Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Why Is Gabon Poor When the Country Is Rich In Natural Resources?

Gabon
Gabon is a Central African country bordered by Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It is one of Africa’s richest countries because of its natural resources: however, one-third of Gabon’s citizens live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate is 20 to35 percent among young people. Why is Gabon poor when the country is rich in natural resources?

The first reason for this is the decline in oil reserves and prices. Being the fifth largest oil producer in Africa, Gabon has experienced strong economic growth over the past decade. According to a report by the World Bank, “On average, over the past five years, the oil sector has accounted for 80 percent of exports, 45 percent of GDP and 60 percent of budget revenue.” An August 2016 report by the Guardian states that, due to huge oil wealth and a tiny population of 1.9 million, in 2015, Gabon had one of the highest GDPs in the continent at about $8,300. However, the country’s fiscal situation has worsened since 2015 after facing a decline in oil reserves. Gabon’s GDP growth slowed down to 3.9 percent in 2015. It was expected to deteriorate further in 2016. The declining oil reserves and prices are one reason why Gabon is poor.

Heavy dependency on the oil industry has led to a less diversified economy, which is another answer to the question “why is Gabon poor?” One challenge to the diversification of the economy is the poor quality of Gabon’s business climate. The 2016 Doing Business report ranked Gabon 164 out of 189 countries. The Gabonese government’s strategy for the promotion of non-oil sectors has so far been giving specific incentives to foreign investors. However, a recent World Bank policy note emphasized the “importance of improving human capital, building a fair and transparent business environment and improving the quality and cost of core infrastructure, as critical building blocks for economic and export diversification.”

Political conflict and turmoil seem to be another reason why Gabon is poor even though it is a rich nation. There are a number of political parties, but the Gabonese Democratic Party (Parti démocratique gabonais, or PDG) dominates the political field. Omar Bongo was the country’s president for 42 years, from 1967 until his death in 2009. The incumbent president is his son Ali Bongo Ondimba, who won the 2009 election against the backdrop of a social crisis. He was confirmed re-elected in 2016, which the opposition representatives refused to accept. This lack of transparency and fair play in elections has led to boycotts by the opposition and political unrest and violence at times.

Consequently, a rich nation has turned poor over the years. The Human Development Index ranks Gabon 109th, which is miserably low given its potential of oil and other natural resources. Data shows that about 30 percent of the population remains vulnerable, living with a monthly income below the guaranteed minimum wage of $1. Further, it has become increasingly difficult for people in 60 percent of the regions to have access to basic social services such as healthcare and drinking water.

However, the good news is that the Gabonese government has taken steps to improve the situation. In 2014, it introduced a new policy called “Assises Sociales” to define Gabon’s human investment strategy (SIHG). SIHG aims to assist low-income people to increase their income and reduce inequalities in access to basic public services. There is also hope that the deals that President Ali Bongo has signed with three Asian companies, worth $4.5 billion, will diversify the economy and bring more jobs to people at home, especially in rural areas.

– Aslam Kakar

Photo: Flickr

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Countering the Multiple Causes of Poverty in Comoros

Causes of Poverty in Comoros

Although 44.8 percent of Comorians were below the poverty line in 2004, a few organizations have fought causes of poverty in Comoros to reach satisfying results. In 2009, the Comoros Poverty Reduction Strategy (CPRS) was approved and implemented from 2010 to 2014. Its goals were to stabilize the economy, improve health and promote education. In light of these efforts, among others, the island nation’s GDP grew 3.17 percent between 2000 and 2014, with 1.22 percent of that growth occurring from 2010 to 2014.

Agriculture
After merely a year of the CPRS influences, Comoros saw progress in agricultural production. Luckily, CPRS was not alone in its efforts. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) provides four loans and two grants to Comoros to protect and increase agricultural production. Because of IFAD’s efforts in cultivation, 60,855 households benefit each year.

