Archive for category: Developing Countries

Information and stories about developing countries.

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Pros & Cons of Alleviating Poverty Through Tourism

Alleviating Poverty Through TourismEarly this year, the United Nations declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development with the goal of alleviating poverty through tourism. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the tourism industry has grown by 4 percent every year since the 1960s. In 2016 alone, about $1.4 trillion went towards tourism, making the industry’s potential for poverty alleviation promising.

There are multiple factors that make the tourism industry well-suited for poverty alleviation. The first is the substantial “size and growth of the sector,” which has the potential to sustain development in many developing countries. Through foreign exchange earnings and job creation generated by the tourism industry, alleviating poverty through tourism is made possible. Currently, “tourism contributes to 5 percent of the world’s GDP” and has generated 253 million jobs.

Tourism also has the potential for sustainable growth in developing countries as tourist destinations diversify. In fact, tourism is already the “first or second source of export earnings” among 20 out of 48 of the world’s least-developed countries. For some of these nations, tourism accounts for more than 25 percent of GDP. Alleviating poverty through tourism in these areas would be highly effective as long as tourism is focused on development.

Developing countries have a “comparative advantage” in tourism because tourists look for many features that these nations share. These features include “warm climate, rich cultural heritage, inspiring landscapes and abundant biodiversity.” With these features being most apparent in rural areas, poverty may be alleviated by making destinations out of poorer places.

The tourism industry is also relatively labor-intensive and generates jobs that require little investment. This opens up job opportunities for many people in developing countries including women, young people and minorities. Tourism provides connectivity between sectors and links consumers to producers. Multiple economic sectors benefit from tourism as touring consumers buy a variety of goods. With this connection, both the consumers and producers benefit from increased local investment.

Although there are many pros to alleviating poverty through tourism, developing countries are not seeing the impact from tourism that most may expect. The Global Tourism Dashboard measured the impacts of tourism in 2016 and determined that only 5.6 percent of tourism expenditure went to developing countries. Instead of benefiting these nations, global tourism benefits the economic exchange of rich countries.

For the $79 billion that was spent in 2016 by tourists in developing nations, much of this money did not make a significant impact. The little impact tourism is making is exemplified by Thailand, which is the world’s fourth-most popular destination yet is still classified as a developing country. This shows that cash injection does not necessarily lead to development.

Before tourism can make a profound impact on developing countries, the problem of “leakage” needs to be addressed. Leakage is when a country is spending a “considerable proportion of tourist dollars before they can multiply in the local economy.” This is a significant problem as leakage ranges from 40 to 80 percent in developing countries. Alleviating poverty through tourism will take more than simply expanding the tourism industry.

Although tourism is not currently the most effective way to alleviate poverty, there is still potential for the industry. Countries such as Samoa, Ecuador, Fiji and South Africa are all examples of how tourism can factor into development. For Samoa specifically, tourism is “one of the economy’s main pillars” as the industry contributed to 20 percent of its GDP. This was done through leakage reduction, concentration on local development and investment in training for tourism jobs by the government.

Aside from governmental regulations in developing countries, alleviating poverty through tourism can be made possible through international and individual assistance. International organizations can assist tourism industries in developing countries through financing “transport connectivity” to reduce leakage. Also, training locals for tourism jobs so that the industry can be run by domestic stakeholders is critical for potential development. On an individual level, tourists can support development by making “ethical travel choices.” This means “going local” to benefit the local community rather than deciding to visit and invest in typical tourist destinations.

There is potential for alleviating poverty through tourism as long as developing nations are given the assistance needed to make it work.

– Haley Hurtt

Photo: Flickr

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The Long Road to Ending Extreme Poverty

Extreme PovertyLooking at the World Bank’s records, the proportion of households in developing countries below the extreme poverty line has declined sharply, from 52 percent in 1980 to 43 percent in 1990 to 34 percent in 1999, and finally to 21 percent in 2010. Though the figures look optimistic, the United Nations’ number one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to end poverty in all its manifestations everywhere by 2030 will only become more difficult to achieve as time progresses.

