many areas of the world. During disaster relief efforts, Gift of the Givers secures access to clean drinking water and hygienic sanitation facilities through borehole drilling and rainwater harvesting systems. Access to clean water after disasters could improve public health, prevent disease outbreaks and support economic stability and growth in affected communities.
Education and Health Developments
Besides water provision, disaster relief can reduce global poverty by investing in education and health. Education is a major catalyst for poverty reduction through increased job opportunities and skill development, according to the World Bank. It also promotes health due to improved socioeconomic status, healthier lifestyles, higher cognitive abilities and better access to health care. As such, efficient investments in education, research, development and infrastructure projects could lead to long-term economic development that builds human capital and maximizes growth across the globe.
Humanitarian organizations tackle disruptions to essential educational and medical institutions in different ways. Some bring search and rescue teams, tools for agricultural self-sustainability, money, water, food and medical equipment. Others focus on the reconstruction of educational and medical facilities, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said in a 2025 podcast.
Gift of the Givers had previous projects, including bursaries, entrepreneurship, job creation and the establishment of primary healthcare clinics that can act during crises. Disaster relief could reduce global poverty through investments for transport, energy, housing, health, education and urban development.
Regarding many crises, especially the hunger crisis in South Africa, they alleviate short-term suffering while providing long-term solutions that empower communities, improve food security and strengthen social cohesion.
Importance of Dignity
In January 2026, Dr Sooliman spoke in an interview about his plans moving forward. His biggest concern is friction among individuals. He believes that by bringing people together and focusing on shared needs and values, they can fix their country, their continent and the world together.
In 2025 alone, Gift of the Givers responded to 130 fires and floods, finding tens of thousands of people who had been starving even before disaster struck, he said. Impoverished individuals have less support and, thus, struggle even more to recover. Dr Sooliman acknowledges that no one can control the weather patterns. He then emphasizes the importance of dignity and preserving it through discretion, allowing them to recover without shame: “We got transport, we bought the books, and in the classes, we collapsed because we didn’t have food. We don’t go to collect food. We’re afraid of our dignity.”
If an entire community becomes more resilient, then they have established solidarity. With greater unity and collaboration, as Dr Sooliman emphasizes, societies could address inequality and global poverty more effectively.
Moving Forward
Effective disaster relief can reduce global poverty by acting as a social safety net, allowing vulnerable communities to build healthier, more resilient lives. Gift of the Givers demonstrates that with dignity, solidarity and support for human development, aid can empower survivors and create solutions.
– Cindy Nguyen
Photo: Flickr
Closing the Gender Wage Gap in Uruguay & Poverty Reduction
The Gender Wage Gap in Uruguay
The gender wage gap refers to the average difference in hourly earnings between working men and women, usually expressed as a percentage. In Uruguay, INE analysis shows men generally earn up to 27% more than women. Women and girls aged 15+ also spend nearly double as much of their time doing unpaid work (19.9%) compared to men, who spend 8.4% of their time on unpaid work according to UN Women.
Workers in vulnerable employment are the least likely to have formal working contracts, social protection or safety nets to protect them from economic shocks, which makes them more likely to fall into poverty. Women hold 24.7% of vulnerable employment in Uruguay.
As of 2026, a woman has never held the office of the presidency in Uruguay. Today, women occupy 22.3% of parliamentary seats in Uruguay, despite women making up 51.5% of the population. Underrepresentation in politics can stop policymakers from pushing policies that advance women’s roles in the workforce as well as their earning potential.
Progress Towards Addressing the Gender Wage Gap
Uruguay has made major moves forward in women’s rights since the 20th century, which reduced women’s poverty and improved the economy overall. The labor force participation rate for women has increased by nearly 10% since 1990 (42.6% then compared to 57.3% now). This rate stands higher than the average across Latin America and the Caribbean where women’s labor force participation rates sit at 51.2%.
The share of women working in high income positions has also increased marginally since 1990 (50.1% in 1990 compared to 54.3% today). This figure stands slightly higher than the global rate of women working in high income positions, which sits at 49.1%.
What More Can be Done?
Despite these incredibly important milestones over the last century, Uruguay has not yet achieved gender equality in wages, which contributes to continued poverty in the country today.
Research suggests that governments could reduce the gender wage gap by implementing policies that allow women to participate in the workforce more freely. Policies that reduce informal employment, strengthen labor protections and identify and address discrimination or gender bias in hiring, pay and promotion would greatly benefit women in work according to the Inter-American Development Bank.
Conclusion
Uruguay has progressed in gender equality related to the wage gap by improving the pathway from education to workforce participation. Nevertheless, disparities remain in income and employment conditions, which contributes to higher levels of poverty across the country.