Due to an increased level of agricultural production, food prices increased. Thus, the Gross National Income responded with a one percent increase from 2010 to 2014. With the higher food production rates came a higher labor demand, establishing a need for more women in the labor force. By attacking one cause, like farming, CPRS was able to improve multiple aspects of the economy.

Health
Another focus of the CPRS is Comorian health and safety. Combating disease is a major implementation of the CPRS, as it prevents death and strengthens Comoros’ economy. One of the strategies was to “ensure appropriate allocation of resources by levels of service and equality of access to health services.” This led to a decrease in infant and maternal mortality rates. Cases of malaria also decreased from 42 percent in 2006 to 36 percent in 2011 as a result of the malaria ACT and efforts to grant free bed nets. Comorian life expectancy steadily rose from age 60 in 2006 to 63 in 2014.

Education
The CPRS envisions a basic education plan in place until 2020 to alleviate future causes of poverty in Comoros. The strategy emphasizes gaining high enrollment and completion rates, but battles with gender inequalities. The Gross Enrollment Ratio decreased favorably from 107 percent in 2008 to 103 percent in 2014 because of the increase in students completing basic schooling. The quality of education in Comoros has also been a focus of the CPRS by encouraging proper training for teachers, but also by holding teachers accountable for students’ performances.

The combined efforts to improve agriculture, health and education within Comoros has ignited a motivation for change. With continued efforts on behalf of the government and other organizations, soon the people of Comoros will have the opportunity to rise above the poverty line.

-Brianna White

Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Important Ways to Help People in Barbados

Help People in BarbadosBarbados, an independent British Commonwealth island nation, is the most flourishing country in the Caribbean area, with free education and accessible healthcare. However, there is still a need to help people in Barbados.

The country has made it a priority to provide efficient and accessible healthcare to include physical, mental, and social help. Because of this, such issues as infant and child mortality rates have decreased, and vaccines have greatly reduced preventable diseases. In addition, according to Commonwealth Health Online, there has been a decline in the AIDS fatality rate as well as an increase in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

Unfortunately, Barbados still struggles with the lack innovations in healthcare and patients’ growing expectations, as well as a failure to combat communicable and chronic non-communicable diseases, with HIV/AIDS as the exception. The government hopes to implement some changes, including supplying services in a more cost effective way, developing and integrating delivering services, and fulfilling unmet and vulnerable needs.

Concerning education, the Barbados government pays for schooling and provides compulsory primary school, from age five to eleven; compulsory secondary school, eleven to sixteen; and optional tertiary school, which is post-secondary education. But even with the seemingly sound educational system, some of the high standards have been declining over the past decade, due to negative attitudes from the students, poor academic performances, and the lack of technology to aid in the success of students.

To help people in Barbados regarding education, workshops have been developed to help teachers teach students better. The government has plans to help strengthen the technological infrastructure, to better teacher training, and to recognize teacher’s contributions to the nation-building actions.

While the health and education systems are taking strides to improve, there are still major issues in the country, such as the lack of space and inefficient land use. According to the 2010 National Environment Summary, there is the possible threat of land degradation and droughts. There is also inadequate waste management in Barbados

In addition, there is the insufficient reliability of freshwater. There are between 96-98 percent of homes connected to the public water supply, while the rest just have slight access. The ground water supply is deemed fair, providing disinfected water. But, the development of sewage treatment plants is necessary to finally dispose from homes via septic tanks.

To help people in Barbados dealing with land, drought, and water issues, the charities listed below are active on the island. Donations or volunteer work can directly assist those citizens who are most in need on Barbados.

Verdun House
Future Centre Trust
Caribbean Permaculture Research Institute
Variety the Children’s Charity

– Chavez Spicer

Photo: Flickr

Discussing Differences Between the TPP and the RCEP

ChinaThree days after President Trump’s inauguration, he executed one of his major campaign promises: withdrawing the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Whether or not the TPP will outlast the U.S. withdrawal, China and fifteen other regional partners have forged ahead with a free-trade agreement of their own, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

One of the differences between the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is that the former was slated to account for almost 40 percent of the world’s GDP and 10 percent of its population, while the latter comprises nearly 40 percent of GDP and almost half of the global population.

