Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

, , ,

How the Gentrification of Thrifting Affects Low-Income Communities

Gentrification of ThriftingThe gentrification of thrifting is impacting the availability of second-hand clothing for people in need. Although thrifting existed from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, it had not gained widespread popularity until the 1970s onward. Furthermore, the scale at which this now $119 billion industry operates signifies its importance to the fashion industry and mass media. While thrifting has captured the interest of many young consumers, the consequences of this overconsumption prove to be more harmful than initially intended.

The History of Thrifting

Thrifting has existed for centuries across various cultures, but it was not until the late 1800s that thrift stores began to appear all across the U.S. As immigrants integrated themselves into the evolving American culture, they struggled to be accepted by mainstream society, often seen as those who took opportunities away from U.S.-born citizens. Many low-income individuals sought to create secondhand shops in collaboration with the Salvation Army, however, secondhand clothing held a stigma that deterred the general public.

At the turn of the 20th century, these locations began to change their marketing tactics to resemble popular department stores emerging at the time. From then on, they appealed to a broader range of people and the stigma began to disappear. It was not until the last half-century that modern thrift stores aligned with popular fashion, moreover when maximalism became all the rage.

Throughout the mid-to-late 2010s, fashion companies worldwide, including Levi Strauss and H&M, formed an arrangement to push sustainable fashion to the forefront of their businesses. Their proposed sustainable options could not come to fruition without addressing the issue of unethical production methods. Once fast fashion increased in scale, garment producers overlooked the human rights side of the equation. Tragedies like the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, sparked the question of ethical textile creation. Thus, thrifting presented an easy switch for consumers. Furthermore, with the increase in internet use and micro-trends perpetuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, thrifting gained traction like never before.

Recent Popularization of Secondhand Shopping

With the upward trend of maximalist fashion —a style that incorporates layers, patterns and other eccentric accessories— consumers acknowledged thrifting as an affordable shopping alternative. This craze began among teenagers and the advent of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram has merely increased its appeal. Environmental friendliness and avoiding exploitative labor justify the transition from fast fashion websites to secondhand stores. Influencer culture has also weaved itself into the mix, triggering this overconsumption and gentrification of thrifting.

Thrift stores, designed to benefit low-income communities, have been under fire for increasing the prices of secondhand clothing in recent years. Although a majority attribute the online reseller to be the pivotal cause of this shift, more often than not, thrift stores are raising their prices to maximize sales from wealthy shoppers.

The issue pertains to demand rather than the supply of donated goods. The desire for thrifted items has increased, so much so that it is becoming difficult for low-income people to access this support network. Moreover, thrifting has positively benefited the environment and human rights issues. However, psychological determinants, especially among impressionable youth, also play a role.

Changes in the Thrifting Market

A study in Vietnam displayed the growing second-hand market as well as the impacts of social class and cultural perceptions. While many western countries have developed an affluent thrifting environment, others have blurred the lines regarding the practice due to external influences. Some feel good about their decision to thrift due to its low cost and benefits to the environment while others stay away because of lingering social stigma. Each country is attempting to develop its own stance on second-hand goods, but a general consensus has yet to be reached.

Clearing up Misconceptions and Finding a Solution

Misconceptions about thrifting have emerged over the years. Supply is a common segway for thrifting advocates to guilt affluent consumers out of purchasing secondhand. The sheer number of donated clothing has skyrocketed since the pandemic began, but only around 20% become in-store inventory for selling in secondhand shops. The rest are either sent to warehouses to ship to overseas markets in sub-Saharan Africa or end up in landfills. It is an act of overconsumption as an ideology that has erected a majority of the damage; even more so than resellers of thrifted clothing.

Rather than citing specific groups that have contributed to the steepening prices, the best solution to combat the gentrification of thrifting is to spread awareness and encourage ethical buying behaviors, such as avoiding “high-need items in low stock” or simply buying an item that one can use for an extended period of time. Another alternative may be purchasing from vintage clothing or consignment sites that are not geared toward the low-income demographic. This way, one streamlines where their clothing originates from and can avoid situations where the seller mass purchases items from mainstream thrifting locations.

