Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Serbia

Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Serbia
The COVID-19 pandemic created a sense of instability across the globe, not least among those living on the edge of poverty. The immediate impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Serbia was predominantly apparent among particularly vulnerable groups, such as people working in the informal sector. For workers, COVID-19 heightened job insecurity despite the government’s efforts to constrain the rate of poverty in Serbia with generous financial packages.

The Informal Sector

On March 15, 2020, Serbia declared a national emergency due to COVID-19. To mitigate the negative impacts, the Serbian government focused efforts on financial aid packages for the public. However, this financial assistance failed to reach some of Serbia’s most vulnerable groups. This includes those employed in the informal sector.

The informal sector in Serbia includes jobs in agriculture, construction, admin support, retail trade and manufacturing. A survey from 2019 discovered that 18.7% of households had employment in the informal sector. Another research study indicated that one in five people in Serbia work informally. The informal sector is an unstable sector of the labor market due to poor worker regulations and job insecurity.

Even prior to the pandemic, those employed informally faced a higher risk of falling into poverty due to the instability of the sector. As COVID-19 arrived in Europe, many industries in Serbia saw thousands of job losses.  Many people reported a significant reduction in household income and increasing financial pressure but lacked access to the government’s financial aid packages.

Since the pandemic, informal employment has increased by more than 30%. This could be connected to the staggering loss of jobs among people previously employed in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and companies having to cut down employment hours.

These factors forced people to take up informal employment to maintain an income flow. Estimates indicated that more than 700,000 people who worked for SMEs found themselves unemployed due to the pandemic. The growth of these informal industries suggests that a greater proportion of the Serbian population now faces job insecurity and the risk of falling into poverty.

Small Successes

However, the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Serbia is not as intense as that of neighboring countries. Serbia had one of the lowest increases in poverty over the course of the pandemic. This is no small feat for a developing country with a significant proportion of people living close to the poverty line. Despite facing the most significant global crisis of the 21st century, Serbia’s poverty level post-pandemic remained the same as pre-pandemic levels, at 17.9%. While this is a noteworthy achievement, one should keep in mind that Serbia remains one of the poorest countries in Europe. However, the stabilization of the poverty rate during these last few years gives hope that Serbia can continue the pattern of gradual and consistent poverty reduction.

Looking Forward

Amid these small wins, Serbia is looking forward to recovering from pandemic stressors. Ongoing efforts are necessary to rebuild industries most impacted by the pandemic. Additionally, by renewing former jobs and creating more security in the informal sector, the risk of poverty will reduce. In 2021, Serbia received a €200 million loan from the EU Investment Bank for a project to help impacted SMEs recover post-pandemic. The initiative seeks to restore 47,000 jobs and create more than 5,000 new ones.

Serbia is seeing positive recovery results so far. A 2022 report by the EU found that participation in the labor market is increasing in Serbia as the country continues to economically rebound from COVID-19 and youth employment is on the rise. However, the report recognized that to significantly support SMEs in their recovery, further efforts are necessary.

– Ariana Mortazavi 
Photo: Flickr

The Current State of Global Maternal Health

Global Maternal HealthAccording to a new report released by the United Nations and partners, “approximately 800 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth” daily in 2020. The United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group studied global trends in maternal mortality between 2000 and 2020. Concerningly, the data shows that maternal deaths rose in several regions over the last few years. However, several organizations are working to improve global maternal health.

The Maternal Mortality Trends Report

Titled “Trends in maternal mortality 2000 to 2020,” the report is the combined effort of several U.N. agencies.  The report covers 185 countries and territories, most of which are WHO member states. It presents comprehensive data about global and regional trends relevant to maternal health over the past two decades.

Several factors can increase the risk of maternal death. According to the WHO, some of the major ones are severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy, unsafe abortions and delivery-related complications.  Most of these are avoidable through simple health care and medical attention. However, according to Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director of the UNFPA, the world faces a shortage of 900,000 midwives. Furthermore, the WHO states that “roughly a third of women do not have even four of a recommended eight antenatal checks or receive essential postnatal care.”

