Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Child Soldiers in South Sudan

Child Soldiers in South Sudan
South Sudan has one of the “youngest populations in the world, with more than 70% under the age of 30.” The U.N. included South Sudan in its shame list; a list of nations responsible for abuses against children during armed conflict. Following independence in 2011, the region has suffered “subnational violence,” which has led to the recruitment and exploitation of child soldiers in South Sudan.

Child soldiers are those under the age of 18 who join armed militias and are used in combat as fighters, spies and suicide bombers. Some become cooks and messengers and often enter into child marriage. Nations all over the world continue to use child soldiers recruited by both armed forces and groups beyond government control. Due to reduced regulation, non-state forces recruit more child soldiers, which makes the issue more difficult to challenge. These groups often recruit children by force, either through abduction or coercion or lure them with financial or drug-related assurances. However, some also join voluntarily, arguably with little comprehension of what participation will involve.

South Sudanese Independence and Civil War

In 2011, South Sudan became an independent state. In 2013, the country entered a civil war after rising political power struggles resulted in a war between the forces of President Salva Kiir, the armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army and other smaller armed groups. The violence became worse once leaders began to supply communities with weapons. The South Sudanese conflict, combined with mistrust of government spending and corruption, caused international aid to dry up, which was particularly consequential for a country that relied so heavily on it.

Overall, civil war has had dire humanitarian consequences, with the U.N. declaring hunger and famine to be the worst since the country gained independence. Civilians, especially women and children, continue to suffer at the hands of armed groups and security forces.

Child Soldiers in South Sudan

South Sudan has notoriously used child soldiers in conflict. The precise number is difficult to determine due to the unregulated nature of the crime. UNICEF reported that out of the formally released recruited children in the Western Equatoria state of South Sudan, individuals younger than 15 accounted for 28% of this group. In South Sudan, armed forces recruit more boys than girls. According to Theirworld, children are susceptible to recruitment as child soldiers, when suffering from poverty, displacement or familial separation, which due to the civil war, are all conditions existent in South Sudan.

Looking to the Future

UNICEF plays a vital part in addressing the violations against children in South Sudan. This process involves the release and reintegration of each child and is essential to preventing the normalization of child soldiers. Through the signing and ratification of numerous legal frameworks, such as the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the South Sudan Child Act, the South Sudanese Government has committed to no longer using children in conflict. Since 2015, UNICEF has facilitated the release of 3,677 child soldiers in South Sudan. But, this is not possible without funding as the reintegration program that UNICEF provides costs $2,000 per child.

The family tracing and reunification teams at Save the Children are also instrumental in reuniting former child soldiers with their families. The organization works with local leaders, teachers and police to create “safe spaces” for the protection of child refugees and children who have experienced displacement following the war.

Because more than one in five children in South Sudan suffers from malnourishment, Save the Children trains health workers to address this and runs centers to distribute free medical care specifically tackling this issue. For many former child soldiers in South Sudan, who often miss out on education, it can be difficult to make a living, which is why Save the Children teaches young people vocational skills.

Looking toward the future, South Sudan is taking the steps to stop the use of child soldiers within the country and UNICEF and Save the Children play pivotal roles in this.

– Bethan Marsden
Photo: Flickr

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Elderly Poverty in Brazil: Where To Go From Here?

Elderly Poverty in BrazilOver the past few decades, Brazil has experienced explosive development. Increased exports driven by increased growth within its manufacturing center, combined with a newly developing service sector and a rise in foreign investment have contributed to an increase in its citizens’ well-being and life expectancy. That said, as Brazilians are living longer, more attention is needed to address elderly poverty as the country’s social safety nets are already strained.

Daily Struggles

Currently, only around 4% of Brazilians aged 60 and older live in poverty. Though this is lower proportionately than other age demographics within Brazil, due to its social safety net and poverty reduction programs, the impoverished elderly within Brazil struggle greatly on a day-to-day basis. Brazil lacks age-friendly cities for its elder citizens, and while San Paulo and other cities have pushed for change, efforts have been slow to catch on across the country. Disability and illness affect many and worse health outcomes have been shown time and time again to disproportionately affect the elderly who are in poverty.

Though policy experts, data analysts and advocacy organizations warn of potential negative consequences in the future, multiple policy suggestions could prevent an overwhelming of Brazil’s social safety nets. Furthermore, private companies and non-governmental organizations are working right now to alleviate said consequences.

