In the past, Sri Lanka has shown great effort in reducing poverty. In 2006, 15.2% of the population was below or equivalent to the World Bank’s national poverty line, which decreased to 4.1% a decade later in 2016, showing a steady recovery. However, the poverty line rapidly increased to 14.3% in 2019, even before COVID-19 struck. Even though there has been a positive report of recovery for Sri Lanka in the past, there remains a disproportionate living standard across the entirety of the island and there is an urgent need for poverty eradication in Sri Lanka.
More recently, COVID-19 has significantly affected the country’s development as it now faces a major political and economic crisis that has put its citizens in need of substantial aid. As of June 2022, UNICEF reported that 2,263,227 children are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, partially due to the inability to provide education, as well as sufficient nutrition and sanitation. The pandemic has worsened the livelihoods of 73% of families, according to a UNICEF telephone survey, forcing families to lower the priority of education and health for their children to, instead, desperately source ways of income for necessities. Sri Lanka is now included in the top 10 countries with the most malnourished children. Furthermore, the rapidly increasing fuel cost has also prevented the country from providing essential and efficient services, such as emergency health care for children.
Poverty Eradication Efforts in Sri Lanka
According to the World Bank, 45.5% of Sri Lanka is agricultural land, so finding ways to increase agricultural productivity is a prerequisite for further economic growth. In 2021, the World Bank data showed that more than 30% of Sri Lanka’s population worked in the agricultural sector and that it makes up 7.4% of its national GDP. Sri Lanka has a lot of potential in the agricultural industry, due to its fertile land, however, productivity is lacking. In the spring of 2021, Sri Lanka’s former President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, enforced a ban on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, with the intention of the country moving to organic farming methods.
However, his efforts proved a failure as domestic rice production fell by 20% in six months, causing significant damage to the Sri Lankan economy as a result and leading to protests. To fulfill its farming potential, Sri Lanka must diversify its farming; moving away from paddy farming (usually associated with less profitable farmers), to focusing on an export-oriented crop mix that can increase earnings, as well as adopting a mechanized method of farming. Investing in updated technology, that is more mindful of climate change, will create an influx of efficiency and productivity that will greatly benefit the agricultural industry and the entire nation.
Encouraging Non-Farming Jobs in Sri Lanka
Funding children’s education in Sri Lanka is crucial, as encouraging non-farming jobs and breaking the restricted access to higher-earning jobs will increase employment opportunities and motivation for children to pursue education and increase overall living standards. A 2022 assessment by Save the Children, showed that 50% of families were struggling to support their child’s education, resulting in dropouts and many absences from school. The rising costs and shortages of fuel are other factors for children not attending school due to their inability to get there. In 2022, UNICEF and the Ministry for Education are tackling the lack of teaching supplies for up to 224,000 children. They are distributing books and paper across provinces in the country.
Diversified Employment and the Tourism Industry in Sri Lanka
Access to critical services and general transport declined in the Western Province, an example of the disproportionate spread of poverty across the country. Expanding and improving the spatial distribution will create more opportunities for more diversified employment, such as those in business, agriculture and tourism. Strengthening inclusion and encouraging people to seek work out in rural areas where poverty is at its highest, can be particularly effective due to the exposure of new industries, such as tourism.
In 2019, the tourism industry supplied more than 400,00 jobs, approximately 205,000 more jobs than in 2012, according to the World Bank report. Other non-farming jobs, such as construction and trade-related activities, accounted for more than 10% of non-farming jobs employment in 2021 individually. However, to expand work in this area, education is the primary factor in its success, as people with higher levels of education are more likely to work in skilled non-farming sectors.
Charitable organizations and neighboring countries have donated millions to improve education, health, emergency aid and other vital services. UNICEF has estimated that $25,300,000 in funding is necessary for urgent short-term solutions in sanitation, social protection and social welfare. In 2022, UNICEF stated its aim to give 1.2 million people primary health care in their supported facilities, as well as provide 665,690 children with educational services.
Looking Ahead
There is an urgent need to take action to, once again, improve the living standards and general well-being of the people in Sri Lanka. There is the hope of replicating a similar swift recovery as before the pandemic’s implication, but funding is key to making this happen. Investing in its agricultural land to give higher productivity, funding and encouraging higher education, giving more access to transport across the country and creating employment opportunities for non-farming jobs are all beneficial for poverty eradication in Sri Lanka.