By addressing the gentrification of thrifting through conscious thrifting behaviors, secondhand shops can still serve the people most in need.

– Sena Ho
Photo: Flickr

US to Provide Food Security Assistance in sub-Saharan Africa

us-to-provide-food-security-assistance-in-sub-saharan-africa
The COVID-19 pandemic, climate catastrophes and Russia’s war in Ukraine are placing significant strain on food security in sub-Saharan Africa. To combat this, the U.S. announced in August 2022 its intention to provide food security assistance in sub-Saharan Africa. The goal of this widescale scheme of action is to reduce hunger and the increasing rates of malnutrition to tackle food insecurity in the region.

Food Insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa

U.S. officials state that the crisis in Ukraine most harshly affects sub-Saharan Africa. With food prices rising at unprecedented levels, households in the region face severe impacts given that “food consumes 40% of household budgets,” an August 2022 VOA News article said.

COVID-19 partially contributed to the food insecurity of more than 190 million people globally, but the Russian war in Ukraine has only inflated this figure, with estimates heading toward 230 million people. Africa faces grave impacts due to the conflict in Ukraine as Ukraine is a key “global grain and vegetable oil producer” while both Russia and Ukraine supply more than 40% of wheat in Africa.

Several key U.S. officials visited the region in August 2022 to get a more vivid picture of the state of food security and deduce the required food security assistance in sub-Saharan Africa. One particular official is Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. envoy to the U.N. and a member of President Biden’s Cabinet, who took a trip to Uganda, Ghana and Cape Verde in August 2022 to look into food insecurity.

A Brief History of US Aid in the region

This large-scale scheme to provide food security assistance in sub-Saharan Africa in many ways adds to a series of historic U.S. aid in the region. These forms of aid vary from targeting health to trade and investment. However, specific to food security, President Obama’s Feed the Future program launched in 2010 to foster “self-sufficiency in agricultural production” across the globe, including Africa.

This included providing humanitarian aid in Ethiopia where the U.S. now maintains a notable presence of humanitarian provision for the citizens there. To further this program that President Obama started, the U.S. “is expanding sustainable African food production” via the Feed the Future program to eight more African nations.

The Current US Plans Under Biden

At the G7 summit in June 2022, President Biden and other G7 leaders announced their plan to invest more than $4.5 billion to tackle global food insecurity, and $2.76 billion, half of this sum, will come from the U.S. government. Of this amount, USAID plans to use $2 billion to provide “emergency food security assistance over the next three months,” of which almost $1 billion will go directly to Africa.

While $760 million will supply “near-term food assistance” to prevent an exacerbation of impoverishment and food insecurity in vulnerable nations facing the impacts of the high costs of “food, fertilizer and fuel” that the crisis in Ukraine brought on.

Within this $760 million budget, $336.5 million will go toward a bilateral program for several countries in sub-Saharan Africa. A major goal of the U.S. in this initiative is to support countries in the region to boost their resilience to shocks like food price volatility and supply chain issues.

Additionally, through the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, the U.S. will provide $670 million worth of food aid to address unprecedented levels of hunger across the globe.

All in all, the primary goal is to strengthen production and foster resilience within agriculture and food systems on a more global scale.

Assistance to Ghana

Within the foreign policy, the U.S. also strives to consider the food crisis in sub-Saharan Africa. When the U.S. placed sanctions on Russia after the invasion of Ukraine, the sanctions did not apply to food and fertilizer exports to support countries, many in sub-Saharan Africa, that are dependent on these exports.

However, to address this dependency, the U.S. strongly advised Ghana and other African countries to invest in domestic agriculture to foster self-sufficiency, reduce global shocks and potentially look toward the possibility of “feeding global markets.” In support, the U.S. has provided $2.5 million for Ghana to fuel more efficient production and to import fertilizer for domestic farmers.

The Theme of Cooperation

An important aspect of this newly introduced scheme is the theme of cooperation. The U.S. hopes to support Africa transform its food systems following its own plans for food security. As such, this is a partnership, and not a U.S. attempt to impose its own vision for Africa.

