Innovations in poverty eradication in Benin are essential, as nearly 40% of the population lives below the national poverty line. Poverty affects rural communities most severely, where the poverty rate rises to 44.2%. Rapid population growth of 2.7% and a high fertility rate of 4.8 children per woman place additional strain on families and public services. Many households struggle to access basic necessities such as food, clean water and electricity, making it difficult to break the cycle of poverty.
Benin has made meaningful progress in reducing poverty by combining environmental planning, entrepreneurship and public investment. While many families still struggle with low incomes and limited opportunities, new approaches focused on sustainability and economic inclusion have begun to improve daily life for vulnerable communities.
Located in West Africa, Benin faces ongoing challenges such as changing weather patterns, job scarcity and income inequality. These pressures fall hardest on rural communities, where agriculture remains the main source of income. In response, the government and development partners have introduced innovative solutions designed not only to reduce poverty but also to create long-term stability.
Building a Green and Sustainable Economy
Over the past decade, Benin has aligned its national development strategy with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the country has built a strong foundation for a green transition by investing in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient infrastructure. These investments aim to reduce environmental risk while supporting economic growth.
For farmers across Benin, changing weather patterns have made daily life increasingly uncertain. Unpredictable rainfall, flooding and soil degradation threaten harvests and household incomes. Agriculture employs a large share of the rural population, yet food insecurity remains widespread. More than 547,000 people are classified as severely food insecure, and nearly 83% of households cannot afford a healthy diet, placing farming families at high risk of falling deeper into poverty.
The focus on climate-resilient agriculture has proven especially important for rural households. Unpredictable rainfall and land degradation threaten food production and income stability for farmers.
Since the launch of Benin’s national development plan in 2019, the government has promoted practices that improve soil quality and conserve water. These efforts include agroforestry, crop rotation, conservation agriculture and improved water management techniques. Together, these changes help protect farmland from erosion and allow crops to survive droughts, irregular rainfall and flooding.
Simultaneously, improving water quality has strengthened these efforts to reduce poverty. Access to safe drinking water lowers the risk of waterborne diseases that can keep children out of school and prevent adults from working. Programs that build wells and water systems in rural communities have improved public health and allowed families to spend more time on farming and other income-generating activities.
Improving Clean Water Access
Government and donor-supported water programs have expanded wells and rural water systems, improving access to clean drinking water. One significant initiative is the AQUA‑VIE Rural Water Supply Universal Access Program-for-Results, supported by the World Bank, which provides household connections, standpipes, and sustainable water systems to more than three million rural residents. With less time spent collecting water or dealing with illness, families can focus more on farming, education and income-generating activities.
As food security improves, families face fewer economic disruptions and gain greater financial stability. These changes help prevent households from falling deeper into poverty and allow communities to plan for the future with more confidence.
Supporting Entrepreneurs to Create Jobs
Entrepreneurship has become another key driver of poverty reduction in Benin. Organizations such as TechnoServe support small business owners by providing training, access to markets and financial guidance. These programs focus on entrepreneurs who often lack resources, including women and young people.
In recent years, TechnoServe-supported programs in Benin have helped more than 110,000 entrepreneurs and small businesses increase their revenue and economic outcomes, including through agricultural market access and business development, while generating more than $58 million in financial benefits for local communities.
As small businesses grow, they create jobs and generate income beyond a single household. Entrepreneurs who succeed often hire workers from their communities, strengthening local economies and reducing unemployment. This ripple effect allows economic benefits to reach a wider population.
A focus on long-term business growth allows entrepreneurship programs to move beyond short-term assistance and help communities build self-sustaining economic systems. These efforts play a critical role in innovations in poverty eradication in Benin.
Government Policies That Protect Vulnerable Groups
Government policy has also played a central role in reducing poverty. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Benin has improved how it manages public spending while increasing investment in education, health care and social protection programs. These reforms aim to balance economic growth with social support.
Education remains a major priority, as more than half of Benin’s population is illiterate. While free primary education has increased enrollment to 97%, approximately 30% of children drop out before completing school, with girls disproportionately affected. In response, the government and international partners are expanding vocational training programs to better prepare young people for the workforce.
Health care and social protection play a crucial role in improving life outcomes for vulnerable families. Since under-five mortality remains above 80 deaths per 1,000 children and average life expectancy is just 60 years, access to quality health services is critical. National school feeding programs supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) provide children with proper nutrition and support their education while building resilience that strengthens families and communities over time.
Education and vocational training programs help young people develop skills that match labor market needs. Additionally, social protection initiatives provide support to families facing economic hardship. Collectively, these programs strengthen human capital and improve long-term economic resilience.
By investing in people and public services, Benin has created a more stable foundation for the eradication of poverty. These policies support sustainable growth and reduce vulnerability to future economic shocks.
A Positive Path Forward
Benin’s progress shows how combining environmental sustainability, entrepreneurship and public investment can lead to lasting change. Rather than relying on a single solution, the country has adopted a coordinated approach that addresses poverty from multiple angles.
Economic growth climbed to 7.5% in 2024 while poverty fell to 31%. In light of ongoing reforms in taxation, social protection and climate resilience, thousands of people have the potential to be lifted out of poverty each year. While challenges remain, innovations in poverty eradication in Benin serve as a hopeful model for how developing nations can improve living standards while building a brighter and more promising future.