Many analysts have framed the differences between the TPP and the RCEP in terms of the balance of power between the U.S. and China, but for many of the countries involved, free trade is first and foremost an economic issue. Like most free-trade agreements, TPP and the RCEP center on tariff reductions. By liberalizing the international exchange of goods, many economists believe increased competition will stimulate growth in each country’s comparative advantage.

While the TPP aimed to remove tariffs completely on over 90 percent of traded goods, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership attempts to merely reduce tariffs on only 80 percent of goods. The TPP also went further in attempting to curtail government-subsidized industrialization and implement environmental and labor regulations.

Despite the projected benefits for all countries involved, free trade agreements have been criticized for their potential harm to workers. Not only President Trump, but presidential candidate Bernie Sanders advocated for leaving the TPP. Senator Sanders held valid concerns about the continued widening of the international labor pool for American companies.

Indeed, despite the TPP’s projected contribution of 0.6 percent to U.S. GDP, this growth would have occurred in only the country’s comparatively advantageous sectors such as agriculture and advanced technologies, at the expense of every other sector. In the process, workers in less efficient sectors would experience displacement and, without a safety net, suffer in the near-term. On the flipside, the TPP would have contributed more than 10 percent GDP growth to countries like Vietnam and Malaysia, each willing to capitalize on their low labor costs.

In India, though, one of the potential signatories of RCEP, concerns about the displacement of its agriculture industry have slowed negotiations. The Indian parliament is hesitant to liberalize trade and capital flows for fear of allowing large agribusinesses to displace millions of small farmers. Though the end result of structural change may very well be improved efficiency and cheaper food, the transition will inevitably feature dispossession.

Despite minor setbacks, one of the final differences between the TPP and the RCEP is that the latter has a greater chance of coming to fruition. If it does, and only time will tell, economic integration will certainly bring growth, and disruption, to its signatories.

– Nathaniel Sher

Photo: Flickr

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How to Help People in India

How to Help People in IndiaAs people in a wealthy, Western nation, we should feel the need to aid other countries that are less fortunate than us. India is a nation that can use all the help it can get, and there are a number of ways to help that do not require a financial contribution. More than 24.3 percent of India’s population lives below the poverty line, which is estimated to be around 267 million individuals. That is a massive number of people who have to survive on around a $1 a day. If you’re wondering how to help people in India, here are a few ways.

Fundraising
Fundraising is a great way to use social circles to raise money for a cause. Fundraising can be on a small scale, such as starting an online campaign to raise money for a nonprofit, or it can be more active, such as hosting a dinner party and charging guests $5 to attend. There are many different ways to fundraise, most of which do not require much initial financial investment. A bake sale, for example, would likely cost much less than it would raise in the long run. Similar ideas are a garage sale, plant sale, or offering to do yard work in exchange for a donation.

Volunteering
Many nonprofit organizations need all the help they can get, and they are doing great work to end poverty across the globe. These organizations often do not have much funding to hire staff members, so any volunteer work they can get is a big help. Examples of organizations that work in India but have offices in the United States are the Global Fund for Women and the American India Foundation. Both these organizations work to reduce poverty in India, either through aiding the economic advancement of women or just generally.

Donate
While volunteering and fundraising are extremely important and helpful ways to assist a cause, what it all comes down to is funding, and most of these causes are very underfunded. With 267 million people in poverty in India, it would be impossible to achieve goals of poverty reduction without donations from individuals. Many organizations give a clear picture of what your donation will be used for, and certain children’s organizations will allow you to sponsor a child through your donation as well. Children International works in India to improve sanitation conditions to improve the health of children and you can sponsor a child through them. Many other organizations, such as World Vision and Save the Children India, have similar programs.

