In the Bosnian conflict that began in 1992 after Bosnia claimed independence, more than 100,000 people died, according to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The United Nations stated that the women victims of sexual abuse during the Bosnian War are between 20,000 and 50,000. Despite some development in the country, there are still barriers that are restricting survivors from obtaining their justice.
The Abuse
Various assailants, who for many women were neighbors, raped women multiple times every day. The abusers were Serbian military, civilians or Muslim soldiers, who were often drunk and under the influence of drugs. The location of the rape was either a woman’s residence or another house. The victims of sexual abuse experienced a variety of physical symptoms in the immediate aftermath of the trauma, such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, palpitations, sweating and muscle pain. In addition, the most common psychological effects were depression, suicidal thoughts self-blame and women often denied trauma and avoided conversations related to the rape.
Sometimes these rapes occur in connection with other crimes, such as amputation, burns and murder. Girls and women were additionally held captive in structures such as hotels, schools and hospitals, called “rape” or “death” camps where they were repeatedly raped and subjected to other forms of torture for weeks or months.
The Successes in Addressing Sexual Abuse So Far and the Challenges
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), deals with war crimes committed during the war. It has fundamentally altered the field of international humanitarian law since its founding in 1993 and given victims the chance to speak out about the atrocities they experienced.
According to a report by Amnesty International in 2009, Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities have disregarded their duty to deliver justice and compensation to victims of sexual assault committed during the conflict. Many of those who commit war crimes or sexual abuse do not receive punishment and reside in the same neighborhoods as their victims. Victims of sexual abuse living in rural regions of the nation often experience restrictions in accessing health care and psychological assistance. Many survivors remain jobless, frequently due to factors connected to the psychological and physical harm they have experienced, additionally, they frequently do not have access to health care due to poverty.
Beyond prosecuting suspects, the ICTY’s Statute and Rules do not do enough to implement the rights of victims and survivors of crimes. One of the main problems that survivors have with the system is that the ICTY has failed to address the long-term psychological, social and economic needs of survivors of war crimes involving sexual abuse.
Unsolved Criminal Cases
Despite recent attempts, impunity persists, and the vast majority of those involved have yet to face justice. There are 160,000 unsolved criminal cases in this backlog, including an estimated 6,000 to 16,000 unresolved war crimes cases at various levels of prosecution, recorded in all 13 jurisdictions of the nation.
The former Yugoslav Criminal Court, which disbanded in 2017, worked for 24 years in The Hague, the Netherlands. During this time, the court heard 161 cases, convicted 84 individuals, 56 of whom were serving their sentences, acquitted 19 and seven people died before the trial ended.
The Struggle Continues
Victims of sexual abuse have high rates of unemployment and poverty, making them one of Bosnia’s most vulnerable economic categories. Despite this, only about 800 survivors have received some monthly allowances and other basic benefits.
Initiatives to proclaim December 8 as the official Day of Remembrance of Women in the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina were submitted to parliament twice, in 2014 and 2016, but institutional support has been weak.
According to Gauri van Gulik from Amnesty International, “Recent years have seen important improvements but there is still a great distance to travel. Whilst the trauma of the past can never be unlived, it is not too late to ensure that the future of these women is one where their rights and their dignity can finally be reclaimed.”
Nowadays, many organizations and movements are helping women victims of sexual abuse during the war. A well-known organization is Women in Black, which organizes projects to give awareness to people about the massacres and rapes that happened during the Bosnian War. Since 1991, it has organized 700 activities such as protests.
From 2016, abused women received free legal defense and compensation is possible, often after a large amount of time. However, a victim reported how important it is to still wait for justice and how relieved she felt when they imprisoned her rapist.
Looking Ahead
All things considered, it has been more than 20 years since the end of the Bosnian war and not every woman received justice. Nevertheless, there have been some developments, creating hope for a better future.
– Elena Luisetto
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Supporting Orphanages in Mexico
According to the International Community Foundation (ICF), Mexico is home to more than 700 orphanages. Around 30,000 of the 400,000 parentless children in Mexico inhabit these orphanages. About 100,000 of Mexico’s orphans are homeless, leaving many kids wandering the streets of Mexico. The lack of housing solutions for orphaned children and the abounding problems that orphanages in Mexico face have led to a crisis that requires urgent intervention.