Prolonged Engagement With The Workforce

Policymakers have recommended that Brazil ought to encourage its elderly citizens to remain a part of the workforce as they age, according to the AARP International report. They have noted later retirement as a priority in order to prevent the rise of elderly poverty in Brazil because it reduces the number of people who are relying on Brazil’s social programs at any one time. Data has consistently shown that Brazil’s safety net and poverty reduction programs have been incredibly effective in reducing poverty and helping people in Brazil obtain their basic needs.

Most notable is the Continuing Benefits Program (BPC). These cash transfer programs contribute significantly to reductions in elderly poverty within Brazil and an increase in financial independence among those who receive payments from it. However, if people in Brazil continue to retire early, the BPC could have to spread its resources more thinly and thus become less effective in reducing poverty.

Increasing Job Availability

Many of the elderly people in Brazil choose to retire early because there is a lack of stable, good-paying jobs for people in their 50s and above. While both the government and the private sector have been slow to respond to this demand, when they have done so, there has been real success. The Ministry of Education launched the National Program of Access to Professional Education and Employment (PRONATEC). Although the elderly population is not primarily a target of the program, it still focuses on “promoting social and productive inclusion and offers financial assistance to low-income individuals” by providing them with educational opportunities through the program, according to the AARP International report.

Furthermore, the companies that choose to give the elderly a chance or create positions for elderly employees, notably Dotz and Pizza Hut, received a barrage of applications and have indicated that they want to tap further into the workforce of older applicants. While there undoubtedly ought to be more growth within this realm, the progress that has been made shows real promise.

On-the-Ground Solutions

Advocates have suggested several direct policy solutions in order to help the impoverished elderly within Brazil, there are NGOs in Brazil also playing their part in the solution. Velho Amigo is a notable nonprofit organization that advocates for elder rights as well as social inclusion of the socially and economically vulnerable elderly through its Heliopolis Coexistence Center. In 2019, it developed the Revitaliza program, which engages directly with shelter centers and long-stay institutions for the elderly, assisting in the improvement of service quality, engagement and sustainability.

Although there is uncertainty about whether Brazil’s social programs will be able to support the expected increase in the elderly population, the work of agencies and nonprofits is helping to stem further increases in elderly poverty rates.

– Alexander Pommells
Photo: Flickr

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HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

HIV/AIDS IN NIGERIAHIV/AIDS is a prevalent health problem in Nigeria, with 1.3% of the adult population living with the disease as of 2021. Prevention, detection and treatment have improved in recent years, but considerable progress is necessary to move closer to ending HIV/AIDS in Nigeria by the end of the decade.

Key Statistics

Approximately 1.9 million Nigerians lived with HIV/AIDS in 2021 and the country noted 74,000 new infections in the same year alongside 51,000 AIDS-related mortalities. The country’s large population of around 213 million people means that, despite a relatively low prevalence rate, Nigeria has suffered the most significant HIV epidemic in West and Central Africa.

Women in Nigeria are at higher risk of contracting HIV than men, with an infection rate of 1.6% compared to 1% for men. This gender imbalance is even more pronounced in those aged 15-24, the age group which accounts for 40% of HIV/AIDS cases in the country. Many children suffer, too. Nigerian children make up 14% of the global total of childhood HIV/AIDS cases, with 260,000 new cases recorded in children aged up to 14 in 2015 alone.

Nigeria has not yet met the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets for 2025 concerning testing and treatment with only 90% of Nigerians knowing their status as of 2021.

Barriers to Elimination

Barriers posing difficulties in addressing HIV/AIDS in Nigeria range from difficulties in accessing treatment, particularly for children and those living in rural areas, to the widespread stigma around the disease which discourages people from seeking life-saving treatment. Late diagnosis is a key issue, with around a third of people only receiving a diagnosis after HIV has already progressed to AIDS. Progress in reducing mother-to-child transmission has been slow too. The prevalence of this form of transmission only dropped by 15% between 2010 and 2020, compared with a reduction rate of up to 70% in other countries, such as Uganda.

Moreover, the Nigerian government has not, thus far, dedicated a significant portion of its budget to the HIV/AIDS response. The majority of funding for programs dedicated to tackling prevention, care and treatment comes from international organizations and donors.

Solutions and Progress

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. Since 2017, the number of people receiving treatment has almost doubled and 98 more treatment centers have developed. Of the 1.9 million Nigerians living with the disease, approximately 1.62 million are on antiretroviral treatment.