In a recent speech in August 2022, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stated that Biden’s sub-Saharan Africa strategy “focuses on what we will do with African nations and peoples, not for them.” Blinken also described Africa as the future — by 2050 every one in four individuals in the world will be of African descent.

The U.S.’s plan to provide food security assistance in sub-Saharan Africa seeks to respond to factors such as Russia’s war in Ukraine, climate issues and COVID-19. While the U.S. will provide humanitarian assistance, the U.S. also hopes to collaborate with Africans in the region to provide more long-term, sustainable solutions to food insecurity.

– Claudia Efemini
Photo: Flickr

,

5 Facts about Higher Education in Italy

Higher Education in Italy
Among many other claims to fame, Italy is home to the oldest continually operating university in the world, with the University of Bologna’s founding dating back to 1088. According to U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 university rankings, Italian institutions make up five out of the top 200 ranked universities in the world. Although Italy has a virtually unparalleled history as a hotbed of renaissance thinkers and intellectuals in many fields, rising dropout rates and budget cuts have caused a major setback in Italian higher education.

The Bologna Process: Reforms for a Standardized and Compatible European Education

Originally agreed upon in 1999 by European nations at the University of Bologna, the EU’s Bologna Process aims to create consistency among degree-granting institutions in Europe. While creating a more standardized and cross-compatible education system, students living in the EU have easier access to study at universities outside of their home nation. The agreement’s mutual recognition of degrees granted at Bologna Process member institutions also allows for fewer barriers to employment abroad.

The Laurea

Italy’s “Laurea Triennale” degree is comparable to a Bachelor of Science in the English-speaking world. However, the major distinction between these two degrees is that a traditional Bachelor of Science degree takes four years to complete, whereas the Italian Laurea takes only three years.

Classes Taught in English

Many of the top-ranked universities in Italy, such as the University of Bologna and Bocconi University, offer programs in which courses are taught in English rather than Italian. The English-speaking programs allow Italian universities to gain a more internationally diverse student body, as well as a more competitive pool of applicants to Italy’s top universities.

The North-South Discrepancies

Although literacy rates in northern Italian regions near the Austrian border are comparable to those of top-performing nations such as South Korea, over two-thirds of adults living in the southern Italian province of Calabria have low levels of literacy. The regional gap issues contribute to the relatively low higher education rates in Italy since only 20% of Italians have a college degree. Italy’s college graduation rates are 10 percent less than the average of all industrialized nations.

Truancy and Relatively High Dropout Rates Coinciding with Funding Cuts

From 2009 to 2014, the Italian Education Ministry cut funding by 20%. During that same time span, the average dropout rate of Italian universities rose to 40% and there were zero Italian universities in the top 200 global rankings in 2014. However, even though Italian universities have risen in rankings since 2014, with the nation’s top five universities ranked within the global top 200, dropout rates have risen to 45% and truancy rates reached three times the OECD average. On top of these graduation rate issues, only 30% of students receive their Laurea in the traditional three-year time span.

Looking Ahead

Many Italian universities have proven to be pillars of consistent academic success, operating continuously for centuries. However, recent shortcomings in Italian higher education are a large cause for concern. Fiscal years of reduced funding have coincided with a decrease in education levels and university rankings within Italy. The enormous divide between the quality of education in the North and South of Italy also exacerbates the problems.

– Salvatore Brancato
Photo: Flickr

France’s Inflation Relief Package

France’s Inflation Relief
Similar to other European countries, the French parliament recently passed a series of bills to help citizens cope with the effects of high inflation that the Russia-Ukraine War caused. In addition to France’s inflation relief package, its energy supply system and international deals further protect its citizens from the direst effects of the energy crisis.

The €20 Billion Reform Package

In early August 2022, the French parliament passed a €20 billion package to offset the cost of the living crisis that the rising inflation caused as part of the PLFR, the 2022 amending finance bill. The bill includes:

  • Increasing welfare payments and pensions by 4%
  • Increasing fuel rebates from €0.18 a liter to €0.30 a liter from September to October
  • Increasing the coefficient used to calculate civil servants’ salaries
  • Prompting private companies to provide employees with tax-free bonuses of up to €6,000.

