Africa is going to play a key role in shaping the economic environment of the world for the rest of the 21st century. Being the most rapidly urbanizing area in the world and projected to double in population by 2050, addressing and controlling poverty levels in Africa will be of significant importance. Here is how China’s foreign investment in Africa is helping to reduce poverty.
Chinese Investment in Africa
One important method through which Africa is developing a strong infrastructure to support this rapid urbanization is through Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI). FDI is where a company based in one country invests in a project based in another country.
In the 21st century, China has made investments in African infrastructure. With more than 2,200 Chinese firms active in Africa in 2013 and Chinese FDI having risen from $74.8 million in 2003 to $5.4 billion in 2018, this poses great opportunities for Africa.
The World Data Lab predicts poverty is due to a steady decline up to at least 2030 in Africa. FDI will play a key role in providing opportunities for these individuals coming out of poverty.
As the World Bank outlined, China’s big role in African economic activity will mean that the economic transition in China will also affect economic growth in Africa. The World Bank outlined how China will have an important impact on Africa’s economy.
Ultimately, FDI has lots of potential for Africa, but it requires cautious treatment. Africa does not want to become dependent on Chinese investment nor does it want to go ahead with projects that do not prove to be sustainable or prosperous for African growth in the long term.
Infrastructure, Urbanization and Trade
The most important impact that China’s foreign investment in Africa has had so far is on developing infrastructure. Following China’s domestic experience of mass investment into infrastructure enabling advanced growth, they have initiated the same process in Africa.
China has led about 40% of all investment into infrastructure in Africa since 2011, including some major projects such as a $12 billion railway construction along the coast of Nigeria and an $11 billion economic zone and mega port in Bagamoyo. China is playing an essential role in enabling this to happen as it can provide the scale at a cheaper price than anyone else.
The benefits of China’s investments in Africa are numerous. Africa has a rich resource and mineral endowment that requires assessment. With China’s investment, opportunities to utilize this rich resource base are becoming greater. For example, Africa now supplies more than one-third of China’s oil and 20% of its cotton. On top of this, Africa is home to half of the world’s manganese, which is beneficial for making steel. Other resources that are essential for electronics are also in Africa.
Consequently, China’s FDI into infrastructure is propelling Africa forward in the global trade market. China has formed 25 special economic zones in Africa for trade. These areas include 623 businesses that have brought in $7.35 billion of trade up to 2020.
China’s foreign investment in Africa also shows potential in reaching out to boost the service sector also. This is due to the younger generations being increasingly digitally active, the rise of services around renewable energy and telecoms and the increased online accessibility of information concerning African markets. It is important to note that Africa’s more developed infrastructure played an important role in enabling this.
FDI has still prospered through COVID-19 due to more regionalized supply chains. This led to more investment in local manufacturing, taking advantage of Africa’s low labor costs. This has opened several new opportunities for African countries to reduce their poverty levels.
Long-Term Sustainability
However, countries in Africa need to remain alert to the potential risks of the tempting FDI pouring in from China. There are risks of African countries falling into unobtainable levels of debt. There have been signs of this danger already. For example, The Ababa-Djibouti Railway cost one-quarter of Ethiopia’s budget for 2016 and the Mombasa-Nairobi rail went four times above the planned budget for Kenya, with China financing 80%. This could catch up with Africa, becoming very vulnerable to Chinese economic shocks or very reliant on Chinese finance. Some have gone as far as to call this a form of Chinese colonialism in Africa.
As a result, some African nations have begun to change their approach to Chinese investment. In 2020, the Kenyan high court ordered the Gauge Railway construction to be canceled due to procurement laws. Other countries have followed in step, including Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This would suggest nations are becoming more cautious when entering a contract with Chinese investors as they are aware of the potential risks further down the line. As a result, alone, Chinese foreign investment in Africa will not be the solution to reducing poverty.
Countries in Africa need to remain aware that rapid investment into the continent will not see a parallel growth pattern to that of China. In contrast to China, Africa does not have a single unified market. Instead, Africa has many internal barriers to the trade of business, information and logistics. This reduces the positive effects of investment in a smaller region in Africa. The more intercontinental free trade agreements Africa can make, the more the individual countries may reap the rewards of Chinese FDI.
The Borgen Project Spoke to Serena Wang, who translates Chinese news and reports concerning Africa into English for the China & Global South Project. This helps to provide an insight into the ideologies, aims and activities of China in Africa.
“This has actually helped to dismiss Westernised myths about Chinese workers in Africa. It highlighted the racism that is present in Chinese activities but also proved that debt trapping was not as serious as reported by the West,” and “it showed a lot about the operations in China, including coal, cobalt, mining and the push into the tech industry,” explained Wang.
This proves useful for helping both the West and Africa understand the aims and activities that China has in Africa. This could be very important for African countries to ensure they undertake projects that are sustainable and properly understood.