HIV/AIDS prevention in Nigeria takes many forms. This includes the introduction of medications like PEP and PrEP, targeted services for girls and young women in areas with a high prevalence of the disease and the dispersal of barrier methods of contraception such as condoms.

Testing is available in a multitude of venues, including community spaces, homes, workplaces and after-hours clinics that serve communities most at risk. New infections are falling, with the number of recorded cases dropping by more than 10,000 between 2019 and 2021.

The work of organizations plays a critical role. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for example, conducted the first countrywide survey to assess the state of HIV/AIDS, health care and drug reliance in Nigerian prisons, and as part of this, provided HIV-related training for health workers in Nigerian prisons.

A Look Ahead

Efforts toward tackling HIV/AIDS in Nigeria have greatly reduced the number of Nigerians living with the disease. For those who are infected, health programs have improved both their prognoses and quality of life. More work is necessary for the country to realize its target of eliminating the disease by 2030. The importance of foreign aid to support these efforts is especially important, considering the lack of funding from the country’s own government. The international community can do more to ensure an HIV/AIDS-free future for Nigeria.

– Martha Probert
Photo: Flickr

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Diseases in Latvia

Diseases in Latvia
Currently, 23.4% of the Latvian population is in poverty. This number has risen from the 2019 rate of 21.6%, partly due to the low health care budget and lack of care accessibility. Low socioeconomic status often leads to poor access to health resources. BioMed Research International article states, “Less education, low income or unemployment and lower position in the hierarchal society have a strong positive association with lower levels of perceived health.” Diseases in Latvia affect those in poverty at higher rates and push others into poverty in the aftermath of their destruction.

COVID-19 in Latvia

COVID-19 had significant negative impacts on the steady growth of Latvian life expectancy. Latvia has one of the lowest life expectancies in the European Union (EU). The country was largely unprepared for the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national health system still struggles with underfunding and supplying equipment and staff. Latvia’s health expenditure per capita is among the fourth lowest in the EU and the country has one of the highest out-of-pocket health care spendings in the EU. Often those in poverty cannot afford health care because of the high out-of-pocket cost. Those fortunate to afford health care often experience severe impacts from the high spending it necessitates and 15% of households have reported spending “catastrophic amounts” on health care.

General Heath and Cancer

In 2019, less than half of the Latvian population stated they were healthy. Only 25% of those in the lowest income quintile reported feeling healthy. In comparison, 69% of those in the highest income quintile reported being in good health, according to the State of Health in the EU report.

Many of the diseases in Latvia causing destruction are preventable and treatable. However, timely health care is necessary to prevent diseases in Latvia from killing more impoverished people. Cancer is one of the most prominent diseases plaguing Latvia. Cancer screening rates, though growing, remain under the average for the EU, contributing to the country’s below-average five-year survival rates, according to the same report. Latvia has attempted to increase screening for cancer through informational campaigns in 2017 and 2019, as well as educational seminars in the workplaces and financial incentive tests to increase screening rates.

How Disease Affects the Poor

In Latvia, 4.3% of the population reported not getting necessary medical care because of out-of-pocket expenses, according to the State of Health in the EU report. In Article 111, the Latvian Constitution declares that “The State shall protect human health and guarantee a basic level of medical assistance for everyone.” Unfortunately, those in poverty in Latvia often do not receive these rights. Often health care providers are also concentrated in urban areas, constricting the availability of needed services to those living rurally.

The Good News

The European Commission hopes to combat the low access to health care and high costs in Latvia and other countries through its newly adopted pharmaceutical strategy. According to the State of the Health in the EU report, Latvia implemented this strategy in November 2020 and focused on making needed medicines affordable by improving the sustainability and capacity of the EU’s pharmaceutical industry. Through this initiative, the EU hopes to ensure access to affordable medicine, address unmet medical needs, and develop safer and more effective medication. Ensuring the availability of medication is one of the essential factors in preventing and treating diseases in Latvia.

– Brooklynn Rich
Photo: Unsplash

Everything to Know About Poverty in Kashmir

Poverty in Kashmir
The region of Kashmir is home to the “oldest unresolved international conflict” in the world. Since 1947, both India and Pakistan have laid claim to the entirety of the Kashmir region. Today, control over Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan. The conflict has claimed thousands of lives and has caused the rise of poverty in Kashmir. The issues stem from the political instability and repressive government policies of the Indian state.