International organizations such as UN Women and the Inter-American Development Bank indicate that implementing policies and addressing informal employment could significantly reduce gender gaps.
– Yemi Mary John
Photo: Flickr
Poverty in Lebanon
The Economic Crisis
To understand poverty in Lebanon, it is necessary to revisit 2019, when the country’s financial system collapsed under years of mismanagement, massive debt and corruption. The economy had long depended on imports, remittances and high interest rates rather than domestic production. When foreign inflows slowed and confidence in banks crumbled, the fallout was severe. The currency crashed, savings disappeared, poverty escalated and basic services like electricity, health care and transport stopped working.
What followed was one of the worst economic collapses in modern history. Between 2019 and 2023, the Lebanese pound lost more than 98% of its value while food prices rose by 350%, the highest food price inflation recorded anywhere in the world. Families were forced to cut back on food, health care and basic expenses and the value of a lifetime of savings evaporated almost overnight. Years later, the crisis is far from over and has devastated daily life for millions of people.
Social Protection Programs in Lebanon
Social protection programs help cushion people from poverty through cash transfers, pensions and school feeding schemes. The World Bank finances the two largest social protection programs in Lebanon: The National Poverty Targeting Program (NPTP) and the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN). In 2021, the NPTP reached only 1.5% of the population, which led to the ESSN in 2022.
The ESSN now covers around 142,000 families, providing roughly $100 per month alongside support for schooling and health services. The ESSN, also known as AMAN, assists people living below the poverty line. Around 800,000 people now receive assistance through the ESSN.
However, in 2023, the World Bank provided an additional $300 million to expand the ESSN, extending cash transfers to 160,000 households and covering school costs for students. Three years later, in 2026, it approved a further $350 million to support social protection, promote the economic inclusion of women and youth and accelerate the digitalization of key public services. The investment aims to strengthen Lebanon’s economic recovery, support job creation and improve the state’s long-term ability to deliver meaningful public services to all citizens.
Oxfam’s Response to Poverty in Lebanon
Oxfam has been working in Lebanon since 1993, providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people. Its current five-year (2023-2028) plan focuses on accessible financial solutions, renewable energy projects and helping businesses survive the economic crisis. Marwan Isaam, a researcher and policy advisor at Oxfam Lebanon, told The Borgen Project that the organization works at multiple levels.
On the humanitarian front, Oxfam provides cash assistance to households for food, rent or multipurpose needs. As he explains, “This is usually not done directly by Oxfam; we work with local organizations to deliver them. We always try not to impose our projects from above; we try to understand communities, to see what they need.” Its work also combines short and long-term interventions. “For example, we provide the family with $200 and at the same time, we train the youth on finding jobs and securing long-term employment. We answer the short-term needs and long-term needs,” Isaam says.
Community Focus
Oxfam also collaborates with ministries to strengthen social development capacities. It works with municipalities on water networks and agriculture to secure resources for communities. It also produces research and policy reports on poverty and food security, which are sent to policymakers in an effort to influence them.
What sets Oxfam apart is its approach to targeting. Rather than using proxy means-testing to identify the very most impoverished individuals, it focuses on reaching entire communities. “We try to push for more universal social production measures, like reaching an entire group or entire region instead of trying to pinpoint who is the poorest, which comes with a lot of targeting issues,” Issam explains.
This also means extending support to groups that are excluded from government programs due to discrimination, including migrants, while prioritizing women and refugees who often lack access that other households might have. “What’s interesting about the work we do at targeting is that we often try to reach communities that are not reached by your mainstream social protection programs,” he adds.
Signs of Improvements
Lebanon’s government has made limited reforms, but some progress is visible. By 2025, signs of stabilization began to emerge for the first time since the crisis began, with inflation falling to double digits and the economy recording positive growth. Food insecurity also improved, driven by moderate inflation, remittances and continued humanitarian assistance.
Politically, the election of a new president and prime minister brought renewed pledges to tackle the economic crisis. The cabinet approved a draft law to establish a mechanism for returning depositors’ funds lost during the crisis. The draft still needs to be approved by parliament to become law.
However, it is the government’s first attempt to return funds to individual depositors whose bank accounts were frozen. Issam welcomes some of these developments but remains cautious. “There are some areas where adaptability and transparency have improved,” he says, “but the main model of how the country operates at an economic level, at the political level, so far remained unchanged.”
He argues that the socioeconomic system still prioritizes protecting business and political elites and marginalizes underserved communities.