The World Bank defines “extreme poverty” as living on less than $1.90 per person per day. The multidimensional aspects of poverty are captured to measure extreme poverty through data collection encompassing climate variations, caloric intake, clothing, shelter, health and other variables.

For the past two decades, East Asia has held the largest population of impoverished individuals. According to the Economist, in 1981, roughly 88 percent of China’s citizens lived below the poverty line. Since that time, China has eradicated a large amount of poverty in cities and reduced the number of rural people living below its poverty line of 2,300 yuan or a little over $340 per year. In 2013, due to continual infrastructural and economic growth, and the cultivation of private businesses and corporations, only 2 percent of Chinese citizens fell under the World Bank’s definition of extreme poverty.

Due to the changing landscape in East Asia, much of the world’s remaining poverty is in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Weeding poverty out of these areas will prove to be more difficult due to the lack of available welfare programs and support systems.

Although free markets, trade and economic growth will remain vital to meeting the U.N. SDG, continued progress will depend heavily on infrastructural and health investments by the government, including in water, electricity and healthcare. According to the New York Times and the Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, decreases in mortality rate as well as public funds to finance scientific and technological breakthroughs such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria have made massive contributions to fighting global poverty to date.

As organizations and nations worldwide move towards eliminating extreme poverty, new challenges will undoubtedly arise. The Brookings Institute reminds global citizens that “as global poverty approaches zero, it becomes increasingly concentrated in countries where the record of and prospects for poverty reduction are weakest.” Despite the fact, the possibility still exists to improve quality of life worldwide, and the opportunity still remains to progress the elimination of poverty through further investment and advocacy efforts across all national barriers.

– Katherine Wang

Photo: Pixabay

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Mental Illness in Developing Countries

Mental Illness in Developing CountriesMental illness has become a major health issue in the world today.  Approximately 450 million people currently suffer from some sort of mental illness or brain condition worldwide. Individuals living in developing countries, which often lack proper medical care, are extremely susceptible to mental illness.

War, poverty and diseases such as AIDS and polio are major concerns regarding mental illness in developing countries.  These countries are generally too overwhelmed by communicable diseases and ill-equipped to respond to depression, schizophrenia and other mental health problems.

Former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan believes that it is time to make mental health a priority and to allot resources for treatment, developing policies, and implementing reforms to address the growing problem of mental illness, especially in developing countries.

In a special issue of a British medical journal, The Lancet, health officials called for new strategies and more money to treat mental illness in developing countries.  The authors of the journal argued that, without implementing measures to promote positive mental health, the future of these countries will be limited.

At the turn of the century, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a collection of papers titled “Mental Health: New Understanding, New Hope” that highlighted the importance of mental health.

“The WHO is making a simple statement: mental health – neglected for far too long – is crucial to the overall well-being of individuals, societies and countries and must be universally regarded in a new light,” former director general of the WHO Gro Harlem Brundtland said.

The WHO conducted a program, titled Project Atlas, to catalog mental health resources around the world.  The program found that almost half the countries in the world have no explicit mental health policy and nearly one-third have no program for coping with rising brain-related disabilities.

The results for Project Atlas are as follows:

  • 41 percent of countries have no mental health policy
  • 25 percent have no legislation on mental health
  • 28 percent have no separate budget for mental health
  • 41 percent do not have treatment facilities for severe mental disorders in primary care

Depression, the most common form of mental illness, has seen an uptick of 18 percent between 2005 and 2015 bringing the total number of people with depression to a staggering  300 million worldwide.

Like most people with mental illnesses, those who suffer from depression often do not seek treatment. Almost 50 percent of people with depression or depression symptoms (such as loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, persistent sadness and problems with everyday activities) do not seek help.

Though there is still a lot of work to do to fight mental illness, especially mental illness in developing countries, some areas have already implemented strategies to fight these diseases. One of the poorest areas of India, with the help of mostly locally recruited mental health workers, showed the efficiency of community-based rehabilitation to manage severe brain-related disabilities. Other countries such as Chile have also implemented effective strategies to help fight mental illness.

