Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Common Diseases in Pakistan

Common Diseases in PakistanPakistan, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is located in South Asia. Pakistan is the sixth-most populous country in the world, with about 201 million people. High population, unfavorable climatic conditions and the lack of educational and economic development put Pakistani citizens in an unhealthy environment.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan ranks 122 out of 190 countries in terms of healthcare standards. Here are some of the most common diseases in Pakistan:

  1. Dengue Fever
    Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease that is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with the dengue virus. It cannot be spread directly from person to person. Some of the disease’s symptoms include high fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and skin rash. Dengue fever may be mistaken for the flu or other viral infections. However, dengue fever is a severe form of the virus and may cause serious diseases including enlargement of the liver and failure of the circulatory system if not treated in time.In 2011, there was a dengue outbreak in Pakistan, and more than 250,000 suspected cases of dengue fever were reported. Between 2009 to 2011, dengue fever caused 348 deaths in Pakistan. In order to prevent outbreaks of dengue fever from happening again in the future, Pakistan’s government strengthened surveillance and general preventive measures, improved clinical management of patients and implemented targeted vector control activities, according to the WHO. In addition, the government also organized public awareness campaigns for risk mitigation.
  2. Tuberculosis
    Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that affects the lungs, which can be spread by coughing and sneezing. The WHO claims that without proper treatment, up to two-thirds of people that are infected with tuberculosis will die. Tuberculosis is one of the common diseases in Pakistan that can have irreversible consequences. Symptoms of tuberculosis include coughing, fever, fatigue, chills and loss of appetite. According to the WHO, Pakistan was ranked eighth out of the 22 countries in the world that are most highly prone to tuberculosis. About 420,000 new tuberculosis cases are reported every year in Pakistan.The government of Pakistan set up the National TB Control Program (NTP) to help reduce the risk of getting tuberculosis. According to the NTP official website, it provides skill training for medics, paramedics and lab technicians. In addition, the program offers a free supply of anti-TB medicines to all diagnosed cases.
  3. Diabetes
    Pakistan has the highest diabetes rates in all of South Asia, as about seven million people are affected by the disease. Diabetes is a disease that affects the patient’s body’s ability to respond to the hormone insulin, which then causes unusual metabolism of carbohydrates and high levels of glucose in the blood and urine. If not treated, the high glucose levels can cause damage to blood vessels and parts of the body.The high diabetes rate may be a result of the unhealthy food industry in Pakistan. The Diabetic’s Institute of Pakistan (DIP) has been fighting against diabetes since it was founded in 1996. DIP offers diabetes awareness programs to provide useful knowledge to the patients and the public, as well as pharmacy services for patients.
  4. Cancer
    Representing 8 percent of all deaths in Pakistan, cancer is a major health problem for Pakistanis. Lung cancer and breast cancer are the most common forms in Pakistan. A recent study shows that about one in every nine women in Pakistan has breast cancer. Pakistan also has the highest consumption of tobacco in South Asia. A large number of the patients are not aware that they have cancer until they are in critical stages of cancer, and they usually do not have the access to proper treatment.In 2013, Pakistan established a cancer registry that compiles data on cancer patients from across the country, which is an important step in cancer prevention and control in Pakistan. In 2016, 18 cancer hospitals in Pakistan were working on hospital-based registries. These hospitals provide about 80 percent of the cancer treatment in Pakistan.
  5. Hepatitis A and E
    Even though there are vaccines available for hepatitis, hepatitis A and E are still common diseases in Pakistan. Hepatitis A is a viral liver disease which is transmitted through contaminated water or unhealthy food. In addition to the vaccine, safe water supply, healthy food, improved sanitation and handwashing are all effective ways to fight the disease.Hepatitis E is a liver disease that is usually self-limiting. However, it may cause acute liver failure. According to the WHO, East and South Asia have the highest prevalence of hepatitis in the world. According to Pakistan’s health department, the government is using all channels of communication to increase awareness of hepatitis among the public. The government also provides medicine and vaccines for the patients.

These common diseases in Pakistan are a major health problem for the country’s citizens. The Pakistan government and many other organizations, including the WHO, are working on increasing public awareness and providing medical programs to train more doctors. However, the Pakistan government still needs to provide access to more hospitals, as well as better healthcare, that can make proper treatment affordable for the public.

