Over the past two decades, employment in agriculture in Indonesia has declined from 45% in 2000 to about 29% in 2019. This decline has been accompanied by an aging farmer population, with 60% to 80% of rice farmers above the age of 45. However, Indonesia is the third largest producer of rice in the world. Its agriculture sector also provides an integral source of income for Indonesian families and export-revenue for the country. Without millennial interest in these jobs, the fading light of agriculture could cast a dark shadow on the economy. Thankfully, vanilla in Indonesia is bringing Indonesian youth back to agriculture and making the sector more profitable. This underscores the vanilla trade’s potential as a way out of poverty in Indonesia.
A Tale of Agriculture Revitalized
Sofa Arbiyanto, 30, began farming vanilla in 2018 in Blora, Central Java. Blora is one of two regions that produce most vanilla in Indonesia. After leaving his manufacturing job in South Korea and connecting with vanilla farming groups online, Arbiyanto began farming vanilla on a 1,200-square meter plot. He now has 2,000 vanilla vines.
Arbiyanto made the switch to farming because of the profitability potential he saw in the market. In 2019, vanilla beans from Madagascar, the world’s top producer, cost more by weight than silver. Vanilla itself is the second-most traded spice in the world. Vanilla in Indonesia accounted for 29% of the global supply in 2016, making Indonesia its second largest producer.
The lack of millennial attraction to farming is rooted in cultural stigma. Children who grow up in farming families learn from their parents that farming is a dirty job imbued with poverty and hardship. For these families, farming is as a last-resort career for their children. Thus, the people most likely to become farmers seek out other jobs instead.
Hilmi, a graduate student from Cigugur who spoke with The Diplomat, explained that young people in Indonesia see farming as a life of “soiled clothes with no pride.” However, vanilla in Indonesia may be changing this outlook. Indeed, Arbiyanto said, “My initial view that farmers live in hardship and poverty has changed. With a touch of innovation and technology, it is a promising opportunity.”
Indonesia Vanilla Farmers’ Association
Arbiyanto is one of around 250 vanilla farmers ages 25 to 35 who trained with the Indonesian Vanilla Farmers’ Association (PPVI). PPVI has a YouTube channel where farmers across the country can access informational videos. The channel has almost 15,000 subscribers, while some of its videos have more than 115,000 views.
This innovative approach to training farmers is revitalizing vanilla in Indonesia. Many millennials, more in touch with technology, have learned farming techniques through this method. Further, PPVI notes that experienced farmers use platforms like WhatsApp to offer the new generation their tips and tricks.
According to McCormick & Co., “Indonesia has strong potential to become an alternative origin [for vanilla], in terms of quantity and quality.” Although price volatility puts some risk in vanilla in Indonesia, the spice is bringing life back to a sector that many Indonesians have long associated with poverty.
Vanilla in Indonesia in the Global Trade
To make matters more enticing, the vanilla market has seen an increase in demand during the pandemic. Because of global stay-at-home orders, grocery shopping and home cooking have increased. This means that the average household now consumes more vanilla.
At the same time, the pandemic has caused shipping delays that resulted in an 18% drop in shipments from January to May of 2020. Kasan, a director-general in Indonesia’s trade ministry, noted that price volatility puts some risk in this enterprise. Still, the government has maintained its support.
“When the new normal begins and trade activities are gradually increased … vanilla exports will become one of the mainstays of trade that will be expanded,” Kasan said. This sentiment is part of a larger desire from the Indonesian government to diversify its agricultural exports, which are largely dominated by palm oil. The government also wants to use vanilla to create pathways out of poverty in Indonesia.
U.S. Aid
The opportunity to reduce poverty via vanilla came when a cyclone hit Madagascar in 2017, cutting off much of the global supply of vanilla and creating a shortage on the global market. This was an opening for other suppliers to gain a greater share of the market. The U.S. Agency for International Development, in collaboration with Cooperative Business International (CBI), stepped in to help. They have established partnerships between more than 5,000 small-scale, Indonesian spice famers and international spice vendors. Thus, U.S. aid further supports growth of vanilla in Indonesia.
Through this co-op, Agustinus Daka, an experienced vanilla farmer, told AEC News Today that his income had doubled. This moved him beyond subsistence farming. Daka harvests his beans after nine months and sends them to a spice factory in Central Java, where some 700 Indonesians work.
