Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

What is Blue Carbon?

Blue Carbon
The world’s oceans and coastlines play a crucial role in regulating the planet’s climate. Yet, the ecosystems responsible for this vital function are vanishing at an alarming rate. Fortunately, efforts to conserve and rejuvenate coastal habitats are not only preserving the environment but also improving the well-being of local communities. In this context, understanding blue carbon and its potential benefits for coastline communities is essential.

What is Blue Carbon?

Since 1850, the world’s oceans and coastlines have absorbed approximately 40% of the carbon dioxide that humans have emitted. The term blue carbon refers to carbon that ocean and coastal ecosystems store and sequester. These ecosystems extract carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and store it as plant matter, which eventually breaks down and becomes locked away in the mud and sediments below.

Although most carbon storage solutions and schemes have focused on terrestrial forests, coastal ecosystems actually have a greater carbon storage potential than terrestrial ones. Incredibly, coastal ecosystems can sequester up to five times more carbon than terrestrial forests per hectare. The majority of this blue carbon is in coastal mangroves, seagrass beds and salt marshes. These three habitats have also received the most scientific attention out of all ocean-cased carbon storage and many consider them proven carbon stocks and sinks.  

The concept of blue carbon storage is still in its infancy compared to the well-developed terrestrial carbon storage programs and carbon credit schemes. This is because calculating the amount of carbon stored by coastal and marine ecosystems is extremely complex. Despite this, blue carbon is steadily emerging as a facet of global climate management and local community resilience.  

How Can Blue Carbon Benefit Coastal Communities?

Developing countries already benefit from the financial mechanisms set up around terrestrial carbon storage. For example, the United Nations (U.N.) has created the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program under which developing countries receive compensation for protecting the carbon sequestration functions of their forests. 

No similar program yet exists for blue carbon. However, it is already a feature of voluntary carbon markets (VCMs), where private companies purchase carbon credits to offset their emissions. One carbon credit is the equivalent of the removal of one metric ton of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The carbon credits that they buy originate from large and small carbon storage initiatives, and this is where the benefit to local communities emerges.

Blue carbon protection and restoration initiatives offer the potential for small, locally managed and self-sustaining conservation projects in the coastal communities of developing countries. These projects hold a wealth of benefits for the communities not only in the funds received from selling carbon credits but in the many co-benefits to the community and the environment. Mangroves can act as carbon sinks and protection from tsunamis, natural water filtration systems and nursery habitats for fish species and other marine life. 

The Mikoko Pamoja Project in Kenya

The Mikoko Pamoja Project, Swahili for ‘mangroves together’ was one of the first blue carbon projects in the world. The project originated in 2012 with the aim of reforesting mangroves in Gazi Bay, Kenya, to protect local villages from coastal erosion, fish population decline and the effects of changing weather patterns. As the first community-based blue carbon project to sell carbon credits from mangrove conservation and restoration, it was a huge success. More than 117 hectares of mangroves were reforested. The money earned from carbon credits went into the community of 5,400 residents in the form of education, health and water sanitation projects. 

The Delta Blue Carbon Project in Pakistan

The Delta Blue Carbon Project, based in Sindh, Pakistan, is the world’s largest mangrove restoration project. The aim is to protect and restore 350,000 hectares of mangrove and intertidal areas, which should generate 128 million carbon credits over the project’s 60-year lifetime. These carbon credits could go toward benefitting more than 42,000 people in local communities, and the project has already created 21,000 jobs. A recent auction resulted in the sale of 250,000 of these high-quality, nature-based blue carbon credits, each sold at a price of $27.80 per tonne. 

The Vida Manglar Mangrove Project in Colombia

A more recent blue carbon initiative has roots in the mangrove forests of Cispata, Colombia. The 110,000-hectare mangrove forest in Cispata is the first mangrove system to have had its carbon-sequestration power fully calculated. This includes measurements for its roots, trunks, leaves and the carbon stored in the sediment. Tech giant Apple partly funded the carbon sequestration calculations. All of Vida Manglar’s available carbon credits have been sold and 92% of these funds are going back into the conservation of the mangroves. 

Looking Forward

Most blue carbon projects to date have been centered around mangrove ecosystems. This is because they are the easiest blue carbon ecosystem to access and create accurate carbon sequestration estimates for. However, ongoing work continues to create a scientific basis for using other types of ocean-based carbon storage such as seagrass and kelp to generate carbon credits. This expansion will enable the opportunities and benefits of various projects to reach countries beyond those with mangrove habitats. Additionally, considering the current higher demand for blue carbon credits compared to supply, more projects are expected to emerge. These initiatives, like the ones mentioned, offer a nature-based solution for promoting sustainable development in coastal and ocean communities.