– Phoebe Taylor
Photo: Flickr
UN Responds to 2022 Cholera Outbreak in Haiti
Protest and Violence
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with approximately 52.3% of the Haitian population living below the poverty line, a 15.7% unemployment rate in 2021 and over $2 billion in external debt. The elimination of fuel subsidies has an immediate impact on the livelihood of millions of Haitians. In response to the policy change, gangs are firing gunshots on open roads, burning tires on city streets, ransacking and inflaming buildings, throwing stones and getting into physical altercations.
Many children are out of school, exacerbating earlier school closures from other protest-based violence and the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the lack of fuel has already resulted in the shutdown of water delivery companies, banks and grocery stores and has caused a reduction of critical hospital-based services available to Haitians. Additionally, unemployment is also on the rise as workers are no longer able to afford the commute to their jobs.
Cholera Outbreak
Amid all this instability in Haiti comes a recent detection of a cholera outbreak in the nation. Cholera is a potentially fatal bacterial disease spread through contaminated food or water that causes severe dehydration and diarrhea. The previous cholera outbreak in Haiti was in 2010 and it had devastating consequences. There were more than 820,000 cases and nearly 10,000 deaths, many of which could have been prevented, had the country been equipped with better infrastructure.
As of October 6, 2022, there were 12 cholera cases, 152 suspected cases, 107 hospitalizations and four deaths in the country. In its current political and economic state, the nation cannot afford a widespread outbreak. This would result in the additional closure of essential businesses and ensure the closure of schools. The lack of education for Haiti’s youth in recent years is especially a cause for concern as oftentimes education can be the key to escaping extreme poverty.
Concluding Thoughts
Though both the outbreak and the protests are valid causes for concern, there is hope for the citizens of Haiti. On October 7, 2022, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund allocated $7 million for U.N. agencies and their partners to provide urgent life-saving assistance. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths stated that “We must stand with the people of Haiti in their hour of need, cholera is preventable and treatable. Left unchecked, however, an outbreak could lead to cataclysmic levels of despair for the people of Haiti, who are already enduring tremendous suffering.” Furthermore, Prime Minister Henry recently sent out a request for international aid in Haiti which the United Nations responded to stating it will “support efforts to build consensus, reduce violence and promote stability in the country.” Together, the world is working to relieve the crisis in Haiti.
– Aarika Sharma
Photo: Unsplash
Malaria No More UK’s Efforts to End Malaria
Malaria No More (MNMUK) is a global charity aiming to end malaria – a disease that roughly half of the world’s population is at risk of contracting. The groups most susceptible to getting this disease are children under five and expectant mothers. Poorer communities also find themselves being hit harder by the disease, which negatively impacts children’s school attendance and adults attending work.
MNMUK believes that by working to increase government spending on ways to speed up the delivery of malaria prevention and treatment tools and simultaneously conveying their message to a broad population, the incidence of the disease will reduce. MNMUK’s hope is that mortality and incidence rates will decrease by 90% by 2030; in its eyes, this is the first step forward in eradicating the disease in the next several decades.
MNMUK Progress to End Malaria
One key MNMUK project is its global Zero Malaria campaign. The effects of the Zero Malaria campaign speak for themselves: 23 countries have launched the campaign so far and many more are on the cusp of joining. Politically, the charity was able to organize official parliamentary coalitions across Uganda and Tanzania and religious leaders have partaken in a march through Lusaka in Zambia to promote the Zero Malaria campaign.
MNMUK has also been able to support the African Union Commission in creating the Conversation Guide for Youth in Africa to encourage more young people to participate in the malaria response. The guide is helping young people engage in malaria policy dialogue and advocacy.
David Beckham and MNMUK
MNMUK decided to enlist one of the most famous faces worldwide to champion its cause to end malaria– David Beckham. Working with cutting-edge video technology, the charity had survivors of the disease speak through David Beckham’s face in nine different languages. Because of this, the campaign made the information accessible to more people. In this way, the David Beckham video enabled some of the most at-risk individuals to project their voices into society. Moreover, the video reached hundreds of millions of people and scooped up a CogX award for Outstanding Achievement in Social Good Use of AI (a concept in videography).
Accompanying the film was a behind-the-scenes montage featuring experts on malaria who are playing a crucial role in working to end malaria. Beckham has worked with MNMUK since 2009 and says the struggle against malaria is something that means a lot to him because the disease is especially fatal to children. Beckham has also commented on his enjoyment of meeting and working with the inspirational people involved in the charity.