Sam Filiaci, senior vice president for Southeast Asia at CBI, explained the broader scope of such partnerships. “Even though we talk about the 700 people working in this facility,” Filiaci said, “the employment that it creates in the United States or the destination markets is even greater.”
He continued, “Vanilla and these other high-value crops that we grow and produce are a tool to improving people’s lives … helping farmers educate their children, build their houses, get health care. I think it’s extremely important and strategic for the U.S. government to invest in opportunities like this.” Thus, international aid has a large role to play in using vanilla in Indonesia to lift Indonesians out of poverty.
– Olivia du Bois
Photo: Flickr
How Vanilla in Indonesia Lifts Youth out of Poverty
A Tale of Agriculture Revitalized
Sofa Arbiyanto, 30, began farming vanilla in 2018 in Blora, Central Java. Blora is one of two regions that produce most vanilla in Indonesia. After leaving his manufacturing job in South Korea and connecting with vanilla farming groups online, Arbiyanto began farming vanilla on a 1,200-square meter plot. He now has 2,000 vanilla vines.
Arbiyanto made the switch to farming because of the profitability potential he saw in the market. In 2019, vanilla beans from Madagascar, the world’s top producer, cost more by weight than silver. Vanilla itself is the second-most traded spice in the world. Vanilla in Indonesia accounted for 29% of the global supply in 2016, making Indonesia its second largest producer.
The lack of millennial attraction to farming is rooted in cultural stigma. Children who grow up in farming families learn from their parents that farming is a dirty job imbued with poverty and hardship. For these families, farming is as a last-resort career for their children. Thus, the people most likely to become farmers seek out other jobs instead.
Hilmi, a graduate student from Cigugur who spoke with The Diplomat, explained that young people in Indonesia see farming as a life of “soiled clothes with no pride.” However, vanilla in Indonesia may be changing this outlook. Indeed, Arbiyanto said, “My initial view that farmers live in hardship and poverty has changed. With a touch of innovation and technology, it is a promising opportunity.”
Indonesia Vanilla Farmers’ Association
Arbiyanto is one of around 250 vanilla farmers ages 25 to 35 who trained with the Indonesian Vanilla Farmers’ Association (PPVI). PPVI has a YouTube channel where farmers across the country can access informational videos. The channel has almost 15,000 subscribers, while some of its videos have more than 115,000 views.
This innovative approach to training farmers is revitalizing vanilla in Indonesia. Many millennials, more in touch with technology, have learned farming techniques through this method. Further, PPVI notes that experienced farmers use platforms like WhatsApp to offer the new generation their tips and tricks.
According to McCormick & Co., “Indonesia has strong potential to become an alternative origin [for vanilla], in terms of quantity and quality.” Although price volatility puts some risk in vanilla in Indonesia, the spice is bringing life back to a sector that many Indonesians have long associated with poverty.
Vanilla in Indonesia in the Global Trade
To make matters more enticing, the vanilla market has seen an increase in demand during the pandemic. Because of global stay-at-home orders, grocery shopping and home cooking have increased. This means that the average household now consumes more vanilla.
At the same time, the pandemic has caused shipping delays that resulted in an 18% drop in shipments from January to May of 2020. Kasan, a director-general in Indonesia’s trade ministry, noted that price volatility puts some risk in this enterprise. Still, the government has maintained its support.
“When the new normal begins and trade activities are gradually increased … vanilla exports will become one of the mainstays of trade that will be expanded,” Kasan said. This sentiment is part of a larger desire from the Indonesian government to diversify its agricultural exports, which are largely dominated by palm oil. The government also wants to use vanilla to create pathways out of poverty in Indonesia.
U.S. Aid
The opportunity to reduce poverty via vanilla came when a cyclone hit Madagascar in 2017, cutting off much of the global supply of vanilla and creating a shortage on the global market. This was an opening for other suppliers to gain a greater share of the market. The U.S. Agency for International Development, in collaboration with Cooperative Business International (CBI), stepped in to help. They have established partnerships between more than 5,000 small-scale, Indonesian spice famers and international spice vendors. Thus, U.S. aid further supports growth of vanilla in Indonesia.
Through this co-op, Agustinus Daka, an experienced vanilla farmer, told AEC News Today that his income had doubled. This moved him beyond subsistence farming. Daka harvests his beans after nine months and sends them to a spice factory in Central Java, where some 700 Indonesians work.
