According to HelpAge International, in Pakistan, millions of elderly people endure conditions of poverty. In 2019, Pakistan had 15 million individuals over the age of 60, equating to 7% of the population. Though the elderly make up a smaller segment of the population now, projections indicate that the number of elderly people in Pakistan will rise to 40 million by 2050. In 2018, just “2.3% of the population older than the statutory pensionable age in Pakistan” received a pension. In the face of adversity, vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, suffer the most. For this reason, it is vital to address elderly poverty in Pakistan.
Floods in Pakistan
Recent floods in Pakistan have led to a humanitarian crisis. An October 2022 article by Arab News has indicated that, in flood-affected areas, almost 48% of Pakistani elders, according to a HelpAge International survey, lack access to health facilities.
The survey notes that close to 90% of the elderly “reported having a health condition, with 42[%] having more than one.” The survey lists the top six conditions affecting the elderly during the flooding as joint pains, high blood pressure, respiratory conditions, cardiac issues, diabetes and gastrointestinal problems.
Elderly Poverty in Pakistan
In Pakistan, as per the research of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, in 2001, about 37% of the elderly population lived either on or below the poverty line. Low-income elderly people tend to rely on their children, typically sons, for economic support and shelter as old-age homes do not form part of the country’s culture. Elderly people with lower incomes are more likely to live with their children but this rate is lower for elderly people with higher incomes.
Data from a 2001 survey shows that elderly poverty is more pronounced in rural areas than in urban areas. Almost 66% of the elder population resides in rural areas of Pakistan while 33% lives in urban areas. Rural elders are relatively worse off as towns and villages lack proper health care and facilities. About 45% of rural elders live below the poverty line compared to 23% of their urban counterparts. Urban elders have greater satisfaction with their living conditions as they have greater access to healthy food, electricity and clean water.
In 2001, about 19% of the elderly population in Pakistan engaged in employment. Out of the employed elderly segment, males accounted for 32% while females accounted for only 4.7%. Yet, statistics do not indicate that elderly poverty in Pakistan affects women disproportionally.
The literacy rate among the elderly stood at 23% in 2001. Male elderly literacy rates stood at 37% versus 8% among elderly women. These statistics reflect females’ lack of access to education while growing up, likely due to gender norms that prioritize the education of males as society expects females to manage household chores and caretaking.
National Policy for Elderly People
In 2014, Pakistan passed the Senior Citizens Act, which established the Senior Citizens Welfare Council. The council is responsible for advocating for the cause through policy proposals that aim to improve the well-being of the elderly. Pensions, old-age benefits, affordable transport and health facilities are part of the Act’s core agenda. Other provinces, such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, established similar acts and councils to ensure a good quality of life for the elderly. For example, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Citizens Act ensures free access for the elderly to “public museums, libraries, parks and recreation facilities.” It also established separate counters for the elderly in hospitals and lower medical/medicinal rates.
HelpAge International
HelpAge is an international NGO that has worked in Pakistan since 2010. It advocates for the rights of the elderly in Pakistan and collaborates with more than 200 associations for older people in Pakistan. HelpAge responds to emergency situations and provides “age-friendly support” to elders. Up until now, in Pakistan, the organization has provided cash grants to 2,495 elderly individuals.
The HelpAge website tells the story of 60-year-old Atta Muhammad Birohi from Sindh. HelpAge gave him $135 as microcredit to establish an income-generating activity. Using the microcredit, Birohi purchased supplies to make roof beds, also known as pattrons. He sold these beds to generate an income, paid the microcredit loan back timeously and purchased a goat to bring in supplementary income.
HelpAge has also “provided assistive devices and physiotherapy services” to 1,507 elders in Pakistan. It is also advocating for income security through social pensions to alleviate elderly poverty in Pakistan. In this regard, it has proposed many reforms that are yet to materialize.
In a nutshell, the elderly population in Pakistan will likely rise in the coming years. To avoid rates of elderly poverty in Pakistan rising along with it, comprehensive social protection is necessary.
– Sarmad Wali Khan
Photo: Flickr
The Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Jordan
Though the pandemic left no one unscathed, it hit impoverished people in developing countries harder with poverty rates skyrocketing, social tensions brewing and education systems crumbling. Jordan, a Middle Eastern country, faced immediate effects. The World Bank is taking action to address the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Jordan.
Rising Poverty Rates in Jordan
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Jordan, it had a prompt effect on poverty rates. At the peak of the pandemic, according to the World Bank, there was a 38% increase in poverty rates among Jordanians, with respect to the national poverty line of 67 Jordanian dinars per person per month. Regarding Syrian refugees in Jordan, the number of Syrians living under the national poverty line rose by 18%. This percentage is lower than the poverty rate among Jordanians likely because pre-pandemic, “many Syrians were already below the poverty line, limiting how many more could fall into poverty,” the World Bank explains.