– Anaisha Kundu
Anaisha is based in Skillman, New Jersey, USA and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Unsplash
Diseases Impacting Libya: Top 3 Factors Affecting Health Care
1. Climate and Changing Weather Patterns
Libya is one of the world’s most arid countries. It witnesses periods of extreme heat, droughts and violent rain and dust storms. These acute weather conditions compromise health and safety, as access to potable water becomes more scarce and food insecurity spikes.
In September 2023, cyclone Daniel made a bad situation worse in terms of diseases impacting Libya, with flooding and damages to already deteriorating infrastructure including health and care facilities in Derna. Water contamination and lack of sanitation were top reasons for health concerns as storms also destroyed two dams upstream of the city. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, medical professionals were most concerned about potential cholera and acute watery diarrhea (AWD) outbreaks. As of October 3, 2023, the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 1,905 cases of AWD.
2. Sudanese Migration
A war-torn Sudan has led many to flee and seek refuge in its neighboring countries. Since April 2023, cities like Al Kufra in Eastern Libya saw an influx of somewhere close to 500 Sudanese migrants passing through each day. Such a high number of refugees has led to issues like overcrowding, especially in settlements, which in turn could lead to an increase in diseases impacting Libya.
Those arriving from conflict zones are often in ill-health. Be it communicable diseases or in poor mental-health, many have not had access to vaccinations or other preventative treatments that could avoid medical emergencies like outbreaks. Officials like WHO are most concerned about a cholera epidemic, though tracking its spread will prove difficult for lack of testing facilities and resources.
3. The Government
Since the 2011 Revolution, Libyans have witnessed waves of political fragmentation, tension and violence. The persistent conflict caused years of neglect in the health care system, ultimately resulting in inconsistent health care services for Libyans.
Opposing governments and factions fighting for power have divided the country, making it difficult, if not impossible, to coordinate with health care professionals and NGOs on the ground to establish clinical practice guidelines that would prevent outbreaks and efficiently combat diseases impacting Libya.
Then, in April 2025 the Internal Security Agency (ISA) based in Tripoli announced the shutdown of headquarters of 10 major NGOs, including MSF, for compromising Libya’s social demographic and for promoting values that go against Libyan identity. MSF reported at least six known casualties in the weeks since it had to pull its aid, and expect the order to have more consequences on their patients that they will not be able to track due to loss of contact.
Who’s Helping?
After Cyclone Daniel, organizations such as UNICEF, the Red Cross, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Medical Corps (IMC) sent immediate relief. This included, for example, renovating 25 health facilities, training more than 1,100 health care providers and distributing food to more than 15,000 people.
Though the 10 humanitarian organizations ordered to leave Libya in April 2025 have not been allowed to return to date, there are still other groups present in the country. The International Medical Corps (IMC), for example, provided more than 27,000 medical consultations and helped countless refugees back on their feet as of July 2025. The European Union (EU) continues to fund aid in correspondence with WHO, Première Urgence Internationale and the IMC. In 2025, the EU funded €3 million in response to mass Sudanese migration.
Given the inconsistency in health care provisions, NGOs on the ground are doing significant work for Libyans and refugees. There is still much work to do. Providing medical aid and investing in care facilities is just scratching the surface. Without addressing the climate crisis, the lack of accommodation for refugees and government fragmentation, health and safety will remain compromised and diseases impacting Libyans will continue to risk lives.
– Brittany Buscio
Photo: Flickr
Gender Wage Gap in Slovakia
The EU Pay Transparency Directive
The purpose of the directive is to close the 12.7% gender wage gap across the EU. According to the European Council, “The EU wants to strengthen the principle of equal pay for equal work between men and women.” The directive will ensure pay transparency by requiring EU businesses to report salaries and take action if the gender wage gap is higher than 5%. The European Commission monitors and enforces the implementation of the directive in member states. Additional requirements include wage transparency before employment, allowing employees the right to information on average pay levels and increasing the representation of women on supervisory boards. Further details of the EU Pay Transparency Directive are available on the “EU Action for Equal Pay” page of the European Commission’s website.
Research on the Gender Wage Gap
A 2025 research-based article by Paula Gašpercová determined the gender wage gap in Slovakia between men and women as 16.8%. In comparison, the wage gap in Slovakia between mothers and childless women is 9.9%. One reason for this difference is that women often work in parts of the economic sector with lower compensation. Despite women often being more educated than men, their preference for the humanities leads to lower-paid jobs, while, in contrast, men are more likely to work in technical and scientific fields.
Further research shows women fall behind in their careers after becoming mothers. Additionally, mothers seek jobs based on security and flexibility rather than financial benefits. When complemented by the domestic responsibilities that women disproportionately carry out, this results in fewer opportunities for career advancement.
The unpaid care labor that women often perform is vital to the economy, and if one were to assign it a monetary value, it could exceed 40% GDP, according to UN Women. Care work largely does not receive recognition, even though it directly contributes to capital production. Therefore, women who are balancing the majority of unpaid labor with (often low-paying) jobs are less likely to reach economic independence, gather less savings and have lower retirement pensions, which collectively leaves them at risk of poverty.
Gašpercová refers to Slovakia as a traditional country in which women are more likely to bear familial responsibilities. For example, while parental leave is available to both men and women, women use it more often. Furthermore, women are hindered from returning to work by limited access to child caregiving services. Beyond the current research, there are still unknown factors affecting the gender wage gap that suggest discrimination and other unquantified components.
