Australia has the world’s 13th-largest economy by gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022. Nonetheless, there is a significant gender wage gap in Australia. According to the Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), the gender wage gap is the difference in average earnings between females and males. A variety of factors contribute to reduced wages for women in comparison to men, causing the former to lag behind economically. In this sense, Australia is setting forward further acts to close the gap, given its previous shortcomings.
Overview
Over the last two decades, the gender wage gap in Australia has varied from 13% to 19%. According to the latest data from November 2021, the gender pay gap stands at 13.8%, which WGEA measured with information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). As of November 2021, “women’s average weekly total full-time earnings are $316.80 less” than men. For women who work part-time, “women’s average weekly total earnings are $483.30 less per week than men.” The World Economic Forum’s 2021 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Australia 50th out of 156 nations, much lower than Australia’s 15th ranking in 2006.
Contributing Factors to the Gender Wage Gap in Australia
The WGEA 2021 report lists four major culprits behind the gender wage gap in Australia:
- Discrimination in workplace recruitment and wage/salary decisions.
- Gender-dominant industries, “with female-dominated industries and jobs attracting lower wages.”
- Women bear the burden of unpaid childcare with inadequate job flexibility “to accommodate these responsibilities,” especially in higher-level job roles.
- Women require more time outside of the labor force, which detrimentally affects their career advancement and opportunities for progression.
Disrupted Past Actions
Australia stood as a pioneer in implementing laws to uphold the principle “equal pay for equal work” in 1969 as well as 1972, later bringing gender equality reporting in 1986. In 2012, the Workplace Gender Equality Act came into operation, asking employers to file an annual report with WGEA containing “data by gender on remuneration, workforce composition and the recruitment, promotions and resignations of their employees.”
Furthermore, in 2017, the government introduced “Towards 2025: An Australian Government strategy to boost women’s workforce participation,” with the aim to close the gender gap in workforce participation by 25% by the year 2025. This would equate to adding 200,000 Australian females to the nation’s workforce.
Indeed, the early results were promising, with the national gender pay gap decreasing from 18.6% (2014) to 14.1% (2018). That said, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic stifled progress, resulting in a minor increase to 14.2% (2021), indicating that full-time working Australian women would have had to work an additional 61 days in a period of 12 months to earn the equivalent of a male in the same position.
COVID-19 aside, Australia lacked transparency and accountability in terms of action to create change, despite “a world-leading dataset on workplace gender equality.” The incentives or penalties introduced by the nation were not effective enough to alter behavior on an organizational level. Specifically, the country only insisted on large-scale, private corporations reporting on gender equality, meaning many other entities did not have equal gender equality responsibilities.
Looking Ahead
As Australia’s economy recovers from the pandemic, Danielle Wood, CEO of Melbourne’s Grattan Institute, recommended in a report that “the Federal Government supports women’s jobs by making a longer-term investment in childcare to encourage women’s workforce participation.”
The Australian government gives the main caretaker of a newborn or adopted child 18 weeks of paid parental leave. Australian women utilize about 98% of Australia’s government-financed paid parental leave.
On May 9, 2022, the Australian Greens political party released a policy to raise wages in female-dominated industries, namely nursing, childcare and education, with the first and foremost purpose to force the gender wage gap in Australia to narrow.
Regarding transparency and accountability, the WGEA is taking action to ensure gender equality and close the gender pay gap. Established in 1986, the WGEA uses data-driven strategies to create change. The agency utilizes four main strategies to address the gender wage gap and gender inequality as a whole.
These consist of helping employers fulfill reporting requirements under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 and publishing lists of non-compliant organizations to push for change. In addition, the organization runs a Pay Equity Ambassador program so that leaders within businesses can influence and promote pay equity within the workplace. Furthermore, standout organizations receive an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation award to recognize efforts to advance equality and encourage commitments to transformative change.
The ongoing efforts to bridge the gender wage gap in Australia, particularly those efforts learned from past experiences, promise a bright future in which women and men receive equal payment and treatment.
– Lan Nguyen
Photo: Unsplash
Empowering Women in STEM
The Society of Women Engineers details a GenderInSITE (Gender in Science, Innovation, Technology and Engineering) study in collaboration with the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and the International Science Council (ISC), which was published in September 2021. The study explains that “women comprise the majority of the governing body of the Royal Society of Canada. However, women still represent less than half of the governing in most other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico and the United Kingdom.” While improvements are visible in terms of efforts to ensure equal access to education and careers in STEM, women still struggle to represent themselves in the STEM field. A World Economic Forum article, which published in 2020, even states that women in STEM publish less and are paid less. This article will discuss the reason for the international gender divide in STEM and how organizations are empowering women in STEM.
Global Statistics for Women in STEM
According to UNESCO data from 2015, women made up almost 50% of the global population but only 30% of female researchers in science, technology and innovation. Furthermore, in the region of Asia, just three out of 18 nations “had an equal or above proportion” of female STEM researchers. The Philippines noted 52% while Thailand recorded 51% and Kazakhstan noted 50%.
