Extreme poverty originates in already disadvantaged groups, particularly women, people with disabilities and indigenous peoples. The impact of poverty disproportionately affects communities that already face challenges dependent upon their gender, ability or cultural background. For those who belong to more than one of these identities, poverty can seem inescapable without direct intervention and change within the systems that limit their ability to self-sustain. Trickle Up is one organization that has provided an intersectional approach to poverty reduction by engaging with these vulnerable groups since 1979 and providing women in impoverished areas the financial resources to build up themselves and their communities.
Identity as a Predictor for Extreme Poverty
Women are more likely than men to live in poverty. Many women face the consequences of gender inequalities as they receive 24% less pay than men worldwide and face job insecurity through the informal economy. Moreover, they spend much of their time invested in unpaid labor, such as caregiving.
The Borgen Project spoke with Trickle Up’s Vice President of Programs, Barbara Jackson, who revealed the importance of targeting the obstacles that hold back women especially from emerging out of extreme poverty. She recognized that impoverished women face stigmatization even in their own communities and experience marginalization through the lack of services available to them. Disparities emerge when “men and boys are often prioritized for schooling,” leaving some women without literacy skills. As a result, women frequently must focus on balancing caregiving and wage-earning instead.
“Women are often not included in decision-making processes because they are not considered the voice of the family,” Jackson went on. They are instead “stigmatized for something that is not of their own volition.” Targeting unjust power dynamics that limit women’s ability to pull themselves out of extreme poverty is a crucial approach to poverty reduction.
The current global data demonstrates that poverty is an intersectional problem that harms those who fall under more than one disadvantaged category. Women who come from indigenous backgrounds face additional challenges. Indigenous peoples make up nearly 15% of the poorest people globally. Being both a woman and an indigenous person couples with the highest malnutrition and poverty rates out of all social groups in Latin America and the Caribbean. For this reason, Trickle Up has built a program to support and empower Guatemalan indigenous women.
Trickle Up’s Graduation Approach
About 767 million people in the world live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.90 per day. Microcredit services, which involve providing small loans to individuals in developing nations, make up important support for millions of the impoverished each year. However, these services frequently overlook the ultra-poor due to the complexity of their challenges.
Referring to the ultra-poor, Jackson emphasized that “it is critical that they learn basic financial skills, learn how to save, gain greater financial stability through a diversity of income-generating activities, and develop the self-confidence they need to persevere and succeed.” Because of the economic and social disadvantages presented to them simply because of their gender, women are the primary recipients of Trickle Up’s specialized savings and social support services.
Of the many challenges of breaking the cycle of poverty, lack of services and geographic and social isolation are most prominent for the focus of Trickle Up’s graduation approach.
How Trickle Up’s Graduation Approach Works
In place of giving out microcredit, Trickle Up intends for its five-step Graduation Approach to help participants of the program “graduate out of poverty.” Each program undergoes implementation in a community and it selects the participants it deems most vulnerable. Trickle Up later approves these participants.
The selected women then receive consumption support, which is the provision of a small stipend to ensure that they may stabilize their families prior to moving forward with developing long-term investments. Trickle Up’s approach to poverty reduction involves giving livelihood coaching in addition to risk-free capital investment. The training allows for women to decide on the activities they can employ to create a sustainable income.
Prior to graduation, it is essential that women have savings and social networks set up. Jackson shared that women in these communities “don’t come together to talk about their problems and talk amongst themselves.” The savings groups provide opportunities for the participants to “sit and work” together in order to build confidence and trust.
The Desde el Poder Local Program
Desde el Poder Local is one of Trickle Up’s current six projects. Located in El Quiché and Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, the project has selected 410 indigenous women between the ages of 15 and 24 to participate over the span of two years so far. This particular program emphasizes reproductive health education and livelihood development.
Women and men receive reproductive health education in the native languages of the targeted communities. The goals of this education initiative include broadening understanding of the implications of early onset pregnancies while also acknowledging the role of parenthood. Jackson noted that there has been a decrease in pregnancies in the last two years, with no pregnancies occurring for women under 18 in El Quiche and Alta Verapaz. Trickle Up’s inclusion of male family members in both reproductive health and financial literacy programs aims to develop a sustainable change in the gender dynamics of the participant’s communities.
As of August 2020, Desde el Poder Local generated 21 savings groups and 77% of participants increased their annual income during the program. Jackson pointed out, “A dollar a week they’re saving. That’s the first time they’re making their own money.” With the support of their families, communities, and municipal authorities, these women obtain the support they need to continue generating a sustainable income once the project concludes.
Maintaining Support During COVID-19
The traditional approach that Trickle Up has undergone disruption during the coronavirus pandemic. Women who work as local artisans have not been able to travel or access markets in order to sell their products. Fortunately, Jackson assured that Trickle Up staff members have continued to work alongside government staff or field extension agents, which are often women. Information on sanitation hygiene and infection prevention has undergone dissemination through cell phones and word-of-mouth.