– Mike Liu

Photo: Flickr

7 Things to Know About Costa Rica’s Poverty Rate

Costa Rica’s Poverty Rate
In 2016, Costa Rica was named the happiest country in the world. But, while the country as a whole has enjoyed stability and a steadily growing economy in recent years, marginalized groups have been left behind. Discussed below are key facts about Costa Rica’s poverty rate that should not be overlooked.

 

7 Leading Facts About Costa Rica’s Poverty Rate

 

  1. Costa Rica’s inequality rate has increased since 2000, a division that disproportionately affects indigenous and minority groups. Today, the country’s richest 20 percent receive an income 19 times higher than that of the poorest 20 percent.
  2. While, overall, Costa Rica’s poverty rate has dropped from 22.4 percent to 21.7 percent from 2014 to 2015, the country’s extreme poverty rate rose from 5.8 percent to 7.2 percent, the highest recorded rate in the last 60 years.
  3. While 19 percent of urban households live in poverty and 5.2 percent live in extreme poverty, 30.3 percent of rural households live in poverty and 10.6 percent in extreme poverty.
  4. Poor Costa Ricans have, on average, three years less schooling than their economically stable peers.
  5. In Costa Rica, 43.5 percent of poor households are headed by women.
  6. Since an inflation crisis in the ’80s and ’90s, the Costa Rican government has managed to boost the economy through international tourism and exports. These sectors benefit qualified workers, while unskilled workers, over-represented by indigenous and minority groups, see no change or a decrease in their salaries.
  7. Public assistance to poor families increased by 9.3 percent per household and 6.9 percent per person from 2014 to 2015.

Costa Rica’s poverty rate seems to be sewed up neatly on the surface, but the growth of a country doesn’t always reflect the growth of its people. The disparity of incomes and opportunities between uneducated people in rural areas versus educated people in urban areas threatens to rob Costa Rica of its good economic reputation.

– Sophie Nunnally

Photo: Flickr

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Improving the Lives of Sierra Leonean Women and Children

Sierra Leonean Women

Sierra Leone’s education disparity is affecting the quality and accessibility of reproductive healthcare. Low education parallels with the inaccessibility of contraception, consultations and health facilities. Contraception usage, like injectables and the pill, is six times higher among wealthy Sierra Leonean women. Early childbearing before the age of 18 among poor women is 58 percent, as opposed to 29 percent for their wealthy counterparts. The total fertility rate among poor Sierra Leonean women is about twice that of wealthy women with a higher education.

Sierra Leone’s underdeveloped reproductive healthcare access also puts its adolescent women at risk. Young women between the ages of 15 and 19 are at a greater risk of infant and child mortality, as well as high risks of morbidity and mortality for the young mother.

Additionally, 28 percent of poor Sierra Leonean women give birth unaccompanied by health personnel, as opposed to the 78 percent of their rich counterparts accompanied by health personnel during childbirth. The reason for this, the World Bank logged, is that 89 percent of women experience at least one problem accessing healthcare, 80 percent lack sufficient funds for treatment and 53 percent live too far from health facilities to travel to.

Mary Turey, a maternal health promoter in Kamalo village in Sierra Leone’s Northern Bombali District, has acknowledged the proximity issue. She and other villagers offer a room in their homes for women traveling long distances to health facilities to stay safely overnight. Turey provides women with essential information about pregnancy and refers them to nearby health centers. In 2014, she and her fellow villagers referred 3,862 pregnant Sierra Leonean women to health facilities, where they were able to give birth safely.

In terms of policy and legislation, USAID created the Child Survival and Health Grants Program – dubbed ‘Al Pikin fo Liv’ or ‘Every Child Must Live’ – in order to carry out the goal of ending preventable neonatal and maternal deaths. Its partnerships with nongovernmental organizations, academia and ministries of health have trained 1,300 health workers and peer supervisors, developing and enhancing the quality of care at health units for procedures across the board. The Child Survival and Health Grants Program has improved the health of more than 36,000 children and 37,000 women in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

– Tiffany Teresa Santos

Photo: Flickr

Facts and Figures About Greece

Facts and Figures About GreeceGreece is a country in southeastern Europe about the size of Alabama. Among other things, the nation is known fo­­­­­r its beautiful beaches and remarkable history. However, these wonderful features can easily be overlooked in recent years as the nation has faced and continues to face severe economic challenges.