Slovakia’s New Pay Transparency Laws
Slovakia’s Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family introduced new legislation in September 2025 that fully transposes the EU Pay Transparency Directive to close the gender wage gap in Slovakia. As Trusaic outlined, changes brought on by the new legislation include requiring private employers to report any gender wage gap. Gender wage gap reports must be published and disclosed to internal employees. While Slovakia’s current law prohibits discrimination based on gender and encourages equal pay for equal work, the EU Pay Transparency Directive creates enforceable standards and increases employer scrutiny. Slovakia is expected to enact the new EU Pay Transparency Directive legislation by June 7th, 2026.
Gini Index
The Gini index measures income inequality by calculating how wealth is distributed among members of a household, with the ideal number being 0, as it signifies total equality. In 2023, Slovakia’s Gini index was 23.80. The World Bank gathers information on the Gini index when comparing global economies since data demonstrates a direct correlation between lower poverty rates and a lower Gini index.
The Slovak government is preparing to take appropriate action, informed by the EU Pay Transparency Directive, to close the gender wage gap. Encouraging businesses to provide equal pay for equal work is one step in the process of providing women with the opportunities to overcome systemic barriers. The introduction of pay transparency legislation will contribute to lower rates of income inequality, less poverty and will subsequently lead to further economic growth for Slovakia.
– Thirza List
Photo: Unsplash
Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Benin
Benin has made meaningful progress in reducing poverty by combining environmental planning, entrepreneurship and public investment. While many families still struggle with low incomes and limited opportunities, new approaches focused on sustainability and economic inclusion have begun to improve daily life for vulnerable communities.
Located in West Africa, Benin faces ongoing challenges such as changing weather patterns, job scarcity and income inequality. These pressures fall hardest on rural communities, where agriculture remains the main source of income. In response, the government and development partners have introduced innovative solutions designed not only to reduce poverty but also to create long-term stability.
Building a Green and Sustainable Economy
Over the past decade, Benin has aligned its national development strategy with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the country has built a strong foundation for a green transition by investing in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient infrastructure. These investments aim to reduce environmental risk while supporting economic growth.
For farmers across Benin, changing weather patterns have made daily life increasingly uncertain. Unpredictable rainfall, flooding and soil degradation threaten harvests and household incomes. Agriculture employs a large share of the rural population, yet food insecurity remains widespread. More than 547,000 people are classified as severely food insecure, and nearly 83% of households cannot afford a healthy diet, placing farming families at high risk of falling deeper into poverty.
The focus on climate-resilient agriculture has proven especially important for rural households. Unpredictable rainfall and land degradation threaten food production and income stability for farmers.
Since the launch of Benin’s national development plan in 2019, the government has promoted practices that improve soil quality and conserve water. These efforts include agroforestry, crop rotation, conservation agriculture and improved water management techniques. Together, these changes help protect farmland from erosion and allow crops to survive droughts, irregular rainfall and flooding.
Simultaneously, improving water quality has strengthened these efforts to reduce poverty. Access to safe drinking water lowers the risk of waterborne diseases that can keep children out of school and prevent adults from working. Programs that build wells and water systems in rural communities have improved public health and allowed families to spend more time on farming and other income-generating activities.
Improving Clean Water Access
Government and donor-supported water programs have expanded wells and rural water systems, improving access to clean drinking water. One significant initiative is the AQUA‑VIE Rural Water Supply Universal Access Program-for-Results, supported by the World Bank, which provides household connections, standpipes, and sustainable water systems to more than three million rural residents. With less time spent collecting water or dealing with illness, families can focus more on farming, education and income-generating activities.
As food security improves, families face fewer economic disruptions and gain greater financial stability. These changes help prevent households from falling deeper into poverty and allow communities to plan for the future with more confidence.
Supporting Entrepreneurs to Create Jobs
Entrepreneurship has become another key driver of poverty reduction in Benin. Organizations such as TechnoServe support small business owners by providing training, access to markets and financial guidance. These programs focus on entrepreneurs who often lack resources, including women and young people.
In recent years, TechnoServe-supported programs in Benin have helped more than 110,000 entrepreneurs and small businesses increase their revenue and economic outcomes, including through agricultural market access and business development, while generating more than $58 million in financial benefits for local communities.
As small businesses grow, they create jobs and generate income beyond a single household. Entrepreneurs who succeed often hire workers from their communities, strengthening local economies and reducing unemployment. This ripple effect allows economic benefits to reach a wider population.
A focus on long-term business growth allows entrepreneurship programs to move beyond short-term assistance and help communities build self-sustaining economic systems. These efforts play a critical role in innovations in poverty eradication in Benin.
Government Policies That Protect Vulnerable Groups
Government policy has also played a central role in reducing poverty. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Benin has improved how it manages public spending while increasing investment in education, health care and social protection programs. These reforms aim to balance economic growth with social support.
Education remains a major priority, as more than half of Benin’s population is illiterate. While free primary education has increased enrollment to 97%, approximately 30% of children drop out before completing school, with girls disproportionately affected. In response, the government and international partners are expanding vocational training programs to better prepare young people for the workforce.
Health care and social protection play a crucial role in improving life outcomes for vulnerable families. Since under-five mortality remains above 80 deaths per 1,000 children and average life expectancy is just 60 years, access to quality health services is critical. National school feeding programs supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) provide children with proper nutrition and support their education while building resilience that strengthens families and communities over time.
Education and vocational training programs help young people develop skills that match labor market needs. Additionally, social protection initiatives provide support to families facing economic hardship. Collectively, these programs strengthen human capital and improve long-term economic resilience.
