Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

, , ,

Girls’ Education in China More Accessible Than Ever

Girls' Education in ChinaChina, the world’s most populous nation, has made great strides and significant progress towards improving girls’ education. Since Deng Xiaoping’s societal reform and opening up, the country has not only made great economic improvements but has ensured growth and development in its education system. Although the country continues to take steps to improve girls’ education, there are still challenges that need to be further addressed.

Laws Mandate Girls’ Education in China

In 1986, the “Compulsory Education Law of the People’s Republic of China” Law took effect. This law required that all citizens obtain at least nine years of education, funded by the government. Before this, the greater value of males in society gave boys priority over girls to the right to an education. According to the journal Gender Inequality in Education in China, “Thanks to the compulsory education system and gender equity promotion, the gender gap in educational attainment has been greatly eliminated in the past decades.”

Rural Girls Still Struggle to Obtain an Education

As mentioned before, there are still many challenges in terms of girls’ education in China, including:

  • The priority of boys over girls to the right to education in poverty-stricken areas
  • Gender segregation between higher and vocational education
  • The education gap between urban and rural areas
  • Barriers for female educators and researchers in the workplace

A further challenge is the population of left-behind girls in China, a population of girls whose parents have moved from their village to the city to find better-paying jobs. Often times, parents are more inclined to take their sons to the city and leave their daughters behind. According to China Daily, 96.1 percent of girls in rural areas attend school from ages six to 11. However, only 79.3 percent have access to high school education. Additionally, these left-behind girls are often put in a position where they have to drop out of school and find work to provide for their aging grandparents.

Government and Nonprofit Programs Address Remaining Education Gaps

Nevertheless, the country’s government and international NGOs are working to improve such challenges to girls’ education in China. For instance, the State Council publicized its National Program for Women’s Development that worked towards development dealing with China’s women, making women’s education one of the six areas of priority.

In 2006, China’s new five-year plan incorporated more investments in education. In the same year, the state revised its compulsory education law that takes steps to improve rural students’ quality of education by “abolish[ing] tuition and miscellaneous fees for all rural students and guarantees free textbooks and subsidies for room and board.” Meanwhile, UNICEF has proceeded with its efforts in western China to improve the quality of education in poor areas, focusing on gender equality.

Furthermore, China has made significant progress in girls’ education in China in the last three decades. Female enrollment in higher education is on the rise. In 2012, female college students made up 51.4 percent of the total university student population. Women are beginning to take on more roles in science and technology. More and more programs are beginning to subsidize girls’ college tuitions. Although numerous programs have been put in place to further girls’ education in China, it is important to continue this work to improve gender equality awareness throughout the country.

– Emma Martin
Photo: Flickr

, , ,

Girls’ Education in North Korea a Modernized Aspect of Its Society

Girls' Education in North KoreaIn 2015, the tale of Yeonmi Park, a North Korean defector whose story shed light the repressive and backward nature of North Korea’s government and society, took the international media by storm. However, contrary to the usual negative depiction, girls’ education in North Korea is actually more modernized and progressive than many other aspects of its society. The statement “women hold equal social status and rights with men” was promulgated in the 1972 North Korean constitution, and to a large extent, this statement is accurate in regards to girls’ education in North Korea.

Public Education in North Korea

Only after the opening of Korea to foreign countries in the late 19th century could more Korean females gain access to modern education, with Christian missionaries establishing girls’ schools. In North Korea, education is universal and state-operated, offering free compulsory education to the secondary level, which consists of 11 years of schooling at the minimum. North Korea’s “people’s school” (primary school) and “middle-high” (secondary school) curriculum encompasses Korean language, mathematics, literature and “socialist ethics”, which refers to political and ideological subject matter.

The reported literacy rate of North Koreans is 100 percent for both men and women over age 15. This number is self-reported by the North Korean government, making its reliability questionable, but if accurate, it makes North Korea one of the most literate countries in the world. There is no doubt that the secondary education is equally accessible to men and women.

Some Obstacles to Girls’ Education in North Korea Remain

Nonetheless, some differences do exist among the varied educational programs directed at boys and girls, and there are some restrictions on higher education for women, obstructing the potential greater progress for girls’ education in North Korea.

Traditional gender roles influence the educational system in North Korea. In this patriarchal society, this is seen in the practice of separating boys and girls into single-gender schools in both the elementary and middle school levels, preventing the two sexes from receiving a uniform educational instruction. Meanwhile, there are different curriculums for boys and girls, with more emphasis on “physical education for boys and home economics for girls”.

