Involving Affected People a Key Part of How to Overcome Poverty

According to The World Bank, more than 767 million people live in poverty. That represents one person out of every 10 living on less than $1.90 per day. Although that number has dropped significantly from almost four out of 10 people in 1990, these figures continue to remain unacceptable.

The effects of poverty can be dire, especially for the 328 million children living in extreme poverty: a lack of food, clean water and medical care can lead to malnutrition and other diseases, a lack of shelter can further impact illnesses and a lack of education and job training often lead to an increase in crime, which exacerbates these issues.

Information on how to overcome poverty comes from a wide variety of sources and offers a vast range of advice, as overcoming poverty is as intricate as poverty itself. However, in researching and learning how to overcome poverty, there are a few core aspects that should remain at the forefront of combating this global issue.

Sense of Community

According to Outreach International, a community can only succeed in alleviating poverty if the people involved are “actively and authentically participating in the efforts to fight poverty.” This refers to not just the leaders, but also the people most affected. Their situations need to be taken into consideration and through open dialogue and simplification they become part of the process of resolving their problems.

Governmental Accountability

The spending of taxpayers’ money should always be visible to citizens. This makes their actions and inactions easier to address and discourages corruption within the bureaucracy. Implementing oversight can be especially beneficial to those whose government might, for example, be spending money on its nuclear weapons development instead of its poverty programs.

Education an Important Part of How to Overcome Poverty

While education provides knowledge and training, which can fortify the economy, poverty is also a mental and psychological condition. Education in impoverished populations provides a way for people to better understand their situation and visualize their way out of poverty. It has the power to bring about an end to other social issues as well such as racism and sexism, both of which are intrinsically connected to poverty.

Job Creation

Extensively planned employment programs started by the government can grow the job market. Oftentimes, industries with a substantial labor force can be given larger aid from the government. Developing companies that offer sustainable and long-term jobs to the community should be given focus.

Prioritizing Human Rights

This might prove to be the hardest due to the inequalities that persist in developing countries. Every person should have access to the necessities of life: food, housing, electricity, healthcare and clean water. Only after these basic amenities have been put in place should governments move on to other projects.

One of the most important aspects of learning how to overcome poverty is understanding that it takes time. The process is not simple and short, especially when trying to achieve a deep transformation. Sustaining collective efforts to address the issues involves individuals having an increased level of consciousness about their own capabilities and situations. It takes time to break the culture of silence.

– Aaron Stein

Photo: Flickr

What are the Top 5 Global Issues Blogs?

Many blogs focus on global issues that major news outlets do not cover. Such blogs are run by organizations, professionals and groups of people who care about informing the public about global poverty, climate change and more. Below are the top five global issues blogs:

Global Issues: Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All

This blog is focused on a variety of global topics. The aim of the site is to cover and discuss issues of climate change, poverty, foreign aid, racism and more while also showing how they are all interconnected. Additionally, it strives to give visibility to issues of poverty and hunger that rarely make the headlines of major news outlets.

The Borgen Project

The Borgen Project ranks in the top global issues blogs because it works with members of Congress to further legislation regarding issues of extreme poverty abroad. The blog covers various topics, including developments in technology, natural disasters and U.S. foreign policy to build awareness about global issues.

Business Fights Poverty

Business Fights Poverty is a community of professionals who are committed to fighting poverty through their business practices and reaching sustainable development goals. The blog focuses on issues of economic development as well as on collaboration to make a social impact. Business Fights Poverty also brings visibility to entrepreneurs in global communities of poverty and to potential ways for improving these economies through business.

TheDATABlog

The World Bank runs a blog called TheDATABlog that covers the activity of the World Bank as well as other news regarding global issues. Coverage focuses on development data issues and making that information more accessible to the public in an effort to improve people’s lives. The blog is updated fairly regularly, with posts at least once a week about recent news regarding development data and statistics.

DipNote

The U.S. Department of State has an official blog called DipNote. This blog covers a plethora of international issues such as global health care, gender equality and disease. Additionally, it has “This Week at State” posts that update readers about the week’s highlights regarding global issues, initiatives and events.

Reading any of these top global issues blogs is a great way to get information about news and events related to global issues. They provide regular and wide coverage on global poverty, the environment, the economy and other problems facing our world today.

– Liyanga de Silva

Photo: Flickr

Rapid Change: Top 10 Countries Seeing Economic Growth

Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, is the measure of goods and services produced in an economy — an often-used tool to measure the success of a nation’s economic growth. While this has been the main measure of success over the last century or so, many are starting to questions its effectiveness at measuring total welfare of a country. While it is important to look at other factors in country growth, GDP remains a key aspect of reflecting the top ten countries with growing business.

The average world GDP growth is slightly under 3 percent, annually. As of 2017, the following countries have made the top ten list of fastest growing economies; interestingly, they are all developing countries.

