Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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What is a Parliamentary Democracy?

Parliamentary Democracy Government
There are several types of democracies, and here we will explain what a parliamentary democracy is by comparing it to a presidential democracy, which we have in the United States.

In short, a parliamentary democracy is a system of government in which citizens elect representatives to a legislative parliament to make the necessary laws and decisions for the country. This parliament directly represents the people.

In a presidential democracy, the leader is called a President, and he or she is elected by citizens to lead a branch of government separate from the legislative branch. If you remember back to government class, you will remember that the United States has three branches of the government: the executive, the judicial, and the legislative. The President leads the executive branch of government.

 

Role of Parliamentary Democracy

 

In a parliamentary democracy, you have a Prime Minister, who is first elected as a member of parliament, then elected Prime Minister by the other members of the parliamentary legislature. However, the Prime Minister remains a part of the legislature. The legislative branch makes the laws, and thus the Prime Minister has a hand in law-making decisions. The Prime Minister works directly with other people in the legislature to write and pass these laws.

In our presidential democracy, we still have a legislature, but we also have a president. He is separate from the legislature, so although he works with them, it is not as direct as if he were a Prime Minister. The laws that the legislature wants to pass must first go through the president; he can sign them into being or he can veto them. The President can go to the legislative branch and suggest laws, but they ultimately write them for his approval.

Furthermore, in parliamentary systems, the legislature has the right to dismiss a Prime Minister at any time if they feel that he or she is not doing the job as well as expected. This is called a “motion of no confidence,” and is not as much of a drawn out process. In the US, impeachment is an extensive, formal process in which an official is accused of doing something illegal.

Some countries with a parliamentary system are constitutional monarchies, which still have a king and queen. A few examples of these are the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Japan.

It is important to remember that both of these systems of government are democracies. Ultimately, the citizens who vote have the voice.

– Alycia Rock

Sources: Wise Geek, Scholastic, How Stuff Works
Photo: Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants

 

parliamentary democracy government

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10 Facts About the Kashmir Conflict

The Kashmir Conflict“If there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this,” wrote Amir Khusrau, a popular Sufi poet, supposedly describing Kashmir. Today the region is known as a serious bone of contention between India and Pakistan. Here are 10 facts about the Kashmir conflict.

Beginnings
India and Pakistan gained their independence in 1947 and all the princely states had to choose between the two countries. Hari Singh, the Maharaja of Kashmir, did not want to decide on either. He signed an interim agreement with Pakistan to continue transport services. However, afraid of losing his power in wake of an invasion by tribesmen from Pakistan, he signed the Instrument of Accession to India in October 1947.

Line of Control
This led to more unrest and the United Nations had to intervene to negotiate a cease-fire. All troops were withdrawn and a line of control was mutually agreed upon between India and Pakistan in January 1949.

The India-Pakistan War
The Kashmir conflict resumed in the India-Pakistan War of 1965. The Pakistani army tried to take Kashmir by force but failed. The Security Council passed a resolution to put an end to the fighting and ban arms supplies to both parties.

The Shimla Agreement
The Shimla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan in 1972 to bring peace between the two countries after the Bangladesh Independence War. Another line of control was established between Indian-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

China’s Claim
A very interesting point among the 10 facts about the Kashmir conflict is that China also claims control over 20 percent of Kashmir, namely the northeastern part of the region called the Aksai Chin.

Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus
Tens of thousands have been killed by Islamic militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, said to be a result of parliamentary elections held by the Indian government. In response, India imposed direct rule in 1990, which worsened the situation, resulting in violent attacks on Hindu residents. 100,000 Kashmiri Hindus (Pandits) fled the valley, fearing for their lives.

Kargil
The Kargil conflict of 1999 erupted when India launched air strikes against Pakistan-backed troops that had infiltrated Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan refused to claim responsibility for the infiltration, but was forced to call back its troops under pressure from the United States. Pakistan was also suspended from the Commonwealth.

The Uri Attack
After years of relative peace, tensions were reignited when armed militants attacked the Indian army base in Uri, killing 18 soldiers. India responded by blaming Pakistan, while Pakistan blamed India for the unrest in the region.

Human Rights Violation
The Indian army killed Burhan Wani, a 21-year-old commander of the separatist group Hizbul Mujaheedin. This led to massive protests that resulted in curfews and lockdowns in large parts of the region. The Indian army used pellet guns to disperse the angry crowd, blinding hundreds. The New York Times called it an epidemic of “dead eyes”.

