On April 14th, 2022, the United Kingdom signed a deal with Rwanda to send illegal asylum seekers to the African country and process their asylum claims there. The U.K. paid Rwanda £120 million (about $144 million) and promised to fund the logistics of the process. Though the Home Office claims the deal will disrupt the business of people smuggling, Rwanda’s past human rights violations led to many critiques that the humanitarian risks of the U.K.-Rwanda deal outweigh its potential benefits.
The Deal Set in Motion
The first flight to Rwanda was scheduled for June 14th. However, charities such as Care4Calais and Detention Action, along with individual asylum seekers’ lawyers, fought the flight on legal grounds, leaving only seven out of the initial 37 destined to board the plane. The Supreme Court, however, upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision to reject a motion to cancel the flight.
Before the flight could take off, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued an interim emergency measure after an Iraqi asylum seeker’s request. As the ECHR is not an EU body, the U.K. is still a member despite Brexit and must abide by the court’s decision.
The ECHR demanded that the U.K. and European courts take more time to decide whether the deportation was lawful. As per the U.K. legal system, the logic behind the measure applied to the rest of the passengers and the flight was canceled.
Human Rights Risks of the UK-Rwanda Deal
The Geneva Convention 1951’s principle of non-réfoulement states that countries must accommodate those who flee persecution and cannot displace or return them to dangerous territory. The ECHR issued the interim measure because it considered that the Iraqi asylum seeker could face a “real risk of irreversible harm” in Rwanda, BBC reports.
Countries repeatedly infringe the principle by finding ways to remove migrants from their territory into a neighboring state, imposing additional entry requirements, or refusing access altogether. But transferring asylum-seekers to a country with a severe history of violating human rights 4,000 kilometers away would set a new precedent.
The U.K. has denounced Rwanda’s human rights violations and its refusal to investigate allegations of torture and deaths in custody in the past. Moreover, in February 2021, the British High Commissioner to Rwanda advised the government against choosing Rwanda as a candidate for deporting immigrants. The High Commissioner’s memo reported that Rwanda allegedly “recruited refugees to conduct armed operations in neighboring countries” and reinstated the country’s numerous human rights violations, according to AP News.
Yet, since April, Downing Street denies any human rights risks of the U.K.-Rwanda deal, going as far as to say that the East African country is one of the “safest countries in the world.”
An internal government memo two days before the deal’s signing further explains Downing Street’s claims. The message warned that if the U.K. chose Rwanda, it would have to close a blind eye to Rwanda’s human rights violations and prepare itself to face challenges from Parliament and NGOs.
Situation in Rwanda
Although Rwanda’s GDP has been growing since 2010, the country has made little progress in reducing poverty in its rural areas – yet about 70% of Rwandans are subsistence farmers, according to BBC. Kigali saw its poverty rate decrease due to investments in the tourism industry, but extreme poverty rose in the Southern Province. Moreover, around 57% of Rwandan households face food insecurity and the pandemic exacerbated the effects of the crisis, with even more Rwandans falling into poverty.
About 150,000 refugees from other African countries currently reside in Rwanda. According to a 2019 paper on the influence of Congolese refugees on Rwandan communities, the refugees’ presence brought both direct and indirect benefits. Rwandans living closer to a refugee camp had more chances to have wage employment rather than living as subsistence farmers and females had more chances for self-employment. Hence, Rwanda’s economy can benefit from migration.
However, the deported asylum-seekers to Kigali would likely fail to integrate as the intra-region migrants did. Most refugees already living in Rwanda don’t have a job and rely on welfare, according to BBC. If the system is overwhelmed, the risks of the U.K.-Rwanda deal mean that asylum seekers and Rwandans may fall into poverty. The Rwandan government initially stated it could accommodate 1,000 migrants from the U.K. – a claim the U.N.’s refugee agency questioned – before recently admitting the country only has space for 200. Nonetheless, the government assured that it would expand its capacities, a claim that, if not upheld, jeopardizes Downing Street’s ability to reap the deal’s economic benefits.
