The African nation of Sudan has faced ongoing turbulence. The country has endured violent conflict, transfers of power and severe economic turmoil. For Sudanese citizens, one current and very dangerous threat is the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sudan.
Political and Economic Challenges in Sudan
In the last 70 years, Sudan has seen two civil wars. The first lasted from 1955 to 1972 and the second began in 1983 and ended in 2005. Six years later, in 2011, Sudan split in two as a portion of the country seceded and became the independently-governed South Sudan. However, the data this article presents is not applicable to South Sudan.
Most of Sudan’s society is tribal and many citizens live in rural nomadic communities. The economy is struggling and COVID-19 has worsened these circumstances. According to the latest available data from UNICEF’s 2018-2021 Country Programme document, about 36% of the population is currently impoverished and a quarter of all Sudanese citizens live in extreme poverty.
Before 2011, oil accounted for 95% of Sudan’s exported goods, but Sudan lost all that revenue when the country split, which damaged the already fragile economy even further. When the South Sudanese civil war broke out in 2013, refugees rushed north and Sudan saw a dramatic increase in refugees. As of September 2021, Sudan hosts more than 1.1 million refugees from other countries, adding to Sudan’s strain.
The Arrival of COVID-19 in Sudan
As is the case with many low-income countries, the arrival of COVID-19 in Sudan presented significant challenges. Limited resources make it difficult to stop outbreaks. Due to minimal resources, case reporting and testing lag behind and the vaccine rollout is small-scale. As of May 1, 2022, Sudan has administered slightly more than 7 million vaccine doses, which covers slightly more than 16% of the population.
April 2019 marked then-President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir’s removal from office, and the following September, a new system of government came into place. Thus, it is unsurprising that when the pandemic began, the new government was ill-equipped to deal with it. Many health services had no choice but to shut down due to high rates of mortality and infection among employees.
After the appearance of the first COVID-19 cases in March 2020, the Sudanese government imposed a lockdown that lasted from April 2020 to July 2020, although this proved ineffective due to community resistance and insufficient law enforcement.
Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Sudan
As the second wave of COVID-19 in Sudan hit in November 2020, mortality rates began to rise among citizens of all ages. At the highest mortality point, one out of every five intensive care patients died from COVID-19.
COVID-19 also threatens Sudanese food security. A “survey of 4,032 rural and urban households across the 18 states of Sudan” from June 16, 2020, to July 5, 2020, reveals “the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.” More than 50% of people in Sudan could not access main staple foods. Many people had to change their practices regarding food and almost half of the families surveyed reported food security concerns.
Most people have not received any type of aid from the government. At the time of the survey, around two-thirds of previously employed citizens had not returned to work.
USAID Assists Sudan
Fortunately, the United States is lending a hand, and as of February 2022, USAID has donated more than 1.2 million vaccine doses and $98 million to assist Sudan with COVID-19. Aside from vaccine rollout, USAID is also assisting with food and water distribution, sanitation, COVID-19 testing, clinical management and public information efforts. USAID mission director, Mervyn Farroe, said in a statement, “USAID/Sudan is committed to building back a better world, one that is better prepared to prevent, detect and respond to future biological threats, and where all people can live safe, prosperous and healthy lives.”
Overall, the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sudan has been hard-hitting. The country has endured significant stress for decades and recent political events compound issues and place grave strain on the economy. With more than a million refugees, a quarter of the population in extreme poverty and continuing impacts from the secession, COVID-19 in Sudan is the latest in a long list of reasons why Sudan is in dire need of international aid.
– Mia Sharpe
Photo: Flickr
Improving Mental Health in Vietnam
Increased stress levels over shortages of food, medical supplies and long periods of isolation have been rising due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to an August 2021 pandemic impact survey in Vietnam, 62% of surveyed people reported losing their jobs. Reduced work hours and online homeschooling have a significant impact on mental health in Vietnam.
History of Mental Health in Vietnam
Mental health in Vietnam carries a high level of stigma and taboo. In the Vietnamese culture, many believe that mental health is a misfortune. “Benh tam than” is the phrase that people use for mental illness in Vietnamese society and actually means madness or severe psychiatric disorder. Furthermore, psychiatrists in Vietnam are called “Bac si tam than,” which means “doctors who treat madness.”
