The World Food Programme (WFP) implements cash and food assistance programs that give individuals at risk of falling into poverty money and food to support themselves. The WFP’s cash and food assistance programs’ main goals are to reduce poverty, alleviate food insecurity and boost economic development.
Assisting the DRC
A successful example is the WFP’s cash assistance program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where 26 million people are at risk of facing acute hunger as of May 2022. An article published on May 17, 2022, states that the WFP considers the DRC its “biggest emergency” because conflict and the pandemic compound the nation’s circumstances of poverty.
Benefiting about 100,000 of the most impoverished people in the N’sele municipality, the WFP’s social protection and cash assistance program has occurred in partnership with UNICEF. The cash assistance equates to about $40 a month for beneficiaries to sustain their livelihoods and afford food, which became expensive as a result of the Ukraine-Russia war.
Community members attest that the cash assistance program in the DRC has helped improve the lives of many people. The WFP’s recent success with the cash assistance program in the DRC stands as proof that continuous international financial support for the WFP is necessary to help the developing world tackle poverty.
In recent years, the WFP has been experiencing “funding shortfalls” due to the pandemic’s impact on member states’ abilities to donate. This negatively affected WFP’s ability to reduce poverty further in developing or war-torn countries around the world. Thus, increased financial contribution to the WFP can lead to economic recovery in developing countries.
How Funding Shortfalls are Impacting WFP’s Goals
Although the reduced funding negatively impacted WFP’s cash and food assistance programs, it hurt refugees and vulnerable communities more. For example, in 2021, the WFP had to consider cutting down on food rations for refugees in Cameroon as a result of insufficient funding, potentially impacting 70,000 Nigerians and 100,000 Central African Republic refugees.
In Jordan, the WFP could no longer provide food aid to about 263,000 Syrian refugees by the close of August 2021. In Tanzania, the WFP’s refugee support program had to implement “ration cuts of up to 32[%] of the minimum calorie requirement since December 2020” due to funding inadequacies.
This highlights the necessity of continued funding of the WFP to help developing countries reduce poverty and boost their economies.
WFP Tackles Poverty Despite Funding Issues
Despite its recent financial setbacks, the WFP is still the world leader in tackling food insecurity and poverty. Ukraine stood as the breadbasket of the world until the Russian invasion in February 2022, prompting a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
However, the WFP’s cash and food assistance programs managed to mitigate the impacts of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. For example, in May 2022, the WFP managed to give 1 million Ukrainians cash to support themselves amid the crisis and “injected nearly US$74 million into the Ukrainian economy.” Furthermore, the WFP is delivering essential foods, such as rice and pasta, to approximately 420,000 people a month.
Countries Financially Supporting the WFP
There are still countries around the world that acknowledge the crucial role of the WFP’s cash and food assistance programs in reducing poverty. On May 19, 2022, the United States Congress passed H.R. 7691, which authorizes the government to spend $5 million on humanitarian assistance in Ukraine. This funding authorization will help the WFP “provide life-saving assistance to millions of people around the world.”
On May 30, 2022, the European Union donated €5 million to the WFP so it can deliver food to 1.6 million food-insecure individuals in Burkina Faso.
Looking Ahead
The World Food Programme still stands as the leading global humanitarian organization that saves millions of lives daily, which is why it won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. However, the WFP still needs continuous international support through increased financial contributions from the international community.
Global citizens and anti-poverty advocates must continue to push their governments and representatives to donate more to the WFP to address the impacts of funding shortfalls on the world’s most disadvantaged people.
– Abdullah Dowaihy
Photo: Flickr
How the Batonga Foundation is Empowering Women
Angélique Kidjo is an African singer. She was born on July 14, 1960, in the city of Ouidah, in what is now Benin. Kidjo sings in many different music styles (Afropop, jazz, gospel, Latin, etc.) and languages, as she is fluent in five. She has received many musical accolades, including four Grammy awards. Kidjo began her activist career in 2002 when she became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She founded the Batonga Foundation in 2006, which focuses on empowering women in Benin and surrounding countries.
