Archive for category: Development

Information and stories on development news.

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Child Poverty in Iran

Child Poverty in IranChild poverty in Iran runs rampant among young residents. In 2020, 50% of Iran’s population lived under the poverty line. The effects of poverty on children are dire and 9 million Iranian families currently struggle amid poverty, but organizations are stepping in to assist.

Contributors to Child Poverty in Iran

Families cannot earn enough money because of gender discrimination, unemployment and other factors. Only men can work well-paying jobs because of the large pay gap. In 2021, the Global Gender Report stated that women earn 19% of the wages a man earns for the same job.

With the significant differences in pay between men and women, women are often unable to help support their families. Additionally, the unemployment rate among men and women is very high. According to the World Bank, the unemployment rate for women was 16.1% and for men was 7.8%.

Along with the unemployment rate and gender discrimination, the cost of basic needs is high, so the majority of families’ wages go toward securing this. In Iran, high inflation rates directly impact the cost of food and groceries, making it difficult to afford basic essentials. In 2019, 33% of underprivileged communities’ income was allocated for food.

Poverty forces many children to make money for their families, but their wages are unlivable. Garbage collecting, run by the municipality contractors, is one of the main jobs children work to earn a living. In 2020, however, children made only 6% of the profits of garbage collectors. Of the children in the workforce, 60% are their families’ only source of income. Working to support their families has an impact on a child’s education. In 2017, “37% of Iranian students drop out before getting their diplomas.”

Impact on Iranian Children

The vast number of contributors to child poverty in Iran has destroyed the quality of life for children.

Food is all too often a scarcity among these children. They are unable to eat the minimum caloric intake, and numbers have only increased since the pandemic. According to the Global Hunger Index, in 2020, one out of three children were undernourished which can leave to a multitude of health complications, including children’s growth stunting.

Child marriage and trafficking are common in Iranian society. For little money, families sell their children, mostly girls, into marriage. In the summer of 2020, according to the Statistic Center of Iran, 9,058 girls were married before the age of 15. In some cases, child spouses run away from home or attempt suicide because of their treatment during their marriage.

Hope for the Future

The government and other organizations are working to stop child poverty in Iran. In 2020, the Guardian Council, the body in charge of approving legislation passed by the Parliament, approved a Child and Adolescent Protection Bill. The bill was later passed, inflicting penalties on people who prevent children from attending school or putting children in unsafe environments With this law, children in Iran are protected from various circumstances that could potentially be a danger to them and instead, can go to school to get an education

Organizations like Relief International work globally to dissolve poverty. Relief International was established in 1958 with its work in Iran beginning in 1990 after a large-scale earthquake in the country. Currently, Relief International works primarily to aid Afghan refugees in Iran while also mobilizing resources if a countrywide emergency occurs.

Recently, in 2021, because of Relief International, 22,000 people were taught hygienic practices, 3,500 families received cash support and thousands more received health care, education and other services. This is just one of the many organizations and institutions working to end poverty in Iran by providing support to those who reside there.

According to UNICEF, as of 2020, the mortality rate for Iranian children under 5 is 12.9%. Iranian children face increased risks of death due to a lack of food and basic needs. However, the Iranian government and other organizations are working to put an end to poverty.

– Janae O’Connell
Photo: Flickr

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HIV/AIDS in Venezuela

HIV/AIDS in Venezuela
Efforts to address HIV/AIDs in Venezuela are facing barriers as the country is grappling with limited access to medications, health care and products to maintain sexual health. Due to the Venezuelan economic and political crisis, medical workers are pouring out of the country. Additionally, the Pharmaceutical Federation of Venezuela has estimated that the country has had an 85% shortage of medicine as of 2018, making HIV/AIDs in Venezuela difficult to prevent and treat.

Venezuela’s Health Care System

Venezuela’s collapsing medical system has led to dire sexual education and limited condom access; many citizens have claimed that condoms are scarce at clinics, or egregiously expensive. In 2019, a pack of condoms was about $170 in Venezuela and people had to wait in long lines to purchase them.

The cost of condoms is a huge burden, as more than three-quarters of Venezuelans have been living in extreme poverty as of 2021. This has made Venezuela very vulnerable to sexually transmitted disease (STDs) transmission, including HIV, the deadliest STD there is. Therefore, HIV/AIDS in Venezuela has become an urgent humanitarian concern.