This use of words shows that mental health carries a stigma — society considers individuals suffering from mental illness as “wild, unpredictable and dangerous people ” who are “daien” and “khung,” which translates to “crazy” and “nuts.” This stigma reflects the biases toward mental health in Vietnam and makes people suffering from mental health issues in Vietnam reluctant to seek help.
Vietnamese society often believes that negative circumstances, including illnesses, serve as punishments for previous sins. Many also believe that “angry ancestral spirits” possess people suffering from mental illness. Families often feel shame when a member of the family struggles with mental illness.
Statistics
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 100 million people suffer from mental health issues in the Western Pacific Region. In 2014, Vietnam noted 10 common mental disorders in the nation with prevalence rates between 4.2% and 2.45%, according to National Mental Hospital. Veterans who served in the war are most likely to have a higher rate of mental health issues, specifically post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A 2018 article says government data indicates that around “15% of the population requires mental health care services.” However, independent research suggests that the rate is 20% to 30% of the population. To prevent and cure mental illnesses, mental health needs more attention within the public health area in Vietnam.
Some of the top mental health problems throughout communities in Vietnam are anxiety, depression and alcoholism. More severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, are also present in Vietnam, according to We Bloom.
We Bloom
We Bloom is a nonprofit organization based in Indianapolis, Indiana, that understands that communities can grow and develop with access to essential resources and services to address their particular needs. Before starting its adventure in Vietnam, the co-founders of We Bloom, Kevin Espirito and Beth Kreitl, worked with many NGOs in the U.S. Its goal is to support communities in Vietnam with training, networks and fundraising in the areas of public health and education.
When it comes to addressing mental health, We Bloom has three focus areas: prioritizing high-risk populations, “training and developing professionals” and implementing a national awareness campaign.
In order to improve mental health in Vietnam, We Bloom is implementing a community-based mental health project to train professionals in diagnosing mental conditions and providing counseling to patients. To improve the mental health of children, We Bloom is implementing a school-based counseling strategy.
In March 2020, the organization launched a COVID-19 Vietnam Response project raising more than $15,000 for the people affected most by the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2021, We Bloom officially received its license to work in Vietnam and is hoping to launch more projects in 2022.
Vietnam’s mental health system is still evolving. With the help of current NGOs recognizing the need for change, people struggling with mental health issues in Vietnam will receive better support and resources.
– Alexis King
Photo: Unsplash
The Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Sudan
The African nation of Sudan has faced ongoing turbulence. The country has endured violent conflict, transfers of power and severe economic turmoil. For Sudanese citizens, one current and very dangerous threat is the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sudan.
Political and Economic Challenges in Sudan
In the last 70 years, Sudan has seen two civil wars. The first lasted from 1955 to 1972 and the second began in 1983 and ended in 2005. Six years later, in 2011, Sudan split in two as a portion of the country seceded and became the independently-governed South Sudan. However, the data this article presents is not applicable to South Sudan.
Most of Sudan’s society is tribal and many citizens live in rural nomadic communities. The economy is struggling and COVID-19 has worsened these circumstances. According to the latest available data from UNICEF’s 2018-2021 Country Programme document, about 36% of the population is currently impoverished and a quarter of all Sudanese citizens live in extreme poverty.
Before 2011, oil accounted for 95% of Sudan’s exported goods, but Sudan lost all that revenue when the country split, which damaged the already fragile economy even further. When the South Sudanese civil war broke out in 2013, refugees rushed north and Sudan saw a dramatic increase in refugees. As of September 2021, Sudan hosts more than 1.1 million refugees from other countries, adding to Sudan’s strain.
The Arrival of COVID-19 in Sudan
As is the case with many low-income countries, the arrival of COVID-19 in Sudan presented significant challenges. Limited resources make it difficult to stop outbreaks. Due to minimal resources, case reporting and testing lag behind and the vaccine rollout is small-scale. As of May 1, 2022, Sudan has administered slightly more than 7 million vaccine doses, which covers slightly more than 16% of the population.