Women’s Education and Rights in Benin
Benin is a francophone country located in West Africa. The country gained independence from France in 1975, when its name changed from Dahomey to the People’s Republic of Benin. As of 2020, Benin had a population of approximately 12 million. Beninese people speak an estimated 68 languages with the most common ones being French, Fon, Yom and Yoruba.
Benin’s economy relies mainly on agriculture and trade with Nigeria. It grew by approximately 6.6% in 2021 according to the World Bank. In 2019, Benin’s poverty rate was 38.5%, an 11% drop from 2015.
Beninese women meet obstacles including poverty, familial expectations and forced marriages early in their life stopping them from progressing educationally. Kidjo’s Batonga Foundation highlights that uneducated young women end up married before turning 18. Although the literacy rate among Beninese youth has risen in recent years, in 2018 among individuals ages 15 to 24, males had a 69.76% literacy rate and females had a 51.94% rate. Additionally, young women have often been pushed away from education due to long, inflexible hours unrelenting to girls expected to do housework often. Teachers are mainly male and perpetuate gender stereotypes in their classrooms.
Batonga Foundation
Kidjo founded the Batonga Foundation in 2006, alongside Mary Louise Cohen and John Philips, with the aim of empowering young African women. The foundation is named after her 1991 song, “Batonga.” Kidjo has always been an avid gender equality advocate and recognized the potential of her continent. Growing up, she saw her peers not pursue higher education and work low-income jobs, which is one of several factors that inspired Kidjo to found the project.
Kidjo’s Batonga Foundation primarily supports and invests in secondary and higher education for girls in Benin in multiple ways. Some examples are granting scholarships, building secondary schools and providing mentoring programs.
Among the Batonga Foundation’s goals is empowering young women economically. Young Women Business Circles connect female entrepreneurs ages 18 to 30 with access to a trained business expert, a mentor and 20 to 25 peers. The women receive business and financial literacy help and small business seed funding.
Additionally, the Batonga Foundation hosts 126 Leadership Clubs. The clubs are safe spaces for adolescent girls to meet with peers and gain access to an older female mentor. Mentors at these clubs teach the girls about reproductive health, financial literacy, economic independence and leadership.
Batonga Foundation Accomplishments
In the 16 years and counting that the Batonga Foundation has been in action, it has achieved a significant amount.
Kidjo’s foundation has supported more than 3,000 young women and girls, reaching 15 rural communities. There are 50 Young Women Leadership Clubs, 55 Batonga mentors and 126 Leadership Clubs. Through her hard work in activism and frequent trips to Africa, Kidjo has supported thousands of young women on the path to independence and success.
– Sophie Buibas
Photo: Flickr
Health Care in Mauritius
Mauritius, an African island nation in the Indian Ocean, had been an agrarian society with high unemployment rates and low per capita GDP for much of its history as an independent nation. However, in recent years, the country has shifted to having a diversified economy, high employment rates and higher life expectancy. Mauritius reached a per capita GDP of around $11,000 in 2018, and in 2020, achieved an all-time-high employment rate of 93.63%. In an April 2020 Poverty and Equity Brief, the World Bank highlights that Mauritius has eradicated extreme poverty. Along with these milestones, health care in Mauritius has also shown tremendous progress as the main cause of mortality shifted from infectious diseases to degenerative diseases, signaling the advancement of health care technology and policies.
5 Facts About Health Care in Mauritius
Looking Ahead
At the onset of the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) placed Mauritius among the African nations at significant “risk of a public health disaster” due to its dense population, a high proportion of elderly citizens and high rate of chronic illnesses. However, Mauritius’ progress and commitment to protecting the health and wellness of its citizens proved to be key in combating COVID-19 as Mauritius emerged as one of the few coronavirus-free places on Earth. Mauritius avoided WHO’s prediction by immediately implementing public health safety measures such as lockdowns, mass testing and contact tracing.
With continued progress in the health care arena, Mauritius stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration to post-colonial countries that progress is possible.
– Samyukta Gaddam
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
WFP’s Cash and Food Assistance Programs
The World Food Programme (WFP) implements cash and food assistance programs that give individuals at risk of falling into poverty money and food to support themselves. The WFP’s cash and food assistance programs’ main goals are to reduce poverty, alleviate food insecurity and boost economic development.