On top of that, at the university level of education, the limitation on girls’ education in North Korea is showcased more obviously. In contrast with the high accessibility of basic education for women and men, one of the top universities in North Korea, Pyongyang University for Science and Technology, has previously only had male students. However, recent reports have indicated increasing numbers of female students at this university.

North Korean Women Work for Educational Equality

Despite the prescribed gender roles and attendant images, there are many women majoring in medicine, biology, foreign languages and literature. These North Korean women are encouraging the breakdown of certain obstinate social norms and expectations imposed on not only women, but on men as well, that may discourage students from studying the subject of their choice.

North Korea is notoriously restrictive of its people’s freedoms, and the limits placed on girls’ education are but a mild example of the government’s repression. However, the fact that North Korean girls have the educational opportunities that they do is a heartening sign of progress, and can be of great benefit to girls and women now and in the future.

– Heulwen Leung
Photo: Google

,

Poverty Decline in Pakistan Is a Positive Step Forward

Poverty Decline in PakistanIt was recently revealed in the 2017-2018 Economic Survey of Pakistan that the percentage of the Pakistani population living below the poverty line (on $1.90 per day or less) has dropped to 24.3 percent. This indicates that the poverty rate has been effectively cut in half over just the past ten years, a remarkable feat for the developing nation. These numbers are not just the result of a few years of good luck. The International Monetary Fund says that Pakistan’s fiscal outlook is “broadly favorable” and that economic growth is likely to continue into the coming years.

How Politics Help the Poverty Decline in Paksitan

The report suggests a variety of reasons for the poverty decline in Pakistan, but one of the primary factors is a more stable political environment. Beginning in 1999, Pakistan was under the rule of Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf assumed the roles of both president and head of the army and imposed harsh military rule over the country. Pakistan fell into political turmoil as Musharraf continued to grant himself more power over the years, repeatedly suspending the constitution and dissolving parliament in order to get his way.

In 2008 the Pakistani People’s Party (PPP) finally forced Musharraf out of power and replaced him with Asif Ali Zardari, a civilian president who put an end military rule. It was at this point that Freedom House changed Pakistan’s ranking from “Not Free” to “Partly Free.” In 2013, there was a peaceful transition of power between two democratic governments for the first time in Pakistani history and the country has maintained its “Partly Free” status to this day.

The power shift in the government has contributed to the poverty decline in Pakistan because when a country is politically stable, investors are more likely to make deals there because there is a decreased risk of the laws changing and of their contracts being altered or nullified. With this in mind, it is easy to see how Pakistan’s democratic process has led to a higher level of confidence in the private sector.

Government Programs for Economic Improvement

Another contributor to the poverty decline in Pakistan has been the implementation of the Social Safety Net Programme (SSNP). This is an umbrella program which encompasses many different welfare initiatives in Pakistan, all of which have the aim of providing financial assistance to those living in poverty and helping them out of the crisis. The largest of these is the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). The BISP serves 5.29 million beneficiaries and has reduced the poverty rate by seven percent on its own.

An additional reason for the poverty decline in Pakistan is the government’s shift in attitude toward the agriculture sector. Agriculture is crucial to the Pakistani economy as it makes up for 18.9 percent of the GDP and 42.3 percent of the workforce. In recent years, the government has implemented policies that focus more on supporting smaller farms, such as increasing agricultural credit disbursements and providing crop insurance to farmers. The government is also investing in new technologies to help modernize the industry, like new irrigation systems and drought-resistant seeds.

Looking Toward the Future

Clearly, the poverty decline in Pakistan is no accident. It took years of hard work and policy reformation by the Pakistani government to improve the welfare of its people. But Pakistan’s incredible achievement over the past decade is a sign of great optimism for developing countries around the world, a sign that real change is possible in even the direst of situations.

– Maddi Roy
Photo: Google

,

Top 10 Facts About Hunger in Syria

Top 10 Facts About Hunger in SyriaThe crisis in Syria began in the March of 2011 when thousands of Syrians took to the streets protesting for a democratic government. Since then, there have been reports of horrific human rights violations. Syrians are either forced to live in fear or flee their country. Due to the political unrest and unfair treatment of Syrians, basic humanitarian needs such as food is not fulfilled. Hunger has increased dramatically in Syria and it is important for other nations to know the facts about hunger in Syria and realize the struggles and successes it experiences as a result of the hunger crisis.