According to Trading Economics, as of April 2017, the nation’s unemployment rate sits at 21.7 percent. That means more than two million Greeks are out of work. This unemployment rate is a few points lower than that of the U.S. at the height of the Great Depression.

The harsh economic conditions that Greece is facing are nothing new. While there is no official start date, December 2009 was an early sign of what was to come. With concerns rising that the Greek government would fail to pay its large debt, the nation’s credit rating was downgraded by an influential rating agency.

In the summer of 2011, the leaders of the European Union decided to bail out Greece, but this did not solve the nation’s crippling economic problems. A few key facts and figures about Greece demonstrate that in the months and years following the €109 billion bailout, conditions continued their downward trajectory.

In April of 2013, youth unemployment was just under 60 percent. In February of 2014, overall unemployment had increased to 28 percent. These harsh economic realities have plagued the nation’s people. Material deprivation affects more than 22 percent of the population, according to Eurostat. In other words, more than one in five people in Greece simply cannot afford basic necessities.

As a result, organizations such as food banks are struggling to keep up with overwhelming demand. “We’re worried because we don’t know if we’ll be able to meet these people’s needs,” said Eleni Katsouli, a municipal offer at a food bank in Athens, to Reuters.

As the facts and figures about Greece indicate, the nation’s people are in need of help. Fortunately, people and organizations have stepped up. One organization making a particularly strong impact is Desmos.

According to its website, Desmos exists to respond to “the need to responsibly and effectively utilize the private initiative in addressing the humanitarian crisis” afflicting Greece. One program that the organization runs that demonstrates its impact is “Desmos for Schools.” This is the fourth year of the initiative. In 2017 alone it donated important items such as computers and sports equipment to 14 schools in Greece. More than 1,300 students will benefit from these efforts.

Charitable organizations such as Desmos are not the only reason for optimism in Greece. A sign of economic improvement showed in 2016 when the budget surplus exceeded expectations. This positive trajectory is predicted to continue as the nation’s GDP is projected to grow by more than 1 percent this year and more than 2 percent next year, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Positive facts and figures about Greece such as these are encouraging signs. If these projections hold true, Greece’s darkest days are likely behind it. However, a very large portion of the population is struggling with poverty right now and is in need of help.

– Adam Braunstein

Photo: Pixabay

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Relations Between the Philippines and the EU

Philippines and the EUAs of May 2017, the Philippines decided to end development assistance from the European Union. The Philippines is willing to reject €250 million worth of aid to prevent the EU from interfering in its internal affairs.

Relations between the Philippines and the EU have soured in the past year. In 2016, EU member countries called for strict monitoring of human rights abuses committed under President Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ policy. Almost 9,000 people were killed in the Philippines since Duterte took office on June 30. Many were small-time users and dealers who police say were sho tin self-defense by officers during legitimate operations.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said that Duterte approved a recommendation from the finance ministry “not to accept grants that may allow interfering with internal policies.”

EU official Gunnar Wiegand defended the EU’s practice of setting conditions in exchange for aid. “You know why? Because it’s the money of our taxpayers. They want to know where their money goes,” Wiegand said.

The longstanding relationship between the Philippines and the EU became formal in 1980 in the European Cooperation Agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In July 2012, the EU-Philippines Partnership Cooperation Agreement provided a legal framework for further cooperation in a range of areas. These included political dialogue, trade, energy, transport, human rights, education, science, technology, justice, asylum and immigration.

This agreement also doubled the planned grant assistance to the Philippines for the period of 2014 to 2020. Funds increased to €325 million, up from €130 million in the period from 2007 to 2013. The Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines states that this seven-year support strategy focuses on “the rule of law” (improved governance and increased cooperation in the justice sector) and “inclusive growth” through sustainable energy and job creation.

The EU also provided aid to Manila’s efforts to end the insurgency in Mindanao, a 50-year conflict that killed more than 120,000 people, displaced one million and prevented economic growth in the region.

The EU is also one of the most important providers of aid to the Philippines in the case of natural disasters. One example of such was after Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. The EU provided €180 million in humanitarian assistance and early recovery interventions to help those affected by Haiyan.