Sam Filiaci, senior vice president for Southeast Asia at CBI, explained the broader scope of such partnerships. “Even though we talk about the 700 people working in this facility,” Filiaci said, “the employment that it creates in the United States or the destination markets is even greater.”
He continued, “Vanilla and these other high-value crops that we grow and produce are a tool to improving people’s lives … helping farmers educate their children, build their houses, get health care. I think it’s extremely important and strategic for the U.S. government to invest in opportunities like this.” Thus, international aid has a large role to play in using vanilla in Indonesia to lift Indonesians out of poverty.
– Olivia du Bois
Photo: Flickr
How Poverty Relief in Haiti Is an Investment
Haiti’s History of Poverty
Haiti’s ongoing economic crisis stems from a long history of political unrest. From national corruption to human rights violations and the damaging effects of colonialism, Haiti’s economy has never fully recovered. After regaining independence from France, the small country owed 150 million francs to the European nation. Haiti finally finished paying off this debt in 1922.
A World Bank report estimated that 6.3 million Haitian citizens could not afford certain consumer goods in 2012, while another 2.5 million struggled just to buy food. Additionally, despite some poverty relief in Haiti, about half of the population cannot access public services. From 2001 to 2012, Haiti saw improvements in tap water, energy and sanitation accessibility, but coverage rates remain well below 50%. Furthermore, recent statistics from the World Bank claim that Haiti’s GDP per capita was only $756 in 2019. This poverty, along with a particular susceptibility to natural disasters, creates incentives for mass migration from Haiti.
The Price of Immigration Enforcement
When it comes to immigration enforcement, the U.S. spares no expense. The American Immigration Council found that, since 2003, the federal government has spent approximately $381 billion on immigration control. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and ICE have grown, with nearly triple their original budgets today. In 2020, federal spending was $8.4 billion for ICE and $16.9 billion for CBP.
Despite the generous contributions to these enforcement agencies, immigration issues have not necessarily disappeared. Instead, this tough approach at the border has created a new set of problems. Claims of trafficking, abuse of power by enforcement officials and poor conditions in holding facilities have surrounded the departments. Specifically, RAICES found that Haitian and other Black immigrants face discrimination and mistreatment while under ICE custody.
With an estimated 40,000 Haitians making up a large portion of border detainees, some government officials are proposing investing in poverty relief in Haiti. Politicians, such as Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), are fighting to restore stability in Haiti during the pandemic. Wilson and some of her colleagues believe that this will have a slowing effect on migration.
Poverty Relief in Haiti Shows Promise
The World Bank has demonstrated the benefits of investing in poverty relief in Haiti. From 2000 to 2012, extreme poverty decreased by 7.4% largely due to economic progress in Haiti’s big cities. Similarly, poverty rates in rural areas reached 74.9%, while the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, only had a rate of 29.2%. By increasing and distributing aid, the rest of the country can achieve poverty reduction rates similar to those in urban regions.
The same report details how, with the help of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, Haiti eliminated a large part of its public debt. This in turn increased the economy by 2.3% annually from 2005 to 2009. The financial help also “contributed to the generation of optimism in the country and among the country’s partners.”
Researchers urge U.S. policymakers to begin looking at remittances as having investment returns. For example, temporary work visas significantly bolster Haiti’s economy and raise the quality of life for Haitian households. This lessens the need for migration. If the U.S. changes its perspective on immigration, it could begin developing a mutually beneficial relationship with Haiti while decreasing emigration.
– Lizt Garcia
Photo: Flickr
Well Systems: Essential Tech in Water Access
Rainwater Catchments
One cheap and effective innovation is rainwater catchment systems. These systems are undertakings for facilities containing three or more buildings with large roofs, such as medical clinics and schools. Gutters (also called downspouts) attach to the roofs of the buildings and connect to a large, sanitary holding tank. The gutters collect rain run-off and pour it directly into the holding tank — providing a safe source of water for the community.
Rainwater catchments are extremely reliable. This is due to the holding tanks avoiding any kind of exposure to the elements or outside contaminants. They do not lose water to evaporation as open-sourced water systems do. Even in communities with just one or two large buildings, rainwater catchments are useful during dry seasons as they provide rationed drinking water for school children. About 33% of Africa receives enough rain to provide sufficient amounts of safe drinking water for their populations. In this same vein, rain catchments offer the potential to harvest water in a way that benefits entire communities.