Understanding HIV/AIDS Treatment and Prevention

To prevent the spread of HIV, which is an STD that is highly preventable through condom use, individuals can get tested to limit the spread of the infection. In the case of treatment, antiviral drugs, or so-called “anti-HIV cocktails,” are highly successful in keeping HIV at bay so people do not subsequently contract AIDS.

AIDS is quite deadly and emerges at the point where the HIV virus has destroyed its host’s immune system. Although HIV is impossible to eliminate from the human body, a patient with the virus has about the same expected life expectancy as a patient without it. However, this is only true if the HIV-positive patient is receiving proper access to health care and HIV antiretroviral therapy. Otherwise, 90% of patients with the virus can expect to contract AIDS, which is fatal in eight to 10 years on average.

Venezuela’s HIV Crisis

Thus, HIV/AIDS in Venezuela has become a crisis precipitously with the country’s economic crisis. In a proper contagious disease protocol, citizens would have proper access to HIV testing. However, in a country with a medicine and health care shortage, this is hard to come by. Additionally, since many people with HIV experience discrimination, they often experience embarrassment at the possibility of testing. As of 2020, UNAIDS estimated that approximately 120,000 Venezuelans were HIV positive, which is about 0.3% of the country’s population.

HIV-Positive Refugees

HIV/AIDS in Venezuela is forcing citizens to leave to save their lives and obtain access to antiviral drugs elsewhere. The Venezuelan Network of Positive People has estimated that 10,000 Venezuelans had to leave due to poor HIV treatment options as a result of the economic crisis that has been ongoing since 2019. The only option HIV-positive Venezuelans have is to leave their homes to get the health care they need.

HIV and Venezuela’s Economic and Political Crisis

This situation is quite new for Venezuela. In fact, the country used to be a leading place for HIV treatment in the early 2000s. Since 1999, those with HIV/AIDS in Venezuela had access to free, government-funded treatment. Its public health system specifically targeted citizens that often experienced discrimination such as sex workers and other minority groups. However, under the political control of Hugo Chavez and his successors, such a program does not exist any longer. Unfortunately, political stability may be necessary before HIV-positive Venezuelans can receive treatment again.

Infected Venezuelan Refugees Find Hope in Colombia

About 1.7 million Venezuelans, or 37% of all Venezuelans, were living in Colombia as of 2021. Since Colombia has the highest Venezuelan refugee population, Colombian HIV/AIDS organizations are specifically targeting HIV-positive Venezuelans immigrating to the country.

The nonprofit Colombia AIDS Health care Foundation, founded in 2018 is one such example. Since its founding, it has provided HIV testing, condom delivery, outreach and treatment for HIV-positive persons. The organization provided antiretroviral drugs to 1,850 Colombians, mostly Venezuelan migrants, at a time as of 2021. The nonprofit works with the Colombian government, which provides free HIV treatment to documented migrants and undocumented migrants in emergency situations.

It is inspiring to see a country do so much to help its neighbors during an emergency. With other countries being not only willing to take in Venezuelan refugees but also to give them the medical care they need, there is hope for many Venezuelans.

– Mikaela Marinis
Photo: Unsplash

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Health Hotline in Malawi

Health Hotline in MalawiIn Malawi, it is tough for pregnant women and families with babies and young children to get the necessary help in rural and hard-to-reach areas. This is often because Malawi is one of the hardest to reach places in the world. Citizens in Malawi aren’t seen as quickly with health-related issues. The success of the health hotline in Malawi is its goal to not be needed in any one area forever.

Medical Assistance by Phone

The mobile phone service is not only for those in dangerous situations that need help quickly. It also provides clear advice and health information. In a state of worry about her baby’s health, a young woman living in a village called Chiyendausiku in Malawi called a toll-free hotline for advice. The young women called a health hotline in Malawi called Chipatala Cha Pa Foni (CCPF). It is a health center by phone, a hotline and text messaging service for families, babies, young children and pregnant women.

Chipatala Cha Pa Foni (CCPF) helps mothers in hard-to-reach areas get the necessary attention to get to the closest health center as soon as possible. When calling the health hotline in Malawi, most women don’t need to rush to the hospital.

Numbers

According to a 2014 World Bank Study, women who live in Malawi have a one in 34 chance of dying during childbirth. UNDP reports that Malawi’s maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the world, with 675 deaths per 100,000 live births. Mothers and pregnant women face a difficult journey of lack of access to child health care due to the distance to and from the health care facilities. Also, the lack of trained health workers to serve the population. The myths and misinformation also affect when and where they can seek health care.