The Future of FDI in Africa
The World Bank has proposed some important measures for countries in Africa to adopt if they are to maximize their returns from Chinese FDI. These include diversifying their products and exports, increasing their integration into global value chains and improving their business climate to expand exports. If fully maximized, the World Bank suggests that African GDP could expand by 4.7% by 2030. However, this is only the beginning. About 64% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa would still be earning between $1.90 and $10 a day. This would be an improvement on levels in 2022 but not the end goal for Africa.
Overall, China’s foreign investment in Africa proposes many benefits for Africa that will create new markets and opportunities. This will ultimately help to reduce poverty levels across the continent. However, African countries need to be wary about their debt levels and entering Chinese investments that do not prove to be beneficial to the nation in the long term.
– Reuben Cochrane
Photo: Flickr
Human Trafficking in Croatia
In 2017, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that almost 25 million cases of human trafficking existed across the world. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the most common form of human trafficking is sexual exploitation, mostly among girls and women. Southeastern Europe, which includes countries such as Croatia, Albania and Bulgaria, has a high prevalence of trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation. In terms of human trafficking in Croatia, the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report by the U.S. Department of State ranks Croatia as a Tier 2 country, meaning “Croatia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.”
The 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report
The government of Croatia created the Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) to oversee the conduct of police authorities at the country’s borders and ensure that human rights are upheld at all times. The IMM “may help potential victims self-identify to authorities and reduce future opportunities for traffickers to exploit migrants and asylum-seekers,” the TIP 2022 report said.
However, Croatia had inadequate screening processes in place for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers. A few judges also required several testimonies from trafficking victims, leading to re-traumatization. Furthermore, the legal system charged some traffickers with less serious crimes.
Preventative Measures
The Croatian government has taken a series of steps to raise awareness of human trafficking and increase prevention measures.
The U.S. Department of State indicated that although efforts supporting the elimination of trafficking have increased, the government still falls short of meeting the minimum standards.
From the Perspective of Croatia’s Youth
The majority of the victims experiencing human trafficking in Croatia are women and children. Adolescents are susceptible to trafficking due to their vulnerabilities and lack of knowledge. A study led by Zora Raboteg-Šarić and others in 2007 utilized a survey to test the human trafficking knowledge of 950 students.
The results differed between different parts of the country. Students from larger towns had more knowledge of human trafficking than those from smaller towns. Slightly more than 50% of respondents believed that human trafficking in Croatia is not a major concern. Females and older students generally see human trafficking in Croatia as a more serious issue than males and younger students.
On the Right Track
Despite several setbacks in reducing human trafficking in Croatia, the Croatian government has made several efforts to improve. With commitments to raising awareness and supporting preventative efforts, the prevalence of human trafficking in Croatia can reduce.
– Madison Stivala
Photo: Unsplash
Wildfires in Brazil Worsen Poverty
In 2019, the number of wildfires in Brazil doubled. Today, Brazil ranks first as the country with the most wildfires. Precipitated by deforestation, these wildfires threaten ecosystems as well as indigenous communities, farms, and living spaces. Thousands of farmers have lost their jobs due to the wildfires. Even worse, the fires have destroyed homes and pushed more people into poverty.
Causes
“There is no doubt that this rise in fire activity is associated with a sharp rise in deforestation,” Paulo Artaxo, an atmospheric physicist at the University of Sao Paulo, said. After chopping down trees, loggers set fires to clear the forest. These fires are not initially dangerous and in fact, are effective in killing excess vegetation. However, they often reignite later and percolate into other forests.
Wildfires in Brazil occur most prevalently in municipalities with heavy deforestation. Making matters worse is the fact that these municipalities are large – some being the size of small European countries. Five decades of Brazilian incentives to colonize the Amazon have inclined businesses to push into indigenous land, destroy forests and increase beef production.
In the first half of 2022, 3,980 square kilometers of the Amazon — an area five times larger than New York City — was cleared. Historically, the excess moisture in Brazil’s forests kept wildfires at bay. But due to climate change and deforestation, the rainforests are becoming drier, creating the perfect environment for fires. The cascading smoke and flames in Brazil not only increase climate change but are a clear indication of its consequences.
Economic and Societal Impact
Brazil has the highest frequency of wildfires in all of South America by far. The economic impact that these fires caused is substantial. These fires affect infrastructure, agriculture and forestry and compromise water sources. Furthermore, wildfires disrupt agricultural practices and push farmers into poverty. The fires also ravage crops and destroy farming homes. This is concerning as there are more than 98,000 agricultural businesses in Brazil. As wildfires increase, hundreds of thousands of farmers and their families are at serious risk of economic despair.
Studies have shown that regions with moderate to high wildfire risk tend to have greater levels of poverty. In Brazil, fire-induced poverty concentrates within indigenous communities. Fires disproportionately affect protected lands that indigenous people inhabited. Indigenous groups, however, rely entirely on the forest to meet their food, medicine and shelter needs. Atenor Vaz, an expert on isolated indigenous groups, stated that “Their culture is entirely based on the forest. If it catches on fire, there is no one to help… Food sovereignty is drastically reduced.”