Boreholes and Other Drilled Wells
Borehole wells are essentially drilled wells with vertical pipes that extend down, past groundwater and connect to an aquifer below. These systems are typically hand-pumped. All wells (drilled) can be costly and require heavy equipment, skilled laborers and ample fuel to successfully operate. However, they are sustainable and can provide reliable sources of clean drinking water for approximately 50 years (with only minor repairs and upkeep). Drilled wells are a viable option of tech in water access for larger communities due to the high volume of water they provide. On average, operating borehole wells cost about $3,000, or approximately 51,000 South African Rand.
Spring Protections
Natural springs are abundant and depending on their specific outputs — a single protected spring can provide safe water for an entire village. Protected springs have naturally enclosed with walls made of concrete or similar material that extend into the earth until they meet the spring source. Workers then seal the tops of these walls to prevent contaminants from groundwater and animals. Workers install a spout on the side of the spring so water can flow out. Additionally, technicians can install another spout under the surface, to flow directly to a holding tank. Also, spring systems carry naturally filtered properties, they are economical and a solution for communities of any size. The only prerequisite to this option of tech in water access is that a natural spring must be present.
Benefits of Water and Sanitation
Every hour, 115 people in Africa die from diseases that are preventable through sanitary water access. From extensive water drilling projects to inexpensive spring protections, there is a solution for clean, reliable water for every community. With the consistent pursuit of well system installations across sub-Saharan Africa, tech in water access can improve health, food and education across the continent.
– Madalyn Wright
Photo: Flickr
The Local Production of Medical Supplies in Developing Countries
Not Enough Oxygen
When working to improve healthcare in developing countries, aid organizations often struggle to supply adequate medical supplies in a timely manner. Supply shortages mean that these organizations fail to provide enough medical resources for these countries.
This lack of medical supplies is especially problematic during a pandemic such as COVID-19. While the pandemic has increased the need for oxygen in medical care, developing countries face the worst oxygen supply shortages. Estimates place the annual number of newborn deaths due to lack of oxygen at around 500,000.
In regions struggling with COVID-19, like Africa and the Middle East, oxygen shortages can be disastrous. Transporting oxygen tanks to these countries from the U.S. and Europe is often not efficient in cost or time. As such, the global supply chain for oxygen cannot supply these countries with what they need in a timely manner.
Not Enough Equipment
What’s more, the current response assumes that developed countries have enough supplies to meet global medical needs. This is not the case, however. According to the WHO, the global supply of personal protective equipment needed to effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19 only meets 60% of global demand. The WHO estimates that the world needs 89 million medical masks and 76 million medical gloves each month to combat the virus effectively.
These global supply chain shortages affect access to vaccines in impoverished communities in particular. More than a quarter of all vaccines have three or fewer distributers. This severely limits the access that poorer communities have to vaccines. Further, these distributors often headquarter exclusively in developed countries. This can make it even more difficult for developing countries to acquire enough vaccines to meet their own medical needs. Africa, for example, only has one vaccine manufacturer that is a member of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network.
Encouraging the Local Production of Medical Supplies
Rather than relying on an already struggling global supply chain, it may help more to encourage the local production of medical supplies in these countries. Having local manufacturing plants would allow vital medical equipment to reach impoverished communities much more quickly and efficiently than it otherwise could.
Since April 2020, an organization called Assist International has worked with manufacturing plants in Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia. These plants provide a local source of oxygen tanks to hospitals in these countries. So far, the program has helped more than 40 hospitals in Africa, creating a cheap and efficient system for the local production of medical supplies.
Implementing Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing also provides a possible solution to the problem of medical supply shortages. This style of manufacturing allows for the quick and cost-effective production of important medical supplies. These may include mechanical parts for ventilators, surgical equipment and even prosthetics. 3D printing is a particularly versatile tool, since it can produce different kinds of equipment without unique machinery for each. Once installed in local production facilities, 3D printers can then support a variety of production purposes. They would therefore streamline the process of the local production of medical supplies in impoverished communities.