Chipatala is available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week, including holidays, Social Innovation in Health Initiative reports. The toll-free hotline connects callers to trained health staff workers who answer general questions. Some of the questions are about nutrition, child health and sexual and reproductive health. Through the opt-in text and voice messaging system caretakers of children under one, pregnant women and women of childbearing age receive advice tailored according to their pregnancy timeline or their children’s age. Also, Chipatala makes it possible to use an interactive voice response system that allows the users to retrieve messages on demand.

In Closing

The idea of Chipatala is to access relevant health information to decrease the under-resourced community clinics. Since Chipatala launched in 2011, it has reached more than 35,000 unique callers. Health workers resolve about 75% of cases without connecting the caller to a health facility and log almost 50,000 calls. The company aims to continue making affordable and ongoing mobile access to Malawi’s rural areas and keep providing sustainability.

– Alexis King
Photo: Flickr

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COVID-19’s impact on North Korea

COVID-19's impact on North KoreaOn May 12, 2022, the president of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un, made a public appearance. For the first time, he was wearing a mask. The world took even greater surprise when he declared that North Korea was under its first lockdown. This calls into question: what is COVID-19’s impact on North Korea?

Isolated From the Rest of the Globe

Prior to this announcement, North Korean officials claimed that not a single case of Coronavirus had entered their country. The nation, isolated from the rest of the globe, has previously endured life-threatening conditions. Recently, after a severe flood, North Korea has faced its most intense food shortage in the past decade. What’s more, its already limited healthcare system has deteriorated and left millions of people without adequate care.

Many question the accuracy of disease data. As a closed-off country, journalists find it very difficult to paint the full picture of North Korea. For instance, researchers were unaware of the 1990s North Korean famine until its aftermath, when survivors told their famine stories.

Draconian Lockdowns

Professor Park Won-gon, from the Department of North Korean Studies at Ewha Woman University predicted that North Korea could “institute draconian measures to those of its biggest ally, China,” according to VOA News. This meant strict lockdowns confining people to their homes, workplaces and dorms. Unlike China, though, North Korea doesn’t have the basic food supplies that China has to enforce such extreme restrictions. Consequently, thousands of people in North Korea are starving to death under this new lockdown protocol. Citizens could not access new harvests or markets which further strangled the economy.

The lockdown also stymied other solutions proposed by organizations. Particularly, the lack of mobility severed communication with international agencies. COVID-19’s impact on North Korea has, thus, proved massive. Medical resources and help have been inaccessible due to such stringent lockdowns.

Herbal Medicine: Fix or Fallacy?

Without vaccines, North Korea has resorted to herbal solutions. KCNA recently reported that “Thousands of tonnes of salt were urgently transported to Pyongyang city.” North Korea will use salt to produce an antiseptic remedy — in place of vaccines. Shanghai also transported millions of traditional medicines like herbal remedies and flu capsules to address COVID-19 in North Korea.

Unfortunately, these have no scientific grounding. Citizens have been drinking teas, salt water and even taking antibiotics. However, due to mass famines, many North Koreans have weak immune systems.

It’s unclear if this has worked. The treatments are approved by the DPRK, which develops methods for “scientifically controlling the spread of the…virus.”

Before these herbal treatments, North Korea reached around 400,000 cases daily. Recently, it reported “about 17,000 to 30,000 new fever cases.” Many experts believe North Korea is manipulating health data to shield itself against geopolitical consequences. Yet if it isn’t manipulating data, these herbal remedies may help mitigate COVID-19’s impact on North Korea.

Necessary Compromises

So far, North Korea has rejected most international help. Aid agencies have opened their doors to provide the nation with the necessary medical resources. Kim Jong-Un twice denied vaccines from Covax, according to The Washington Post. South Korea and the U.S., too, have asserted that they are open to providing aid. Nonetheless, North Korean elites continue to prioritize geopolitical leverage over the health of their constituents. It remains unclear whether North Korea will accept aid and scientifically proven disease resources from other countries.

Looking Forward: The Broader Picture

North Korea’s sudden outbreak demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic is not nearing an end. While the U.S. and other major nations are equipped with a “vaccine arsenal,” other countries are not as fortunate.