In June 2022, the number of wildfires hit a 15-year high and is only predicted to increase — along with severe consequences for native communities. With reduced forestland, communities benefit less from natural ecosystem resources, thus damaging agricultural industries and increasing poverty across the board.
The physical health impact of the fires is also staggering. In 2019, it was estimated that nearly 5,000 premature deaths in Brazil were due to smoke exposure. Additionally, the toxic smoke from the wildfires is afflicting millions with chronic lung damage. This further immobilizes the Brazilian workforce and worsens unemployment.
Active Solutions
The good news is that many scientists and politicians are developing solutions to mitigate these surges of wildfires. Scientists are creating methods to detect wildfire eruptions early on. Statistics from temperature measuring, rainfall and time of year help people predict and react to wildfires. These predictions are largely accurate and lessen the severity of wildfires before and after they start.
Alternatively, farmers have also found ways to leverage fire to help their crops. If used properly, fire can do the work of pesticides, fertilizers and laborers all for free. This encourages farmers to keep fires from destroying crops while making the most of a restrained fire to reduce the use of pesticides.
Finally, according to a study published in ScienceDirect.com, “Policies favoring fire risk mitigation reduce degradation, CO2 emissions and poverty.” So far, the Brazilian government has used the military to mitigate wildfires while also banning unnecessary fires. This, however, falls short of a ban on deforestation — the primary cause. Without significantly decreasing deforestation, wildfires in Brazil will continue to grow and multiply.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Forest Service and USAID are partnering with Brazil Forest Management and Fire Prevention. They are planning to launch a five-year program to manage forest fires and facilitate the sustainable use of public land in Brazil. More importantly, this plan will promote indigenous rights and protection.
The heightened occurrence of wildfires in Brazil has pushed thousands of farmers, indigenous groups and residents into poverty and homelessness. Targeting the root cause of the issue — deforestation — and muting ongoing fires should be at the forefront of Brazil’s agenda.
– Ashwin Telang
Photo: Rawpixel
4 Highlights of the 2022 Goalkeepers Report
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has a mission of “creating a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.” Since its initial launch in 2000, the foundation has provided billions worth of grants to assist with the eradication of various global issues. More specifically, the Foundation focuses on the fight against global poverty, disease and inequity. To measure global progress regarding these objectives, annually, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation releases a ‘Goalkeepers Report,’ a global address outlining the progress on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The most recent release of the highly anticipated Goalkeepers Report features 18 key data indicators regarding the progress made on specific subsets of these goals. Here are four ways the 2022 Goalkeepers Report proves global poverty is declining and, conversely, that equity is rising.
4 Ways Global Poverty is Reducing
Concluding Thoughts
Despite all of the global economic, social and political turmoil over the past years, the 2022 Goalkeepers Report proves that global poverty is declining. This progress provides hope not only for poverty but for all global issues in the coming future.
– Aarika Sharma
Photo: Flickr
How Organizations are Helping Lake Tonle Sap’s Villagers in Cambodia
Cambodia, a Southeast Asian country with a rich historical past that attracts many tourists, had almost 18% of its population living below the national poverty line in 2019, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Among the various tourist attractions in Cambodia, the floating villages on Lake Tonle Sap are probably the most unique – villagers from there are mainly ethnic Vietnamese who are both poor and stateless. While Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and one of the world’s biggest inland fisheries, the villagers’ incomes are insecure. However, without Cambodian citizenship, it is difficult for those villagers to go elsewhere to look for other jobs. In many ways, most villagers would not choose to live on the water if they had another choice. Knowing the circumstances of the villagers, some volunteers have reached out. This article will look at three organizations that have taken steps to help Lake Tonle Sap’s villagers in Cambodia.
Conservation International (CI)
With offices set up throughout Asia-Pacific, CI works with local and national governments, the private sector and indigenous communities to achieve one of its main aims – to improve food security for needy communities. Therefore, in Cambodia’s case, the organization set its eyes on Lake Tonle Sap’s villagers, and more specifically, on female villagers.
In the villages, fishing is the main occupation for both men and women. However, women are also responsible for smoking fish or turning the fish into Cambodia’s popular condiment, prahok. Yet, they do not receive sufficient income for such labor-intensive jobs.
To improve the livelihood of women and their efficiency in processing fish, CI offers training sessions on marketing skills and packaging techniques. Moreover, the organization also provides fuel-efficient stoves for the villagers, lessening their time smoking fish. With CI’s help, women’s incomes have increased notably, changing the conventional perceptions of women’s contributions to their communities within the villages.
Osmose
Osmose has the objective of improving the livelihood of Lake Tonle Sap’s residents through the conservation of the area. For instance, the organization has developed ecotourism in one of the floating villages, Prek Toal. Riding on boats, tourists can visit a bird sanctuary in flooded forests guided by bird guides and fish and crocodile rising farms. There are also on-site accommodations for tourists who want to stay overnight. Since Prek Toal’s villagers are in charge of the different services and activities, this generates direct income for the locals. Therefore, with the help of Osmose, the villagers can have a more secure livelihood.