April 2019 marked then-President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir’s removal from office, and the following September, a new system of government came into place. Thus, it is unsurprising that when the pandemic began, the new government was ill-equipped to deal with it. Many health services had no choice but to shut down due to high rates of mortality and infection among employees.
After the appearance of the first COVID-19 cases in March 2020, the Sudanese government imposed a lockdown that lasted from April 2020 to July 2020, although this proved ineffective due to community resistance and insufficient law enforcement.
Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Sudan
As the second wave of COVID-19 in Sudan hit in November 2020, mortality rates began to rise among citizens of all ages. At the highest mortality point, one out of every five intensive care patients died from COVID-19.
COVID-19 also threatens Sudanese food security. A “survey of 4,032 rural and urban households across the 18 states of Sudan” from June 16, 2020, to July 5, 2020, reveals “the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.” More than 50% of people in Sudan could not access main staple foods. Many people had to change their practices regarding food and almost half of the families surveyed reported food security concerns.
Most people have not received any type of aid from the government. At the time of the survey, around two-thirds of previously employed citizens had not returned to work.
USAID Assists Sudan
Fortunately, the United States is lending a hand, and as of February 2022, USAID has donated more than 1.2 million vaccine doses and $98 million to assist Sudan with COVID-19. Aside from vaccine rollout, USAID is also assisting with food and water distribution, sanitation, COVID-19 testing, clinical management and public information efforts. USAID mission director, Mervyn Farroe, said in a statement, “USAID/Sudan is committed to building back a better world, one that is better prepared to prevent, detect and respond to future biological threats, and where all people can live safe, prosperous and healthy lives.”
Overall, the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sudan has been hard-hitting. The country has endured significant stress for decades and recent political events compound issues and place grave strain on the economy. With more than a million refugees, a quarter of the population in extreme poverty and continuing impacts from the secession, COVID-19 in Sudan is the latest in a long list of reasons why Sudan is in dire need of international aid.
– Mia Sharpe
Photo: Flickr
Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in the UK
Like other countries around the world, the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in the U.K. was substantial. The country witnessed its largest drop in GDP ever recorded during the second quarter of 2020 at a decrease of 20.4%. Comparatively, it was not quite as severe as the 31.7% drop in U.S. GDP during the same quarter, yet still larger than the 7.3% decline in GDP that occurred in India.
COVID-19 Response
The implementation of lockdowns essentially brought the economy to a halt. This means both less production and less consumption as citizens’ livelihoods suddenly changed. As a countermeasure to the subsequent decrease in GDP, the U.K. government was very liberal in its financial aid toward its citizens, corporations and national health care. Financial aid programs that the government implemented aimed to protect businesses and workers in hopes of avoiding massive closures and unemployment. These programs were especially important to keep those in lower-income brackets afloat financially as citizens relied heavily on work to support themselves and their families. A core strategy of the U.K. government was to focus aid allocation toward businesses so they could continue to support their employees who were reliant on work in an effort to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in the U.K. as much as possible.
Rising Inflation and Increased Interest Rates
These programs helped ease the economic burden on its population, yet now the government must come to terms with rising inflation as a result of increased borrowing and reduced interest rates. The Bank of England reduced interest rates to 0.1% at the beginning of the pandemic to increase borrowing ability. At the end of 2021, The Bank of England finally raised interest rates once again and has steadily increased the rates in the months since.
Tackling inflation is now the primary focus of the U.K. The British pound has followed the trend of other global reserve currencies with a steep increase in inflation. Like the U.S. dollar, the British pound has severely devalued after the decreasing of interest rates by the Bank of England as a response to the unprecedented economic constraints that the COVID-19 pandemic caused. Differently, though, the U.K. government was much more proactive in its raising of interest rates compared to the U.S. government which only in April 2022 implemented rate hikes for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic in April 2022.
Current State of Poverty in the UK
According to the Parliament’s Commons Library, as of 2021 approximately one in five people in the U.K. are in the relative low-income bracket after accounting for housing costs. This proportion has remained relatively steady pre-pandemic up until now, yet it could increase in the coming years.