Future of the Deal
Despite being fully aware of the humanitarian risks of the U.K.-Rwanda deal, Downing Street chose to pursue the policy. The Supreme Court’s judicial review of the policy is due in September, according to BBC. Until then, it remains to be seen whether the courts deem Rwanda a country where asylum-seekers can find refuge without violating their rights and further worsening the host country’s situation.
– Elena Sofia Massacesi
Photo: Flickr
Impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Taiwan
The Yonsei Medical Journal states that Taiwan responded decisively to COVID-19, reporting less than 100 cases per million people until late 2021. However, in the same year, the population percentage below the poverty line broke 4% for the first time in five years from a previous 1.5%. Despite the significant increase, the relatively low percentage suggests an overall successful response.
A Swift Response to COVID-19
Taiwan had numerous advantages going into the pandemic. Yonsei states that one of the major factors was its experience with the SARS outbreak in 2003, which inspired the country to improve its public health systems to better handle infectious diseases. The private sector also followed suit, providing more health care options for all demographics including those living in poverty.
Furthermore, Taiwan’s government and health organizations communicated through daily press releases, social media and telephone to keep citizens up to date with COVID-19 developments. The government also used citizen identification through apps and other media for contact tracing.
Overall, despite inadequate testing in 2020, the low rates of transmission and accessibility to medical care helped to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Taiwan.
A Creeping Inequality Issue for the Poor
Still, according to Taiwan News, some groups are concerned about underlying issues. The humanitarian organization World Vision stated that recently more than 8,500 homes of the 25,500 families it aids in Taiwan experienced poverty. In addition, more than three-fourths of children are struggling to afford school materials, a potential impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Taiwan.
Additionally, the News Lens shows that Taiwan uses a national poverty line of less than $1.90 per day instead of the upper middle-income-country poverty line of $5.50, thus underplaying the number of impoverished in the nation. Notably, Taiwan’s minimum wage of less than $1,000 per month is significantly lower compared to other countries with similar GDPs per capita.
Societal Issues Compounding the Problem
The Taiwanese government has begun approving financial aid to the poor but in insufficient amounts, according to Michael Turton of the Taipei Times. One of its programs allows a trade-in of NT$1,000 for NT$5,000 in vouchers or approximately $33.53 to $167.66. In addition to being too meager, the vouchers can only be used for specific purposes, limiting the benefits for those who need it most.
Other criticized factors of Taiwanese aid include low business subsidies that are not enough to keep businesses afloat. Turton’s sentiment is that rather than long-term and generous aid programs, Taiwan’s government supports band-aid fixes. Turton believes this is because high tax evasion rates in Taiwan result in an underfunded government.
While the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Taiwan has not been catastrophic, it has nonetheless revealed existing flaws in the island nation’s society and stance towards the poor.
What Can be Done to Help
Due to these systemic issues, humanitarian programs such as World Vision are instrumental in providing aid that the Taiwanese government cannot. The organization established a Taiwanese branch in 1964, 14 years after its founding in 1950. Not long after, the organization successfully launched aid centers in remote areas and became an outlet for the Taiwanese to provide both domestic and international aid.
Today, World Vision also operates many other significant programs. This includes emergency relief systems for natural disaster response, care for foster children and indigenous peoples, and a 24-hour hotline that handles domestic abuse and other social worker issues. Finally, World Vision also provides numerous avenues for people to contribute to its cause that range from standard donations to child sponsorship, a system that lets a donor personally connect with a child in need.
– Henry Bauer
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
TechLit Africa’s Mission to Lift Africans Out of Poverty
Teaching Technological Literacy
Also known simply as TechLit Africa, the non-profit is working to supply rural African schools with computer labs in order to teach kids the “technological literacy” and “self-efficacy” they have largely missed out on. Through computer classes, a digital curriculum and the learning of digital skills, TechLit Africa is striving to bring Africans into the digital world and out of poverty.
The Mission
Speaking to Software Engineering Daily in 2021, Nelly Cheboi, executive director and co-founder of TechLit Africa, gave a simple answer to the story behind the non-profit’s mission: “Starting TechLit Africa came from my own experience growing up in Kenya. I grew up in poverty and I’ve always been motivated to tackle poverty. I drew most of my experiences from watching my mom really struggle to put us through school… I saw education as the easiest way out of poverty.”