Regardless of how you decide to contribute, it is important that you do. These organizations lack funding and are sometimes understaffed, and can always use the help. It is easy to feel like we cannot make an impact from so far away, but these are some ideas for how to help people in India. Whatever you do, you are making a difference.

– Liyanga De Silva

Photo: Flickr

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How to Help People in The Gambia

Help People in The GambiaAt the westernmost tip of Africa exists one of the smallest and poorest countries on the entire continent. The Gambia is a nation of just over two million people and roughly 75 percent of the population live in poverty. The 2011 U.N. Human Development Index (HDI) assessed The Gambia as ranking 168th out of 187 countries. The HDI ranks countries based on their level of human development as a society, averaging things like life expectancy, per capita income and birth rate to make projections.

The Gambia scored so poorly on the HDI for a variety of reasons, but one predominant contributor is poor conditions leading to lack of food and agriculture production. About 60 percent of The Gambia’s population depends on some sort of farming for survival. Despite the fact that The Gambia River runs clear across the middle of the country, only 16.7 percent of the country’s available land is arable. This, in conjunction with frequent and erratic rainfall make the life of a Gambian subsistence farmer an especially tough one. The peak rainy season runs through the duration of the summer, hence food production during this time is negligible. Families who depend on subsistence farming – that is, growing enough food to feed themselves – attempt desperately every year to stock their food supplies in anticipation of the rainy season.

The harsh reality of the situation is that the circumstances are not getting any better, weather patterns become more unpredictable by the year and the price of food in the Gambian economy continues to rise steadily. The combination of all of these factors has led to the emergence of a global need to help people in The Gambia. One particular charity organization, which makes strides to improve life for those in The Gambia, is Aid for Africa. Since its inception in 2004, Aid for Africa has worked to combine the efforts of nonprofit organizations working in Sub-Saharan Africa to help those in need. They have made an impact on the lives of impoverished Gambians by establishing “community based self-help programs,” which aim to provide people with the skills and resources they need to escape the cycle of poverty.

The quickest and most effective way to help people in The Gambia is to donate to a charity such as Aid for Africa or even other similar charities. As members of the international community, we have an obligation to help those in need, and now, more than ever, the people of The Gambia need our help to escape poverty.

– Tyler Troped

Photo: Flickr

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Tibetan School for Blind, Braille Without Borders, May Close

Braille Without Borders Is in DangerBraille Without Borders, the renowned school for the blind, is in danger of being shut down. The institution was co-founded in May 1998 by German born Sabriye Tenberken and Dutch born Paul Kronenberg in Tibet to empower students who are blind or visually impaired. A Tibetan agency wishes to discontinue integration training that helps blind people assimilate into society. No explanation has been given as to why.

Braille Without Borders is so named because its founders are determined to defy the odds. They hope to inspire blind and visually impaired children to overcome negative perceptions in society that prevent them from playing an active and inclusive role. To bring this to fruition, students are given a holistic education that encompasses academic and life skills.

The preparatory school that is in danger of closing teaches students how to read and write the Tibetan, Chinese and English Braille scripts. Students are also trained in different vocations such as animal husbandry, agriculture, market gardening, composting and working in the cheese industry. Through educating children holistically, the program ensures students can take control over their lives upon exiting.

Tenberken created Braille Without Borders out of frustration. She lost her sight at the age of 12 and decided at a young age, with support from her family, not to let society tell her what she is capable of. In a 2010 interview with Deutsche Welle, she stated that it angers her that impaired people are not taken seriously because others focus too much on the disability the person has.

Furthermore, prior to the program beginning, Tibetan blind children were social outcasts. People thought they were stupid or possessed by demons, and parents didn’t want to touch their own children. Tibetan citizens believed blindness was a curse from God because of an evil committed.