In addition, profits generated from ecotourism can help the locals in another way – to enhance the development of Prek Toal. For example, Osmose can build more essential facilities in the village, such as water filters and schools.
Global Nature Fund (GNF)
Like Osmose, GNF understands the importance of ecotourism for Lake Tonle Sap’s villagers. Unlike Osmose, GNF focuses on the water supply and hygiene of the area. According to GNF’s website, villagers do not have safe water to drink. Consequently, they need to drink polluted lake water or purchase drinking water from the mainland.
To ensure local inhabitants have a clean water supply, the organization builds a floating water kiosk with an ultrafiltration system. Meanwhile, GNF also forms a local water committee to manage the water infrastructure.
With the new water infrastructure, not only can local villagers have better health, but they also can have an alternative job and income other than fishing. According to GNF, seven people are now working at the water kiosk.
Overall, the floating villages on Lake Tonle Sap are unique places in Cambodia. For many villagers, living on the water is not easy, and many are financially insecure. Fortunately, organizations such as CI, Osmose and GNF have taken the lead in helping the local inhabitants. Gradually, the lives of Tonle Sap’s villagers in Cambodia have improved.
– Mimosa Ngai
Photo: Flickr
How China’s Foreign Investment in Africa is Helping Reduce Poverty
Africa is going to play a key role in shaping the economic environment of the world for the rest of the 21st century. Being the most rapidly urbanizing area in the world and projected to double in population by 2050, addressing and controlling poverty levels in Africa will be of significant importance. Here is how China’s foreign investment in Africa is helping to reduce poverty.
Chinese Investment in Africa
One important method through which Africa is developing a strong infrastructure to support this rapid urbanization is through Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI). FDI is where a company based in one country invests in a project based in another country.
In the 21st century, China has made investments in African infrastructure. With more than 2,200 Chinese firms active in Africa in 2013 and Chinese FDI having risen from $74.8 million in 2003 to $5.4 billion in 2018, this poses great opportunities for Africa.
The World Data Lab predicts poverty is due to a steady decline up to at least 2030 in Africa. FDI will play a key role in providing opportunities for these individuals coming out of poverty.
As the World Bank outlined, China’s big role in African economic activity will mean that the economic transition in China will also affect economic growth in Africa. The World Bank outlined how China will have an important impact on Africa’s economy.
Ultimately, FDI has lots of potential for Africa, but it requires cautious treatment. Africa does not want to become dependent on Chinese investment nor does it want to go ahead with projects that do not prove to be sustainable or prosperous for African growth in the long term.
Infrastructure, Urbanization and Trade
The most important impact that China’s foreign investment in Africa has had so far is on developing infrastructure. Following China’s domestic experience of mass investment into infrastructure enabling advanced growth, they have initiated the same process in Africa.
China has led about 40% of all investment into infrastructure in Africa since 2011, including some major projects such as a $12 billion railway construction along the coast of Nigeria and an $11 billion economic zone and mega port in Bagamoyo. China is playing an essential role in enabling this to happen as it can provide the scale at a cheaper price than anyone else.
The benefits of China’s investments in Africa are numerous. Africa has a rich resource and mineral endowment that requires assessment. With China’s investment, opportunities to utilize this rich resource base are becoming greater. For example, Africa now supplies more than one-third of China’s oil and 20% of its cotton. On top of this, Africa is home to half of the world’s manganese, which is beneficial for making steel. Other resources that are essential for electronics are also in Africa.
Consequently, China’s FDI into infrastructure is propelling Africa forward in the global trade market. China has formed 25 special economic zones in Africa for trade. These areas include 623 businesses that have brought in $7.35 billion of trade up to 2020.
China’s foreign investment in Africa also shows potential in reaching out to boost the service sector also. This is due to the younger generations being increasingly digitally active, the rise of services around renewable energy and telecoms and the increased online accessibility of information concerning African markets. It is important to note that Africa’s more developed infrastructure played an important role in enabling this.
FDI has still prospered through COVID-19 due to more regionalized supply chains. This led to more investment in local manufacturing, taking advantage of Africa’s low labor costs. This has opened several new opportunities for African countries to reduce their poverty levels.
Long-Term Sustainability
However, countries in Africa need to remain alert to the potential risks of the tempting FDI pouring in from China. There are risks of African countries falling into unobtainable levels of debt. There have been signs of this danger already. For example, The Ababa-Djibouti Railway cost one-quarter of Ethiopia’s budget for 2016 and the Mombasa-Nairobi rail went four times above the planned budget for Kenya, with China financing 80%. This could catch up with Africa, becoming very vulnerable to Chinese economic shocks or very reliant on Chinese finance. Some have gone as far as to call this a form of Chinese colonialism in Africa.