Assisting the DRC
A successful example is the WFP’s cash assistance program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where 26 million people are at risk of facing acute hunger as of May 2022. An article published on May 17, 2022, states that the WFP considers the DRC its “biggest emergency” because conflict and the pandemic compound the nation’s circumstances of poverty.
Benefiting about 100,000 of the most impoverished people in the N’sele municipality, the WFP’s social protection and cash assistance program has occurred in partnership with UNICEF. The cash assistance equates to about $40 a month for beneficiaries to sustain their livelihoods and afford food, which became expensive as a result of the Ukraine-Russia war.
Community members attest that the cash assistance program in the DRC has helped improve the lives of many people. The WFP’s recent success with the cash assistance program in the DRC stands as proof that continuous international financial support for the WFP is necessary to help the developing world tackle poverty.
In recent years, the WFP has been experiencing “funding shortfalls” due to the pandemic’s impact on member states’ abilities to donate. This negatively affected WFP’s ability to reduce poverty further in developing or war-torn countries around the world. Thus, increased financial contribution to the WFP can lead to economic recovery in developing countries.
How Funding Shortfalls are Impacting WFP’s Goals
Although the reduced funding negatively impacted WFP’s cash and food assistance programs, it hurt refugees and vulnerable communities more. For example, in 2021, the WFP had to consider cutting down on food rations for refugees in Cameroon as a result of insufficient funding, potentially impacting 70,000 Nigerians and 100,000 Central African Republic refugees.
In Jordan, the WFP could no longer provide food aid to about 263,000 Syrian refugees by the close of August 2021. In Tanzania, the WFP’s refugee support program had to implement “ration cuts of up to 32[%] of the minimum calorie requirement since December 2020” due to funding inadequacies.
This highlights the necessity of continued funding of the WFP to help developing countries reduce poverty and boost their economies.
WFP Tackles Poverty Despite Funding Issues
Despite its recent financial setbacks, the WFP is still the world leader in tackling food insecurity and poverty. Ukraine stood as the breadbasket of the world until the Russian invasion in February 2022, prompting a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
However, the WFP’s cash and food assistance programs managed to mitigate the impacts of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. For example, in May 2022, the WFP managed to give 1 million Ukrainians cash to support themselves amid the crisis and “injected nearly US$74 million into the Ukrainian economy.” Furthermore, the WFP is delivering essential foods, such as rice and pasta, to approximately 420,000 people a month.
Countries Financially Supporting the WFP
There are still countries around the world that acknowledge the crucial role of the WFP’s cash and food assistance programs in reducing poverty. On May 19, 2022, the United States Congress passed H.R. 7691, which authorizes the government to spend $5 million on humanitarian assistance in Ukraine. This funding authorization will help the WFP “provide life-saving assistance to millions of people around the world.”
On May 30, 2022, the European Union donated €5 million to the WFP so it can deliver food to 1.6 million food-insecure individuals in Burkina Faso.
Looking Ahead
The World Food Programme still stands as the leading global humanitarian organization that saves millions of lives daily, which is why it won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. However, the WFP still needs continuous international support through increased financial contributions from the international community.
Global citizens and anti-poverty advocates must continue to push their governments and representatives to donate more to the WFP to address the impacts of funding shortfalls on the world’s most disadvantaged people.
– Abdullah Dowaihy
Photo: Flickr
Unravelling Egypt’s Water Crisis
The once bountiful Nile River in Egypt is the victim of overpopulation in the nation, now barely reaching the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile serves as the main supply of water in Egypt, a source that now seems to be quickly drying up. The construction and use of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, or GERD, has dried the Nile River even further. The construction of the dam has received backlash from critics as it only exacerbates the depletion of the river even further, contributing to Egypt’s water crisis.
The combination of the dam, growing population and an ongoing drought leaves Egypt with the threat of complete water scarcity by 2025, putting the livelihoods of millions of farmers in danger. According to the World Bank, Egypt’s agriculture sector employs about a quarter of the 102.3 million population, with agriculture, forestry and fishing accounting for about 11% of the country’s GDP in 2020.
