Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Malnutrition in Kazakhstan

Low Malnutrition KazakhastanNutritional status is a reflection of overall health. When there is access to sufficient food and low exposure to repeated illness, proper nutritional basics can be achieved and growth potentials for children can be reached. In terms of growth, malnutrition in Kazakhstan is quite the success story.

When focusing on malnourished children, the most fragile victims, it is evident that Kazakhstan has higher numbers than other neighboring countries. In Kazakhstan, four percent of children under the age of 5 are moderately underweight, and only 0.8 percent are classified as severely underweight.

Some children, however, are not reaching their growth potential. The age group that contained the highest number of growth stunts was the 12 to 18-month-old age group with 16.6 percent of children not reaching their potential. Even though this is the highest figure of the negative-oriented data, it is still comparatively okay.

Why is Kazakhstan doing well? Kazakhstan takes food security very seriously, which is probably a main factor. It is one of the world’s top producers of grain and flour, and it is also active in creating humanitarian aid programs for people in need. KazAID is one of the programs that Kazakhstan provides.

With its fundamental success in providing citizens with nutrition, Kazakhstan seeks to spread the well-being of its country to other countries in need using KazAID. Approval from major organizations, like the UNDP, has allowed KazAID to start providing assistance to other countries in the area.

– Erik Nelson

Sources: Kazakhstan UNSC, Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs, UNICEF, UNDP
Photo: SciELO Public Health

The Fight Against Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub Saharan Africa AgricultureFor those in sub-Saharan Africa, or SSA, around 47 percent of people live on less than $1.25 a day. Even more jarring are the statistics on child poverty throughout SSA, represented in a recent paper on deprivation analysis from the UNICEF Office of Research.

The paper defines and analyzes poverty in the form of various deprivations related to health, sanitation, food, water and education. Based on available data from 30 SSA countries, 86 percent of children under the age of 18 live with at least one deprivation. Within that 86 percent, 247 million children live with two or more deprivations, identified as lack of sanitation and poor infant feeding. In addition, 87 million children live with four or five deprivations, which include a lack of sanitation, poor vaccine coverage, unclean water and poor education. While research demonstrates a downward trend in poverty for the majority of the countries in SSA, Rwanda, Mozambique, the Ivory Coast and Guinea continue to see a rise in poverty, and the region is clearly left with pressing needs.

We have the numbers—now what? Some believe that the key to overcoming poverty in SSA is to promote and invest in science. SSA countries are encouraged to focus on scientific research and education to accelerate development and stimulate economic growth. The U.S. Agency for International Development has been a proponent of the initiative, vital to the success of these impoverished areas.

Two recent inventions that aid the poor are simple chlorine dispensers in Uganda, and a texting system that uses codes from prescription medications to ensure authenticity. USAID has taken additional poverty-fighting actions through the establishment of Power Africa, a program that collaborates with the government, private sector and others to allow more access to electricity for the SSA population. A reported 600 million people are without power.

In its regional economic outlook, the International Monetary Fund reported modest positive development in SSA, but also acknowledged that difficulties remain. Progress in the majority of these economies has sparked primarily through agriculture, infrastructure and services, but the widespread Ebola outbreak and security issues in the South Sudan and Central African Republic have left many with dimmed optimism.

Those working toward economic growth in SSA must not only direct their efforts toward scientific research, but also support for a post-Ebola recovery plan and promotion of regional stability. Costing lives and resources, Ebola has significantly hindered the progress of the economy. Tourism is at a notable low, along with manufacturing. The number of agricultural exports has also declined as farmers flee their land in fear of Ebola. Stability remains a challenge for many SSA countries; however, Chad, which has benefited greatly from a continuing era of stability, could serve as a leader on the forefront of peace. Although there has been some improvements to date, the SSA poverty crisis will require a global effort if it is to be ameliorated.

– Amy Russo

Sources: IMF, The World Bank 1, The World Bank 2, UNICEF, USAID 1, USAID 2
Photo: Sci Dev

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Angelina Jolie as UNHCR Special Envoy

Angelina Jolie UNHCRAngelina Jolie is invested in refugee issues, and has been involved with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, also known as UNHCR, since 2000. Her interest and activism in humanitarian affairs began in 2000 when she visited Cambodia to shoot her film “Tomb Raider.” Her dedication to displaced persons, refugees and humanitarian assistance has generated substantial domestic and international attention.