Thus, with this principle in mind, TechLit Africa grew and developed with the goal of teaching young Africans technology-based skills that have the potential to close the technological gap between themselves and the rest of the world.
Through the donation and refurbishment of old computers, TechLit Africa is partnering with schools and working to build computer labs within them. The non-profit then teaches various computer-based classes such as design, typing or coding (among other things) via a digital curriculum and the assistance of on-site TechLit educators.
TechLit Africa is currently running 10 computer labs in schools in rural Kenya, which is working to serve roughly 4,000 students. However, the organization does not plan to stop there by any means.
High Hopes for the Future
As TechLit Africa’s website spells out, the non-profit’s hopes for the future are ambitious and strongly emphasize rapid growth with even greater reach. As such, over the next several years it is their mission to begin putting down roots in even more schools.
“Last year, we partnered with 10 schools and taught over 4,000 kids. Our next milestone, 100 schools and 40,000 kids. We hope to hit by Q1 2023″
Indeed, teaching these skills and equipping young Africans for this future is incredibly important. As TechLit Africa’s website further highlights, Africans in rural communities simply lack many of the tools and skills necessary to take advantage of the digital economy like so much of the rest of the world has.
According to TechLit, many African talents don’t fit in the technological world, despite being well-educated. TechLit Africa “teaches digital skills using donated used computers that could end up in landfills… With these skills, [students] could be working remotely for tech companies all over the world straight from the village.”
– Riley Wooldridge
Photo: Flickr
Renewable Energy in North Korea
About North Korea’s Energy Challenges
North Korea’s energy sector requires a lot of attention. North Korea struggles to meet energy demands as domestic energy production and consumption have been generally declining for years. As of 2020, 48% of the North Korean population did not have access to electricity, and in 2016, only 10.8% had access to clean fuel for cooking. The elites in the capital city Pyongyang consume the majority of energy resources, forcing rural populations to go without.
North Korea relied heavily on the Soviet Union for subsidized oil, and the country’s energy production and consumption rates dipped following the Soviet Union’s dissolution. The absence of these energy subsidies, aging infrastructure and a poor national grid system caused North Korea’s energy sector and economy to fall behind.
North Korea’s lack of energy poses a threat to human security. The country’s unstable electricity rates cause frequent blackouts, depriving residents of lighting and other services. The lack of energy is a threat to public health since hospitals and clinics are dependent on electricity access. Access to clean fuel is necessary for sanitation practices and safe cooking habits. Furthermore, North Korea’s energy shortages threaten its agricultural sector and lower its food supply. Electricity and fuel are necessary to produce fertilizer, power irrigation systems, manufacture machinery and transport crops. Thus, improving its energy supply and providing greater access can significantly benefit the well-being of the average North Korean citizen.
North Korea is focusing on initiating renewable energy sources to address its energy crisis. Research has found that renewable energy consumption positively correlates with energy poverty reduction, which is where people lack access to energy sources.
How Renewable Sources Can Alleviate Energy Poverty
Under Kim Jong Un, investing in renewable energy in North Korea has become a priority. The percentage of total energy consumption from renewable energy increased from around 7% in 1992 to close to 25% in 2015. In addition, North Korea adopted various policy measures such as the Renewable Energy Law in 2013.
As North Korea continues to invest in renewable energy sources, increasing access to energy in rural communities should be of special concern. The majority of North Korea’s population lives in rural areas, which are regions with scarce access to electricity and other energy supplies. A survey that occurred in 2014 found that rural households significantly lacked electricity compared to urban households.
Furthermore, North Korea’s focus on hydroelectric power as a main renewable energy source is not ideal for mitigating energy poverty in rural North Korea. Hydroelectric plants do little to power rural areas; the North Korean government controls the available energy from hydropower and it prioritizes electrifying large military facilities over rural residential communities.
Solar Power and Wind Turbines
Small-scale renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines are ideal for powering rural residential areas, thus providing more people in North Korea with access to energy. Solar panels and wind turbines are off-grid energy sources, meaning that their generated energy will be able to power nearby rural communities rather than large military and industrial sites.