This, in turn, threatens the food supply of Egypt, further impoverishing an already impoverished country with a poverty rate of 32% as of 2020. Egypt’s water crisis has reached a dire point.
Causes of Egypt’s Water Crisis
Long periods of drought and an increasingly hot and arid climate have shrunk the Nile River, the main source of water in Egypt, an issue common for many water supplies all over the world. However, in development mostly unique to Egypt, the construction of a dam on the Nile River has shrunk the amount of available water even further.
The GERD has placed a large amount of strain on the already dwindling supply of water in the country. The GERD, completed in 2020, is the latest development in a dispute over the Nile’s fresh water basin, a water source essential to the survival of many Middle Eastern and North African countries. Ethiopia now appears to have the upper hand in this dispute, with the GERD granting Ethiopia access to a fairly stable amount of water, while restricting the access of other countries, including Egypt.
However, the most significant contributor to Egypt’s water crisis is the country’s population growth. Egypt’s population increases at a rate of around 2% per year. While that number may not sound like much, the constant and steady growth places a lot of stress on an already low amount of usable water. There is simply not enough to go around. The United Nations estimates that Egypt will reach the point of absolute scarcity by the year 2025, which many fear may mark the point of no return for the African nation.
The Impact of Water Scarcity
Beyond the obvious impact of Egypt’s water crisis on the everyday lives of people living within the country, the lack of water will cause large amounts of damage to Egypt’s food supply. The agriculture industry of the country supports nearly 50% of the nation’s population and uses 86% of the fresh water in Egypt, as of 2020. If Egypt were to reach the state of absolute scarcity, millions of people would be out of work, forcing a large portion of Egypt below the poverty line, not to mention the food insecurity that would also occur. In a country already struggling with poverty, less food and less water would only serve to make matters worse.
Taking Action
The Egyptian government is working to address Egypt’s water crisis. These efforts include the passing of the National Water Resources Plan in 2017 with an intention to contribute $50 billion worth of investments in the water sector by 2037. In 2020, Egypt committed to contributing $2.8 billion to increase its desalination capacity, so that it can convert greater amounts of salt water into fresh water. This offers a great renewable source of water. This combination of efforts offers some hope to the nation.
Egypt relies on aid from other countries and organizations around the world as well, remaining optimistic that help will come.
– Thomas Schneider
Photo: Unsplash
The Impacts of Britain’s Foreign Aid Cuts
Britain’s budget for direct humanitarian aid, which stood at more than £1.5 billion in 2020, reduced to £744 million in 2021, with official developmental assistance funds from the country down 21% overall. This major budgetary shift, in the form of Britain’s foreign aid cuts, could have long-term devastations on impoverished communities across the world that are trying to recover from the pandemic, extreme weather conditions, and now, the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Potential Impact
The United Nations (U.N.) stated on April 13, 2022, that the war in Ukraine could potentially push 1.7 billion people into circumstances of poverty and food insecurity. The slashing of the British budget makes these circumstances only direr as the equivalent of more than one-fifth of the world faces the risk of poverty. Cuts to countries such as Ethiopia (from £241 million to £108 million), Kenya (£67 million to £41 million) and Somalia (£121 million to £71 million) raise concerns for African nations and their respective fights against poverty.
Head of government relations at Oxfam, Sam Nadel, noted that these cuts are occurring amid an array of global challenges, such as war, the pandemic and famine in Africa, which ultimately hinders the ability to adequately address these issues and fight off future devastations.
The Impact of the Ukrainian Crisis
Countries like the United States and Britain are putting the remainder of their foreign affairs budgets toward addressing the crisis in Ukraine. In May 2022, British ministers announced an allocation of £220 million worth of humanitarian aid to Ukraine amid the war, meaning, in the broader budget, the remainder of foreign aid for other nations is smaller than before.