Negative Coverage of Orphanages
The ICF says, “due to the lack of oversight and accountability for orphanages in Mexico,” there have been reports of poor care and abuse within some orphanages. Orphanages also suffer from a lack of funding, which renders these facilities unable to meet the basic needs of the children within their care. Additionally, because Mexico lacks an official national census of orphaned children, it is difficult to track the whereabouts of these children and monitor their living circumstances.
Unfortunately, due to the negative coverage surrounding orphanages across Mexico, gathering support and funding is even more difficult. However, the ICF says, “As a result of increased awareness domestically and abroad, the Mexican government is under pressure to step up their regulation of orphanages and orphanages have been encouraged to improve their operations.”
The Good News
Despite the negative coverage, there are several legitimate orphanages in Mexico that are committed to providing the best care for orphans so that they may lead prosperous lives as productive members of society. These orphanages require support in order to provide the best possible care to the children under their supervision. In order to identify legitimate orphanages in need of support, the ICF subjects orphanages to a screening and approval process to ensure that there will be no misuse of monetary support.
Casa Hogar de Cabo San Lucas is an example of a legitimate life-changing orphanage operating in Mexico. Casa Hogar houses children from 4 to 18 years old and strives to “educate and elevate.” Its ‘education’ goals include increasing the “academics, life skills, moral values, spiritual values and social values” of the children. While its ‘elevate’ goal is to help children live up to their highest potential and exceed societal expectations and norms.
Corazon de Vida (CDV)
The Corazon de Vida (CDV) is a U.S. nonprofit organization that hopes to work on a large scale to transform the lives of orphans in Baja, Mexico. By providing monthly funding and support to orphanages, the CDV looks to provide shelter, education, quality food and a sense of security to children plagued by homelessness. Currently, CDV works in more than 10 orphanages home to more than 500 youth.
The CDV also runs a program to provide older youth with access to university education. Its website explains the program’s accomplishments: “Our university program currently has 54 plus past orphanage residents in college or technical school and serving as role models to their younger siblings.” The work of the CDV goes beyond impacting one generation of kids to impacting the lives of many by creating positive role models and accomplishable goals for the youth to work toward.
The Importance of Supporting Orphanages
As the ICF says in its article on breaking the cycle of poverty in Mexico, improving education and providing homes for abandoned children is essential in decreasing poverty. By supporting orphanages, children have ample opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge to become self-sufficient, which can prevent a life of poverty in the future.
– Brooklynn Rich
Photo: Flickr
5 Startups that are Improving Health in Africa
According to a 2021 report by the Africa Health Agenda International Conference Commission, only about 52% of people in Africa have access to essential health services. Furthermore, annually, 97 million individuals in Africa, equating to 8.2% of Africa’s population, bear the burden of “catastrophic healthcare costs.” Each year, about 15 million individuals may fall into circumstances of poverty as a consequence of these out-of-pocket health care costs, the report says. In particular, five startups are committed to improving health in Africa.
5 Startups that are Improving Health in Africa
Looking Ahead
These startups are committed to improving health in Africa through creativity, technology and innovation. Their continued work should only enhance the quality of health in Africa going forward.
– Elizaveta Medvedkina
Photo: Unsplash
Addressing Rising Child Poverty in Eastern Europe
The uncertainty of the Russo-Ukrainian war looms over Europe, affecting trade routes, education and the overall state of the continent. For adults, the conflict is a mere reminder of the post-Soviet Union tensions and Russian aggression that frequent the region. For children, it is a catalyst that causes them to slip deeper into poverty. Child poverty in Eastern Europe is skyrocketing during the Ukrainian war. Fortunately, as rates of child poverty in eastern Europe grow, the efforts to subdue those rising rates are increasing as well.
Causes of Child Poverty
In October 2022, UNICEF reported that an additional 4 million children across Central Asia and Eastern Europe have ended up in poverty, a 19% jump since 2021. Russia accounts for 75% of the entire increase. Ukraine reports 500,000 newly impoverished children. With the third-highest increase, Romania reports about 110,000 new children in poverty.