By investing in people and public services, Benin has created a more stable foundation for the eradication of poverty. These policies support sustainable growth and reduce vulnerability to future economic shocks.
A Positive Path Forward
Benin’s progress shows how combining environmental sustainability, entrepreneurship and public investment can lead to lasting change. Rather than relying on a single solution, the country has adopted a coordinated approach that addresses poverty from multiple angles.
Economic growth climbed to 7.5% in 2024 while poverty fell to 31%. In light of ongoing reforms in taxation, social protection and climate resilience, thousands of people have the potential to be lifted out of poverty each year. While challenges remain, innovations in poverty eradication in Benin serve as a hopeful model for how developing nations can improve living standards while building a brighter and more promising future.
– Anaisha Kundu
Photo: Unsplash
Why Elderly Poverty in Mozambique Is Rising
Economic Crisis Deepens Elderly Hardship
Economic shocks deepen elderly poverty in Mozambique, as rising food and fuel prices undermine economic stability, strain household budgets and push vulnerable older adults further into financial insecurity. COVID-19, natural disasters, inflation and social instability have compounded elderly poverty in Mozambique. Many older Mozambicans rely on small-scale agriculture, livestock and informal income sources for survival, yet still fall below the poverty line. The loss of job opportunities and the increase in essential goods and social services reduce older adults’ purchasing power, forcing them to cut back on nutritious foods, health care and other basic needs.
In 2015, nearly half of Mozambique’s population– approximately 46.1%–lived below the poverty line. By 2022, this figure had surged to 65%, and recent estimates suggest that by 2025 nearly 75% of Mozambicans live in poverty, with approximately 1.35 million adults aged 60 and older facing severe economic hardship, highlighting the growing scale of elderly poverty in Mozambique.
Weak Social Protection Aggravates Elderly Poverty
Limited economic capacity, along with weaknesses and inefficiencies in Mozambique’s domestic social protection and administrative systems, drives vulnerability among the elderly population.
Although the Basic Social Subsidy Programme for older adults (PSSB-Elderly) in Mozambique improves food security following economic shock, structural and systemic weaknesses in program implementation cause these gains to diminish over time. Uneven distribution of PSSB payments has led to significant regional disparities among older adults across Mozambique. In Gaza, approximately 73% of poor older adults benefit from the program, while coverage remains far lower in poorer provinces such as Nampula and Zambezia, where the program reaches only 39% of elderly individuals.
Despite existing health inequities, inconsistencies in PSSB payments also reduce the program’s effectiveness, leaving many older Mozambicans vulnerable to food insecurity and health problems.
Irregular PSSB payments and program design that incentivizes households to declare additional members can increase instability and uncertainty, potentially worsening living conditions for beneficiaries.
Addressing Poverty and the Health Crisis in Mozambique
In 2021, GiveDirectly began delivering unconditional monthly cash transfers to rural households in Sofala Province to reduce extreme poverty and strengthen household resilience. The program provides direct cash assistance to individuals and families, allowing recipients to decide how best to meet their own needs.
GiveDirectly also aims to improve food security, expand financial inclusion and support long-term recovery. Since 2021, GiveDirectly has expanded its program across multiple districts, including Mogovolas, Nhamatanda and Memba, and launched initiatives focused on climate-smart agriculture and conflict-resilient livelihood in 2024 and 2025.
By 2025, GiveDirectly had implemented five cash transfer programs, delivering more than $20 million in cash transfers and reaching more than 32,000 people across Mozambique. Individuals and households used the cash to secure food, access health care and economic investment.
At the same time, the World Institute for Development Economic Research of the United Nations University recommends strengthening administrative systems, ensuring more equitable PSSB payment coverage among older adults and improving payment consistency to support elderly well-being in Mozambique.
Looking Ahead
Reducing elderly poverty in Mozambique requires sustained investment and financial support to address long-standing economic hardship due to recurrent natural disasters and domestic conflict, along with strengthening the country’s social protection systems to ensure reliable financial security for older adults.
– Yuhan Rong
Photo: Flickr
Disability and Poverty in Mali: The Facts and the Fixes
Mali has a high rate of malnutrition and an unstable government that has few social programs in place. Wasting, diseases and physical deformities from landmine explosions are some examples of disabilities that hugely affect people living in Mali. Ongoing efforts by humanitarian organizations to improve health, living conditions and employment opportunities for disabled individuals foster hope for positive change.
Facts About Disability and Poverty in Mali
Data shows a seven percentage point gap in poverty rates between disabled and non-disabled populations. This means that a person living in Mali is seven percentage points more likely to live in poverty if they are disabled than if they are able-bodied. Many people fall into this category, as disabled people are not only discriminated against but are also unable to reach vital resources that are needed to live a healthy life. Only 36.82% of disabled people are employed or have a paying job of any kind, and only 24.13% of disabled people live in adequate and safe housing. Only 29.9% of disabled people live in households with sanitation and in conditions that are hygienic, causing disease that can worsen disability and create unhealthy conditions for others around them.
UNICEF’s Efforts to Address Disability in Mali
However, measures have been taken, thanks to UNICEF, to decrease both physical trauma and medical disability in children in Mali. About 222,864 children ages six through 59 months with severe wasting and malnutrition were admitted for medical treatment, eliminating future disability for those already living in poverty. Meanwhile, 34,338 children received vaccinations against measles and other potentially disabling diseases this year alone, helping prevent the spread of diseases that could be passed along and cause outbreaks. UNICEF provided 50,432 children with landmine prevention tactics to protect them from harm caused by explosions due to the country’s unstable government and continuing effort to displace its people in the northern half of the country.