This will be especially helpful to improve the living standards of North Korea’s rural residents. Additionally, off-grid energy systems are economically favorable, making them ideal investments in the midst of North Korea’s economic lull.
The importation and use of solar panels in North Korea have significantly increased, especially following the 2012 Pyongyang International Trade Fair. In 2015, North Korea began building small scale wind turbines that generate between 100 and 300 watts of power.
Reports claim that the North Korean government is encouraging production plants to erect and make use of wind turbines.
– Ashley Kim
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Health Crisis in Ukraine
World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that “this war has gone on for 100 days too many,” as the war in Ukraine is “shattering lives and communities and imperiling the short- and long-term health of Ukraine’s people”.
HIV
The HIV virus affects the immune system and leads to AIDS if untreated. Even before the war started, Ukraine suffered an epidemic of HIV, with an estimated 250,000 people diagnosed and many more not realizing they have the virus. HIV is more common among people who struggle with drug addiction and sex workers, in other words, people living on the marginalized side of society.
USAID provides support and services to treat people with HIV. However, with the ongoing war and the health crisis in Ukraine, it is hard for patients to get tested for HIV or receive the proper treatment.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease in the lungs with about 33% of cases connected with drug use. Meanwhile, only 76% of patients receive successful treatment for the disease, with the remaining 24% not completing or receiving their treatment too late. Additionally, some TB victims are asymptomatic, causing the disease to spread rapidly.
Because of the war and the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of detecting TB dropped. TB is one of the leading causes of death of HIV patients, and because of the health crisis in Ukraine, TB can spread easily and cause more deaths.
Polio
Similar to HIV, Ukraine experienced an outbreak of polio before the Russian invasion. Polio is a virus that affects the spinal cord that can lead to paralysis or even death. Children under the age of five are especially vulnerable to the virus.
Vaccination is possible, but the Russian invasion interrupted a campaign to vaccinate children against the virus. Even so, vaccination rates for polio are under 50% in Ukraine. Areas similar to Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, have struggled to combat polio due to a lack of vaccination.
World Health Organization Increases Its Presence
Before the war started, Ukraine was on a path of progress with health care. In 2014, the Ministry of Health implemented the National Strategy on Health to help improve the quality of health. However, the ongoing war halted progress as hospitals and health care services were destroyed.
Because of the health crisis in Ukraine, WHO increased its presence in Ukraine and in countries with refugees. Since the start of the war, Ukraine confirmed over 260 attacks on their healthcare system as of June 2.
“WHO is doing everything we can to support Ukraine’s Ministry of Health and deliver essential medical supplies and equipment,” Ghebreyesus said. “But the one medicine that Ukraine needs most is the one that WHO can’t deliver – peace. We call on the Russian Federation to end the war.”
To meet the needs of the health crisis in Ukraine, WHO appealed to the U.S. for $147.5 million. WHO wants to use $80 million to provide support to the people still in Ukraine and an additional $67.5 million to support countries with refugees.
A Look Ahead
Even though Ukraine is experiencing a health crisis as a result of the Russian invasion, international organizations similar to the WHO provide medical support while also advocating for monetary support to the U.S. government.
– Chris Karenbauer
Photo: Flickr
Football for the Goals: The UN Teams with UEFA
What are the Sustainable Developmental Goals?
Adopted in September of 2015, the U.N.’s Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) are a broad group of 17 goals that the organization hopes to achieve by 2030. As described by the U.N., “The [SDGs] are a call for action by all countries… to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities…”
The Partnership
In a joint statement on July 6, 2022, UEFA and the U.N. announced Football for the Goals. The initiative will primarily see UEFA strive to use its partnerships with various footballing confederations, leagues, clubs, players, fans, media and commercial partners in order to work towards achieving these goals the U.N. outlined in its SDGs, according to UEFA.
In addition to bringing awareness to these goals, however, UEFA also hopes to influence other organizations to use its own platforms by “[demonstrating] how sustainable practices can be mainstreamed through any business model, including sport.”