Trickle Up has demonstrated that an intersectional approach is essential for poverty reduction. Targeting social problems that exacerbate the effects of extreme poverty, including gender inequality and racial discrimination, allows for growth within the target communities and in society as a whole.
– Ilana Issula
Photo: Flickr
Poverty in Congo and What is Being Done About It
The political instability in the Republic of the Congo is necessary for understanding the economic disarray throughout the population. It is also important for understanding why poverty in Congo remains rife despite international aid interventions.
What Poverty Looks Like in the Republic of the Congo
Poverty in Congo is vast and covers all areas of the country. About 50% of the population lives in poverty. The return of natives displaced by war to a weakened Congo led to many facing poverty and disease from poor infrastructure and government.
Rural areas are affected most out of the country, as there are many people who do not have efficient access to clean water sources or sanitation. Artesian wells or unclarified water sources account for over 20% of all water access throughout the entire country. In addition, there is little improvement in urban areas. Much of the population, almost 1.5 million, live in unplanned settlements with little sanitation procedure or adequate housing throughout the two largest cities of the country, Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. This creates a difficult atmosphere to combat preventable diseases like malaria and various respiratory or parasitic diseases.
Another problem facing is the country is the lack of, and lack access to, education. The primary school completion rate is low and the dropout rate is high. Access to education in rural areas is 42.5% compared to access in urban areas at 82.7%. This impacts the Republic of Congo’s human capital, which makes it harder for people to find jobs domestically or internationally. Further, Congo’s enrollment in secondary school is lower than in other sub-Saharan African countries. Lack of education leads to a lack of opportunity and thus a higher unemployment rate across the country.
The Good News
The Republic of the Congo has been making great strides in trying to counteract its issues since 2001. It created The Future Path project with the aim of modernizing society as a whole. The plan also aims to industrialize the economy to help the Congo gain international footing. Increasing jobs and economic performance through large-scale building projects and international cooperation are the goals of the government.
The World Bank is currently assisting the Republic of the Congo with economics and societal development projects with 10 current national projects worth $562 million. The Country Partnership Framework will help improve the Congo’s economic management, help create “economic diversification and strengthen its human capital and basic service provision, particularly in the areas of health, education and social protection.” Improvement of water sources and better sanitation is a priority of the government and also many initiatives funded by the World Bank. The World Bank is also financing $61.31 million in emergency COVID-19 funding to help combat the pandemic in the country. The current levels of poverty in Congo and the level of disease exposed to people exacerbate the issue of COVID-19.
What Needs to be Done
The number of people in poverty decreased from about 50% in 2005 to about 40% in 2011. In addition, improvements in education account for 14% of poverty reduction as a direct result of improved standards of living. However, rural education slightly deteriorated. This is because the rural population with only primary or no educational achievement increased from 46% to 53%. This highlights how the government needs to focus the fight on poverty in Congo in rural areas. The government needs to focus on encouraging more students into education past the primary level.
Overall, the Republic of the Congo has been making great strides toward leveling its poverty numbers. While the current situation is not perfect, the reduction of poverty in Congo and the improved standards of living are miles away from what the country experienced in 2001.
– Avery Benton
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Women in Cuba Still Have to Fight for Their Rights
Education
Compared to other nations, Cuba may appear to be far more progressive on women’s rights. According to the Havana Times, women comprise 53% of the congressional body, and they account for 60% of college graduates. These numbers portray a clear female dominance in areas of higher education and are much higher compared to other developed nations.
Women’s Organizations
“Women’s organizations” are still not welcome in the nation. A new state constitution took effect after the 1960s Cuban revolution that barred the legalization of women’s organizations. An exception was made for the already established FMC.
The FMC, the Federation of Cuban Women, is a communist-controlled organization intended for the advancement of the women in Cuba. This is not inherently indicative of any corruption. However, women are prevented from assembling themselves and are dependent upon the state-sanctioned organization due to the lack of organizational options.
The Workplace
Societal standards are still oppressive to women. Numbers depict women moving out of their roles in the household to earn degrees and serve in the congressional body. The caveat is that women are still expected to perform all the duties that come with running a household. This includes cooking, cleaning and childcare.
This “machismo” mindset is heavily prevalent in Latin American nations. Essentially, this relegates women to the stereotypical domestic roles. This is even applied to women who are practicing doctors, lawyers and teachers. This societal standard burdens working women as well as those who choose to not enter the workforce or pursue higher education.
Discrimination in the workplace is another struggle women in Cuba must face. Women still face societal barriers in how they are compensated and employed. Female physicians and professors are typically paid the governmental base wage because most hospitals and universities are state-owned. This means that women are usually earning $30/hour in these typically high-paying fields. Further, the congressional body that women composed the majority of does not have any actual legislative power. That power is found within the Communist Party, which is only 7% female.