The success of the program has changed how the blind are perceived. Tenberken stated in the same interview that people stand up for the visually impaired now, as Braille Without Borders has been very successful in reducing the stigma against blind people and providing them with an education. No longer is it okay to call them blind fools. They are confident young people who contribute to society.

So far, the program has impacted the lives of 300 children ages six to 15. However, there is far more work to be accomplished. Statistics state 30,000 of the 2.5 million inhabitants of the Tibet Autonomous Region are blind or highly visually impaired. Compared to most areas in the world, this is above average. Climate and hygienic factors such as dust, wind, high ultra-violet light radiation, soot in houses caused by heating with coal and/or yak dung, and lack of vitamin A and D at an early age, contribute to the unusually high number of blind and visually impaired people in this region. A rehabilitation program for the blind and visually impaired is necessary to improve quality of life.

Braille Without Borders is in danger of closing if supporters do not act now. It has endured over the past 19 years due to donations and encouragement from people outside of Tibet. If the school is closed, Tenberken is gravely worried students will be sent to schools where they won’t receive training to become self-sufficient. Supporters can continue to aid the program’s efforts through donations. Learn more ways to help on the official website of Braille Without Borders.

– Jeanine Thomas

Photo: Flickr

Why Is Gabon Poor? The Results of Unchecked Inequality

Why Is Gabon PoorWhy is Gabon poor? This is a question that is, unfortunately, stereotypically asked about any African country. This is particularly the case with Gabon, due to the fact it is not historically one of Africa’s most developed nations.

What is even more unfortunate is that Gabon fits this stereotype very well, as it is one of the poorer countries in the world. According to the World Bank, the country’s poverty headcount was 32.7 percent as of 2005.

This is interesting because, on a larger international scale, Gabon’s economy is doing relatively well. According to the CIA World Factbook, Gabon’s GDP growth has been significant over the last few years, with 4.4 percent growth in 2014, 3.9 percent in 2015 and 2.3 percent in 2016. While there has been a decreasing trend in these figures, they are still substantial. Gabon’s GDP per capita is worth noting, too. Listed at $19,100 as of 2016, the country is ranked 88th in the world.

So, if Gabon’s economy is doing reasonably well on the international stage, why is Gabon poor? The answer, it turns out, is centered around income inequality.

While Gabon’s national income has greatly benefitted from oil exports, its workforce has not seen these returns. As recently as 2015, Gabon’s unemployment rate was 28 percent, one of the highest in the world.

This means that, simultaneously, Gabon’s national income has been rising quickly while almost a third of its workforce remains unemployed and therefore unable to reap those benefits. The result is rising inequality that has devastated the country. As of 2005, the lowest 10 percent of Gabon’s population held only 2.5 percent of household income, while the highest 10 percent held 15 times that amount at 32.7 percent of household income.

Gabon has thus been left in an awful situation. With a third of its population unemployed and a third of its national income going to the top 10 percent of its population, very little funds are left over to bring the country’s poor out of poverty and into the workforce. As these figures worsen, the hole Gabon has dug continues to get deeper.

If Gabon wants its economic growth to be sustainable, the country must improve its fiscal management. By allocating more of its national income to the poor and by prioritizing job growth to lower its unemployment rate, Gabon could see real gains that last beyond the short term and set the country up as one of the region’s major economies.

So, why is Gabon poor? Systematic inequality has ravaged the country, but there is opportunity for change. As the country industrializes and continues to see economic gains, the international community must continue to observe the country’s financial management.

– John Mirandette

Photo: Flickr

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What Causes Poverty in San Marino?

What Causes Poverty in San Marino?

San Marino, said to be the world’s oldest republic, is a small country landlocked by Italy. At only 23.6 square miles, it is the fifth smallest country in the world, only larger than Vatican City, Monaco, Nauru and Tuvalu. It is also one of the richest countries in the world, with an estimated 2021 gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of $54,982.45. Despite its wealthy status, the 2008 recession, from which the country is still recovering, has significantly increased poverty in San Marino.