The latest estimates of world poverty by U.N. Women, UNDP and the Pardee Center for International Futures project that, “globally, 388 million women and girls will be living in extreme poverty in 2022 (compared to 372 million men and boys).” For this reason, empowering women in STEM is crucial as global poverty disproportionately impacts females.
Bias and Gender Stereotypes in STEM
Deeply rooted bias and gender stereotypes run rampant in the STEM field, causing many women to shy away from their careers. Empowering women in STEM by giving girls an opportunity to participate in STEM-related fields allows the gender gap and gender pay gap to decrease, leveling the playing field for all people. Empowering women in STEM to participate in STEM-related activities also increases women’s economic stability, ensuring a diverse STEM workplace and preventing future biases from forming based on the new prevalence of female role models in STEM. Some factors that affect the gender STEM gaps are gender stereotypes, a male-dominated STEM culture, few female role models in STEM and academic pressure on girls.
Self Confidence Begins in Early Childhood
If one presumes that female disengagement in STEM begins in their early years, encouragement of the eradication of bias and gender stereotypes in STEM needs to occur as early as possible. In fact, “a study by Archer et al. (2010) suggested that although young children do not have profound knowledge about science subjects, they attribute masculine traits to science early.” Research has consistently proven that students mostly perceive science subjects (math, physics and chemistry) as a male domain. Later in life, as confidence develops in these young women, this self-assurance will play a crucial role in entering the STEM field as a woman. Yet again, research suggests that empowering women in STEM plays a vital role in early childhood confidence.
AAUW: Closing the STEM Gap and Empowering Women
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has put forth active solutions to empowering women in STEM since 1888. The AAUW funds graduate education and invests in women who will save the world through STEM. AAUW offers fellowships and grants to fit one’s academic and professional goals. For the year 2021-2022, the AAUW awarded more than 260 fellowships and grants to women and community projects, equating to more than $5 million.
A Look at AAUW International Opportunities
The AAUW offers International Fellowships and International Project Grants. Women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents can apply for an International Fellowship, which awards full-time study or research in the United States. U.S. institutions support graduate and postgraduate studies. AAUW’s dedication to empowering females in their native countries goes beyond an International Fellowship. In order to generate enduring support globally, AAUW awards alumnae who return to their home countries after their AAUW-funded studies an opportunity to apply for a grant allowing alumnae to further their academic achievements and execute community-based plans, enhancing the lives of all females.
Organizations like AAUW do life-changing work in terms of helping to advance gender equality. By empowering women in STEM through opportunities and funding, the AAUW helps to improve women’s economic and career prospects, which contributes to reducing global poverty overall.
– Kaley Anderson
Photo: Flickr
Elderly Poverty in Croatia
Inadequate pensions or non-existent pensions exacerbate elderly poverty in Croatia, infringing on the right to social security. With rising poverty rates among the elderly comes an increased risk of homelessness. Other factors also play a role, such as a rapidly aging population and the “feminization of the elderly population.”
The Rights of the Elderly in Croatia
Inadequate pensions further heighten elderly poverty in Croatia and infringe on the right to social security. According to the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute, “in April 2019, 457,365 retirees received a pension of less than HRK 2,000,” which amounts to about $281. Furthermore, “the average pension income in April 2019 was HRK 2,435.20,” which equates to about $342.
Higher life expectancy rates and decreased birth rates also contribute to an aging population, as in other countries. According to Croatia’s 2011 Census, the age group of 65 and older accounted for 17.7% of the population while in 2017 this percentage rose to 20.1%.
The feminization of the elderly age group means more women than men account for the elderly. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Croatia (CBS), in 2017, the total number of women in the age group 65 or older stood at 59.66% compared to 40.34% for men. CBS projects that the elderly population aged 65 and older will rise to 27.6% by 2051.
Taking Action to Combat Elderly Poverty in Croatia
The Social Care Strategy for the Elderly in the Republic of Croatia for the Period 2017-2020 introduces a solution to non-existent pensions that amplify elderly poverty in Croatia. The nation’s tax system will fund a national pension, also known as a “basic pension.” This will cover “people who do not have the required social insurance record to retire but are over the legal pensionable age of 65” and do not receive income through other sources. To be eligible, individuals must meet certain requirements. In particular, the introduction of a basic pension aims to prioritize extremely impoverished Croatian women residing in rural locations.
A September 2019 study by the Ministry of Labour and the Pension System noted that in the year 2017, the at-risk poverty rate stood at 28.6% for people 65 and older in general. However, in terms of gender, the at-risk poverty rate for older women stood at 31.7% in comparison to 24.1% for older men.
The study concluded that at least 30,000 to 40,000 people aged 65 or older did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for a pension, with women accounting for most of these ineligible individuals. At the time, discussions were underway to ensure the pension system becomes more inclusive and less restrictive.
