Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Post War Struggles: Poverty in Bosnia-Herzegovina

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In 1992, a major conflict developed within Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbians and Croatians living in Bosnia hoped to make the country a part of their own. Led by Slobodan Milosevic, the Serbians and Bosnians raged a violent war, resulting in over 100,000 lives lost. Years later, the remnants of the war are still inflicting damage on the citizens of Bosnia.

In total, 100 billion United States dollars worth of damage was inflicted on the country during the three-year war. Nearly half of the Bosnia-Herzegovina population fled the country following the war. This impact has been significant, making BH one of the poorest countries in Europe.

The majority of the poverty resides in rural areas, where the failures of the market economy have become evident. The damage from the war had a profound impact on the Bosnian farmers. Nearly ninety percent of their livestock were killed in the struggle and over half of their assets lost. These misfortunes have resulted in an extremely high unemployment rate. For farmers in an area where cultivation and agriculture is already difficult to make a living off of, these blows have been crippling.

Another reason for the high poverty rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the focus on post-war reconstruction. The majority of the areas that received support and rebuilding were the highly populated urban areas of the country. This left the citizens residing in rural areas, which make up the majority of the population, on their own.

The post-war poverty struggles have had the most significant impact on the women of Bosnia. Unable to form working skills and lacking the same civil rights as men, many women have become susceptible and vulnerable to prostitution and trafficking. The impact on women has severely affected Bosnian families. The amount of households headed by a woman has increased by one to four following the war. These women are often unable to obtain suitable incomes to support their children.

Bosnia-Herzegovina is a perfect example of the long-term impacts war can have on an economy and a society. They continue to try to lift themselves out of the devastation today.

– William Norris

Sources: Rural Poverty Portal, Mtholyoke.edu
Photo: A Woman’s War

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Poverty in Belize

Belize_Poverty
Belize has experienced a peaceful transition to a democratic government since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1981. The country’s global comparative advantage is derived from its natural resources, which supports the tourism and agriculture sectors, as well as its close geographical proximity to major markets. Challenges like poverty in Belize are due to high vulnerability to external shocks, including natural hazards, impacts of climate change, and terms of trade. The government’s ability to face these challenges is limited due to high debt levels and limited fiscal space.

As a lower middle-income country, Belize experienced a slowdown in growth and an increase in poverty after the global economic crisis, which accompanied increases in the prices of food and fuel price in 2008.  The most recent Country Poverty Assessment indicates that between 2002 and 2009, the overall poverty rate increased from 34% to 41%, while extreme poverty increased from 11% to 16%. In 2010, the country resumed growth, with GDP growth reaching 2.9%. Although Belize’s economy has traditionally relied on agriculture, the services sector grew in importance during the 1990s. According to the World Bank, it is now the country’s largest contributor, accounting for 60% of GDP.

Data indicates that the overall economic growth experienced by the country might have failed to translate into an equal distribution of wealth and well-being. The Country Poverty Assessment states that, “inequality is therefore the manifestation of the central structural problem, which development policy in Belize must address”. The government of Belize continues to put the primary focus of its strategies on the fight against poverty.

Recently, the State Department through the U.S. Mission to Belize made plans to spend $500,000 to create jobs for youth and reduce poverty in Belize. The grant announcement said, “Marginalized youth are empowered when given a voice and opportunities. Equipping marginalized youth and their communities with economic opportunities and/or business training can help them reach their true potential as entrepreneurs and improve citizen security.”

The purpose of the grant proposal is to “confront the root causes of violence and crime in a creative and effective way and seek to create positive cultural and social conditions.” The U.S. Embassy may award up to 10 grants, which do not exceed a total of $500,000 USD. Eligible applicants are non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations (NPOs), International Government Organizations (IGOs), educational institutions, and individuals.

– Ali Warlich

Sources: World Bank, CNS News, Grants.gov
Photo: WordPress

What Does the Congressional Hunger Center Do?