In 2001, she was named a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, as she conducted forty field missions to some of the most remote areas of the world. In April 2012, she was appointed as Special Envoy of UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres. According to UNHCR, “In her new and expanded role, she will be focusing on major crises resulting in mass population displacements; undertaking advocacy and representing UNHCR and Guterres at the diplomatic level; and engaging with decision-makers on global displacement issues. Through this work, she will help contribute to the vital process of finding solutions for people displaced by conflict.” Her first mission as Special Envoy was in Ecuador in 2012.

Jolie’s contributions to UNHCR have been tremendous. Not only does she advocate on the behalf of refugees, engage with diplomacy and activities relating to global displacement issues and inspire others, she has also donated over five million dollars to UNHCR since 2001. Jolie continues to bear witness to and support disaster relief, vulnerable children, environmental conservation and international law and justice efforts.

In 2003, she started the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which has contributed funds to Namibia, Ethiopia and Cambodia. This foundation includes microcredit programs, rural planning, health care, agriculture, education and infrastructure. She also launched the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children, co-chairs the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, became a member of the influential Council on Foreign Relations and continues to be active in the international community and zones of conflict and instability.

In January 2015, Jolie visited Dohuk, Iraq in pursuits of ending suffering in the region. She met with Syrian refugees and Iraqi citizens of the Kurdistan region, investigating the current humanitarian situation. She reported, “As the conflict in Syria approaches its fifth year, the war in Syria is at the root of so many of the problems faced here in Iraq and across the region. There is an urgent need for international leadership to break the cycle of violence in Syria, and to find a way forward towards a just and sustainable peace agreement.” Her dedication to the cause of refugees, displacement and humanitarianism is indispensable.

Jolie has been recognized for her effective efforts. She was the first recipient of the Citizen of the World Award in 2003, followed by the Global Humanitarian Award in 2005 for her work with refugees. Her efforts were further recognized in 2007, when the International Rescue Committee awarded the Freedom Award to Jolie and High Commissioner Guterres for their contributions to the cause of refugees and human freedom.

– Neti Gupta

Sources: UNHCR 1, UNHCR 2, USA for UNHCR
Photo: Flickr

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VisionSpring Provides Eyeglasses for the Poor

visionspringWith all the issues around the globe, the world’s lack of eyeglasses probably does not occur to some people. However, around 703 million people have a vision problem that requires the use of glasses—and few of these 703 million people ever get them.

VisionSpring, an organization that provides glasses to the poor, realizes that more than 90 percent of these people live in a developing country. It also realizes that simply providing a worker with reading glasses for a mere $4 can improve his or her wage by up to $108 dollars per year. For citizens of developing countries, this amount could change the quality of someone’s life.

Founder and chairman of VisionSpring, Jordan Kassalow says that the organization’s operations rely on the motto “See to Learn, See to Work, and See For Safety.” Giving a pair of glasses to a student can equate to advancing his or her education up to a year, and glasses prevent injuries on the road and on the job.

Every dollar donated to VisionSprings adds up to an economic impact of $23 dollars. The organization sends out “vision entrepreneurs” to asses a community’s vision and spread the word about the opportunities available to that community. They travel around the world to the most impoverished places to advocate for this cause. This is nice because that means the help is coming to those who need it instead of vice versa—for example, in India someone could lose up to $10 dollars traveling to purchase a $4 dollar pair of glasses.

After performing vision tests for customers and providing them with glasses, a person can see his or her work productivity increase by 35 percent. VisionSpring also aims to consider the cultural differences between these various locations to best suit that community’s needs. For example, the organization has come up with a special pair of clear glasses for UV protection that can still shield eyes from the sun but are not the traditionally dark-shaded sunglasses the Western world is accustomed to.

“As I placed the glasses on the boy’s nose, I watched as the blank stare of a blind person transformed into an expression of unadulterated joy—I was witnessing someone seeing his world for the first time,” recounts Kassalow after giving one of his first pair of glasses to a seven-year-old boy in Mexico. VisionSprings considers a little-known issue that can bring big results—not only higher literacy and productivity rates but simply joy.

– Melissa Binns

Sources: The Christian Science Monitor, Forbes, VisionSpring
Photo: Boston Big Picture

Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique’s Growth Triangle

In 2000, leaders of Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique joined together to enhance national economic development objectives in the economically depressed regions of the three countries. Followed by a signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in 2003, the “Growth Triangle,” as it has been commonly referred to, was formalized and finalized in late 2014.