The introduction of the national pension in Croatia has ignited a public debate between liberal commentators and retirement associations. Retirement associations are in favor of the national pension whereas liberal commentators have concerns about “an increase in social transfers,” preferring that the government use the money for initiatives to create employment opportunities in Croatia. The national pension came into effect on January 1, 2021.
Looking Ahead
Despite limitations that the elderly face, such as pension ineligibility, “insufficiently accessible social services,” inadequate transportation infrastructure in rural regions, “long waiting lists for medical procedures and treatments” and the high costs of home aid services, Croatia is taking steps to address elderly poverty.
– Jacara Watkins
Photo: Flickr
The Sahel’s Rising Food Insecurity and Poverty
The Sahel is a semi-arid region in Africa that comprises countries such as Cameroon, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, environmental disasters and the high cost of food as a result of the Ukraine-Russia war have contributed to the Sahel’s rising food insecurity and poverty. On May 20, 2022, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that, over the following three months, 18 million people living in the Sahel region will be “on the edge of severe hunger.” This warning prompted a strong international response from wealthier countries to provide financial and food aid to the Sahel region.
African heads of state convened a regional summit on May 27, 2022, “to address growing humanitarian needs on the continent.” The heads identified violent extremism, military coups and environmental challenges as the main contributors to the Sahel’s rising food insecurity and poverty. Non-African countries, such as the United States, are also addressing the Sahel crisis by providing food aid through government-run development programs in the Sahel. The U.N. and its agencies are also tackling rising poverty in the Sahel through financial assistance and food delivery.
Specific Issues for People Living in the Sahel Region
The Sahel’s rising food insecurity and poverty have led to devastating human costs such as “high levels of acute malnutrition” and “large gaps” in food consumption within households. Furthermore, because the cost of living has increased dramatically, families in the Sahel are now selling their own household items, such as farm tools, in order to afford food and other essential items. As a result of the rising food costs, environmental disasters and violence, the number of Africans pushed into food poverty in the Sahel is increasing. For example, in the Sahel, 1.8 million children suffer malnourishment. Without intervention, this could increase to 2.4 million by the close of 2022.
Regional Solutions to Addressing Sahel’s Food Insecurity and Poverty
The African Union (AU) has declared 2022 the AU’s Year of Nutrition and held the “Extraordinary Humanitarian Summit and Pledging Conference” on May 27, 2022. The main goal of the summit is to address malnutrition in the African region, which “causes significant long-term consequences for physical, mental, cognitive and physiological development.” UNICEF has been urging African governments to tackle a wide range of issues, such as “inadequate maternal nutrition” and “high incidence of childhood illnesses.”
How Wealthier Countries are Tackling Sahel’s Poverty Crisis
On May 18, 2022, the United States announced that it will allocate $215 million to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to tackle food insecurity globally. This includes tackling the Sahel’s rising food insecurity and poverty, with food assistance going to countries such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Nigeria. USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will “program the full balance” of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, a grain and food reserve within USAID, “as part of an effort to provide $670 million in food assistance” to the Sahel countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan.
Assistance from International Organizations and UN Agencies
The U.N. is approaching Sahel’s rising food insecurity and poverty as an international emergency situation. On May 20, 2022, OCHA delivered $30 million in emergency funds to four countries in the Sahel to address malnutrition and hunger. OCHA gave Burkina Faso $6 million and Chad, Mali and Niger received $8 million each. Prior to this recent contribution, OCHA had delivered $4 million to Mauritania and $15 million to Nigeria earlier in 2022.
The swift international response to Sahel’s rising food insecurity and poverty illustrates the potential of the international community to eliminate global poverty. Despite the massive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war on providing humanitarian assistance, the U.N. has managed to allocate enough funds to combat starvation in the Sahel. The United States has increased its funding for global food security operations in the Sahel and made the situation one of its top foreign policy priorities. All of this proves that the international community continues to act on food insecurity and poverty, even in the most vulnerable places in the world. This makes global poverty reduction a reachable goal, creating hope for disadvantaged countries.
– Abdullah Dowaihy
Photo: Flickr
Mental Health in Iceland
Despite the beautiful, wintery landscape, Icelandic winters are not all sunshine. In fact, the sun only shines for up to five hours during the deepest winter months. Often, Icelanders wake up for work in the dark and return home in the dark. Similarly, rainy days almost continuously fill the summer months, particularly in the south of Iceland. Daylight and darkness often play a role in mental health in Iceland.
Depression in Iceland
The lack of sunlight during the winter months can contribute to depression, along with other mental disorders, in some Icelanders. According to a 2017 article by Iceland Magazine, around one in 10 Icelanders experience feelings of depression at some point in their lives; in fact, in 2015, Iceland had the fourth-highest depression rate in Europe and the second-highest rate for severe depression symptoms.