Factors Influencing Poverty in Kashmir

Several factors contribute to poverty struggles in Jammu and Kashmir, also known as Indian-occupied Kashmir. Many years of political instability, soaring inflation rates, the destructive earthquake of 2005 and the 2010 military Indian occupation of Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Ladakh, have severely impacted the lives of many communities residing in poverty in Kashmir.

One of the most pressing issues is the repressive and oppressive military occupation by the Indian Government. The U.N. condemns the human rights violations occurring as a result of military actions. In Kashmir, people are subject to a military curfew, which hinders their ability to engage in income-generating activities and attend school. Moreso, the area struggles with a shortage of necessities like clean water, food and health care services. Rising inflation also inhibits people’s ability to purchase basic necessities.

Poverty in Numbers

India’s first-ever Multidimensional Poor Index (MPI) report by NITI Aayog in 2021 reveals that around 12.5% of the population of Jammu and Kashmir lives in multidimensional poverty. The report derives data from the reference  2015-16 National Family Health Survey. Multidimensional poverty assessments considered several factors, such as the proportion of the populace facing deprivations of school education, maternal health and nutrition.

The report stated that, in Jammu and Kashmir, almost 26% of people endure nutritious food deprivations, 12.7% lack maternal health care and 47% endure a lack of proper sanitation. The largest proportion of people suffering from multidimensional poverty, 35.26%, lives in the Ramban district while Srinagar, the largest city in the state, noted the lowest percentage at around 1.5%.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated some of the issues related to poverty in Kashmir as citizens found themselves grappling with soaring rates of unemployment and the dangers of the coronavirus. During the height of the pandemic, three lockdowns impacted thousands of families that derived income and employment from the tourism, horticulture and trade industries.

As a result, many lost their jobs and their families’ sole sources of income. In March 2021, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy reported that almost 600,000 Kashmiris lost their jobs. Many Kashmiris live paycheck to paycheck and people working in the informal sector faced the harshest effects. In addition, the president of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Sheikh Aashiq, said that the situation in Kashmir was worse than in the rest of India due to the additional impacts of the government-led clampdown in August 2019.

While the government may not be adequately addressing the issues of the military occupation in Kashmir, it has recently completed several infrastructure projects in the area. Through the execution of the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) projects, the government is accelerating developments in infrastructure in Kashmir. These projects include improvements in hydroelectricity, schools and roads. So far, 21 projects have reached completion and the government had looked to complete nine more by the end of 2022.

These projects seek to improve the region’s economic situation and may well address some of the issues of poverty in Kashmir. However, for lasting change to occur, the government must also look to prioritize peace, stability and good governance in the area.

– Saad Haque
Photo: Flickr

HIV/AIDS in Ecuador

HIV/AIDS in Ecuador
Ecuador, a South American country, is a middle-income country. Of its 18 million population, an estimated 9.8% lived on $3.20 per day in 2019. Nevertheless, it has a reputable health care system, scoring 13th in the world according to Bloomberg’s 2014 Most Efficient Heath Care Rankings. Ecuador’s proficient health care system has been effective in combatting the global epidemic known as HIV/AIDS. The first reported case of HIV in Ecuador was in 1983. Below is an assessment of the status of HIV/AIDS in Ecuador.

Current Rates of HIV/AIDS

Globally, there are an estimated 38.4 million people living with HIV, as of 2021. Of these, 1.7 million are children and the remaining 36.7 million are adults. In Ecuador, an estimated 35,000 people are living with HIV. This means that HIV prevalence per 1,000 adults is roughly 0.19% in Ecuador. A 2017 Open Forum Infectious Diseases study revealed that more than 60% of HIV patients are on antiretroviral therapy and most cases are not yet in the AIDS stage.

Government Measures

On December 8, 2016, the Mayor of Quito, Ecuador’s capital and home to 25% of its HIV cases, signed the Paris Declaration Fast Track, a piece of legislation that aims to end the AIDS epidemic once and for all. By signing the Declaration, Mayor Mauricio Rodas has committed to reaching certain targets of HIV awareness and rates of treatment. The high standards set by the Declaration require that 90% of people with HIV are aware of their HIV status; that 90% of people who know their status are receiving antiretroviral treatment; and finally, that 90% of people on treatment are suppressing the viral load. The signing of this Paris Declaration signified a clear determination of the nation’s legislators to eradicate HIV/AIDS in Ecuador.