The 2008 Recession

San Marino‘s main economic activities are tourism, banking and the manufacture and export of different goods such as clothing, ceramics, fabric, wine and spirits. As Italy surrounds it, most of San Marino’s economic sectors are highly supported by this nation; in fact, 90% of San Marino’s export market is supported by Italy. Italy also suffered from the 2008 recession, so its demand for imports from San Marino has lessened, which has, in turn, weakened San Marino’s economy.

After the recession, San Marino’s strong economy took a downward turn. Unemployment – which had been at its lowest in 2007 at 3% – jumped to 4.5% by 2009 and reached its peak of 7.9% in 2017. However, after significant efforts and initiatives, San Marino’s unemployment rate declined to approximately 5% in 2022. While poverty is not a major issue in San Marino compared to many other countries, the recession certainly caused a notable increase.

Unemployment

Although San Marino’s poverty rate is low enough that it is not necessarily significant enough to be recorded, such a rapid increase in unemployment likely led to hardship for a significant portion of San Marino’s population. Increases in unemployment cause greater stress for the individual and strain the government, as it puts more pressure on the government to support those who are unemployed. Additionally, it weakens the economy further, as those who are unemployed lose purchasing power.

Final Remark

Although the recession increased poverty, the government of San Marino has been working to curb its effects by eliminating its status as a tax haven. Notably, the country’s nonfinancial sector recovery, which started in 2014, has placed its economy in a strong position to face shocks.

Furthermore, as other countries have bounced back from the recession, demand for goods from San Marino has increased as well. Hopefully, as more countries start recovering, this will also help San Marino’s economy recover so that progress can be made regarding its poverty rate.

– Mary Kate Luft

Photo: Flickr
Updated: May 29, 2024

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USAID Helping People in Qatar

How to Help People in Qatar

Qatar is a nation of extreme economic stratification between rich and poor. An oil rich gulf state, Qatar’s economy is booming, with its GDP reaching a soaring $329.2 billion in 2016 – making Qatar the wealthiest Arab state. Despite this title, there are still unfortunately a large number of people living in poverty here. In this climate of extreme inequality, the question of how to help people in Qatar remains of vital importance.

This economic growth is coupled with a massive population spike, due to the influx of migrant workers needed to sustain the economic growth of the country. Migrant workers are estimated to comprise about 90 percent of the Qatari population, with nearly 60 percent living in what the Qatari monarchy officially calls “labour camps.”

This influx of migrant workers has been further exacerbated by the construction for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup. Human rights groups have long condemned the working conditions of migrant workers in Qatar. Under the kafala labor sponsorship system, workers are dependent on their employers for their visas, living accommodation and even permission to enter or exit the country. Amnesty International has deemed labor conditions as “squalid and cramped,” while the International Labor Organization is launching investigations into the labor camps and systems surrounding the construction of World Cup infrastructure.

Qatar is an absolute monarchy, ruled by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. As an official ally of the U.S., diplomats from the U.S. have unique access to the small faction of the Qatari population that maintains control over the political and economic realities that the poor face. It is crucial that the U.S. uses its influence to advocate for the outrageous treatment of migrant workers, on whose backs the immense wealth and economic growth of Qatar is built.

USAID has already begun to answer the question of how to help people in Qatar, and are still working to implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding Cooperation to Enhance Global Food Security, signed in 2011. Dr. Rajiv Shah, then the administrator of USAID, signed the MOU, saying, “Both the United States and Qatar see food security as a development issue that must be addressed comprehensively and creatively.”

It is critical to the health and well-being of the impoverished Qatari workers that these goals be pursued. Moreover, resources must continue to flow to organizations such as USAID, which work to pressure the Qatari monarchy to provide a social safety net and adequate human rights for its subjects.

– Jeffery Harrell
Photo: Flickr