As of May 18, 2022, one report found that fewer than 13% of people in low-income countries are vaccinated. With such low rates, COVID-19’s impact on North Korea and developing countries is disproportionately larger than developed nations.

These concerns are urgent. Officials in Geneva told reporters that “uncontrolled transmission of the virus” in developing countries could give rise to new COVID-19 variants, The New York Times reports. North Korea, for example, could be a new variant’s breeding base.

Although North Korea hasn’t accepted aid from many countries, it seems to be getting health resources from China as of May 30, 2022. However, if the outbreak becomes too severe, North Korea will always have the open arms of the U.S. and U.N. to provide assistance.

– Ashwin Telang
Photo: Flickr

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Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the Philippines

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the PhilippinesThe Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the Philippines, known as the 4Ps, is a conditional cash transfer program developed by the World Bank and the government of the Philippines in 2007. The 4P’s main objective is to provide financial assistance to the impoverished to “improve the health, nutrition and the education of children aged 0-18.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the poverty rate in the Philippines rose to 23.7% in the first six months of 2021, meaning at least 3.9 million Filipinos endured poverty. To combat the high poverty rate and a lack of social safety net, the 4Ps program helps impoverished households to break cycles of poverty.

Beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

The program specifies certain criteria for eligibility. The beneficiaries must live in the poorest municipalities, in accordance with the 2003 Small Area Estimates of the National Statistical Coordination Board. In addition, a household must be living at or below the “provincial poverty threshold.” The household must also have children between the ages of 0 and 18 years old. Households with pregnant women are also eligible. In 2022, the 4Ps program assists “more than 800,000 families classified as poor and near-poor based on the Standardized Targeting System and the poverty threshold issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority.” Since 2008, the 4Ps program has served more than 5 million impoverished households.

The beneficiaries are able to receive two types of grants, including a health grant of ₱500 per household per month and an education grant of  ₱300 per child per month for 10 months. Mikee Romero, one of the writers of the law institutionalizing 4Ps, told the Philippines News Agency in September 2020 that the program’s ₱169.3 billion budget for 2021 “also includes  ₱41 billion “for social protection programs like medical, transportation and burial assistance” and ₱4.3 billion “for disaster response, such as the provision of relief goods.”

Effectiveness of 4Ps

The implementation of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the Philippines has increased the utilization of health and education services. Children face lower risks of enduring poverty in adulthood as the program aims to break intergenerational cycles of poverty through the provision of resources and services necessary for growth and development.

The 4Ps program has helped to increase school attendance rates as it offers financial assistance for education and has a strict rule of “85% attendance a month” for child beneficiaries of the program.

A Herald Express article published in August 2018 says, “The 4Ps program has smoothly bridged the gap from poverty to an improved living condition among its beneficiaries.” The article also highlights that the 4Ps “changed the behavior of learners and their attitude toward learning” and helped improve the academic performance of generally low-performing learners.

In addition, 4Ps offers educational seminars with topics ranging from financial management to the importance of women in society and works with Sustainable Livelihoods Programs (SLP) to help families develop income-generating activities to build a better future.  The 4Ps program strengthens labor skills and opens up economic opportunities for the impoverished in the Philippines. The program provides microfinance services and training to those who engage in the SLP. Through skill training, beneficiaries are more likely to increase productivity and rise out of poverty.

A Look Ahead

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the Philippines helps break the poverty cycle. The program also increases the ability of households to provide for their children and family needs. Overall, the 4Ps model looks to improve quality of life by providing the impoverished with the resources, services and skills to thrive.

– Jiaying Guo
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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How the Batonga Foundation is Empowering Women

Empowering Women
Angélique Kidjo is an African singer. She was born on July 14, 1960, in the city of Ouidah, in what is now Benin. Kidjo sings in many different music styles (Afropop, jazz, gospel, Latin, etc.) and languages, as she is fluent in five. She has received many musical accolades, including four Grammy awards. Kidjo began her activist career in 2002 when she became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She founded the Batonga Foundation in 2006, which focuses on empowering women in Benin and surrounding countries.

Women’s Education and Rights in Benin

Benin is a francophone country located in West Africa. The country gained independence from France in 1975, when its name changed from Dahomey to the People’s Republic of Benin. As of 2020, Benin had a population of approximately 12 million. Beninese people speak an estimated 68 languages with the most common ones being French, Fon, Yom and Yoruba.