Possible Solutions
As Kashmir remains a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, several solutions to the Kashmir conflict have been discussed by political experts. India and Pakistan both favor a resolution where Kashmir joins their nation. However, the inhabitants of the Kashmir valley support the declaration of an independent Kashmir or Kashmir Valley. The problem is that the region would not be economically viable, as its revenue is heavily based on tourism. Another solution that Pakistan favors is the Chenab formula, where the entire Kashmir valley with its majority Muslim population would become part of Pakistan. This is hardly plausible, as India would be required to voluntarily give up a major portion of its claim.

According to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, engagement and dialogue are fundamental to finding a peaceful solution to the 69-year-old Kashmir conflict.

– Tripti Sinha

Photo: Flickr

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Education in Austria is One of the Best in Europe

Education in Austria

Education is always essential regarding the success of the social and economic future of a country, and education in Austria is no exception. The Republic of Austria has a free and public school system, and nine years of education are mandatory throughout the nation from the ages of six to fifteen, or first to ninth grade.

In Austria, there are multiple levels of education for citizens of all ages. When it comes to children ranging from the ages of zero to six, these students are taken care of in nurseries called Kinderkrippen. Kindergarteners range from the ages of three to six years old, and very young children that are usually around the age of two are looked after in small groups by day parents called Tagesmütter, and are found mostly in smaller towns and rural areas.

The first four years of schooling is completed at primary schools called Volksschule or Grundschule. From the age of ten, children are able to attend a junior high school or a secondary school called Hauptschule or Cooperative Mittelschule. Once children have entered into ninth grade at the ages of 14 or 15, they will be schooled at a polytechinical school called a Polytechnische Schule, which will ultimately prepare students for vocational orientation, an apprenticeship or even for more schooling.

Education in Austria does not stop at grade nine, however. There are many apprenticeships that students can pursue, and about 250 apprenticeship training courses exist that last between three and four years. Their occupation is learned on the job and at the school simultaneously. These students will then go on to take a final exam and become either a skilled technician or craftsman.

There are also Austrian universities and colleges that a citizen can attend, including adults. The Matura is a graduation examination that is a prerequisite for higher education in the nation.

While the standard of education in Austria may not exactly be on par with that of the United Kingdom or the United States, those considering relocating to Austria can still expect for their children to receive a sound education. Overall, the quality of education in Austria is quite good, as state schools provide a schooling that is very high in comparison to other educational systems within Europe.

– Sara Venusti

Photo: Google

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10 Educational Obstacles Throughout the World


In a perfect world, education would be free and easily accessible for citizens of all countries. As education seems to be unattainable for a lot of people in certain countries, there are a lot of people and organizations that want to help, but just do not know how or they  may not understand the many obstacles to obtaining an education. Here are 10 obstacles that citizens around the world struggle with when trying to obtain an education.

Classrooms
Finding an adequate space to teach students can be one of the major issues countries find when looking to start a school. Often, without a large enough teaching space, there are overcrowded classrooms or teachers are forced to teach outside, in which case they are not in a proper learning environment. The existing classrooms and buildings are sometimes poorly built and falling apart, lacking proper facilities such as toilets and water.

Learning Materials
Tools and materials students need access to in order to have a decent education are hard for them to obtain, often because living in poverty means that their families simply cannot afford them. A lot of textbooks are old and in bad condition and may be shared by six or more students. Not only do the students need proper materials, but the teachers often lack these supplies as well. Lesson plans and chalkboards may seem like basic materials, but a lot of countries lack these essentials for the classroom.

Expenses
Fees for tuition, school uniforms, transportation, supplies and any other fees add up very quickly. For families living on a low household income, this means that school is not an option for them; aside from this, these families often require their children to work instead of spending time in school.

Gender
Females are about two and a half times more likely to not attend school than males in conflict-affected countries. Therefore, even being born a female can prevent a student from obtaining an education. Often times this is due to the risk of a violent attack when attempting to attend class, an early marriage or pregnancy or discrimination. Some countries discriminate against women and girls from going to school because of longstanding social beliefs that men dominate women.