In 1993 the Congressional Hunger Center (CHC), a nonprofit focused on making international and domestic hunger a priority for U.S. policymakers, was formed following a hunger strike by then Representative Tony Hall (D-Ohio). Now, 20 years later, the organization is still working to educate a generation of leaders to fight hunger and poverty both in the U.S. and abroad.

Hall was one of a trio of representatives (two Democrats and one Republican) that formed the House Select Committee on Hunger in 1983 to work on finding real solutions to global hunger. The Select Committee on Hunger operated for ten years until the House of Representatives allowed it and a number of other Select Committees to expire. In response Hall went on a 22 day fast that coalesced bipartisan support around hunger issues, and ultimately lead to the formation of the bipartisan CHC.

According to the CHC’s website, the organization’s mission is “to train and inspire leaders who work to end hunger, and to advocate public policies that create a food secure world. We strive to be a leader in the movement to ensure access to food as a basic human right for all people. We create and nurture a community of innovative and inspiring leaders who act as change agents, bridging the gap between grassroots efforts and national and international public policy to provide access to nutritious, affordable and culturally appropriate food.”

CHC has launched a number of initiatives in the U.S. and overseas since its founding. The organization received its first Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) grant in 1994 to help establish a national anti-hunger leadership program. In 1995 the organization expanded its scope overseas with a humanitarian assistance initiative in the wake of the Rwandan genocide. The organization also secured a grant from the U.S. Institute of Peace to conduct humanitarian emergencies research in Bosnia around the same time.

CHC also administers two fellowship programs, the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows and the Bill Emerson National Fellowship. The programs were named for founding Congressional members of the House Select Committee on Hunger and the CHC respectively. Both were established with Congressional funds allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1999. CHC partners with some universities, such as Carnegie Mellon University’s John Heinz III College for fellows from the two programs to support their degrees.

Both fellowship programs support placement of fellows with organizations either in the U.S. or in developing countries, as well as provide some training.

– Liza Casabona

Sources: Congressional Hunger Center, Carnegie Mellon University
Photo: Congressional Hunger Center

World Bank Proposals for Improved Land Governance

New and improved land governance policies may give Africa the opportunity to revolutionize agricultural productivity and eradicate poverty. Nearly half of the world’s uncultivated land is found in Africa, with nearly 202 million hectares that have the potential to produce revenue and food security for its people. Despite this fact, Africa has the highest poverty rate in the world.

A new World Bank report released on July 22nd titled “Securing Africa’s Land for Shared Prosperity” proposes that weak land governance, or the way in which land rights are defined and administered, may be the direct cause of the problem. Africa’s development record supports the argument that the continent has not made use of its abundant agricultural land and natural resources for shared and sustained growth.

It is estimated that half of all Africans will have shifted from rural areas to cities by 2050. The current gap between rich and poor communities will become steadily more pronounced as communities and governments face the challenge of growing enough nutritious and affordable food for all families on the continent.

“Despite abundant land and mineral wealth, Africa remains poor,” says Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice-President for Africa. “Improving land governance is vital for achieving rapid economic growth and translating it into significantly less poverty and more opportunity for Africans, including women who make up 70% of Africa’s farmers yet are locked out of land ownership due to customary laws. The status quo is unacceptable and must change so that all Africans can benefit from their land.”

The report lays out reforms in Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ghana and other countries, and demonstrates how many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa recognize gender equality and customary land rights. These two issues provide a foundation for productive land administration.

10 steps have been produced, some of which are based on lessons learned from agricultural land reforms put in place in China and Brazil, as well as land rights reforms in the slums of Argentina and Indonesia. The steps include:

  • Empowering local communities and authorities to increase efficiency and transparency in land administration services.
  • Securing tenure rights for individual pilots and community lands.
  • Providing training and encouraging policy reforms to develop capacity in land administration.

According to Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director for Sustainable Development, improving Africa’s agricultural sector is necessary for growth, the creation of jobs, investment, and in turn, less poverty. Serious challenges will need to be addressed to pilot the innovative approach to improve land governance. “Land grabs” by investors have already claimed millions of hectares of land, in some instances even pushing established communities off the land.