Looking Ahead

In 2018, an NGO called Diálogo Diverso began its journey in Quito. The organization is the first in Ecuador to work for human rights, including the rights of LGBTI migrants and refugees. Its “Hablemos Positivo” (Let’s Talk Positively) initiative receives support from the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Now active in three other locations across Ecuador, including the HIV hotspot, Guayaquil, Diálogo Diverso is spreading the message of tolerance and inclusivity further than ever.

As a result, Ecuador is becoming a safe space for those with HIV from all over South America. This is incredibly encouraging as an important contributor to eradicating the virus is to increase awareness of the real causes of transmission and the many options available for further prevention of transmissions. Furthermore, one activist working with Diálogo Diverso stated that “HIV is one of the reasons why LGBTI people leave the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, given the difficulties in accessing antiretrovirals on a permanent basis, the invisibility of their rights and, on other occasions, hate crimes.” With the continuation of the good work of Diálogo Diverso and continued funding of Ecuador’s health care system, the potential for eradicating HIV/AIDS in Ecuador looks promising.

– Max Edmund
Photo: Unsplash

Reducing Transport Poverty in Nigeria

Transport Poverty in Nigeria
Transport poverty is where people are unable to satisfy their daily needs and activities due to lack of access to transport, unavailability of transport, the high cost of traveling, long time spent traveling and the inadequacy of transport travel conditions. “Essentially, transport poverty limits the quality of life as a consequence of being unable to access transport services.” The World Economic Forum concluded that a discussion of “inclusion and opportunities” must include a component such as transport and mobility. It said further that inclusive access to transport and mobility would create more opportunities for the advancement and promotion of the overall economic health of communities. Here is some information about transport poverty in Nigeria.

A Prevalent Issue in Developing Countries

While transport poverty occurs in developed countries, it is more prevalent in developing countries. Mobility plays a huge role in the volume of movement of persons, goods and services. The lack of access to vehicle ownership or mobility in developing countries, therefore, leads to poor quality of life for the most vulnerable groups of people especially “low-income earners, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities and young people,” according to Liftango.

In Nigeria, about 80% of mobility depends on road transportation. Owning a car/vehicle, therefore, contributes heavily to a person’s economic and social well-being. According to available records, Nigeria has a total of 11.8 million cars. In a country of more than 200 million people, the vehicle per population ratio is just about 0.06.

The yearly demand for cars in Nigeria is more than 700,000. The local car manufacturing companies produce just 14,000 cars per year. In order to meet this demand, the government had to reduce the tariff on the importation of cars from 35% to 5%, Techpoint Africa reports. Even with this reduction, most Nigerians, especially the low-income groups, women and those who live in rural areas are unable to buy cars.

Moove’s Intervention

As part of the efforts to address this glaring transport poverty in Nigeria, Jide Odunsi and Ladi Delano established Moove in 2020. Moove’s vision is to “build the largest integrated vehicle financing platform for Mobility entrepreneurs using technology and future productivity.” Apart from that, Moove also aims “to drive productivity and success for the world’s mobility entrepreneurs by democratizing access to vehicle ownership” thereby changing people’s lives.

Moove provides “revenue-based vehicle financing and financial services to mobility entrepreneurs.” This way it’s “creating sustainable employment opportunities to empower those otherwise excluded from financial services by embedding its alternative credit scoring technology onto ride-hailing, e-logistics and instant delivery platforms, and using proprietary performance and revenue analytics to underwrite vehicle loans.”

Moove’s Partnership

Moove has expanded beyond Lagos to six other African cities and other parts of the world. This expansion and the mission of Moove attracted the attention of British International Investments (BII). Mid-last year, Moove received an investment of $20 million from the BII to boost its operations in Nigeria. At the event to mark the start of the partnership, BII’s spokesperson, Nick O’Donohoe “not only will BII’s investments help to create jobs and provide entrepreneurial self-starters with the means to own their own vehicles, but Moove’s clear focus on gender diversity will foster inclusive economic opportunities for women, both within the company’s workforce and among its drivers,” IT News Africa reports.

Delano, who is co-founder of Moove, stated at that event, that with this new funding, they were in a better position to use their technology and productivity data to create “a more inclusive financing ecosystem, whilst also tackling the unemployment problem affecting over a third of Nigerians by generating the opportunities for more seamless and sustainable employment.”