A Positive Outlook
The situation for women in Cuba is difficult to navigate. However, there are statutes in place to assist women in their quest to achieve equal rights within their society. For example, the constitution has an article that specifically protects maternity leave as a right for mothers in the workforce. Furthermore, the accessibility of higher education promises benefits to women of all classes that will last for generations. In essence, there is a long way to go, but that does not diminish how far the women’s rights movement in Cuba has come already.
– Allison Moss
Photo: Flickr
Trickle Up’s Approach to Poverty Reduction
Extreme poverty originates in already disadvantaged groups, particularly women, people with disabilities and indigenous peoples. The impact of poverty disproportionately affects communities that already face challenges dependent upon their gender, ability or cultural background. For those who belong to more than one of these identities, poverty can seem inescapable without direct intervention and change within the systems that limit their ability to self-sustain. Trickle Up is one organization that has provided an intersectional approach to poverty reduction by engaging with these vulnerable groups since 1979 and providing women in impoverished areas the financial resources to build up themselves and their communities.
Identity as a Predictor for Extreme Poverty
Women are more likely than men to live in poverty. Many women face the consequences of gender inequalities as they receive 24% less pay than men worldwide and face job insecurity through the informal economy. Moreover, they spend much of their time invested in unpaid labor, such as caregiving.
The Borgen Project spoke with Trickle Up’s Vice President of Programs, Barbara Jackson, who revealed the importance of targeting the obstacles that hold back women especially from emerging out of extreme poverty. She recognized that impoverished women face stigmatization even in their own communities and experience marginalization through the lack of services available to them. Disparities emerge when “men and boys are often prioritized for schooling,” leaving some women without literacy skills. As a result, women frequently must focus on balancing caregiving and wage-earning instead.
“Women are often not included in decision-making processes because they are not considered the voice of the family,” Jackson went on. They are instead “stigmatized for something that is not of their own volition.” Targeting unjust power dynamics that limit women’s ability to pull themselves out of extreme poverty is a crucial approach to poverty reduction.
The current global data demonstrates that poverty is an intersectional problem that harms those who fall under more than one disadvantaged category. Women who come from indigenous backgrounds face additional challenges. Indigenous peoples make up nearly 15% of the poorest people globally. Being both a woman and an indigenous person couples with the highest malnutrition and poverty rates out of all social groups in Latin America and the Caribbean. For this reason, Trickle Up has built a program to support and empower Guatemalan indigenous women.
Trickle Up’s Graduation Approach
About 767 million people in the world live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.90 per day. Microcredit services, which involve providing small loans to individuals in developing nations, make up important support for millions of the impoverished each year. However, these services frequently overlook the ultra-poor due to the complexity of their challenges.
Referring to the ultra-poor, Jackson emphasized that “it is critical that they learn basic financial skills, learn how to save, gain greater financial stability through a diversity of income-generating activities, and develop the self-confidence they need to persevere and succeed.” Because of the economic and social disadvantages presented to them simply because of their gender, women are the primary recipients of Trickle Up’s specialized savings and social support services.
Of the many challenges of breaking the cycle of poverty, lack of services and geographic and social isolation are most prominent for the focus of Trickle Up’s graduation approach.
How Trickle Up’s Graduation Approach Works
In place of giving out microcredit, Trickle Up intends for its five-step Graduation Approach to help participants of the program “graduate out of poverty.” Each program undergoes implementation in a community and it selects the participants it deems most vulnerable. Trickle Up later approves these participants.
The selected women then receive consumption support, which is the provision of a small stipend to ensure that they may stabilize their families prior to moving forward with developing long-term investments. Trickle Up’s approach to poverty reduction involves giving livelihood coaching in addition to risk-free capital investment. The training allows for women to decide on the activities they can employ to create a sustainable income.
Prior to graduation, it is essential that women have savings and social networks set up. Jackson shared that women in these communities “don’t come together to talk about their problems and talk amongst themselves.” The savings groups provide opportunities for the participants to “sit and work” together in order to build confidence and trust.
The Desde el Poder Local Program
Desde el Poder Local is one of Trickle Up’s current six projects. Located in El Quiché and Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, the project has selected 410 indigenous women between the ages of 15 and 24 to participate over the span of two years so far. This particular program emphasizes reproductive health education and livelihood development.
Women and men receive reproductive health education in the native languages of the targeted communities. The goals of this education initiative include broadening understanding of the implications of early onset pregnancies while also acknowledging the role of parenthood. Jackson noted that there has been a decrease in pregnancies in the last two years, with no pregnancies occurring for women under 18 in El Quiche and Alta Verapaz. Trickle Up’s inclusion of male family members in both reproductive health and financial literacy programs aims to develop a sustainable change in the gender dynamics of the participant’s communities.
As of August 2020, Desde el Poder Local generated 21 savings groups and 77% of participants increased their annual income during the program. Jackson pointed out, “A dollar a week they’re saving. That’s the first time they’re making their own money.” With the support of their families, communities, and municipal authorities, these women obtain the support they need to continue generating a sustainable income once the project concludes.
