Kelly Osbourne, daughter of actress Sharon Osbourne and musician Ozzy Osbourne, is a triple-threat entertainer, singer, model and fashion designer. She is better known for her impactful discussion when she stars on talk shows and reality TV. The public listens to what she says on The View, Australia’s Got Talent, Big Brother, E! News Fashion Police, and Project Runway. During the past decade, she has successfully intertwined her passion for fashion with her passion for educating people about global issues. Kelly Osbourne has used this large platform to enhance global awareness issues.
Collaborations: Macy’s Style Lab Celebrity Campaign
In October 2020, Kelly Osbourne and celebrity personal shopper, Nick Cannon, promoted Macy’s Mystyle Lab Department and Dosomething.org. Dosomething organizes campaigns for youth to focus on social change, and on raising money to end poverty and violence in the world. The Macy’s campaign made donating easy. When a unique QR code was scanned at the Mystyle Lab in a store or liked Mystyle on Facebook, Macy’s donated a dollar to DoSomething. Teens can also take a Do Something Cause quiz to automatically enter for a chance to win a $250 shopping spree. Anyone who participates in the quiz receives information on how to help the environment in their community.
The Role of an Ambassador
In May 2013, Kelly Osbourne took on the role of ambassador for GenerationCURE, a young adult campaign of amFAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. A group of twenty-somethings launched GenerationCURE in 2011 with the hope of becoming the “final generation” of AIDS activists. Their goal was to bolster amFAR’s research through raising funds and awareness. In June 2015, Osbourne was one out of 300 young celebrities who attended GenerationCURE’s fourth annual solstice event held in New York City. These solstice events have raised $90,000 for amFAR.
Recently, Kelly Osborne participated as a guest celebrity in GenerationCURE’s Holiday Parties in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. in December 2019. In the star’s interview with HIVPLUSMAG.COM, Kelly Osbourne shared how she actually became involved in AIDS activism at a young age. She said, “I remember putting on a garage sale when I was about 10 years old for my mum’s best friends’ neighbor who was HIV-positive…” Osbourne explained that this neighbor was fired because he was HIV-positive, and her garage sale raised enough money for him to keep his apartment until he passed away.
Osbourne’s passion as an HIV/AIDS activist also stems from watching a friend battle the life-threatening disease. She elaborated, “I have actually watched somebody who had to take antivirals, and be there to wipe their puke, and pull their hair back, and see the night sweats they go through, and how much weight they lose or gain.” It is safe to say that experiencing a loved one going through hardships triggered a passion in Kelly Osbourne’s soul.
Auctioning off in Exchange of Support
The Small Steps Project is a United Kingdom-based global humanitarian organization that supports families living in dire poverty on rubbish dumps. It takes steps to get kids out of the rubbish and into the classroom. The Small Steps Project delivers shoes, hygiene products, and emergency aid to protect children. In addition, Small Steps works with celebrities to raise funds through Celebrity Shoe Auctions. While partnering with the Small Steps Project, Kelly Osbourne offered her fabulous Aldo Wedges for auction in exchange for donations. And, Kelly Osbourne convinced the rest of the Osbourne family to auction off their shoes for the cause.
The Osbournes are no strangers to auctions as in the past, they raised $20,000 by donating dinner with their family during a 2014 Race to Erase MS Gala event. Race to Erase MS is a nonprofit that supports multiple sclerosis research and patient support. During the last 27 years, the organization has raised over $50 million, with over $34 million going to research and grants.
Kelly Osbourne’s Small Gesture; a Metaphor for Activism
There is no doubt that Kelly Osbourne raises awareness about numerous global issues. Her passion does not stop when the interviews are over nor when the cameras are off. On April 30, 2021, Osbourne was spotted dressed fabulously, giving a homeless man cash during her LA shopping spree. So many times, we ignore and walk past homeless people as we live our day-to-day lives. Kelly Osbourne’s action is a metaphor that we must acknowledge, and work towards solutions to eradicate homelessness and poverty as well as diseases like HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis.
– Alexis Jones
Photo: Flickr
Children in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Crisis
Mozambique, a southern nation located in East Africa, is one of the poorest nations in the world. Cabo Delgado is its northernmost province and is rich in natural gas and rubies. A mix of political tensions, Islamist militancy and inequality have provided fertile ground for Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado crisis
Background of the Crisis
Violence erupted in Cabo Delgado in 2015 and continues today as clashes between the militant group al-Shabab and state security forces. Members of al-Shabab feel that the state does not provide for those in Cabo Delgado who do not belong to the elite. To date, almost 3000 people have died and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. In particular, Mozambican children are suffering heavily from physical and mental challenges.