Benin’s economy relies mainly on agriculture and trade with Nigeria. It grew by approximately 6.6% in 2021 according to the World Bank. In 2019, Benin’s poverty rate was 38.5%, an 11% drop from 2015.

Beninese women meet obstacles including poverty, familial expectations and forced marriages early in their life stopping them from progressing educationally. Kidjo’s Batonga Foundation highlights that uneducated young women end up married before turning 18. Although the literacy rate among Beninese youth has risen in recent years, in 2018 among individuals ages 15 to 24, males had a 69.76% literacy rate and females had a 51.94% rate. Additionally, young women have often been pushed away from education due to long, inflexible hours unrelenting to girls expected to do housework often. Teachers are mainly male and perpetuate gender stereotypes in their classrooms.

Batonga Foundation

Kidjo founded the Batonga Foundation in 2006, alongside Mary Louise Cohen and John Philips, with the aim of empowering young African women. The foundation is named after her 1991 song, “Batonga.” Kidjo has always been an avid gender equality advocate and recognized the potential of her continent. Growing up, she saw her peers not pursue higher education and work low-income jobs, which is one of several factors that inspired Kidjo to found the project.

Kidjo’s Batonga Foundation primarily supports and invests in secondary and higher education for girls in Benin in multiple ways. Some examples are granting scholarships, building secondary schools and providing mentoring programs.

Among the Batonga Foundation’s goals is empowering young women economically. Young Women Business Circles connect female entrepreneurs ages 18 to 30 with access to a trained business expert, a mentor and 20 to 25 peers. The women receive business and financial literacy help and small business seed funding.

Additionally, the Batonga Foundation hosts 126 Leadership Clubs. The clubs are safe spaces for adolescent girls to meet with peers and gain access to an older female mentor. Mentors at these clubs teach the girls about reproductive health, financial literacy, economic independence and leadership.

Batonga Foundation Accomplishments

In the 16 years and counting that the Batonga Foundation has been in action, it has achieved a significant amount.

Kidjo’s foundation has supported more than 3,000 young women and girls, reaching 15 rural communities. There are 50 Young Women Leadership Clubs, 55 Batonga mentors and 126 Leadership Clubs. Through her hard work in activism and frequent trips to Africa, Kidjo has supported thousands of young women on the path to independence and success.

– Sophie Buibas
Photo: Flickr

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Progress in the Fight for Women’s Rights in Costa Rica

Women’s Rights in Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, there is hard evidence to support the “feminization of poverty” in which more women and women-led households are experiencing higher rates of poverty. Between 2010 and 2016, gender inequality increased mainly through the increasing rates of income inequality. In addition, the inaccessibility of health rights for low-income women contributes to lower levels of education, delayed or restricted incorporation into the workforce and increased health risks resulting in economic repercussions that perpetuate a cycle of poverty. Therefore, reducing the gender inequality index and providing more resources to empower and fight for women’s rights in Costa Rica is paramount.

The Statistics

The gender divide continues to persist in Costa Rica and maintains a large influence in many areas, including the workforce. Only 50% of women participate in the workforce as opposed to 72% of men. Women also receive about 12% less in salary, increasing this gap more since 2013. Gender roles and stereotypes translate to career development with men making up 70% of science and engineering programs in Costa Rican universities and women entering more traditionally female positions with less economic and social standing. U.N. Women has reported that the unemployment rate for women in the nation is 15%, compared to 9.1% for men. This report also provides the nation’s overarching legal frameworks that “promote, enforce and monitor gender equality” with the level of achievement ratings, with public life and employment and economic benefits receiving low scores of 70 and 60 respectively.

Recent Progress

However, the government made significant progress in the past couple of weeks by passing legislation that will work to close the gender divide and protect women’s rights in Costa Rica. The Comprehensive reparation bill for survivors of femicide, which received approval on April 28, 2022, will provide support to the families of femicide victims. Since 2007, 400 women have died of femicide with 51 cases still pending investigation. This bill will provide a comprehensive reparation fund for the families of victims, supporting them through the psychological, social and economic effects of this crime.

In addition, the government enacted the Law to Prevent, Address, Punish and Eradicate Violence against Women in Politics on May 3, 2022. This law protects the political rights of women and considers such actions as the prevention of a woman exercising the responsibilities of their position, restriction of workplace reincorporation following pregnancy, undermining their public image and disclosing their private information. As the National Women’s Institute of Costa Rica (INAMU) stated, the law also “considers discriminatory actions that affect the right to life, personal integrity and property rights to prevent the free exercise of political rights, as well as harassment, physical, psychological or sexual violence.” Consequences for members of politics that engage in this behavior range from ethical reprimands to the withdrawal of credentials.