 – Amy McAlpine
Photo: Flickr

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Poverty Reduction in Tonga

Poverty Reduction in TongaThe Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga consists of 170 beautiful South Pacific islands that King Tupou VI and prime minister Siaosi Sovaleni rule as a monarchy. To the pride of its citizens, Tonga is the only Pacific island that was never colonized, even if it was a British protectorate for 65 years. Tonga’s economy struggles today because of heavy reliance on agriculture, lack of jobs and crippling natural disasters. 

Current Poverty and Risks

The U.N.’s first SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) is to erase extreme poverty. In Tonga, one in 10 adults live in extreme poverty, meaning their household income is low, and they lack five or more socially perceived necessities. These include two meals daily, two pairs of shoes and transportation. However, almost a quarter of Tongans live above the extreme poverty threshold but remain poor according to the multidimensional measure — they cannot participate in Tongan society due to insufficient resources. 

Agriculture takes up too many jobs. In 2021, 30% of Tonga’s employment was in agriculture. Still, most of the work only covers residents’ basic needs and does not help grow the economy. Though the country exports fish and produce to New Zealand, the U.S. and Japan, in 2021, these exports only accounted for 3% of the national GDP. 

Tourism also provides many jobs. In 2020, Tonga made $47 million in tourism revenue which accounted for 9.9% of a $484 million GDP. However, many of these jobs ended due to COVID-19 and natural disasters. Since non-agricultural or tourism jobs are hard to find, Tongans lack job opportunities. 

Jobs are easier to find elsewhere, so family members (especially husbands) commonly leave the island to be able to provide for their families. In 2021, this migration (e.g., remittance) accounted for 46% of Tonga’s GDP, an astronomical number. Since educated migrants come predominantly from wealthier families, there is a chance that remittance increases income inequality and causes GDP stagnation in Tonga.

Tonga is the third most at-risk country for natural disasters after Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, two nearby disaster-prone Pacific island clusters. In the past three years, Tonga suffered over $200 million in damages from Cyclone Herald and the Hunga Ha’apai eruption. 

Permanent Aid for Poverty and Quality of Life

In 2018, the U.N. created a Pacific Strategy Plan to reach the 17 SDGs laid out at the New York Summit, the first of which aims to fix extreme poverty in the Pacific Islands. The U.N. Pacific Strategy Fund has about $17.7 million in the budget, $16 million of which came from New Zealand. The Plan’s goals are poverty reduction in Tonga and building greater resilience to extreme natural events.

In support of these efforts, the U.N. has provided equipment worth $55,000 to Tonga’s National Emergency Management Office (NEMO). This equipment will enhance the ability to alert citizens about natural disasters and promptly direct aid during crises. Over the last 12 years, the U.N. has introduced 16 permanent agencies to Tonga, including The International Labor Association, Population Fund, International Organization for Migration, U.N. Development Program and Capital Development Fund.

The CDF draws particular attention due to its role as a local transformative finance mechanism. It supports small businesses and offers private loans to projects that foster sustainable economic growth. This approach leads to a long-lasting increase in individual wealth by establishing a consistent income source, as opposed to providing mere temporary relief.

The UNDP currently works to provide HIV vaccines, rapid test kits, contraception and text message preventative information to women in Tonga. There is heavy misinformation about HIV. More than half of the population would not let HIV-positive children go to school, even though the disease is not transferable just by touch or sharing drinks.

Aid for Government Stability and Security

In Tonga, foreign aid funds most government services. Around 49% of the GDP is central government debt. In 2020, the IMF labeled the debt distress of Tonga as high. For comparison, Moldova was ranked low in risk despite 34.7% of its GDP coming from government debt. 

Using this same U.N. Pacific Strategy Fund, The U.N. liaises with the 14 governments in the Pacific and with regional bodies to promote organic, container and home farming to bolster food security, assist policy development for the economic development of outer islands, increase disaster preparedness and support decent work strategies. The organization sits in on government decisions and helps oversee the $17.7 million Pacific Strategy Plan. 

Though Tonga is at constant risk of natural disasters and has a mainly agricultural economy, consistent foreign aid promises to bring long-term growth and economic stability. Overall, there is much hope for poverty reduction in Tonga.

– Claire Duvillier
Photo: Flickr

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Everything You Need to Know About Hunger in North Korea

Hunger in North KoreaAt first glance, the web of circumstances causing hunger in North Korea today seems impossible to untangle. The tangle has only grown in size and solidity since North Korea collectivized its agriculture in the 1950s. The country accomplished this transition without encountering the deadly food shortages suffered by other communist dictatorships, but it involved yoking nearly its entire food supply to tactics that, both literally and figuratively, eroded the ground under its feet.