The United States Congress approved on May 19, 2022, an aid allocation of $40 billion for Ukraine, which the United States will distribute through traditional means of aid. This is an all-encompassing budget that includes economic support ($9.4 billion), weapons ($12.5 billion), food assistance ($7 billion) and more. This amount of aid surpasses the amount given to any other individual country in the past decade by the United States and serves as a major shift in the focus of aid distribution. Though U.S. foreign aid only makes up about 1% of the 2022 federal budget, this aid package, so far, exceeds the contributions of all other nations.
Public Opinion
Public opinion plays a significant role in the future of foreign aid priorities. One major way that foreign aid can still make it to impoverished nations is through public outreach. By having citizens call their congressional leaders in support of protecting foreign aid and poverty-focused policy, the risk of aid cuts greatly diminishes.
If the public perception of foreign aid goes against putting more dollars into the foreign assistance budget, then the chances of congressmen being able to pass more federal spending become lower. In the current landscape of federal spending, 73% of U.S. citizens believe that foreign aid to Ukraine is either at the right amount or too little, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted in April 2022. In addition, U.S. citizens are wary about using direct military action against Russia with 72% against the use of force. U.S. citizens are well aware of the crisis in Ukraine and are keen on vocalizing their support for certain measures.
The Future of Foreign Aid
Britain’s foreign aid cuts come at a time when the world requires significant assistance. Now more than ever, countries must prioritize foreign aid to nations in crisis. Through public outreach, increased foreign aid allocations and more vocal support, aid to nations in crisis can continue. Through the collective efforts of the international community, the world can recover from the current global challenges.
– Albert Vargas
Photo: Flickr
Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Ireland
With more than 2 million deaths as of the most recent reports and a ravaged economy, COVID-19 has hit Europe as hard as any other territory in the world. Despite this, the nation of Ireland has consistently and effectively managed both the spread of the virus, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Ireland. Through practices of anticipation, periods of adjustment, transparency with its people and acts of initiative; Ireland has maintained one of the lowest COVID-19 excess death rates in the world and an economy steadily on the rebound.
Anticipation
In January 2020, in response to the rising threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ireland formed National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). Dr. Tony Holohan, the state’s Chief Medical Officer, was the head of this group of 30 the finest medical, health and science professionals.
To assist citizens in supplementing lost income and limit the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Ireland, the Irish government introduced a Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). Through the TWSS, workers could receive financial support through their specific employer, as well as apply and receive their Pandemic Unemployment Payment. The TWSS also offered employers and new firms a rate subsidy based per week, that varied depending on the company’s number of employees on the payroll.
Adjustments
On February 29, 2020, COVID-19 struck the Emerald Isle for the first time. A month later, on March 27, 2020, Ireland would enter its first nationwide lockdown– this would last through mid-May.
During the initial surge, in which more than 13,000 citizens were hospitalized, the Irish government reached an agreement with the hospital network. In this agreement, the government would access private hospitals to use their capacity for three months, essentially alleviating the pressure on the public system and opening up more space for patients.
On September 1, 2020, the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) replaced the TWSS. The replacement scheme was an economy-wide enterprise to support eligible businesses in finding eligible employees while focussing primarily on business eligibility. In addition to this, the EWSS also provided a flat rate subsidy to qualifying employers, similar to its predecessor the TWSS. While the TWSS and the EWSS are very similar, the EWSS was a more progressive and long-term solution to limit the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Ireland.
Without these forms of financial assistance, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) estimates that the number of employed Irish citizens at risk of poverty would have skyrocketed from 6.7% to as high as 15.1%.
Initiative
During countrywide lockdowns, the government, with assistance from the NPHET, implemented numerous restrictions. These restrictions included travel restrictions, in which people could not travel for non-essential purposes. The restrictions also included social gatherings, allowing them indoors, with only immediate household members.
To assist the nation’s economic recovery, the government unveiled the Economic Recovery Plan. The plan outlines the commitment of €3 billion to assist both citizens seeking employment and businesses suffering from the lasting impacts of the pandemic. However, the recovery plan’s desired intention is to create as many jobs as possible, with projections to exceed pre-pandemic employment levels by as early as 2024.