Using fintech to democratize car ownership and empower a greater number of people to live a better quality of life is a great innovation that Moove made with support from BII. The huge population of Nigeria offers a vast market for mobility entrepreneurs whose earnings have ripple effects on their families and relatives. This is an efficient approach to eradicating transport poverty in Nigeria.

– Friday Okai
Photo: Flickr

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Analyzing Global Poverty Reduction in 2022

global poverty reduction in 2022
As the year 2022 drew to a close recent data from the World Bank reveals that this is “the second-worst year” for global “poverty reduction in the past two decades.” The reasons for the “steep slowdown of the global economy” are many – the lingering effects of COVID-19, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, debt crises and many other sub-factors that exacerbate the situation. New projections show that 7% will still be living in extreme poverty by 2030 – considerably higher than the 3% goal. Global organizations such as Oxfam America, World Bank and its partners, have acknowledged the situation and launched various initiatives to support the poorest and most vulnerable.

The Global Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic had the biggest impact on the poorest people around the world. In comparison to pre-pandemic forecasts, the average income of those in the poorest 40% of the worldwide income distribution is 6.7% lower in 2021, while that of those in the top 40% is down almost 3%. The world’s poorest have not yet begun to make up for their revenue losses, worse yet the average income of the bottom 40% decreased by 2.2% between 2019 and 2021.

Due to the pandemic, an additional 163 million people live on less than $5.50 per day, bringing the world poverty rate from 7.8% to 9.1%. Moreover, an additional 97 million people live on less than $1.90 per day. The World Bank believes that three to four years’ worth of progress toward eradicating extreme poverty has been lost globally.

War in Ukraine

The ongoing war in Ukraine has also largely contributed to the rising cost of living and the slowdown of global poverty reduction in 2022. The repercussions of the war, the sanctions imposed on Russia, such as export bans, rose energy prices and caused huge supply-chain issues pushing 51 million people to fall into poverty according to UNDP.

The war has also led to 20 million people’s daily incomes in lower-middle-income countries falling below the poverty level of $3.20, increasing the percentage of the world’s poor to 9%.

Further data from UNICEF reveals that children carry the “heaviest burden of the economic crisis.” Children make up 25% of the world’s population and 40% of the further 10.4 million suffering from poverty in 2022. Estimates show that one in three children that grow up in poverty will continue to live in poverty for the rest of their adult life. According to UNICEF, children can benefit greatly from the introduction of poverty reduction methods, job initiatives and plans for economic growth.

Global Emergency Markets

Several causes, particularly the incredibly quick economic recovery following the epidemic, caused the energy markets to tighten up in 2021. But, once Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the situation quickly worsened and turned into a full-fledged global energy crisis. Natural gas prices hit record highs, which had an impact on electricity prices in several markets. The price of oil reached its highest point since 2008.

In addition to making families poorer, forcing some factories to reduce output or even close their doors and slowing economic growth to the point that some nations are in the midst of a severe recession, higher energy prices have also led to uncomfortably high inflation.

Spate of Debt Crises

During the past year, developing countries increased debt loans in order to keep up with the rising cost of living and aggravated the debt crisis. The World Bank calculations show that 60% of the world’s poorest countries are “either in debt distress or at risk of it.”

Debt-ridden countries are incapable of making high-return investments in education, research and development, and infrastructure projects, significantly slowing down their economic growth and exacerbating global poverty reduction efforts.

Future Outlook

In the face of all the crises and uncertainties that the past few years have brought to the world arena, organizations like the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) are stepping up to “ensure the poorest aren’t left behind.” Its new $93 billion IDA20 package, which will run from 2022 to 2025, aims to help developing countries get to grips with the global crisis the world can’t ignore, the World Bank reports.

IDA wishes to prioritize investment in education and health, reinforce food security, take action on the undeniable threat that is climate change, help countries struggling with conflict and development and improve debt sustainability.

Similarly, The United Nations Secretary-General has set up a Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance in the U.N. Secretariat. Its goal is to help the world’s poorest by “making reserves available to countries at risk of hunger and famine, accelerating the deployment of renewable energy and urging international financial institutions to increase liquidity and fiscal space.”

The year 2022 saw an insecure and uneven economic recovery where global development faced a crisis and poverty reduction efforts took a hard hit. However, many international organizations have united in the common goal to create an ecological, more resilient and sustainable future.