The Future of Poverty Policy in Lebanon
After years of crisis, something has shifted. A new government, a stabilizing economy and renewed investment in social protection signal cautious progress. While Lebanon has not yet fully recovered, recovery may finally be within reach for the first time in years.
– Jeanne Pellet
Photo: Flickr
Protecting the Aka People From the Brink of Poverty
Living in the Forest: The Aka Culture and Knowledge
While CAR is home to many ethnic groups, the Ba’ka people have been especially left behind. They have lived in harmony with nature for centuries, possessing ecological knowledge that modern conservationists are only beginning to understand. Today, they face the same national challenges as others, often at a greater cost, experiencing deeper and more persistent exclusion.
The Ba’ka have built their culture around hunting and tracking. Aka hunters follow animals by interpreting subtle signs in the soil and on the forest floor. Women gather medicinal plants, edible roots and wild vegetables. This knowledge is carefully passed down through generations.
Trapped in Cycles of Exploitation
Modernization and land pressures are increasingly disrupting the Aka people’s way of life. Logging, conservation zoning and agricultural expansion reduce the land available for traditional practices. As forests shrink, Aka families often move closer to roadside settlements, where discrimination and economic exploitation are common.
Many Aka people in CAR report unequal labor arrangements with neighboring farming communities. In some cases, families work in fields or perform domestic labor in exchange for food, used clothing or small goods rather than fair wages. These informal arrangements trap families in intergenerational debt and create long-term dependency.
How the WWF Has Helped Aka Communities
The remote nature of many Aka communities leaves them largely invisible and without formal identity. However, international organizations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and private NGOs have stepped in to help protect the Ba’ka from extreme poverty, providing employment opportunities and other essential resources. A particularly valuable resource for the Aka has been their deep ecological knowledge.
Their expertise in tracking wildlife and monitoring poaching is often relied upon by the WWF and other conservation groups. This knowledge has allowed the Aka to secure employment outside the traditional debt-trap cycle.
Hope for the Aka People
The lack of documentation makes Aka communities statistically invisible. When governments and international organizations allocate resources, unregistered individuals often fall outside official counts. To address this gap, many NGOs have launched mobile civil registration campaigns that travel directly to remote forest regions in CAR, helping families obtain legal citizenship and birth certificates.
UNICEF leads the most extensive mobile registration effort across the Congo Basin through the No Name Campaign, which aims to ensure every child can gain citizenship. In February 2026, UNICEF reported that it has distributed birth documents to more than 1,000 schoolchildren.
A young boy named Azor received his certificate during this drive. Previously, he could not sit for his primary school exams; thanks to UNICEF’s efforts, he can now dream of one day traveling internationally to watch football.
– Haydn Goodboy
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
3 Reasons for Elderly Poverty in Eswatini
Weak Social Protection and Limited Pensions
Eswatini spends about 1% of its GDP on its social protection programs. This is the lowest share of GDP to social protection expenditure in the region. Social protection programs include the Old Age Grant, which gives a monthly stipend of E500 to Eswatini people age 60 and over. This amount, which translates to roughly $26 or €24, must stretch across multigenerational households.
According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), more than 70% of the Eswatini population depends on small-scale agriculture for income and subsistence. This means that workers do not contribute to formal pensions. Because of this, many elderly Eswatini people rely solely on the Old Age Grant.
Rural, Low-Productivity Economic Structure
About 75% of the Eswatini population live in rural areas, where poverty is highly prevalent, and depend on subsistence farming. Agriculture in Eswatini is vulnerable to drought and adverse weather, and the country ranks 128 out of 187 countries on the ND-GAIN climate vulnerability index. For older adults, this rural economic structure means income is often tied to physically demanding, climate-sensitive work.
Beyond income limitations, access to services also plays a role in elderly poverty. Rural communities often face limited access to healthcare facilities, transportation and formal employment opportunities. For older adults, traveling long distances to clinics or markets can add additional financial strain.
At the same time, high unemployment rates among younger generations reduce the likelihood that elderly parents will receive consistent financial support from adult children. In a country where generations often share household resources, economic instability affects not only working-age adults but also older family members who depend on collective income.
Long-Term Economic Effects of HIV/AIDS
Though Eswatini’s reported HIV prevalence has declined as treatment coverage expands, the epidemic continues to affect the population. UNAIDS data show roughly 27% of adults between the ages of 15 and 49 are living with HIV.
Earlier waves of the epidemic led to high mortality among working-age adults. This reshaped household structures and shifted caregiving responsibilities to grandparents and older relatives.