Third Happiest Nation in the World
Despite these statistics, according to a 2017 article by Globally Minded, a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) ranked Iceland only 35 in global suicide rankings. Globally Minded, a website for global mental health, attributes Iceland’s relatively low suicide rates to the structure of Icelandic society. In Iceland, communities are close-knit, and thus, “most Icelanders have an obituary written in the main newspaper.” Accordingly, the publicity associated with their cause of death and the stigma of suicide deters most Icelanders from committing suicide.
Contrary to its depression rate rankings in 2015, based on data from 2019 to 2021, Iceland ranked as the third happiest nation in the world in 2022, according to the World Happiness Report. This meteoric rise in the ranks might be due to Iceland’s unique “shotgun method” for the treatment of mental disorders.
The Shotgun Method
As of 2020, out of 26 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, Statista reported that Iceland has the highest consumption rate of antidepressants. Similar to psychiatrists in the U.S. and contrary to those in many other Nordic countries, psychiatrists in Iceland readily prescribe antidepressants to their patients for milder forms of depression or anxiety disorder rather than just severe cases.
In an article that Mad in America published, Icelander Svava Arnardóttir shared her experience with psychiatrists prescribing her psychiatric medications. Over a five-year period, Arnardóttir took up to 16 different psychiatric medications at a time, a practice she described as the “shotgun method.” Arnardóttir claimed that it is common for Icelandic psychiatrists to prescribe their patients a large number of medications at once in the “hope that one of them hits the target.”
Aside from this unique approach, the Icelandic government currently does not fund or subsidize non-medicated forms of psychological therapies. Globally Minded also believes that the population trusts that antidepressants are effective. Thus, many Icelanders choose the most cost-effective method of treatment: antidepressants.
Unfortunately for Arnardóttir, the “shotgun method” was a miss, leaving her to seek alternative help with her own resources. Arnardóttir’s experience is a microcosm of mental health treatment in Iceland; despite the vast use of antidepressants, Iceland has seen “no positive impact on public health.” On the contrary, the rates of psychiatric out-and-in-patient treatment for depression increased.
A Positive Look into the Future
As of 2021, Iceland is allocating close to 12% of its health budget to addressing mental health in Iceland. This is roughly 2% more than the global average for mental health budgets.
Additionally, NGOs are allowing Icelanders to receive mental health treatment that focuses on therapy rather than psychiatric drugs at no personal cost. One such NGO is Hugarafl, which finally provided the mental health help that Arnardóttir needed. Volunteers who have experienced mental health struggles themselves and have vast experience in the mental health care system founded Hugarafl in 2003.
Together the volunteers work toward the common goal to improve the Icelandic mental health care system while dissolving prejudices surrounding mental health challenges and protecting the rights of those suffering. The organization has managed to provide several services, ranging from basic counseling to trauma rehabilitation, for anyone older than the age of 18 without the need for residency, insurance or financial cost. Hugarafl has managed to provide Icelanders with a free and therapy-based alternative to the “shotgun method.”
NGOs, backed by the optimistic budget of the Icelandic government, are allowing a sunnier outlook for the mental health of Icelanders than their weather forecast suggests.
– Lena Maassen
Photo: Unsplash
Progress in the Fight for Women’s Rights in Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, there is hard evidence to support the “feminization of poverty” in which more women and women-led households are experiencing higher rates of poverty. Between 2010 and 2016, gender inequality increased mainly through the increasing rates of income inequality. In addition, the inaccessibility of health rights for low-income women contributes to lower levels of education, delayed or restricted incorporation into the workforce and increased health risks resulting in economic repercussions that perpetuate a cycle of poverty. Therefore, reducing the gender inequality index and providing more resources to empower and fight for women’s rights in Costa Rica is paramount.
The Statistics
The gender divide continues to persist in Costa Rica and maintains a large influence in many areas, including the workforce. Only 50% of women participate in the workforce as opposed to 72% of men. Women also receive about 12% less in salary, increasing this gap more since 2013. Gender roles and stereotypes translate to career development with men making up 70% of science and engineering programs in Costa Rican universities and women entering more traditionally female positions with less economic and social standing. U.N. Women has reported that the unemployment rate for women in the nation is 15%, compared to 9.1% for men. This report also provides the nation’s overarching legal frameworks that “promote, enforce and monitor gender equality” with the level of achievement ratings, with public life and employment and economic benefits receiving low scores of 70 and 60 respectively.
Recent Progress
However, the government made significant progress in the past couple of weeks by passing legislation that will work to close the gender divide and protect women’s rights in Costa Rica. The Comprehensive reparation bill for survivors of femicide, which received approval on April 28, 2022, will provide support to the families of femicide victims. Since 2007, 400 women have died of femicide with 51 cases still pending investigation. This bill will provide a comprehensive reparation fund for the families of victims, supporting them through the psychological, social and economic effects of this crime.