Organizations in Costa Rica

Both the National Women’s Institute of Costa Rica (INAMU) and the Vital Voices nonprofit organization make up a large presence fighting for women’s rights in Costa Rica. INAMU is a governing institution that supports the expansion of women’s rights in coordination with the Costa Rican government by reinforcing the national effort toward the cause and providing comprehensive information training and resource access.

Vital Voices advocates for women’s rights in Costa Rica through its investment in women leaders that support the fight for change. Through its multifaceted approach, it addresses multiple issues in the nation including climate justice and political and policy advocacy. One of its many tenets includes the economic empowerment of women leaders by financially supporting their businesses, social enterprises and nonprofit organizations which in turn can boost the progression of their platform. Vital Voices is also fighting against gender-based violence by investing in leaders that strengthen the legislation around this issue, providing life-saving services immediately following an incident of violence and increasing the capacity of survivor-focused organizations to deliver locally-based solutions.

Although Costa Rica has seen some progress, there are more steps that the country can take. Income inequality is the most prevalent obstacle that many women in the nation are facing. Resolving inequality in the workplace can expand opportunities and give women more agency which in turn could lead to the disruption of the poverty cycle. The new legislation that passed will also allow women more freedom to be active participants in society through femicide prevention efforts and the protection of their workplace rights.

– Kimberly Calugaru
Photo: Flickr

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How the Floods in South Africa have Exacerbated the Housing Crisis

Exacerbated the Housing Crisis
Severe flooding has recently devastated the eastern coast of South Africa, namely the province of KwaZulu-Natal after heavy rains pounded the province starting on April 11, 2022, and lasting several days. More than 400 people died from the initial flooding in April alone. Heavy rains prompted more flooding over the weekend of May 22 and 23 pounding the region even more. Floods destroyed thousands of homes which has only exacerbated the housing crisis that had already existed in South Africa for decades. KwaZulu-Natal did not even have a chance to begin rebuilding before these most recent floods worsened the devastation. Relief efforts have begun again as hundreds of people are missing or possibly dead and tens of thousands have experienced displacement.

Heavy Rains

The eastern coast of South Africa is no stranger to floods and heavy rains during the Autumn and Spring seasons. A cut-off low-pressure system, which is not uncommon in South Africa this time of year, triggered these most recent floods. However, this intense low-pressure system produced an abnormally extensive level of rainfall in the region in April. There is a chance that the heaviest downpours took place between April 11 and 12 as some areas of KwaZulu-Natal witnessed more than 30 cm of rainfall. Scientists point to changing weather as a likely reason behind the increased severity of this low-pressure system, namely due to the rising temperature of the Indian Ocean leading to more moisture in the atmosphere over southeastern Africa. 

South Africa’s Housing Crisis

KwaZulu-Natal is among the poorer provinces in South Africa with the second-highest amount of people living in poverty behind only the Eastern Cape province. Equal access to safe housing in South Africa has long been an issue for the poor. The South African government claims it has attempted to address the nationwide problem that has plagued the country for decades, yet the recent floods have only further exacerbated the housing crisis. This crisis left a big impact on KwaZulu-Natal as it is home to Durban, one of the largest urban areas in the country.

Dating back to Apartheid the majority of the black population in South Africa did not have equal access to safe housing. As a result, many people had to build their own homes, often in less inhabitable areas outside of cities. These hand-built homes often resemble shacks or sheds as the owners built them out of whatever they could get their hands on. As the number of these homes grows in a certain area and begins to resemble a neighborhood, it becomes recognized as an informal settlement.

Unfortunately, the high death tolls and much of the devastation from these floods can relate to the high proportion of these informal settlements that house the country’s poorest. Estimates determined that 11.8% of South Africa’s population lives in informal settlements across the country. In KwaZulu-Natal, many of the informal settlements are located in valleys and thus are more prone to flooding which the hand-built homes don’t stand a chance against. Notably, April floods destroyed more than 4,000 homes alone with the majority being informal settlements which have only exacerbated the housing crisis. Include the fact that there are more than 40,000 who lost their home and an even more worrying picture appears. These people will need access to clean water, food and shelter.