Speaking on the announcement of this unique partnership, Deputy Secretary–General of the U.N., Amina J. Mohammed, commented, “The [U.N.] recognizes the powerful voice football carries in the global community and the role football can play in raising awareness for the SDGs through the popularity of the game. Not only is football the most popular sport in the world, but it is also the most accessible… Football for the Goals offers a unique opportunity to raise awareness and galvanize the world into action on the SDGs,” UEFA reports.
The Potential
With recent UEFA competitions reaching billions of viewers worldwide, such as the most recent UEFA European Football Championship, the reach and appeal of football is no doubt an ingenious vessel for raising awareness and calling for action.
Whether it’s through an on-field advert or a TV spot, Football for the Goals and the very SDGs it represents have the potential to fall into the view of billions of people worldwide. Using this global reach and influence of football, the U.N. and UEFA can begin shining an even greater light on the work that might enable a more secure and prosperous future for millions worldwide.
– Riley Wooldridge
Photo: Flickr
Tackling HIV/AIDS in Barbados
Understanding the Problem
HIV/AIDS transmission in Barbados saw a significant uptake in the early 2000s. This upward trend was mirrored across most of the Caribbean region. The Barbadian government identified that disfranchised groups were overrepresented in statistics regarding HIV/AIDS transmission.
A range of factors led to the higher than global average rate of HIV/AIDS in the nation. One of the largest factors contributing to the relatively high rate of HIV/AIDS in Barbados was the low rate of condom usage among the nation’s youth. In 2006, only 21% of Barbadians between the ages of 15 to 24 reported using a condom in their most recent instance of sexual intercourse.
Men who have sex with men, sex workers and other venerable groups also accounted for a disproportionate share of those infected with and dying from HIV/AIDS. These vulnerable and at-risk groups later became the focus of transmission reduction and treatment efforts.
Most recently the COVID-19 pandemic distracted from efforts to combat HIV/AIDS in the country. Initiatives such as the Man Aware event, which seeks to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS among Barbadian men, were canceled. The risk of spreading COVID-19 meant such face-to-face events could not be held.
Calls to Action
Various national and international actors have had a hand in combating HIV/AIDS transmission and AIDS-related deaths within Barbados. The World Bank provided one avenue of initial support. The World Bank’s Adaptable Program Loan, known as APL, provided the nation with additional health care funding. The main purpose of this program’s adoption in Barbados was to combat HIV/AIDS transmission and quell deaths from HIV/AIDS, according to The World Bank. One way Barbados achieved this was by providing free antiretroviral to HIV-positive citizens.
The U.S. Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), created in 2003, partnered with the Barbadian government, among other developing nations, to combat HIV/AIDS transmission. The U.S. organization contributed over $80 billion to this global project so far. PEPFAR also oversaw the wide-scale adoption of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) HIV prevention treatment in the nation. The Barbadian Ministry of Health and Wellness worked closely with PEPFAR to adapt HIV/AIDS treatment services to each vulnerable group.
As well as partnering with American-led organizations, Barbados also partnered with the governments of other Caribbean nations under the Pan-Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP). This regional collaborative effort sort to connect HIV/AIDS funding, on the governmental and intergovernmental level, to local services. This aided research within research facilities and supported the functioning of further treatment centers. Barbados, along with its partners in the PANCAP has seen the most progress in combating HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean region.
Progress
The action taken to combat HIV/AIDS in Barbados by both internal and external actors have brought about significant progress in the fight against the disease. Through these various initiatives, Barbados embarked upon a U.N. set a target of having at least 90% of HIV-positive citizens know their status and receive treatment by the year 2020. As of 2020, Barbados has reached 89% of HIV-positive citizens knowing their status, according to the U.S. Embassy in Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the OECS.
This promotion and uptake of testing began saving lives immediately upon its adoption as a major priority by the Barbadian government. Between 2001 and 2006 the number of AIDS-related deaths in Barbados plummeted by 72%. Within the same time period, new AIDS diagnoses fell by 46%, according to The World Bank.