Maintaining Support During COVID-19
The traditional approach that Trickle Up has undergone disruption during the coronavirus pandemic. Women who work as local artisans have not been able to travel or access markets in order to sell their products. Fortunately, Jackson assured that Trickle Up staff members have continued to work alongside government staff or field extension agents, which are often women. Information on sanitation hygiene and infection prevention has undergone dissemination through cell phones and word-of-mouth.
Trickle Up has demonstrated that an intersectional approach is essential for poverty reduction. Targeting social problems that exacerbate the effects of extreme poverty, including gender inequality and racial discrimination, allows for growth within the target communities and in society as a whole.
– Ilana Issula
Photo: Flickr
US Sanctions on Iran Amid the Novel Coronavirus
In a 2018 interview with Stephen Colbert, former president Jimmy Carter said that “sanctions exhaust rulers, and hurt the people.” More recently, the maximum pressure policy on Iran of former President Donald Trump marked a shift from Carter’s view on U.S. sanctions. The Carter Administration did coincide with the collapse of U.S.-Iranian relations. At the time, however, both countries had reasons to be hopeful. Here is some information about U.S. sanctions on Iran amid the novel coronavirus.
The Fall of the Shah and Jimmy Carter
The U.S. was pressuring Tehran to demolish despotism, and the Shah was compliant. The Nixon doctrine, a doctrine that stressed military support for authoritarian proxies as an impediment to the spread of communism, was eroding.
Despite these transformations, shows like “60 Minutes” were exposing the Shah’s human rights abuses. The most salient of these abuses was the SAVAK, a clandestine police and intelligence service devoted to the torture and murder of suspected communists, which the U.S. funded.
Additionally, the shah had more focus on military strength than social and economic reforms. In hindsight, the Iranian revolution and the collapse of U.S.-Iranian relations may seem inevitable. Critics of Carter argue that his failure to save the hostages signaled the death knell of his Administration.
The Obama Sanctions and the JCPOA
Since that time, the chasm between both countries has grown wider. Washington and Tehran have been rapidly heading toward collision; disaster feels imminent. During the Obama Administration, the U.S. imposed sanctions on the sale of oil and the funding of Iran’s nuclear program. The intent was to bring Iranian officials to the negotiating table.
In 2012, Obama deemed the “grinding” of the Iranian economy a success. During this time, the value of Iran’s currency plummeted. From 2011-2012, the rial lost 38% of its value, deterring many corporations from doing business with Tehran and plunging the economy into economic isolation.
In 2015, the P5+1—the U.S., Germany, China, Russia, France and the U.K.—reached an agreement that would ease U.S. sanctions on Iran in return for restrictions on its nuclear program. This agreement became known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or colloquially as the nuclear deal. The International Atomic Energy Agency praised the deal. CIA director, John Brennan, and former national security advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, voiced their support for it.
Trump’s Withdrawal from the JCPOA
In 2018, President Trump withdrew from the JCPOA, famously calling it the “worst deal ever.” Critics of the deal argue that in spite of the deal Iran continues to provide support to various terrorist proxies, such as Hezbollah, the Houthis and the Badr Corps, in addition to the Assad government. As Iran’s sphere of influence burgeons in the Arab world, Tehran draws nearer to the Saudi Kingdom’s sphere of influence. Saudi Arabia has been an ally of the U.S. since World War II. Critics of the deal also contend that a sunset clause will leave open the possibility of Iran continuing its nuclear program in the future.
Now, after pressuring the U.N. to multilaterally reimpose sanctions, the Trump Administration has prolonged the arms embargo previously scheduled to end on Oct. 18, 2020. The administration has also reinstated U.S. sanctions on uranium enrichment and ballistic missile development.
The Impact of the Sanctions on Iran’s Coronavirus Response
As the value of the rial continues to dwindle and inflation continues to soar, the price of food and medicine is skyrocketing. In addition, U.S. sanctions have impaired Iran’s ability to afford humanitarian supplies amid the novel coronavirus. Relief International is providing tens of thousands of masks, coveralls and test kits to frontline workers, as well as giving thousands of hand sanitizer bottles to Afghan refugee camps in Iran to mitigate this dire situation. At the moment, the death count in Iran due to COVID-19 is over 60,000.
Conclusion
U.S. sanctions impinge on Iran’s response to the novel coronavirus. From the revolution until now, amicability between Iran and the U.S. has deteriorated. The Iranian people are the victims of this decay. Today, the Iranian economy is suffering from the novel coronavirus, while Iranian and U.S. officials continuously make accusations toward one another.
– Blake Dysinger
Photo: Flickr
Combating Child Poverty in Iceland
Popular for its beautiful landmarks and picturesque views, Iceland is now facing an issue that highlights a much darker reality taking place on the nordic island. Iceland has been able to keep poverty at a relatively low percentage for much of its history. However, in the past decade, the country has experienced a drastic rise in poverty and child poverty in Iceland in particular. One can largely attribute this to the economic collapse that the country experienced a little over a decade ago.