Facts About Hunger in Syria

  1. One in three people is unable to meet their basic food needs because they live under the poverty line.
    Bread is the most basic food source in Syria, however, its prices have risen by 1000 percent in the most violent areas leaving thousands unable to provide for themselves or their families.
  2. Food production has decreased by 50 percent.
    Farmers were only able to plant wheat on an estimated 900,000 hectares of land in 2017 compared to 1.5 million hectares before 2011. This is a neverending cycle because farmers rely on the community to buy their produce in order to continue farming but when the community does not have money to buy food, there is a continuing lack thereof.
  3. More than 11 million Syrians have fled their homes seeking refuge.
    Constant displacement does not provide Syrians with food security. Being food secure is one of the most basic necessities but also somehow overlooked.
  4. Living under siege, 400,000 Syrians across Syria have little to no access to a food source.
    During a siege, all humanitarian resources are cut off from people thereby leaving them with no option but to starve to death or die of diseases without proper medical attention.
  5. Various food donation groups have been able to provide for certain besieged areas via airdrops.
    Although there are still more than 4.5 million people living in hard-to-reach zones throughout Syria, airdrops have been able to deliver food to approximately 4.2 million of those in need.
  6. The U.N. will need $ 3.2 billion to provide humanitarian assistance in Syria.
    After analyzing the number of refugees in need of humanitarian assistance in 2016, the U.N. was able to estimate the funds required to help the current refugees. However, this does not account for new refugees if the conflict continues.
  7. The rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has made it difficult to provide resources to Syrians.
    This group has created checkpoints and sealed off all roads into and out of besieged areas to prevent any aid from reaching the people located within.
  8. Before the crisis in 2011, Syria was a middle-income country; however, it now ranks as one of the poorest with one-third of the population living in poverty.
    This does not include refugees who sought shelter in neighboring countries but merely the remaining population living in Syria.
  9. Since the beginning of the Syrian war crisis, the World Food Programme (WFP) has donated more than $ 1.3 billion to support Syrian refugees.
    They do this by providing food rations, e-cards and vouchers to the Syrians who are in dire need of food and medical resources.
  10. For only one dollar, the WFP can feed a Syrian refugee for a day.
    When the cost of feeding refugees is so low, it is a wonder how we are still struggling to find ways to help them. This accentuates the necessity to donate anything, for every little bit counts.

There is still a long way to go for Syrian refugees, however, these top 10 facts about hunger in Syria highlight the good and the bad in this devastating crisis.

– Adrienne Tauscheck
Photo: Flickr

,

Bringing Affordable Internet Access to Developing Countries

Bringing affordable internet access to developing countries would help it to gain access to the global marketplace as well as manage healthcare crisis. Therefore, The Borgen Project is trying to get the Digital GAP Act passed because having access to the internet is very important for economic development, the act is attempting to ensure that impoverished countries get exactly that.

Fighting Pandemics via the Internet

Affordable internet access would help fight pandemics because it can be used to both: a.) train healthcare workers in better ways to help prevent communicable diseases from spreading; b.) monitor the spread of a disease before it turns into a pandemic.

Another way affordable internet access would help developing nations is by allowing people in remote areas to use telemedicine to get basic medical care. Telemedicine is using technologies such as the internet to allow people who live in remote areas, without enough doctors, to gain access to healthcare. However, it is only feasible in areas that have low-cost internet access.

The internet would greatly benefit people living in third world countries by providing them with the information they need to stay healthy, for instance, learning how to prevent death as a result of diarrhoea by staying hydrated, teaching people the ways to avoid contracting HIV, providing helpful information to diabetic people so that they can manage their condition better, etc.

Affordable Internet Access and Financial Independence

Bringing affordable internet access to developing countries allows people to sell their goods in the open market. For example, easy access to the global marketplace via the internet allows both farmers and artisans to directly sell their goods to international buyers, without going through intermediaries, thereby getting the full value of their commodities.

Many of the technical tools used by people in the third world to trade, such as the blockchain, require affordable internet access. These tools are there to ensure that sellers get a fair price for whatever they are selling in the global marketplace.

Digital GAP Act and Children’s Education

Children in developing countries can use the internet to get access to online educational materials so that they are able to learn independently using resources available on the internet. These educational resources only become viable in areas where affordable internet access is readily available to people.

Seymour Papert, an MIT professor, believed that giving students in impoverished countries access to electronic devices would enable them to become curious and learn more. MIT provided students with inexpensive laptops that are very hard to break and the Digital GAP Act ensures that connecting such devices to the internet is an affordable option so that the children can use their laptops to access online resources and learn independently.