Transparency
Starting on March 23, 2020, the NPHET would use traditional and social media and give citizens daily announcements and briefings on information regarding COVID-19, according to a study published in Elsevier Public Health Emergency Collection. During these announcements, the government would also emphasize which restrictions should be emphasized and which if any should be lax.
One of the primary things the Irish government was applauded for, was its transparency regarding the economic effects of COVID-19. While Social Justice Ireland acknowledges the fact that without the government’s assistance “almost four in every 10 of the Irish population would have been living in poverty.” Employees such as Susanne Rogers acknowledge the fact that the fight is not over, especially for the large number of children that are still living in poverty.
Susanne, along with many other experts, feels that this has a serious impact on the children’s education, and the future of Ireland’s economic potential in the long term. To help assist the nation of Ireland and its youth in their continued fight, you can donate to organizations such as the National Youth Council of Ireland, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Barnardos. Each organization has a charitable set up to alleviate the impact of COVID-19 on Ireland.
– Austin Hughes
Photo: Unsplash
Planting Fruit Trees in Morocco Reaps Economic Benefits
Due to its geographical location, Morocco is susceptible to long periods of droughts and water shortages. The Moroccan government partnered with civil society to plant 800,000 trees by 2024 to improve climate issues and agriculture. As a country that experienced the unemployment rate rising to 12.3% in 2021, planting fruit trees in Morocco is one of the solutions to boost its economy by creating an oasis in the desert.
Reforestation in Morocco and its Benefits
Fruit tree planting in Morocco can reduce poverty by providing income for local farmers. There is a wide variety of fruit trees in the country ranging from olives, argan and dates to carob, cashew nuts and more. Its shallow, rocky soils and Mediterranean climate are perfect for these fruits to grow.
For example, the planting of argan trees has played an important role in improving the Moroccan economy. Argan extracted from the trees goes toward producing argan oil, which is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants and is designed for culinary, cosmetic and medicinal purposes. The demand for Moroccan argan oil is growing; the market for argan oil is expected to reach $262.4 million by 2025.
According to The National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Zones, “The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of oases and argan trees in Morocco increased from MAD 84 billion to MAD 129 billion (€7.88 billion to €12.1 billion) between 2009 and 2018.”
In addition, locals are able to receive jobs from the reforestation. It was uncommon for women in Morocco to work outside. However, to keep up with the growing business of argan from the planting argan trees, local women joined and changed the social perception about women’s roles within the society, improving the livelihoods of women in the region.
Charrouf, who established a movement of women cooperatives, told CNN how local women’s lives improved after the business. “Before they didn’t get any money, but now they have at least €100 ($108) per month,” she said. And they were very grateful because their children were finally able to receive an education by earning a decent wage.
Tree Planting Programs in Morocco
Two major organizations are providing programs related to planting fruit trees in Morocco. This ensures sustainable development and helps expedite the growth of its economy.
Planting fruit trees in Morocco has brought economic benefits in a sustainable way. Local farmers and communities are able to generate income and enjoy self-sustainability through the programs assisted by the organizations. In the middle of the desert, an oasis is growing and benefiting the nation.
– Jiaying Guo
Photo: Flickr
Extreme Heat Wave and Poverty in Jacobabad
For people within Jacobabad, a city in the Sindh province of Pakistan, May 2022 marks the peak of the latest heat wave. By May 16, 2022, the temperature in the city reached 51 degrees Celsius (123.8 Fahrenheit). The city’s water canals, which are essential for irrigating farms in order to grow crops for food, have dried as a result of the heat waves. Dr. Ammad Ullah from the Jacobabad MS civil hospital told the Guardian that an “estimated that 50 to 60 people are getting heat stroke every day.” This could push more citizens into poverty in a city where “most of the million people” living there are already in poverty. According to the 2018-19 Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES), almost 22% of Pakistan’s population lives in poverty. Despite the dire situation in Jacobabad, efforts are underway to combat the extreme heat wave and poverty in Jacobabad. The Pakistani government is taking steps to address the environmental crisis in Jacobabad and the country at large to prevent an increase in poverty.