The Humanity Inclusion Group
Since 2016, the Humanity Inclusion Group has launched projects focused on adult health and disability prevention. By enhancing reproductive health services, the project has reduced infant mortality and disability risks for mothers and infants. It has made reproductive health much more accessible in Timbuktu and has partnered with the region’s Ministry of Health. They have also helped reduce the number of new infections among people with disabilities by improving their access to HIV prevention. Prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS is a huge issue in Mali, and giving more legal opportunities for the people there to seek help is a necessity to fully address disability poverty.
The Humanity Inclusion Group is also helping those impacted by disability poverty through training in sectors such as agriculture. Projects have aimed to improve the living conditions of vulnerable people in Mali. They have been including people with disabilities in the working population and workforce in the Bamako region. This is an important undertaking because the majority of Mali’s workforce and economy is based on agriculture and rural farming.
The Sissako and Bamako regions, especially, are rural, and this project aims to reach those areas and provide valuable learning and tools to help disabled people find employment and receive education about their rights in the workplace. They have also met the basic food and non-food needs of vulnerable households. This initiative is intended for homes classified as in a food crisis. Participants receive coupons for pre-identified shopkeepers, which they can use to purchase goods needed for healthy living in the Timbuktu region.
Looking Ahead
Understanding Mali’s economy, agricultural roots, and political turmoil paints a picture that is unkind to individuals with disabilities. Much of the work already occurring is to build social structures around the people of Mali and support them in areas where they cannot support themselves. Controlling the spread of disease and physical harm among children is one of the best ways to decrease unnecessary disability in the future. For others, support and social work are the best options for effectively meeting their needs, whether those needs are for food, sanitation, housing or employment. Work still needs to occur, but disability and poverty in Mali are issues that are at the forefront of these organizations’ minds.
– Eddie Hofmann
Photo: Unsplash
Elderly Poverty in Montenegro
The trend of a fast-aging population is concentrated in the country’s rural northern municipalities, which are home to more than half of Montenegro’s poor population. This rise is due to a stagnating birth count, increased life expectancy and a growing trend in young people moving away from the country – resulting in a reduced population base for reproduction.
The increase in an aging population is predicted to continue: by 2050, the UN estimates that 30% of the nation’s population will consist of older persons (people who are above the age of 65).
This article will identify some of the key causes of elderly poverty in Montenegro, what elderly poverty in Montenegro looks like and what solutions the Montenegrin government is rolling out to try and combat elderly poverty in a country whose population is rapidly aging.
Key Issues That the Elderly in Montenegro Face
Older and elderly people are already among the nation’s vulnerable, and a vast majority of them live in the most rural areas of the country – particularly in the nation’s north, where urbanization has been slower to progress.
The Red Cross of Montenegro has reported that many elderly and older persons are increasingly isolated from younger family members and the youthful population. The youth of Montenegro are more inclined to move away from rural areas towards the cities in the south, or are likely to seek opportunity further afield – through travel, work or study abroad. As a result, elderly and older citizens are increasingly cut-off from opportunity and resources: older persons living in poverty in Montenegro’s rural areas have less access to social transport options, are less likely to access medical services and are less able to rely on assistance from younger people.
The elderly living in poverty are thus at risk of a lack of community, as the physical and social gap widens between this age group and younger generations. As the elderly population’s physical mobility becomes reduced, the logistics of travelling from place to place becomes more restricted, particularly in rural areas where transport options are few and far between.
One can see the roots of elderly poverty in Montenegro in the wider context of poverty within the country. In October 2025, Marina Medojević, President of The Food Bank – one of Montenegro’s many NGOs committed to tackling domestic poverty – stated that one-fifth of the country’s population lives in poverty. Medojević emphasized that the nation’s most vulnerable groups – including ‘‘the unemployed, sick, and elderly” – feel the effects of poverty the sharpest.
Government Efforts
Poverty affects a large percentage of Montenegro’s population, but elderly poverty is particularly an issue, as the population of older persons increases and many of them exist on a very low income. More than half of retirees in Montenegro are surviving on minimum benefits – an income that is less than half the average salary. Moreover, many elderly and older persons rely on the material support (MO) benefit, which UNICEF has reported to be “inadequate for households which rely solely on this program as their source of income to meet their basic needs.”
As the government of Montenegro works towards gaining EU membership, some are calling for it to treat elderly poverty in Montenegro as a priority when it comes to modernizing social systems. The government has already taken steps to address elderly poverty in Montenegro:
In 2024, responding to the pressures to increase social benefits for older and elderly citizens, the government raised minimum monthly pension benefits to EUR 450 – more than doubling the previous allowance. The Montenegrin government increased social transfers from 11% of total GDP in 2021 to 13.8% in 2024, demonstrating an effort to reform some of the social systems that protect vulnerable citizens, including the elderly. The government has also invested in constructing residential homes for the elderly, in order to meet the increasing demand due to the rate of growth of the elderly population.
The Red Cross’ Work
Other organizations, such as the Red Cross, help target the issue of elderly poverty and elderly isolation in Montenegro, by facilitating home care and social clubs. As part of its social clubs, the Red Cross connects elderly people with experts across many different fields – including doctors, psychologists and lawyers – to provide them with advice and opportunities to keep learning and to benefit their health and wellbeing.