Physical Challenges to Children: Displacement
The Cabo Delgado crisis has displaced over 336,000 children from their homes. Children flee from their homes on short notice to escape violence. They often travel long distances, sustaining injuries as a result of their journeys. Within the span of one month from June to July 2021, the number of children fleeing alone from Cabo Delgado increased by 40%.
Physical Challenges to Children: Hunger and Violence
Children impacted by the Cabo Delgado crisis also suffer from starvation. A UNICEF SMART survey analysis indicates that 33,000 children in Cabo Delgado are severely malnourished. Still, this number does not even take into account the children who have fled the region.
Some children are even subject to kidnappings and extreme violence. In the span of 13 months, ending in August 2021, over 50 children, mostly girls, were kidnapped. Additionally, there have been reports that children as young as 11 were beheaded.
Mental Challenges to Children: Trauma and Education
In addition to physical challenges, children displaced by the Cabo Delgado crisis also suffer from severe mental distress and trauma. This is often a result of children witnessing horrifying scenes including the murder of their own parents.
The Cabo Delgado crisis also challenges children’s access to education. Cabo Delgado has one of the highest rates of illiteracy in Mozambique. Thus far, the conflict has destroyed 221 schools, jeopardizing children’s access to essential learning.
Helping the Children of Mozambique
The Mozambican government has taken steps to try and improve life in provinces impacted by the Cabo Delgado crisis. In March 2020, the government created the Northern Integrated Development Agency to provide humanitarian aid and support economic growth and youth employment in Cabo Delgado and other provinces impacted by the crisis.
The international community has tried to help diffuse the Cabo Delgado crisis by strengthening the government. In April 2021, the World Bank agreed to provide $100 million to the government of Mozambique to support displaced civilians with basic infrastructure and job creation.
Save the Children
Save the Children, the international humanitarian organization, is helping. It recently worked to reunite 63 Cabo Delgado children with their parents and caregivers. The organization provides foster homes and other forms of temporary accommodation for displaced children. It also provides mental health and psychosocial support service. In addition, Save the Children works with the Mozambican government and other partners to combat malnutrition and provide improved health programs for children. Thus far, the organization has provided support to more than 25,000 children in times of crisis and vital nourishment to almost 15,000 children.
The Mozambique government, global financial leaders including the World Bank, and international humanitarian organizations including Save the Children are making strides to improve life in Cabo Delgado. While much work still remains, these groups are alleviating the suffering of children who are caught up in the Cabo Delgado crisis.
– Savannah Algu
Photo: Flickr
Obviating Further Conflict in Africa
One cannot peg conflict in Africa to a sole cause. In fact, a multitude of causes has paved the way for the world to form a generalized opinion of the continent as an area that is inherently dangerous and violent, a faulty but dangerous conclusion that gives cause not to tackle an issue that the nature of the continent itself causes. Although conflict is an inevitable course of human interaction and an undiplomatic resolution to conflicting interests anywhere, such as in Africa, Mexico, Peru and Guatemala, it is unlikely to bring stability to Africa.
Causes of Conflict
Incompetent leadership, corruption, poverty and colonial influence each have their role in the conflict that reverberates across the African continent. European powers’ 19th-century colonialization saw the arbitrary boundary setting that split ethnic groups and placed rival ethnicities within proximity of each other. The Akan-speaking people lived in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Embezzled funds by leaders play a significant hand in the conflict in Africa by petrifying efforts towards political integration and socioeconomic stability, compelling enough of an issue that the Second Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union adopted the “Africa Convention on Preventing and Combatting Corruption” in 2003. Weakness, corruption and lack of sufficient patriotism characterize leadership in much of Africa, resulting in civil wars in African countries such as, but not limited to, Sudan, Algeria and Liberia.
Poverty’s Role in Conflict
Desertification in Africa speaks of its harsh environment and plays no small role in poverty and has caused notable famines in countries like Ethiopia and Mali, bringing the number of people living in extreme poverty up from 217 million to more than 300 million people between the years of 1987 and 1998. Poverty is a cause of conflict. Conflict in Africa, and anywhere, stalls socioeconomic development and ensures that poverty statistics improve only marginally if at all. Conflict brings down the physical infrastructure of an affected area and likewise destroys the social fabric that takes its forms in loyalty, patriotism and mutual relations. The world has seen time and time again the fruitful reconstruction of an area that war plagued, with the condition that those reconstructing come to a common aim. These conflicts also raise unemployment levels due to a lack of education and economic empowerment.