The renewed global focus on mental health is encouraging, where mental illness in developing countries still remains a major problem. Through the implementation of new strategies as well as the development of positive policies regarding mental health, there is evidence that mental healthcare is gaining importance and is becoming more accessible in developing countries.

– Drew Hazzard

Photo: Pixabay

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How to Eliminate Global Poverty in Three Ways

How to Eliminate Global PovertyGlobal poverty is a complex social issue that has numerous causes and implications. The causes of global poverty are numerous, but it is clear that they stem from the effects of colonization, war and political instability and the national debt of impoverished countries. The consequences of poverty on citizens are numerous and include effects such as lack of education, the transmission of diseases and even alcohol and substance abuse on the personal scale. When viewing the large picture, poverty is a primary cause of social tension. To be able to take action in addressing this issue, society must figure out how to eliminate global poverty. Below are a few ways to work toward the end of global poverty:

Combat Homelessness
A stable life is almost impossible to achieve without a home, and it is society’s job to help the homeless find a more permanent residence. Many people think of the homeless as people suffering from addiction and poor health. The reality of the homelessness problem is that a large percentage of the 1.6 billion individuals lacking adequate housing in the world are suffering from the results of political instability and chronic poverty. Eliminating the environment which makes people homeless also helps create a solution to global poverty.

One way to fight against homelessness is to support shelters that house the homeless until they can find a job and more permanent residence. Numerous foundations have this goal in mind: for example, The United Way has done the work required for any citizen to get involved in fighting global homelessness.

Combat Hunger
According to The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, of the 7.3 billion people in the world, 795 million of them suffer from chronic undernourishment. This means at about one in eight people do not have access to the most fundamental quantities of food. The majority of citizens experiencing hunger reside in developing countries. Hunger makes working at one’s full potential difficult, and children who are hungry do worse academically in school. Being hungry is a key reason people are classified as impoverished. Thus, addressing this issues helps eliminate global poverty.

One method to fight against hunger is through food donations to groups fighting global hunger. Organizations such as The American Red Cross fund $33.2 million per year to fight hunger around the world. By investing in these agencies through volunteering and donations (money or non-perishable food stock), global citizens facing undernourishment can be supported.

Invest In Education
A high school diploma is one of the fastest routes impoverished people can use to escape their circumstances. Education allows people to find better jobs, pursue higher education, and learn the skills necessary to eliminate global poverty.

One way to encourage youth to remain in school and receive a high school diploma is to invest in organizations which support public schools struggling to get their students to graduate. For example, the group Robin Hood donates more funds towards education than any of their other initiatives. The organization hosts interventions with families helping children finish high school and provides extra support services on the elementary-school level (tutoring and therapy). Donating to groups such as Robin Hood helps to ensure that more children who struggle with poverty finish high school.

Poverty is an issue that remains prevalent in our society. However, much can be done to combat this problem. This includes donating and volunteering at organizations such as Robin Hood or The Red Cross or supporting groups such as The Borgen Project that advocate for anti-poverty acts from Congress. The Borgen Project works alongside Congress and advocates for them to pass laws and legislation which have the potential to address how to eliminate global poverty. Last year, The Borgen Project built support for the Global Food Security Act. This act later became law and helped address food insecurity by teaching small-scale farmers sustainable techniques which produce more food. Overall, society can avoid the issues that stem from poverty by continuing to support these organizations.

– Nicholas Beauchamp

Photo: Pixabay

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Developing Countries Are Changing Education

Changing EducationThere are many organizations and companies that are investing in developing countries to better the lives of people that live in them and to also decrease the global rates of poverty and hunger. With all of the focus on helping developing countries, new advancements in these nations often slip under the radar.

One such achievement is the way developing countries are changing education. Experts are now looking at developing countries’ new initiatives and technology and investigating how these advancements can be applied to schools in developed countries.