As a result, some African nations have begun to change their approach to Chinese investment. In 2020, the Kenyan high court ordered the Gauge Railway construction to be canceled due to procurement laws. Other countries have followed in step, including Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This would suggest nations are becoming more cautious when entering a contract with Chinese investors as they are aware of the potential risks further down the line. As a result, alone, Chinese foreign investment in Africa will not be the solution to reducing poverty.
Countries in Africa need to remain aware that rapid investment into the continent will not see a parallel growth pattern to that of China. In contrast to China, Africa does not have a single unified market. Instead, Africa has many internal barriers to the trade of business, information and logistics. This reduces the positive effects of investment in a smaller region in Africa. The more intercontinental free trade agreements Africa can make, the more the individual countries may reap the rewards of Chinese FDI.
The Borgen Project Spoke to Serena Wang, who translates Chinese news and reports concerning Africa into English for the China & Global South Project. This helps to provide an insight into the ideologies, aims and activities of China in Africa.
“This has actually helped to dismiss Westernised myths about Chinese workers in Africa. It highlighted the racism that is present in Chinese activities but also proved that debt trapping was not as serious as reported by the West,” and “it showed a lot about the operations in China, including coal, cobalt, mining and the push into the tech industry,” explained Wang.
This proves useful for helping both the West and Africa understand the aims and activities that China has in Africa. This could be very important for African countries to ensure they undertake projects that are sustainable and properly understood.
The Future of FDI in Africa
The World Bank has proposed some important measures for countries in Africa to adopt if they are to maximize their returns from Chinese FDI. These include diversifying their products and exports, increasing their integration into global value chains and improving their business climate to expand exports. If fully maximized, the World Bank suggests that African GDP could expand by 4.7% by 2030. However, this is only the beginning. About 64% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa would still be earning between $1.90 and $10 a day. This would be an improvement on levels in 2022 but not the end goal for Africa.
Overall, China’s foreign investment in Africa proposes many benefits for Africa that will create new markets and opportunities. This will ultimately help to reduce poverty levels across the continent. However, African countries need to be wary about their debt levels and entering Chinese investments that do not prove to be beneficial to the nation in the long term.
– Reuben Cochrane
Photo: Flickr
More Attention Needed for Homeless Indigenous People in Montreal
The state of Indigenous homelessness in Montreal is alarming. The Homeless Hub Canada reported that in 2018, there were more than 3,000 homeless individuals, a figure that has risen drastically since the pandemic. Of these individuals, an indigenous person is 27 times more likely to be homeless than a non-indigenous person, and an Inuk person is 80 times more likely. Despite Indigenous individuals expressing a desire to receive services, they usually do not get the care they deserve under the shelter system. There have also been reports of two deaths in the Milton Park area of Montreal during the harsh Canadian winter where temperatures hit -20 degrees Fahrenheit annually. Raphael Indre was a regular client of the Open Door Shelter and passed away in a public bathroom while the shelter had to close due to a COVID-19 outbreak in January 2021. Furthermore, during the pandemic, despite the lack of adequate shelter, the curfew did not exempt homeless indigenous people in Montreal and they received a $1,550 ticket for being outside.
A Background on Homeless Indigenous People in Montreal
When looking at the reasons for the high level of indigenous homeless people in Montreal, it is important to consider Canada’s colonialist history. In a 2020 policy report, The Homeless Hub Canada discussed the need to recall that colonial projects have prevented Indigenous people from accessing traditional land and resources. The Indian Act of 1876 allowed the Canadian government to control resources on reserves and subsequently displaced thousands of Indigenous people putting them in difficult financial situations. The act also stopped Indigenous people from being able to self-govern, hence, giving the Canadian Government power to veto any decisions.
Additionally, Indigenous children had to go to “residential schools” which the Canadian government established to indoctrinate Indigenous children into the Euro-Canadian ways of thinking. In addition to a large amount of abuse taking place in these schools, the students also did not receive the same education as the general public which discouraged them from pursuing higher education. This system largely contributed to the high levels of Indigenous homelessness seen today
Indigenous people in Canada, particularly in Montreal, struggle to access housing due to extreme housing discrimination. A 2020 study found that despite some Indigenous families having the right to certain supports, they still experience “discrimination in the provision of services, resulting in barriers to access.”
Steps in the Right Direction
The situation has incited organizations around Québec as well as the Canadian government to take steps to improve Indigenous housing and reduce homelessness. In 2019, the government passed Canada’s National Housing Strategy Act recognizing that “the right to adequate housing is a fundamental human right affirmed in international law.” Additionally, Montreal created a “Strategy for Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples,” which commits the city to support Indigenous social housing initiatives led by Indigenous organizations. Moreover, the city also approved a funding agreement of $1.7 million to help build 23 temporary housing units for homeless Indigenous women.