The Challenges of the Fertility Rate in Africa
A total fertility rate of 4.8 births per woman complicates poverty reduction efforts by complicating a demographic shift that can lead to fewer youths, which means more investment per youth for the development and fulfillment of economic potential. It also offsets poverty reduction progress by increasing the number of people being born into poverty. For example, extreme poverty decreased considerably between 1990 and 2015 inclusive, yet the number of poor people increased to 413 million people from 278 million people.
Solutions to Conflict in Africa
Finding solutions to conflict in Africa is pressing, but poverty eradication and better leadership should be a part of them. A common denominator in developed countries and fueling conflict in Africa is economic and political inclusivity, something lost on developing countries that tend to rule more authoritatively, benefitting those near them at the expense of the rest. Donald Duke, who was a former governor of Cross River State in Nigeria likened the leadership dynamic in Nigeria to that of a pilot who flies a plane but has never been to pilot school. Duke stated that “when the plane crashes, everyone blames the pilot.” Duke also remarked that the question is where are Africa’s leadership “flying schools?”
The disconnect between leaders and the populace is an additional factor, and the age is a subfactor with most African leaders being 55 years of age at minimum, prompting calls for youth inclusion, championed by programs such as the United Nations Population Fund Global Youth Advisory Panel and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, although this only scratches the surface when speaking about total youth involvement.
Youth leadership would benefit Africa greatly, which would require courage on the end of the youth, and understanding and support from older leaders. Youth-led movements such as Y’en a Marre and Balai Citoyen in Senegal and Burkina Faso respectively speak of the youth capacity to instate programs and policy, even at ground level.
– Mohamed Makalou
Photo: Flickr
Kelly Osbourne Fashion
Collaborations: Macy’s Style Lab Celebrity Campaign
In October 2020, Kelly Osbourne and celebrity personal shopper, Nick Cannon, promoted Macy’s Mystyle Lab Department and Dosomething.org. Dosomething organizes campaigns for youth to focus on social change, and on raising money to end poverty and violence in the world. The Macy’s campaign made donating easy. When a unique QR code was scanned at the Mystyle Lab in a store or liked Mystyle on Facebook, Macy’s donated a dollar to DoSomething. Teens can also take a Do Something Cause quiz to automatically enter for a chance to win a $250 shopping spree. Anyone who participates in the quiz receives information on how to help the environment in their community.
The Role of an Ambassador
In May 2013, Kelly Osbourne took on the role of ambassador for GenerationCURE, a young adult campaign of amFAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. A group of twenty-somethings launched GenerationCURE in 2011 with the hope of becoming the “final generation” of AIDS activists. Their goal was to bolster amFAR’s research through raising funds and awareness. In June 2015, Osbourne was one out of 300 young celebrities who attended GenerationCURE’s fourth annual solstice event held in New York City. These solstice events have raised $90,000 for amFAR.
Recently, Kelly Osborne participated as a guest celebrity in GenerationCURE’s Holiday Parties in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. in December 2019. In the star’s interview with HIVPLUSMAG.COM, Kelly Osbourne shared how she actually became involved in AIDS activism at a young age. She said, “I remember putting on a garage sale when I was about 10 years old for my mum’s best friends’ neighbor who was HIV-positive…” Osbourne explained that this neighbor was fired because he was HIV-positive, and her garage sale raised enough money for him to keep his apartment until he passed away.
Osbourne’s passion as an HIV/AIDS activist also stems from watching a friend battle the life-threatening disease. She elaborated, “I have actually watched somebody who had to take antivirals, and be there to wipe their puke, and pull their hair back, and see the night sweats they go through, and how much weight they lose or gain.” It is safe to say that experiencing a loved one going through hardships triggered a passion in Kelly Osbourne’s soul.
Auctioning off in Exchange of Support
The Small Steps Project is a United Kingdom-based global humanitarian organization that supports families living in dire poverty on rubbish dumps. It takes steps to get kids out of the rubbish and into the classroom. The Small Steps Project delivers shoes, hygiene products, and emergency aid to protect children. In addition, Small Steps works with celebrities to raise funds through Celebrity Shoe Auctions. While partnering with the Small Steps Project, Kelly Osbourne offered her fabulous Aldo Wedges for auction in exchange for donations. And, Kelly Osbourne convinced the rest of the Osbourne family to auction off their shoes for the cause.