The Impact of Poverty on Global Maternal Health

Poverty has a significant impact on global maternal health. Poverty-stricken regions lack the medical resources and qualified personnel to provide women with adequate care during the maternity period. According to the Pan American Health Organization, the prevalence of maternal deaths is highest in countries impacted by poverty and conflict.

Data shows that, in 2020, the maternal mortality rate in low-income countries stood at 430 per 100,00 live births. In contrast, this rate stood at 12 per 100,00 live births in countries that were financially better off. To further demonstrate the devastating impact of poverty, the report stated that despite only 13% of the global population living in the least developed countries, women in these countries accounted for 42% of maternal deaths worldwide in 2020.

Due to the impacts of poverty, 70% of global maternal deaths in 2020 occurred in sub-Saharan Africa. This means that out of 287,000 global maternal deaths, 202,000 occurred in the region. Countries such as South Sudan, Chad and Nigeria have extremely high maternal mortality rates, with Nigeria noting the most maternal deaths in 2020.

Central and Southern Asia is another region with a high maternal mortality rate. In particular, the region had 47,000 maternal deaths in 2020, which is the highest outside of sub-Saharan Africa.

The Progress

Fortunately, the world made a lot of progress toward reducing maternal deaths between 2000 and 2015, during which U.N. member states adopted the Millennium Development Goals. As a result, the global maternal mortality rate fell by 34.3% between 2000 and 2020. The number of global maternal deaths almost halved during the two decades.

Regions with some of the highest numbers of maternal deaths noted the most progress since 2000. The maternal mortality rate dropped by 33.1% in sub-Saharan Africa between 2000 and 2020. Northern Africa and Western Asia saw a drop of 46.8% while Central and Southern Asia saw a massive drop of 67.5%. Even the least developed countries reduced their maternal mortality rate by 47.4%, according to the U.N.’s report.

Current Efforts

U.N. Member States adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. SDG 3 aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” In particular, SDG 3.1 aims to “reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births” by 2030. Many organizations are working to achieve this target.

The WHO runs a Maternal Health Unit that “provides leadership for improving maternal and perinatal health and well-being and ending preventable maternal mortality” through education, surveillance and advocacy.

The UNFPA, UNICEF, the WHO and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) created the Framework for Action to Strengthen Midwifery Education, which launched in 2019 at the 72nd World Health Assembly. It includes a comprehensive blueprint for building high-quality midwifery education systems.

The WHO developed a Midwifery Education Toolkit to provide “midwives with all the training required to care for healthy women and their newborns, prevent unnecessary interventions while ensuring lifesaving actions and enable health professionals to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team.”

Additionally, the WHO is a partner organization in the French Muskoka Fund. Initiated in 2010 by the French government, the fund aims to improve maternal and child health in nine African countries. Besides supporting policies, the fund provides access to essential health care, medicines and professionals. The French government renewed commitments to the fund twice already since 2015 and Denmark pledged support for the fund in 2018. In 2021, the French government announced a commitment of €10 million annually until 2026 for the Muskoka Fund.

In order to achieve the target set by SDG 3.1, a global effort toward improving global maternal health is needed. Investment in health care and facilities along with education and advocacy will help reduce maternal mortality worldwide.

– Siddhant Bhatnagar
Photo: Flickr

Improving Mental Health in Peru

Mental Health in Peru
Mental health in Peru is a topic that has gained more attention in recent years, leading to significant research findings and help from government efforts and NGOs alike. This is especially important as mental disorders are present in 20% of adult Peruvians. This number increases to 20.7% in kids older than 12 years old.

Schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and alcohol dependence were the most common disorders detected at a national level. Women more frequently receive diagnoses of depression, while alcoholism and substance abuse affect more men. Moreover, yearly suicide rates are higher than ever before, with 31% of the total number of suicides in Peru taking place in 2020, 2021 and 2022. 

Past traumatic experiences, environmental stressors and poverty are the main factors for developing mental health problems. Traumatic experiences in Peru mostly stem from domestic violence and the internal armed conflict that took place from 1980 to 2000. These issues make victims more vulnerable to developing mental health conditions, especially if these experiences are situated in a person’s formative years, as in the case of abused children.