Other Impacts
As jobs and resources became scarce, so did social tensions. The World Bank reports that during the lockdowns implemented, reports of domestic violence rose. Moreover, with school shutdowns, children faced difficulty accessing education, either left to attend school virtually or unable to continue their studies at all due to a lack of access to the internet and technology.
Due to the impacts of the pandemic, in 2020, unemployment rates in Jordan reached a high of 25% for the general population and exceeded 50% among the youth.
As time went on, these difficulties further harmed Jordan’s economic state. With a declining job market, tensions rising and educational disparity, Jordan’s GDP declined by 1.6% from 2019 to 2020.
Hunger in Jordan
In 2022, the Global Hunger Index gives Jordan a score of 10.6, an increase of 1.8 points from 2020, equating to a moderate level of hunger. This ranks Jordan 53rd out of 121 countries in terms of hunger. In 2020, Jordan scored even better — 8.8, which equates to a low level of hunger. In terms of hunger levels, GHI indicates the severity of hunger in a country, with 100 representing the most severe levels of hunger and zero representing no hunger. The number of undernourished Jordanians rose to almost 17% in 2022, up from 6% in 2014.
In 2022, Jordan’s GHI (10.6) dropped below its pre-pandemic score — 0.2 points lower than in 2000 (10.8), according to the World Bank. Meaning, following the pandemic, hunger severity levels in Jordan are still lower than two decades ago.
Recovery in Jordan
Ultimately, following the pandemic, Jordan’s poor faced increased rates of malnourishment while disadvantaged youths faced education gaps and the working class dealt with unemployment and job scarcity. Yet, in 2022, with the help of emergency relief, Jordan is on its way to rebuilding itself.
On March 22, 2022, the World Bank approved $350 million worth of added funding for Jordan’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Project to provide cash transfer support for Jordan’s poor and those most negatively affected by COVID-19. The World Bank initially provided the first round of funding of $20 million to Jordan in April 2020.
These cash transfers enable low-income households in Jordan to meet their basic needs. This means households can put their income toward health and education services, both of which will aid in developing Jordan’s human capital.
While COVID-19 imposed some of the direst consequences, the world is recovering and developing countries like Jordan are back on track to reduce poverty and build their economies up.
With support from other countries and aid from the World Bank, the world’s poor can continue to progress. Though these are positive indicators of Jordan’s comeback, more aid is necessary to resolve the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Jordan.
– Micaella Balderrama
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Elderly Poverty in Pakistan
According to HelpAge International, in Pakistan, millions of elderly people endure conditions of poverty. In 2019, Pakistan had 15 million individuals over the age of 60, equating to 7% of the population. Though the elderly make up a smaller segment of the population now, projections indicate that the number of elderly people in Pakistan will rise to 40 million by 2050. In 2018, just “2.3% of the population older than the statutory pensionable age in Pakistan” received a pension. In the face of adversity, vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, suffer the most. For this reason, it is vital to address elderly poverty in Pakistan.
Floods in Pakistan
Recent floods in Pakistan have led to a humanitarian crisis. An October 2022 article by Arab News has indicated that, in flood-affected areas, almost 48% of Pakistani elders, according to a HelpAge International survey, lack access to health facilities.
The survey notes that close to 90% of the elderly “reported having a health condition, with 42[%] having more than one.” The survey lists the top six conditions affecting the elderly during the flooding as joint pains, high blood pressure, respiratory conditions, cardiac issues, diabetes and gastrointestinal problems.
Elderly Poverty in Pakistan
In Pakistan, as per the research of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, in 2001, about 37% of the elderly population lived either on or below the poverty line. Low-income elderly people tend to rely on their children, typically sons, for economic support and shelter as old-age homes do not form part of the country’s culture. Elderly people with lower incomes are more likely to live with their children but this rate is lower for elderly people with higher incomes.
Data from a 2001 survey shows that elderly poverty is more pronounced in rural areas than in urban areas. Almost 66% of the elder population resides in rural areas of Pakistan while 33% lives in urban areas. Rural elders are relatively worse off as towns and villages lack proper health care and facilities. About 45% of rural elders live below the poverty line compared to 23% of their urban counterparts. Urban elders have greater satisfaction with their living conditions as they have greater access to healthy food, electricity and clean water.
In 2001, about 19% of the elderly population in Pakistan engaged in employment. Out of the employed elderly segment, males accounted for 32% while females accounted for only 4.7%. Yet, statistics do not indicate that elderly poverty in Pakistan affects women disproportionally.
The literacy rate among the elderly stood at 23% in 2001. Male elderly literacy rates stood at 37% versus 8% among elderly women. These statistics reflect females’ lack of access to education while growing up, likely due to gender norms that prioritize the education of males as society expects females to manage household chores and caretaking.