In addition, the government enacted the Law to Prevent, Address, Punish and Eradicate Violence against Women in Politics on May 3, 2022. This law protects the political rights of women and considers such actions as the prevention of a woman exercising the responsibilities of their position, restriction of workplace reincorporation following pregnancy, undermining their public image and disclosing their private information. As the National Women’s Institute of Costa Rica (INAMU) stated, the law also “considers discriminatory actions that affect the right to life, personal integrity and property rights to prevent the free exercise of political rights, as well as harassment, physical, psychological or sexual violence.” Consequences for members of politics that engage in this behavior range from ethical reprimands to the withdrawal of credentials.
Organizations in Costa Rica
Both the National Women’s Institute of Costa Rica (INAMU) and the Vital Voices nonprofit organization make up a large presence fighting for women’s rights in Costa Rica. INAMU is a governing institution that supports the expansion of women’s rights in coordination with the Costa Rican government by reinforcing the national effort toward the cause and providing comprehensive information training and resource access.
Vital Voices advocates for women’s rights in Costa Rica through its investment in women leaders that support the fight for change. Through its multifaceted approach, it addresses multiple issues in the nation including climate justice and political and policy advocacy. One of its many tenets includes the economic empowerment of women leaders by financially supporting their businesses, social enterprises and nonprofit organizations which in turn can boost the progression of their platform. Vital Voices is also fighting against gender-based violence by investing in leaders that strengthen the legislation around this issue, providing life-saving services immediately following an incident of violence and increasing the capacity of survivor-focused organizations to deliver locally-based solutions.
Although Costa Rica has seen some progress, there are more steps that the country can take. Income inequality is the most prevalent obstacle that many women in the nation are facing. Resolving inequality in the workplace can expand opportunities and give women more agency which in turn could lead to the disruption of the poverty cycle. The new legislation that passed will also allow women more freedom to be active participants in society through femicide prevention efforts and the protection of their workplace rights.
– Kimberly Calugaru
Photo: Flickr
M-PESA App in Kenya Alleviates Poverty
In 2007, Safaricom developed the M-PESA app in Kenya, Africa. The mobile money platform aims to increase financial inclusion by allowing the impoverished access to financial services without the need to visit a bank or have a bank account. The introduction of the M-PESA mobile money app has improved the economy in a nation with about 16% of the population surviving on less than $1.90 per day in 2021.
The M-PESA App
Accessibility is one of the benefits M-PESA offers. The app is accessible to both individuals and businesses and even those living in rural villages can easily access it as long as there is mobile connection coverage. Through the app, users can send and receive money, purchase airtime and pay bills, among other services. M-PESA also “facilitates the safe storage and transfer of money.”
A study conducted by an economics professor from Georgetown University and a colleague from MIT shows that 96% of the Kenyan population used the M-PESA app in Kenya in 2016. By 2021, the app had roughly 30 million users in Kenya alone. The M-PESA app expanded to six other African countries and served 50 million users across the African continent by September 2021, making it the largest fintech in Africa.
Benefits of the M-PESA App
M-PESA is able to improve a country’s financial outlook by reducing poverty. The app allows users to take control of their finances and increase consumption levels of goods and services. A research article, “The Long-Run Poverty and Gender Impacts of Mobile Money,” published in Science magazine in December 2016, indicates that over six years M-PESA “increased consumption levels,” which allowed about 186,000 Kenyan families (2% of Kenyan households) to rise out of poverty.
The researchers conducted a study from 2008 to 2014 to compare households with easy access to M-PESA agents to “those without such easy access to mobile money.” The result showed that households with easy access to M-PESA agents “fared better and received more remittances from a larger network of people.” Highlighting this, when Kenyan households endured a financial shock, “there was a 12[%] difference in per capita consumption between the two groups, with consumption rising for those households near to an M-PESA agent.”
In Kenya, about 25% of the $44 billion economy goes through M-PESA, according to a 2014 article by Mobile Transaction. Furthermore, by the end of 2013, more than 79,000 people received opportunities to work as M-PESA agents. By 2018, the World Bank noted more than 110,000 M-PESA agents in Kenya.
Mr. Mungai, who operates two M-PESA shops in Kenya, told the Mobile Transaction that the app had made his life much easier and provided him with a stable job. “M-PESA has changed my life; it helps me make savings. I don’t need to travel to and from the bank every now and then because I can now deposit and withdraw from my bank account using the M-PESA platform,” Mungai added.
Evolution of the M-PESA App
The functions of M-PESA have been evolving. In 2021, M-PESA Africa launched the M-PESA Super App, which allows users access to “services they need in a typical day including shopping, restaurants and food delivery, transport services, government services” and more, without the need to install several apps. By March 2022, more than 9 million individuals and 320,000 businesses had downloaded the M-PESA Super App.
In addition, M-PESA has grown from peer-to-peer money transfers to international payments. M-PESA has partnered with MoneyGram on International Money Transfer, allowing users in more than 90 countries to transfer money across borders. Now people are able to enjoy the services and updates of the app without a SIM card. M-PESA is also collaborating with PayPal, and soon, the mobile money app intends to expand further through partnerships with other global brands.