– Ralitsa Pashkuleva
Photo: Flickr

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Tackling Period Poverty in Asia

Period Poverty in Asia
The World Bank estimates that at least 500 million women and girls across the world live in period poverty. They lack access to menstrual products and safe, hygienic spaces to use them due to financial restraints. This is certainly prevalent across Asia in high and low-income countries where cultural taboos and attitudes towards women and girls prevent many from accessing the help they need to manage their periods. However, more and more governments and organizations in Asia are beginning to acknowledge the issue of period poverty. They are taking the initiative to help erase the stigma surrounding periods and improve access to menstrual products. Below are four areas of Asia that are tackling period poverty in Asia.

Southeast Asia

In Southeast Asia, Plan International has collaborated with a sustainable period brand Modibodi to empower almost 5,000 women and girls to safely manage their periods with dignity. Over the course of three months, the NGO has provided 1,000 pairs of reusable menstrual underwear to 333 women and girls in Indonesia alone. While in Laos, 4,500 female students have received reusable period underwear packs. Plan International reports that this initiative has come about after access to menstrual products has become increasingly limited for low-income people across the globe due to widespread inflation as well as the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both have greatly exacerbated living costs.

Despite the increase in period poverty over the past few years, women and girls in Southeast Asia have always faced challenges when it comes to accessing menstrual products and education surrounding menstrual health. Indeed, a 2015 report for UNICEF Indonesia found that only two-thirds of school-aged girls from urban areas in Indonesia changed absorbent menstrual products every four to eight hours or when the material was dirty. This is usually due to the fact that they could not afford to change their menstrual products when necessary. This issue has only been amplified in rural areas, where the amount decreased to less than half of the girls surveyed.

China

Women in China are also working to end period poverty. Despite living in high-income countries, many women and girls across China face financial difficulties and stigmas when it comes to managing periods. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this, which has led to a rise in poorer women such as students, cancer patients or women from rural areas having to buy low-cost period supplies that do not meet safety standards.

Period Pride, a Chinese NGO focused on menstrual health, has started a series of initiatives to combat period poverty and shame. This has included inviting university students to propose prototypes for products and services which address period poverty for experts and investors to review. In 2020, they also partnered with a range of women’s organizations to create a series of policy recommendations for the China State Council Women and Children Working Committee, which included ensuring that women have access to clean water and can dispose of menstrual waste in a safe and dignified manner.

Japan

In Japan, efforts have also occurred to reduce the cost of period products, making them more accessible to all. This is particularly important because despite being an affluent country, Plan International found that one in three women in Japan had hesitated or were unable to buy menstrual products due to financial reasons when surveying 2,000 Japanese women aged 15-24.

Like many of the campaigns tackling period poverty in Asia, grassroots groups, such as the student organization using the hashtag #EveryonesPeriod, which began a petition in 2019 to lessen taxes on menstrual products, led much of the drive to end period poverty in Japan. However, members of the legislature have also begun to acknowledge the problem, with Sayaka Sasaki and Renhō Saitō, two members of the House of Councillors Budget Committee, pushing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to agree to include sanitary products in Japan’s COVID-19 emergency relief plan in 2021. As a result, local governments have started to distribute free menstrual products across their constituencies in Japan.

South Korea

Similar to Japan and China, despite residing in a high-income country, many women in South Korea also struggle when it comes to managing their periods. This issue particularly came to light after a 2016 report found that one low-income South Korean girl could not afford menstrual products and had to use a shoe insole instead.

Stories like these pushed the Seoul Metropolitan Government to launch a pilot program to dispense free menstrual products across 10 public facilities across the city in 2018. These facilities include major attractions such as the Seoul Museum of Art as well as women’s spaces such as the Seoul Women’s Plaza. This program received support from 92% of the 1,475 Seoul residents surveyed about the pilot, indicating an overwhelmingly positive attitude from the public in regard to improving access to menstrual products. Using data collected from the pilot program, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has now expanded the drive to alleviate period poverty across the city, with around 300 institutions in Seoul now providing free menstrual products.

A Better Future Ahead

Whilst a lack of access to menstrual products continues to be a major issue facing women across the globe, these programs and campaigns that are tackling period poverty in Asia provide many a reason to be optimistic about eradicating period poverty. Grassroots, NGO and government-led initiatives to improve access to menstrual products have been instrumental in uplifting the lives of low-income women across Asia. It will continue to do so with further efforts to expand awareness of and end period poverty in Asia.