Childhood Trauma in Peru

In Peru, 68.9% of children aged 9 to 11 and 78% of children aged 12 to 17 have suffered psychological or physical abuse at least once in their lives. Additionally, 67.6% of women aged 18 or older have suffered from psychological, physical and/or sexual violence. In a survey from 2019, 46.1% of respondents stated they believe parents have the right to physically punish their children and 33.2% of respondents stated that they agree with the statement that unfaithful women should receive some sort of punishment from their partner.

Peru’s internal armed conflict of the 1980s is a particular source of trauma for some Peruvians since an approximate total of 69,280 people died or went missing during the conflict. The loss of loved ones, fear, distrust and the resulting sense of hypervigilance can lead to anxiety disorder and/or substance abuse. Research confirms this connection by finding a higher prevalence of anxiety and alcoholism among adults in Peru’s rural areas. These outcomes are not surprising, given that 79% of the conflict’s victims resided in Peru’s rural areas.

Outside of abuse and conflict, environmental stress also has negative repercussions for both the mind and body. Noise and proximity to street residue are the main contributors to environmental stress in Lima, Peru’s capital. Lima’s lowest income districts have less efficient trash management services, putting its residents at a higher exposure to garbage on the street. On the other hand, psychosocial stressors stem from Peruvians’ fear of crime, violence, poverty and concerns regarding their health that lead to feelings of worry, sadness, anger and discontent. 

Improving Mental Health in Peru

The Peruvian government is actively working on making mental health care services more accessible for all citizens. The Health Ministry (MINSA) has 248 active Community Mental Health Centers, which are establishments specialized in mental illnesses and psychosocial problems. Furthermore, the MINSA developed Central 113, a hotline that health professionals operate to provide medical information and guidance. This hotline is accessible 24/7, and option #5 is dedicated to psychology and mental health. Both state approaches are free of charge.

Moreover, the government approved the Health Ministry’s Guidelines for Mental Health Care during COVID-19. This document expands on children’s mental health with an added focus on COVID-19 and its effects. It highlights issues such as childhood abuse (physical and psychological) as a major cause for future mental health problems and it offers advice such as respecting a child’s individuality, encouraging them to freely express their emotions and limiting the amount of information they are prone to consume through the internet. The document calls for a nationwide, multidisciplinary application of the guidelines, from health institutions to regional and local governments and even police departments. 

At the international level, Partners in Health is a social justice organization that has provided women with free mental health services. Its care plan offers therapy for trans women and in 2015, it constructed a safe house in Lima for all women living with schizophrenia. In 2022, 6,219 women received treatment through their Mental Health Programme.

Looking Ahead

Mental health in Peru has earned more attention in recent years. It is a broad topic, with mental health problems stemming from reasons that are mostly country or region specific. Thankfully, the Health Ministry is actively contributing to mental health research and providing solutions such as Central 113 and the development of the Community Mental Health Centers. In addition, NGOs such as Partners in Health are making mental health services more accessible across the country. With continued efforts from external and state organizations, hopefully more Peruvians can look forward to improved wellbeing in the years to come.

– Luciana Mena
Photo: Flickr

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Foreign Aid to China

Foreign Aid to ChinaForeign aid to China has played a crucial role in combating poverty. China stands as a long-term receiver and donor of foreign aid due to its rapidly growing economy and desires to sustain its international power. However, China receives less foreign aid than before due to its current classification as an upper middle-income country, with various international relations implications.

General Aid to China

Since the revolution in 1949, foreign aid to China has increased bilaterally and multilaterally, supporting social reform and development initiatives. In terms of foreign relationships and support, international organizations, such as the World Bank, still support China by investing billions in various development projects in transportation, public administration, water and sanitation, agriculture and more.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has also focused on poverty relief in China. For instance, in partnership with the Alibaba Group, the UNDP launched the Rural Taobao project in 2014, which established e-commerce platforms in rural areas to provide access to goods and services that were previously unavailable. This public-private sector collaboration has helped many people in rural areas sell their products online and has created job opportunities for local residents.

Special Projects

Like other countries, China has also received foreign aid from various countries and international organizations, particularly in the aftermath of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. For instance, in May 2008, the Singapore Red Cross provided support worth S$150,000 to victims of the Sichuan earthquake, including assistance to meet the shelter, food, water and health care needs of 120,000 people in Lushan county.