Rural Living
Children and students living in rural areas are at a disadvantage when it comes to their education. The distance is much farther than those who live in the city and closer to the schools, and it can be hard to find proper transportation to and from class.

Funding
A lot of poor countries do not receive enough government funding to establish a school, and often, the existing schools are not well built or sanitary. In some instances, there are not even private restrooms for females to use and this can prevent them from attending school.

Disabilities
Developmental disabilities are common of children in developing countries. Due to these – often cognitive – disabilities, families often suffer from an economic and social disadvantage. These children may not be able to learn and retain information properly, and therefore may have a hard time keeping up in school. This can prevent the child from attending school in general.

Teachers
Filling teaching positions is one of the many educational obstacles that countries face. Unfortunately, for there to be universal primary education, there would need to be 28.5 million new teachers by the year 2030. A lot of educators are given a class that contains way too many kids, with a variety of languages being spoken and not many materials to use.

Hunger
Malnutrition is known to make children very ill and hurt their immune system. Hunger can also cause things like anxiety and depression as well as behavioral problems, which can result in difficulty focusing. Not eating enough can impair childrens’ development and their achievement and can cause psychological problems.

War Zones
Education becomes less important when living in a war zone. An estimated 28 million children – 42 percent of the world’s total – do not have access to education, as they are living in war zones. Governments often donate and help with food, water and shelter, as the primary needs during an emergency, and education is an afterthought.

Although there are many obstacles prohibiting educational attainment around the globe, many of them can themselves be prevented. There are so many different organizations that people throughout the world can choose from to contribute their time to or donate to. Save the children, an organization founded in the U.S., was able to help over 13 million children receive an education in 2016. This is evidence that our donations and contributions through charities are indeed effective and changing lives, and that we are able to tackle these obstacles one by one.

– Chloe Turner

Photo: Flickr

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Innovations for Poverty Action Conducts Life-Changing Study

Innovations for Poverty Action Conducts Research That Changes LivesWhen people donate money to nonprofits, they want to know that their money is being used well. The same goes for governments allocating funds for international aid. While money intended for alleviating poverty is rarely wasted, there are many different ways the funds could be used to help those in need. Sometimes, it is not clear what program the money should be put towards. Thankfully, there are organizations such as Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) that are dedicated to researching how to best help the poor.

IPA finds evidence of what works to help the poor and helps turn that evidence into better programs and policies. Working with top researchers in the field, IPA conducts randomized controlled trials. This method allows researches to isolate the effects of a program from other factors. Researchers will assign participants to separate groups, at random. One or more groups, known as “treatment” groups, receive a program and another group functions as the “control” group.

IPA develops strong connections in the countries in which they conduct research. These partnerships, along with a knowledge of local contexts, help make their research projects successful. Their teams work in 20 countries, with various NGOs and government institutions. IPA has more than 1,000 research staff who conduct research on the ground. Studies can last from a few months to years or even decades.

Jeffrey Mosenkis, a policy communications manager at IPA, told the Borgen Project that one IPA study in particular strikes him as particularly influential: a study on school-based deworming conducted from 1998 to 2001. The study took place within 75 primary schools in Busia, Kenya. The school-based deworming reduced serious worm infections by 61 percent and reduced school absenteeism by 25 percent. The study only cost $0.60 per child per year. A long-term follow-up study found that the deworming increased the rate at which girls passed their secondary school entrance exam by 9.6 percent and increased the likelihood that men would work in higher-wage jobs than their peers or engage in entrepreneurial activities. School-based deworming campaigns have expanded into Ethiopia, India and Kenya, reaching over 200 million children. Since then, researchers have also discovered that treating kids for parasites also helps their siblings do better in school.

“I think it was also an eye opener for the field of development, says Mosenkis, “because it showed that one of the most cost-effective education interventions was actually a health intervention, and helped sparked interest in using data and evidence to find the most effective programs, which might not be the ones we’d normally think of.”

Other important studies conducted by IPA include improving financial behavior with a tablet app, improving math skills in Paraguay, reducing child mortality with health promoters in Uganda and using mobile technology to fight malaria. These and other studies are conducted in places all over the globe. Sometimes the exact location of the study can present unique challenges. “It’s not just the country but the local area,” says Mosenkis, “how good the infrastructure, like the roads are, or electricity and phone access, that makes more of a difference in our day-to-day work collecting data than the national picture.”