Medical supply shortages for developing countries are an especially pressing issue. As the world faces a pandemic and global supply chains begin to fracture, many developing countries cannot meet their medical needs. Working to empower impoverished communities through the local production of medical supplies and additive manufacturing may alleviate the strain on these countries’ medical systems.
– Marshall Kirk
Photo: Wikimedia
Finding Hope for Women with Fistula
What is Fistula?
Fistula is an abnormal connection between the organs that often occurs when women have troubles with pregnancy and labor—specifically when labor is prolonged. When fistula occurs, especially in places where women have financial and geographic access to medical care, medical experts can normally address the problem with procedures such as C-sections. However, for women who lack access to these services, the issue worsens.
The labor period can last for days, which causes extreme pain and usually causes the baby to die in the process. During labor, the baby’s head presses against the mother’s pelvis and disrupts blood flow. This disruption creates holes, or fistulae, between the vagina and bladder or rectum. Permanent leakage of waste occurs in the mother if the condition goes untreated. Thus, women’s health and well-being directly impact access to emergency medical treatment.
Women with fistula usually live in underprivileged parts of Africa and Asia. To make matters worse, these countries largely lack access to sanitation services or goods like running water and incontinence pads. Fistula causes severe physical and psychological pain in affected women: in addition to uncontrollable leakage of urine and stool, women with fistula also face social issues. For example, this condition causes an unpleasant scent that repels family and friends. This condition can also cause a plethora of infections with the potential to impact others.
One Woman’s Story
Edis, a Ugandan woman suffering from fistula, provides a powerful example of the struggle to receive adequate urgent care. With a recently deceased husband, Edisa gave prolonged birth at home because she could not access a nearby hospital to go through labor. As a result, she contracted a fistula with all of its negative side-effects. Fortunately for Edisa, she was eventually able to receive a treatment procedure. Despite accessing care from a USAID-funded hospital, however, Elisa was forced to travel 11 hours away and incur significant transportation costs as a result. For financially struggling women like Elisa, these expenses can become highly burdensome.
Many other women also face hidden costs when seeking fistula repair surgeries, even if the surgery itself is free. These expenses can include loss of income, child care during recovery and food. USAID is using this information to improve conditions for these women by drafting actions like providing financial support for these hidden costs.
Hope for the Future of Fistula
While women with fistula are still suffering across the globe, especially in impoverished areas, this condition is now much less common than in the past. Additionally, many efforts are being initiated to provide funding and support to women in need of care.
– Fahad Saad
Photo: Flickr
Free Public Transportation in Estonia
Updates on SDG 11 in Estonia
Estonia is making a great effort to create a sustainable city and fulfill the SDG Goal 11 of Sustainable Cities and Communities with clean air and improved water source piped. The government is also helping citizens with overburdened rent and the private sectors are helping to improve transportation.
– Spencer Jacobs
Photo: Flickr
Witchcraft Threatens Women’s Rights in Tanzania
History of Witchcraft in Tanzania
Any Tanzanian woman can be subject to witchcraft accusations. Marginalized groups including the elderly, ill or albino are especially in danger. These persecutions can occur for a variety of reasons including poverty, age, infection with diseases like HIV and land disputes. Women are sent threatening letters, attacked and even killed. An estimated one thousand women are killed in Tanzania annually. However, this statistic is likely higher, as these crimes are often unreported. These witchcraft accusations represent a clear violation of women’s rights in Tanzania.
Witchcraft has a long history in East African countries. The practice began centuries ago as a way to understand natural disasters, infertility and death. Although laws remain in place banning witchcraft, approximately 93% of Tanzanians still believe in its existence according to a 2012 Pew Research Center report. Furthermore, 60% use witch doctors for healing purposes. These witch doctors, though, are some of the most common accusers of witchcraft. Clearly, the belief in witchcraft is deeply ingrained in society. A report by the University of Dar es Salaam even stated that it is too strong to be eliminated through the law. These researchers propose a different solution: mass scientific education.
Working with Communities to Change Attitudes
The organization HelpAge is embracing the idea of using education to reduce witchcraft accusations. Teamed with local partners, this nonprofit trains members of over 90 villages to protect and support women’s rights in Tanzania. Their community programs include women’s rights training, HIV education, paralegal training, and exposure to traditional drama, music and dance.
In terms of paralegal training, community members learn to provide legal support and advice for disputes like inheritance, land and marriage rights. Paralegals also help women draft wills to protect their assets. These education and training programs take a community approach to promoting women’s rights in Tanzania.