The Situation
In 2008, Iceland’s banks defaulted as a result of loans that the country had taken out with many foreign banks. At the time, Icelandic banks were some of the most lucrative banks globally. The country accumulated a massive amount of debt following large loans and grand foreign investments. The intention was to further boost the economy and to take advantage of the financial prosperity taking place in the country at the time. The value of the Icelandic currency, the Krona, was at an all-time high with a 900% increase in value.
The country experienced an economic boom, and citizens received encouragement to take part in the flourishing economy. As a result, many purchased expensive homes, took on multiple mortgages and invested in foreign companies. The country was, unfortunately, unable to pay these large sums back. The result was catastrophic. Banks defaulted on foreign loans leading to a massive national financial crisis. Iceland’s credit was tarnished and almost every business in the country had gone bankrupt. Citizens ended up with large bills with little or no way to pay them. What followed was an extreme rise in poverty.
The Consequences of the Crash
Health care expenses experienced a peak, and with mortgages nearly doubling in cost, the price of living increased exponentially. Many households were unable to afford the basic and vital services required for daily living. According to a report discussing the consequences of the crisis, unemployment rates rose to 7.6%. This was 5% higher than the annual unemployment rates prior to the economic downturn. Inflation was another result of the crash. Mortgage prices increased nearly doubling.
With the national currency, the krona, experiencing a decrease in value, the price of many goods and services suffered an impact as well. Iceland saw a substantial rise in housing insecurity and homelessness. Citizens took to the streets to protest many of the issues taking place at the time, and to express their frustrations with the government’s reactions to the crisis. This resulted in a new left-leaning government that promised to offer support for its struggling citizens.
Child Poverty in Iceland and Government Aid
Child poverty saw a drastic rise during this time of economic downturn. In fact, child poverty increased from 11.2% to 31.6% between 2008 and 2012. Unemployment was on the rise, and families faced immense financial strife that greatly affected the home. Iceland’s government was able to provide its residents with support for regular access to vital resources such as food, housing and health care. Health care programs that Iceland put in place prior to the crash offered much-needed support to Icelandic citizens with health care services during the crash.
The Icelandic government also provided support in many areas. This included welfare services for low-income households, along with a tax decrease for low-income earners and a tax increase for high-income earners. This ensured financial support for the most vulnerable during the crash. Low and mid-income-earning citizens received social benefits and debt relief. Wealth redistribution played a large role in the economic support provided for citizens during this time.
The Case of Child Poverty
The ways in which poverty can present itself differs from nation to nation. One can find many of the challenges most common amongst Icelandic children living in poverty in many nations across the globe. According to a report by Humanium.org, some of the key issues that impoverished Icelandic children face are varying health issues, emotional strife, sexual exploitation and labor exploitation.
Confronting Child Poverty
Throughout Iceland’s history, the country has managed poverty rates well in comparison to other less developed islands. Prior to the financial crisis, Iceland held a relatively low poverty rate. According to a Statistics Iceland report, a total of 9% of the population was at risk of living in poverty in comparison to 16% in other nordic islands and the estimated 23% in the United Kingdom. While poverty existed in the country, it was certainly not as high as during or after the crisis.
Iceland has done tremendous work to repair its economy. The programs that Iceland’s government implemented provided support for many low-income families while also helping to boost its then damaged economy. Unfortunately, citizens who plummeted into poverty as a result of the economic downturn have struggled to find a way out. To combat this, the Icelandic government has implemented many methods of support for citizens facing these challenges. This includes lower-cost health care services, debt relief for mortgage holders and social services for low-income earning citizens. These policies have proven to provide much promise for a reduction in poverty overall in the country. The goal is that with a decrease in general poverty, the child poverty rates will also reduce in Iceland.
– Imani A. Smikle
Photo: Flickr
The Fight Against Child Poverty in Chile
Chile is the most prosperous country in Latin America. However, large wage gaps and wealth distribution continue to be at the forefront of the nation’s problems. As a result, high rates of poverty prevail; approximately 14% of the population live below the poverty line. Moreover, there is a high prevalence of child poverty in Chile
Children, one of the country’s most vulnerable populations, are especially susceptible to the consequences that poverty causes. Those who come from poorer families are more likely to face spillover effects with regard to their education and overall health and well-being. Additionally, indigenous and migrant children face an added level of discrimination. Because of these issues, child poverty in Chile is a growing concern.
Education
In Chile, school is mandatory for all children between the ages of 7 and 16, but there are an estimated 75,000 children who do not attend school. Oftentimes, children may abandon school in order to work and provide for their families.
The inequality with regard to access to education is even more evident in the higher education system, where enrollment costs are among the highest in the world. According to a survey released in 2017, 58% of Chileans believe that a lack of education leads to a lack of opportunities. This further exacerbates overall poverty in Chile.
The good news is that UNICEF is working with the government in order to reduce child poverty in Chile by establishing laws and programs that provide additional protection for children’s right to education. For example, UNICEF helped develop the d the Inclusive Education Act and the New Public Education Act. UNICEF has also supported the Ministry of Education in developing strategies to train teachers. This emerged through a partnership with UNICEF and Fútbol Más, an organization that works to ensure the well-being of Chilean children.