The Borgen Project is trying to bring the Digital GAP Act to the attention of the legislators and has an online tool, that will allow people who care about helping other people in the third world get access to the internet, to send a letter to their representatives. The bill has already passed in the House of Representatives but must be introduced in the Senate.

– Michael Israel

Photo: Flickr

10 Facts About Poverty in Tokyo

Facts About Poverty in TokyoTokyo is not a city that immediately comes to mind as a poverty-stricken city. Japan currently has the third-largest economy in the world, but despite this had a relative poverty rate of 15.6 percent in 2015, significantly higher than other wealthy countries. This poverty is often hidden, and ignored by both the government and citizens of Japan. Much of this poverty is located in the nation’s capital of Tokyo. Below are 10 facts about poverty in Tokyo.

10 Facts About Poverty in Tokyo

  1. Poverty first began to gain recognition as an issue in Tokyo after the 2008 global financial crisis. During this time, a village was set up in Hibiya Park in Tokyo to provide for the city’s newly poor.
  2. The poverty line in Tokyo is set at half the median household disposable income for a given year.
  3. More than 20 percent of the children in Tokyo live in what the government has defined as an impoverished household.
  4. Ten percent of households in Tokyo are not able to adequately feed themselves because of the level of poverty in which they are living.
  5. Parents in 15 percent of households in Tokyo said they could not afford to buy clothes for their children.
  6. The Japanese government has been working to reduce the rate of homelessness in Tokyo, and in 2014 there were only an estimated 1,697 homeless individuals in Tokyo. This was an all-time low for the city.  
  7. The poverty rate of single-parent families in which the parent is working is more than 50 percent in Tokyo, as well as the rest of Japan.
  8. The economic system in Tokyo puts divorced single mothers at an especially high disadvantage, because many Japanese companies only hire recent college graduates. This places divorced single mothers at a disadvantage because if they left the workforce while married to raise children, as is a common cultural practice in Japan, they will likely not be hired when they attempt to rejoin the workforce.
  9. A community of homeless people lives in Shinjuku Central Park, which is located right next to the City Hall in Tokyo.
  10. The three primary groups that receive welfare payment in Tokyo are the elderly, single mothers and the handicapped.

These 10 facts about poverty in Tokyo only touch on poverty in the city. Though Tokyo is often thought of as a fast-paced, glamorous metropolitan city, the reality is that many living in Tokyo are facing crippling levels of poverty.

The above 10 facts about poverty in Tokyo reveal many of the issues being faced by these citizens. Though poverty may be more severe in Tokyo than many would assume, the recognition of this problem at all offers a glimmer of hope that Japan is on its way to improving the lives of its poorest citizens.

– Nicole Stout
Photo: Flickr

,

How the US Benefits from Foreign Aid to African Countries

U.S. Benefits from Foreign AidSince the end of the Second World War in 1945, the United States has been one of the largest contributors of foreign aid globally owing to its massive economic resources. The country has proved to be an important player and mediator especially in the geopolitics of North Africa and the Middle East.

At the same time, the U.S. benefits from foreign aid include financial, humanitarian and economic benefits like an expansion of trade. Also, given the widespread influence that other key global flourishing economies like China, India and Russia continue to have, it is imperative for the United States to take advantage of its existing assets and finances.

U.S. foreign aid is imperative during economic and political crises or natural disasters. Aid is usually given in the form of bilateral, multilateral, humanitarian, political and developmental assistance, which includes the provision of knowledge, resources, advice and other goods and services. It is managed mainly by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Defense.

However, with the recent rise of populism in the United States, the regressive policy proposals of the Trump Administration and the current international climate, there is a lot of skepticism surrounding the U.S. benefits from foreign aid. The U.S. State Department is concerned with trade, national security, dependency and corruption. Contrary to conventional belief, foreign aid accounts for only 1 percent of the federal budget.

Moreover, another misconception that overlooks the U.S. benefits from foreign aid is that it can potentially diminish economic self-sufficiency for developing countries. Yet, it can be argued that sustainable aid can build a strong foundation for future economic and social progress in countries. Aid of this nature is a worthwhile investment as it has the capability to effectively spearhead poverty alleviation efforts.

The United States can also capitalize on the flourishing growth and development of other expanding economies, especially as growth in the sub-Saharan region is projected to continue to increase. For instance, supporting emerging economies like South Africa could potentially help the U.S. expand into uncharted territory and new markets, especially for consumer and capital goods.