– Claire Dickson
Photo: Flickr
Renewable Energy in Tonga
Renewable energy in Tonga is essential for long-term economic growth as the nation will rely on sustainable and dependable resources instead of unsustainable and environmentally harmful energy sources, like fossil fuels. In 2018, the Kingdom of Tonga took second ranking as the “most climate vulnerable country in the world,” a situation that the country’s reliance on non-renewable energy resources has exacerbated.
The Situation in Numbers
In 2015, 28% of Tonga’s population lived under the poverty line of $5.50 a day. In 1994, 80% of Tonga had access to electricity, a percentage that rose to 100% in 2020. However, in 2016, just 59% of the population had access to clean cooking fuels. Furthermore, 100% of the electricity in Tonga came from fossil fuels in 2020. The social and economic development of the island is at risk without sustainable energy, but there are plans for the Government of Tonga to reach its goal of “poverty alleviation” through access to reliable electricity for all.
Current Risk
The small island’s land size is 748,5 km² with a population of more than 105,000 people. Geography, size and susceptibility to natural disasters make it more challenging for the country to transition to renewable energy, however, change is already taking place.
In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly came up with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all” across the world by 2030. Tonga is looking to achieve SDG 7, “access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, ” through the introduction of renewable energy sources, which will, in turn, improve the living standards in the country.
SDG 7 urges movement away from diesel and fossil fuels as these are not environmentally or economically sustainable. Tonga is one of the “first countries in the region” to establish a roadmap in order to achieve SDG 7 by 2030 with an emphasis on renewable energy that will help all aspects of the country.
Economics of Renewable Energy in Tonga
Tonga can mitigate poverty through a shift toward renewable energy in Tonga. According to ARUP, approximately 80% of Tonga’s energy comes from diesel, which stifles the growth of Tonga’s economy. In 2012, fuel accounted for 10% of the GDP and 25% of imports by value. These percentages make Tonga vulnerable as diesel is not a reliable source and will not serve to improve social and economic growth.
Low-cost, green and dependable energy is essential for a better future on the island. Oil prices are volatile, hence a sudden increase in price can hurt Tonga’s economy. The reliance on diesel prevents long-term and stable improvements. The lack of reliable energy also prevents businesses from growing. Without reliable, accessible and sustainable energy, Tonga cannot truly make strides in poverty reduction.
Policy as a Solution
The SDG 7 Roadmap for Tonga has several specific policy step recommendations for Tonga’s future.
Solution
The transition to renewable energy in Tonga is in progress, with the island’s government setting the goal of 50% renewable energy reliance by 2020 and 70% by 2030.
The Green Climate Fund approved the Tonga Renewable Energy Project in October 2018. The 25-year-long project is currently under implementation, with the goal of moving away from fossil fuels and transitioning to renewable energy. On the main island, “the project will deliver utility-scale storage systems to provide base load response and grid stability.” On the outer islands, green mini-grids will undergo installation. Through this process, the project has already avoided more than 265,000 tonnes of emissions. According to the Green Climate Fund, “While stabilizing the grid, this project will particularly address the intermittency of variable renewable energy sources, thus laying the foundation for private sector investments in renewable energy in Tonga.”
Looking Ahead
Renewable energy in Tonga is possible and can significantly impact the future of the economy. Reaching 100% access to electricity is a major feat, so keeping up the progress with renewable energy is essential. In effect, renewable energy will lower the poverty rate as renewable energy is abundant and less expensive after the initial investments.
– Ann Shick
Photo: Flickr
Skymet Weather Helping Indian Farmers with Weather Forecasting
Farming is a major livelihood for many in rural India and agriculture is the biggest contributor to India’s GDP. Despite modern agriculture taking hold in India, the developing country still struggles with poverty, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) had even shown a staggering 7 million jobs lost in 2021, with rural India suffering many job losses in the agriculture sector. Strengthening farming techniques and the way farmers deal with insurance is one way a private agency is helping. Through data that Skymet Weather collects and its app, the agency is helping Indian farmers with weather forecasting.
The Project
The agency has actually put together a project called the “Climate Services for Resilient Agriculture in India,” by using its expertise along with a partnership with USAID.
The main objectives start with bringing quality weather data to nine states and 31 districts in India. This includes location-specific crop advisory, resources for weather-based crop insurance and climate-based services and practices that lead to benefits for the agricultural community. Skymet Weather notes that farmers can expect to see the following benefits: “accurate and timely availability of weather information, increase in capacity to handle climate risk in agriculture, better resource utilization based on real-time crop advisories and securing farm incomes from adverse climate conditions.”