Labor
Related to the lack of access to education, 6.6% of children between the ages of 5-17 are participants in child labor. Additionally, there are gender discrepancies within child labor; 9.5% of boys and 3.9% of girls engage in the workforce. Child labor is often a result of high unemployment rates; families expect and depend on their children to accrue revenue. The most common industries of work are commerce, hotel, restaurants, social services, agriculture and construction.
Moreover, the conditions of the workplace can have a negative impact on children’s overall health; approximately 70.6% of working children work at jobs that are dangerous. Those who work in agriculture are especially susceptible to performing unsafe tasks. The lack of public data available, including how much money goes toward inspection and the number of labor inspectors, further worsens how the country manages child labor.
Still, progress has occurred. In 2017, Chile developed a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, updating its list of hazardous occupations prohibited for children, as well as its inspector laws. The government also revised the Anti-Trafficking National Action Plan in 2019. It continues to support programs that address child labor and sexual exploitation.
Abuse
Not only does violence occur within the workplace, but also within the confines of the home. Children who become victims of physical, sexual and psychological domestic violence will frequently turn to the streets in order to escape their alarming home environments. Many end up in cities, surviving day to day and not knowing their next source of water or food. These “street children” lack proper education, as well as many other resources necessary for a developing child.
About 547 adolescents and children lived on the streets during 2018. Fundación Don Bosco is an organization that gives opportunities to both children and adults who live in the street. The organization offers food, housing, psychological and psychiatric assistance to children and their parents, with the hope of rebuilding familial ties and reintegration. Fundación Don Bosco followed and offered professional support to 191 street children and their families in 2019.
Native and Migrant Children
In addition to street children, native and migrant children are two additional marginalized groups that are especially susceptible to child poverty in Chile. Indigenous people comprise 5% of Chile’s population, primarily the Aymara and the Mapuche. These children do not have the same access to education and healthy lifestyles as other children, due to their family’s lower economic status and discrimination. Many Chileans view them as inferior due to their indigenous status.
As a result, indigenous children are likely to engage in labor work, from the fields to the factories, in order to help support their families. Migrant children also face discrimination, especially with regard to their education. As a result, in 2017, the Ministry of Education evaluated migrant children in the education system in order to better assess and understand their role within the system, as well as to help identify barriers related to overall school inclusion.
Looking Ahead
Despite the evident fact that there is child poverty in Chile, economic and social progress has occurred. In 2019, the National Prosecutor’s Office signed an agreement to help improve coordination in providing services to children in need, as well as ensure that both Chile’s standards and reality with regard to children’s rights and development align with those of international expectations and treaties.
– Marielle Marlys
Photo: Flickr
How Suriname is Changing Amidst the Pandemic
Suriname is among the many countries that COVID-19 has affected, specifically in its health care and political systems. The pandemic revealed the underbelly of Suriname’s existing health system. The country has since been guiding officials toward a more adequate system and the political climate in Suriname is changing. The election on May 25, 2020, brought in Chan Santokhi as the new president succeeding the decade-long leader, Desi Bouterse.
Former President Desi Bouterse
Desi Bouterse tightly held the reins in Suriname for years as an influential political force. Bouterse was a prominent figure in overthrowing the first leader of Suriname, Henck Arron, after the country’s independence. He was chairman of the National Military Council for a majority of the 80s and became president in 2010.
Bouterse has a significant history of controversial actions. In November 2019, Surinamese judges decided that Bouterse was guilty of murder and found him responsible for the death of 15 of his opponents in December 1982 because he commanded his soldiers to kill them. This long-standing trial started in 2007 when he stated that he had “political responsibility” but took no personal responsibility for what had happened. Although he received a 20-year sentence, the police did not issue any arrest warrants for Bouterse. He also denied allegations of smuggling more cocaine into the Netherlands, which the Dutch court convicted him of doing in 1999.
President Chan Santokhi
In 2020, Desi Bouterse saw the end of his long career. Chan Santokhi was victorious over Bouterse in the elections in May 2020. Mr. Santokhi was a former police chief who investigated the past president for his alleged murders in 1982. Although he has won the seat as leader, there are still many obstacles he must overcome after inheriting Bouterse’s Suriname. Suriname is battling a horrible financial crisis, political corruption and the coronavirus.
The new president has much to accomplish, but there may be hope for Suriname. Chan Santokhi may be able to overturn the economic crisis in Suriname by utilizing its newly found offshore oil by 2026.
Health Care Deficiencies
COVID-19 is touching the lives of those in Suriname, and the virus is quickly exposing the deficiencies in its health care system. First, tropical rainforest covers most of the land and houses many Indigenous and marginalized populations. Those who live in these deeply remote areas are unable to receive essential health care.
Second, Suriname has an insufficient workforce in the health care sector at about eight physicians and 23 nurses per 10,000 people. It is also suffering from a lack of specialists who can work in ICUs.