The Osbournes are no strangers to auctions as in the past, they raised $20,000 by donating dinner with their family during a 2014 Race to Erase MS Gala event. Race to Erase MS is a nonprofit that supports multiple sclerosis research and patient support. During the last 27 years, the organization has raised over $50 million, with over $34 million going to research and grants.
Kelly Osbourne’s Small Gesture; a Metaphor for Activism
There is no doubt that Kelly Osbourne raises awareness about numerous global issues. Her passion does not stop when the interviews are over nor when the cameras are off. On April 30, 2021, Osbourne was spotted dressed fabulously, giving a homeless man cash during her LA shopping spree. So many times, we ignore and walk past homeless people as we live our day-to-day lives. Kelly Osbourne’s action is a metaphor that we must acknowledge, and work towards solutions to eradicate homelessness and poverty as well as diseases like HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis.
– Alexis Jones
Photo: Flickr
COVID-19 in Malawi
Malawi, a landlocked southeastern nation in Africa, faces hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of October 2021, COVID-19 in Malawi say a rise in over 61,700 COVID-19 cases and over 2,200 deaths. The biggest spike that Malawi experienced began on January 25, 2021, with a seven-week average case count of 994. The cases diminished significantly by September 2021, with most 7-week average counts bordering 40 cases. Already deep in poverty, Malawians certainly did not benefit from imposed lockdowns and a rising unemployment rate.
Effects on Poverty
Malawi continues to be one of the poorest countries in the world. It ranks 222 of 225 countries in terms of the greatest GDP per capita, with 526.93 in December 2020. Additionally, Malawi’s poverty rates can be attributed to its economy, which employs about 80% of the population in the agricultural sector. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected most urban areas and forced services and businesses to terminate.
The last demographic statistics of Malawi dates back to 2016 and recorded a poverty rate of 69.2%, which increased from the previous statistic of 62.4% in 1997. This means that this population lives with an income averaging below the extreme poverty line of $1.90 per day. Though no definitive statistics of Malawi’s current poverty rate exist, experts estimate it to be near or greater than the last census of 69.2% due to the unemployment rates caused by COVID-19. The unemployment rate of Malawi increased from 5.6% in 2019 to 6% in 2020, accounting for the jobs terminated by COVID-19.
Economic Development
As mentioned previously, the agriculture business in Malawi accounts for 80% of jobs. However, agricultural production is not necessarily abundant. By September 2020, over 2.6 million Malawians suffered food shortages from a combination of COVID-19 and weather complications.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Malawi experienced economic development with 3.5% economic growth in 2018 and 4.4% in 2019. The Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) was created in 2017 to aid Malawi in several different sectors, including industry, health and poverty. However, the pandemic abruptly paused the project, and some fear that the effects of COVID-19 in Malawi will reverse the progress made in previous years. The Malawi Economic Monitor (MEM) predicts long-term and widespread negative effects from the pandemic, even though measures such as the Emergency Liquidity Assistance should mitigate some of the damage. If the effects do not worsen by the end of COVID-19 in Malawi, the nation will likely be able to reconstruct its economy with the 5-year installment plans within the MGDS.
Social Conditions
One of the greatest worldwide challenges of the pandemic continues to be providing schooling for students at home. With Malawi’s poor standards for education, where only 8% of students finish secondary school, the pandemic posed a great challenge. In a survey of 100 parents of school-attending children, 86% reported that they had no contact with any teachers or the school throughout the lockdown. Additionally, there is a lack of school materials in Malawi, making learning at home even more difficult.
Another social issue due to COVID-19 in Malawi is the rise in suicide rates. The lack of professional services available for mental health in Malawi resulted in drastically increased suicide rates. In 2020, the Malawi police service reported an increase of up to 57% during the pandemic. Additionally, statistics found that 92% of suicides in Malawi during this period were men, with 8% being women. Certain psychologists associate this with the loss of jobs and rising poverty levels in Malawi. These struggles place intense pressure on the men of a household to provide for their family during drastic times.
All Is Not Lost
Though it may seem like the current conditions in Malawi are beyond hope, there is still a chance that Malawi can recover from the pandemic and return to its course of economic improvement. With COVID-19 cases lowering, Malawi may be seeing the end of the pandemic. Also, the implementation of The Malawi Growth and Development Strategy will help with Malawi’s economic reset and assist the country in its recovery.
– Andra Fofuca
Photo: Wikimedia
Global Citizen’s Book of the Month
Global Citizen’s book of the month focuses on educating the public on issues surrounding global poverty, and it is of the utmost importance due to the fact that individuals can learn basic advocacy skills, which will allow and encourage citizens to communicate with their government to help end global poverty. Book clubs, such as the Global Citizen Book Club, handpick new books each month and offer participants a chance to discuss the books as they relate to ending extreme poverty. This educates and mobilizes individuals to learn the key causes of poverty, and how to advocate for those living on less than $1 per day.