The report, however, argues now is the right time for land reform. Growing commodity prices and strong foreign investment, established global initiatives for land reform, and new laws that recognize land rights and gender equality have created a platform for large-scale land rights progress.

– Ali Warlich

Sources: World Bank, All Africa

5 Facts About Mogadishu

When most people consider Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, they often associate the city with piracy, terrorism, or instability. However, after a long history of violence and political volatility, Mogadishu is actually on an upswing. This is not to say that all of the problems plaguing Mogadishu in recent years have been solved, but there is slow and steady progress being made since the injection of foreign aid.

  1. Somalia has been a war-torn nation since 1991 and has been called the most unstable nation according to the Failed States Index. As the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu was no exception. During this period of political instability, it suffered greatly economically. Makeshift camps were set up throughout Mogadishu, and many of the city’s buildings, universities, schools, and colleges were also transformed into refugee camps.
  2. Evidence of the violence in the country can be seen throughout Mogadishu. As a result of the political instability, there are hundreds of military checkpoints throughout the city and many of the buildings are pock-marked from machine gun fire.. Also, even though the Bakara market thrives as an economic center of the city, those who can afford to shop there usually have to hire armed escorts to protect them just to browse the shop’s offerings.
  3. However, in late 2012, Somalia achieved a huge success by having its first election since the start of the civil war, ending the rule of an unstable interim government. Additionally, a new and widely praised constitution was put in place. Although the civil war continues to rattle the nation, the effects of Somalia’s newly achieved political prosperity has had a substantial impact on Mogadishu’s economy. In fact, as a sign of good faith in the nation’s new direction, USAID has announced plans to allocate an additional $20 million in development aid to Somalia. This aid includes building solar-powered lights in Mogadishu.
  4. Mogadishu’s economy is booming in 2013. The city once known for violence is now known for its rampant construction and expansion.  Besides the real estate market, the telecommunications and agricultural industries have been thriving as well. The money that USAID has been investing in Mogadishu in recent years has had a major impact.
  5. Mogadishu’s success has been so dramatic that it may someday become a tourist hotspot. Because of the returning diaspora of Somalis who wish to aid the city’s development now that it is much safer, hotels and beach resorts are already underway under the advisement of ambitious Somali businessmen.

– Sagar Desai

Sources: BBC, The Borgen Project
Photo: CNN

MDG 6: HIV/AIDS, Malaria, & other Diseases

malaria_bed_nets
This is the sixth in a series of posts focusing on the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. The MDGs are a set of eight interrelated goals that were agreed upon by over 180 countries worldwide. They aim to improve the social, economic, and political lives of all people, and are to be achieved by 2015. Two years out from this deadline, it is important to recognize how far we’ve come and how far we have to go.

The sixth MDG is made up of three targets aimed at combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. Progress has been made on each of the three objectives. These three goals are to:

  • Have halted and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015
  • Achieve universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS by 2010
  • Have halted and begun to reverse the spread of malaria and other major diseases by 2015

New HIV infections are declining in most regions. Although, with improved health care resulting in less deaths from AIDS, more people are living with HIV than ever. This makes it even more difficult to contain the disease, resulting in a fairly high and inelastic 2.5 million new infections each year. This phenomenon is not helped by the fact that complete knowledge of HIV transmission and condom use are still low among the younger population.

Over two-thirds of new HIV cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa, presenting an opportunity for redoubled efforts there to increase public awareness and improve access to treatment. It is also important to improve the lives of HIV victims and their families in the short-term. For example, more orphans are attending school thanks to programs to minimize the effects of AIDS.