In 2015, U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa was $17.8 billion, a 75 percent increase compared to 2005. U.S. trade in goods to the 49 countries in the region generated more than 121,000 jobs in 2014.

In this way, there are U.S. benefits from foreign aid because the country gets access to more trade routes and can improve trading relationships. U.S. businesses and enterprises also gain more outlets for their goods and services.

On another front, health and humanitarian aid account for over 80 percent of U.S. aid to African nations. For example, the country contributes to 35 percent of healthcare funding for malaria. There is significant headway being made in finding important solutions to pressing healthcare concerns among many communities globally.

Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services is executing a number of healthcare initiatives like the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The U.S. Treasury is spearheading economic reform in poorer nations with the help of organizations like the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Peace Corps and the African Development Foundation. As a result, a number of government institutions are integrating and working collaboratively with their counterparts.

To conclude, due to the number of U.S. benefits from foreign aid to African countries, the country will continue to be a staunch supporter of existing and future initiatives. The next few years remain essential for the continued economic growth, development and prosperity for the region.

– Shivani Ekkanath
Photo: Flickr

The Top 10 Most Important Facts About Poverty in Haiti

Facts About Poverty in HaitiAs the poorest country in the western hemisphere, citizens of Haiti suffer many hardships. Here are 10 of the most important facts about poverty in Haiti.

Facts About Poverty in Haiti

  1. Haiti has high poverty rates.
    The first of the 10 facts about poverty in Haiti is in regards to the rate of poverty in the Caribbean nation. According to United Nations Development Program, 24.7 percent of Haitians live in extreme poverty, which is less than $1.25 per day. Even more, approximately 59 percent of Haitians live on less than $2 a day. However, the rate of extreme poverty has started to decline since 2000.
  2. Haiti has a large wealth disparity.
     Haiti is ranked fourth on the CIA World Factbook for income inequality. This measurement is based on the Gini coefficient, a ratio of highest to lowest incomes. For Haiti, this means that the top 20 percent of households hold 64 percent of the total wealth in the country.
  3. Haiti is prone to natural disasters.
    Haitian residents are all too familiar with natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes. Hurricane Matthew, a category four storm which struck Haiti in October 2017, killed 546 people and affected two million more. However, the consequences of the hurricane spanned over many months. In turn, the destruction of buildings and crops, a major source of income for Haitians, cost the country greatly.
  4. Haiti’s GDP growth has slowed.
    Haiti’s GDP growth slowed from 1.5 percent in 2016 to 1.2 percent in 2017. This is largely due to crop loss following Hurricane Matthew.
  5. Haitians suffer from energy issues.
    Haitians suffer from lack of or unreliability of electricity. According to USAID, the two key energy issues for Haiti are a broken electricity sector and a dependency on charcoal. This means that a large percentage of the population is without power and those who do have it have unreliable power. The issue remains at a standstill as a quarter of the population did not have power before the 2010 earthquake and that figure remains the same to this day.
  6. Haiti has poor leadership.
    Haiti has been led by a poor line of leaders since gaining independence from France. Pierre Esperance, director of the National Human Rights Defense Network in Haiti, said of the leaders in the L.A. Times, “They don’t really want to work for the Haitian people, to improve them. They work for themselves once they get to power. They want to steal money.”The country will need strong, dedicated leaders to better conditions, which it has never had before. However, the current president, Jovenel Moïse, has vowed to do just this. His plans include streamlining agriculture and addressing corruption.
  7. Many Haitians are malnourished.
    Approximately 100,000 children under the age of five are malnourished, while 30 percent of the overall population is considered food insecure. This means that citizens do not have ample access to nourishing food.
  8. Many Haitians do not have access to clean water.
    About one in two Haitians use unsanitary water, which has been proven to cause illnesses. In fact, about 80 percent of illnesses in developing countries are due in part to unsanitary water.
  9. Many Haitians lack an adequate education.
    Only 50 percent of children in Haiti attend school, making it more difficult to find employment in the future.
  10. Haiti has a large unemployment rate.
    In part due to the lack of education, many Haitians, about two-thirds, do not have formal jobs, resulting in unsteady incomes.

These important facts about poverty in Haiti have been prominent in Haiti for many years now. Though these issues are still severe, improvements have been made, including a leader who seems determined to better the lives of his citizens and a slowly declining poverty rate.

– Olivia Booth
Photo: Flickr

Understanding How the Media Misrepresents Kazakhstan

How the Media Misrepresents KazakhstanKazakhstan, located in Central Asia, has long been viewed by the world as a post-communist, backward state — politically oppressive, economically regressive and socially intolerant. This image is an example of how the media misrepresents Kazakhstan, displaying it as a totally different world from that of developed Euro-American countries.