During August 2021 which was the first month without comprehensive COVID-19 restrictions in the U.K., its economy saw an increase in GDP of 0.4%. This is substantial yet still not large enough to suggest a comeback/recovery. Perhaps the most noticeable impact of COVID-19 on poverty in the U.K. has been in the cost of living. Ninety-one percent of U.K. adults surveyed in April 2022 noted there has been a noticeable increase in the cost of living within the country. This increase has taken place predominantly across the food and energy sectors. In addition to inflation, this increase in the cost of living can also be due to supply constraints that have been a consequence of the war in Ukraine.
The business-friendly fiscal policies of the U.K. government initially worked but the financial toll of the pandemic has since led to many businesses failing, with the beginning of 2022 witnessing the most business closures in the U.K. since 2017. The retail sector has so far seen the largest number of failed businesses after said supply chain constraints hit them hard.
While many U.K. citizens have found themselves in a tougher financial situation, they should expect to see a short-term increase in the cost of living as the global economy continues its recovery from the pandemic while remaining optimistic about the government’s willingness to raise interest rates to counter rising inflation.
– Devin Welsh
Photo: Flickr
Higher Education in Zimbabwe
In 2020, the population in Zimbabwe numbered 14.9 million people. According to education statistics from 2018, 50,699 female students and 43,432 male students enrolled in higher education in Zimbabwe. More female students enroll overall, particularly in universities specializing in the arts, education and social studies. However, male students do outnumber female students in universities that offer exceptional training in science and technology.
Building National Education Reform
Higher education in Zimbabwe plays a significant role in the social, economic and political context of the country. Citizens have long since demanded public-private cooperation from their government in providing higher education. In 1980, Zimbabwe’s new self-government declared national education reform. Since then, the government’s focus has been to provide free and equal education and educational resources. As a result, the number of students in secondary education increases exponentially each following year. The increased number of students attending higher education in Zimbabwe also heightened the need for more teachers. Now, Zimbabwe is home to numerous universities. Of these, the top two are the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the National University of Science and Technology (NUST).
Top Universities
The University of Zimbabwe is the oldest university in the country, offering diplomas and certificates in various studies. Located in Harare, it has awarded degrees to more than 75,000 graduates since 1955. Since the foundation stone was first laid on Mount Pleasant and donated land launched the building of the college farm, UZ ranked as an independent institution of higher education and research. Many industries seek out UZ graduates including commerce, government, engineering, veterinary science and more.
The National University of Science and Technology is the second oldest and largest university in Zimbabwe, following UZ. In 1991, the higher education school was a nonprofit public school located in Bulawayo with an enrollment of 270 full-time students. Now sporting some 9,000 students, it offers programs that lead to recognized higher degrees such as bachelor’s, master and doctorate degrees in many areas of study. Specifically, NUST offers specialization in the tools for teaching, research and navigating the industries of sciences and technology.
COVID-19, Education and WhatsApp
Although higher education in Zimbabwe has advanced tremendously over the years, COVID-19 slowed the process down. To save the school year, teachers at a university in Zimbabwe had to come up with a solution to be still able to teach their students. That solution was through WhatsApp. Students use WhatsApp to communicate with their teachers effectively and see lectures during these unexpected times. WhatsApp is a simple solution that was easy to connect the students with and did not hurt anyone financially. WhatsApp has now been an adaption to the postgraduate program.
A Shining Example
Though it has not been easy, Zimbabwe’s path to higher education serves as an inspirational example for nations worldwide. From working towards universal primary education in the 1980s to turning out top university graduates in the 2020s, Zimbabwe serves its population well by offering clear paths to higher education.
– Alexis King
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Using Trash in Ghana to Reduce Poverty
According to the World Bank in 2016, Ghana’s labor force participation rate stood at 76.7%. However, of the 76.7.% of people employed in Ghana, only 26.8% made up wage or salary workers in the same year. In 2021, Ghana’s population stood at approximately 31 million people, but only 13,701 people participated in the labor force. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), in 2021, Ghana produced 1.1 million tons of plastic and just 5% is gathered for recycling. This sparks questions regarding where the remaining amount of trash ends up. For many impoverished people in Ghana, collecting trash is a means of survival. It can create a sustainable income to provide for Ghanaian families. Two organizations are working toward reducing trash in Ghana while providing support or employment.