10 Countries Seeing Economic Growth

1. Ethiopia: 8.3 Percent
   Ethiopia has predominantly been an agricultural country — a fact that is still one of the main sources of business used. However, the country is growing into other fields that shows promising investment opportunities, such as construction or real estate and manufacturing items that range from anything from consumer purchasing to company purchasing.At this point, income for the average citizen still remains at one of the lowest levels, but the continued economic growth has had a positive effect i.e. bringing extreme poverty from 55.3 percent in 2000 to 33.5 percent in 2011.
2. Uzbekistan: 7.6 Percent
   Uzbekistan is mainly known for its natural gas, gold and copper exports; however, when Russia and China’s markets decreased, this had a directly negative impact on the nation from 2013 to 2016. The Uzbekistan government evaluated its form of market and created space for investment and business growth within its systems. This evaluation had a positive impact, as Uzbekistan moved from fifth on the GDP growth list in 2015 to second in 2017.
3. Nepal: 7.5 Percent
   A good deal of business has been drawn to Nepal and developed within Nepal due to a need for basic resources such as water, electricity and communication within the nation, especially after the 2015 earthquake. While this market still exists, Nepal’s ability to take the natural disaster and use it as an opportunity to grow and develop is a sign of its imagination and strength.
4. India: 7.2 Percent
   India is the highest country for outsourcing, and the nation’s ability to use its resources of education and skills has created a unique market to many other countries. Inequality still holds India back from reaching its full potential, but many are speaking out against caste systems and gender inequality, thus drawing attention to the varying gaps (wage and education) surrounding different demographics.
5. Tanzania: 7.2 Percent
   Tanzania’s rapid economic growth has been attributed to its gold export and tourism influx, but this development has led to new business in energy fields, real estate, infrastructure and agriculture. Tanzania still remains one of the poorest, but this is mostly attributed to population growth rather than an inability to grow business as the poverty rate fell from 60 percent in 2007 to 47 percent in 2016.
6. Djibouti: 7 Percent
   Djibouti is a small country next to Ethiopia based off the water — a location creating a perfect market for shipping and trade. The nation’s recent spike in economic growth has been largely attributed to foreign investors finding opportunities in port facilities and construction. While the extreme heat in the country and low resources on clean water is still a battle for many citizens, the steady growth of market and job opportunities will surely increase quality.
7. Laos: 7 Percent
   Laos possesses rich natural resources and a high utilization for hydroelectricity. Its central location in southeast Asia created strong trade with its neighboring countries, and also a growing global interest in the nation has created increased levels of tourism.
8. Cambodia: 6.9 Percent
   Cambodia is in a similar situation as Laos, particularly with being in the same region. While starting a business in Cambodia can be difficult, especially without bribes, the nation’s economy continues to develop with the help of tourism, natural resources and water-based operations.
9. Myanmar: 6.9 Percent
   In the past, Myanmar attracted an influx of foreign investment due to its many opportunities to expand business fronts such as telecom, tourism, natural resources and infrastructure; however, foreign investment in the nation has dropped in recent years. In 2017, the Myanmar government began to make a real push to increase investment again by restructuring its government and economy to a democracy form of government (from a military-based one) and creating a more market-oriented economy.
10. Philippines: 6.9 Percent
    Many tourists flock to the Philippines to visit inexpensive hotels and visit beautiful beaches, particularly in recent years,. While this interest has increased economic growth, Phllippinian stubbornness is actually what continues to keep the economy moving despite the nation’s corrupt government and natural disasters.

While citizens fight for more freedom and better business opportunities, the Philippines’ economy and quality of life will improve even more quickly once government and citizens are able to reach more amicable agreements.

– Natasha Komen

Photo: Flickr

Development Milestone: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Ethiopia is on the cusp of completing a development milestone. The United States’ $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will be over 500 feet tall and generate more than three times the hydroelectric power created by the Hoover Dam. After its completion, it will be the largest dam in Africa and generate more power than any other dam on the African continent.

Wide-Reaching Benefits

The World Bank’s examinations of this project determined that millions of citizens will benefit from this Ethiopian development milestone. According to the World Bank, nearly 75 million individuals in Ethiopia — approximately 70 percent of the country’s population — lack access to reliable energy sources. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will generate an estimated 6450 MW of energy to civilians, improve infrastructure and ultimately lead to more modern job opportunities in the country.

Ethiopia’s Minister for Water, Irrigation and Electricity claims that the dam is not being built to control the flow of the Nile river politically; rather, it is being built to provide the country with energy development opportunities. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam serves as the flagship of many strides in Ethiopian economic development. Another notable recent achievement is the equitable public transit system in the nation’s capital, Addis Ababa.