The education which accompanied testing and treatment has helped quell much of the further spread of HIV/AIDS in Barbados. The education of Barbadian youth resulted in 72% of young people aged 15 to 24 stating they used a condom during their most recent sexual encounter in 2014. This rose significantly from the 21% reported in 2006, The World Bank reports.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has continued much of the positive work pioneered by the Barbadian government, U.N. and previous U.S. interventions. The CDC established its regional office in the Caribbean region in 2002. The CDC has paid particular attention to ensuring testing and treatment for men who have sex with men, one of the most vulnerable portions of Barbadian society. Today the CDC continues to work with its ministries to improve the quality of testing and treatment services. CDC funding also continues to create great outreach for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts.
These progressive strides made within Barbados over the last two decades to tackle HIV/AIDS have been a result of the collaboration between numerous stakeholders. Although it still needs more progress, Barbados has come a long way in combating the disease over the last 20 years.
–Bryce Mathurin Lindsay
Photo: Flickr
Poverty and Inequality in the Kibera Slum
Slums in developing countries are narrowly defined as areas of “overcrowding, poor and informal housing, inadequate access to safe water and sanitation and insecurity of tenure.” A growing proportion of the population born into overcrowded impoverished conditions curbs movement toward a healthy economic foundation. Increasing inequality and the lack of infrastructure in the Kibera slum foster a poor quality of life.
Factors Exacerbating Poverty in Slums
Poverty in Developing Countries Impacts the US
A remote and unattainable outlook prevents action from the international community. Distance between continents widens the rich-poor gap between the United States and low-income countries. Developed countries may view urban poverty in developing nations as out of their reach. Domestic issues almost always take precedence over worldwide injustices, with foreign aid accounting for less than 1% of the U.S. federal budget. Contrary to popular belief, Kibera’s poverty impacts the U.S. — impoverished countries are unable to afford U.S. goods and products. By investing in the development of lower-income countries, the U.S. can expand its markets and further grow the U.S. economy.
USAID’s Initiatives in Kenya
USAID has created numerous programs with tangible courses of action and projects that are currently underway. In 2022, USAID and the Government of Kenya (GOK) signed a five-year agreement to bolster education and employment opportunities for Kenya’s youth. The ultimate goal is “preparing a new generation of young African leaders with the skills and mindset to transform the region and the continent.”
The agreement discusses commitments to improve “education, youth workforce development and youth leadership programming” with a special focus on marginalized girls. USAID says “the GOK has committed to co-finance at least 15% of the total joint investments in education and youth development priorities in Kenya and East Africa.”
This partnership is creating jobs and empowering youth, working to reduce gender-related obstacles and illegal activity. Moreover, USAID’s Small Business Development Center program “strengthens the capacity” of micro, small and medium businesses (MSMEs) in Kenya and establishes “linkages to U.S. counterparts.” USAID’s actions will help some of “Kenya’s 1.5 million formally registered MSMEs and [more than] 5 million informal MSMEs.”
Looking Ahead
Poor conditions in the Kibera slum make it difficult to revitalize the economy and move closer to equality. For instance, low socioeconomic standards and an insufficient justice system elevate vulnerability to crime and marginalization. Even though those living in preferable living conditions outside of slums may feel removed from the problem, everyone’s perception and actions have an impact. Inequitable resource distribution pertains to every socioeconomic group in an unprecedentedly globalized world.
– Anna Zawistowski
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Poverty and Other Risks of the UK-Rwanda Deal
The Deal Set in Motion
The first flight to Rwanda was scheduled for June 14th. However, charities such as Care4Calais and Detention Action, along with individual asylum seekers’ lawyers, fought the flight on legal grounds, leaving only seven out of the initial 37 destined to board the plane. The Supreme Court, however, upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision to reject a motion to cancel the flight.
Before the flight could take off, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued an interim emergency measure after an Iraqi asylum seeker’s request. As the ECHR is not an EU body, the U.K. is still a member despite Brexit and must abide by the court’s decision.
The ECHR demanded that the U.K. and European courts take more time to decide whether the deportation was lawful. As per the U.K. legal system, the logic behind the measure applied to the rest of the passengers and the flight was canceled.
Human Rights Risks of the UK-Rwanda Deal
The Geneva Convention 1951’s principle of non-réfoulement states that countries must accommodate those who flee persecution and cannot displace or return them to dangerous territory. The ECHR issued the interim measure because it considered that the Iraqi asylum seeker could face a “real risk of irreversible harm” in Rwanda, BBC reports.