A 2017 study that the European Parliament conducted found that “poverty often remains a legacy that is inherited.” That is, children born into poverty are more likely to stay in it. A parent’s working status and education help determine child poverty outcomes. At least 50% of children whose parents attained low levels of education were at risk of poverty in 2021. This risk doubles if a child lives in a single-parent household or a large family.
Effects of War on Child Poverty
Though the Russo-Ukrainian war has launched millions into poverty, it is the children who it has most affected. Child poverty in Eastern Europe stood at 40%. Constant warfare has increased the cost of goods all over Europe, and in some parts, the prices have inflated significantly. Eastern Europe’s inflation rose to a 17% average, with Hungary’s rates teetering at 25%, increasing the overall price of goods.
Ukraine is one of the EU’s largest trading partners, with nearly 40% contributing to the totality of EU’s trade in 2021. Many also regard it as Europe’s breadbasket. Russia is another trade capital that is the world’s second-largest oil producer. Almost 12% of the world’s oil exports come from Russia. The inflation that the war caused is one of the reasons for heightened rates of child poverty in Eastern Europe. Because most poor families spend their income on essential items, their children are at risk of not having certain necessities as consumer prices continue to increase. The war displaced many children. Learning institutions have been in the crossfire of the conflict, resulting in their closing and the interruption of childhood education.
The Solutions to End Child Poverty in Eastern Europe
In March 2022, Pierre-Alain Fridez released a report on behalf of the Parliamentary Assembly. The report outlines solutions to ending child poverty and examines alternative approaches to the issue. These include increasing the amount of funding appropriated for the common goal of alleviating child poverty and reinforcing EU member states’ commitment to the updated version of the European Social Charter. It also means getting those who have yet to ratify the Charter to do so.
Parliamentary encourages the implementation of the European Child Guarantee, an initiative focused on granting children equal access to childcare, education and housing. The Guarantee began in an attempt to curate a more equal society and close the gaps between the drawing up of a plan and its execution. To meet this goal, the European Social Network enlisted the help of the EU which seeks to place an emphasis on the Guarantee’s five major components. Through the Guarantee, children will receive formal recognition as a deprived group whose needs will help tailor specific policies, recommendations and fund allocation. UNICEF aims to end child poverty. So far, it has introduced and incorporated the Social Protection Strategy, a scheme that provides children with social assistance benefits that help increase the standard of living while also lowering child poverty rates. In recent years, it has partnered with other governments and humanitarian organizations including the World Bank. It treats child poverty on a case-by-case basis. This means monitoring trends and analyzing data about child poverty to create an approach that best serves a particular country.
– Dorothy Quanteh
Photo: Flickr
The Link Between Literacy and Child Mortality
While many might not think there is a connection between child mortality and literacy, there most certainly is. In fact, a closer look at the link between literacy and child mortality indicates that the more educated a woman is, the higher the chance of her baby’s survival.
Global Child Mortality and Literacy
Child mortality refers to the number of children that die before reaching age 5 per every 1,000 live births. This issue is prevalent to some degree everywhere around the world, but some regions have higher rates of child mortality than others. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global child mortality rates have significantly improved since 1990, reducing from 93 per 1,000 live births to 37 in 2020.
In terms of global literacy, the ability to read and write, today the rate stands at 87% in comparison to 12% in 1820. However, strong regional disparities still exist — countries in sub-Saharan Africa still have the lowest literacy rates. For instance, in Mali, literacy rates decreased to 31% in 2020 due to the disruption of conflicts. Additionally, South Sudan’s literacy rate stood at 35% and Afghanistan noted a 37% rate.
The Link
According to research from the Harvard Kennedy School, when a woman can read and write, her child has a 36% higher chance of living past the age of 5 than if the mother was illiterate. In fact, when mothers receive a basic education (six years of schooling and the ability to read and write), child mortality rates drop 68%. Furthermore, for women in this same study with no education whatsoever, “38.5% have had a child die.”