In addition to responses to natural disasters, USAID has supported a range of poverty reduction projects in China, such as improving access to clean water and sanitation, supporting the development of small and medium enterprises and strengthening civil society organizations. However, the United States has reduced its foreign aid to China over the years.

This is due to the increasingly tense bilateral relationship between the world’s two superpowers and related geopolitical implications. Instead of having a much larger investment realm, the U.S. has focused aid on Tibetan communities, rule of law initiatives and climate change policy, particularly in areas where international attention and humanitarian assistance are crucial and localized, as these programs align with the values and interests of the United States.

The decision to provide foreign aid to China depends on various factors, including the specific development needs of China and the donor country’s priorities and resources.

Aid From China

In recent years, China has become a large donor of foreign aid itself, particularly to developing countries in Africa and Asia. Since 2000, China has spent $843 billion on bilateral aid, financing 13,427 bilateral aid projects in 165 countries, making it the biggest new player in this domain. The 2021 version of China’s approach to foreign aid and development priorities document “offers high-level principles that China claims to ascribe to.”

Although some concepts are carried over from previous papers, the 2021 version expands on the vision “articulated by its predecessors,” with “many of its new terms seeming to be in direct response to recent critiques of China’s flagship push to fund physical and digital infrastructure overseas through the Belt and Road Initiative.”

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a global infrastructure development strategy the Chinese government proposed in 2013. The initiative aims to connect Asia, Europe and Africa through a network of roads, railways, ports and other infrastructure projects, with the goal of promoting economic development and trade. According to the World Bank, the initiative involves more than 70 countries and represents more than “one-third of the global trade and GDP and approximately 60% of the world’s population.”

The BRI is controversial, with some countries accusing China of using it to expand its global influence and engage in “debt-trap diplomacy.”

A Significant Role in China’s Development History

Foreign aid has played a significant role in China’s development history, with foreign aid to China increasing bilaterally and multilaterally since 1949. However, there has been a significant downward trend in foreign aid to China as China has become a key donor of foreign aid itself.

– Scarlett Ren
Photo: Flickr

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The Greengate Trust’s Yemen Project

Yemen projectYemen is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. This is almost entirely due to the Yemen civil war, a conflict raging since 2014. The war has affected every single part of the country, including the capital city of Sana’a, an area that housed nearly 2.5 million people at the start of the war. As a result of the conflict largely taking place in urban centers, staggering numbers of Yemeni people had to leave their homes. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that about 4.5 million people have endured displacement since the start of the conflict. The Greengate Trust’s Yemen Project aims to improve the lives of struggling Yemeni people.

Humanitarian Impacts of War

Within Yemen, UNICEF estimates that almost 18 million people, many of them children, lack access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation. The health situation in Yemen has also turned dire, with the population routinely suffering outbreaks of “cholera, measles, diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases,” UNICEF says.

About 11 million children in Yemen require humanitarian aid and about 2.2 million children are suffering from acute levels of malnutrition, which has far-reaching impacts on children’s development. The destruction of school facilities and medical centers means Yemeni people lack access to critical health care and education. UNICEF reports that more than 2.5 million children in Yemen are not attending school. Overall, a minimum of 21.6 million Yemeni people require humanitarian aid to meet their basic needs.

The Yemen Project

The Greengate Trust, a United Kingdom-based charity that raises money for a variety of causes in Yemen, started the Yemen Project. The Yemen Project is currently gathering support through donations to set up a clinic near Aden, Yemen, specifically catering to malnourished children. The clinic will provide “immediate treatment, food, malnutrition screening and cash assistance to the most vulnerable children and their families,” the Greengate Trust website says.

Equally as important as the clinic is the Yemen Project’s campaign to build solar-powered wells in Yemen’s most disadvantaged communities. So far, these solar-powered wells have supplied 500 households across eight villages, providing clean water to at least 10,000 individuals who otherwise would not have access to safe drinking water. The campaign to provide the people of Yemen with clean drinking water goes hand-in-hand with Greengate Trust’s efforts to provide nutritious meals across Yemen. The organization’s website says, “A small donation of just £50 for [one] Food Pack could provide a Yemeni family with enough food for an entire month of Ramadan.”