IPA was started by Dean Karlan, after traveling throughout Latin American before grad school. What began originally as an idea pitched by Karlan to his graduate advisers at MIT became a nonprofit organization bridging the gap between academia and development policy in practice.

IPA plans to continue building on what it has already achieved. The plan is to continue creating useful evidence to answer the questions of decision-makers at the front lines of development. The work of IPA has been and will continue to be instrumental in improving the lives of the global poor.

– Brock Hall
Photo: Flickr

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The War in Donbass – 10 Facts


After Ukraine’s 2014 revolution and reorganization of its government, several of the southeastern regions of Ukraine took up arms against the new government. These regions of primarily Russian-speaking Ukrainians, collectively termed the “Donbass,” feel that the new government of Ukraine does not represent the people, and so they have attempted to set up their own, separate government. Here are 10 facts about the War in Donbass, to help raise awareness around the current conflict:

  1. The war in Donbass has claimed about 10,000 lives since it began in 2014, between the forces of the new government and the pro-Russia separatists in Donbass.
  2. Though the Russian government continues to deny claims that it began the war in the Donbass, Russia has been providing supplies and arms to the separatists for years. Considering Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, Ukrainians fear that they are next on Russia’s list.
  3. Roughly 100,000 professional soldiers and volunteer combatants are scattered around the “gray zone” that exists between the opposing sides’ territories.
  4. The U.N. High Commissioner of Refugees reports that over 1.6 million Ukrainians have been displaced by the fighting, most of them moving away from the fighting towards Kiev. Russia reports that as many as twice that number have similarly fled the fighting eastwards into Russia.
  5. A peace deal, known as Minsk II, was agreed upon and signed by both sides in Minsk, Belarus in 2015, but the implementation of said deal has been a disaster. Neither Russia nor the new Ukrainian government wants to admit responsibility for the conflict, so the process of peace has stalemated.
  6. During the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, many Ukrainians had hope that the new president would be tough on Russia’s involvement in Ukraine and would provide aid for the people in the war zones. The election of President Trump – and his seemingly pro-Russia leaning – has led to much discouragement and disappointment that the aid they counted on is not forthcoming.
  7. Experts have come to believe that the conflict – which has never been an official war between Ukraine and Russia – will only end if Russia concedes a defeat in the Donbass – an outcome many consider highly unlikely – or if Russia ramps up into a full-scale invasion of the Ukraine.
  8. To that end, Russia has been quietly moving to improve its military infrastructure by creating new divisions that can be rapidly expanded should it mobilize its forces, as well as deploying existing forces along the Ukrainian border.
  9. In mid-September, Russian president Vladimir Putin stated that he was open to allowing U.N. peacekeepers into the separatist areas of east Ukraine, though the Ukrainian government insists that Russian forces not be among said peacekeepers.
  10. The U.S. envoy to Ukraine, Kurt Volker, said in late September that the U.S. is against working with Russia to bring in the U.N. peacekeeping forces, as it would only further destabilize the country. Volker also stated that he believes Russia and the separatists are finally willing to come to the table with a resolution to the conflict.

The war in the Donbass is a highly complex and constantly evolving situation, and these 10 facts only serve to summarize some of the more recent developments and how they affect the overarching conflict.

– Erik Halberg

Photo: Flickr

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Free School Meals Alleviating Hunger in Guam

Hunger in GuamGuam is a small island and a U.S. territory located southeast of Japan with a small population of about 163,000 people. Because of the small population, hunger in Guam has a much higher impact. Thankfully, things are looking up for Guam as rising employment rates and school programs are helping the hunger situation in Guam.

One of the more impactful programs in Guam that is fighting the hunger situation is that all 26 elementary schools in Guam serve meals for free. This free meal plan is provided through the federally funded Community Eligibility Provision grant that is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This program feeds elementary students so they are focused and ready to participate in classes by giving them the nutrition they need. Some middle and high schools are also participating in the free meal program. The First Lady of Guam, Christine Calvo, wants to stamp out child hunger in Guam by expanding this program to all schools.

With unemployment, food insecurity becomes an issue. Food insecurity is when people are without reliable access to affordable or nutritious food. Unfortunately, people need to spend money to eat, and if people are unemployed, they cannot do so.