The Urgency of Employment Opportunities
According to Trading Economics, Ghana noted an unemployment rate of 4.1% in 2019, rising by 0.4% by December 2020.
In 2019, the Ghana Living Standards Survey 7 reported that approximately 2.4 million people, 15 years and older, which represents 21.4% of the employed population, face underemployment. Furthermore, in 2019, the average monthly income of employed Ghanaians stood at GH₵972, which equated to about $128.41 as of May 2022.
For people living in poverty in Ghana, employment is crucial. Collecting trash in Ghana serves as a job opportunity that can allow families to become more financially stable. Two organizations in Ghana offer either income or support to those interested in helping to create a more sustainable version of Ghana, giving them opportunities to rise out of poverty.
Global Alliance of Waste Pickers
In 2005, in the City of São Leopoldo, Brazil, Lucía Fernández, the global wastepicker program coordinator at Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), “had the opportunity to help gather a few leaders of waste pickers’ organizations from four Latin American countries.” This led to the eventual establishment of a network, the Global Alliance of Wastepickers, in 2009. After many years, the organization has spread globally and now serves more than 31 countries, including Ghana.
Its mission includes:
Currently, three waste picker groups in Ghana are part of the Global Alliance of Waste Pickers. For many Ghanaians, collecting trash is a source of income, which provides them with stable jobs and the ability to provide for their families.
Trashy Bags Africa
In 2007, Stuart Gold, a British entrepreneur visited Accra, Ghana. He witnessed the streets overflowing with plastic sachet bags. These sachet bags allow Ghanaians to drink clean water but leave the roads littered with plastic. Gold saw an opportunity to clean up the trash in Ghana while providing jobs. This gave birth to Trashy Bags Africa.
The Trashy Bags Africa website explains that “Each month nearly 200,000 plastic sachets are collected by a network of commercial enterprises, each obtaining an income from their efforts, now giving value to waste.” The sachet bags are then recycled and turned into various items such as reusable bags, pencil pouches and laptop covers.
Since Trashy Bags Africa began in 2007, it has gathered 15 million plastic sachet bags. Without the help of many Ghanaians, this would have been an impossible feat. Trashy Bags Africa has several goals, such as creating employment through sachet collections, washing of sachets and stitching the sachets into new items.
Trashy Bags Africa even offers to pay Ghanaians to turn in used sachet bags for recycling. A CNN article says that, in 2010, Ghanaians could receive 20 cents for each kilogram of water sachets. As of 2010, Trashy Bags Africa had 60 employees and 100 sachet collectors. “For lots of people collecting sachets is their whole livelihood,” said Gold to CNN.
Thanks to the work of several organizations, impoverished Ghanaian waste pickers are able to make a living, gain recognition and receive support in conducting their activities.
– Kaley Anderson
Photo: Flickr
Human Trafficking in Kosovo
Human trafficking in Kosovo has been a focal point of the fight against human trafficking. The main victims within the nation are young girls who traffickers force to work in the sex trade. While this problem still persists, the government is making active efforts to lessen the prevalence of the issue.
The Causes of Kosovo’s Trafficking Epidemic
Ethnic tensions between Serbians and Albanians residing in Kosovo have worked to increase human trafficking in the nation. Speculations determined that peace-keeping forces placed in Kosovo to prevent the two groups from clashing led to a large demand for sex workers. Trafficking rose to meet the demand. Before Kosovo’s official declaration of independence in 2008, young girls, who were trafficking victims, came from neighboring countries. However, independence meant more secure borders. As a result, the traffickers looked inward, targeting young Kosovan girls.
Human trafficking in Kosovo is undoubtedly a profitable business. It is estimated that a female forced into sexual exploitation in Western Europe can create around $67,200 in profit for her captors. Such a profitable industry is not one that many criminals or corrupt officials can ignore. GlobalPost found that Kosovan government officials were profiting from or taking part in the sexual aspect of trafficking in the past, but they never faced any charges.