The North Korean regime cleared away vegetation from mountains and hillsides to create more farmland, deforesting much of the countryside and leaving it more vulnerable to floods, erosion and drought. It made vital parts of its food infrastructure (chemical fertilizer factories, tractors, irrigation pumps and trucks for distributing grain) dependent on the importation of cheap, subsidized fuel from the Soviet Union. In 1957 it outlawed the trade of grain and devoted itself to outsized military spending and its founding communist ideology of self-sufficiency (Juche).

These elements came to a fatal head five decades later at a time when the country was possibly producing less than 60% of its food needs. Soviet petroleum subsidies ceased in 1989 and left the North Korean agricultural infrastructure without enough fuel to operate. Monsoons came in late June 1995 and flooded the now largely unobstructed countryside, drowned a quarter of North Korea’s rice paddies and covered some parts of the country in twenty-three inches of rain. Famine killed between 600,000 and two million North Koreans between 1995 and 1999 — 3-5% of the total population.

Attempts at Reform and Modern Hunger

Internal efforts to reform from 1996 to 2016 strained toward self-sufficiency without achieving it. Kim Jong Il’s 1996 reforms underestimated the country’s dependence on chemical fertilizer and the hegemony’s unwillingness to actively support reform. In 2012, Kim Jong Un instituted the Field Responsibility System (FRS), allowing farmers to keep any grain they produced in excess of their quota. His five-year plan, released in 2016, targeted an annual grain and fertilizer output of 8 million and 2.3 million tons respectively.

This growth required a 30% increase in grain output from 2014, but figures from the Food and Agricultural Organization suggest the target of 8 million tons was not reached. Farmers from the North who had come to South Korea were unaware that FRS reforms had even occurred, and despite efforts to increase domestic fertilizer production, over 250,000 tons had to be imported until 2018. In the meantime, the regime urged farmers to rely more on organic fertilizer. Chemical fertilizer production peaked in 1979 at 2.91 million tons. The output of cereals also peaked at just over 65 million tons in 1979. In the 44 years since, North Korea has never produced more.

Hunger in North Korea continues unabated. Citing Chinese customs data, a CNN report from March 3, 2023, shows the country exporting roughly 56 million kilograms of wheat and flour, along with 53,280 kilograms of cereals to North Korea in 2022. Seoul’s Rural Development Agency estimates that from 2021 to 2022 crop yields dropped by 4%. A clandestine source quoted in the South Korean paper Daily NK on Nov. 21, 2022, opens an urgent window on the subjective experience of hunger in North Korea today. “People with nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep are roaming around trains stations, markets and the streets, but neither the city party committee nor the people’s committee are taking measures to deal with it.”

Reasons for Hope

Despite all this, Peter Ward, writing for the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs in January 2023, begins to outline reasons for hope. North Koreans are resilient and resourceful. Surveys of refugees suggest they are getting much of their food by cultivating the sloping land in regions normally considered inhospitable to crops. This resourcefulness, combined with allowing farmers greater freedom to choose what they plant and tillage rights to their land might generate an increased productivity that could not only spur similar productivity in related industries (chemical fertilizer production) but give rural households a greater ability to purchase imported goods.

Furthermore, the World Food Program’s 2021 brief shows a substantial number of North Koreans directly benefiting from its efforts. From January to March of 2021, it distributed 891.5 metric tons of fortified food (food with added vitamins and nutrients) and 4,970 metric tons of raw food commodities to 566,886 people. This accounts for less than 3% of the country’s total population, but it is an impressive figure considering it was achieved in the teeth of a countrywide COVID-19 response that locked down North Korea’s borders with deadly force, closed many public and child institutions and eventually left no U.N. international staff in the country since March 2021.

Internal movements towards reform, continued international assistance and trade as the COVID-19 pandemic abates, and the resilience of the nation’s people are the hands inside and out that must continue to untangle hunger in North Korea, a problem that only seems unsolvable when the initial despair it inspires is not pushed through.

– John Merino
Photo: Flickr

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Food Insecurity in East Timor

Food Insecurity in East TimorEast Timor, a small nation located in Southeast Asia, is grappling with a silent crisis that continues to haunt its people – hunger. Despite some remarkable progress since gaining independence, food insecurity in East Timor remains a pressing issue for many Timorese, threatening the well-being of its population and hindering the nation’s development.

Current State of Food Insecurity in East Timor

East Timor’s history is marred by conflict and political instability, which has had profound implications for its food systems. According to the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022, East Timor ranks 110th out of 121 countries, indicating a serious level of hunger. The GHI measures hunger on a scale from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more severe hunger. East Timor’s score of 30.6 places it in the category of “serious” hunger levels.