Global Citizen’s Book of the Month for October 2021 is “The End of Bias: A Beginning” by Jessica Nordell. Global Citizen hosts a discussion each week in its “Global Citizen All-Access” Facebook Group in order to facilitate conversations surrounding major themes from the book and how they relate to global poverty.
Also, in the following month, Global Citizen will host a virtual discussion with the author, in which Global Citizen members will have the opportunity to engage with one another as well as ask the author questions. Global Citizen also sat down with the author, journalist Jessica Nordell, to discuss her book prior to the virtual discussion that will take place on November 9, 2021.
How to Start a Book Club
Individuals can start a UNICEF USA Book Club, which is a great way to bring family, friends and/or colleagues who love to read together to discuss important issues relevant to the work of UNICEF around the world. UNICEF offers a step-by-step guide on how to start a book club. The goal of starting a book club is to build a community of informed advocates who will act on behalf of those facing global poverty worldwide. The guide provides lists of recommended books, as well as questions to help guide discussions and key information about UNICEF and UNICEF USA.
Other Book Clubs
There are other book clubs that individuals can join as well. For instance, Opportunity International has its own book club, which offers book recommendations every month that feature works from international authors, people who are living in the countries in which Opportunity International works, or issues related to global poverty and development. This book club is a great way to learn and explore—right from the comfort of one’s couch. Opportunity International is a global nonprofit organization that creates opportunities and provides assistance “…for entrepreneurs to build their businesses, children to go to school, farmers to feed their communities, and families to end the cycle of generational poverty.” The organization has helped develop innovative programs to address challenges that living in poverty has brought to those around the world for nearly 50 years.
The Opportunity Book Club works by providing participants with book recommendations that cover a wide range of issues, such as poverty, development, philanthropy, generosity and global economics. The books that the Opportunity Book Club offers range in length, and span different genres and narrative styles to cater to different literary tastes. Members of the Opportunity Book Club can share their thoughts and opinions, and ask questions in the Opportunity International Facebook group, which provides a great way to connect with readers all over the world.
Concluding Thoughts
The benefit of Global Citizen’s Book of the Month and other book clubs is that they grant readers the opportunity to learn about important issues. The awareness that these book clubs raise could influence action regarding eradicating global poverty.
– Grace Watson
Photo: Flickr
How the DOBRE Initiative Empowers Youth Leaders
In Ukraine, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) initiative “Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency,” known as the DOBRE initiative, empowers youth leaders to promote change in their communities. The program, which ran from June 2016 through June 2021, succeeded in providing assistance to the Ukrainian government in order to fund decentralized reform and strengthen local communities.
DIY Youth Forums
Beginning in 2017, the DOBRE initiative worked with partner Global Communities, an international nonprofit, to sponsor annual DIY (Do It Yourself) youth forums. These forums provided young people with knowledge and experience on how to instigate change by revitalizing community assets. They also taught youth how to foster new opportunities for local development. Vasyl Telep is one student who took part in those youth forums. His first project installed new outdoor sports facilities in his local village to increase the opportunities for physical exercise. He presented and received support for his initiative from the government. Next, with his first success in his pocket, Telep registered his own non-governmental organization (NGO) and raised funds for the purchase of medical equipment for a local laboratory.
The DOBRE initiative allowed Telep and other youth to transform their ideas into realities. That is because the DOBRE initiative’s overarching mission was to provide international donor assistance to the Ukrainian government so that the government could fund decentralization reforms and aid the development of local communities.
Youth Festivals Deter Alcohol Consumption
The partners of the USAID DOBRE initiative also assisted local youth councils in organizing festivals for the youth of their community. For instance, the Starosaltivka Youth Council had partnered with the Kharkiv government to organize the “Jeans-Party” festival for more than 150 young people. The festival’s goals included keeping young adults off the streets. Also, the festival discouraged alcohol use. This goal was particularly pertinent because Ukraine has ranked in the top 20 countries for average annual alcohol consumption per person. Further, alcohol consumption in Ukraine has been especially severe among its youth.