Fight Against Human Trafficking
According to the U.S. Department of State, Kosovo qualifies as a Tier 2 country, meaning that while it does not meet every standard set for eliminating human trafficking, it is making a solid effort. These efforts include implementing new standard operating procedures, meant to increase prosecution efficiency. The government of Kosovo also dedicated more funds and resources to helping victims of human trafficking. A big part of this was the opening of state-run shelters for these victims.
These new measures are a massive improvement from a government that GlobalPost said is profiting off of the human trafficking industry in the nation. However, the problem is far from disappearing. Despite the high rates of human trafficking in Kosovo, very few traffickers face convictions. Kosovo’s Criminal Code sentences convicted traffickers to five to 12 years in prison. Of those convicted, most only serve between seven and 18 months, according to ONETrack International.
Next Steps
A report that the Council of Europe’s anti-trafficking group, GRETA, published, outlined improvements that Kosovo could make to lessen the prevalence of human trafficking in the nation. GRETA stresses the importance of ensuring the prioritization of trafficking cases in Kosovo’s judicial system. As well as this, GRETA emphasizes identifying victims of human trafficking, specifically child trafficking. A large portion of the trafficking victims in Kosovo are actually from Albania. Partly because of ethnic tensions, the country often deports these children back to their home country before making proper identification, greatly lessening the chance of catching the perpetrator of the crime.
The U.S. Department of State has also outlined recommendations to reduce human trafficking in Kosovo. It again emphasized prosecution and sentencing, with higher conviction rates and longer sentences as key points of discussion. Another measure Kosovo should take into account is the training of judiciary officials in each region so they can properly manage cases of human trafficking. It is unclear if Kosovo plans to implement any of these recommendations, but given the recent successes of the victim shelters and regionally assigned officials, some optimism remains.
– Thomas Schneider
Photo: Flickr
Diseases in Puerto Rico
Chronic diseases in Puerto Rico have been on the rise in recent years. According to the Puerto Rico Report, more than half of the deaths reported on the island are due to chronic diseases. In 2010, 57% of deaths were due to heart disease, diabetes, cancer and strokes. The Puerto Rican Report also said more than one-third of Puerto Ricans have diabetes, more than 18% have arthritis and 17% have reported asthma throughout their adulthood.
Poverty and Chronic Diseases
Puerto Rico Report stated in an article that poverty has a connection with the increase of chronic diseases as households with an income of around $15,000 per year or less have higher chances of developing a chronic disease. Chronic diseases result in disabilities that can deteriorate the workforce and exacerbate the health care system. The CDC stated that 21% of Puerto Ricans have reported having serious mobility restrictions.
A study that the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health published stated that, compared to the general mainland population in the United States, chronic disease occurrence levels and mortality rates are higher for the people living in Puerto Rico. Around 44.3% of individuals who reported food insecurity in the study also reported that they perceived their health to be average or poor. The study also found that as of 2020, 5,000 doctors had left the island to work in the United States for economic reasons leaving the island, marking a 36% decline in medical staff on the island. Health care services in Puerto Rico currently face the risk of funding reduction in the Medicaid program that could lead to 1.5 million people losing health care coverage.
Financial Burdens
The Puerto Rico Report stated that citizens of the island are currently not eligible for Supplemental Security Income due to its status as a colony. The rising cost of pharmaceutical medicines and treatments has left the high levels of chronic disease to increase the financial burdens on the island. More than half of Puerto Rican residents are eligible for Medicaid. However, they do not receive enough funding to cover the cost of their disease’s treatment.
Solutions
In 2014, the Puerto Rican government released the “Puerto Rico Chronic Disease Action Plan” that focuses on collecting data, chronic disease self-management education, intervention plans within communities and increasing access to nutritious food and physical activity. The plan could strengthen the health care system on the island while increasing the economic position of Puerto Rico as the government looks to build medical manufacturing on the island to increase profit and medications. The plan is also looking to increase a clinical trial network within the island and develop local primary health.
The Puerto Rican government developed the model from the chronic model that the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) created and implemented in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. This model has reduced hospitalization rates due to diabetes, hypertension and other chronic conditions. It has also decreased the economic strain of the health care system in the different countries. “The model has six components: organization of care, community engagement, support for self-management, clinical information systems, design of service delivery systems, and support for clinical decisions,” PAHO stated.