About Skymet Weather
Skymet measures, predicts and collects information that has to do with the specific location of weather or climate that may affect a farmer’s work or crops. Access to this among other risk mitigation services allows the farmers to prepare or adapt their farming plans, according to its website.
The agency also sells and provides the data it collects to insurers. After an agent has added the farmer and their land into the group, when a weather event happens, Skymet also sends data along to the insurers. This could help strengthen claims by the farmers and have all the appropriate information about the climate during the event and its effects on the farmland to help the farmers. Deutsche Welle (DW) has put together an informative video on how the data helps the farmers.
What the Tools Provide
The agency uses mobile technology and a phone app for the benefit of collecting data and for the farmers. “Skygreen” is a mobile application for farmers to join that offers geo-tagging for their farms. The app monitors and records coordinates for data collecting among other uses, according to Skymet’s website.
Another app “Skymitra” is specifically designed for farmers. Not only does it provide weather forecasting for early planning and preparations for the Indian farmers but it provides data quickly and updates it every seven to 15 days.
According to Skymet, 80,423 farmers registered for the project from October 2015 to June 2019. Skymet also received the Best Agricultural and Farming Initiative-Private Sector award from the Digital India Program at the fifth Digital India Summit Awards. Digital India highlighted the project for helping make it easier to mitigate weather-related risks in farming and providing the weather data through the mobile for farmers to easily access and use to empower their knowledge and plans for their work.
Future of Indian Farming
The world is still dealing with the issues and the aftermath of the pandemic, and India is no exception. Even so, many agencies and government programs are being implemented and set into place to try to combat these hits. Skymet shows how in simple terms it is helping Indian farmers with weather forecasting. The use of collected data, insurance claim resources and digital tools used by the company and farmers are a good model for the future of Indian farming.
– Marynette Holmes
Photo: Flickr
Progress Towards Poverty Reduction in Cambodia
Cambodia’s economy has improved drastically over recent years, and this growth has followed a considerable poverty reduction in Cambodia. According to a study by Asian Development Bank (ADB), the national income per capita increased from $250 in 1998 to $795 in 2008. Furthermore, Cambodia’s economy sustained an average annual growth rate of 7.7% between the years 1998 and 2019, setting a record high for developing nations around the world.
Garment Industry
Cambodia’s economy solely rests upon its agriculture industry, tourism, garment production industry and construction industry. The garment industry, in particular, has boomed in recent years and contributed heavily to the nation’s economic development. For example, 40% of garments that the European Union (EU) receives come from Cambodia. This number totals 30% for the United States, 9% for Canada and 4% for Japan. Multinational brands such as Adidas, Gap, H&M, Marks and Spencer and Uniqlo have garment factories located in Cambodia. Furthermore, the garment production sector in Cambodia has employed more than 600,000 Cambodians and accounts for more than 16% of the national gross domestic product (GDP).
Strides in Public Health
Development in other fields, such as public health, has followed poverty reduction in Cambodia. According to the World Bank, the nation’s life expectancy has also increased from 58 years in 2000 to 70 years in 2020. The under-five mortality rate decreased from 106.3 per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 26.6 per 1,000 live births in the year 2019. The national government is buckling down on its commitment to the Health Equity and Quality Improvement Project (H-EQIP). The project, issued in 2016, has a commitment to implementing better health care for all Cambodian citizens.
The Cambodian Ministry of Health (MOH) has also initiated special services to help underserved communities and regions within the nation. An example of this is the voucher program for women’s reproductive services. Through the program, grants go to referral hospitals across the nation to help them better serve those in need. In addition to such programs, USAID has worked in Partnership with Cambodia in the last five years to further its public health systems. USAID has helped to train medical staff in tuberculosis management information systems in 47 hospitals across the nation. USAID has also distributed more than 37,000 mosquito nets to dengue and malaria-prone areas in Cambodia.
Future Strategies
Going forward, the Cambodian government has future plans to further eliminate poverty within their nation. The Cambodia Sustainable Development Goals 2016-2030, National Poverty Reduction Strategy 2003-2005 and the National Strategic Development Plan 2019-2023 are all key cornerstones for Cambodia’s development. The key focus of poverty reduction initiatives has roots in implementing better social protection, ensuring equal access to economic resources and protecting ownership over land and property – three pillars that can support poverty reduction in Cambodia.