The Yemen Project has also provided food in the country through the Al-Tayyibat Bakery, a bakery that, for upward of three years, has provided free bread to anyone who needed it. The bakery was burned down in a tragic accident, but the Yemen Project is in the process of raising donations via the Trust’s website to reopen the bakery and provide food for some of the 16 million people in Yemen that cannot meet their food needs.

Even though the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is dire, the efforts of humanitarian organizations and foundations like the Greengate Trust bring hope to millions of Yemeni people struggling to meet their basic needs amid conflict and violence.

– Ezra Bernstein
Photo: Flickr

Mental Health in Fiji

Mental Health in FijiFiji has experienced a rise in mental health concerns since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Suicide rates in Fiji have increased by 19% in 2023 and the country still grapples with limited access to the necessary health care. The reasons behind declining mental health in Fiji are complex and certain demographics suffer more than others. Nevertheless, Fiji has begun implementing solutions such as community outreach programs and art therapy to tackle the population’s deteriorating mental health.

Mental Health in Numbers

The World Health Organization’s Mental Health Atlas 2020 indicates that Fiji has only one psychiatric facility and four “mental health outpatient facilities attached to a hospital.” Furthermore, the country has just five psychiatrists, 46 mental health nurses and no psychologists. But, positively, according to the Atlas, persons suffering from mental conditions are fully insured for treatment services and medication.

Pacific Island nations have significantly felt the impact of COVID-19 and people are increasingly seeking out medical help for insomnia, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of younger generations is substantial. Learning losses, school closures, social distancing and the loss of family members have led to feelings of anxiety and hopelessness.

Suicide rates in Fiji rose by 50% in 2022, with 86 suicides taking place between January 2022 and September 2022. As a result of the pandemic, Fiji has made efforts to actively raise awareness of mental health. Doctors at St. Giles Psychiatric Hospital in Suva, the only official mental hospital in Fiji, are visiting communities to fight the stigma surrounding mental health.

The Mental Toll of Natural Disasters

Fiji is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as cyclones, tsunamis and floods, which lead to large financial losses and widespread displacement. The socio-economic damage of natural disasters means that poverty begins to rise and mental health begins to worsen. Cyclone Ana hit Fiji in 2021 not long after category five Cyclone Yasa also produced devastating effects. After Cyclone Ana tore through Fiji, more than 10,000 people had to live in emergency evacuation centers due to severe flooding and infrastructural damage.

Natural disasters have an amplified effect on vulnerable groups such as children, women and people with disabilities. Gender-based violence increases in frequency when a community experiences a natural disaster. In Fiji and Vanuatu, 72% of women have experienced domestic violence and require psychological support. However, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has partnered with the governments of Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu to create the South Pacific Response Plan. From 2023 to 2025, the IOM will invest more than $7.7 million into post-disaster displacement management, climate change preparation and humanitarian assistance.

Investment in Fiji’s Mental Health Services

The Commonwealth Foundation is working with the Building Innate Resilience Through Hearts (BIRTH) organization to improve counseling ethics, workforce training and treatment plans in Fiji’s mental health services. Thus far, the year-long project established in 2022 has garnered £8,036 in funding and is continuing to gather support.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is also offering technical assistance to Family Support Centres (FSCs) across the Pacific Islands. The ICRC has helped to house more than 2,000 survivors of abuse in September 2022 alone. The organization has hosted 300 sessions providing methods for coping with abuse-related trauma. The ICRC’s support of vulnerable communities in Fiji has a large impact, as many people in Fiji, largely women, face displacement and financial vulnerabilities due to natural disasters and incidents of abuse.

The Impact of Art Therapy

From 2018 to 2020, the Fiji National University collaborated with La Trobe University, the Fiji Ministry of Health and multiple health organizations to research the impact of art therapy. Creative activities reduce stress, anxiety and other complex feelings. As Fiji has limited resources and its mentally vulnerable groups are mostly young or financially disadvantaged, an art therapy program is a cost-effective way for Fiji’s population to seek out treatment for mental health conditions.