UNDP and Local Programs
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also supports local programs aimed at supporting the elderly population of Montenegro. This includes the Andrijevica Retirees Association, who were able to start the “Veterans” project with funding from the EU. This project promoted social activities in the local community for older persons, focusing on fostering wellbeing and improving quality of life for the elderly. The “Veterans” project further sought to make information about health care facilities more accessible for elderly citizens living in Andrijevica, a small town in the nation’s north.
Moving Forward
Many organizations are still calling for further action to occur. In its Social Protection Situational Analysis of 2022, UNICEF reported that “the country will need to further improve its poverty-targeted programs,” and that the “financing of social services has been low and a minimum level of services cannot be guaranteed…which will only be exacerbated by an aging population requiring long term care.” This analysis predicts that greater demand will lead to greater strain on Montenegro’s social services, if the government does not implement reforms to prevent this.
– Anna Clare
Photo: Flickr
Surpassing WHO’s Goal To Eliminate Cervical Cancer in Rwanda
Rwanda is a country in East Africa with a population of around 14.26 million people. Famous for its scenery, exceptional tea and coffee, rich culture, and wildlife. Despite these positive reinforcements, Rwanda struggled for a long time with its health system and keeping women in Rwanda safe against certain diseases, particularly cervical cancer.
In the late 2000s, cervical cancer became a major health concern for people living in Rwanda because life expectancy for people grew, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were more prominent. With this in mind, cervical cancer became a high priority to stop in Rwanda, and it became the first country in Africa to launch free HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccination in 2011. The steps that government and health care workers are taking, and have taken, have given Rwanda the ability and steps to stay on track with Mission 2027.
Mission 2027, also known as the Accelerated Plan for Cervical Cancer Elimination 2024-2027, is just how it sounds. It is a national strategy to eliminate cervical cancer three years before the World Health Organization’s goal for the world by 2030. This program includes expanding vaccination, having advanced screening and improving access to treatment.
History of Cervical Cancer in Rwanda
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer that exists in women in Rwanda, followed by breast and stomach cancer. According to the WHO, cervical cancer ranked fourth for the most common cancer in women in 2022. In 2023, the Global Cancer Observatory estimated 866 new cases of cervical cancer, with 609 deaths.
Some of the most difficult steps in eliminating this disease are getting women to screen for the disease, not just getting the vaccination. One of the biggest blockades of this was the 1994 genocide that left the health system of Rwanda in shambles.
The genocide had an estimated 800,000 people murdered, in the span of 100 days, including the majority of health care workers, like doctors and nurses, who either died or fled the country. This incident hurt an already struggling country with its health care, especially during a time where their rates of cervical cancer were growing and are continuing. The use of wartime rape as a method against women did not help the growing numbers of cervical cancer and HIV.
Ever since this incident, the Rwanda government has been working towards rebuilding the health care system and prioritizing health for people. Cancer care for people in Rwanda is continuing to grow with the opening of the Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence that was on July 1, 2012, from the collaboration with Partners in Health (PIH).
This service originated because there were not a lot of available cancer treatments in Rwanda for women to go to, along with a lack of treatment for women who received diagnoses. Taking the steps toward Mission 2027 has the ability to keep Rwandans grounded and help younger women stay healthier and get the treatment and care that they need.
Poverty and Cervical Cancer
Before the Rwandan genocide happened, the health care system of Rwanda was extremely weak. The hospitals that already existed were too expensive for the average citizen and were not located where the majority of people lived, which is the rural regions.
After the Rwandan genocide, the Rwanda health care system became more strained and almost too far gone. The genocide destroyed more than 80% of the health infrastructure along with most doctors fleeing the country or dying in attacks. The genocide interrupted vaccinations and prenatal care, along with many other programs, and had little to no coverage.
Despite the hardships that Rwanda faced after the genocide, health care became pushed to the front for the public and the government. According to an article from Harvard, the use of genocidal rape increased the spread of HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer, which brought to light the lack of clinicians who could address the health issues on the ground.
Rebuilding the Health Care System in Rwanda
The RPF-led government rebuilt the shattered health care system of Rwanda. RPF, which stands for the Rwandan Patriotic Front, prioritized the training and provision of local health care workers in each of Rwanda’s villages. Ever since the RPF pushed their focus for creating a more stable health care system, vaccinations for cervical cancer have increased to more than 90% coverage for girls.
Rwanda has continued to maintain this high number of vaccinations since 2011, along with implementing a system where four health care workers are elected in each of the 15,000 villages in Rwanda. The RPF even prioritized the building of rural health centers, where the majority of people in Rwanda live.
All of these changes and developments occurred with the establishment of Mutuelle. Mutuelle offers insurance at an average U.S. cost of $2 with a guaranteed out of pocket cost of up to 10%. This number changes for the wealthier in the country, but Mutuelle covers 91% of Rwandans, compared to less than 7% of the population in 2003.
Steps To Eliminate Cervical Cancer
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization launched a plan entitled 90-70-90 as part of Mission 2027 to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030:
Once a country reaches a certain threshold of cervical cancer cases being below four per 100,000 women to years, that is when a country is considered to have eliminated cervical cancer.
Mission 2027 has already passed many milestones; 93% of girls in Rwanda are vaccinated, 31% of women screened and 81% of women with precancerous lesions and cervical cancer are receiving treatment.