Unfortunately, many individuals in developing countries do not receive a quality education even if they complete many years of schooling. An Annual Status of Education Report assessing students aged 14 to 18 in rural India found that even though “[more than] 80[%] had completed grade 8, roughly half or less could do simple division, calculate how much a price discount of 10[%]would save them, follow simple instructions or understood measuring length with a ruler.”
Many developing countries do not have the funds to pay for high-skilled educators, training and quality educational materials, which leads to a subpar classroom experience. This creates a cycle: when the quality of education is low, families become reluctant to use their minimal resources to send their children to school, leading to another generation of uneducated people. Still, attending school has proven to be beneficial in the sense of lowering child mortality.
Women and the Effects of Schooling
Education empowers women in developing countries by giving them the tools and knowledge to make informed choices throughout their lives. But, research also shows that attending school, aside from just the knowledge one attains, also helps women to build social networks, which is very important in empowering women.
An educated woman understands how to take care of herself and her unborn baby during pregnancy and knows how to detect early warning signs of complications so that she may seek assistance from a health care professional.
Education also increases women’s bargaining power within their own houses, which, in turn, decreases their risk of domestic violence and helps improve the quality of life of the women and children.
Despite various issues with education in developing countries, there are still many benefits women receive from an education. These benefits directly correlate with higher chances of survival for their children, showing a link between literacy and child mortality.
– Evelyn Breitbach
Photo: Flickr
Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Bahrain
Just like many other countries in the world, the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Bahrain was considerable. The nation’s GDP shrank 6.9% due to the pandemic during the third quarter of 2020 when compared with 2019. In comparison to other Gulf states, Bahrain performed slightly worse as Qatar had an economic output of -3.7% and the UAE’s economy shrank by 6.1% in 2020. Though there are no definitive poverty estimations, other indicators point toward an overall increase in poverty in Bahrain during the pandemic.
Reaction to COVID-19
During its worst period, daily new COVID-19 cases in Bahrain rose to 8,000 at the start of February 2022. Bahrain had more than 60,000 active cases by February 7, 2022. As of February 12, 2023, Bahrain has suffered a total of 700,835 COVID-19 cases and 1,544 COVID-19 deaths.
Just like many other governments around the world, Bahrain implemented lockdowns as a countermeasure to the rising COVID-19 infections. By choosing this method to curb the COVID-19 cases in the country, the government of Bahrain effectively brought the country to a standstill. The government halted/restricted the activity of shopping malls, restaurants and cafes, gyms, cinemas, sports events and more.
As a result, both consumption and production in Bahrain dropped. Bahrain’s trade during COVID-19 declined considerably. In fact, “trade with the largest economy in the region,” Saudi Arabia, decreased by 2.1% within the “first nine months of 2020.” Furthermore, trade with Kuwait and the UAE dropped by 15.4% and 21% respectively.
With Bahrain’s unemployment rising to 9.4% in 2020, the government announced an economic stimulus package in March 2020 worth 4.3 billion Bahraini dinars to support the country’s citizens due to the effects of the lockdowns.
The government aimed to keep the private sector afloat and ensure employees continued to receive their salaries for three months. The stimulus package also covered the cost of electricity and water bills for three months and absolved all tourism-related businesses from tourism levies, among other measures. Overall, the stimulus package aimed to reduce the potential increase in poverty in Bahrain due to COVID-19. However, financial worries for Bahrain due to the economic impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Bahrain led to more financial aid from fellow Gulf Arab states Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE.
Oil Dependency
As a Gulf State, it comes as no surprise that Bahrain has significant oil reserves. However, unlike other nations in the Middle East, Bahrain has not diversified its economy. While significant effort went into reducing Bahrain’s dependence on oil prices, oil and gas revenue still accounted for about 75% of government funds in 2016.
Oil prices fluctuate regularly, and as a result, the Bahraini economy has struggled when oil prices drop. The result has been an irregular growth in Bahrain’s budget deficit. The impact of COVID-19 exacerbated Bahrain’s circumstances and the World Bank stated, “lower oil prices since 2014 had widened fiscal and external imbalances and intensified macroeconomic vulnerabilities.”
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent financial impact, Bahrain announced drastic spending cuts in April 2020. According to Al Jazeera, the Gulf Island cut expenditure by up to 30% across ministries and government agencies. Cuts across the board at the government level can affect those on lower incomes more than any other section of the population as many rely on government-run social safety nets to stay financially afloat.