The objective of the Zambia/Malawi/Mozambique Growth Triangle (ZMMGT) is to incorporate the border areas encompassing eastern provinces in Zambia, the Tete province in Mozambique and the central and northern regions of Malawi. Representatives originally hoped to harness the natural resources of the area and, through infrastructure improvement, create jobs with the goal of eliminating poverty.

According to a 2014 United Nations report covering economic development in Africa, economic activities and production as well as social sectors have increased steadily between 2003 and 2011.

The three countries banning together create an interesting investment. Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique are all member states of both the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), two key trade regional economic bodies. Therefore, investors in these three countries enjoy preferential market access to a bigger, tripartite regional market of just over 600 million people, ranging from tip of South Africa in the south, to the northern tip of Egypt in the north.

The African Business Review states that “perhaps the most important business reform that the ZMMGT is set to initiate will be the simplification of border relations…which will [remove] any limits placed on conducting cross-border commercial activity…The immediate effect of this will be the streamlining of business transactions across the triangle.”

A railway line that spans the three countries is also due to be completed and will facilitate the transport of goods across Zambia and Malawi, to the port of Nacala in Mozambique.

Investment and infrastructure are key concepts for any country to grow. Three African countries agreeing to enhance the economy is a positive sign of growth in Africa overall.

– Alaina Grote

Sources: African Business Review, Africa Strictly Business, UNCTAD
Photo: Flickr

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The Osaka Slum with No Name

osaka slumJapan currently ranks fourth globally with the highest percentage of people living in relative poverty. ‘Relative poverty’ is a term that means the population does not have enough resources to live on, and individuals are unable to provide themselves with basic and essential needs. Japan has approximately 16.1 percent of its population existing in this status. This condition is exemplified in the Osaka slum discussed below.

 

Kamagasaki: The Osaka Slum

 

Within Japan, a slum exists that is a prime example of foreign global poverty. It is a small area, only .24 square miles. The city itself cannot be found on maps of Japan. It is where the poorest people in Osaka, Japan reside. It is the largest slum in Japan: Kamagasaki.

Almost 40 years ago, Kamagasaki was a thriving area in Osaka, due to its construction businesses, and many laborers came from throughout Japan to work there because of such high demand. Three historical events changed Kamagasaki. In 1995, the Hanshin earthquake killed over 6,000 people throughout Japan. Then, in 2010, the rate of economic growth began decreasing in Japan, and it no longer had the second largest growing economy in the world. The demand for labor in Kamagasaki further declined and created more poor. And finally in March 2011, the Great East Japan earthquake occurred. In Kamagasaki, of the 330,000 workers evacuated after the earthquake, 200,000 were estimated to be out of work.

There was a rapid decline into poverty in this specific area of Osaka after 1995 as people began to leave the area. As a result, currently, due to the lack of employment, it is now home to only 25,000 aspiring elderly workers. Of the aspiring workers, 1,300 of them are homeless. The employment options are few and far between—there are very few jobs available. The lack of technology and access to the Internet affects the ability for the unemployed to connect with employers and better paying jobs. Picking through garbage has become a common source of income for residents, allowing them to earn from $9 to $13 per day.

Unskilled laborers after the age of 50 rarely get work and do not qualify for government assistance until the age of 60, leaving a gap of 10 years without income or eligibility for government assistance—including healthcare. The prevalence of tuberculosis infection rate in Kamagasaki is three in every 100 residents.The rate of tuberculosis infection is estimated to be between 30 and 40 times the national average in Japan.

Kamagasaki is a poverty stricken area in Osaka, Japan, the country with the third highest growth of economy in the world. The area was given a new name decades ago: Airin-chiku.

Continued focus on Millennium Development Goal 1, eradication of extreme hunger or poverty, needs to reflect further progress in this area, regardless of what it is called.

– Erika Wright

Sources: The Guardian, The Japan Times, Pulitzer Center
Photo: Epoch Times

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Namibia as a Successful Peace Operation

NamibiaWhile there have been numerous peace operations, the United Nations peacebuilding mission in Namibia is regarded as one of the United Nation’s most prominent successes. Peace operations were not originally mentioned in the 1945 U.N. Charter, however the modern condition of warfare has allowed for flexibility in international law, norms, and actors. The extension of the definition of “threats to peace and international security” has broadened over time, as evidenced by legal positivism and treaties such as the Responsibility to Protect and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It has been argued the Security Council embraced an innovative character throughout the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.  A large contribution to this was the extension of “threats to peace” after the Cold War to include widespread violations of international humanitarian law and the massive flow of refugees. Since the 1990’s, the Security Council has acted past its authorized powers by means of flexible interpretation of the charter, but mostly expressed consent.There have been numerous peace operations, specifically during after the 1990’s, and many of these operations have taken place in civil war conflict areas. While there are various debates on the efficacy of peace operations, the mission is Namibia provides a case of a successful and sustainable peace.