Attending to Infrastructural Gaps
The World Bank Group’s work in Cambodia has a focus on adopting a rectangular strategy for development. The World Bank Group plans to address issues such as a lack of human capital, infrastructural gaps and limited professional development programs in Cambodia. A prerequisite for these goals is improving access to education in Cambodia, which in itself can be an antidote to poverty. Since 2016, 97.7% of all Cambodian children have attended school. Furthermore, student drop-out rates have plummeted both in cities and rural areas. These are all positive signs of progress that depict further poverty reduction in Cambodia.
Given the multilateral development that has taken place in Cambodia in the last decade, the nation has surpassed the lower middle-income tier and is now on its way to becoming an upper-middle-income nation by 2030. With sustained effort, collaboration and attention to infrastructural development, Cambodia has the potential to further its economy whilst eradicating poverty within its borders.
– Samyudha Rajesh
Photo: Unsplash
Poverty Eradication in Sri Lanka
In the past, Sri Lanka has shown great effort in reducing poverty. In 2006, 15.2% of the population was below or equivalent to the World Bank’s national poverty line, which decreased to 4.1% a decade later in 2016, showing a steady recovery. However, the poverty line rapidly increased to 14.3% in 2019, even before COVID-19 struck. Even though there has been a positive report of recovery for Sri Lanka in the past, there remains a disproportionate living standard across the entirety of the island and there is an urgent need for poverty eradication in Sri Lanka.
More recently, COVID-19 has significantly affected the country’s development as it now faces a major political and economic crisis that has put its citizens in need of substantial aid. As of June 2022, UNICEF reported that 2,263,227 children are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, partially due to the inability to provide education, as well as sufficient nutrition and sanitation. The pandemic has worsened the livelihoods of 73% of families, according to a UNICEF telephone survey, forcing families to lower the priority of education and health for their children to, instead, desperately source ways of income for necessities. Sri Lanka is now included in the top 10 countries with the most malnourished children. Furthermore, the rapidly increasing fuel cost has also prevented the country from providing essential and efficient services, such as emergency health care for children.
Poverty Eradication Efforts in Sri Lanka
According to the World Bank, 45.5% of Sri Lanka is agricultural land, so finding ways to increase agricultural productivity is a prerequisite for further economic growth. In 2021, the World Bank data showed that more than 30% of Sri Lanka’s population worked in the agricultural sector and that it makes up 7.4% of its national GDP. Sri Lanka has a lot of potential in the agricultural industry, due to its fertile land, however, productivity is lacking. In the spring of 2021, Sri Lanka’s former President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, enforced a ban on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, with the intention of the country moving to organic farming methods.
However, his efforts proved a failure as domestic rice production fell by 20% in six months, causing significant damage to the Sri Lankan economy as a result and leading to protests. To fulfill its farming potential, Sri Lanka must diversify its farming; moving away from paddy farming (usually associated with less profitable farmers), to focusing on an export-oriented crop mix that can increase earnings, as well as adopting a mechanized method of farming. Investing in updated technology, that is more mindful of climate change, will create an influx of efficiency and productivity that will greatly benefit the agricultural industry and the entire nation.
Encouraging Non-Farming Jobs in Sri Lanka
Funding children’s education in Sri Lanka is crucial, as encouraging non-farming jobs and breaking the restricted access to higher-earning jobs will increase employment opportunities and motivation for children to pursue education and increase overall living standards. A 2022 assessment by Save the Children, showed that 50% of families were struggling to support their child’s education, resulting in dropouts and many absences from school. The rising costs and shortages of fuel are other factors for children not attending school due to their inability to get there. In 2022, UNICEF and the Ministry for Education are tackling the lack of teaching supplies for up to 224,000 children. They are distributing books and paper across provinces in the country.
Diversified Employment and the Tourism Industry in Sri Lanka
Access to critical services and general transport declined in the Western Province, an example of the disproportionate spread of poverty across the country. Expanding and improving the spatial distribution will create more opportunities for more diversified employment, such as those in business, agriculture and tourism. Strengthening inclusion and encouraging people to seek work out in rural areas where poverty is at its highest, can be particularly effective due to the exposure of new industries, such as tourism.
In 2019, the tourism industry supplied more than 400,00 jobs, approximately 205,000 more jobs than in 2012, according to the World Bank report. Other non-farming jobs, such as construction and trade-related activities, accounted for more than 10% of non-farming jobs employment in 2021 individually. However, to expand work in this area, education is the primary factor in its success, as people with higher levels of education are more likely to work in skilled non-farming sectors.