Local authorities in KwaZulu-Natal, in response to the April floods, were already planning to set up 4,396 temporary accommodation sites for the displaced people, according to Reliefweb. After the more recent floods in May, the demand for temporary accommodations has continued to increase as there are even more displaced South Africans.

The Government’s Role

Not only did floods destroy local homes, but they also impacted the local infrastructure. Floods damaged a local water treatment facility in the town of Umdloti thus limiting the area’s access to clean water. Floods swept away many roadways and destroyed bridges making it difficult for transportation in the area among victims trying to escape as well as rescuers attempting to reach those in need. According to provincial Transportation and Community Safety MEC Peggy Nkonyeni, it will cost the government over R12.4 billion to restore the province’s road infrastructure alone. As the government focuses its rebuilding efforts on infrastructure, it would also be an opportune time to attend to the longstanding housing crisis that recent floods only exacerbated.

The government claims to have built approximately 2.7 million low-cost homes over the past 15 years, yet there are still an estimated 2 million South Africans on a list waiting for the home they were promised. Its temporary accommodation sites are necessary for the short term to help the displaced ones, but it is imperative that the government addresses the longstanding lack of affordable and safe housing. Although the past two months have been very difficult, South Africans can now look forward to the typically drier months of June and July as an opportunity to recover and rebuild.

– Devin Welsh
Photo: Flickr

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Reducing Human Trafficking in Ireland

Human Trafficking in Ireland
Human trafficking in Ireland is higher than the official statistics report. In fact, Ireland stands as a Tier 2 Watch List country for a second year in relation to efforts to eliminate human trafficking, according to the U.S. Department of State. The U.S. Department of State compiles annual Trafficking in Persons Reports that rank governments in their efforts to end human trafficking.

The Tier 2 Watchlist country ranking means the government is not meeting the minimum standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) but is actively working to meet those standards. The TVPA establishes “methods of prosecuting traffickers, preventing human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors of trafficking.”

Why is Ireland a Tier 2 Watch List Country?

The Ireland government has made many efforts to align with the TVPA, such as “designating an independent human trafficking national rapporteur and establishing a formal national anti-trafficking forum” and starting a “national anti-trafficking public awareness campaign.” The Irish government has also extended monetary support for victim assistance, awareness efforts and anti-trafficking training.

Despite these efforts, Ireland did not demonstrate an overall increase in growth from the previous 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP). The government continued to struggle with victim identification and assistance and lacked support services for victims. The 2021 TIP Report specifies that the Irish government “investigated and prosecuted fewer suspected traffickers, did not prosecute any labor traffickers and victim identification decreased for the fourth year in a row.”

Ireland’s Response to the 2021 TIP Report

“While there have been some positive efforts, including the appointment of the Commission as rapporteur, and in recent weeks, the first trafficking conviction since 2013, the reality today is that Ireland continues to fall below minimum standards compared to other developed nations,” Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Sinéad Gibney said in July 2021.

“It was very disappointing that the U.S. State Department did not acknowledge the significant progress made by Ireland over the past 12 months as sufficient to upgrade our ranking in the latest Trafficking in Persons Report, I am confident that the work we are doing should be reflected in the next TIP Report and that Ireland’s ranking should be upgraded accordingly,” Minister of State at the Department of Justice Hildegarde Naughton said in a September 2021 parliamentary discussion.

Is Human Trafficking in Ireland Improving?

From 2017 to 2019, Ireland detected 181 trafficking victims, while from 2019 to 2021, Ireland detected 124 victims, which equals about a 30% decrease. This decrease may link to the global COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The 2021 TIP Report said that authorities identified 38 victims in 2020, the lowest number of identified victims since 2013.

Overall, human trafficking in Ireland is reducing according to the numbers, but the 2021 TIP Report says that there are even more victims than official statistics say and does not provide conclusive insight as to why. The 2021 TIP Report stated that an “independent and comprehensive 2021 study found that from 2014-2019, the true number of trafficking victims was approximately 38[%] higher than the official national statistics.”

The 2021 TIP Report does indicate that traffickers traffic victims from other regions such as Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and South America, and recently, countries including Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Romania.

Organizations Working to End Human Trafficking in Ireland

Ruhama is an Irish non-governmental organization that emerged in 1989 to provide “support to women impacted by prostitution, sex trafficking and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation.” Ruhama offers free services that differ depending on each woman’s circumstances and experiences, including a care plan, counseling and therapy, education and development programs, legal support, housing support, health and wellness support and more. In 2021, Ruhama helped 369 women, with 136 women victims of sex trafficking.