A United Nations report on the impact of HIV/AIDS on generational roles found that older adults in heavily affected countries often assume primary caregiving roles for orphaned children. In Eswatini, where many elderly already rely on limited social grants, supporting younger dependents continues to strain household income and contribute to persistent poverty.
Although Eswatini has made progress in expanding HIV treatment coverage and increasing the reach of its Old Age Grant program, structural pressures continue to affect elderly poverty in Eswatini. In response, new community based initiatives have emerged. The Philani Maswati Old Age Home, established in 2017 and 2018 as the country’s first residential care facility for older persons, was created to provide housing and daily support for elderly individuals who face neglect or extreme poverty. The facility offers stable living environments for older adults who may not have reliable family support. This facility indicates recognition of the need for formal care services. While challenges persist, initiatives such as Philani Maswati signal gradual efforts to strengthen protections for older citizens and address elderly poverty in Eswatini.
Looking Ahead
Elderly poverty in Eswatini is shaped by limited pensions, a rural economy built around subsistence farming and the long-term effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Programs like the Old Age Grant show that the country is beginning to address these challenges. Continued efforts to expand support for the elderly is important as Eswatini works to reduce poverty across generations.
– Kale Overton
Photo: Unsplash
She Leads Movement for GYW in Mali
A partnership program that ran from 2021 to 2025, the She Leads program brings together Plan International Netherlands, Defence for Children – ECPAT Netherlands (DCI-ECPAT), the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) and Terre des Hommes Netherlands. These organizations reflect the importance of the GYW framework in their efforts to promote education, leadership and independence for GYW. Their work in Mali, which has amplified GYW voices there, highlights the project’s impact.
Why Does the She Leads Program Exist?
At its core, the She Leads program wanted to improve gender equality across East and West Africa and the Middle East. However, this is no small task, not only because of cultural beliefs but also because of a lack of data and support to change these circumstances. Set up and supported by six organizations, She Leads worked to increase sustained influence for GYW, opening pathways for decision-making and “the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions.”
The consortium’s plan to achieve this goal was threefold. It aimed to address social attitudes and gender norms at multiple levels, from small-scale civil society to broader sociocultural perspectives and large institutions that can enable GYW participation in political spaces. The consortium also conducted an assessment to collect data on gender-based violence (GBV) and cyber abuse across seven sub-Saharan countries, including Mali. This effort strengthened data systems and broadened the initiative’s impact on GYW in developing countries.
Through this multifaceted plan and the coordinated efforts of six NGOs, the initiative has achieved notable success, particularly in Mali. Voices of GYW in Mali have historically been muted in a country where 54% of girls marry before 18, spending much of their lives outside the public sphere. Mali is also among the most impoverished countries globally; data from 2015 shows that 51% of women in the poorest households were married before 18.
As in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, parents often marry off their daughters young, believing it will provide a better life while reducing their own economic burdens. This practice continues to promote the belief that girls are the property of their husbands. While this reflects a cultural tradition in Mali, the She Leads project worked to challenge it by collecting comprehensive data and engaging directly with GYW, enabling girls to articulate their needs and priorities.
What Is the Impact of the She Leads Project in Mali?
It is widely understood that poverty is multidimensional and linked to phenomena such as child marriage. One of She Leads movement’s major focuses was promoting education to amplify GYW voices in Mali. A UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster report from 2015 further illustrates the intersectionality of poverty in countries like Mali: 50% of women who only completed primary education were married before the age of 18, compared to 18% of those who completed secondary education.
In fact, fewer than 74% of girls enroll in primary education, compared to 86% of boys. For girls, this figure drops to 15% for secondary education. With one of the fastest-growing populations, this educational inequality only widens the gender equality gap, according to the United Nations Development Programme’s Gender Inequality Index.
As such, improving girls’ education and enrollment was central to She Leads’ plan to amplify GYW voices in Mali. Specifically, She Leads took the approach of handing over educational agency to its focus groups of girls and women. It explained that its approach for all focus groups was to use the information gathered from these girls to determine the topics. The project does not decide in advance what it will focus on; instead, it brings the girls in and lets them share their own opinions.
One example of She Leads’ investment in GYW voices in Mali is the story of Fatoumata, a 17-year-old girl from rural Mali. Despite the World Economic Forum’s estimate that it will take “131 years to reach gender equality,” Fatoumata intends to “beat the clock” and become a community leader in a place where women traditionally run the home, not the world. She shared, “For me, it’s important to be able to make things happen. Today, I have come to my old school to talk to the students about important issues that affect them,” and that her “ambition is to be an accountant and a leader in my community.”