There are several ways schools in developing countries are changing education. One way is the use of technology in classrooms. With tech companies such as Dell, which has recently created the initiative Youth Learning that gives students access to laptops for their studies, students in developing countries are learning and using more technology.

William Altman, who is a tech industry analyst at CB insights, says that schools in developing countries are more likely to use online tools in order to stay up to date. Schools in developed countries tend to continue to use traditional techniques because they have enough funding to do so.

For students in developing countries, technology is creating new ways to learn while also providing more opportunities. Jamil Salmi, an education economist and coordinator of higher education professionals at World Bank, discusses the importance of technology for developing countries in an interview for Voices.

He says, “Today, technological innovations are revolutionizing again the capacity to store, transmit, access and use information.” Salmi goes on to say that low cost for technology access is another reason why using technology is beneficial for students.

Another difference in schools from developing countries compared to those in developed countries is the teaching techniques themselves. Since there are such large student populations, some schools in developing countries had to develop ways to teach larger class sizes.

In 2015, the United Nations’ World Population Prospects reported that African countries such as Niger, Uganda and Chad account for all top 10 positions in world’s youngest populations. The result of a large number of students is to find solutions by trying new things and thus finding new ways to teach students.

Educators are now looking at how developing countries are changing education to see what is next for schools. Schools in developed countries are seeing what ways technology can be used in schools and what techniques work to teach the most students. It seems that the more new techniques that schools in developing countries try, the more advanced school systems get.

– Deanna Wetmore

Photo: Flickr

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Different Approaches to Measuring Poverty

Measuring PovertyWhile the word “poverty” is for many a familiar term that invokes strong imagery, the exact definition remains elusive. Today, no consensus exists on the guidelines for measuring poverty around the world. However, measuring poverty is of utmost importance to those on the forefront of global development — primarily governments or international organizations like the World Bank — and essential to tracking the progress of aid programs. As a result, there are several varying methods used to quantify poverty around the world.

The typical method for getting a headcount of impoverished people within a single nation is using a calculated number called an absolute threshold. Typically referred to as a ‘poverty line’, this threshold indicates that those whose incomes fail to meet a certain standard are poor. The standard varies with country, taking into account economic factors like inflation.

Absolute thresholds were historically used by the World Bank and most governments around the world as a means of taking a “poverty census”.

However, critics like Mark Greenberg, senior fellow of the American Progress organization, call the absolute threshold method “essentially arbitrary.” Many point out that an absolute threshold is limited as a headcount evaluation because it fails to take into account factors outside of income that may still be related to poverty.

The absolute measurement’s counterpart is that of relative poverty. This approach focuses on quality of life as the determining factor for a poverty headcount. According to UNESCO, evaluating poverty this way takes into account income as well as two additional perspectives: basic needs and empowerment.

The U.N. asserts that humans have eight basic needs: food, safe water, sanitation, health, shelter, education, information and access to services.

The level of access to each need is evaluated using clearly defined standards, such as body mass index for measuring access to food, or distance from a clean water source. The state of living with two or more ‘severe deprivations’ (substandard measurements) is termed ‘absolute poverty’.

The final aspect of relative poverty — the empowerment perspective — views poverty as limiting social and political rights. Therefore, groups that experience high levels of discrimination or are denied basic rights, such as that of political participation, are also considered impoverished.

While methods of measuring poverty certainly vary, the general consensus is that living on less than $1.90 per day is extreme poverty.

Though it is by no means an easy task and there is ample room for improving methodology, measuring poverty is essential to understanding and approaching this complex, global issue.

– Kailey Dubinsky

Photo: Flickr

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El Salvador Poverty Rate Tied to Corruption

El Salvador Poverty Rate
El Salvador, a tiny county in Central America, has struggled with corruption and poverty for centuries. The El Salvador poverty rate is one of the highest in the world.

In fact, the most recent official statistics reported that the poverty rate in El Salvador is above a third of the entire population. In 2015, the CIA established that almost 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lived below the poverty line. Other recent data has shown it could be above 40 percent.

One standardized way of measuring poverty thresholds is contrasting a household’s income with the price of a basic family basket of food sufficient to feed the whole household.