Third, Suriname does not have a structured effective response plan in case of emergencies as the country is not susceptible to natural disasters except for the occasional flooding. With resources going toward COVID-19 treatment, Suriname is recognizing its lack of resources to provide other health services not pertaining to the virus.
Actions to Fight Against COVID-19
At the beginning of 2020, the country’s ministry of health took immediate action and gathered a public health response team to combat the virus. This team worked with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World Health Organization (WHO) and Universal Health Coverage Partnership to bolster the health care system and provide effective plans for current and future disease outbreaks.
The organizations are also working to implement universal health coverage in Suriname. With the help of these organizations and international funding, Suriname is working to effectively save lives through a better health care system, a protected workforce, containment of COVID-19 and preparation for future epidemics. Suriname is changing and improving its current public health system for the present as well as the future.
Regardless of the brutalities many face due to COVID-19, it has also brought positive changes to the people of Suriname. The country was able to take down a controversial leader and new plans to improve its emergency response and public health system are in progress. Hopefully, with the turn of a new post-COVID-19 era, Suriname is changing for the better.
– San Sung Kim
Photo: Flickr
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Global Activism
Meghan Markle’s Activism Before Becoming the Duchess of Sussex
Prior to her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, Meghan Markle was an outspoken advocate of gender equality in developing countries. She became a U.N. Women’s Advocate for Women’s Political Participation and Leadership in 2015. The following year, Markle traveled to Rwanda and India as an ambassador for World Vision. World Vision is an organization that fights global poverty in children. The experience inspired her to write an op-ed in Time magazine about the effect stigma around menstruation can have on a girl’s future.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Activism
When she married Prince Harry and became a member of the royal family, Markle stepped down from these roles. However, this does not mean she stopped being a voice for those in need. Now, Harry and Meghan’s activism has launched programs and supported charities around the globe that fight to eradicate global poverty. Additionally, they inspire fans of the royals to become advocates themselves.
Their Trips and Projects in Africa
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, along with their young son Archie, took a 10-day tour of Africa. They visited South Africa, Botswana, Angola and Malawi in late September and early October of 2019. While there, the couple announced a variety of projects, including protecting forests, investing in technology and ridding the land of dangerous landmines. The Duchess of Sussex additionally announced grants and scholarships from the Association of Commonwealth Universities. This is an international organization that supports higher education and supports African girls in their journey to university and beyond.
During this same trip, Harry and Meghan met with members of the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) Association. CAMFED is a group of women advocating for girls’ education and global poverty issues throughout Africa. The royal couple used their platform to support these women. In addition, they shared their work with their 10 million Instagram followers.
Activism Work on Social Media
This was not the first time that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s global activism could be seen on their social media accounts. In August of 2019, the official Instagram account for the pair, @sussexroyal, began a series entitled ‘Forces for Change.’ They highlighted 15 organizations that they found inspiring or noteworthy. These organizations include Children International and Plan International United Kingdom. These two groups care and advocate for children living under the poverty line around the world. The simple act of sharing these organizations online spread awareness of the fight against global poverty. It also prompted followers of the Duke and Duchess to support these incredibly important causes.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s global activism continues to inspire their followers and motivates them to take action just as the couple has done time and time again. In April of 2019, weeks before the birth of baby Archie, thousands of fans of the royal family donated to Meghan Markle’s favorite charities as a baby shower gift in what’s now known as the ‘Global Sussex Baby Shower.’ One of these charities is the aforementioned CAMFED. Additionally, this money directly supported global poverty and girls’ education initiatives in Africa.
In April of 2020, the couple announced their new non-profit: Archewell. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has stalled their plans to launch the organization. Once it launches, we can be sure that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will continue the global activism that has defined their two years as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
– Daryn Lenahan
Photo: Flickr
Update on SDG Goal 1 in Canada
Poverty Overview
Canada is the second-largest country in the world by land area. The country has a universal healthcare system and a high standard of living. Despite this, the country is not immune to poverty. In 2018, 5.4% of Canadians were experiencing deep income poverty, which means having an income below 75% of Canada’s official poverty threshold. In addition, Canada’s indigenous population, which make up around 5% of the population, are often subject to extreme political and societal marginalization, making them more susceptible to poverty and homelessness.
Poverty remains a reality in Canada, in spite of its reputable presence on the global stage. The country has not yet met SDG Goal 1 but continues to make efforts toward it. The Canadian Government has developed several initiatives and allocated resources to attempt to meet these goals. In 2018, a budget of $49.4 million spread over 13 years was approved to help meet the SDGs.
Tracking Canada’s Poverty Progress
The Canadian Government has been funding and supporting numerous initiatives to alleviate poverty in the country. In total, since 2015, the Canadian Government has invested $22 billion in efforts to alleviate poverty and grow the middle-class. The results have been positive. In 2015, the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy resolved to reduce poverty by 20% before 2020. The 2015 poverty rate was 12% and this strategy aimed to achieve a 10% poverty rate by 2020. Canada achieved this goal in 2017 when the Canadian Income Report reported that the country had reached its lowest poverty rate in history.