Improving Conditions for Affected Women
HelpAge also builds houses and improves sanitation for women who were threatened, attacked, or isolated due to witchcraft accusations. The very design of these facilities keeps the organization’s mission of eradicating witchcraft persecutions in mind. For instance, houses come with fuel-efficient stoves to show that red eyes—believed to be a sign of witchcraft—are simply a result of cooking over smoky fires.
What Next?
HelpAge has already made a significant impact on improving women’s rights in Tanzania. The areas that have implemented projects have seen a 99% reduction in the killing of older women. However, improvement can still be made. The organization believes the national government must change its policies to hold people accountable for witchcraft attacks. HelpAge also advocates modification of inheritance laws so widow’s property cannot be seized. While it is undoubtedly difficult to change the beliefs deeply ingrained in communities, this mindset shift is critical to protecting the livelihoods of thousands. Accusations of witchcraft are a very real threat to women’s rights in Tanzania, but there is hope for a future of safety.
– Fiona Price
Photo: Flickr
Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Nigeria from Zenvus
Improving Agricultural Productivity
Food production systems are inefficient in many parts of the country. For instance, with little availability of irrigation or fertilizer, 66% of the labor force works to produce 90% of Nigeria’s calories. This deficiency in resources is a result of outdated farming methods. The Green Revolution, which applied World War II technology to farming through mechanization and increased crop yields by 200%–300% in the last 50 years, skipped over Nigeria. Likewise, other developing nations missed this innovation as well. Zenvus, an agricultural technology company, aims to fill this gap by providing access to resources that help Nigerians experience the same explosive productivity boost that other countries enjoyed, decades ago. Here are just three of the many services Zenvus offers as innovations in poverty eradication in Nigeria:
The Spirit of Innovation and a Positive Future
Companies like Zenvus provide hope for Nigerians through their capacities to create jobs, increase wages and ensure sufficient food access for all Africans. With 239 million in sub-Saharan Africa alone in poverty, the spirit of Zenvus’ innovations in poverty eradication in Nigeria is perhaps more essential (and more promising) than ever.
– Michael Straus
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
5 Facts about Poverty in Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is a small West African country with a population of fewer than 2 million, bordered by Senegal, Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Although the country gained its independence from Portugal in 1974, its subsequent history has been marked by continuous instability and frequent coup d’états. Moreover, Guinea-Bissau suffers from high levels of poverty, economic fragility and a dire lack of medical and nutritional resources, ranking it among the poorest nations in the world. Below are five key facts necessary to understand poverty in Guinea-Bissau.
5 Facts about Poverty in Guinea-Bissau
Changing the Future: UNICEF
Today, organizations such as UNICEF continue to work to improve living conditions in many areas of Guinea-Bissau. UNICEF is currently partnered with the country’s Ministry of Health and helps support the distribution of Vitamin A and deworming supplements for children under 5. UNICEF has also played a key role in establishing inpatient and outpatient treatment for severe acute malnutrition in 78 health care centers throughout Guinea-Bissau. Lastly, the organization has partnered with the Ministry of National Education and Higher Education (MENES) to provide training to schoolteachers and decrease teacher absenteeism, ultimately targeting education quality and student retention rates.
Conclusion
Despite improvements in the past decade, Guinea-Bissau still suffers from multidimensional poverty and remains far below its socioeconomic potential. Political conflicts and strong wealth disparities in the West African nation have constrained its ability to make tangible progress in several developmental indicators such as food security and better wages. Looking forward, poverty in Guinea-Bissau must remain the focus of international aid and development initiatives to ensure growth and security for children and adults alike.
– Oumaima Jaayfer, Moon Jung Kim
Photo: Flickr
Updated: June 10, 2024
5 Facts About Women’s Rights in Albania
5 Facts about Women’s Rights in Albania
Continuing the Fight
Women in Albania struggle to lead independent lives due to the prevalence and severity of gender inequality. Sexist laws and cultural norms limit women’s rights in Albania. This, in turn, prevents many women from achieving equality in health, safety and prosperity. Though organizations like U.N. Women and the Center for Legal and Civic Initiatives, improving the quality of life for these women has become a real possibility.
– Courtney Bergsieker
Photo: Wikimedia Commons