Wiegand stated that the EU will not “beg” the Philippines to accept its aid and that there are “no lack of other countries” for the EU to fund if the Philippines rejects its offer.

Some officials contend that this is only a temporary setback for relations between the Philippines and the EU. Economic Planning Minister Ernesto Pernia is skeptical of Manila’s decision. “I will not take that as policy. It is more of a reaction to criticism. I don’t think it’s going to remain as such,” Pernia said.

– Hannah Seitz

Photo: UN Multimedia

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Eight Facts About Education in Somalia

In the coastal African country of Somalia, a long history of famine and war has made it difficult for the school system to flourish. Civil conflict, an underdeveloped government and natural disasters have all served to stunt the growth of education in Somalia.

But hope is not lost—both government and nonprofit organizations are developing methods to increase access to quality schools. Below are eight facts about the country’s education system and current efforts to improve the landscape.

  1. Few children have the opportunity to attend school in Somalia, with a 30 percent average primary school enrollment rate that dips to 18 percent in secluded regions. Due to severe poverty and the nomadic culture that pervades more than half of the population, sending children to traditional schools is impractical and impossible for many families.
  2. Vast gender disparity also plagues the education system. Less than half of all Somali students are girls, and just one-quarter of women between 15 and 24 are literate, versus 37.8 percent of men.
  3. Ninety-eight percent of Somali girls undergo female genital mutilation (FGM) at some point in their lives, 80 percent between ages five and nine. Girls who attend school, though, are less likely to face the procedure.
  4. Recognizing this correlation, Somali activist Hawa Aden Mohamed established the Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development (GECPD) in the 1990s to create increased access to education in Somalia, especially for girls. The organization has since provided primary schooling to 800 girls and an “un-formal” education to 1,600 adolescent women.
  5. Education itself works as an agent to prevent girls from experiencing FGM. In addition, the GECPD teaches its students about the dangers of FGM and encourages them to break the cycle within their own families, as nearly two-thirds of Somali women and girls approve of the practice of FGM.
  6. Thanks to the GECPD’s work, the girls’ school enrollment rate has risen to 40 percent in the northeast region of the country, while the national average is just 24.6 percent.
  7. Raising these numbers is vital, as 70 percent of the population is under 30 years old. In addition, youth unemployment swells at 67 percent. With a better education system and ample opportunities for both boys and girls, Somalia stands a great chance of breaking the cycle of poverty and building a successful economy.
  8. Earlier this year, an education summit was held in Garowe, where The Ministry of Education in Puntland discussed education policy and curriculum with the federal government. Federal Minister of Education Abdirahman Dahir Osman announced that committees will begin working on issues within the education system and that Egypt has contributed funding to the cause. The involved organizations will soon release more information on the summit’s conclusions.

While the current circumstances may look bleak, the future holds a wealth of possibilities. With the continued support of the government and organizations such as the GECPD, education in Somalia is on track to turn around.

– Madeline Forwerck

Photo: Flickr

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An Uphill Battle: Common Diseases in Ethiopia

Common Diseases in Ethiopia

With a population of more than 98 million people, Ethiopia has a depth of history and diversity that has captivated the world for centuries. It has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, yet common diseases in Ethiopia are still a pressing problem.

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that more than half the population of Ethiopia doesn’t have access to healthcare, cases being more prominent in rural areas. An estimated 42 percent of people living in rural areas are within walking distance of health facilities, while 75 percent of people living in urban areas are within walking distance. Furthermore, many of the healthcare facilities lack adequate medicines and supplies and are staffed by under-qualified workers.

As reported by the WHO, the most common diseases in Ethiopia, responsible for 74 percent of all deaths and 81 percent of disabilities per year, are malaria, prenatal and maternal death, nutrition deficiency, diarrhea, acute respiratory infection and HIV/AIDS.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), consisting of a large group of parasitic diseases, are also a prominent problem throughout Ethiopia. Ethiopia has the highest number of NTD cases in sub-Saharan Africa, including trachoma, podoconiosos and cutaneous leishmaniasis.