The consumption of alcohol among Ukrainian youth has led to many young people losing their academic ambitions. Also, it has led to youth failing to pursue jobs that could contribute to the economic development of their local communities and Ukraine as a whole. On a positive note, Ukraine’s youth unemployment in 2019 was 15.53% which represents a 2.5% decline from the previous year. In fact, the youth unemployment rate declined each year of the DOBRE initiative from 2017 to 2019. One may be able to attribute this decline to the DOBRE initiative and the Ukrainian government’s efforts to engage youth with their communities and to incentivize youth employment.
Prospects Beyond Youth Forums and Festivals
Beyond volunteering in youth forums and festivals, the DOBRE initiative empowers youth leaders by preparing them for longer-term career opportunities with the government. After completing his work with his NGO, Telep was able to join the economic department of Baikovetska and he graduated to larger-impact projects. In 2018, he began working as a member of his local economic development working group to create a real estate database and raise awareness to the community about state subsidies and taxation. These efforts strove to help local entrepreneurs promote their products and services and access new markets. This underlines how the USAID initiative helped the youth unlock new opportunities and enabled them to increase their responsibility in the community if they chose to do so.
The USAID DOBRA initiative empowers youth leaders to change their communities for the better. In addition, USAID’s investment helped the Ukrainian government support various projects to enhance community assets and create meaningful employment.
– Max Sidorovitch
Photo: Flickr
UN Food Systems Summit
The U.N. Food Systems Summit recently took place on September 23, 2021. The U.N. Food Systems Summit highlighted the key nexus between food sustainability and food insecurity. The Summit was a virtual conference, and it described the food-related challenges that many people around the world are currently facing. Statistics highlighted the magnitude of the nutritional issues.
The UN Food Summit: Igniting Action and Hope
The World Food Program’s (WFP) Executive Director, David Beasley, mentioned several concerning facts. For example, 3 billion people are unable to attain a balanced diet. Beyond that, 9 million people die from hunger each year. In 2020 alone, 25,000 people died per day due to starvation. However, following these morbid realities, the Summit revealed the goals of the U.N. and some solutions to the pre-established issues. The emphasis was on galvanizing people to care for one another. At its core, the Summit was a rallying call to action.
Main Objectives of the Summit
The main objective of the Summit was to raise awareness of the food system’s importance to the entirety of the sustainable development agenda. The urgency of addressing the issues plaguing global food systems has increased, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Summit also aimed to unite stakeholders around a common understanding of food systems as a foundation for action, to recognize the necessity of innovation addressing global food obstacles and catalyze action for the transformation of food systems in every corner of the globe.
António Guterres, the U.N. Secretary-General, issued a summary and statement of action for the Summit. One of the key points of the statement was how the pandemic has significantly worsened food insecurity, resulting in a 20% increase in the number of people facing hunger between 2019 and 2020. Furthermore, the Secretary-General established five action areas to help ensure the necessary changes to achieve all of the SDGs by 2030:
This statement of action was very robust. It included details about how the U.N. Resident Coordinators and U.N. Country Teams will work with national governments to develop new national pathways to improve food systems and ensure the accomplishment of the SDGs by 2030.
Global Leaders Reactions
During the Summit, leaders from a variety of countries spoke in an attempt to elicit empathy and initiative in the fight against food insecurity and malnutrition. Presidents, Prime Ministers, Agriculture Ministers and others were present at the Summit. The Summit’s goal was to “transform food systems to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” Many of the leaders who spoke focused on the specific issues plaguing the food systems within their state and established courses of action and priorities for tackling those issues.
Spain stated that it will be focussing on boosting family farming, with President Pedro Sanchez saying that “family farming…contributes to the economic and socio-cultural fabric of rural areas.” He followed that statement by announcing that the Spanish government will support family farming by boosting the coalition for the Decade of Family Farming. Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), made a strong statement condemning humanity’s current state of production and consumption. He emphasized the urgency of investment into global food systems and called upon food manufacturers to change the composition of their products.
The Conversation Needs to Continue
The U.N. Food Systems Summit provides hope and reassurance that action will occur to address food insecurity and poverty worldwide. The Summit was available to watch for anyone with internet access, and those who registered were able to connect in chat sections. Globalizing the combat of food insecurity and reaching the individual level increases awareness and participation in the Summit, which is beneficial to the U.N. cause. International humanitarian organizations and NGOs should continue to host these community dialogues to raise awareness of the issues plaguing humanity and to establish roadmaps to alleviate these issues.
– Wais Wood
Photo: Flickr
The Four Pillars of the Graduation Approach to Poverty Reduction
After years of successful poverty reduction, the COVID-19 pandemic may cause 150 million people to return to severe poverty. Poverty is “a cyclical pattern where the multidimensional causes of extreme poverty prevent people from acquiring the resources to escape it.” However, the graduation approach to poverty reduction has proved successful in overcoming the multifaceted obstacles of extreme poverty.