National Policy for Elderly People
In 2014, Pakistan passed the Senior Citizens Act, which established the Senior Citizens Welfare Council. The council is responsible for advocating for the cause through policy proposals that aim to improve the well-being of the elderly. Pensions, old-age benefits, affordable transport and health facilities are part of the Act’s core agenda. Other provinces, such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, established similar acts and councils to ensure a good quality of life for the elderly. For example, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Citizens Act ensures free access for the elderly to “public museums, libraries, parks and recreation facilities.” It also established separate counters for the elderly in hospitals and lower medical/medicinal rates.
HelpAge International
HelpAge is an international NGO that has worked in Pakistan since 2010. It advocates for the rights of the elderly in Pakistan and collaborates with more than 200 associations for older people in Pakistan. HelpAge responds to emergency situations and provides “age-friendly support” to elders. Up until now, in Pakistan, the organization has provided cash grants to 2,495 elderly individuals.
The HelpAge website tells the story of 60-year-old Atta Muhammad Birohi from Sindh. HelpAge gave him $135 as microcredit to establish an income-generating activity. Using the microcredit, Birohi purchased supplies to make roof beds, also known as pattrons. He sold these beds to generate an income, paid the microcredit loan back timeously and purchased a goat to bring in supplementary income.
HelpAge has also “provided assistive devices and physiotherapy services” to 1,507 elders in Pakistan. It is also advocating for income security through social pensions to alleviate elderly poverty in Pakistan. In this regard, it has proposed many reforms that are yet to materialize.
In a nutshell, the elderly population in Pakistan will likely rise in the coming years. To avoid rates of elderly poverty in Pakistan rising along with it, comprehensive social protection is necessary.
– Sarmad Wali Khan
Photo: Flickr
How Wrestling Can Be A Way Out of Poverty
Wrestling is a well-known and physically enduring sport. There are many different types of wrestling such as amateur wrestling and professional wrestling as well as freestyle wrestling. It generates a lot of money, especially in professional wrestling. Wrestling can be a way out of poverty for many individuals, especially those living in countries such as Senegal and Gambia. This sport can be a successful means of making it out of poverty.
Wrestling in Senegal
Senegal is one country where wrestling is a tradition. Senegalese wrestling is so popular that it is the country’s national sport. It has roots that trace back to the Serer people and it originally took place during harvest festival celebrations. Stadiums in Dakar sell out every time a match takes place which shows how popular Senegalese wrestling is.
In Senegal, 39% of the population lives in poverty. Thousands of men travel to Dakar in order to make it into wrestling school and train. These men are looking for a way out of poverty and unemployment through Senegalese wrestling because one can make up to $200,000 a fight if successful in the sport.
At least 8,000 boys suffering chronically from unemployment signed up for the CNG which is the main organization that oversees wrestling in Senegal. People see Senegalese wrestling as a promising hope for the future because the money it brings in would instantly change someone’s life for the better. Just in one night, a wrestler can earn “four times the average weekly salary of $20,” according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Mohamed “Tyson” Ndao is one wrestler that became very successful in Senegal because of wrestling. Mohamed often receives credit as the person that made Senegalese wrestling popular in the mainstream world. Mohammed, who grew up in Kaolack became a wrestler despite his father’s disapproval of his career choice.
In one fight, Mohamed made more than $4,000 which is an enormous amount of money in Senegal. Senegalese wrestling has become so entrenched with money and corporate sponsorships that Mohamed made it known that he fights only for large amounts of money.
Wrestling in The Gambia
Wrestling is also very traditional and popular in The Gambia, especially in rural areas such as Balangharr in the North Bank Region. It is becoming a huge sensation in Gambia again because it is allowing men, both young and old to make it out of poverty.
The poverty rate in Gambia is 53.4%. Rural areas in The Gambia suffer the most from poverty with “seven out of every 10 rural dwellers” being very poor. Wrestling is very popular in rural areas because rural dwellers are poorer than urban dwellers. Rural dwellers turn to wrestling because it is a real and practical way to make it out of poverty.
In 2021, the unemployment rate in Gambia reached 15.5%. Wrestling is one outlet that could bring stability into the lives of many individuals and provide a way out of poverty.
Abdoulie Ndow is one success story when it comes to rising out of poverty through wrestling. People popularly know Abdoulie as Hoyantaan. Hoyantaan, who grew up in Balangharr showed interest in wrestling after his father and stepfather inspired him. As a rookie wrestler, he caught the attention of many people because he had great technical wrestling skills.
Hoyantaan became a famous wrestler in Gambia when he defeated huge names such as Mboran and Tass Sa-Yaram in matches. Hoyantaan became the King of the Gambian Arena when he defeated Leket Mu Barra. Due to his fame and great wrestling skills, Hoyantaan became one of the highest-paid wrestlers in The Gambia. In one fight, he received up to D120,000. Hoyantann also earned himself many endorsement deals from private companies, according to The Chronicle.