Poverty in Bahrain
Though no official poverty estimates exist that would indicate an increase in impoverishment in Bahrain amid the pandemic, a UNDP “Assessment of the Socio-economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Bahrain” shows a decline in living standards, indicative of poverty. A survey shows that Bahrainis and Bangladeshis living in Bahrain “suffered considerable amounts of self-reported economic distress, in the form of job losses and decreased income.”
However, positively, Bahrain’s unemployment rate reduced from 7.7% in 2021 to 5.4% in 2022. In comparison to other Arab nations, Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate rose to 9.9% in 2022 and the UAE’s unemployment rate rose to 3.4% in 2021.
Bahrain’s ongoing oil dependence and the effects of government-imposed restrictions during COVID-19 have led to economic instability in the nation. The Bahraini government’s decision to add roughly $470 million to its budget in 2020 to cover potential emergency pandemic spending likely limited the impact of the pandemic on the Bahraini economy.
The stimulus package propelled economic activity and put Bahrain on track to recover from the pandemic. By 2021, Bahrain’s GDP had seen an increase of 2.2%. Diversification of the economy will improve economic stability in Bahrain, especially amid recovery from the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Bahrain.
– Josef Whitehead
Photo: Flickr
Bosnian Victims of Sexual Abuse Seek Justice
In the Bosnian conflict that began in 1992 after Bosnia claimed independence, more than 100,000 people died, according to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The United Nations stated that the women victims of sexual abuse during the Bosnian War are between 20,000 and 50,000. Despite some development in the country, there are still barriers that are restricting survivors from obtaining their justice.
The Abuse
Various assailants, who for many women were neighbors, raped women multiple times every day. The abusers were Serbian military, civilians or Muslim soldiers, who were often drunk and under the influence of drugs. The location of the rape was either a woman’s residence or another house. The victims of sexual abuse experienced a variety of physical symptoms in the immediate aftermath of the trauma, such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, palpitations, sweating and muscle pain. In addition, the most common psychological effects were depression, suicidal thoughts self-blame and women often denied trauma and avoided conversations related to the rape.
Sometimes these rapes occur in connection with other crimes, such as amputation, burns and murder. Girls and women were additionally held captive in structures such as hotels, schools and hospitals, called “rape” or “death” camps where they were repeatedly raped and subjected to other forms of torture for weeks or months.
The Successes in Addressing Sexual Abuse So Far and the Challenges
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), deals with war crimes committed during the war. It has fundamentally altered the field of international humanitarian law since its founding in 1993 and given victims the chance to speak out about the atrocities they experienced.
According to a report by Amnesty International in 2009, Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities have disregarded their duty to deliver justice and compensation to victims of sexual assault committed during the conflict. Many of those who commit war crimes or sexual abuse do not receive punishment and reside in the same neighborhoods as their victims. Victims of sexual abuse living in rural regions of the nation often experience restrictions in accessing health care and psychological assistance. Many survivors remain jobless, frequently due to factors connected to the psychological and physical harm they have experienced, additionally, they frequently do not have access to health care due to poverty.
Beyond prosecuting suspects, the ICTY’s Statute and Rules do not do enough to implement the rights of victims and survivors of crimes. One of the main problems that survivors have with the system is that the ICTY has failed to address the long-term psychological, social and economic needs of survivors of war crimes involving sexual abuse.
Unsolved Criminal Cases
Despite recent attempts, impunity persists, and the vast majority of those involved have yet to face justice. There are 160,000 unsolved criminal cases in this backlog, including an estimated 6,000 to 16,000 unresolved war crimes cases at various levels of prosecution, recorded in all 13 jurisdictions of the nation.
The former Yugoslav Criminal Court, which disbanded in 2017, worked for 24 years in The Hague, the Netherlands. During this time, the court heard 161 cases, convicted 84 individuals, 56 of whom were serving their sentences, acquitted 19 and seven people died before the trial ended.