What Is the Graduation Approach?
In 2002, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) established the graduation approach to poverty reduction. The graduation approach is a way of attacking extreme poverty from multiple angles. A “set of interventions designed to address the” complexity of the issue are implemented to provide the “’big push’ people need to escape the poverty trap long term.” Since 2018, the graduation approach has reached almost 14 million people in 50 different countries. And, it is being used by more than 100 organizations.
BRAC pioneered the approach in Bangladesh in 2002. There, it had a 95% graduation from poverty success rate. Its success is attributed “to a combination of consumption support and asset/cash transfers, followed by up to two years of training” and mentoring. The program can last anywhere from 18-36 months per household with an average cost of only $1,400.
The Four Pillars of the Graduation Approach
Over time, the graduation approach to poverty reduction has been broken down into four main pillars.
Graduation Success Rate in the Philippines
From June 2018 to September 2020, 1,800 households in the Philippines participated in a pilot of the graduation approach to poverty. Findings showed that 71% of households met all the “criteria under the four pillars of graduation” and saw improvement in their life skills and financial management. The participants greatly improved their hygiene, nutrition and health practices as they retained at least 80% of their life skills training. At the start of the program, 74% of participants had access to a sanitary toilet. By the end of the program, everyone had access to one.
Despite the program taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic, the participants were still able to initiate livelihoods and earn income. As of September 2020, around 60% of individual livelihoods remained fully operational and 73% of group livelihoods remained intact. The graduation approach to poverty reduction also taught participants how to react to changing trends in the market due to the pandemic. In turn, participants were able to stay above the food poverty threshold.
The Impact
Overall, the graduation approach to poverty reduction has proved extremely successful. It provides the “big push” that individuals living below the poverty line need in order to escape the cyclical trap. With new knowledge, resources and savings, individuals that have been through the graduation program are set up for long-term success.
– Trystin Baker
Photo: Unsplash
The Past and Present of Women’s Rights in Iran
The state of women’s rights in Iran has fluctuated throughout the past century. From the early to late 20th century, there was steady progress for gender equality. However, in 1979, during the Iranian Revolution, women’s rights in Iran took a drastic step back. Currently, activists are trying to restore fundamental rights for women within Iran.
History Before the Revolution
In the 1920s, women’s rights in Iran began to make significant progress toward gender equality. Education was more accessible to girls when it became free for both girls and boys. In addition, Iran’s first university allowed the enrollment of women. By the mid-1900s, the suffrage movement made significant headway, especially politically. Women’s organizations underwent implementation and the Iranian Women Party began in 1942. Despite the large opposition and obstacles, women’s organizations and the Women’s Party lobbied for improvements in women’s rights.
It was also helpful that the Shah of Iran (Mohammad Reza Pahlavi) had a twin sister, Ashraf Pahlavi. She worked in the High Council of Women’s Organizations of Iran. At the beginning of 1963, the Shah proposed a reform program “primarily aimed at land reform” but also incorporating “a provision for extending suffrage to women.”
He allowed women to vote on the referendum, which passed. This monumental moment eventually led to Iranian women gaining the right to vote. A handful of laws passed around this decade, including raising the minimum age of marriage from 13 to 18, the ability to request for a divorce, gaining the ability to fight for child custody and other marriage and child custody rights under the Family Protection Law.
By the late 1970s, several women served in Iran’s parliament and hundreds took up positions in local councils. Iranian women were also a considerable part of the workforce. However, in 1979, Iran’s revolution led to a regression of women’s rights in Iran that is present to this day.
After the Revolution
The change in political structure in Iran also changed women’s rights in the country. Rollbacks in family law rights occurred. Iran enforced strict laws and punishment regarding Islamic dress codes. Itan reduced the legal marriage age to just 9 years old and women had to leave several government positions. Women “held on to the right to vote and run for parliament,” however, officials ignored their voices.
Even with severely stricter laws, activists still persevered and fought for women’s rights in Iran throughout the years. Because of this activism, more women attended schools, there was a slight increase in women in office and the minimum age of marriage increased to 13 years old. However, even though women gained some rights, they continue to suffer misogyny and discrimination under Iranian law.
Men continue to have significant legal authority over women. The government disregards violence and sexual assault against women. Women experience punishment for standing up for themselves and, in some cases, they even experience execution. Despite women making up more than half of the student body at universities, they only make up 15.2% of the Iranian workforce. From these facts, it is clear that there is a dire need to improve women’s rights in Iran.