Despite the setbacks that Rwanda has faced over many years, these setbacks are what is keeping Rwanda on the right track to accomplishing Mission 2027. Rwanda continues to showcase its resilience and passion for helping its people and keeping its health system up to date. With the perseverance of the government in Rwanda, and working closely with the WHO and many hospitals, women are at a point where they can get the help that they need and keep their health taken care of.
– Elizabeth Fryer
Photo: Unsplash
Everything To Know About Poverty in the Maldives
Recent Progress
Over the last decade, there has been a significant decline in poverty in the Maldives. From a 65% poverty rate in 2009 to an 11.7% poverty rate in 2016, improving quality of life due to flourishing tourism characterized the pre-pandemic Maldivian economy. Its ‘enclave economy’ means that each island has a specific use, for example, some islands are restricted to resorts, while others are strictly for certain industrial activities.
Alongside this, policies like mandating that at least 51% of a resort’s workforce must be Maldivian have resulted in a growth of the tertiary sector and an increase in wage employment. Not only have these developments significantly grown government revenue, but they have also improved the quality of life of most Maldivians. This is due to a greater number of households experiencing a stable source of income and growing welfare policies from the government. In fact, the government has strived to redistribute this wealth through infrastructure investment, like airports and public housing.
Despite great economic progress in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed how fragile the Maldivian economy is; travel bans as a result of the pandemic caused a fall in real GDP by 33.6% in 2020, showing how the country’s economy was reliant on international tourism. In fact, resort-based tourism contributes to approximately 23% of GDP, meaning that it is at the mercy of factors beyond its control.
Environmental Threats
Tourism is not the only external factor threatening the economic stability of the Maldives; due to the islands’ low elevation above sea level, the country is extremely vulnerable to changing weather patterns. For example, a tsunami in 2004 caused damages worth 62% of GDP alongside unquantifiable damages like soil erosion and damage to fisheries, which had long-term effects on the recovery of the economy.
The unpredictable and inescapable nature of such events poses a constant threat to the Maldivian population. As a result, the Maldivian government has adapted its policies to strive for long-term security against these issues. An example of this, which the 2005 tsunami reinforced, is the construction of Hulhumalé, an artificial island currently being built 8 km from the capital city. With this, the government hopes to not only reduce overcrowding in Male, but also protect residents from the threat of coastal erosion – a dilemma that many smaller atolls are currently facing. With the Housing Development Corporation capping house prices and the coastline set 2 meters above sea level, its residents are protected from both economic and geological dangers.
On top of government policies, many NGOs have also contributed to assisting those living in poverty in the Maldives. For example, the Maldivian Red Crescent, founded in 2009, is the largest humanitarian organization in the Maldives, striving to protect the population from the socioeconomic challenges that arise from natural disasters. In 2024, it took significant steps in enhancing its emergency response resources, like organizing Anticipator Action workshops and signing a grant contract with the Japanese Embassy for the provision of emergency support vehicles. In fact, one can see the extent of its success in the Maldives through its recognition as an official member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 2011.
Geographical Inequality
The greatest factor that seems to be limiting the reduction of poverty in the Maldives is the socio-economic disparity between the capital Male’ and the atolls. Although all Maldivians have access to basic health care and education, the more advanced facilities are located in the capital, creating inequalities that translate to poorer job prospects and thus income disparity. In fact, approximately 10% of Maldivians in atolls are living under the international poverty line compared to only 1% in Male’.
Not only is there inequality between Male’ and the atolls, but even between the atolls themselves, some clusters experience much higher levels of poverty than others. For example, some atolls rely on fisheries as their main source of income, yet their profitability is limited by their poor infrastructure, such as a lack of storage and processing facilities. Even when considering non-monetary metrics, there is a clear disparity between the islands; Maldivians living in the atolls experience fewer years of schooling and lack access to basic resources like safe drinking water and sewer systems.
Therefore, despite the responsiveness of the Maldivian government to the challenges faced, it continues to be an economy at the mercy of geographic and environmental factors. Furthermore, inequality between Male’ and the atolls is the main factor limiting the government’s ability to eliminate poverty in the Maldives.
– Vittoria Cortese
Photo: Flickr
How Foreign Aid Cuts Hurt Global Poverty Reduction
The Reversal of Aid Growth and Its Immediate Effects
Between 2018 and 2023, foreign aid from high-income countries grew by approximately 6% annually, signaling a fragile commitment to global poverty reduction. However, this momentum has now reversed. Across the United States and Europe, governments are rescinding foreign aid commitments and scaling back international relief programs in favor of increased defense spending. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, official development assistance has fallen by as much as 22% as countries reallocate resources from social investment to military priorities.
In the United States, this shift has been particularly stark. Cuts to traditional foreign assistance programs, proposals to eliminate long-standing aid mechanisms and the use of pocket vetoes on appropriated funds have weakened development institutions. These reductions have occurred alongside an estimated $1 trillion surge in U.S. defense spending, highlighting a broader policy realignment away from poverty-focused engagement abroad. While defense budgets have expanded, funding for health care, food security and humanitarian relief in low-income countries has contracted, placing vulnerable populations at heightened risk. This reallocation demonstrates how foreign aid cuts hurt global poverty reduction as essential resources for health and food security are withdrawn.
The Debt Crisis and Vulnerabilities in Developing Countries
The timing of these foreign aid cuts has raised concerns. A 2025 briefing paper by the Finnish Institute of International Affairs warned that more than 50 low-income countries faced a high risk of sovereign default due to post-pandemic borrowing, rising global interest rates and declining access to concessional financing. As debt servicing costs rise, governments often divert funds away from education, health care and social protection, investments essential for reducing poverty. This dynamic threatens to reverse decades of progress against extreme poverty and widen global inequality.