Availability of treatment for HIV/AIDS increased in all regions between 1990 and 2011, although universal access was not achieved by the goal date of 2010. During 2011, significant progress was made in providing care to the 34 million people living with HIV worldwide. The number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) that year jumped from 6.6 million to 8 million. By the end of 2012, 9.7 million people in developing nations had access to ART. ART is usually a combination of at least three drugs that keep the HIV virus under control. The technique has consistently been shown to reduce mortality and suffering rates among individuals with HIV, and is most effective in the early stages of the disease. This makes it even more important that universal access to treatment is achieved. Roughly 15 million people in developing areas are in need of ART. Currently, 55% of this need is being met and, as of 2011, eleven countries have achieved universal access to ART. Building upon this progress will ensure that all HIV patients receive the treatment they need.

One of the most troublesome things about HIV/AIDS is that it weakens the immune system and makes patients more vulnerable to a wide variety of other diseases. This is harmful to patients already suffering from HIV, and it increases the transmission rates of diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis (TB) to otherwise healthy people. The third facet of MDG 6 is concerned with these other diseases. Exciting progress has been made in regards to malaria and TB in recent years, propelling us towards a future without these diseases.

Between 2000 and 2010, the incidence of malaria fell by 17% and the malaria-specific mortality rate fell by a full quarter. This represents 1.1 million lives saved from this horrifying disease. Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted by the bites of infected mosquitoes. One effective and simple way to prevent the spread of malaria is to sleep under bed nets treated with insecticides. Now, thanks to increased funding, more children in sub-Saharan Africa are sleeping safely under these nets. This type of preventive work with children is especially important, given that the majority of people who die from malaria are children under five in Africa. It also aids in working towards the fourth MDG: a two-thirds reduction of the 1990 child mortality rate by 2015. This is just one example of the numerous intersections of the eight MDGs. When malaria prevention and treatment opportunities improve, child mortality generally falls. In fact, when a country expands the availability of malaria control interventions, child mortality drops by about 20%.

Tuberculosis (TB) is another prevalent infectious disease facing the developing world today. In 2011, it infected an estimated 8.7 million people and killed roughly 1.4 million. TB is caused by a bacterial infection most often occurring in the lungs. It is transmitted by water droplets from the throat and lungs of infected individuals. People with strong immune systems are generally able to fight off the disease without symptoms. However, for people whose immune systems are compromised in any way, including individuals who are HIV-positive, TB becomes a life-threatening illness. Treatment for this disease lasts six-months, and universal access has yet to be achieved. Despite these obstacles, however, 51 million people were successfully treated for TB between 1995 and 2011. Over that time period, the world saw the mortality rate for TB decrease by over 40%. These incredible innovations have been possible by prolonged efforts on many fronts. These include a WHO program aiming to detect TB earlier in Swaziland, the country with the highest rate of TB, and cheaper testing thanks to a partnership between the US government, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Unitaid.

HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB represent some of the greatest causes of poverty in the world today. These debilitating and often fatal diseases dramatically affect the lives of billions of people worldwide, and the progress made so far is astounding. Treatment for HIV is more available than ever before. Incidence of malaria is on the decline, as is the mortality rate for people suffering from it. TB testing and treatment are becoming increasingly available, effective, and efficient. These incredible achievements are just the beginning. They should serve to show us that we can effectively prevent and treat even the most widespread diseases, that we can save millions of lives every year, and that we are capable of much more than we think.

– Katie Fullerton

Sources: WHO Table WHO ART Information WHO MDG UN The Guardian
Photo: The Guardian

Nelson Mandela Quotes – Top 5

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Nelson Mandela convey tend to convey the heart of experiences he’s encountered. Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected president and the recipient of a Nobel Peace Price, has inspired generations with his determination for justice. Mandela was instrumental in the anti-apartheid movement, directing a peaceful campaign against the South African government for more than 20 years. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the movement, allow he refused to adopt armed resistance because of his fierce desire to put an end to apartheid. Elected as South Africa’s first black president in 1994, Mandela became a symbol of fortitude, justice and equality.