However, progress has been made to combat common diseases in Ethiopia. As reported by the World Bank, between 2005 and 2013, “the number of small health posts or clinics nearly quadrupled from 4,211 to 14,416, the number of health centers increased from 519 to 3,245, and the number of public hospitals grew from 79 to 127.” Furthermore, with World Bank-funded programs promoting citizen participation in helping to improve living conditions, NGOs, communities and civil society organizations are increasingly communicating and developing plans to address common diseases in Ethiopia.

Yet, there is still much work to be done. The country still reels from recent protests that killed hundreds of people and battles entrenched ethnic divisions perpetuated under the current government. As Ethiopia fights to end inadequate and inaccessible healthcare, there must be increased communication between citizens and all governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations.

With repressive anti-terror laws, this is a daunting task, yet one that must be addressed if common diseases in Ethiopia are to be eradicated. The entire population depends on international and national pressure to increase funding and expand infrastructure that will be accessible to all people no matter their ethnicity, religion, geographic location, gender and many other factors that divide the country.

– Joseph Dover

Photo: Flickr

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What are the Causes of Poverty in Haiti?

Causes of Poverty in Haiti
Haiti is known as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. According to a Global Sisters Report, more than half of its citizens live either on or below the poverty line, contributing to a dearth of resources like food. Severe hunger is one of the biggest consequences of Haitian poverty, which has gotten worse in recent times. Given the severity of the situation, it’s important to know what the causes of poverty in Haiti are.

 

Exploring the Causes of Poverty in Haiti

 

One of the biggest causes of poverty in Haiti is government instability. Throughout the past 30 years, Haiti has had 18 different leaders, with 18 different governments. Due to this upheaval, several officials and businesses have taken advantage of the situation for their own power and wealth, to the detriment of the rest of the Haitian people.

Another consequence of this instability is the lack of government funds due to a lack of paid taxes. This leads to poor or even nonexistent services, such as aid for natural disasters. When these disasters occur, it creates a bigger burden for a country already struggling with few resources.

Two recent disasters that have exacerbated Haitian poverty are the 2010 earthquake and 2016’s Hurricane Matthew. According to The Economist, the earthquake left tens of thousands homeless, many of them still living in relief tents seven years later.

Still reeling from the earthquake, Hurricane Matthew destroyed much of the country’s livestock and crops. According to the Miami Herald, this leads to either desperate measures to attain food, like eating poisonous plants, or an over-dependence on foreign aid.

A study explored in the Global Sisters Report discussed how “[imported] rice accounts for the vast bulk [83 percent] of consumption.” The dependency on foreign food leads to less investment on local foods, hurting the already fragile economy.

Regardless, foreign relief alleviates a lot of the burden of Haitian poverty. Organizations like Food for the Poor and Misiόn Belem feed Haitians in areas where food is scarce.

In response to those areas of scarcity, current Haitian President Jovenel Moise vows to build up Haitian agriculture, like clearing the Duclos canal so the waters can be used to grow rice. Moise is also considering matters in Haiti beyond agriculture.

The Economist discussed how he received a report from The Copenhagen Consensus Centre outlining what it felt were the best investments into Haiti’s future. These investments included electricity reform, first responder training and infant immunization.

Although the causes of poverty in Haiti are varied and extreme, there are many people both within and outside of the island who are working towards ending Haitian poverty.

– Cortney Rowe

Photo: Flickr

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Why Is the Dominican Republic Poor?

Why Is the Dominican Republic PoorWith more than 800 miles of coastline, the six million tourists that visited the Dominican Republic in 2016 would likely attest to the country’s great beauty. However, not all is well on the island nation. One in three Dominicans and half of Dominican youths are either poor or live below the poverty line. With an increase in tourism flowing to the island, it stands to reason to ask “why is the Dominican Republic poor?”

According to a 2014 World Bank Report on Dominican inequality, only 2 percent of the population climbed to a higher income group, as opposed to the Latin American and Caribbean average of 41 percent. The 2003-2004 Dominican economic crisis is partly to blame. Several Dominican banks collapsed and the Dominican Peso experienced severe inflation. While the economy has recovered from the crisis, the nation’s poorest residents have been left behind.

As recently as 2013, according to the Palma ratio, the wealthiest 10 percent of Dominicans earn as much as 2.5 times as the bottom 40 percent. In the U.S., that earning disparity is only 1.9.