These improvements are due to several poverty reduction initiatives. Canada’s Guaranteed Income Supplement, for example, provides monetary assistance to senior citizens with low incomes, preventing them from falling into poverty. The reforms also introduced the Canada Child Benefit, granting families with young children more financial assistance. Additionally, the Canada Workers Benefit was introduced with an aim to lift 74,000 people out of poverty.
The Canadian Government has also resolved to aid its indigenous populations. In 2010, just over 7% of individuals who identified as indigenous were found to make less than $10,000 annually. Recent government initiatives have attempted to remedy these poverty gaps, including the National Housing Strategy’s promise to help indigenous populations.
Looking Forward
While Canada is yet to meet SDG Goal 1, the country has made substantial progress in reducing poverty. As of 2018, the poverty rate was measured to be 8.7%, a decrease from the 12% poverty rate in 2015. Increased poverty-related challenges are apparent as the COVID-19 pandemic threatens people’s economic security. Still, however, the data on Canada’s progress shows just how much the country has done in the fight against poverty and the positive impact of its poverty reduction initiatives.
– Maggie Sun
Photo: Flickr
Bani Mandir: Solving Problems in Rural India
Despite the country’s soaring GDP, India is home to almost a quarter of the world’s poor population. Although India lifted 270 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, 270 million more people continue to live below the global poverty line. The extreme poverty that India’s poor faces disproportionately affects rural populations and women, who receive fewer opportunities in education, healthcare and employment.
Named after the goddess of education, nonprofit Bani Mandir works to elevate people in India’s most vulnerable communities by solving problems in rural India. The organization, based in West Bengal, India, aims to address the root causes of poverty, particularly in rural areas and among women. By providing solutions to education inequality, access to healthcare and women’s opportunities, Bani Mandir empowers India’s rural poor.
Education
One of the root causes of poverty is a lack of education. Access to education is integral to lifting people out of poverty, as education reduces inequality and drastically improves the opportunities students obtain as they age. In India, where 45% of the poor population is illiterate, improving access to education in rural areas is vital.
Girls in India, particularly those living in poverty, face additional barriers when it comes to attending school. India gave girls the right to education in 2009. However, many girls are still unable to attend school due to housework responsibilities, stigma and health concerns. The lack of girls in school contributes to fewer women in the workforce. Women make up only 25% of the labor force in India.
To increase enrollment of girls and students from rural areas, Bani Mandir has provided education for more than 10,000 students, maintaining equal representation between girls and boys. Bani Mandir also helps children receive sufficient nutrition support and trains teachers in effective teaching practices. These advancements are improving the quality of education for a larger number of students.
Access to Healthcare
In India, rural communities receive significantly less access to healthcare. Due to the lack of health facilities and insufficient awareness about the benefits of healthcare, many workers in rural communities are unwilling to sacrifice a day’s wages to attend a healthcare visit. Additionally, women in India receive less access to healthcare than men. In a 2019 study, men and boys were two times as likely to visit a healthcare facility. The study also found that many women who should have seen a doctor did not.
To improve access to healthcare in India’s vulnerable communities, Bani Mandir offers comprehensive healthcare programs. Women make up 60% of those benefiting from Bani Mandir’s health services. Bani Mandir’s 23 health projects served more than 3,500 people living in rural villages and slums. The organization also arranged more than 100 health camps to address immediate medical needs. Finally, Bani Mandir partners with schools to provide health programs to students. Its work is encouraging students to seek healthcare and to grow up in a culture where going to the doctor is standard practice.
Women’s Empowerment
Since many women are often denied access to education and healthcare, their employment opportunities are limited. Furthermore, employment is not a guarantee of equal treatment. In fact, pay inequalities result in men making 65% more than women for the same labor. Although gender equality in India is a constitutional right, many women are unaware of their rights and of the ways they can support themselves financially.
Bani Mandir offers more than 375 self-help groups across 30 villages and supports more than 15,000 women and girls to help eliminate problems in rural India. These women’s empowerment groups educate women about their rights, organize finances and offer loans for small businesses, encouraging female entrepreneurs. Bani Mandir also aims to change societal perceptions and stigmas against women by educating broader communities. Bani Mandir’s programs are educating upwards of 10,000 community members about women’s rights issues.
By addressing the problems in rural India pertaining to poverty, such as education, healthcare and women’s opportunities, Bani Mandir is inciting change across entire communities and improving the lives of rural populations. The organization also offers services that improve sanitation, care for the elderly and support for abandoned children. With its wide scope, Bani Mandir is providing countless examples of concrete ways to create change. To build upon the positive change that Bani Mandir and other nonprofits have inspired, the Indian government should sharpen its laws around gender equality to ensure that women and girls obtain adequate access to employment, healthcare and education.
– Melina Stavropoulos
Photo: Unsplash