Namibia is a country that was colonized by the Germans until a defeat by South Africa in 1915. South Africa ruled colonized Namibia until the Security Council confirmed the illegality of South Africa’s presence in the Territory in 1970, and later declared the necessity to hold free elections in Namibia as to ameliorate the oppressive presence of the South African Administration on the Namibian peoples. The United Nations adopted Resolution 435 in 1978 for U.N. supervision over Namibia’s independence, the mission was titled United Nations Transition Assistance Group, also referred to as UNTAG.According to the U.N. Mandate, the mission aimed to “Assist the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to ensure the early independence of Namibia through free and fair elections under the supervision and control of the United Nations. UNTAG was also to help the Special Representative to ensure that: “All hostile acts were ended; troops were confined to base, and, in the case of the South Africans, ultimately withdrawn from Namibia; all discriminatory laws were repealed, political prisoners were released, Namibian refugees were permitted to return, intimidation of any kind was prevented, law and order were impartially maintained.”

UNTAG proved to be different from previous peace operations, for its goals were focused on political rather than military goals. The success of the mission in Namibia had many ingredients. Not only was the timing appropriate due to the regional desire for peace, but UNTAG involved a great deal of civilian involvement. This is a critical component, for civilian input is invaluable when a society is being constructed into a democratic entity. Since the United Nations had been involved in Namibia for a substantial amount of time, the personnel and senior offices were very familiar with the situation. This is significant, for outside parties need dense insight into the conflict of which they are intervening. The wide mandate of the UN, combined with the sense of legitimacy by the Namibian people was necessary for the lasting peace in the region. Namibia gained independence in March 1990 and joined the United Nations as an independent country in April 1990.

– Neti Gupta

Sources: Taylor & Francis Online, University of Colorado, United Nations 1, United Nations 2

Photo: Fotolibra

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History of World Hunger

history of hungerThe presence of chronic hunger and the highest rates of obesity is one of the greatest paradoxes of our time. According to a study done at Ohio State University, “It is part of a single global food crisis, with economic, geopolitical, and environmental dimensions. It is perhaps the starkest, most basic way in which global inequality is manifest.” While world hunger is proliferated by unequal resource distribution, the mechanisms of interconnected societies offer viable tools to alleviate suffering.

A myriad of non-governmental actors exist today to combat world hunger, including the World Food Program, Action Against Hunger, Doctors Without Borders and the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees. While these international mechanisms have developed to meet recent needs, world hunger has existed throughout the course of human history.

 

World Hunger: Tale as Old as Time

 

There have been a variety of food systems over time. For a large portion of history, humans hunted or grew food for their own consumption, and food traveled only short distances from source to stomach. This does not mean, however, that long distance food exchanges were not present. From spice trades to acquiring “exotic” foods from colonies, a “mercantile food system” was present from 1500-1750. This was replaced by the “settler-colonial” regime during the nineteenth century in which white settler colonies traded luxury and basic foods and goods in return for European manufactured goods. The “productivist” food regime emerged after World War II which was characterized by food industries and the re-emergence of European and American agricultural protectionism. The idea that the entire world can experience a “food crisis” was coupled with the idea that one can foment a world free from hunger.

A neoliberal food regime has developed since the 1980s. Characterized by multinational and corporate power, this system has promoted a “global diet” that is high in sugars and fats at the expense of traditional or local diets. This trend in food is caused in part by globalization, and creates an intricate relationship between the individual and multinational corporations, local and distant farms and the environment.

Chronic hunger and food security are inherently connected. Citizens of the most industrial places on the planet still experience hunger on a massive scale. According to the vice president of the Poverty and Prosperity Program of the Center for American Progress: “people making trade-offs between food that’s filling but not nutritious…(this) may actually contribute to obesity.” Regarding larger scale suffering, extreme causes of world hunger include poverty, powerlessness, armed conflict, environmental overload and discrimination.

While hunger is understood differently across time, space and culture, it is important to alleviate this problem of chronic hunger. One must investigate sustainable solutions to the root causes of the problem, and these long-term solutions should be implemented by local peoples.