Fiji is showcasing the impact of dance on mental health in Fiji’s Fringe Festival. In March 2023, the Tuinz hip-hop duo addressed men’s struggle with mental health in Fiji through a dance named Face. Tuinz confronted stereotypes surrounding masculinity through this performance in the hope of educating Fiji’s younger generation.

Looking Ahead

It will take significant work to resolve the mental health crisis in Fiji and change will not happen overnight. There is a clear connection between poverty and mental health in Fiji. However, Fiji does acknowledge its battle with mental health and is taking steps to ignite change and confront the stigma surrounding mental health.

– Jenny Preece
Photo: Flickr

Renewable Energy in China Boosts Employment

renewable energy in China Many consider China to be a leader in renewable energy, with the country now boasting the biggest market for jobs in this sector. According to Energy Monitor, China will build more than 870 GW of solar and wind power infrastructure by 2025. For context, the U.K.’s entire solar energy installations by June 2021 stood at around 13 GW. In 2021, the renewable energy sector employed almost 5.4 million people in China, equating to 0.7% of the entire labor force. The recent global energy crisis has only served to accelerate this job boom. Last year, concerns over the price of fossil fuels pushed China to more than quadruple its onshore wind capacity and 2022 saw the biggest-ever contribution of the clean energy sector to China’s workforce.

A Clean Way to Tackle Poverty

Based on the poverty headcount of $6.85 a day, 25% of China’s population lived in poverty in 2019 and economic inequality is still rife. Therefore, poverty reduction through job creation is still very much a priority for the national government. Deciding to invest heavily in clean energy, China is ensuring it provides future-proof jobs that have little chance of becoming redundant, considering the world’s net-zero ambitions.

Plus, having prioritized renewable energy in China, other countries now rely on support from China to help meet their energy ambitions. China, for instance, has a near-monopoly on the production of wafers and ingots, commanding 96% of global solar production in 2021, according to an International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) report.

In its report, IRENA has also explained where these renewable energy jobs come from, highlighting that China needs both high and low-skilled workers in its green energy push. A total of 1.6 million Chinese people are employed for their manufacturing efforts, “1 million for construction and installation” and “0.8 million for operation and maintenance,” the report says.

3 Takeaways for the Global Fight Against Poverty

China has led the way in terms of renewable energy in three main ways:

  • Early investment. By 2014, China had already pumped $100 billion into the renewable energy sector, surpassing the investments made by both the EU and the U.S. However, most other poverty-stricken countries do not have this sort of funding readily available. So, foreign aid donors, like the U.S. and the U.K., could consider using more of their budgets to support such initiatives. The potential payback on that investment would consist not only of poverty relief but also of more comprehensive, global climate action.
  • Targeted policies. China did not only rely on investment to give renewable energy a boost — targeted regulation also played an important role. The 2005 Renewable Energy Law, for instance, forced power companies to compensate renewable energy providers if they did not “buy the total amount” of the clean energy provided. This guaranteed clean energy suppliers’ economic stability from the get-go.
  • Economies of scale. “As the scale of Chinese manufacturing has grown, the costs of renewable-energy devices have plummeted,” says a 2014 Nature article. In short, China has been able to take advantage of a virtuous circle: the more renewable energy it manufactures, the cheaper the selling price, thereby generating more demand and jobs.

Finally, something that should prove encouraging is how China leveraged its “low labor, electricity and land costs” to grow its clean energy sector, IRENA reports. These low-cost advantages also exist in almost all other developing countries.

Hope for the Future

China has shown that it is possible to harness green energy for future-proof jobs and others can follow suit. India is on track to employ 1 million people in the same way, by 2030, according to the IRENA report. Other regions, like Africa, which employs less than 3% of the renewable energy labor market, could do the same.

Overall, the renewable energy job boom in China proves that foreign aid budgets could make their money go further. More investment in overseas clean energy may not only help tackle the climate crisis but also provide some of the world’s most vulnerable with invaluable employment for many years to come.

– Sam Rucker
Photo: Flickr

The Gender Wage Gap in Czechia

Gender Pay Gap in Czechia
Despite Czechia’s overall steady economic status, the gender wage gap in Czechia is still a prominent issue. According to EU statistics, in 2021, women in Czechia received 19.5% lower pay than men on average in private sector work and 12.2% lower in public sector work. Overall, on average, women in Czechia earned 16.4% less than men compared to the overall EU average of women earning 13.0% less. These figures put Czechia toward the bottom of EU countries regarding gender equality and Czech women are twice as likely to face poverty than Czech men.