A study into the El Salvador poverty rate defines living in poverty as any household whose income does not reach two times the price of a basic family basket of food.

Most data places the price of a basic family basket of food at somewhere between $130 and $184, depending on the rurality of the area. Therefore, if a basket were to be priced at $170 nationwide, then the number of households with a monthly income below $340 would make up the poverty rate.

The El Salvador poverty rate logically goes hand-in-hand with the issue of violent gangs, who have plagued the country since the end of the civil war. A report out of El Salvador has attributed 84 percent of forced displacement to gang violence and crime.

The World Bank and others have pointed to a declining poverty rate in El Salvador, citing a possible seven percent fall since 2000. However, this data has been contradicted.

With a fluctuating GDP, it is difficult to observe any real patterns of economic growth in the nation. This is predominantly because of large-scale corruption.

In fact, just last year former President of El Salvador, Antonio Saca, was arrested on corruption charges. He has been accused of misusing public funds and money laundering. These accusations have come in light of him acquiring five to six million dollars while in office.

The United Nations announced the establishment of a program that will tackle corruption in El Salvador. By working with existing institutions, the anti-corruption program will investigate existing cases while attempting to uncover more.

Most analysts share the belief that before the El Salvador poverty rate can be effectively addressed and significantly shifted, the country must rid itself of the levels of corruption evident today.

– Cornell Holland

Photo: Flickr

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The Good News That Poverty is Declining

Poverty is DecliningEradicating world poverty is a noble goal. Obtaining zero poverty levels by 2030 is one on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, and there are many indicators that the target could be within reach. Poverty is declining in most parts of the world, but in some countries, poverty reduction is not keeping up with the global pace.

The overall trend is positive. In 1820, when only 1.1 billion people populated the planet, one billion of these people lived in poverty. As recently as 1981, 41 percent of the world’s population was extremely poor or living on $1.90 per day. By 2013, the percentage was down to 10.7 percent.

In raw numbers, the largest number of people in extreme poverty peaked in 1970 when there were 3.7 billion people in the world. Of those, 2.2 billion people were living below the poverty line.

The economic growth of China and Asia has had a significant impact on global poverty decreasing. China began economic reform in the late 1970s and grew at 10 percent a year until 2010. This translated to 800 million people moving out of poverty, and those that benefitted lived in the city and rural sections of the country. The peasants were able to improve their living conditions by making their small farms highly productive.

In Bangladesh, poorly educated women found work in the textile factories and pulled themselves out of poverty. Economic growth is one factor that influences why poverty is declining. International aid through such organizations as USAID invests in water quality, medicine, schools and infrastructure that improve the quality of life for those trying to increase their standard of living. And global trade has improved living conditions for people in some of the poorest countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa is moving in a positive direction, but there is a caveat. Its poverty rate in 2013 was 41 percent, which dropped from 54 percent in 1990. However, its population is growing at a very fast pace of about 2.5 percent a year, making the total number of Africans living in absolute poverty higher. In fact, more than half the world’s extremely poor now live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Poverty reduction has moved at a fast pace over the last quarter of a century. When the members of the United Nations agreed to cut poverty by 50 percent from 1990 to 2015, they reached their goal five years early. New goals were set to reduce poverty to three percent by 2030. Poverty is declining, but the issue may move from a global problem to one focused on certain parts of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, will have to focus on how to balance its population growth with poverty reduction.

– Jene Cates

Photo: Flickr

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Why Global Dropout Rates Aren’t Improving

Global Dropout Rates
Even as the world prioritizes improving the accessibility and quality of education, global dropout rates continue to increase. In most developing countries, very few children graduate from secondary school or even finish primary school. Sub-Saharan Africa sees 42% of its pupils leaving school early, and 33% of southern and western Asian students also drop out. While free universal education for all children is an important goal, the way policies and organizations approach the goal should keep global dropout rates in mind.