The government has yet to release any update on the progress of the model due to the pandemic drawing attention away from the increasing risk of chronic diseases on the island. Chronic illnesses still present a big risk factor on the island from both the economic and health care perspective. However, many of the education sections of the model have increased health awareness on the island. As the island begins to move away from the COVID-19 pandemic hope increases for an increase in resources for chronic illness treatment.
– Nuria Diaz
Photo: Flickr
5 Facts about the World’s Unbanked Population
In 2017, the World Bank reported 1.7 billion “unbanked” adults, meaning these individuals did not have “an account at a financial institution or through a mobile money provider.” Although there remain unbanked individuals in developed countries, most of the unbanked population lives in developing countries. Furthermore, there is a strong link between lacking financial inclusion and living in poverty.
In 2020, the Inclusion Foundation discovered that in the United Kingdom, being unbanked leads to costs of up to £500 annually as these individuals “miss out on discounts reserved for those who pay bills by direct debit.” Additionally, the financial services that institutions offer, such as tools for saving, insurance and credit, are important instruments that help people rise out of poverty and advance financially.
5 Facts About the World’s Unbanked Population
Looking Ahead
While for many, banking services seem readily accessible and almost a fact of life, for others, the inability to access such services stunts their growth opportunities. By increasing financial inclusion, institutions can help people help themselves.
– Rachael So
Photo: Unsplash
COVID-19’s Impact on Romania
Romania is one of the most impoverished countries in the European Union. As of 2018, the country had the highest poverty rate in the union, with more than a quarter of the population living on less than $5.50 per day. Poverty has a high concentration in Romania’s rural areas, which contain most of the poverty-stricken population. The COVID-19 pandemic reached Romania relatively late compared to the rest of the European Union. The country identified its first case on February 26, 2020. COVID-19’s impact on Romania was mostly negative, lowering life expectancy and highlighting health care and medical supply disparities. A COVID-19 vaccine campaign began swiftly in Romania, yet momentum was not consistent. Lack of infrastructure for proper vaccine distribution and widespread vaccine misinformation have slowed vaccination rates. As of May 2022, around 43% of the country is fully vaccinated, the second-lowest amount among EU countries.
Government Response
At the pandemic’s start, the Romanian government promptly took measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 16, 2020, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis declared a state of emergency and on March 25, the government announced a lockdown. Nearly a month later, on April 14, Romanian authorities extended a 30-day lockdown that lasted until May 14. These actions did not come without backlash – a Romanian citizen even presented a case in protest of the 30-day lockdown to the European Court of Human Rights.
The Romanian government quickly put in motion Romania’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy. According to OECD, the campaign showed priority toward medical workers, putting high-risk members of the population second. The military and certain intelligence services, including the Special Transmission Service, stepped in to help distribute the vaccine.
Vaccination rates started strong. According to Euronews, Romania was among the top three European countries with the highest rates at the beginning of 2021 but fell from grace as numbers began to decline in March of the same year. Vaccine misinformation ran rampant and discouraged citizens from receiving any doses, Euronews reports. The rural areas of Romania lack infrastructure; social services, employment opportunities and health care are hard to find. Due to this, the majority of Romania’s poor are unvaccinated. In response, the European Commission joined Romania in the communication of the vaccination campaign: 40-second videos and 20-second radio ads promoting the vaccine were played on television and radio stations, respectively.
Impact on Health Care System
Battling the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed flaws in the Romanian health care system and led to innovation. The Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance Fund entirely pay unconditional coverage for COVID-19, according to OECD. Still, not every Romanian citizen has equal access to COVID-19 care. Rural areas are lacking not only health but also general infrastructure and have difficulty benefitting from Ministry of Health actions.
A positive side of COVID-19’s impact on Romania is the creation of multiple online systems to manage health information, which gives more people access to their health data, OECD reported. Additionally, the Romanian government used the European Union’s digital COVID certificate, which is used nationwide to certify whether an individual has been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from COVID-19.