Barriers to Equality

Several factors contribute to the gender wage gap in Czechia. These factors include women taking career breaks due to maternity leave and childcare, the perception of men as “more ambitious and aggressive” in climbing up the job ladder and higher paid roles, such as management roles, being typically male-dominated.

Hiring managers sometimes have reservations about hiring a woman considering that a female may require time off for maternity leave and childcare. In the eyes of a business, this means wasting time and resources on training a woman for the role because the business may need to conduct further training of additional staff to cover her work during her time off.

Additionally, in Czechia, women typically shoulder the burden of household and caretaking responsibilities. As such, women have less time to focus on their careers, according to Radio Prague International.

Single-Parent Families

According to Czech’s Women’s Lobby, almost 90% of single-parent families in Czechia are female-headed. Furthermore, up to 20% of single-parent families are likely to fall below the poverty line due to a reduced income and the costs associated with raising and caring for children. Single mothers also frequently rely on low-paid, often part-time, work with unreliable schedules to fit around their children’s lives, which further increases their risk for poverty.

As society often considers men as more ambitious in their jobs, men are sometimes seen as “more competent and assertive” than their female counterparts. These gender stereotypes similarly play into the assumptions of different types of jobs being suitable for men and women, meaning men will often end up in higher-paying roles, reinforcing the gender wage gap in Czechia. However, evidence shows that, even in the same roles, women in Czechia can expect a 12% pay cut compared to a man’s wage. Closing the gender wage gap will help women in Czechia to stay above the poverty line.

Pay Transparency and Fairness

In December 2022, European Parliament and the Czech presidency came to a provisional agreement on rules of pay transparency. This will prevent employers from adjusting salaries depending on whether a man or woman secures the job. “To avoid discrimination, employers have to make sure their employees have easy access to the objective and gender-neutral criteria they use to define pay and possible pay rises. Workers and their representatives will also have the right to request and receive information on their individual pay level and the average pay levels for workers doing the same work or work of equal value, broken down by sex,” the Council of the EU explains. In the case that an employer has not followed the rules of the equal pay principle, workers will be able to claim compensation.

A more even split between genders in parental care and housework tends to be more common among younger generations, which will help to balance out the time available for women to focus on their careers. By dissolving gender stereotypes, women will be able to achieve career fulfillment, which may include higher-paid roles traditionally held by men.

– Hannah Naylor
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

How Art Can Change the World

Art Can Change the World
Art helps adults develop human empathy, understand the problems of people around them and encourage people to be involved in their communities. Art education gives children in grades K-12 more hope for the future, improves academic participation and success and increases emotional intelligence. Importantly, art can also help shine a spotlight on the plight of the world’s most vulnerable. Here is how art can change the world.

Results Through Research

Researchers around the world have observed positive results of art bringing change and easing global poverty. Margaret Topping studied the effects that the French film “Les Glaneurs et la glaneuseon” had on reducing global food poverty. The film shows heartbreaking explicit scenes of food waste and the faces of the hungry. It also brought much attention to the food crises in France and around the world. It helped launch agricultural and food waste campaigns calling for action from individuals to change their lifestyles. This film shows how art can bring publicity to global poverty and create the empathy needed to change the world.

Jean-Pierre Daogo Guingane is another researcher who has reported on how stage and screen can help reduce global poverty. His experience lies in his teachings across developing African nations’ rural communities where he was able to use plays and stage acting as a way to create political dialogue and improve engagement in issues most impacting their lives. Daogo Guingane encouraged people to not only attend these shows but to write and act in their shows. He also found that through engaging the community in theatre, people were more likely to find solutions to their problems, develop a deeper understanding of the problems of others and have more faith in the community and the government to find solutions. This is a leading example of how art can reduce apathy and encourage people living in global poverty to feel empowered to change their situation as they are building artistic talents.