How Heat Waves Increase Poverty in Jacobabad
The very high temperatures experienced by the people of Jacobabad in May 2022 pushed them further into poverty. For example, citizens in Jacobabad acknowledge that work and school are proven pathways out of poverty. However, the heat waves have made working and schooling difficult with children fainting during class and workers on the edge of vomiting during work. In this way, the extreme heat wave and poverty in Jacobabad impact the livelihoods of locals and the futures of children.
The Pakistani Government’s Efforts
The Pakistani government is attempting to mitigate the extreme heat wave and poverty in Jacobabad by pursuing environmental solutions. On May 17, 2022, Sherry Rehman, Pakistan’s climate change minister, said that the government has formed a national task force to lead “disaster management efforts” to keep the temperatures low. During this time, the government responded by promptly setting up 1,000 heat wave centers in the Sindh and Punjab provinces. Aside from saving lives, the heat wave centers will allow citizens to return to school and their jobs, which, in turn, will reduce poverty in Jacobabad.
On May 30, 2022, Rehman met with the country director of the World Bank, Najy Benhassine, to discuss the current World Bank projects in Pakistan. The World Bank’s climate initiatives are particularly important in Pakistan, considering the impacts of the heat wave in Pakistan’s city of Jacobabad. On the topic of large projects in Pakistan in general, Rehman encourages a “move toward a more sound water strategy in Pakistan” and “an effort to move from pilot projects [that] look good on paper toward the scaling up of outcomes.” Rehman also highlights a need for public awareness campaigns in Pakistan so that more people understand the severity of extreme weather conditions.
Looking Ahead
The situation in Jacobabad is severe due to the heat wave’s impacts on poverty and food security along with its consequences on health, education and jobs. However, the attention Jacobabad receives from international media and humanitarian organizations illustrates a strong will to assist Jacobabad’s people. The Pakistani government also responded quickly by setting up heat waves centers and implementing disaster management efforts. This shows the determination on the part of Pakistani leaders to address the situation in Jacobabad and bring down the poverty rate despite the immense challenges the nation faces.
– Abdullah Dowaihy
Photo: Pixabay
Hurricane Agatha’s Impact on Oaxaca’s Indigenous Populations
In Mexico on May 30, 2022, Hurricane Agatha, with a Category 2 rating and winds recorded at 105 mph, made landfall in the southern state of Oaxaca. It is the most intense hurricane to make landfall on Mexico’s pacific coast during the month of May since the National Hurricane Center began keeping records in 1949. Oaxaca’s extreme poverty rates further exacerbated the hurricane’s devastation. The state is consistently among the three poorest states in Mexico with a poverty rate of approximately 66.4% as of 2018. All three of the poorest states are located in the southern part of the country, where the majority of Mexico’s indigenous populations are also located.
Hurricane Agatha’s Initial Damage
The rising level of rivers and flooding swept away roadways and homes in the area. As of the morning of June 1, the governor of Oaxaca, Alejandro Murat, stated that preliminary deaths were estimated to be 11 while 33 were presumed missing. Murat has since announced on June 2 that those numbers have decreased as findings determined that nine died while another four were missing. He explained the decline was due to relief efforts re-gaining contact with the more remote areas. Murat stated the majority of the deaths were due to landslides or sudden flooding and took place primarily in the very remote towns of the mountains. Towns like these are often home to Mexico’s indigenous populations, which are amongst the poorest people in the area leaving them even more vulnerable. The governor also stated that landslides destroyed or covered certain roadways and bridges, making entry into the area more difficult. This is especially true for remote towns with already poor infrastructure.
Poverty in Oaxaca
In Mexico, those wishing to identify the most impoverished use a system of measuring poverty called multidimensional poverty. This is a method of taking into account not only income but also social deprivations such as lack of schooling and unsafe housing when assessing poverty. However, in terms of income alone, many consider Mexicans poor when they make less than 3,898 pesos ($187) per month in urban areas and 2,762 pesos ($133) in rural areas.
Southern Mexico has some of the poorest regions in the country with several municipalities having poverty rates of over 98%. As previously mentioned, the majority of Mexico’s indigenous populations are also located in its southern states, with Oaxaca having the highest indigenous population of any state in Mexico. As of 2010, 33.8 % of Oaxaca’s population spoke at least one indigenous language.