Countries repeatedly infringe the principle by finding ways to remove migrants from their territory into a neighboring state, imposing additional entry requirements, or refusing access altogether. But transferring asylum-seekers to a country with a severe history of violating human rights 4,000 kilometers away would set a new precedent.
The U.K. has denounced Rwanda’s human rights violations and its refusal to investigate allegations of torture and deaths in custody in the past. Moreover, in February 2021, the British High Commissioner to Rwanda advised the government against choosing Rwanda as a candidate for deporting immigrants. The High Commissioner’s memo reported that Rwanda allegedly “recruited refugees to conduct armed operations in neighboring countries” and reinstated the country’s numerous human rights violations, according to AP News.
Yet, since April, Downing Street denies any human rights risks of the U.K.-Rwanda deal, going as far as to say that the East African country is one of the “safest countries in the world.”
An internal government memo two days before the deal’s signing further explains Downing Street’s claims. The message warned that if the U.K. chose Rwanda, it would have to close a blind eye to Rwanda’s human rights violations and prepare itself to face challenges from Parliament and NGOs.
Situation in Rwanda
Although Rwanda’s GDP has been growing since 2010, the country has made little progress in reducing poverty in its rural areas – yet about 70% of Rwandans are subsistence farmers, according to BBC. Kigali saw its poverty rate decrease due to investments in the tourism industry, but extreme poverty rose in the Southern Province. Moreover, around 57% of Rwandan households face food insecurity and the pandemic exacerbated the effects of the crisis, with even more Rwandans falling into poverty.
About 150,000 refugees from other African countries currently reside in Rwanda. According to a 2019 paper on the influence of Congolese refugees on Rwandan communities, the refugees’ presence brought both direct and indirect benefits. Rwandans living closer to a refugee camp had more chances to have wage employment rather than living as subsistence farmers and females had more chances for self-employment. Hence, Rwanda’s economy can benefit from migration.
However, the deported asylum-seekers to Kigali would likely fail to integrate as the intra-region migrants did. Most refugees already living in Rwanda don’t have a job and rely on welfare, according to BBC. If the system is overwhelmed, the risks of the U.K.-Rwanda deal mean that asylum seekers and Rwandans may fall into poverty. The Rwandan government initially stated it could accommodate 1,000 migrants from the U.K. – a claim the U.N.’s refugee agency questioned – before recently admitting the country only has space for 200. Nonetheless, the government assured that it would expand its capacities, a claim that, if not upheld, jeopardizes Downing Street’s ability to reap the deal’s economic benefits.
Future of the Deal
Despite being fully aware of the humanitarian risks of the U.K.-Rwanda deal, Downing Street chose to pursue the policy. The Supreme Court’s judicial review of the policy is due in September, according to BBC. Until then, it remains to be seen whether the courts deem Rwanda a country where asylum-seekers can find refuge without violating their rights and further worsening the host country’s situation.
– Elena Sofia Massacesi
Photo: Flickr
This Mobile App Fights Hunger in Africa
What Causes Hunger in Africa?
According to the U.N., approximately 21% of people in Africa suffered from hunger in 2020. Even further, the cost of food is also on the rise, up 42% from 2016. A number of factors contribute to these troubling statistics:
Creating an Alliance
Though reducing hunger is not easy, increasing agricultural productivity in developing countries is critical to chipping away at the problem. Growth in agriculture is two to four times more effective than growth in other sectors at raising income and subsequently, reducing hunger.
Motivated by the promise of agricultural improvements serving as a counter to growing hunger rates in Africa, six agricultural-focused organizations — the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Bayer, Rabobank, Syngenta, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Yara International ASA — banded together to create the FtMA in 2016. The goal of the Alliance is to help make a sustainable agricultural sector that empowers farmers, builds strong markets and improves food security in Africa.
FtMA helps African farming families transition to commercial agriculture by leveraging the knowledge and experience of the world’s agricultural experts. In addition, FtMA looks to form local private sector partnerships that deliver a wide range of products and services to farmers.