How Wrestling Can Be a Way Out of Poverty
Wrestling can decrease poverty in the lives of many people in Senegal and The Gambia. For many men in both countries, wrestling goes much deeper than just tackling and fighting each other. Wrestling is about surviving. It creates a way for men in Senegal and Gambia to have the life that they have always wanted and dreamed of. Wrestling is encouraging and it provides hope to many young men whose circumstances are telling them that they will never make it out of poverty. The financial benefits attached to wrestling are great enough to make almost every man take a leap of faith in order to escape poverty and have a better life.
– Yonina Anglin
Photo: Wikimedia
Our Spaces App Addresses Gender-Based Violence in Palestine
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) 2011 Violence Survey indicates that 37% of Palestinian women have experienced violence in some form. Within the Gaza Strip, gender-based violence rates rise to 51%. A 2005 U.N. Special Rapporteur’s report attributes the high rates of gender-based violence in Palestine to “traditional patriarchal norms and values” and the impacts of Israel’s occupation. The occupation has led to growing rates of poverty and diminished job prospects. The UNFPA explained that this has “contributed to a behavioral dynamic of men being more frustrated, unable to fulfill their expected role in this patriarchal society.” The struggle to “provide and protect” exacerbates domestic violence within households. However, three female Palestinian software developers set out to address both poverty and gender-based violence in Palestine through the creation of the Our Spaces app.
The Our Spaces App’s Origins
Local engineer Alaa Huthut spearheaded the creation of the Our Spaces (Masahatuna) app. The app aims to provide a discreet and confidential way for women to report domestic violence and seek assistance. The app leaves no trace of communication between the victim and social workers providing services through the Our Spaces app. Huthut recognized the importance of incorporating privacy into the app, acknowledging the dangers of exposing traceable interactions to abusive partners.
The Our Spaces app provides comprehensive assistance by linking victims and survivors of abuse to institutions that provide “psychological support, health services, legal services, economic empowerment services and shelter services,” Al-Monitor reports.
How Poverty and Abuse are Inextricably Linked
Providing access to services and resources for financial help is Our Spaces’ direct attempt to tackle the complicated intersectionality of poverty and abuse. Studies prove the existence of links between poverty and gender-based violence. Financial stress can contribute to the onset of domestic violence. Furthermore, impoverished women who are economically dependent on their abusive partners find it difficult to leave such situations.
In 2017, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reported that about 30% of Palestinians lived in poverty, however, the poverty rate in the Gaza Strip stood at about 53%. The link between poverty and abuse would suggest that these alarmingly high rates of poverty are in part responsible for the high level of domestic abuse within Palestine.
In order to tackle the issue of gender-based violence in Palestine from the ground up, the Our Spaces app seeks to address the root of the problem: poverty.
An Our Spaces Success Story
One woman’s story, which Al-Monitor originally covered, serves as a prime example of the ways Our Spaces’ services help mitigate the acuteness of abuse many women may experience. Reham, 23, told reporters at Al-Monitor that she had been affronting acute physical and verbal abuse by her spouse daily. She explained that her spouse had been taking his economic frustrations out on her through violence.
Reham reached out for assistance through the Our Spaces app to improve her family’s economic situation. The app connected her with a service that specializes in supporting families financially, and soon, Reham obtained a temporary job. She was able to ease her family’s economic difficulties and reduce the pressure driving her husband to unhealthy behavioral dynamics.
Addressing the Root Causes
Several global issues, ranging from gender-based violence to food insecurity and mortality, link back to the systemic issue of global poverty. The Our Spaces app provides a lesson about the importance of addressing not only the consequences of a systemic issue, in this case, gender-based violence, but also its root, poverty.
– Alisa Gulyansky
Photo: Flickr
How Digital Technology Combats Malnourishment in India
The 2022 Global Hunger Index ranks India 107th out of 121 countries in terms of hunger, with a score of 29.1, equating to a serious level of hunger. Hunger and malnourishment are interlinked. About 14% of the population in India (about 189.2 million people) suffered from undernourishment in 2020, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). According to India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, data from 2019-2021 shows that about one-third of Indian children under 5 suffer from stunting (impaired growth due to poor nutrition) and about 19% suffer from wasting (low weight for their height). To address malnourishment in India, health workers can use digital tools like apps and digital libraries to detect malnourishment in children and educate the Indian population on the importance of nutrition.
Causes of Malnourishment in Women and Children
Household traditions prioritize feeding men and children over women, leaving women with the leftovers. As of 2022, about 18.7% of women of childbearing age (15-49) in India are underweight. When women lack key nutrients while pregnant, they are more likely to give birth to underweight and stunted babies.