How the Media Misrepresents Kazakhstan

A close examination of the lives of people in Kazakhstan and of its actual political and economic situation, including the perspectives of diverse sources, reveals how the media misrepresents Kazakhstan, fueled by the after-effects of the Cold War. Many people, especially in the U.S., received misrepresentative information about Kazakhstan from the American comedy film “Borat,” a parody of Kazakhstan’s culture rather than an accurate portrayal.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s long-advocated approach of “economy first, political reforms later” is described by British human rights advocate Hugh Williamson as a visage of “economy first, political reforms never” instead. Williamson claims that Kazakhstan is moving politically backward with “no free elections, little permitted open speech and the government significantly represses human rights.”

Current Developments in Kazakhstan

However, slow but apparent democratic progress in Kazakhstan has been recorded. It has been previously hindered because of the state of total economic collapse after the breakdown of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since then, however, its economy has flourished and Kazakhstan is now an upper-middle-income country, according to the World Bank.

Democratic development in Kazakhstan includes the Secular Constitution established in 1995, which outlines a separation of powers of the executive, legislative and judicial branches. Elections were also delivered in a multiparty parliament in 2012.

Further Progress in the Nation

In early 2016, Kazakhstan launched the Fostering Productive Innovations Project in cooperation with the World Bank. This is where ongoing science commercialization projects based on international standards of scientific excellence and high commercialization potential were developed.

In addition, Kazakhstan launched its first ever five-year program for Digital Kazakhstan 2020 which aims at creating the “Digital Silk Road.” This will provide support for the development of digital infrastructure and invest in human capital.

How the media misrepresents Kazakhstan extends to the nation’s political, economic, social and technological development. It is easy to dispel these cultural myths about Kazakhstan after looking into this exotic land through the lens of objective historical and social analysis.

– Heulwen Leung
Photo: Google

Facts Pertaining to Poverty in Cambodia

Facts Pertaining to Poverty in CambodiaMany individuals are unaware of the circumstances in third world countries, Cambodia in particular. The more time people take to familiarize themselves with the culture and community, the more incentive they have to engage in a culturally competent method of understanding the world around them and facts pertaining to poverty in Cambodia.

Living in Rural Areas

“Ninety percent of Cambodia’s 4.8 million poor people live in rural areas. Most of them depend on agriculture for their livelihood, but 12 percent of them are landless.”

With the majority of the population relying on cultivation in the area, many people need extra assistance getting the necessary resources for their families. There are a plethora of aspects that need to be taken into consideration when looking for land including landmines, nearest roads and types of facilities in the area.

Exploiting Natural Resources

“Between 2000 and 2012, [Cambodia] lost more than 7 percent of its forest cover, the fifth fastest rate in the world.”

Deforestation and illegal farming practices are part of the reason why the forest cover has been depleting and is one of the facts pertaining to poverty in Cambodia. Increased protection and conservation efforts would lessen deforestation. It would also provide more natural resources to the public, contributing to a wide array of support for poverty-stricken individuals.

Surviving on Minimal Income

“Average annual income is $2.60 per day, with a third of the population living on less than $1 per day. It is one of the poorest countries in the world.”

There are many factors that play a role in Cambodia being one of the poorest countries in the world. Cambodia does not have a stable economy and the majority of people who do work, are paid under the table. This could mean they are paid illegally or through a third party that supplies them with cash for hard labor.

Decreasing Maternal Mortality

“The maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births decreased from 472 in 2005 to 170 in 2014.”

The death of a pregnant woman can be the result of many aspects during childbirth. Cambodia’s dramatic decline in its maternal mortality rate proves that the country is on the right track toward becoming more sanitary. This also shows Cambodia is implementing better health systems to possibly eradicate the issue of mothers dying while giving birth.

Lacking in Education

“More than 50 percent of the population is 25 years old or younger. Most of them don’t receive education higher than the secondary level. This results in a lack of experienced workers and talent who can help with the country’s development.”

Cambodia has recently seen an increase in tourism and the money the government receives from external activities needs to be used to better the education system. A higher quality school system would not only help the development of the country prosper, but also advance job positions for certain individuals. A lack of education is one of the facts about poverty pertaining to Cambodia that could be improved and help make money more accessible, leading to higher incomes throughout the country.

– Matthew McGee

Photo: Flickr