However, Guam has decreased its unemployment rate quite drastically. From June 2015 to June 2016, the unemployment rate in Guam dropped from 8.7 percent to 3.9 percent, a 55 percent decrease in unemployment. Because of this decrease, food insecurity has become less of an issue and more people know where their next meal is coming from.

Although hunger in Guam used to be a major issue, solutions are being implemented to help those in the country. Implementing free meal programs in schools and decreasing unemployment are important steps to alleviating hunger in Guam. If the free meal program expands to all schools and the unemployment rate continues to drop, hunger could become a thing of the past for the people of Guam.

– Daniel Borjas

Photo: Flickr

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How to Help People in Seychelles

How to help people in Seychelles
Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands located off the eastern coast of Africa, north of Madagascar. It has the highest GDP per capita in Africa at $15,476 in 2015. Its extreme poverty rate is low (1.1 percent in 2013) as is its moderate poverty rate (2.5 percent in 2013).

Despite the low poverty rates, inequality is an issue in Seychelles. The poorest 20 percent of the population only holds 3.7 percent of the country’s wealth. The disparities between urban and rural areas are also substantial. The poverty rate in rural areas (as a percentage of the rural population) is 37.2 percent.

The economy of Seychelles depends on fishing (particularly tuna fishing) and tourism, both of which are impacted by the environment. Climate change disproportionately affects people in Seychelles. They also lack access to natural freshwater resources and face water pollution due to poor sewage management and industrial runoff. Natural and manmade disasters such as landslides, fires and oil spills affect the environment and hamper tourism.

The issues of piracy that have plagued the coast of Somalia also affect Seychelles. Due to the spread-out nature of the islands, it is difficult to guarantee the security of all people. The threat of pirates affects tourism, yachting and fishing which damages the economy.

Previously, NATO ran a counter-piracy operation called Operation Ocean Shield that was designed to protect people from pirates on the eastern coast of Africa. However, this program ended in 2016, once again leaving the people of Seychelles vulnerable.

With an understanding of the issues that Seychelles faces, the question now is how to help people in Seychelles. There are several steps that can be taken:

  1. Urge representatives to support American and/or NATO anti-piracy measures.
  2. Support climate change policies and solutions. Those who contribute the least to climate change are those who are affected the most.
  3. Consider donating to one of the following organizations that address some of the above concerns in Seychelles:

– Olivia Bradley

Photo: Flickr

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9 Facts About Education in Taiwan

Education in TaiwanAlthough Taiwan produces some of the most accomplished students in the world, its educational system is not without shortcomings. Education in Taiwan continues to be a subject of discourse; these nine facts can help you better understand the situation.

  1. Tensions over statehood manifest at every level of education in Taiwan. Because Taiwan is officially known as the Republic of China, the central educational authority in Taiwan is the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China.
  2. The education system is run by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan. It consists of basic elementary education, junior high school and senior secondary education.
  3. The official language of instruction is Mandarin Chinese.
  4. The literacy rate among Taiwanese people age 15 and above was 98.5 percent as of 2014.
  5. Compared to the rest of the world, students who graduate from the educational system in Taiwan achieve some of the highest scores on an international level. Comparatively, these students excel in mathematics and science. However, it has been proposed that there is too far great a focus on memorization in the educational system and a lack of creative instruction.
  6. Taiwan has a testing-oriented education system, which also poses several issues. Standardized test results have recently demonstrated the shortcomings of this system. In 2006, only 4.7 percent of Taiwan students were reading at the highest level, according to the Program for International Student Assessment. The studies suggest that students are without the ability to read or think critically.
  7. In 2014, the Ministry of Education implemented reforms that included adding three years of compulsory education in secondary schools. This was in response to the aforementioned criticisms of the previous system.
  8. The reforms included “exam-free” pathways to secondary schools, a less restrictive curriculum, subsidies for students from disadvantaged homes and making arts education available to all students, among others.
  9. Population decline poses a real threat to the Taiwan’s higher education sector. By 2023, the number of predicted student enrollments in higher education is projected to drop by a third. This will also have implications for the higher education sector of Taiwan in the globalized education market.

Education in Taiwan continues to progress, especially towards targeting areas that it is less proficient in. With the added focus on reading, arts and creativity, along with less pressure to score high on exams, Taiwan is working to ensure that its educational system meets the needs of all its students.

– Melanie Snyder

Photo: Flickr