National Pride

Moreover, Ethiopians are taking great nationalist pride in the development milestone. The country emphasizes that it is paying for the dam itself, without any international help or investment. The country is funding the dam through intense taxation, selling of bonds and a lottery to incentivize citizen investment.

Accordingly, Ethiopia’s progress in The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has positive and negative effects for its downstream countries Sudan and Egypt, respectively.

Sudan

Sudan expresses a positive view of the dam as it will reduce the amount of flooding farmers endure during particularly high flows of the Nile; the construction project will also contribute to reliable flows of water during the drier seasons. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam construction will also allow for cheaper electricity to be sold into Sudan as the dam is being built close to the Sudanese border.

Egypt

Egypt on the other hand, is increasingly worried about the Ethiopian development milestone. Egypt is concerned that Ethiopia is placing controls on the Nile, which Egyptians have controlled for millennia. Egyptian officials also worry that Ethiopia now has a tap that could significantly reduce the flow of water into their country.

Egypt’s concerns are justified given that the country is subject to face water shortages as soon as 2025. Officials in Egypt explain that if water levels decrease in Egypt by just two percent, then the nation will lose 200,000 acres of viable farmland, which families depend on for subsistence crop growth.

Given that, the Geological Study of America explains that the Nile’s water levels could drop by 25 percent for up to 7 years as the dam’s reservoir in Ethiopia fills up. As a result, Egyptian officials worry that nearly 1 million of the 100 million people living in Egypt will suffer from changes in the Nile’s water flow.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

At this point, Ethiopia and Egypt are only in the early stages of negotiations as tension between the countries increases. Overall, Ethiopia is not going to stop development of the dam; as a result, diplomacy and collaboration are the only means of solving the contentious issues and preventing a water war between Northeastern and East Africa.

– Daniel Levy

Photo: Flickr

Paving the Way: New Models of Development in Somalia

The debate over the efficacy of humanitarian aid in impoverished countries has been a hot topic in recent years. Some people believe that humanitarian aid breeds dependence, while others argue that it can exploit some of the most vulnerable people in impoverished countries. To provide better and longer-lasting aid, the U.N., the U.N.’s International Children’s Emergency Fund and the World Health Organization, among others, are taking a new approach to humanitarian aid. The new method, dubbed “A New Way of Working,” combines the short-term aid for emergency relief with long-term development efforts. The organizations are testing this model for development in Somalia, one of the more embattled nations on Earth.

Finding a Solution

Whether it’s disaster relief or funding for infrastructure projects, foreign aid does help people who need it. Despite the horror stories in the news concerning corruption, mishandled aid only accounts for an estimated 9 percent. Not perfect, but not as bad as some purport.

Many issues still plague not only the development in Somalia but in humanitarian aid and global investment around the world. One reason is modern humanitarian assistance finds its roots as a disaster response mechanism, whether it’s man-made or natural, and funds need to be spent within 18 months. Conversely, developmental aid sprung up as a result of colonialism and seeks long-term solutions such as education and agriculture, with funding plans structured in three to five years cycles. So, the projects needed to accomplish these varying goals are often very different.

Development in Somalia: A Guide for Others

Somalia is a country recovering from a two-decade civil war and a 2011 drought that killed over 260,000 people. With the government declaring 2017’s drought another national emergency, aid organizations realized a different approach was necessary.

In January 2018, the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the U.N.’s Development Program (UNDP) set out to provide immediate assistance to those in desperate need of water. It also tried to identify the root of the emergency and establish projects that will allow everyday people to tackle the problem on their own when the next drought inevitably comes along.

While this sounds great in theory, there needs to be a practical element for improving development in Somalia. The current drought has lasted three growing seasons and is killing crops and livestock at alarming rates, which precipitates into a nationwide famine. In response, the OCHA-UNDP project built a sand dam in Bandarbeyla.

This dam allowed farmers to maintain their livestock, a vital resource for the agricultural economy in Somalia. Farmers say they can now save up the money they used to have to spend on water. Finally, these aid groups no longer have to focus solely on subsistence and can invest their energy and resources on education and security projects that will make Somalia stronger and more stable as it progresses as a nation.

Where Will It Be Seen Next?

The success of this project for development in Somalia is giving hope for other nations dealing with similar environmental and security-related emergencies.

• South Sudan:
  The world’s youngest nation has over 1 million people at risk of famine. Luckily, the massive humanitarian response has kept the situation from getting worse.
• Nigeria (Northeast region):
  Due to the Boko Haram insurgency, more than 5 million people need housing and food assistance.
• Yemen:
  A brutal civil war has left more than 75 percent of the population in need of humanitarian aid.

These three nations face similar problems to Somalia in that they endure a vicious cycle of drought and insecurity. The UNDP and other organizations are hoping to implement strategies similar to what is occurring in Somalia with the goal that “A New Way of Working” will allow these countries to flourish on their own.

– David Jaques

Photo: Flickr