Another factor contributing to malnourishment in India is a lack of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is essential for babies to obtain vital nutrients naturally present in breast milk. The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines direct mothers to exclusively breastfeed babies for six months. Thereafter, mothers can introduce “nutritious complementary foods and continue breastfeeding up to the age of two years or beyond.” According to The Times of India, in India, less than 50% of children are breastfed within an hour of birth, whereas the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months stood at 55%.” Furthermore, if a mother is severely malnourished, she may not be able to produce enough milk for her baby.
Methods of detecting malnutrition present another issue. Many field workers lack the skills to properly conduct a physical assessment to detect malnutrition. Standardized assessments by humanitarian aid organizations and governments can be lengthy and costly and the measuring methods can vary depending on what tools are available, leading to inconsistent data. The health workers typically document these measurements in writing and eventually transfer the data to an Excel spreadsheet. This takes a lot of time and the captured data can contain input errors. On top of that, workers may not be able to recognize if the child is malnourished by sight alone. This is where digital tools come into play.
Child Growth Monitor
Child Growth Monitor is an artificial intelligence-based mobile app that the German nonprofit Welthungerhilfe created that improves the process of identifying child malnourishment. The app takes 3D measurements of a child’s body using an infrared sensor available on certain smartphones and quickly uploads the data onto Microsoft Azure, a cloud computing service. Then, nutritionists and IT specialists can examine the scans using Microsft AI solutions to assess a child’s dietary health and determine if the child is malnourished. Welthungerhilfe released a beta version of this app in 2020 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security.
Welthungerhilfe and partners are piloting the app in three states in India — Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The NGO Action Against Hunger is providing support to 150 field workers to use the app to scan and evaluate children.
Child Growth Monitor collects data much faster than traditional measuring methods and has a lower margin of error. Users do not need to be anthropometric (experts in the study of measurements and proportions of the human body) to get accurate data and recognize if a child is undernourished. In addition, the app measures children the same way every time, allowing for consistent data.
HealthPhone
In 2015, HealthPhone, in partnership with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), the Government of India and UNICEF, launched a large three-year digital mass education program called IAP HealthPhone to educate more than 10 million females between the ages of 13 and 35 on how to improve health and nutrition among themselves and their families.
The program promoted and distributed four free videos in 18 languages on mobile phones. These videos covered simple ways to improve nutrition through diet, the significance of breastfeeding and adequate nutrition, specific guidelines for pregnant women and children younger than 24 months old and the “status of women.”
IAP also partnered with the telecommunications company Vodafone to send 300 million text messages annually to Vodafone’s 184 million subscribers to spread the videos to as many people as possible.
The IAP HealthPhone program hopes to benefit 60 million children born in India by 2025.
Nutrify India Now
Nutrify India Now is a diet-tracking food app that India’s National Institute of Nutrition launched in 2018. People can use the app to determine the calories and nutrients contained in “common Indian food.” Available in 17 different languages, the app helps to guide the user’s nutrition decisions in order to tackle malnourishment in India.
The app information is derived from “India-specific databases” and uses guidelines that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India’s apex medical research body, recommended. As of November 27, 2022, the app has had more than 50,000 downloads on Google Play.
A Nutritious Future
Malnourishment in India, especially among mothers and their children, is a significant issue in the country. But, with easy-to-use digital tools, more people will be able to understand the importance of a nutritious diet and take action to improve their nutrition.
– James Harrington
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
The Fight For Mental Health in Moldova
With a poverty rate of 26.8% in 2020, Moldova ranks as the fourth poorest country in Europe. Corresponding issues including the difficulty of obtaining employment, harsh living conditions and limited access to already low-quality public services devastate the nation’s quality of life. Compounded by the hardship of socioeconomic stressors and governmental destitution, mental health in Moldova has suffered as a result.
Overview of Mental Health in Moldova
Mental disorders related to systemic issues in Moldova have caused 17.34% of the population to be diagnosed with mental illnesses, according to the Health Policy article. Tragically, these issues go hand-in-hand with Moldova’s comparatively high suicide rate of 14.7 people per 100,000 — 3.4 people more than the EU average of 2019. Another major component of mental illness in Moldova is alcoholism, with one in four deaths in Moldova being attributed to alcohol. In comparison, the world average is one in 20.
Systemic Issues with Moldovan Health Care
Socioeconomic issues within the populace and the government’s mismanagement of resources have exacerbated the mental health situation in Moldova. Mandatory health insurance finances the public health care system. According to a study published in The Lancet “out-of-pocket payments account for 45% of total health expenditure in Moldova,” causing Moldova’s health expenditure to fall behind the European average by 77%.