– Priya Thakkar
Photo: Flickr

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Human Trafficking in Côte d’Ivoire

Human Trafficking in Côte d’Ivoire
Human trafficking refers to the “recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of people through force, fraud, coercion or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit,” according to Anti-Slavery International. According to the U.S. Department of State, Côte d’Ivoire, a country situated on the southern coast of West Africa, ranks as a Tier 2 country, meaning it “does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so” as set out in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act or TVPA. However, Côte d’Ivoire has made progress over the years, upgrading to Tier 2 in the 2017 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report.

The country initially ranked as a Tier 2 Watch List country, which encompasses countries that are making an effort to comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards but fail to provide evidence of this and note an increasing number of victims. Through continued efforts, human trafficking in Côte d’Ivoire can significantly improve.

The Current State of Human Trafficking in Côte d’Ivoire

According to the TIP 2022 report, the Côte d’Ivoire government has developed “a draft national referral mechanism (NRM) and provided anti-trafficking training to law enforcement and judicial officials.” Paule Marlène Dogbo, the director of the cabinet of the Ministry of Solidarity and the Fight against Poverty, says the new referral mechanism will allow the Ivory Coast to move up to Tier 1 by conforming to the TVPA.

The government also coordinated the creation of a National Committee for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons (CNTLP), with an inauguration for its headquarters held in October 2022 in Cocody-Angré.

According to the 2022 TIP report, the Ivorian government identified 1,190 trafficking victims, in contrast to the identification of 302 trafficking victims the year prior. Children accounted for most victims. Additionally, out of the total number of victims, sex trafficking victims equaled 437 people and forced labor victims amounted to 753 people.

Despite these positive efforts, the country does not fully meet the TVPA’s minimum standards. Although convictions of traffickers are on the rise (43 convicted compared to 12 in the previous report), Côte d’Ivoire “did not report any investigations, prosecutions or convictions of government officials complicit in human trafficking crimes,” the TIP report says. This is an issue as corruption prevents the proper enforcement of the law. Some individuals have alleged that officers situated on the border take bribes to facilitate the passage of trafficking victims in Ghana and Mali.

“Law enforcement lacked the specialized training and resources to investigate trafficking cases and identify victims,” the report highlights. Furthermore, the CNLTP, which stands as the body for leading anti-trafficking efforts, “did not meet or coordinate anti-trafficking activities and the government did not allocate a dedicated budget for the CNLTP’s operations” for the third year in a row. Additionally, “shelter and services, especially for adult victims, remained inadequate,” the report says.

Action to Address Child Labor and Child Trafficking

In terms of child labor in general and child labor arising from trafficking, Côte d’Ivoire has made significant progress. Côte d’Ivoire is the main producer of cocoa on the international market, representing 45% of all production. Unfortunately, the cocoa agricultural sector relies on child labor to achieve high levels of production.

Because of domestic and international pressure, the Ivorian government took action and passed several laws to prevent child trafficking. For example, in 2010, it passed the prohibition of child trafficking and the worst forms of child labor laws, the Guardian reports.

The Ivorian government made school attendance both free and mandatory for children between 6 and 16, which relieved some of the burdens on parents that had no choice but to send their children off to work as they could not afford school. School attendance in cocoa-producing regions increased from 58% to 80% from 2008 to 2019.

To combat human trafficking in Côte d’Ivoire, in 2020, the government also established six police units dedicated to reducing child labor and trafficking. The units patrol the cocoa plantations and randomly search vehicles in cocoa-growing regions. According to the government, in total, authorities have arrested more than 1,000 traffickers since 2012.

The Centre for Victims of Child Labor opened its doors in 2018 and aims to reunite children with their families, whether abroad or locally, and get the children back into the education system. Because of the trauma children have faced, a nurse and psychologist from part of the organization’s staff.

Finally, in 2021, for the first time, an Ivorian court sentenced 10 people found guilty of child trafficking in cocoa plantations to 10 years in jail.

Looking Ahead

Although improvements are visible, increased funding and resources will help strengthen anti-trafficking efforts in the country. With continued positive efforts and adequate reporting, Côte d’Ivoire can move closer to its goal of ranking as a fully compliant Tier 1 country.

– Raphaelle Copin
Photo: Flickr