Doras is an anti-trafficking organization that has been helping those affected by human trafficking in Mid-West Ireland since 2011. Its priorities in anti-trafficking advocacy include rehabilitation programs for victims, improved identification and assisting of victims, “increased penalties and custodial sentences” for those benefiting from prostitution, “safe and appropriate gender-specific accommodation” for survivors and more.

As of now, the total victim count for human trafficking in Ireland is decreasing and the government and other organizations are continuing to accelerate efforts to reduce the prevalence of human trafficking in Ireland, prevent it and educate on it, while helping survivors, and identifying victims and accurately reporting information.

– Dylan Olive
Photo: Flickr

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Sudan

Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Sudan
The African nation of Sudan has faced ongoing turbulence. The country has endured violent conflict, transfers of power and severe economic turmoil. For Sudanese citizens, one current and very dangerous threat is the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sudan.

Political and Economic Challenges in Sudan

In the last 70 years, Sudan has seen two civil wars. The first lasted from 1955 to 1972 and the second began in 1983 and ended in 2005. Six years later, in 2011, Sudan split in two as a portion of the country seceded and became the independently-governed South Sudan. However, the data this article presents is not applicable to South Sudan.

Most of Sudan’s society is tribal and many citizens live in rural nomadic communities. The economy is struggling and COVID-19 has worsened these circumstances. According to the latest available data from UNICEF’s 2018-2021 Country Programme document, about 36% of the population is currently impoverished and a quarter of all Sudanese citizens live in extreme poverty.

Before 2011, oil accounted for 95% of Sudan’s exported goods, but Sudan lost all that revenue when the country split, which damaged the already fragile economy even further. When the South Sudanese civil war broke out in 2013, refugees rushed north and Sudan saw a dramatic increase in refugees. As of September 2021, Sudan hosts more than 1.1 million refugees from other countries, adding to Sudan’s strain.

The Arrival of COVID-19 in Sudan

As is the case with many low-income countries, the arrival of COVID-19 in Sudan presented significant challenges. Limited resources make it difficult to stop outbreaks. Due to minimal resources, case reporting and testing lag behind and the vaccine rollout is small-scale. As of May 1, 2022, Sudan has administered slightly more than 7 million vaccine doses, which covers slightly more than 16% of the population.

April 2019 marked then-President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir’s removal from office, and the following September, a new system of government came into place. Thus, it is unsurprising that when the pandemic began, the new government was ill-equipped to deal with it. Many health services had no choice but to shut down due to high rates of mortality and infection among employees.

After the appearance of the first COVID-19 cases in March 2020, the Sudanese government imposed a lockdown that lasted from April 2020 to July 2020, although this proved ineffective due to community resistance and insufficient law enforcement.

Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Sudan

As the second wave of COVID-19 in Sudan hit in November 2020, mortality rates began to rise among citizens of all ages. At the highest mortality point, one out of every five intensive care patients died from COVID-19.

COVID-19 also threatens Sudanese food security. A “survey of 4,032 rural and urban households across the 18 states of Sudan” from June 16, 2020, to July 5, 2020, reveals “the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.” More than 50% of people in Sudan could not access main staple foods. Many people had to change their practices regarding food and almost half of the families surveyed reported food security concerns.

Most people have not received any type of aid from the government. At the time of the survey, around two-thirds of previously employed citizens had not returned to work.

USAID Assists Sudan

Fortunately, the United States is lending a hand, and as of February 2022, USAID has donated more than 1.2 million vaccine doses and $98 million to assist Sudan with COVID-19. Aside from vaccine rollout, USAID is also assisting with food and water distribution, sanitation, COVID-19 testing, clinical management and public information efforts. USAID mission director, Mervyn Farroe, said in a statement, “USAID/Sudan is committed to building back a better world, one that is better prepared to prevent, detect and respond to future biological threats, and where all people can live safe, prosperous and healthy lives.”

Overall, the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sudan has been hard-hitting. The country has endured significant stress for decades and recent political events compound issues and place grave strain on the economy. With more than a million refugees, a quarter of the population in extreme poverty and continuing impacts from the secession, COVID-19 in Sudan is the latest in a long list of reasons why Sudan is in dire need of international aid.

– Mia Sharpe
Photo: Flickr