Charitable organizations and neighboring countries have donated millions to improve education, health, emergency aid and other vital services. UNICEF has estimated that $25,300,000 in funding is necessary for urgent short-term solutions in sanitation, social protection and social welfare. In 2022, UNICEF stated its aim to give 1.2 million people primary health care in their supported facilities, as well as provide 665,690 children with educational services.
Looking Ahead
There is an urgent need to take action to, once again, improve the living standards and general well-being of the people in Sri Lanka. There is the hope of replicating a similar swift recovery as before the pandemic’s implication, but funding is key to making this happen. Investing in its agricultural land to give higher productivity, funding and encouraging higher education, giving more access to transport across the country and creating employment opportunities for non-farming jobs are all beneficial for poverty eradication in Sri Lanka.
– Phoebe Taylor
Photo: Flickr
The Regina Equity Project: How Citizens are Fighting Poverty
According to the First Report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty, published in 2020, 3.98 million Canadians were living under the poverty line, which corresponds to 11% of the whole population. Regarding specific categories, 748,000 children in Canada are considered poor, representing a share of 10.8% of all children within the country.
There is a huge difference between poverty levels in Canadian provinces. For instance, Saskatchewan is one of the poorest provinces in Canada with poverty statistics higher than the national average. Indeed, in 2018, 19% of its population are living below the poverty line; a number reaching 26% when it comes to children aged between 0 and 17, making the province the one with the second highest level of child poverty in Canada.
Poverty also significantly affects Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan. In fact, 15% of the population is poor and 20% of children are living below the poverty line. In reaction to the high poverty level in Regina, a few residents of the city launched an initiative to bring citizens united to fight against poverty in the town called the Share the Credit: Regina Equity Project.
An Initiative From Citizens and For Citizens
At the beginning of 2022, the Saskatchewan government announced that it would give $500 affordability cheques to the citizens of the province who fulfilled their taxes in 2021 in the fall of 2022. However, on September 2002, some Regina citizens decided to use their affordability tax credit cheques to fight against poverty in their city.
The city of Regina already had the experience of citizens united to fight against poverty. For instance, the Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry (RAPM), an NGO made up of local citizens, is advocating for many years for a Saskatchewan Anti-Poverty Act that would promote basic economic and social rights for the population.
The aim of the RAPM is to advocate for political measures to end poverty in the province and its capital Regina. The RAPM is doing both individual advocacy, in order to mediate the tensions people, may have with institutions, and systemic advocacy, aiming at changing the anti-poverty politics of Saskatchewan with for example a deep modification of the Saskatchewan Income Support System, which is the main component of the anti-poverty measures in the province.
In addition to advocacy, the RAPM is also deeply involved in education and social justice. Better education can help young people get out of poverty, while it is integral to maintain and defend the rights of the poorest people.
The RAPM had for instance brought its support to an increase of the minimum wage in the Saskatchewan province on May 2022. The government of the province accepted this measure. As a consequence, the minimum wage went higher on October 1, 2022, increasing from $11.81 to $13 per hour. Following that, it should reach $14 per hour on October 1, 2023, and finally, $15 per hour on October 1, 2024.
A Fight Against Local Poverty
Citizens of Regina created the Share the Credit: Regina Equity Project in September 2022. The objective of this initiative is to convince residents of Regina to donate their 2022 affordability cheques to organizations fighting poverty. Furthermore, the creators of the project already decided to give their own cheques to four local shelters and anti-poverty organizations including the North Central Family Centre, Carmichael Outreach, All Nations Hope and the Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry.
To help the initiative kick-off, the City and the University of Regina created in the last weeks a guide that includes a summary of the services available in town for those in need. The upcoming donations would be either split between the four local organizations chosen by the initiative or the donor can give his whole donation to one unique organization among those four.
The Credit Regina Equity Project shows how much citizens united to fight against poverty in their area can cooperate with local anti-poverty organizations as well as public powers. Other areas in Canada and other countries around the world could easily imitate this project.
– Evan Da Costa Marques
Photo: Unsplash
How the Canadian Job Market Made A Comeback After COVID-19
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, Canada’s unemployment rate first jumped to the highest it had been in more than two decades. In just two years, it dropped to almost the lowest it has ever been. As in many countries, the Canadian job market struggled after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people had trouble finding work during the first few months of the pandemic. However, Canada has managed to create a staggering number of jobs since then. Now, the country’s job market is, arguably, in better shape than it was prior to the start of the pandemic.