Again, these benefits of COVID-19’s impact are more present in urban areas of Romania, as around 73% of Romania’s rural areas have access to the internet, while the rate is 87% in urban areas.
Businesses and Workers
Similar to the Ministry of Health, the Romanian government was proactive in enacting policies to support small businesses and workers during the pandemic. It ensured that the financial status of the employer does not affect the employees’ wages, including multiple workplace health and safety measures. The government also released €1 billion in EU grants to benefit Romanian businesses that the pandemic impacted and extended the technical unemployment period from 30 days to a 90-day minimum.
Regardless of the measures that the government enacted, the pandemic caused an increase in unemployment. Business and working families in rural areas of Romania suffered significantly. In Galați County, registered unemployment rose from 10,414 in 2020 to 11,856 in 2021.
Although COVID-19’s impact on Romania took a significant toll on the country, especially its poor, it led to several instances of innovation and swift, beneficial government response.
– Sophie Buibas
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Domestic Violence and Poverty: A Nuanced Relationship
There are many costs associated with inaction regarding the issue of domestic violence. One must highlight the intersection of domestic violence and poverty to begin successfully addressing these issues. Furthermore, one must note that poverty does not cause domestic violence. However, domestic violence can contribute to higher rates of poverty among survivors due to the fact that it exacerbates the economic instability of those experiencing abuse by reducing rates of employment and personal and national economic prosperity.
In addition, poverty can restrict the individual’s ability to leave their abuser due to a lack of available resources and financial independence. This intersection thus perpetuates a cycle of poverty for those experiencing violence. In Ghana, domestic violence led to a 4.5% reduction in the female workforce in 2019. Similarly, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Vietnam saw a 3% drop attributed to the “costs of accessing services, missed work and lowered productivity” of those experiencing abuse.
Economic Impact
Globally, about 27% of women aged 15-49, or more than one in four, experience domestic violence. Because of this, the impacts of domestic abuse on national economies are significant. These include:
Therefore, intervention methods that attempt to reduce the rates of global poverty must account for domestic violence as a significant contributor to the issue. As the United Nations stated, “This evidence enables an understanding of how domestic violence undermines households’ economic security and quality of life while limiting the effectiveness of programs to improve the well-being and capabilities of communities across low and middle-income countries.”
Solutions
It is important to consider the nuances of poverty when addressing domestic violence. Legislation or policies that support survivors in their transition from abusive situations can aid in reducing the economic instability of these individuals, and thus, reduce levels of poverty among survivors. This includes housing and employment assistance.
The root causes of the issue must stand at the forefront of policies in order to provide more resources for individuals to leave their abusers.
Passing legislation that “holds assailants accountable” through policies and services that empower survivors to report abuse, along with improved “criminal justice and law enforcement training,” can decrease rates of global domestic violence, and thus, poverty.
Organizations Addressing Domestic Violence and Poverty
There are many organizations that are working to reduce the rates of global domestic violence and poverty. Alliance for HOPE International provides resources, training and trauma support to survivors of “domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse and human trafficking” to dismantle the cycle of abuse across the world.
The organization is active in 25 countries, establishing family justice and multi-agency centers that aggregate survivor resources in one place for easy access. The organization does advocacy work and provides mental health resources as well as medical and legal services.
The Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS) is also working to reduce global domestic violence by acting as a voice for women and children of abuse on the international stage. This organization supports the establishment and accessibility of women’s shelters across the world while also promoting social change and policies that aim to reduce violence.
A significant aspect of its mission is networking. GNWS connects various shelters with one another to strengthen and improve their response to survivors, sharing new techniques and anticipating behaviors of abuse. The organization’s purpose is “to unite the women’s shelter movement globally to end violence against women and their children.”
Looking Ahead
Reducing rates of global domestic violence can help to reduce global poverty by empowering survivors in their ability to transition out of abusive situations. The intersection of domestic violence and poverty works as a barrier that entraps individuals in abuse and contributes to less positive outcomes for survivors when leaving their abusers. Therefore, by supporting policies and legislation that provides resources and direct support to survivors and holds assailants accountable, the world can address the cycle of poverty that survivors often experience.
– Kimberly Calugaru
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