Powerful Examples of How Art Has Changed Communities

Mobile Art School in Kenya (MASK) is an NGO bringing art education to K-12 schools all over the country to improve the future for generations of students. This program tackled many of the challenges to bring art education to an impoverished nation suffering from internal violence and dissent and still the project found much success. Implementation of the project led teachers to report their students felt more confident, creative and peaceful. In addition, 41% of students reported they felt confident these skills could lead to employment and careers later in life. This project makes it easy to see how art can change the world, reduce global poverty and give hope to future generations.

Dandelion Action is an art program that the Commission for Children’s Art Education initiated under the Chinese Artists’ Association and primarily receives funding from the U.S. Ford Foundation. This project helped bring art education to children in poverty in urban and rural areas across China. The program provided supplies (previously completely inaccessible) and lessons to grade school children. This program encouraged kids to be confident in their art as well as learn about and preserve long-standing cultural history. Students were positively impacted and found themselves more confident and invested in their community. This demonstrates how art and art education can positively impact younger generations and encourage them to grow and improve their community no matter their current state of living.

Art is Necessary

Art has a tangible impact on people and their communities. It opens doors, minds and hearts to build courage, confidence and creativity. Increasing accessibility to see and practice art has created a deeper sense of community, empathy and innovation so that developing nations and the international community may find solutions and improve global poverty.

– Alexandra Curry
Photo: Flickr

Addressing Rabies in Developing Countries

Rabies in Developing CountriesRabies is a vaccine-preventable disease that causes tens of thousands of deaths yearly. Although present in over 150 different countries, rabies is most common in developing countries, with 95% of cases occurring in Asia and Africa. Canines cause 99% of rabies infections, accounting for 40% of human rabies infections in Asia and Africa among children aged 15 and under.

Rabies Vulnerability in Developing Countries

Rabies is an extremely dangerous disease with a 99% fatality rate. Vaccination of animals and humans with high exposure rates is possible, but once infected there is little to stop the infection other than immediate treatment of multiple fast-acting shots and vaccines to help fight off the virus are administered with continuous wound washing.

The issue is that many people who live in poverty lack immediate access to these treatments and vaccinations. Even if these treatments are available, they come at a hefty price. Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) costs an estimated $108 per treatment not including travel and shipping costs, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Not only is treatment expensive and often unavailable, but developing countries also have limited diagnostic facilities and almost no rabies surveillance, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The vaccination of stray dogs would greatly prevent the infection of humans, but this also comes with a steep cost and risks burdening public health resources even in the most stable countries. Globally, the burden of rabies costs around $120 billion.

Ethiopia Takes Action

Ethiopia is one of the most affected countries when it comes to rabies with an estimated death rate by rabies of about 2,700 deaths yearly. Ethiopia’s canine vaccination rate is far behind the 70% rate necessary to control the disease. Ethiopia suffers from the same limitations as other developing countries regarding inaccessible vaccinations and PEP treatments. As of 2019, 68.7% of Ethiopia’s population is multidimensionally poor.

Despite Ethiopia’s challenges, it still implemented many programs to fight against rabies infections that plague the country due to its high poverty rates and increased vulnerability. Rabies experts from the CDC have been working closely with Ethiopian leaders to determine the best way to safely take on the issue. Local animal surveillance officers and veterinarians get training on the capturing, vaccinating and releasing of stray dogs to control the source of infectors safely and effectively.

Public awareness and methods of youth education are also being implemented to protect young people from becoming infected due to canine exposure. The University of Mekelle has been providing awareness sessions to more than 7,000 children in schools across Ethiopia. However, a large portion of Ethiopian children is still at great risk due to high levels of multidimensional poverty which leads to a large number of children who do not attend formal school programs. With programs that target a larger community-based audience, more people could benefit from education and interest in participating in safe response protocols such as immediate wound washing and PEP administration.

Vaccination centers located in precise locations based on the high canine population have been recommended by the CDC and are expected to bring about positive coverage results. These are all necessary steps in the control of rabies in developing countries.

Looking Ahead

Ethiopia is setting the standard for the control of rabies in developing countries. With the improvement of educational sources, health services and animal control services rabies contraction in humans could be under control. However, as long as multidimensional poverty persists it is unlikely that rabies and other neglected diseases will be able to decrease.

– Leah Smith
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