Management of health care spending is a direct product of corruption within the Moldovan government. “Many things depend on the government and parliament, but we have such a quick turnover, there is no stability,” explains Valeriu Crudu of the Phthisiopneumology Institute Chişinău.
Recent Reforms
The Moldovan government has shown a willingness to implement reforms to the situation of mental health within the nation, such as by adopting the Mental Health Declaration for Europe and the Mental Health Action Plan for Europe, and developing a national mental health program in 2005. However, actual “community-based mental health services” have been difficult to implement.
According to an International Journal for Mental Health Services article, for one, a lack of access to resources, largely based in district centers and cities in the north, continues to prevent rural and impoverished Moldovans from obtaining help due to distance and travel costs. There has also been a notable lack of collaboration between medical and social services, producing confusion among service providers concerning psychiatric, neurologic and addicted patient treatment. Professionals in the health workforce argue that the knowledge gap between medical and social workers should be filled with specialized education regarding mental illness, especially in rural regions.
Looking Forward
Despite persistent obstacles, the National Mental Health Programme of 2014 — renewed in 2017 — continues to work towards reform through the development of a new legal framework for care and support for educational programs for professionals, according to the Health Policy article. Though policy change ultimately lies in the hands of the government, several organizations are also working simultaneously to ameliorate the mental health situation in Moldova.
For instance, the Open Society Mental Health Initiative is working towards improving the quality of living for Moldovans with mental illness or intellectual disabilities by relocating them to family-style living spaces where they can obtain comprehensive and stable care.
The organization also ensures that community efforts toward mental health improvement are sustainable and financially provided for. While organizations and government reforms have paved the way for gradual improvements in the mental health of Moldovan citizens, the fight toward a system of mental health care for all continues.
– Alisa Gulyansky
Photo: Flickr
Mental Health Treatment For Syrian Children Refugees
Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, there have been mass casualties, millions of displaced citizens and uncertainty about the country’s future. According to the UNHCR, the war has forced nearly 5.7 million Syrians to find refuge in Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey and Jordan, more than half of whom are children. In total, the UNHCR estimates that more than 13 million Syrians have been displaced or forced to leave the country.
Psychosocial Problems
A 2015 UNHCR review suggests that Syrian refugee children have heightened psychosocial problems such as fear, grieving, withdrawal, hyperactivity, warlike play and behavioral problems. According to a UNICEF report in 2019, there were 8 million Syrian children in need of resources and 10,000 unaccompanied or separated children.
Providing mental health treatment for Syrian children refugees is no easy feat. With refugees spread out among several countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Germany and Turkey and with some still residing in Syria, it is difficult to know just how many children need help.
However, providing mental health treatment for Syrian children refugees is a necessary and time-sensitive issue. The disruptions of the war have created barriers to physical and mental health and could affect generations to come.
Current Treatments and Organizations
As of now, countries around the world offer mental health support for Syrian children. For example, the UNHCR uses a community-based approach to provide the most helpful mental health treatment for Syrian children refugees in different areas. Its child protection programming assists Syrian children in counseling, recreational activities and life skills.
Syrian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also provide care, although they mostly operate outside the country. Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) provides mental health and psychosocial support in Syria and in host countries, such as Jordan and Turkey. It manages eight safe spaces for women and girls in northwest Syria, where counselors provide support for those gender-based violence affects.
However, despite efforts at the local, national and international levels, many Syrian children refugees lack mental health resources. There are many overlapping reasons for the lack of resources, ranging from burnout among mental health officials to financial barriers, medication or supplies.
What Experts Recommend
Experts in medicine, psychosocial support and individuals working closely with the Syrian mental health crisis have proposed several new avenues for helping Syrian children. Isra Hussain, a research assistant and program coordinator with the Global Health Policy Center, pushes for a “multilayered system of response.” Instead of only providing basic mental-health resources, Hussein suggests a coordinated approach involving local officials, public and private organizations and humanitarian agencies.
The American Psychological Association proposes a three-step intervention for Syrian refugee children: culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services, providing services at the client’s preferred location and having trained professionals who can detect mental health difficulties in refugee children.
Apart from direct mental health counseling, Michelle L. Burbage and Deborah Klein Walker with the National Academy of Medicine urge more social and community support for Syrian refugee children. In addition to adjusting support according to different cultural backgrounds and social influences, Burbage and Walker emphasize community outreach and health education to engage Syrian children refugees in mental health programs.
Looking Forward
As the Syrian war continues, more children will undergo life-changing events and potentially traumatizing experiences. It could eventually fall upon the children now to sustain the country’s economy and infrastructure. As many health experts have suggested, it is imperative to address the humanitarian and mental health crisis at hand and look for possible solutions.
– Anna Lee
Photo: Flickr
Addressing Cervical Cancer in Botswana
In November 2022, Penn Medicine, the clinical and research entity of the University of Pennsylvania, received a $3.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to better address cervical cancer in Botswana.