NGO organizations such as Native Montreal and Projets Autochones du Québec are also making significant progress in reducing Indigenous homelessness. Native Montreal originated in 2014 to “contribute to the holistic health, cultural strength and success of Indigenous families,” and their focus is not just homeless populations; they provide wellness programs for both families and youth and have raised more than $6 million over the years.
Projets Autochones du Québec (PAQ) started in 2004 as a social reinsertion program for First Nation, Inuit and Metis people experiencing homelessness in Montreal. During the pandemic, due to reduced capacities in shelters, PAQ opened a second temporary emergency shelter with limited admission restrictions for Indigenous people. Additionally, it provides psychological support, alcohol addiction treatment programs and transitional housing programs to help with financial literacy.
The state of indigenous homelessness in Montreal is grave, but with the help of indigenous-led charities and government support, one can hope for progress.
– Priya Maiti
Photo: Flickr
Support to Bangladeshi Women After Cyclone Amphan
Poverty has been disproportionately affecting women in Bangladesh in the aftermath of natural disasters such as Cyclone Amphan. In commitment to the Generation Equality Compact on Women Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action (WPS-HA), U.N. Women has worked with local partners in Bangladesh to aid in economic recovery and provide support to Bangladeshi women, especially post-natural disasters, by issuing grants and providing vocational training to local women.
Gender and Economic Disparity in Bangladesh
In 2019, 20.5% of Bangladesh’s citizens fell under the national poverty line, according to the Asian Development Bank. Furthermore, the unemployment rate for Bangladeshi females in 2021 stood at almost 8% whereas the unemployment rate for males in Bangladesh stood at 4.1% in 2021, according to International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates. In 2019, the workforce participation rate for Bangladeshi males aged 15-64 stood at 84% but only 38% for females in the same age group. Furthermore, in 2022, the literacy rate among men stood at 76.56% whereas for women it stood at 72.82%.
When comparing the margin of difference between literacy rates and employment rates among Bangladeshi men and women, it is clear that women face inequalities that result in their exclusion and marginalization, pushing them deeper into poverty.
Story of Mahmuda Khatun
When Cyclone Amphan hit Bangladesh in 2020, many people lost their livelihoods and fell deeper into poverty, including Mahmuda Khatun’s household. Khatun wished to start a small business to help support her family but she faced barriers such as “a lack of banking history” and inadequate financial literacy. She reached out to the Prerona Foundation for help, “a local women’s organization supported by U.N. Women.”
The Prerona Foundation works with vulnerable women to improve their economic resilience, especially in crisis-prone areas. The Foundation helped Khatun establish a livelihood by providing training and a loan for her to start a poultry farm to generate income. Khatun now provides for her two daughters and husband by raising poultry. Since its beginnings, her business has flourished and Khatun now earns about 17,000 takas ($200 USD) per month.
Multi-Industry Glass Ceilings
Organizations like the Prerona Foundation and U.N. Women recognize the importance of involving and providing support to Bangladeshi women in the wake of humanitarian crises and natural disasters. Women are a key catalyst in a community’s response and recovery and are often end up out of the equation albeit being valuable agents.
Furthermore, when one woman receives uplifting, the benefits do not stop there. Khatun is now looking to help other women in her community by providing vocational training and championing women’s empowerment in Bangladesh. According to U.N. Women, in 2020, “less than 60% of Bangladeshi women have access to credit,” which stands as a significant barrier to their entrepreneurial potential. Moreover, about a third of the nation’s labor force consists of female employees and less than 5% of them hold formal positions. Bangladeshi women also “earn 21% less than their male counterparts.”
Rising Through Recovery
Given such statistics, it can seem daunting for women in Bangladesh to assume financial independence and see success, especially amid a natural disaster like Cyclone Amphan. However, U.N. Women continues to work with dozens of civil society and local women’s organizations on the ground to help address these systemic issues.
In 2022, U.N. Women has also partnered with the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) to further “gender equality and women’s empowerment in Bangladesh.” Both institutions have “signed an inter-agency agreement” for 2022-2026 to establish “gender-responsive inclusive governance,” reduce discrimination against women, and advance “women’s economic empowerment and access to justice,” among other aims.
Going forward, the focus will be on starting a normative agenda, establishing gender-inclusive legislation, providing financing to advance gender equality and supporting women-led businesses. This partnership also stresses the importance of addressing gender-based violence in Cox’s Bazar, placing women in leadership roles and providing females with the skills training, services and resources to thrive.
Given the commitment, both at a local and international level, there is hope for more Bangladeshi women to rise out of poverty despite the impacts of Cyclone Amphan.
– Samyudha Rajesh
Photo: Flickr
Aid to Pakistan Amid Flooding
In the aftermath of Pakistan’s devastating 2022 floods, many different groups have stepped up to provide humanitarian aid, including nations, NGOs and the Pakistani diaspora community.