The poorest municipality in all of Mexico, San Simón Zahuatlán is also located in the state of Oaxaca with a staggering poverty rate of 99.6%, according to Mexico News Daily. Approximately 99.3% of this municipality’s population is indigenous as of 2020. A report in 2019 conducted by the United Nations went as far as to deem human development within this municipality as comparable to the war-torn country of Yemen, according to Mexico News Daily. This brings attention to the fact that indigenous communities are amongst the poorest groups in Mexico, and in the case of hurricane Agatha by far the most significantly impacted.
Looking Ahead
The Mexican government will now have a large project on its hands to help those displaced by the violent weather. The local government was proactive in opening 200 storm shelters to help house up to 26,800 people potentially displaced. Hotels also opened their doors to help house tourists not prepared for the hurricane. It could prove beneficial for the government to direct the majority of future relief efforts towards bettering the area’s infrastructure, especially amongst Mexico’s indigenous populations who arguably need it most but for now, southern Mexico is focussing on its recovery.
– Devin Welsh
Photo: Flickr
US Nearshoring to Help Latin America and the Caribbean
On April 26, 2022, Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-7) introduced the Western Hemisphere Nearshoring Act (H.R. 7579), a bipartisan bill that aims to accelerate economic development in Latin America through nearshoring. Using nearshoring to help Latin America and the Caribbean will also safeguard the interests of the U.S. Moving supply chains to Latin America, from China, will give many countries more sustainability. Decreasing dependency on China by establishing partnerships in the Western Hemisphere will bring a wide range of benefits, including poverty reduction in the region. By cosponsoring and advocating for the bill, U.S. legislators in both houses can support both the U.S. economy and the reduction of poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Benefits of Nearshoring
By importing goods from nearby countries instead of China, U.S. companies have a cheaper choice for international sourcing. This would help create jobs and rebuild the struggling economy in Latin America and the Caribbean, considering that the number of individuals enduring extreme poverty in the region increased to 86 million in 2021. Nearshoring would not only address the economic downturn but would also address job scarcity post-pandemic.
This nearshoring opportunity will benefit the region’s economy and everyday workers. Prospective deals could uplift multiple countries in the region and promote stability and growth. By helping its neighbors reverse poverty trends, the U.S. can also prevent dangerous journeys of migration by providing a solution in the home countries of potential migrants.
Poverty from the Source
U.S. companies would provide significant economic opportunities by using nearshoring to help Latin America and the Caribbean with benefits reaching rural and urban areas. One can understand poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean better by viewing the lack of job opportunities — the region has an unemployment rate of about 10% in 2021.
Whether it is rural people moving to urban cities where job opportunities are scarce or a lack of opportunity in rural areas themselves, private sector companies making deals in Latin America and the Caribbean would tackle the issue from its source. In the 2000 publication “Options for rural poverty reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean,” Rubén G. Echeverría from the Sustainable Development Department of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) confirmed that economic growth and GDP increases will help reduce extreme poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The IDB has outlined and supported private sector companies that have provided better wages in rural areas. Urban-based centers for economic development and nearshoring would provide the city with jobs for those from rural areas or those with a lack of higher education.
Long-term Capability
In October 2021, the U.S. Chamber’s Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America and the Caribbean (AACCLA) held the 2021 Virtual Forecast on Latin America and the Caribbean Conference. Discussions included considering nearshoring to help Latin America and the Caribbean’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
During the conference, “panelists shared insights on how to create a resilient and sustainable global supply chain, the opportunities to revitalize certain nations and the role foreign policy plays in supporting the Latin American and Caribbean economies.”
The Panamanian government sees nearshoring as a strong economic development solution for Panama as “60% of the world’s commerce goes through the Panama Canal.” Furthermore, “more than 170 multinational companies” have bases in Panama, making Panama the ideal nation for nearshoring.
By providing proof that nearshoring can have positive effects on Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. lawmakers have a great platform to support the U.S. economy while helping Latin America by providing economic opportunity and a way out of poverty.
– Karen Krosky
Photo: Flickr