The Atena Women Life Quality Improvement Institute
The risk of facing punishment does not deter activists from fighting for gender equality within the country. One NGO that has made a significant impact on women in Iran is the Atena Women Life Quality Improvement Institute. It began in 2006 unofficially, however, after years of work and recognition, in 2013, it officially underwent registry under the State Welfare Organization of Iran. The organization empowers women in several different ways, including supporting them in different fields of work and increasing public awareness for women’s rights. The organization’s impact is widespread, currently supporting more than 200 families with its services and even helping domestic violence victims through education and support. One of Atena’s current projects includes an entrepreneurship initiative that focuses on helping Iranian women earn an income through entrepreneurship. Atena is one of the many impactful NGOs that empower women in Iran.
While activists can face severe punishment in Iran, the fight for women’s rights is essential and advocates stand strong in their commitment to advance women’s rights.
– Karuna Lakhiani
Photo: Flickr
How Emotional Support Programs Save Lives
Emotional support programs for children and pregnant women in low-income communities can improve participants’ mental and physical health. Daily challenges of living below the poverty line often result in high-stress levels that can lead to a variety of health complications in children, pregnant women and babies. Emotional support programs save lives in low-income communities by reducing stress and resultant health issues.
The Benefits for Pregnant Women and Babies
Emotional support groups for pregnant women can make impactful differences in their lifestyles and health. A study by psychologist Greg Miller found that pregnant women who took part in a support group called Centering Pregnancy had less inflammation in their placentas than pregnant women who received standard prenatal care. Inflammation within the placenta can restrict the flow of nutrients, oxygen and blood from mother to child, potentially leading to health complications. Within Centering Pregnancy, pregnant women received guidance on nutrition, stress management and parenting. As a result, they had lower stress levels and less inflammation in their placentas, allowing them to have more relaxed and healthy pregnancies.
Groups like Centering Pregnancy can be particularly valuable in low-income communities where women experience high-stress levels from everyday challenges linked to poverty. For example, a study that a teaching hospital in Lahore, Pakistan conducted found that during their pregnancies, 25% of women in the antenatal clinic experienced depression and 34.5% experienced anxiety. In developing countries like Pakistan, emotional support programs save lives by improving pregnant women’s health and, in turn, the health of their babies.
The Benefits for Children
According to the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, conditions with links to poverty, such as “‘overcrowding, noise, substandard housing, separation from parent(s), exposure to violence, [and] family turmoil’” can have toxic effects on the developing human brain, just like drug abuse and alcoholism. Cortisol, a hormone that helps manage stress, can be overly abundant in children who grow up in poverty, which can lead to stunted brain development over time. As a solution, mentorship programs for children in low-income communities can improve kids’ emotional and physical wellbeing. A study by Miller and fellow Psychologist Edith Chen found that a single supportive, high-quality relationship with someone like a teacher, friend or mentor can substantially minimize a child’s risk of cardiovascular disease in a low-income community. Mentorship programs help children relieve stress and resolve social conflicts, potentially leading to fewer long-term health concerns.
Organizations at Work
Mental health organizations work across the globe to help people of every age improve their mental, emotional and sometimes even physical health. For example, United for Global Mental Health is an international organization that began in 2017 to improve mental health around the world, including in Pakistan, Nigeria, France, Canada and Japan. The website provides an extensive list of international mental health resources, including organizations that specifically focus on supporting children. United for Global Mental Health’s goal is to improve mental health globally and make mental health resources accessible to everyone, despite socioeconomic status. The organization works alongside partners such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) to advocate for rights, financing, systems and educational resources that improve mental health around the world.
Organizations like Mothers2Mothers (M2M) also work to help pregnant women and new mothers to achieve the best mental and physical health possible in developing countries. M2M began in 2001 when South Africa was facing a record number of HIV infections. The organization employs women with HIV in nine African countries, including Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, to work as Mentor Mothers. Mentor Mothers are community health workers who serve women and adolescents in 10 countries across Africa by providing support, education and medical services. M2M has created more than 11,000 jobs for women with HIV and has provided over 13.5 million people in sub-Saharan Africa with crucial health services. The organization models how emotional support programs save lives in developing countries.
Spread around the world with a variety of causes, emotional support programs save lives by relieving stress and the health complications that result from it. People experiencing poverty often experience heightened levels of stress, so emotional support programs can be particularly useful to people in low-income areas.
– Cleo Hudson
Photo: Pixabay