The U.S. retreat from foreign assistance has amplified these pressures. The FIIA briefing describes recent aid retrenchment as part of a broader global development crisis, noting that cuts to humanitarian and democracy assistance have destabilized international relief systems on which millions depend. European governments have mirrored this trend by redirecting aid budgets toward domestic priorities and defense, further shrinking the global pool of resources available to fight poverty. When combined with the debt crisis, the evidence shows that foreign aid cuts hurt global poverty reduction by leaving fragile economies without a vital safety net.
Foreign aid has become increasingly politicized. In the United States, development assistance is often portrayed as wasteful and disconnected from taxpayers’ needs. CFR argues that aid advocates have struggled to maintain public support by emphasizing moral obligation rather than strategic value (CFR, 2025). As a result, foreign aid is vulnerable to cuts during periods of political polarization, making sustained investment in poverty reduction more difficult to defend.
A Shift From Aid to Investment
Not all forms of international engagement have declined. Funding for the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation increased by approximately 280%, reflecting a shift toward investment-driven development approaches.
While such tools can stimulate economic growth, experts caution that they cannot replace poverty-focused aid and humanitarian relief programs designed to directly reach the world’s poorest populations. Financial and capital investments should be supported by targeted efforts that have historically been delivered via NGOs, nonprofits and collaborative philanthropic work. This distinction is important because many investment tools are return-driven, while humanitarian and nonprofit programs prioritize poverty reduction outcomes.
The Center for Global Development warns that reductions in U.S. funding threaten multilateral development banks and sector-specific programs that play a critical role in combating poverty. Concessional finance windows and institutions such as the World Food Programme and global health funds provide lifeline services that stabilize fragile economies and protect vulnerable communities. When these programs are disrupted, food insecurity, disease and economic instability rise, conditions that deepen poverty and increase long-term development costs.
Political Pressures and the Path to Recovery
Foreign aid also serves broader strategic goals. The CFR identifies three core objectives for effective assistance: preventing crises abroad that threaten the U.S. homeland, competing with geopolitical rivals through soft power and strengthening supply chains that support economic stability. Cuts to foreign aid weaken U.S. influence, create openings for rival powers and increase the likelihood of economic shocks that can affect American consumers.
Perhaps the most concerning issue is the long-term impact of sustained aid retrenchment. The CFR cautions that the deeper and longer foreign assistance budgets are cut, the harder it becomes for future administrations, regardless of political affiliation, to justify restoring them. As institutions lose capacity and partnerships erode, rebuilding effective poverty reduction programs becomes increasingly difficult and costly. This institutional decay shows how sustained foreign aid cuts hurt global poverty reduction by dismantling the architecture needed to fight it.
Looking Ahead
The debate over foreign aid reflects broader questions about global responsibility and international engagement. Without renewed commitment and clearer accountability, continued reductions risk entrenching deeper global poverty and increasing the long-term costs of inaction.
– Christopher Pellant
Photo: Flickr
The Porridge Mums: Community-Led Hunger Relief in Nigeria
With the support of Action Against Hunger, groups of Porridge Mums work in units across Africa. They operate in areas where nutrition is particularly scarce, with a mission to provide women and children with a single daily meal of porridge.
Food Scarcity in Borno State and Response
Borno State, Nigeria, has been particularly vulnerable since 2009 as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency. Because of the resulting insecurity, Borno has one of the highest numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country. In addition to this large displaced population, Borno State also faces severe food insecurity.
According to the World Food Program (WFP), 5.8 million Nigerians living in Borno and two other states face food insecurity in 2026. This is why community-led hunger relief programs for mothers and children in Nigeria, such as the Porridge Mums, are so important. Groups like the Porridge Mums are vital to survival amid the food insecurity that comes with conflict.
Impact of USAID Budget Cuts
While many people recognize the importance of feeding vulnerable populations, grassroots groups like the Porridge Mums sometimes fall through the cracks of the system. Because the Porridge Mums rely on funding from Action Against Hunger, any USAID budget cuts can directly affect the availability of meals for mothers and young children in Nigeria.
Action Against Hunger is a global charity run by a larger organization called Global Impact. Global Impact is a “trusted philanthropy advisor” to several nonprofits.
Funding for Action Against Hunger is vital to the Porridge Mums and other community-led hunger relief programs for mothers and children in Nigeria. While these efforts are grassroots, scaling and implementation require some capital to succeed. Funding enables the mothers who run these operations to purchase ingredients, secure facilities for meal preparation and manage the logistics needed to deliver food to those in need of sustenance and comfort.
The Future
It can sometimes feel unnecessary to explain the need for nutrition relief programs. However, many of these programs benefit from outside funding, even if it is not widely advertised. For instance, for the Porridge Mums to provide hot meals across Borno State, there needs to be sufficient usable kitchen space and transportation.
While the mothers may theoretically have these resources, they may not have enough resources to scale the program in a meaningful way. This means they either would not be able to provide daily meals or the reach wouldn’t be very far. The good news is that the Porridge Mums are still operating, even with USAID cuts. The less encouraging news is that the hunger crisis in Borno, Nigeria, is not reducing.
With resources becoming more limited, this presents a challenge. Fortunately, restoring funding for these women and children is not a futile effort.
– Nicole Miller
Photo: Flickr