Though the former president’s health continues to decline, Nelson Mandela quotes still inspire millions and will be remembered long after his death. Listed below are five of the most thought-provoking and inspirational Nelson Mandela quotes:

  1. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
  2. “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
  3. “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
  4. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
  5. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

– Katie Bandera

Sources: News One, DNA Medium, Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory
Photo: UBM

 

Read Humanitarian Quotes.

Kony’s Elephant Poaching

Kony’s Elephant Poaching
Poaching elephants is a practice in which people kill elephants in order to sell their tusks, meat, or hide. Poachers tend to target old matriarchs, or the oldest adult females, which is especially problematic for the elephant herds because the adult females are responsible for holding the herd together. In many cases, the structure of the herd was additionally disrupted as many young elephants died alongside their mothers.

Elephants are also known to grieve much as humans do. They visit the carcasses of their dead mates, families, or herd members and are emotionally affected by the loss. Should African elephants be completely killed off, there would be no way to repopulate, which would irreversibly damage the ecosystems of Africa and the environment as a whole. Such a disruption in the environment could affect the societies living near herds of African elephants, and potentially negatively affect Africa’s population and economy.

Unfortunately, elephant poaching still occurs in Africa as of 2013, and one of the people who have been partaking in the act is the well-publicized Joseph Kony. Kony, along with the Lord’s Resistance Army, or the LRA, has been elephant poaching in order to keep itself going. This is rather surprising, but most of all, it reflects the negative energy of the LRA as a whole. Kony and his army are using one atrocity to help fuel further atrocities. Kony is wanted for international crimes due to his crimes against humanity and children, and his war crimes. The Enough Project, along with the Satellite Sentinel Project, has documented evidence that the LRA has been poaching elephants. Kony has asked his army to give him elephant tusks to sell in order to buy food, weapons, and any other number of supplies.

This poaching has led to the support of Kony and the LRA, which is just one more reason that elephant poaching should be stopped. Throughout this elephant poaching, the LRA has also fought with the Garamba park rangers using weapons and has outmaneuvered the rangers using GPS and satellite technology. Unfortunately, the current rates of elephant poaching mean that more elephants are being killed than are reproducing. The U.N. has given an estimate that the African elephant population has declined by at least 50% but possibly up to 90% percent, which is a detrimental loss of an already endangered species. The LRA is poaching elephants and it allows them to continue to spread violence in the region and to continue to evade the international community.

There is not all bad news, though; the LRA can still be stopped. The way to do this is by supporting the Garamba park rangers, in order to give them better equipment to find and fight the LRA. An example of this support was through the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), which has launched an initiative worth over $2 million to combat elephant poaching. If the international community focuses on ending elephant poaching, it could also end Kony’s dangerous reign.

– Corina Balsamo

Sources: Enough Project, CNN, Conservation Biology
Photo: National Geographic

Is America Actually Poor?

Is America Actually Poor?
The answer to the question depends on who you ask. Almost 50 million Americans fall below the poverty line while close to another 100 million are considered “low income.” The gap between rich and poor in America is widening; while many Americans are struggling, CEO and executive pay apparently jumped significantly.

Moira Herbst for The Guardian reports that U.S. GDP figures are down almost 2% in 2013 and says that it’s an issue of demand: people just don’t have enough money to pay for stuff. Low-to-minimum wage positions are being added amid cuts of high-priority, private and government sector positions. Unemployment nationally is at almost 8%.

Despite the economic upheaval in the U.S., those who are poor still enjoy a higher standard of living compared to their counterparts in the developing world. Surprisingly, the bottom 10% in America are better off financially than many people who would be considered wealthy in India.

– David Smith 

Sources: Politico, RT, The Guardian, New York Times, Forbes
Photo: Toonari Post

MDG 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

MDG 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
This is the seventh post in a series focusing on the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. The MDGs are a set of eight interconnected goals based on a commitment to improving the social, political, and economic lives of all people. They were agreed upon by over 180 countries and are to be achieved by 2015. With two years left until this deadline, it is exciting to see how much progress has been made and important to recognize how much work we have left.