She Leads designed its community engagements to be safe spaces for GYW. It uses peer education to teach other girls in their community about sexual and reproductive health and rights, intervene on issues that concern them and take an active role in community decision-making. Now, Fatoumata not only feels more comfortable using her voice with her family but also sees a path to using it in the community to drive change and female inclusion.
What Have Been the Results of the Project?
Fatoumata’s experience highlights the impact the She Leads project has had on many communities. The project not only invested in academic education for girls but also in practical education, offering training sessions on issues like child marriage, FGM and STDs, breaking down barriers around taboo subjects. This transparency allows GYW to protect themselves and navigate life with independent knowledge, rather than relying on a family member for these truths.
In addition, She Leads encouraged community action, which culminated in GYW investment through “allocating them a quota of arable land where they can grow market vegetables, earning themselves an income.” Even with an education, cultural norms can still prevent women from entering professional and public spheres. Therefore, having community support for independent participation in the economy illustrates a break in the cycle of inequality.
Furthermore, Fatoumata and her group advocated for the representation of young women at policy forums, pushing for gender equality beyond their town or village and onto a national scale. She Leads data show that since 2021, 16 groups have been established across Mali, reaching 320 girls. These numbers might seem small; however, change is never instant.
Meanwhile, information, the collection of which was a major part of She Leads’ work, is key to both initiating and sustaining it. Fatoumata’s experience is proof that there is room for hope for GYW voices not only in Mali but across the world and that cycles of inequality can be broken. Thanks to the She Leads project, Fatoumata can be one of many girls with agency in Mali.
– Jaya Noonan
Photo: Unsplash
Positive Work To Address HIV/AIDS in Georgia
7 Key Facts About HIV/AIDS in Georgia
HIV/AIDS and Poverty in Georgia
HIV/AIDS and poverty are deeply and complexly intertwined. Those who deal with food insecurity, housing instability and/or are in poverty are significantly more vulnerable to getting an HIV infection. This is especially true if they rely on sex work to raise money for basic necessities, and where this power imbalance may not allow them to purchase and/or negotiate the use of condoms.
Similarly, those who live with HIV in their household are more at risk of falling into and remaining in poverty. Symptoms of HIV/AIDS can mean people are unable to work for long periods of time, or experience isolatio due to stigma, which can result in the loss of jobs, food security and housing, and in some places make them unable to pay for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention healthcare.
This is a difficult cycle to break out of. Some treatments, such as ART drugs, must be taken every day with food, and therefore, a lack of adequate food resources and consistent medication places people further vulnerable to severe symptoms of HIV/AIDS. This means they are likely to be out of work for longer, making it even more difficult to raise funds for food and/or medication.
Although steadily declining, in 2024, 9.4% of the population of Georgia was below their national absolute poverty line. The proportion of the population living below the international poverty line at $3.00 a day, and therefore at a higher risk of contracting HIV/AIDS in Georgia was 4.2%.
Community Work
Organizations such as Tanadgoma and Equality Movement recognize this threat and have a commitment to their mission of reducing the number of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses as well as changing social attitudes to the infection.
Tanadgoma, a UNFPA partner, are working to increase the HIV testing service uptake by providing access to HIV information and services to young people to counter the issue of more than 50% of new HIV diagnoses occurring at a late stage. A key effort of this is to ensure that their environment is free of stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS, and other contributing factors such as safe syringe procedures and sex work, despite the recent legislation. People such as Tamar Gakhokidze, a woman who is HIV positive after being infected during a dental procedure in jail, work with these organizations to break down misconceptions and stigma and hope to offer an example to others of someone living with HIV/AIDS in Georgia, but without fear or shame.
Equality Movement have developed a self-testing online platform to help popularize testing for HIV among at-risk groups such as MSM. These tests are free and individuals can complete them at home, allowing them to complete them anonymously with no need to visit community centers. They are also accessible to those in poverty. Also included in these self-test packages are condoms and lubricant that can help prevent the spread and new diagnoses of HIV/AIDS in Georgia; so far, Equality Movement have distributed more than 170,000 condoms and 45,000 lubricants through this project. As an organization, it has also provided Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), an effective daily pill to prevent contracting HIV, to more than 500 people for free.
Looking Ahead
In response to the continued work of organizations such as Tanadgoma and Equality Movement, the Georgian Anti-Corruption Bureau has been persecuting and pressuring civil society and non-governmental organizations to cease their activities. This has not swayed Equality Movement from its mission, and they state, “despite the unlawfully initiated monitoring, we continue our activities and legal efforts to stop the enforcement of repressive laws. We will use all available legal means to protect our rights and the rights of the citizens of Georgia.”
– Stephanie Gable
Photo: Flickr