The Struggle Continues
Victims of sexual abuse have high rates of unemployment and poverty, making them one of Bosnia’s most vulnerable economic categories. Despite this, only about 800 survivors have received some monthly allowances and other basic benefits.
Initiatives to proclaim December 8 as the official Day of Remembrance of Women in the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina were submitted to parliament twice, in 2014 and 2016, but institutional support has been weak.
According to Gauri van Gulik from Amnesty International, “Recent years have seen important improvements but there is still a great distance to travel. Whilst the trauma of the past can never be unlived, it is not too late to ensure that the future of these women is one where their rights and their dignity can finally be reclaimed.”
Nowadays, many organizations and movements are helping women victims of sexual abuse during the war. A well-known organization is Women in Black, which organizes projects to give awareness to people about the massacres and rapes that happened during the Bosnian War. Since 1991, it has organized 700 activities such as protests.
From 2016, abused women received free legal defense and compensation is possible, often after a large amount of time. However, a victim reported how important it is to still wait for justice and how relieved she felt when they imprisoned her rapist.
Looking Ahead
All things considered, it has been more than 20 years since the end of the Bosnian war and not every woman received justice. Nevertheless, there have been some developments, creating hope for a better future.
– Elena Luisetto
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
The Effects of Humanitarian Efforts in 2022
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the U.N. agency tasked with providing humanitarian assistance to areas of the world that so desperately need it. Specifically tasked with providing a response to humanitarian crises, a lot of its work helps combat the effects of poverty around the world. With a lot happening in the world in 2022, there was a lot of work necessary in the fight against poverty. From the Black Sea Grain Initiative to expanding its impact on countries like Syria, OCHA made tremendous progress in its humanitarian efforts to combat the effects of poverty around the world. Here are just a few of their successes.
Combating the Global Food Crisis
Along with the war in Ukraine came a global food crisis, which the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic made even more. In June 2022, the World Food Programme (WFP) wrote that millions of people worldwide were at risk of starvation due to the “rising prices of food, fuel and fertilizer.” Much of this was due to the war, as Ukraine is one of the largest exporters of foodstuffs in the world. The country accounted for 42% of the world’s supply of sunflower oil, 16% of corn and 10% of wheat, according to the Wilson Center.
U.N. and Turkish negotiators helped bring Russia and Ukraine together for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allowed for a resumption of vital food exports from Ukraine. Since the agreement came into effect, 21,300,708 tons of cargo have left Ukrainian ports, as of February 2023. Corn made up 47% of the exports, with wheat accounting for 29%.
According to the U.N., 25% of the cargo went to lower-income countries like Bangladesh, Kenya, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and more. This includes humanitarian food assistance to the Horn of Africa, which is currently experiencing a severe drought and famine. The exports out of Ukraine as a result of this U.N. brokered deal will continue to help improve food security conditions for millions and represents just one of the positive effects of humanitarian aid in 2022.
Expanding Humanitarian Efforts in Syria
The previous year also saw an increase in humanitarian efforts in Syria, with a United Nations Security Council resolution allowing humanitarian aid to cross into Syria from neighboring Türkiye. The decision was a testament to the positive effects of humanitarian aid, as the aid crossing the border “reached an average of 2.7 million people per month.”
This assistance provided thousands of impoverished people living in Syria access to food and education, as well as other resources necessary for their well-being. The expansion of aid into Syria, whose decade-long civil war continues to have detrimental effects on its population, also represents the positive effects of humanitarian aid in 2022.
Efforts at Promoting Localization
OCHA also lists its efforts at promoting localization as a positive effect of humanitarian aid in 2022. Localization, according to the International Red Cross (IFRC) is an increase of “international investment and respect for the role of local actors, with the goal of increasing the reach, effectiveness and accountability of humanitarian action.” Localization has been a key aspect of most humanitarian responses for a while, as local actors have the ability to stretch aid further than international organizations.
Local actors have much closer ties to the communities they seek to assist, and can have a much larger impact on delivering aid to these communities than international aid organizations would. Emphasizing localization is one of the most important positive effects of humanitarian aid and can help provide aid to those who otherwise would not receive it.