The challenges faced by East Timor in achieving food security are multifaceted. One crucial factor is the limited access to arable land. The country’s mountainous terrain and limited fertile areas make agricultural cultivation challenging. According to the U.N. Human Rights Office, only about 11% of East Timor’s total land area is suitable for agriculture, severely constraining the potential for increased food production.

Furthermore, extreme weather events pose a significant threat to food security in East Timor. The country is prone to cyclones such as El Niño, floods and droughts, which can lead to the destruction of crops and livestock, undermining farmers’ livelihoods and exacerbating hunger. Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that the 2021 Cyclone Seroja in East Timor alone caused an economic loss of approximately 20 to 50% of the country’s GDP with total recovery costs of $422 million (25% of non-oil GDP).

Actions Addressing the Challenges

To address these challenges, the East Timorese government, with support from international organizations and NGOs, has implemented several initiatives. For instance, The World Bank’s Timor-Leste Agriculture Rehabilitation Project, launched in 2001, aims to improve the productivity and resilience of smallholder farmers by providing training, access to agricultural inputs and market linkages for the country post-independence.

Additionally, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been supporting the establishment of agricultural cooperatives in East Timor. These cooperatives enable small farmers to pool their resources, access credit and receive training in modern farming techniques, thus enhancing their productivity and income.

Infrastructure development is also crucial for improving food security. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been supporting East Timor in developing rural road networks and irrigation systems, totaling their investment of up to $210.83 million in irrigation and agricultural infrastructure. These investments are vital for facilitating the transportation of goods from rural areas to markets, reducing post-harvest losses and improving farmers’ access to inputs and services.

– Kent Anderson
Photo: Unsplash

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Education Technology Solutions: Bridging the Global Education Gap

Education TechnologyAs the world continues to grapple with persistent inequalities in access to quality education, the emergence of innovative education technology (EdTech) offers renewed hope for bridging the global education gap. Socioeconomic disparities and geographical barriers continue to undermine the universal right to education, leaving a vast number of children and youth out of school. EdTech solutions, including diverse initiatives such as open online courses and interactive digital learning platforms, have begun to demonstrate their potential to make education more accessible and widen the scope of high-quality learning opportunities across the globe.

The Global Education Gap: EdTech as a Solution

According to UNESCO, more than 258 million children and youth were out of school in 2019. This figure represents a significant hindrance to global development, worsening both poverty and inequality. Therefore, bridging this gap is an urgent global priority that demands immediate and comprehensive interventions.

In response to this pressing need, EdTech has emerged as a potential game-changer for education across the globe. These technologies include an array of educational initiatives ranging from open online courses to interactive digital learning platforms. Not only do these platforms make learning more engaging and personalized, but they also hold the potential to make education more accessible. In overcoming physical, social and economic barriers, bridging the education gap becomes more attainable.

The Interplay of EdTech and Poverty Alleviation

Beyond its potential in education, EdTech is playing a crucial role in poverty reduction. When efficiently incorporated into educational systems, technology can empower individuals and communities, ultimately enabling social mobility. The World Bank affirms that EdTech can foster economic transformations by shifting toward knowledge-based models. These models are not only more sustainable but also foster equitable growth in the long run. 

Ensuring Inclusive Adoption of EdTech

While the adoption of education technology is rapidly gaining momentum, it’s crucial to ensure that these advances do not inadvertently exacerbate existing inequalities. To maximize the potential benefits of EdTech, there is a pressing need for a coordinated, holistic approach. Governments, NGOs and private sectors must collaborate to ensure that these technologies are accessible and beneficial to all learners, preventing the emergence of a digital divide in education.

EdTech in Action

Taking the digital leap, programs like Samsung’s Smart Class are playing a pivotal role in rural India. Samsung India’s initiative provides classrooms with Wi-Fi and necessary training for teachers to effectively employ advanced digital tools like interactive Smartboards, laptops and tablets. The result is a noteworthy increase in student engagement and comfort with technology. On the African continent, two significant projects, BraceKids and Africa Code Week, are introducing coding to hundreds of thousands of children. These programs provide programming language workshops, equipping young minds with important digital skills for the future.

Efforts are also underway to promote diversity in tech education. Nonprofits like Rails Girls, founded in Finland, offer worldwide training in basic programming, sketching and prototyping to encourage women to engage with technology. Another example of this is with the Ministries of Education, which is exploring virtual reality (VR) for classrooms, globally. In Singapore, the Rails Girls is partnering with a local company to create virtual field trips, meant to supplement, not replace, traditional learning. Early results show students’ insights have improved with this tool. These initiatives exemplify the potential of EdTech in bridging the global education gap. By demonstrating how technology can help facilitate education and provide quality learning opportunities, these efforts shine a light on the path toward a more digitally inclusive educational future.