Poverty Among Women in Botswana
In Botswana, the percentage of employed women living under the international poverty line is 10.1% in comparison to 8.7% among employed men. The World Bank has explained that “vulnerable employees” are employees who are “the least likely to have formal work arrangements, social protection and safety nets to guard against economic shock.” In 2019, Botswanan women had a 23% vulnerable employment rate. In comparison, men had a 19% rate, meaning women were more susceptible to losing their sources of income and falling into poverty.
Women-headed households are more likely to suffer from poverty than male-headed households in Botswana. This is especially the case for women-headed households in rural areas as economic opportunities are scarce. Impoverished female households cannot afford health care for themselves or their families. The Botswana government has attempted to decrease poverty and increase access to medical treatments in Botswana.
The government released its Vision 2036 plan in 2016, which outlines transformation goals for Botswana to reach by 2036 in the realms of “Sustainable Economic Development; Human and Social Development; Sustainable Environment and Governance, Peace and Security.” In this plan, Botswana recognizes “good health and wellness” as a human right and a key to development. Botswana aims to significantly reduce HIV prevalence through greater emphasis on “prevention, treatment, care and support.”
Women’s Health in Botswana
Botswana’s HIV prevalence rate stood at about 20% in 2020, according to UNAIDS, with women accounting for most of these cases. UNAIDS explains that a woman living with HIV is as many as five times more likely to develop cervical cancer than a woman without HIV. The immunosuppression that HIV causes can exacerbate pre-cancerous lesions in the cervix.
As of 2021, 220,000 women in Botswana aged 15 or older are living with HIV. Cervical cancer stands as the main form of cancer mortality among Botswana’s female population. The death rate is “10 times higher” among Botswanan women than among the U.S. female population as women’s cancer treatment is lacking in Botswana.
Over the years, Botswana has made improvements with regard to cancer screening and treatment. However, several factors lead to delays in screening and diagnosis, which contributes to the high prevalence of cervical cancer cases in Botswana. Since 2001, the University of Pennsylvania has helped to improve health in Botswana through the Botswana-UPenn Partnership (BUP). BUP works with Botswana’s Ministry of Health, the University of Botswana and partners to “care for patients and develop initiatives advancing cancer education, research and capacity.”
Penn Medicine has noted that a lack of coordination and communication between labs, patients and healthcare centers leads to diagnosis and treatment delays.
Reduced Waiting Periods
The $3.5 million grant to Penn Medicine will go toward testing strategies that shorten women’s wait between screening, results and treatments. After the initial biopsy, months or even years can pass before a healthcare facility becomes aware that the diagnosis is cancer. A shorter waiting period and better communication between labs, clinics and patients can significantly improve a woman’s chance of surviving cervical cancer.
Penn Medicine’s research will play a significant role in reducing cases of cervical cancer in Botswana.
– Clara Mulvihill
Photo: Flickr
Economic Development in The DRC
While the Democratic Republic of the Congo has a history of extreme poverty and political instability, a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report stated that growth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo rebounded astoundingly from 1.7% in 2020 to a projected 6.2% in 2021. The projected growth includes impressive metrics considering that the most recent IMF projections for Sub-Saharan Africa predicted 4.5% growth. While the DRC still has improvements to make to infrastructure, public health, literacy, child mortality and access to utilities, recent reforms have proven effective in stabilizing the Congolese economy.
Background
The DRC has a history of political corruption dating back to the nation’s independence in the 1960s, “combined with countrywide instability and intermittent conflict that began in the early-90s.” This has consequently led to “reduced national output and government revenue, and increased external debt.” However, since implementing a transitional government after peace negotiations in 2003, economic development in the DRC has continued to improve, as the country reopened relations with international financial institutions and donors.
While the DRC’s economy contracted by 2.2% in 2021, inflation remained contained at 2% in 2021, despite sharp food price increases that rose by about 3.4%. The decline in oil prices in 2021 originally damaged economic development in the DRC. However, while the war in Ukraine could potentially increase inflation, “high oil prices could potentially boost the economic recovery.” This reality, while devastating to the nation’s poor, could contribute to growth and development in the DRC as the oil sector represents nearly half of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 80% of its exports, making the nation the third largest oil producer in the Sub-Saharan African region.
Differences in Sub-Saharan Governments and Economies
The primary difference between the DRC and other Sub-Saharan African nations in regard to the economic metrics is government stability. For instance, the United States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a duty-free trade group, has cut Ethiopia, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso “over alleged human rights violations and recent coups.” This exclusion from the AGOA excludes Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from accessing more than 1,800 products, as well as more than 5,000 products suitable for duty-free market access, or non-taxable market access, under the Generalized System of Preferences program.