The 2022 Pakistan Floods
Beginning in June 2022, a severe monsoon season in Pakistan led to historic flooding and landslides that swept through the nation, destroying towns and rendering millions of Pakistanis homeless. In total, the flooding has impacted at least 33 million people and left one-third of the nation underwater. In Karachi, authorities have reported outbreaks of cholera and dengue fever, with thousands of patients traveling to hospitals and public health centers for treatment.
Pakistani children in particular face vulnerability to waterborne diseases, and their education has experienced disruption as the floods have ravaged thousands of Pakistani schools. As of October 2022, 10 million children are now in need 0f life-saving support.
According to Pakistani authorities, the flood waters may not fully subside for months. More than 1,500 people have died since the floods began, and damages are estimated at more than $30 billion. Food scarcity is now a serious issue, as the flooding has devastated the nation’s agricultural sector. Amidst this catastrophic event for Pakistan, organizations are stepping up to provide lifesaving support to those affected, and to help the nation rebuild.
Nations and Humanitarian Organizations Supporting Pakistan
The U.S. government has allocated significant ongoing humanitarian aid to Pakistan. Since the crisis began, the U.S. military has flown more than 400 metric tons of supplies, which should assist at least 300,000 victims. Additionally, in August 2022, the U.S. government provided more than $30 million in relief assistance to Pakistan through USAID.
Additionally, the United Kingdom provided $1.8 million of aid in August. In a public statement, the late Queen Elizabeth II expressed that the “United Kingdom stands in solidarity with Pakistan” in its efforts to recover.
As of September, the U.N.’s Central Emergency Relief fund has pledged $10 million to Pakistan for public health measures such as preventing waterborne disease and improving access to clean water and food.
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Relief Fund (UNICEF) is sending emergency medical supplies to women and children in the regions that have suffered the most destruction, specifically to combat malnutrition and waterborne illnesses. UNICEF has also underscored its commitment to ensuring children in the nation can resume their education as soon as possible.
The United Arab Emirates has been a leader in providing aid to Pakistan amidst the flooding, sending numerous planeloads of supplies through an ‘air bridge’ between the two nations. Emirates, a UAE airline, declared it would provide free cargo space on its passenger aircraft to fly additional aid to Pakistan.
Grassroots Efforts to Provide Relief to Pakistan
While large humanitarian efforts by governments and other bureaucracies are important, one should not overlook grassroots relief efforts.
In Atlanta, Pakistani immigrant Imran Khan is raising money to provide food, medicine and other emergency supplies to those affected by the flooding. Khan began his efforts by reaching out to friends and family members, but his fundraising mission quickly spread to the local community. He started an online fundraising campaign to continue delivering relief packages, where he has raised more than $3,000.
Sami Khan, the owner of an ice cream shop in Connecticut, held a fundraiser called ‘Pints for Pakistan,’ sending the day’s proceeds to UNICEF relief efforts. Hearing accounts from family and friends about the devastation caused in his homeland inspired Khan, who is originally from Pakistan to act. Dozens of community members, including a state representative, came to support the fundraiser.
The Importance of Continued Support
Procuring humanitarian aid to Pakistan is an ongoing process, and the efforts described here, as well as many others, are actively saving lives in Pakistan. As this crisis will not be over in the immediate future, continued public support for international aid is crucial.
– Oliver De Jonghe
Photo: Flickr
Poverty from the Israel-Palestine Conflict
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an ongoing geopolitical and humanitarian issue, which has extensively damaged both nations. The large-scale conflict erupted as recently as May 2021. Poverty from the Israel-Palestine conflict has particularly affected Palestinians’ quality of life, as many of them live as refugees both in Palestine and neighboring countries.
Conditions in Palestinian Refugee Camps
Since the establishment of Israel in 1948, the number of Palestinian refugees has grown to around 5.6 million. Around 1.5 million live in camps run by the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), a U.N. agency founded in 1949 to handle Palestinian refugees. Refugees are in the neighboring countries of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria as well as the Palestinian enclaves of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Most of them are located in Jordan and the Gaza Strip.
Lack of Health Care
In the West Bank and Gaza Strip specifically, Palestinian refugees face inhumane conditions of disease, a lack of education and difficulty in accessing water and food. Malnutrition is a major concern in Gaza. In 2019, 56% of Palestinians there were food insecure. Child stunting has also increased in Gaza refugee camps from 8.2% in 1996 to 13.2% in 2017.
Accessing health care for Palestinian refugees is difficult. In many situations, medical supplies are not available, and those who cannot access health care in the camps are often unable to seek treatment outside of them because of high costs.
Lack of Education
Palestinian children also have trouble accessing education. While the UNRWA provides education aid to around 500,000 children, the conditions are often poor and drop-out rates high. Children who can go to school must sit in overcrowded classrooms with limited learning time on foundational subjects. Extracurriculars and education for those who are disabled are unsupported because of the lack of teachers and educators.