Education technology holds remarkable potential to bridge the global education gap and to fundamentally reshape the future of learning. However, the journey to realizing this vision is complex and requires meticulous planning and execution. Successfully rising to the challenge opens the path for EdTech to revolutionize the education landscape, extend learning opportunities to those previously left behind and make a significant contribution to global poverty alleviation efforts.

– Mari Caitlin Riggles 
Photo: Flickr

4 African Artists Combating Poverty and Social Inequality

Artists Combating Poverty
Africa plays host to a variety of cultures. With 54 countries on the continent and more than 1.4 billion inhabitants, there is a true diversity of tradition and lifestyle. The best way to portray culture is through art. As well as helping share cultural practices with the rest of the world, some have also utilized art to tackle stereotypes of African people and highlight injustices in certain communities. Here is a list of four African artists combating poverty and social inequality through their artistic talents.

4 African Artists Combating Poverty and Social Inequality

  1. Aida Muluneh: Hailing from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Muluneh’s photography is reflective of her birthplace. The artist dresses her models in bold block colors, and all of Muluneh’s pieces utilize symbolic props to tell a story. WaterAid approached Muluneh to create a series of photographs as part of a water poverty campaign. Muluneh called the series “Water Life,” depicting female northern Ethiopian models transporting water throughout Dallol, Afar, Ethiopia. Muluneh hoped to “advocate through art” and highlight the responsibility bestowed upon women to sustain their communities.
  2. eL Seed: This interdisciplinary artist combines painting and sculpting to express messages of peace throughout northern Africa and beyond. The French-Tunisian is most well-known for “Perception,” a series of paintings covering almost 50 buildings in Cairo. The piece of art was a successful attempt at highlighting the importance of often forgotten communities in cities like Cairo. The mural is visible in the Manshiyat Nasr neighborhood, whose residents have received the name “Zabaleen” (the garbage people) due to their collection of the city’s trash. The artwork highlights the community as an integral part of city living.
  3. Chéri Samba: Born in the 50s in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Samba does not shy away from his heritage in his artwork. The paintings play on a surrealist style to reflect life for those in Kinshasa, DRC. Samba uses his artwork to highlight social inequalities that have plagued Congolese people over the last 70 years, from AIDS to general social inequality. The French and Lingala-speaking painter uses both languages in his artwork highlighting his saddling of two cultures as he splits his time between Paris and Kinshasa.
  4. David Koloane: During his lifetime, the South African artist was not allowed to enter many spaces, including museums and art schools. The artist works hard to create artistic spaces for black artists to develop their careers and skills. His own art is very distinct, using abstract depictions of life and figures in South Africa. Through both his art and his efforts during Apartheid in creating spaces for young black artists, people will continue to celebrate Koloane for the foreseeable future.

Art and Social Inequality

Despite the progress that these artists have made in combating poverty and social inequality, there remains a lot of work to do. The contribution of African artists to public discussion and debate is huge. Their work will continue to give many African people a voice and provide a platform to promote social change.

– Christian Vince
Photo: Flickr

How GiveDirectly Impacts Global Poverty

GiveDirectly Impacts Global Poverty
GiveDirectly directly provides cash-based assistance to those in need, eliminating the need for intermediaries, and thereby significantly impacting global poverty. Here is how GiveDirectly impacts global poverty.

About GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly is a nonprofit organization that originated in 2008 with a mission to grant people living in poverty greater autonomy over their financial decisions. By adopting this approach, the organization believes it restores dignity and enables recipients to allocate the cash where it deems it most valuable. The organization has been operational in several countries since 2009, including the DRC, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Turkey, Uganda, the U.S. and Yemen.

Hurricane Fiona Response

While GiveDirectly primarily respects individuals’ autonomy in financial decisions, it also implements targeted programs focusing on specific issues such as emergency relief, climate and refugees. In 2022, the organization provided cash assistance to 4,748 low-income families from Puerto Rico and Florida affected by Hurricane Fiona, aiming to support those natural disasters impacted.

Natural disasters pose a severe threat to those already living in poverty. According to a World Bank study, such disasters push 26 million people into poverty each year, disproportionately affecting those with lower incomes. In the case of Puerto Rico, Hurricane Fiona struck just five years after Hurricane Maria, leaving little time for a stable recovery. The disaster exacerbated challenges, especially for those in rural areas, with around 760,000 people lacking access to water and 928,000 people without electricity.