Looking Ahead
With the M-PESA app in Kenya, Kenyans can look to a brighter future and an improved economy through easy access to financial services and increased job opportunities. Overall, M-PESA increases financial inclusion, ensuring that the impoverished in developing countries in Africa have access to the resources and services to break the cycle of poverty. M-PESA will continue to bring innovations and enable individuals to make transactions more efficiently and securely.
– Jiaying Guo
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Effects of Sandstorms in Iraq
Over the past few years, Iraq has been through many sandstorms constantly increasing in intensity and frequency. In April 2022, the country recorded its ninth sandstorm in two months. An extreme weather situation that makes life even harder in a country that has experienced war and poverty. The government has not been taking proper measures for years to prevent his country and the Iraqi people from suffering from such conditions. The most recent sandstorms in Iraq touched six of 18 provinces, including the capital Baghdad. Living under a thick layer of dust has many consequences on people’s health, agriculture as well as the economic situation of the country.
Effects on Health
Health complications are among the most problematic effects of sandstorms in Iraq. While exposed to constant dust in their environment, the Iraqi people see their respiratory health seriously affected. The last sandstorm led to one death and 5,000 people hospitalized following respiratory complications. The high risk of suffering from breathing difficulties led the government to close schools and official institutions. The most affected groups are children and the elderly.
According to the WMO, exposure to dust particles during sandstorms can lead to diseases such as asthma or pneumonia but can also lead to cardiac issues. Moving in the air dust facilitates the transportation and thus the transmission of viruses and other bacteria. Hence, besides the effects the sandstorms have already on Iraq, some health consequences can develop and become problematic with time in a country with financial difficulties.
Effects on the Economy
Sandstorms in Iraq have also a terrible impact on the country’s economy. Among the most affected sectors is the agriculture sector. Previously one of the most prolific sectors of the country, living from agriculture became very difficult for farmers today. In fact, the extreme heat, lack of water and dust brought by repetitive sandstorms have ruined many of the crops strongly affecting the revenues of the farmers who are already struggling to make the ends meet.
This exceptional weather is also affecting merchants. However, for them to survive, they have to open their shops amidst the sandstorm, despite the government suspending working hours for everyone besides the medical field. Some of the merchants saw their sales decreasing given that the thick layer of dust wrapping the city discouraged people to go shopping outside. On another note, three of the Iraqi airports closed for several days due to the lack of visibility the sandstorm caused.
Facing Environmental Challenges
It is worth mentioning that despite the limited means and capacities of the Iraqi state and despite the COVID-19 outbreak and all the difficulties it brought to the health sector, the victims of respiratory diseases always had access to oxygen and proper medication. The government ensured that hospitals have abundant oxygen reserves in most affected regions. Ambulances were also positioned on all the streets to respond to any emergency.
Although being prepared to face medical emergencies is essential during these extreme conditions, thinking of how to prevent Iraq from facing sandstorms again in the future is essential. The ministry of agriculture announced a project supported by the European Union to improve agriculture and create new jobs. More than just opening new jobs, this project is a good start to preventing future sandstorms in Iraq, given that the increase of green areas decreases the frequency and intensity of sandstorms.
Sandstorms in Iraq are becoming a major problem the country must deal with, in addition to all the challenges it must face in terms of the poverty of its population. However, the Iraqi people are resilient and do everything to keep life going despite this extreme weather situation. Even the government is taking small steps to protect its people and their future.
– Youssef Yazbek
Photo: Flickr
Severe Heat Wave in Pakistan
Since late April 2022, Pakistan has been suffering from an unprecedented heat wave with temperatures touching 50 C (122 F). Although heat waves in Pakistan have been a common occurrence since 2015, these climatic conditions are touching the country earlier each year and their intensity and duration are increasing due to extreme weather patterns. This meteorological phenomenon severely affects the Pakistani people in several ways, from health issues to food, water and infrastructural crises. With temperatures standing at 6-9 C higher than usual for this time of year, the heat wave in Pakistan is affecting cities and rural areas and has lethal effects on children and the elderly.
Consequences on Health
The heat wave in Pakistan is threatening the health of the Pakistani people, especially the most vulnerable groups. With the unusual increase in temperatures, on May 14, 2022, the country already declared three deaths among children due to the severe heat.
The country observed cases of children collapsing under the sun. The poverty in which many regions and families live in Pakistan forces children to often walk to school amid this unbearable heat. Also, many schools do not have proper climatization to allow the students to attend their classes in a cool environment.
To address the effects of the heat wave on people’s health, an NGO opened a heatstroke clinic in Jacobabad and noted rising cases of heatstroke patients. Heatstroke occurs when the body overheats and cannot cool itself anymore, leading to several symptoms ranging from headaches and nausea to more serious effects such as organ swelling and unconsciousness. Despite this, students continue to go to school with the hope of escaping poverty and moving toward a better quality of life. Besides children, the extreme weather affects laborers who spend their days under the sun, but unfortunately, have no alternative if they want to earn enough money to survive.