Pre-COVID-19
Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian job market had been enjoying a prolonged period of prosperity. From 2009 until 2019, Canada’s unemployment rate decreased almost every year, with a low in 2019 0f 5.7%, an all-time low for the country.
In February 2020, just before the start of the pandemic, Canada’s unemployment rate was at 5.5%, only a slight increase from 2019 and there were some signs of encouragement. Employment amongst youth had increased, although with little change to other age groups. Additionally, a number of provinces had also seen increases in employment. Most notably, Quebec increased its employment by 20,000. Other provinces that had increased employment during this same period were Alberta, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.
How COVID-19 Affected the Job Market
As COVID-19 began to spread, many nations required massive shutdowns of companies and businesses to combat the virus. People worldwide either had to work remotely or lost their jobs entirely. Canada was no exception to this as the number of jobs available decreased by more than 3 million in the months of March and April 2020.
Canada’s unemployment rate rose to 13.7% in May 2020, the highest it had been since 1993. Most of the jobs that Canada lost had been recovered during the summer of 2020 and yet, recovery efforts slowed as the virus began to ramp up again that fall. Another wave of job losses also occurred in January 2022 as a result of precautionary shutdowns in response to the Omicron variant.
The pandemic had the largest impact on women, young workers and workers with low wages. Unemployment for those between the ages of 15-24 rose far more sharply than any other age group. Before the pandemic, women had a lower unemployment rate than men. However, in May, unemployment spiked for both genders and women had the higher rate.
Post-COVID-19
In just two years since the start of the pandemic, the Canadian job market has rebounded in impressive fashion. Not only did the country’s unemployment rate return to where it was prior to the shutdowns, but it was also even lower than it was in early 2020. In February 2022, Canada’s unemployment rate stood at 5.5%, lower than the 5.7% rate it was in February 2020. That is also just about the all-time low of 5.4% that it reached in 2019.
Much of the decrease in the unemployment rate can be due to Canada’s unprecedented job creation. The nation has been able to create thousands of jobs per month over several months. In November 2021, 154,000 jobs were added and 54,700 jobs were created in December. Following the temporary Omicron shutdown, Canada added 337,000 more jobs in February 2022.
While many jobs recovered thanks to businesses reopening after the start of the pandemic, the Canadian government also introduced various measures to improve the state of the job market. One of these was the Canada Recovery Hiring Program which helped employers rehire employees with an added boost to their salaries. The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy allowed millions of Canadians to keep their jobs so that their employers could rehire them once the positions were available again. The Canada Recovery Hiring Program provided assistance to employers that would help them rehire employees, create new jobs and increase hours for those jobs. The combination of the policies and others allowed Canada’s job market to rebound tremendously.
Looking Ahead
After losing more than 3 million jobs at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has managed to get its job market in a better position than it was prior to the pandemic. Rapid job creation that shattered expectations has allowed millions of citizens to return to work and many to begin working. It appears that Canada has made the best of what was, otherwise, an unfortunate situation.
– Tyshon Johnson
Photo: Flickr
4 Ways that Fuel Shortages in Sri Lanka Affect Poverty and Inequality
Recently, Sri Lanka quite literally ran out of fuel and has since resorted to extreme rationing, negotiating credit for fuel with foreign nations and receiving international aid. The economy is in shambles, with soaring inflation and foreign debt, mostly due to government mismanagement, according to experts. Amidst protests, the previous president fled to Singapore. Fuel shortages in Sri Lanka have prevented mobility across the country and ground the economy to a halt. Cars queued for days for a chance to get fuel. Due to a lack of transportation, food and other essentials have become difficult to access for many. While concerted responses in both the short and long term can help mitigate the consequences of this fuel crisis, Sri Lankans will continue to endure hardships for months if not years to come. Here are four ways that the fuel crisis is affecting the country.
4 Ways that Fuel Shortages in Sri Lanka are Affecting Poverty and Inequality
Re-Mobilizing Developments
While fuel and food shortages have battered the people and strained the capacity of the government in Sri Lanka, other countries are pitching in to help with the crisis. India, Sri Lanka’s closest neighbor and largest import partner, has supplied Sri Lanka with $3.5 billion of aid as of May 2022. The World Bank has also funneled $160 million in aid for Sri Lanka to buy more fuel. Meanwhile, the IMF will provide $2.9 billion to mitigate the effects of Sri Lanka’s fuel crisis. In the longer term, the country is working towards a future less reliant on fossil fuels, with Ideal Motos having recently unveiled a domestic electric vehicle that can charge from solar roofs. These developments could help Sri Lanka get back on its feet and mobilize its economy.