Why don’t impoverished children stay in school? An obvious reason is the cost of schooling in general. Many schools offer free tuition, but expenses for lunch, uniforms and examinations all add up to a high cost. If local education doesn’t prepare students to meet local and national standards, parents are forced to pay for additional tutoring for their children. Also, educational opportunity comes at a cost if the children who typically produce an income for their families become full-time students. Since impoverished families are often large, supporting many children in their education becomes almost impossible. When choosing between a tutor and food for the next week, chances are the latter is a higher priority.

Going to school may even be dangerous for students, resulting in high global dropout rates in developing countries. Limited infrastructure forces many students to walk far distances every day. If an area is prone to conflict and hostility, walking students are at a high risk of encountering violence and becoming casualties.

Other factors influencing children to leave school include a lack of basic facilities like water points and latrines, support for disabled children, language barriers and discrimination based on gender, ethnicity or religion. The curriculum might drive children and families away from school if its mastery isn’t relevant to their lives, defeating the purpose of universal education.
Children who don’t go to school are often the most vulnerable and marginalized in a developing society. Of the 121 million children currently out of primary and secondary school worldwide, more than 60% live in impoverished countries.

Establishing universal education is the logical place to begin, but in order for the education system to be effective, it must address global dropout rates and tailor a learning environment that keeps students’ unique situations in mind. A curriculum that values real-life problem-solving and relevant topics, such as health and financial literacy, is more sustainable in impoverished regions than a more American, test score grading approach.

Students need to feel empowered and develop the knowledge and skills necessary for alleviating poverty. While the answer to poverty is already hazy, the world’s youngest minds may find the key that unlocks both a lifetime love of learning and a draw toward critical thinking required to manage their limited resources and create opportunities for themselves.

– Allie Knofczynski

Photo: Flickr

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Improving Mental Health in Poor Communities

Mental Health in Poor Communities
While it is proven that poverty leads to cognitive setbacks, similar studies suggest that there are methods to counter poverty and its psychological effects in both the family unit and schools.

Improving mental health in poor communities became a priority in sustainable development over the last decade. Children from low-income families face psychological challenges that are much less common for higher-income children, including developmental delays, mental disabilities, ADHD, anxiety, depression and attention disorders. Parents’ education levels, race and other critical factors are not shown to have as strong a correlation as family income. Scientists trace statistics concerning mental health in poor communities back to inadequate nutrition, obstacles to proper development and chronic stress.

In response to these findings, more promising studies have shown that efforts to improve mental health in disadvantaged populations can be particularly effective during childhood.

For example, nutrition during and for a year after pregnancy is a critical part of cognitive development. Mothers who prioritize nutrition and a high-protein diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding are far more likely to have children free of mental disability.

The parent-child relationship is also crucial. At least one parent or parental figure’s consistent ability to care for a child leads to “secure attachment,” which encourages brain development, feelings of being worthy of love and the development of positive relationships. Professionals today are using attachment theory to understand and assist disadvantaged families.

The takeaway is that prioritizing pregnancy education and support in addition to positive parental relationships can improve mental health in poor communities.

Outside of the family unit, schools are an additional opportunity to promote psychological health in disadvantaged populations. Encouraging students to set goals in the classroom and giving consistent feedback develops student autonomy and intrinsic motivation. Since impoverished individuals are at greater risk of adopting a “victim mindset,” the thought process that external events alone determine their circumstance, drive and independence are crucial to future success.

According to the self-determination theory, surrounding students having material that suggests they can overcome difficult circumstances lead them to believe that they can succeed. Supplementing this school material with similar cultural stories and values at home increases the chances of internalizing positive values.

Organizing students into cooperative learning groups promotes relaxation, high achievement, positive relationships and improved psychological health, according to a 2000 study. Encouraging children to work together may combat the anxiety and stress that results from living in a low-income family and improve socialization.

While the psychological effects of poverty can be discouraging, these studies suggest that simple changes in the home and classroom are highly effective ways of empowering disadvantaged individuals. As research continues in the areas of cognitive development and psychology, further improvement in mental health in poor communities is expected.

– Kailey Dubinsky

Photo: Flickr