GiveDirectly responded by distributing pre-loaded credit cards to Puerto Ricans in dire need of support. Utilizing revolutionary AI tools, the organization identified geographical areas requiring assistance and successfully ran simultaneous campaigns in 32 Puerto Rican municipalities.

Success Tracker

The success of the way GiveDirectly impacts global poverty is evident in the positive results it has achieved through its cash-based assistance programs. To date, the organization has directed an impressive $650 million worth of aid to people in poverty.

The nonprofit shares first-hand accounts from beneficiaries who have benefited from the cash transfers. For example, Milka, a Kenyan man, is just one of the many who have been receiving monthly transfers from GiveDirectly. When asked about the impact of the donations, he talks about how the money has allowed him to start a small-scale cereal company which has significantly reduced the burden of supporting his family.

Another Kenyan recipient, Nyevu, described how “the weight of financial uncertainty that had burdened me for so long was finally lifted” after he received his first payment. He used the funds to purchase a wooden door for his house, providing a sense of security. He further invested in four goats, which not only provide income but also serve as an investment for a dairy cow in the future.

Both examples show how important it is to leave decisions up to the individual as each person will have different methods of using the funds to help their lives.

These examples underscore the importance of empowering individuals to make their own decisions, as each person has different ways of utilizing the funds to improve their lives.

Validation of the Organization’s Approach

The organization’s approach has undergone thorough research and received validation, demonstrating the effectiveness of direct cash transfers. Three hundred studies have supported this method. The studies have been compiled to illustrate the most efficient ways of providing cash transfers and to debunk the misconception that “you can’t just give money to poor people.”

For example, a study on the impact of unconditional cash transfers on poor households in rural Kenya found that in less than two years, the households had sustained increases in assets, as well as many knock-on long-term impacts.

Looking Ahead

The way GiveDirectly impacts global poverty has occurred through a straightforward yet effective method. By restoring financial autonomy to those living in poverty, the organization plays a vital role in the fight against global poverty without imposing rigid assistance on those in need.

– Daisy How
Photo: Flickr

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5 INITIATIVES EMPOWERING WOMEN IN NIGERIA

Empowering Women in NigeriaNigeria, a vibrant nation in West Africa, boasts a rich tapestry of culture, history and natural resources. However, amidst its diverse tapestry lies the persistent challenge of poverty, which continues to affect a significant portion of its population. A particularly concerning aspect is the impact of poverty on Nigerian women, who constitute 60% of the people living in extreme poverty and face entrenched barriers in their pursuit of economic and social empowerment. For this reason, across the nation, several organizations are centering efforts around driving progress by empowering women in Nigeria and their communities.

Women’s World Banking

Nigeria faces a significant financial inclusion gender gap, as only 35% of women and 55% of men in the country have access to financial services. Organizations like Women’s World Banking are at the forefront, implementing strategies to drive savings mobilization, leverage remittances for increased access, provide capital to women-owned enterprises and support resilience through insurance. With the help of Women’s World Banking efforts in Nigeria, the country has achieved a historic milestone with women holding the position of Chief Executive Officer in eight out of its 24 commercial banks in 2022. As women gain access to credit, savings and insurance products, they are better equipped to start businesses and improve their households’ economic stability.

Global Initiative for Girls’ Rights Education and Empowerment

Since its foundation in 2019, this NGO has been regularly implementing projects to promote education for Nigerian women and raise awareness about menstrual hygiene management. The organization’s achievements include empowering 100 rural women in Benue with skills in leadership, accounting and artisanal capabilities to improve their economic status and participation in decision-making in their homes and community.

The African Women Power Network

Through various initiatives such as pitch competitions for young entrepreneurs, agribusiness training for women farmers and the DREAM Initiative to help secondary school students develop business plans, the Association for Women in Business has become a leading platform for African women entrepreneurs, facilitating their business success and growth. Aiming to empower African women entrepreneurs by providing them with training and support, with a particular focus on technology, this organization envisions sustainable change through women empowerment.

Give Girls A Chance

This non-profit organization is dedicated to bridging the educational gap between men and women by addressing barriers such as limited access, low awareness of the significance of education and inadequate infrastructure in educational institutions. Their approach involves community and family engagement, providing need-based scholarships and offering mentorship programs. As of 2020, Give Girls A Chance has impacted the lives of more than 100 girls and young women through scholarships, enabling them to either return to or continue their education. Moreover, the organization has connected these beneficiaries with mentors who invest their time in nurturing their psychosocial well-being, fostering a supportive environment for their personal and educational growth.