Food and Water Crisis
Other consequences of the heat wave in Pakistan are food and water scarcity. With very high temperatures and insufficient water, the crop and food supply are in danger. The heat wave in Pakistan also affects livestock that are essential to the food supply of the country — many sheep have died from heatstroke in Punjab, a province that stands as the breadbasket of Pakistan.
The water crisis is a critical aspect of the heat wave in Pakistan. As government-installed taps are mostly dried out, people find it very difficult to find drinking water. Unfortunately, mafias are benefiting from this situation by exploiting government water reserves and reselling them to those in impoverished and underserved regions.
The lack of access to sufficient water supplies is thus a primary cause of the health issues people endure and makes the heat wave even more unbearable. Furthermore, with a power shortage that only allows for six hours of daily electricity in the county’s rural areas, citizens struggle to cope with the heat.
Ironically, excess water can also harm many people. Pakistan is “home to more than 7,000 glaciers,” the melting of which can lead to the overflowing of lakes and rivers and cause “torrents of ice, rock and water” to destroy the infrastructure of a city. This already happened once this year, in early May, causing the destruction of a bridge.
Taking Action
Given the urgency of the situation, two NGOs are playing an essential role in helping people to survive the heat wave in Pakistan. Both are mainly located in the Sindh province, one of the areas that the extreme weather situation most affected. The first NGO is the Community Development Foundation, which opened a new health center dedicated to victims of heatstroke.
The Pakistan Red Crescent, in collaboration with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, launched a 10-day training for officials and civil society representatives to learn how to adequately respond to “heat-related emergencies,” such as heatstroke, unconsciousness and dehydration as well as the transportation of patients suffering from any of these issues. The Pakistan Red Crescent also promised to continue with similar training in the future, especially with the younger generation.
The case of Pakistan shows that despite all the crises and challenges a population living under extreme weather patterns must face, support from organizations can make all the difference. By training people to respond to health emergencies, the Pakistan Red Crescent diminishes the pressure on health care professionals and increases the chances of people surviving heat-related health conditions. Despite these severe conditions, children continue to go to school with the hope of receiving an education that will enable them to rise out of poverty.
– Youssef Yazbek
Photo: Unsplash
Gender Wage Gap in Australia
Australia has the world’s 13th-largest economy by gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022. Nonetheless, there is a significant gender wage gap in Australia. According to the Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), the gender wage gap is the difference in average earnings between females and males. A variety of factors contribute to reduced wages for women in comparison to men, causing the former to lag behind economically. In this sense, Australia is setting forward further acts to close the gap, given its previous shortcomings.
Overview
Over the last two decades, the gender wage gap in Australia has varied from 13% to 19%. According to the latest data from November 2021, the gender pay gap stands at 13.8%, which WGEA measured with information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). As of November 2021, “women’s average weekly total full-time earnings are $316.80 less” than men. For women who work part-time, “women’s average weekly total earnings are $483.30 less per week than men.” The World Economic Forum’s 2021 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Australia 50th out of 156 nations, much lower than Australia’s 15th ranking in 2006.
Contributing Factors to the Gender Wage Gap in Australia
The WGEA 2021 report lists four major culprits behind the gender wage gap in Australia:
Disrupted Past Actions
Australia stood as a pioneer in implementing laws to uphold the principle “equal pay for equal work” in 1969 as well as 1972, later bringing gender equality reporting in 1986. In 2012, the Workplace Gender Equality Act came into operation, asking employers to file an annual report with WGEA containing “data by gender on remuneration, workforce composition and the recruitment, promotions and resignations of their employees.”
Furthermore, in 2017, the government introduced “Towards 2025: An Australian Government strategy to boost women’s workforce participation,” with the aim to close the gender gap in workforce participation by 25% by the year 2025. This would equate to adding 200,000 Australian females to the nation’s workforce.
Indeed, the early results were promising, with the national gender pay gap decreasing from 18.6% (2014) to 14.1% (2018). That said, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic stifled progress, resulting in a minor increase to 14.2% (2021), indicating that full-time working Australian women would have had to work an additional 61 days in a period of 12 months to earn the equivalent of a male in the same position.
COVID-19 aside, Australia lacked transparency and accountability in terms of action to create change, despite “a world-leading dataset on workplace gender equality.” The incentives or penalties introduced by the nation were not effective enough to alter behavior on an organizational level. Specifically, the country only insisted on large-scale, private corporations reporting on gender equality, meaning many other entities did not have equal gender equality responsibilities.
Looking Ahead
As Australia’s economy recovers from the pandemic, Danielle Wood, CEO of Melbourne’s Grattan Institute, recommended in a report that “the Federal Government supports women’s jobs by making a longer-term investment in childcare to encourage women’s workforce participation.”
The Australian government gives the main caretaker of a newborn or adopted child 18 weeks of paid parental leave. Australian women utilize about 98% of Australia’s government-financed paid parental leave.