The seventh MDG consists of four facets that aim to ensure environmental sustainability. Progress pertaining to the four individual goals has been uneven, with incredible achievements in some areas and stagnation in others. The four targets are:

  1. Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs, and reverse the loss of environmental resources
  2. Significantly reduce biodiversity loss by 2010
  3. Cut the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation in half by 2015
  4. Improve the lives of a least 100 million slum-dwellers by 2020

Overall progress on the first of these goals has been slow. Deforestation continues to deplete an important safety net for the poor, especially in South America and Africa. With over 32 million acres of forest lost annually, the world is headed for environmental devastation and efforts on this front must be redoubled. Similarly, global CO2 emissions have risen by almost 50% since 1990. On the other hand, since the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987, the consumption of such substances has decreased by over 98%. Applying this type of initiative to CO2 emissions, deforestation, and other harmful developments would vastly improve the state of the world. The potential for this type of action exists, as displayed at the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012, where world leaders pledged more than $513 billion towards sustainable development projects.

Progress in regards to the second goal has been slightly more substantial, with the number of protected areas on Earth’s surface increasing by 58% since 1990. However, there are still many vital biodiversity sites that are not yet protected. As of 2010, only 1.6% of the total ocean area is protected, compared with 12.7% of land area. The world’s oceans are a vastly undervalued resource. They are critical environmental resources and are damaged at alarming rates. Offenses in this area include overfishing, destruction of coral reefs, loss of biodiversity, and water pollution. Protection of oceans is vital to the welfare of many countries whose economies rely on ocean-related industries such as fishing and tourism. Efforts to ensure the preservation of oceans and land areas are needed to counteract biodiversity loss and environmental destruction.

When it comes to the third facet of MDG 7, progress has been incredible. The proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water was cut in half five years ahead of schedule! Over 2 billion people gained access to improved drinking water sources between 1990 and 2010. The World Health Organization and UNICEF define “improved” sources of drinking water as those that are protected from outside contamination, including human and animal waste, and runoff water. The percentage of people using such a source increased from 76% to 89% between 1990 and 2010. This amazing progress should leave no doubt that we can provide improved water sources for the 768 million people who are still in need, 40% of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to the WHO and UNICEF, improved sanitation facilities are those that hygienically prevent humans from coming in contact with human waste. Between 1990 and 2011, more than 240,000 people gained access to improved sanitation facilities every day. This represents astounding progress, although it still leaves roughly 2.5 billion people in developing countries without access to improved sanitation facilities. Given the astounding achievements thus far, progress should continue to be made in the years to come.

The final target of MDG 7 has also been met far ahead of the 2020 goal date. The lives of at least 200 million slum dwellers have been changed with access to improved water and/or sanitation facilities, as well as sturdier and less crowded housing. Living space is defined as a “slum household” if it lacks one or more of the following:

  • Access to improved water
  • Access to improved sanitation
  • Sufficient living space
  • Durability of housing
  • Security of tenure, or protection by the State from unlawful evictions

Of the five criteria, the security of tenure is by far the most difficult to keep track of. Because of this, the first four standards are widely used to determine the number of people living in slums. Based on these measures, more than 850 million people were living in slums as of 2012, which represents an increase of more than 200 million people from the 1990 figure. However, it is also worth noting that the proportion of slum-dwellers living in the developing world decreased by 6% between 2000 and 2012. This reflects the progress there that has led to the incredible achievement of this facet of MDG 7 so far ahead of schedule.

Environmental stewardship is an essential part of the fight against poverty. Those living in poverty are often the hardest hit when the environment is not taken care of. They do not, for example, have the resources to buy fertilizer to supplement deteriorating soil or to support themselves through a severe drought. They have less access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, and their housing is often tenuous. The seventh MDG is important because it aims to ensure that all people are able to benefit from the world’s resources for many generations to come.

– Katie Fullerton
Sources: UNICEF MDG Indicators UN World Bank