Gaza in Trouble
About 1.5 million refugees live in the Gaza Strip, almost twice as many as in the West Bank. Jonathan Graubart, a professor at San Diego State University who specializes in Israel-Palestine relations and international law, told The Borgen Project: “It’s been very devastating to the Palestinians in Gaza. Israelis took out the source of the power. There are record heat waves, so there are health issues. Wastewater treatment has deteriorated.” “Conditions are worse,” he said. “Briefly, there was a relaxation of the strict embargo on the goods in Gaza, but that has been clamped down because of the recent attacks.” This embargo means that those living in the refugee camps cannot access supplies or foreign markets.
Poverty from the Israel-Palestine conflict has only progressed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the poverty rate in Gaza had risen to 59%, up from 43% five years prior, due to poor living conditions and a high unemployment rate. Unemployment in the Gaza Strip was 45% in 2021, and 17% in the West Bank.
Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the UNRWA, stated, “People are struggling in their daily lives to make ends meet. People are struggling daily to ensure one meal for their family.”
Alleviating Poverty from the Israel-Palestine Conflict
The UNRWA has been aiding Palestinians throughout their time at these camps. They have provided a variety of services across 300 areas including medical care, social services and emergency relief across Gaza. While the United States, the UNWRA’s biggest donor, cut funding during the Trump administration, it was resumed in 2021, with around $360 million coming through Congress, the State Department and USAID.
Since 1991, the World Food Programme (WFP) has sent food assistance to non-refugee populations in Palestine to eliminate poverty. It has recently begun to supply greenhouses and farming animals, as well as education for the youth population and people with disabilities so they can get jobs.
The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates for Palestinians and their health care. In 2019, they established surgical and trauma centers and gave enough supplies to treat tens of thousands of people. In 2021, they called for access to medicinal supplies in Gaza during the Hamas-Israel conflict.
Poverty from the Israel-Palestine conflict is a major concern among the Palestinians in refugee camps and Palestine proper. Many can’t access food, health care or education, and have to live in inhumane conditions. Aid is helping vulnerable populations, but there is still a lot of work to be done to eradicate and prevent further poverty in these areas.
– Janae O’Connell
Photo: Flickr
Migration to Turkey
Migration to Turkey has hit an all-time high as Turkey is home to “one of the largest migrant populations in the world,” hosting about 4 million refugees and asylum seekers as of 2022, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). According to the International Organization for Migration, historically, Turkey has stood as “a country of origin, transit and destination for migrants” due to its “geopolitical location on the route from the Middle East to Europe” and the conflicts occurring in neighboring countries. Turkey’s migration history dates back to the 1400s, under the rule of the Ottoman Empire.
Conflict and Violence as a Contributing Factor
Past historic conflicts such as World War II and the Kosovo War significantly contributed to the migration to Turkey while the Syrian civil war and the 2021 Taliban offensive remain the cause of more recent waves of migration.
One of the significant conflict-induced migrations to mention is the Bulgarian Turkish emigration that took place in 1989. Turks who ended up in Bulgarian territory while it was under Ottoman rule had to leave Bulgaria due to political pressure and violence in 1989. Nearly 400,000 ethnic Turks then emigrated back to Turkey. The Bulgarian emigration prompted further waves of migration from the Balkans.
In the 1990s, amid the Bosnian War, about 20,000 Bosnian refugees fled to Turkey in search of safety. In time to come, a similar number of refugees from Kosovo and Macedonia sought refuge within Turkish borders, also due to conflict and violence in their home countries.
The Syrian Refugee Crisis
The number of refugees coming from the Balkans remains relatively small compared to the scale of recent migration waves that hit Turkey. According to World Vision, as of 2021, data indicates that there are more than 6.8 million displaced Syrian refugees. Nearly 4 million of these Syrian refugees currently reside in Turkey.
The first wave of Syrian refugees came about in 2011 when the Syrian civil war just broke out. The world then had to accommodate a large number of war-fleeing refugees from Syria who are currently still unable to return to their country as the conflict rages on.
Turkey as a Country of Refuge
Hosting the largest population of Syrian refugees comes with great responsibility for the Turkish government in terms of meeting the economic and social needs of the migrants.
Turkey spent nearly $350 million of its budget on addressing the refugee crisis in 2022, according to the UNHCR. A large amount of that budget went to “realizing rights in safe environments” and “empowering communities and achieving gender equality.”
In 2021, the EU approved a budget of €149.6 million to fund the vulnerable Syrian refugees residing in Turkey. With the combined EU funding and the Turkish government’s budget for refugees, Syrian refugees are able to receive the support necessary to integrate into Turkish society and into the formal economy.
Alongside government support, there are many nonprofit organizations helping refugees. Established in 2015, Small Projects Istanbul (SPI) is an Istanbul-based nonprofit helping displaced families from the MENA region reestablish their lives through various programs. With a specific focus on youth and women, according to its website, SPI runs a number of initiatives to “promote access to education, protection, social services, psycho-social support and livelihoods.”
At present, Turkey is a major hub for war-fleeing migrants and a representative of exemplary migrant policies.
– Selin Oztuncman
Photo: Flickr