The Nigerian Women Trust Fund

The proportion of women in elective and professional positions in Nigeria is currently at 4.8%. By 2027, the organization wants to realize the goal of achieving 35% female representation. Through endorsements, the creation of a database of high-profile female candidates and fundraising to support female political campaigns in Nigeria, they seek to achieve this valuable target. Further successful campaigns include the training of 100 Nigerian women in their mentorship program to foster female leadership and the end of violence against Women and Girls.

Looking Ahead

Empowering women in Nigeria is a powerful strategy in the battle against poverty. By increasing access to financial services, enhancing education opportunities, promoting women’s entrepreneurship and strengthening women’s leadership, these initiatives pave the way for a brighter and more equitable future for Nigeria. As women rise to their full potential, they become a driving force for sustainable development, lifting themselves and their communities out of poverty.

– Miriam Schuller
Photo: rawpixel

Fragility and Rule of Law in Myanmar 

Fragility and Rule of Law in Myanmar 
Out of 139 countries, the World Justice Project ranked Myanmar 128th concerning the rule of law in 2021. This was the same year Myanmar’s military junta had a coup against the democratic government. The military forces are creating a more brutal operating environment for those providing aid to the country, including NGOs and civil society organizations, by using legislation and bending the judicial system to their will. The situation in Myanmar challenges the foundational principle of the rule of law that no one is above the law. 

In 2019, Mr. Nyan Lin Aung, Alternate Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, gave a statement at the United Nations General Assembly. He stated that the rule of law is a fundamental principle of democratic governance for the government of Myanmar. Just two years after this declaration, the military deposed the democratically elected government. This led to fragility and the rule of law in Myanmar collapsing. 

Historical Background

Myanmar has dealt with decades of colonial rule, ethnic conflict, civil war and more in its troubled history. Since its independence from British colonial rule in 1948, it has tried establishing a representative democracy, but it only continued until 1962. General Ne Win led a military coup, followed by military rule in Myanmar for 26 years from 1962. In 1974, the government introduced a new constitution, centered around an isolationist foreign policy and a socialist economic program. According to data from 2017 from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), 24.8% of the population lives under the national poverty line. The new constitution had negative implications for the country’s economy. It leads to a drastic fall in currency value, corruption and food shortages that continue to impact the country. This led to an increase in poverty levels in the country, as seen by a fall in currency value.

In 2007, the military began loosening its control slightly due to the Saffron Revolution. The countrywide protests due to the hike in fuel prices were the trigger point. They led to the formation of a new constitution in 2008. This gave the military immense power despite being under civilian rule. The dissolution of the military junta in 2011 prompted the establishment of a civilian parliament and the first nationwide multiparty elections. 

Understanding the Coup and its Effect on Fragility and Rule of Law

Despite the political system favoring the military due to the 2008 legislation, institutionally, the military was losing power under democratic reforms. The 2008 constitution allows for three main ministries, namely the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Border Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to be controlled by the military commander-in-chief, along with 25% of seats in the parliament reserved for military personnel. This reservation allows military personnel to dictate legislation in their favor. 

So far, the military forces have tried to misuse their power through legislation, enabling them to misuse their power and oppress the country’s citizens. One such piece of legislation is the Organization Registration Law, also called the CSO Law. Under its provisions, registration is mandatory for all civil society organizations, NGOs and other associations. Also, these organizations cannot provide services to the opponents of the military junta. This has enabled the military to shut down the resistance movements rising after the coup. 

The practices of the military government blatantly disregard the four main tenets of the rule of law. These include accountability, just law, open government and impartial justice. The tentative numbers show that the military takeover resulted in the deaths of around 3,000 people and the arrests of another 20,000. The people of Myanmar being cut off from humanitarian assistance mandated by international human rights laws due to the CSO Law was the reason for the fragility and rule of law in Myanmar collapsing. 

Improving the Rule of Law Situation 

Myanmar requires strong institutions to recover from the fragility of the justice system that the collapse of the rule of law created. To address the fragility and rule of law in Myanmar and support the transition to a democratic government, the U.S. is funding the Promoting the Rule of Law Project (PRLP). The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has selected Tetra Tech as the implementing agency. The project aims to develop political reform, capacity building and ethnic reconciliation.

The major issues associated with the justice system are government corruption, limited resources and knowledge, political control of the judiciary, disregard for citizens’ rights and the rule of law. To resolve these issues, the PRLP called for an open dialogue between citizens and the government to build faith and credibility in the justice system. The PRLP began developing a draft justice sector comparative law and best practices compendium. It published a three-year strategic plan and a five-year strategy in a measure to restore trust among the citizens. This would work to transition into democracy smoothly. 