On May 9, 2022, the Australian Greens political party released a policy to raise wages in female-dominated industries, namely nursing, childcare and education, with the first and foremost purpose to force the gender wage gap in Australia to narrow.
Regarding transparency and accountability, the WGEA is taking action to ensure gender equality and close the gender pay gap. Established in 1986, the WGEA uses data-driven strategies to create change. The agency utilizes four main strategies to address the gender wage gap and gender inequality as a whole.
These consist of helping employers fulfill reporting requirements under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 and publishing lists of non-compliant organizations to push for change. In addition, the organization runs a Pay Equity Ambassador program so that leaders within businesses can influence and promote pay equity within the workplace. Furthermore, standout organizations receive an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation award to recognize efforts to advance equality and encourage commitments to transformative change.
The ongoing efforts to bridge the gender wage gap in Australia, particularly those efforts learned from past experiences, promise a bright future in which women and men receive equal payment and treatment.
– Lan Nguyen
Photo: Unsplash
How the Floods in South Africa have Exacerbated the Housing Crisis
Severe flooding has recently devastated the eastern coast of South Africa, namely the province of KwaZulu-Natal after heavy rains pounded the province starting on April 11, 2022, and lasting several days. More than 400 people died from the initial flooding in April alone. Heavy rains prompted more flooding over the weekend of May 22 and 23 pounding the region even more. Floods destroyed thousands of homes which has only exacerbated the housing crisis that had already existed in South Africa for decades. KwaZulu-Natal did not even have a chance to begin rebuilding before these most recent floods worsened the devastation. Relief efforts have begun again as hundreds of people are missing or possibly dead and tens of thousands have experienced displacement.
Heavy Rains
The eastern coast of South Africa is no stranger to floods and heavy rains during the Autumn and Spring seasons. A cut-off low-pressure system, which is not uncommon in South Africa this time of year, triggered these most recent floods. However, this intense low-pressure system produced an abnormally extensive level of rainfall in the region in April. There is a chance that the heaviest downpours took place between April 11 and 12 as some areas of KwaZulu-Natal witnessed more than 30 cm of rainfall. Scientists point to changing weather as a likely reason behind the increased severity of this low-pressure system, namely due to the rising temperature of the Indian Ocean leading to more moisture in the atmosphere over southeastern Africa.
South Africa’s Housing Crisis
KwaZulu-Natal is among the poorer provinces in South Africa with the second-highest amount of people living in poverty behind only the Eastern Cape province. Equal access to safe housing in South Africa has long been an issue for the poor. The South African government claims it has attempted to address the nationwide problem that has plagued the country for decades, yet the recent floods have only further exacerbated the housing crisis. This crisis left a big impact on KwaZulu-Natal as it is home to Durban, one of the largest urban areas in the country.
Dating back to Apartheid the majority of the black population in South Africa did not have equal access to safe housing. As a result, many people had to build their own homes, often in less inhabitable areas outside of cities. These hand-built homes often resemble shacks or sheds as the owners built them out of whatever they could get their hands on. As the number of these homes grows in a certain area and begins to resemble a neighborhood, it becomes recognized as an informal settlement.
Unfortunately, the high death tolls and much of the devastation from these floods can relate to the high proportion of these informal settlements that house the country’s poorest. Estimates determined that 11.8% of South Africa’s population lives in informal settlements across the country. In KwaZulu-Natal, many of the informal settlements are located in valleys and thus are more prone to flooding which the hand-built homes don’t stand a chance against. Notably, April floods destroyed more than 4,000 homes alone with the majority being informal settlements which have only exacerbated the housing crisis. Include the fact that there are more than 40,000 who lost their home and an even more worrying picture appears. These people will need access to clean water, food and shelter.
Local authorities in KwaZulu-Natal, in response to the April floods, were already planning to set up 4,396 temporary accommodation sites for the displaced people, according to Reliefweb. After the more recent floods in May, the demand for temporary accommodations has continued to increase as there are even more displaced South Africans.
The Government’s Role
Not only did floods destroy local homes, but they also impacted the local infrastructure. Floods damaged a local water treatment facility in the town of Umdloti thus limiting the area’s access to clean water. Floods swept away many roadways and destroyed bridges making it difficult for transportation in the area among victims trying to escape as well as rescuers attempting to reach those in need. According to provincial Transportation and Community Safety MEC Peggy Nkonyeni, it will cost the government over R12.4 billion to restore the province’s road infrastructure alone. As the government focuses its rebuilding efforts on infrastructure, it would also be an opportune time to attend to the longstanding housing crisis that recent floods only exacerbated.
The government claims to have built approximately 2.7 million low-cost homes over the past 15 years, yet there are still an estimated 2 million South Africans on a list waiting for the home they were promised. Its temporary accommodation sites are necessary for the short term to help the displaced ones, but it is imperative that the government addresses the longstanding lack of affordable and safe housing. Although the past two months have been very difficult, South Africans can now look forward to the typically drier months of June and July as an opportunity to recover and rebuild.
– Devin Welsh
Photo: Flickr