– Ashwin Telang
Photo: Flickr
Expanding US Agricultural Exports to Cuba
With inflation in Cuba soaring to 70% in 2021 and food imports dropping from $2 billion pre-pandemic to $11.2 million post-pandemic, Cubans are dealing with a devastating economic collapse that has a plethora of bleak consequences. These consequences have led to a low annual income per capita of just 627 Cuban pesos (or $25 USD) and the worst food shortage crisis since the 90s, The Economist reported in July 2021. H.R. 8294 is a piece of legislation that bans the “financing of agricultural sales to Cuba.” A proposed amendment to this legislation, amendment 137, calls for the termination of this prohibition. Supporters of the amendment state that expanding U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba “would create thousands of farm jobs in the United States while providing desperately needed food at lower prices for the Cuban people.” Apart from shortening hours-long queues of people lining up to access food in Cuba, the amendment would also address hunger in the nation and help the country stabilize overall.
Food Shortages in Cuba
In 2021, Cubans had to become accustomed to long wait times for perishables, with some food queue waiting times as long as up to 12 hours. These food queues are a consequence of sanctions on Cuba, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic instability in the country.
Cuba imports nearly 80% of the country’s food, and as a communist nation, the state pays for these shipments. When Cuban officials had less capital to work with during the pandemic, imports fell to levels not visible since 2009. As administrators stretch beyond their capacity, U.S. efforts have become extremely important.
The Cuban government estimates that America’s embargo in its entirety (from 1962 to today) has cost Cuba more than $144 billion. The U.N. estimates this number at closer to $130 billion though. Sanctions and embargoes have stifled economic growth in Cuba, but with a worsening food crisis, U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba are of the utmost importance.
In the 17-year period (1975-1992) when the U.S. allowed Cuba to purchase commodities from “subsidiaries of U.S. companies in third countries,” 90% of the sales each year related to supplies of food and medicine.
U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba served as a major source of the country’s nutritional and medical needs in the past and Cuba still can technically buy food from U.S. companies given an embargo exception made in 2000. But, the U.S. offers no credit for the island nation and only accepts upfront cash payments, making the crucial lifeline of sustenance a mere object of the past. Amendment 137 would offer credit to Cuban consumers so as to make these imports more accessible.
The Possibility of Stability
Supporters of this amendment point toward its potential positive societal impacts as an argument for its adoption. Anti-government protesters marched in Cuba on July 11, 2021, in response to “restrictions on rights, food and medicine scarcity and the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Human Rights Watch reported.
July 2021’s demonstrations are the biggest the country experienced since the 1959 revolution. Police detained more than 1,400 demonstrators and more than 700 of these individuals still endured imprisonment as of July 2022.
U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba will not resolve human rights restrictions or the strict rule of the Cuban government, but it would certainly quell a major upset that citizens have, which is rooted in their unmet basic necessities. The possibility of stabilization thanks to a greater U.S. food supply looks even more promising when considering the catalyst for 2021’s uprising, the failure of authorities to keep the economy at bay.
Amendment Specifics
The previously mentioned Cuban credit line would be open for a year and the termination of existing U.S. agricultural export regulations would complement this. Amendments similar to amendment 137 have been proposed in other pieces of legislation, such as the 2017’s government appropriations bill and the Cuba Agricultural Exports Act, which had bipartisan support. However, this amendment was not adopted in H.R. 8294’s first House passage but the proposal still remains on the table as the bill is still awaiting a vote from the Senate.
Amendment 137 in relation to H.R. 8294 could address a lot of the dilemmas Cubans face, from the unbearably long food queues to the instability plaguing the streets. Cuba has demonstrated in the past that it can gain a lot from U.S. business, especially when offered credit to engage with it as Cuba stood as the “ninth-largest export market” for U.S. agriculture pre-1960.
If nations like the U.S. can add stimulus, the resulting benefits would be instrumental for people who have faced a rapidly deteriorating situation over the last two years. Measures like H.R. 8294’s 137th amendment would increase U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba by deregulating U.S. farm exports into Cuba and by offering Cubans credit to afford these new imports. Its adoption would offer Cubans more nutritious food options and make existing food options more accessible. The amendment would play a significant role in the resolve that protestors are requesting, ushering in much-needed stability and peace.
– Jacob Lawhern
Photo: Flickr