As a result, the smallholder farmers can confidently plan, grow, store and sell their crops, maximizing the productivity and profitability of their yield.
Getting Technical
To reach as many farmers as possible, the Alliance launched the FtMA app. The app fights hunger in Africa through its many functions, including acting as a platform for ecosystem workers to offer their services, a communication tool to connect farmers, and, in the future, a method of payment to digitize transactions, according to WFP.
The FtMA app also fights hunger in Africa by providing modules for commodity aggregation, input and equipment ordering, loan applications and more currently under development. In addition, to help the farmers’ relationships with suppliers, the app keeps records of farmers’ activities and creates a credit history that financiers can use to provide loans.
The app aims to build upon the success of the Farm to Market Alliance, which has helped over 223,000 farmers since 2016, according to its website. By going digital, the app fights hunger in Africa by connecting farmers, organizing their work and, most importantly, empowering farmers as they face the difficult task of providing for those who are hungry.
– Sarah DiLuzio
Photo: Flickr
Fanning the Flames: Extreme Heat and Child Malnutrition in West Africa
About the Study
The study focused on West Africa because it is a particularly warm section of the sub-Saharan region that experiences an average maximum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius — the heat threshold after which there are effects on mortality. It looked at data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in the West African countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo between 1993 and 2014.
The DHS Program conducts household surveys to collect data from developing countries about health, nutrition and demographics. Researchers studied the nutrition of children aged 3-36 months who had been exposed to temperatures at multiple ranges, the highest of which is above 35 degrees Celsius or 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to the study, extreme heat affects child growth and nutrition in three main ways:
The study found that the prevalence of stunted growth from chronic malnutrition increased by 12% and low weight from acute malnutrition increased by 29% as a result of average heat exposure.
Beyond health impacts and higher mortality rates, chronic undernutrition can also lead to worse learning outcomes and lower incomes later on in life, which perpetuates the cycle of poverty and malnutrition.
Future Implications
Research published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science showed that extreme weather patterns are linked to increased conflicts, the spread of diseases and migration globally. While the study analyzed child nutrition and temperatures between 1993 and 2014, its findings have larger implications for the future.
Rising temperatures are affecting the African continent disproportionately. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2021 was the sixth warmest year globally, but the third warmest year for Africa. In particular, West African countries faced their highest annual temperatures on record, including the countries reviewed in the study. The region is also likely to be more prone to heat waves in the future, which can set off droughts and other extreme climate events. In addition, Africa already has a high rate of stunting at 30.7% compared to the global average of 22% as of 2020, according to the Global Nutrition Project.
The effects of extreme weather patterns on food insecurity can already be seen in the long-term drought in the Horn of Africa, where millions are food insecure and are facing malnutrition. Western Africa is also experiencing a food crisis exacerbated by multiple factors, including extreme weather events, conflict, Russia-Ukraine war-driven inflation and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This issue will not stay localized to Africa — many other regions are seeing the impacts of extreme heat. Europe experienced extreme heat waves in June and July 2022, with countries such as France breaking temperature records. Along with these heat waves come wildfires, heat-related deaths and rising food prices from decreased agricultural production, leaving many families food insecure.
Successes
The study found that in the period of analysis, interventions such as improved infrastructure and child care decreased rates of stunting by 5.8%. Programs instituted by organizations such as UNICEF, Save the Children, the World Food Programme, Actions Against Hunger and more have made a tangible impact on providing food assistance and reducing child malnutrition in the past few decades.
Countries across Africa, including Senegal, Rwanda, Cameroon and Angola, set up councils or committees in their governments to address food insecurity and malnutrition. They started initiatives encouraging breastfeeding, fortifying foods, hosting school feeding programs and using technology to spread awareness about the importance of nutrition. Malabo Montpellier Panel, an international group of agriculture and food security experts, noted that these countries saw a significant drop in stunting and undernourishment rates between 2000 and 2016.
As the current food crisis persists, President Joe Biden’s administration announced $215 million in emergency food assistance to several African nations as of May 2022. This is an important step in addressing what Secretary of State Antony Blinken called “the greatest global food security crisis of our time.”
– Ramona Mukherji
Photo: Flickr