– Neti Gupta

Sources: Freedom from Hunger, National Geographic, Ohio State University
Photo: Flickr

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Benefits of a Universal Basic Income

Universal Basic Income is a concept where everyone receives a check from their government every month to pay for any necessities one may need. Although the thought of Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a radical move for any country, it can be a way to alleviate poverty. Instead of Food Stamp and Welfare programs, citizens would receive one lump sum check regardless of status. According to the Huffington Post “it could eliminate poverty to a great extent, and set the stage for a healthier and more productive society.”

Switzerland citizens have been fighting for this movement and have sparked a public referendum to push the movement forward. The country has seen the possible benefits of what a UBI can accomplish. Families can have food security, income inequality would decrease, and if countries adopt the idea with success may influence other countries to do the same. In the 1970’s Canada experimented with the implementation of a UBI, and according to the New York Times “poverty disappeared…High-school completion rates went up; hospitalization rates went down.”

Another reason this topic is so vital in today’s world is the advancement of technology. The Guardian has found “Oxford academics Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A Osborne have predicted computerisation could make nearly half of jobs redundant within 10 to 20 years.” Thus, the more technology grows, the less jobs will be available to the public.

However, the chance of having a UBI gives citizens a way to achieve their professional dreams. Instead of people working a job they need to survive, with a monthly check from the government they can focus on what they really want to do. The economist has studied “Philippe Van Parijs, a Belgian philosopher, who believes a UBI provides ‘the real freedom to pursue the realization of one’s conception of the good life’” Therefore, a family living in poverty will lose the stress of worrying about their next meal and children can focus on education.

If this concept seems so beneficial why hasn’t it been done? One of the main concerns of creating a UBI is the downfall in work ethic; there is a possibility of laziness if people receive checks for simply being alive. Another drawback is the raise in taxes, BBC has stated “income tax would not necessarily rise, but value added tax – on what people buy rather than what they earn – could rise to 20% or even 30%.”

Despite some negativities in a UBI, it is an idea that may soon be adopted by a majority of the world. With its recent conversation in many governments there seems to be a positive outlook on this concept. A universal income may sound outlandish but so does ending world poverty; yet, both are achievable in the near future.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, The New York Times
Photo: PBS

How USAID Helps the World’s Poor

USAIDOver the years, The United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, has supplied 46 million people with food and protected 1.5 million children from preventable diseases. They hold 87 missions around the world, and are partnered with 3,500 companies and organizations. However, they only use one percent of the federal budget. Regardless of the minimal support from the government, USAID continues to create better living conditions for the world’s poor. Four recent developments are taking place in Afghanistan, Nigeria, Manila and Mozambique.

USAID has funded $62 million on Tetra Tech, a company focused on engineering and program management. Tetra Tech will focus on helping to develop the government system in Afghanistan. According to Business Wire, the company will “strengthen the linkages between the central government and provincial levels for strategic planning, budgeting and service delivery.” With this investment, the state will better develop communication to help citizens.

In Nigeria, USAID is helping farmers increase cocoa production to compensate for the fall in oil prices. Cocoa is a key export for Nigeria, and with the education to grow more effectively, it will support and diversify the economy. AllAfrica has recognized Mathew Burton, Director of Economic Growth and Environment for USAID, who believes “there are obviously opportunities for Nigeria to explore in the development of her cocoa sector.” With the search for investors to further help boost production, this can be a tremendous help for Nigeria’s economy and development.

After the multiple natural disasters the Philippines has endured, USAID has announced a partnership with the “Education Governance Effectiveness Project, which will help elementary public schools in the target provinces get back on track towards improving learning outcomes.” The mission is focused on helping students in grade school to help implement a solid learning foundation for their future education. Since education correlates to the rate of poverty, this will be a stepping stone for the country’s further development.

Feed the Future is the U.S. government’s initiative to end world hunger. USAID is assisting in helping farmers in Mozambique use “more productive agriculture technologies, improving nutrition and health, and connecting farmers to markets.” This initiative not only helps decrease starvation, but also increase the economy by selling goods in markets. USAID has educated farmers on proper agricultural techniques and partnered with the Government of Mozambique.

The progress USAID has made gives more reason to why they deserve better funding from the government. With consistent efforts to make better living conditions for the world’s poor, they are a beacon of hope to ending world poverty. The more USAID works to create plans across the globe, the less we will see famine and disease in poor countries.

– Kimberly Quitzon

Sources: USAID 1, USAID 2, Business Wire, All Africa, Feed The Future
Photo: Flickr