While the above represents only a handful of the positive effects of humanitarian aid, OCHA accomplished a lot more in 2022. From providing aid to drought-stricken areas in the Horn of Africa to assisting aid deliveries in Yemen, OCHA and other humanitarian organizations have had a massive positive impact on humanitarian aid in 2022; work that will continue going into 2023.
– Mohammad Samhouri
Photo: Flickr
Chess in Slums Fights Nigerian Poverty
According to the World Bank, in 2019 Nigeria ranked second of the five countries with the highest number of extremely poor people. The 2022 Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) survey noted that 63% of residents of Nigeria and 67.5% of the children are multidimensionally poor. Lack of education contributes to poverty likelihood, and increasing and improving education is a poverty-reduction strategy. Ironically, in Nigeria, playing chess in slums by out-of-school slum kids is also contributing to poverty reduction.
Effect of Poverty in Nigeria: Out-of-School Children Turned “Agberos”
According to 2020 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates, about 10.5 million Nigerian five-to-14-year-old children were out-of-school. In 2022, that figure increased to 18.5 million due to a high rate of attacks from jihadists. About 60% of the out-of-school students are girls. In addition, only 35% of Nigerian children attend early childhood classes and only 61% of six-to-ll-year-olds regularly attend primary school classes. This is despite the fact that primary school is free and compulsory in Nigeria.
Some of the out-of-school students live with their parents who do not enroll them so they can help them beg on the street. Others have run away from home or are orphans whose home is on the streets. Left to roam the streets, these children get involved in mischief that gets them into trouble in the community. They are usually called “agberos,” a Yoruba word for “thugs,” “hoodlums” or “street boys” who wind up increasing the level of criminal activities and insecurity in the country, which is an effect of poverty in Nigeria.
Chess in Slums: Keeping Out-of-School Students Off the Streets
Babatunde Onakoya founded Chess in Slums Africa (CISA) in 2018. This nonprofit organization’s goal is to teach underprivileged children how to play chess to keep them off the street. The founder uses the metaphor that just like the pawn can become a queen, underprivileged children can also become kings and queens.
For someone who lived in one of the Nigerian slums, Onakoya could relate to the out-of-school children. His parents could not afford his secondary school fees and so could not enroll in one. Luckily, a year later, his mother got to work in a school for free in exchange for his education. By this time, he had learned to play chess by watching a barber and his opponent play several times. He got better at it, won tournaments, played in university and eventually became a professional chess tutor.
When Babatunde graduated from university and did not have a job, he and his chess friends began teaching chess to children in the community of Majidun in Lagos. The team began to teach children how to play chess, by visiting them on specific days, like Saturdays and Sundays in Majidun, to teach them basic rules, movements and tricks of the board game that people often perceive to be only for elites.
CISA Training and Success
CISA organizes its training into three phases: beginner, intermediate and master. It monitors and evaluates students as they progress through the “chess-kid curriculum” that Onakoya chose because of its strength elsewhere in both teaching and competition coaching.
As Onakoya noted, “For me, education is more like the capacity for thought, for the children to be able to think independently. That is why we are giving them chess as a way for them to be educated in a different way, to learn how to think for themselves, not teach them what exactly to think but how to think for themselves, to come up with solutions for problems.”
In an interview with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Onakoya said, “The process of learning chess and trying to understand some of these complex things builds mental capacity over time. These children don’t speak any English words but over time, you see them using words like prophylaxis whenever we do group analysis together. Research has proven this time and time again that chess is a perfect game for mental development.”
Chess in Slums Reach and Success
CISA now works in several communities in Nigeria and even has started a chess academy in Burkino Faso. With more than 1,000 children enrolled, 500 of them have reached the intermediate level. Students have earned more than $400,000 in 200 academic scholarships. Future goals include enrolling 5,000 students, raising a million dollars to sponsor $1,000 a student to attend school and establishing programs across Africa.
– Oluwagbohunmi Bajela
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
The Benefits of Investing in Developing Countries
Investing in developing countries holds the power to enhance the lives of its citizens significantly. The right investments can improve infrastructure, provide access to essential services, increase amenities and boost overall human development. These investments positively impact health, education and economic opportunities.
Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA)
The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), which the African Development Bank (ADB) manages, serves as a prime example of the benefits of investing in developing countries. Established in partnership with the government of Denmark in 2011, SEFA provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency, striving to increase access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy services in Africa.
High-income governments and organizations have made contributions to SEFA. Through its efforts to develop green mini-grids, finance green energy programs and establish blended-finance initiatives for small-scale renewables, SEFA actively contributes to the growth of renewable energy in Africa.
This investment in renewable energy projects not only enhances access to energy and stimulates economic growth, but also generates job opportunities in developing countries. This helps raise living standards and reduce poverty, while also advancing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of “No Poverty” and “Affordable and Clean Energy.”
Increasing Efforts
High-income countries should increase efforts towards promoting economic growth, reducing poverty and inequality and closing the gap in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by investing in developing countries. Despite the growth of sustainable finance, most of it remains in high-income countries, leaving lower-income countries in need of funding. To bridge this gap, high-income countries should remove barriers to financing access in developing countries and allocate more financing towards SDG investments.
The U.N. Conference on Trade and Development and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predict that the “SDG financing gap could reach $4.3 trillion per year from 2020 to 2025,” a significant increase from previous estimates, according to OECD.
OECD expects the government revenue of developing countries to decrease in 2022 and 2023, especially for middle-income countries, resulting in a yearly decline of $95 billion and its recovery will likely be slow, potentially not reaching pre-pandemic levels before 2030.
Companies could reap numerous benefits from foreign investment in developing countries, such as increased competitiveness, favorable productivity spillovers, access to new technology, market expansion and improved workforce training and qualifications leading to higher wages and employment.
Investments in job creation and training could provide an economic boost to communities by creating jobs, driving demand for goods and services and enhancing the skills of the workforce. Furthermore, foreign investments could lead to improved infrastructure, access to basic services and amenities and overall human development.
Boosting the Integration
Investing in developing countries opens the possibility of boosting their integration into the global economy through the enhancement of foreign trade flows. The growth of international networks of affiliated enterprises and the growing significance of foreign subsidiaries in multinational companies’ strategies provide greater access to import and export activities. Thus, developing countries that embrace international trade are more likely to reap the benefits of foreign direct investment (FDI).
In today’s interconnected and globalized world, it is crucial for countries to take advantage of the potential of foreign investments in developing countries. By investing in these countries, companies can reap the benefits of economic growth and development while promoting sustainability for all. These investments provide access to new markets, resources, technologies and capabilities that drive economic growth, create jobs and build local infrastructure. Additionally, foreign investments are a key source of financing for sustainable development initiatives such as renewable energy projects or environmental protection programs.
By investing in developing countries, companies not only benefit from increased economic growth but also play a crucial role in global sustainability efforts.
– Nkechi First
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3 Books that Raise Awareness About Poverty
The World Bank reports that global poverty rose in 2020 as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing the total number of impoverished people to more than 700 million. Poverty is a cyclical problem — the limited access to proper education and future income draws the next generation into similar circumstances of impoverishment. Reducing poverty begins with awareness of poverty. Three recently published books are raising awareness about poverty, leaving readers educated and inspired to fight against poverty.
Dissolving Misconceptions Through Books
The lack of public awareness of poverty and its detrimental effects has led to many widely held misconceptions. Global Citizen discusses the root of misconception — misinformation, which is “powerful enough to derail the real narrative around poverty, the people who experience it and the fight to end it.”
Misconceptions also can influence the actions of citizens and influential decision-makers. Working to end poverty worldwide begins by eliminating misconceptions and educating society on the true causes and effects of this global issue. Both realistic portrayals of poverty in fiction novels and informative nonfiction books covering poverty can be helpful tools to begin identifying and deconstructing harmful misconceptions.
3 Books that Raise Awareness About Poverty
From Awareness to Action
Without action, awareness about poverty is futile in the fight against poverty. Therefore, it is essential when reading to identify and define actionable and achievable goals based on the information gathered.
Misconceptions surrounding poverty remain in the minds of many. Therefore, it is critical to dissolve these misconceptions and inspire people to get involved in humanitarian work to better the lives of the people whose stories the books raising awareness about poverty capture.
– Brooklynn Rich
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