The state of democracy in the DRC is questionable at best, with the U.S. State Department reporting incidents such as “forced disappearances and abductions by government and armed groups; torture by government; arbitrary detention by the government; [and] harsh and life-threatening prison conditions.” However, the relative stability of the DRC’s centralized constitutional republic has come with privileges. While other Sub-Saharan nations have faced exclusion, the DRC “regained AGOA beneficiary status as of” January 1, 2021.
Economic Reforms
While the DRC has been in recovery mode from the economic contraction of 2021, the nation has still exceeded projections for economic growth and development due to a number of key strategies. Namely, the country includes the use of “a Fund-supported program” through which, DRC authorities adopted policies to regulate and stabilize inflation and the exchange rate. Also, debt restructuring agreements, increased oil prices and improvements in debt management have decreased public debt, which fell from 113% of GDP at the end of 2020 to 102% by the end of 2021. Ukraine-related inflation has also led to high commodity prices which have supported increased exports, revenues and international reserves.
A Need for Humanitarian Aid
While the IMF projections exceed original GDP-growth projections by the World Bank, which predicted “1.9% in 2022 and 4.1% on average over the period 2023-2024,” the conditions allowing for the DRC’s growth in economic development can be simultaneously harmful to the most vulnerable communities. For instance, the War in Ukraine, while improving commodity prices, has simultaneously led to increases in food prices which has intensified food insecurity. The DRC is also host to a number of social problems.
Infant mortality stands at a rate of 33 deaths per 1,000 live births, and access to electricity stands at 66% of the population in urban areas and only 15% in rural areas. The DRC’s access to clean water is also below the country’s “hydrological potential.” Luckily, groups like USAID offer assistance in such areas as “Agriculture and Food Insecurity, Democracy, Human Rights and Governance, Education and Global Health.”
USAID has partnered with the government and people to improve citizens’ quality of life and the efficacy of national institutions while fighting for lasting peace. While many other African nations have suffered from the effects of coups, inflation and American sanctions, the DRC’s semblance of state stability and the intervention of humanitarian aid organizations have seemed to elevate the nation past expected metrics. One will be able to more clearly see how stable the DRC’s economy will be soon as economic projections are descriptive and not prescriptive. However, the DRC is currently exceeding predictions of GDP growth and facing less market insecurity than Sub-Saharan African nations that have faced punitive sanctions from Western nations for recent coups.
– Braden Hampton
Photo: Flickr
The Link Between Poverty and Women’s Health
In February 2022, U.N. Women reported that an estimated 388 million women and girls will experience “extreme poverty” globally in 2022 — roughly 16,000 more compared to men and boys. Women make up the majority of the world’s impoverished and also face several health risks that men are less vulnerable to. Understanding the link between poverty and women’s health is important in eradicating the life-threatening conditions that many women in developing countries face over the course of their lifetimes.
3 Health Risks Associated with Poverty
Gender-based Health Risks
Women also have unique health risks linked to their anatomy. Cervical cancer, for example, is “the most common type of cancer in developing countries.” Although it is preventable with testing, these countries typically lack the resources to adequately conduct testing. WHO reported that in 2020, 90% of global cervical cancer deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries because of underfunding for testing and treatment services. Maternal mortality is also a persistent problem in developing nations, where access to emergency care is limited and skilled attendants are often not present during childbirth. Preventable maternal deaths are common, with approximately 295,000 women dying “during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2017” alone.
Working Toward Solutions
The link between poverty and women’s health is strong, but social and financial changes could be significant in solving the problem. Empowering women can go a long way toward improving health outcomes. U.N. Women’s Gender Action Learning System (GALS) training in Kyrgyzstan seeks to do this by changing restrictive social norms.
The methodology encourages households to consider the power dynamics between family members and to recognize the burden of domestic tasks placed upon working women in an effort to create a more equal playing field between women and men.
This, coupled with media training for journalists that encourages them to be more sensitive to gender differences and issues, will pave the way for women to be better able to advocate for themselves in other areas through broad societal change.
Every Mother Counts
Considering the link between poverty and women’s health, funding for essential services could be instrumental in improving health outcomes for women. For example, Every Mother Counts is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that aims to improve health outcomes for women in developing nations. In Tanzania, the organization “support[s] the training of health workers, provision of lifesaving resources and community outreach and health education for women in rural settings.” Every Mother Counts has partnered with the Maasai Women Development Organization since 2017 to fulfill the specific needs of marginalized groups, such as Maasai women, in Tanzania. Every Mother Counts has improved the lives of more than 185,000 people in Tanzania.
Empowering women to make their own choices and funding essential services is crucial in reducing the impacts of poverty on women’s health. Because poverty and illness disproportionately impact women due to gender inequities, efforts to alleviate poverty and strengthen equality are vital.
– Abbi Powell
Photo: Flickr