Why is the Dominican Republic poor? Poor Dominicans have it especially bad in urban areas. The cost of living is so high in urban areas that the Dominican minimum wage has failed to keep pace. At 8,310 Dominican Pesos (DOP) per month, roughly $175, many residents have a hard time covering the basic necessities.

Access to basic education is another issue that needs addressing when answering the question “why is the Dominican Republic poor?” Many kids simply drop out of school to help provide for their families. Children that do attend schools must cope with overcrowding and inexperienced teachers. Failure to receive an education lends itself to several problems and has been linked to an increased teen pregnancy rate on the island.

Fortunately for the Dominican Republic, GDP per capita has been steadily growing at one of the fastest rates in the world, due in part to an injection of American tourism dollars. In December 2016, President Danilo Medina promised to redouble efforts to include the country’s poorest citizens in the economic boom, and increase spending on the nation’s public school system.

The World Bank has suggested that the government make direct investments in both informational and physical infrastructure that promote upward mobility and increase access to the expanding labor market. This could include expanding access to the internet and investment in the nation’s schools and teachers.

In answering the question of why the Dominican Republic is poor, we must understand that while the island nation itself isn’t poor, problems of wealth inequality and barriers to accessing information and education still persist. But, the Dominican government is not oblivious to these problems. Through investment in infrastructure and the expanding labor market, the government hopes to raise the incomes of its poorest citizens.

– Tj Anania

Photo: Flickr

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Debt Crisis Affects Human Rights in Puerto Rico

Human Rights in Puerto Rico

The human rights of Puerto Ricans have been radically affected as the U.S. government works with Commonwealth officials to manage and reduce the debt crisis in Puerto Rico. Essential public services including healthcare, education, social security and basic necessities of food and housing have been undermined as further spending cuts were made in an attempt to recover the economy.

After being in an economic recession for nearly a decade, Puerto Rico relinquished control of its finances after filing for bankruptcy in May 2017. The lack of protection under Chapter Nine bankruptcy leaves the government in Puerto Rico with fewer means to restructure debt. With their inalienable right to self-determination in jeopardy, citizens of Puerto Rico faced the opportunity to claim equal rights as U.S. citizens by voting for statehood, according to Governor Ricardo Rosselló. With only 23 percent of eligible voters casting ballots on June 11, the quest for financial relief and development remains in the hands of the U.S. Congress.

Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory with its own constitution and government. Island residents elect a governor and members to the island’s legislature, but they may not vote in the U.S. general election for president and they do not have a voting member of Congress. Becoming the fifty-first state would allow the island access to bankruptcy protection, although many still oppose statehood.

The financial crisis is also deteriorating human rights in Puerto Rico in terms of health care. Low-income citizens are currently only able to access healthcare through Affordable Care Act funds, which are nearly exhausted. With these funds running out, Puerto Rico could use all of its Medicaid funding, plunging the island into a health crisis, and putting healthcare for the poor and elderly in danger.

Among the 400,000 people who have left for the mainland since 2004 are doctors and physicians, primarily for economic opportunities. Puerto Rican residents have lower household incomes and higher child poverty rates than those living in the U.S. With an increasing number of hospital closures, Puerto Ricans are at risk of losing access to healthcare services.

The debt crisis has also shed light on discriminatory policies affecting human rights in Puerto Rico for people with disabilities. Puerto Ricans with disabilities are excluded from the federal Supplemental Security Income program (SSI), leaving them to rely on limited support. SSI provides American citizens with disabilities residing in the U.S. with $540 per month, while the federal Aid to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled Program can only provide Puerto Ricans with disabilities $74 per month.

Basic necessities such as the right to adequate food and housing are slipping out of financial reach in Puerto Rico. The cost of living on the island is high, with grocery products 21 percent higher than the U.S. average. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Puerto Rico is 11 percent, and with 45 percent of residents below the line of poverty, adequate housing has become increasingly difficult to pay for.

Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, an independent expert on the effects of foreign debt on human rights, said, “Schools are paying a significant amount of their funds to provide school children at least with one decent meal.” The right to education has been steadily declining in Puerto Rico, with 150 schools being closed and an anticipated 600 due to close within the next five years.

Whether the island becomes a state or a nation, one thing is clear: financial reform measures must ensure that human rights in Puerto Rico are protected.

– Jennifer Mcallister

Photo: Google