Thus, it is evident that the rule of law cannot be maintained in a country without a strong and impartial judicial system backing it. The judiciary should uphold the values of impartiality, integrity, equality and diligence to ensure that all public and private individuals, institutions and entities, including the State itself, are accountable before the law to prevent the fall of democracy as observed in Myanmar. 

– Anurima Deshmukh
Photo: Flickr

3 Charities Fighting Poverty in Rwanda

Charities in RwandaAlthough progress is visible concerning poverty in Rwanda, with the poverty rate decreasing from 75.2% to 52% between 2000 and 2013, further action is necessary. The latest World Bank statistics from 2016 indicate that 52% of the country’s population still lives in poverty. 

Three charities, in particular, are combating the effects of poverty in Rwanda.

GiveDirectly’s Cash Transfer Method

GiveDirectly, co-founded by Rohit Wanchoo, Michael Faye, Paul Niehaus and Jeremy Shapiro in 2008, is a charity that provides direct cash transfers to those living in poverty. This organization believes that people suffering from poverty understand how to address their problems better than any organization or government department ever could.

As a result, GiveDirectly avoids intervening with grand infrastructure projects or conditional aid packages. Instead, they place money directly into the pockets of those living below the poverty line in various countries, including Rwanda.

Poverty in Rwanda is a concern that GiveDirectly is committed to addressing, evident by 86,955 Rwandan households receiving cash from the charity.

Nsengiyumva received $412 from the organization, enabling her to buy land in a safer area, free from the risks of flooding. Here, GiveDirectly assisted those living in Rwandan poverty by relocating a family.

Tuyisenge is another success story. After receiving $415, he could repair the family home and save money to pay for his children’s school fees. This cash sum allowed him to secure his family’s future and potentially break the cycle of poverty in Rwanda.

Rwanda Action’s Bottom-up Approach

Rwanda Action, founded by David Chaplin in 2008, is a charity that collaborates with communities to deliver needed aid. Similar to GiveDirectly, Rwanda Action believes that those suffering from poverty know the assistance they require. Consequently, Rwanda Action does not adopt a ‘one size fits all’ aid policy. Instead, the organization employs a ‘bottom-up’ approach, ensuring that communities receive the help they genuinely need.

For example, after the 2008 earthquake, the visible effects of poverty in Rwanda were apparent as the natural disaster destroyed homes, displaced families and devastated farms, necessitating swift intervention.

Rwanda Action aimed to address the shelter need by constructing homes and rehousing over 50 families, preventing homelessness. In response to this crisis, 2000 families received training on improving crop yields through small-scale farming. This training enabled families to produce more food, saving funds that would have otherwise been spent on purchasing food. The increased disposable income empowered families to invest in school fees, housing and health care.

Increased crop yields could also combat chronic malnutrition, a severe issue in Rwanda, where a notable percentage of Rwandan children experience chronic malnutrition as of 2010, according to the World Health Organization.

Finally, Rwanda Action endeavors to tackle the problem of child homelessness, a brutal symptom of poverty in Rwanda, which sees 7,000 children living on the streets, ReliefWeb reported in 2021.

The organization established a center for street children named ‘aho Neza Mwana’, meaning a good life for children. The center provided short-term residential stays for 214 boys and a day program for 85 boys. These interventions play a pivotal role in supporting vulnerable children and removing them from harmful environments.

Children of Rwanda’s Sustainable Approach

Founded by Robbie MacMillan, Children of Rwanda is a charity that dismantles barriers preventing impoverished Rwandan children from accessing education. Enhancing education access is vital, given that Rwanda’s literacy rate stood at 76% as of 2021, according to the World Bank. Improving the literacy rate is only achievable through education, underscoring the significance of this organization’s work.

The most persistent barrier to overcome is cost, encompassing expenses related to uniforms, materials, school meals and exam fees.

To help keep up with the costs of education, Children of Rwanda equips families with the tools to increase their income independently. The sustainability displayed by this approach is essential, as it ensures that families do not become reliant on assistance and instead become independent as a result of this charity’s aid.

For instance, Children of Rwanda collaborates with parents to teach them farming techniques to generate a sustainable income.

The additional income enables parents to send their children to school, aiming to break the cycle of poverty in Rwanda. Completing school offers Rwandan children better job prospects and equips them with the knowledge to make decisions benefiting their well-being.

Children of Rwanda’s work is especially beneficial for gender equality, as women who complete their education gain a 15-20% increase in earnings for every year in education.

While Rwandan people across the country undoubtedly feel the impact of organizational work, work remains on the part of charities, international organizations and governments.

– Tom Eccles
Photo: Flickr