France’s inflation relief package continues measures the government took early in the year to cope with rising gas and electricity prices. Along with reducing electricity and fuel taxes, the government provided 5.8 million lower-income households with a one-off payment of €100. Separately, the government also called for energy sobriety measures to reduce business and individual energy consumption.

Subsidy measures and one-off payments, however, are also common in other western nations. The U.K. announced more generous one-off payments for pensioners and disabled people along with an energy bill discount for every household. The Institute of Fiscal Studies estimates the U.K.’s reforms will cost about £19 billion (about $22 billion), similar to France’s spending.

Yet, the average British household will likely see their bills triple in size compared to last year while French bills will stay relatively the same. What differentiates France’s inflation relief is the government’s regulation of electricity supply.

France’s Shelter from the Energy Crisis

According to calculations by Bruegel, a Brussels-based think-tank, France will spend about €50 billion to protect its citizens from the effects of the energy crisis by 2030. France is the third greatest spender in Europe after Germany and Italy, which Bruegel estimated will spend €60.2 billion and €49.2 billion, respectively.

In addition to the €20 billion 2022 PLFR, the government demanded that EDF, the 85% state-owned monopoly energy supplier, augment its number of discounted electricity offers in January. As a result, the brunt of the crisis hit EDF rather than the citizens. The discounts and state subsidies greatly shelter French households from the energy crisis.

France’s inflation relief method contrasts with Britain’s, where Ofgem, an energy regulator, determines price caps to protect consumers while maintaining supplier profit margins. The British model encourages using renewable energy and nuclear power by putting cheaper sources at the forefront of supply. Still, it fails to protect its users when the price of wholesale gas increases. Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine War, British gas costs increased more than six times. As the energy suppliers are not state-owned, consumers and suppliers are compelled to pay more. The government has not yet announced energy subsidies.

International Ties

As part of the European Union, France also follows reforms taken within the bloc, which saw the euro hit a record 8.6% inflation rate. By March 2023, the EU aims to reduce gas consumption by 15%, which amounts to about a third of the gas it imported from Russia in 2021.

France also took steps to diversify its supply. Along with temporarily re-opening a coal power plant in Saint-Avold to generate electricity, France will send Germany and Belgium excess gas. In exchange, the neighboring states will supply up to 70% of France’s electricity.

As Russia completely cut off natural gas supplies for the nation in June, France switched to energy suppliers from Norway, the United States, the Gulf and Algeria. Furthermore, Emmanuel Macron chose to go to the United Arab Emirates for his first presidential visit after his re-election. The resulting strategic energy cooperation agreement secured fuel and gas supplies for the western nation and re-established relations with the UAE.

The Impact of Combined Efforts

France’s inflation relief follows a multi-lateral approach. International agreements, state intervention in energy supply, and welfare measures combine to tackle the process from multiple angles. As a result, citizens do not suffer the most significant effects of rising energy. The reforms especially shelter lower economic classes, which feel the cost of living crisis the most strongly and present a step forwards in addressing the most salient issue for French voters.

– Elena Sofia Massacesi
Photo: Flickr

, ,

Strong Civil Societies to Tackle Poverty in Africa

Civil Societies
On August 8, 2022, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken started his tour of countries in Africa to strengthen U.S. ties with African countries. The main goal of the tour is to highlight the benefits of a relationship with the United States, which promotes strong civil societies to tackle poverty in Africa based on democratic values. This is in contrast to having China as the main ally, which, according to U.S. officials, lures countries into a debt trap that hinders economic progress. Furthermore, a relationship with a democratic country such as the U.S. allows African countries, which have a dark history of imperialism, to improve their economy and empower their own people without feeling controlled.

Poverty in Africa

In recent years, African countries have been experiencing turmoil in the form of corruption, coups and authoritarianism, all of which have prevented them from achieving social, economic and political progress that can reduce poverty. For example, according to the World Bank, Mali’s poverty rate in 2020 was 41.9%, the latest poverty estimation of the country. However, the citizens in African countries have demonstrated willingness to achieve ambitious goals of reducing poverty through empowered, but fragile civil societies.

The people in these African countries are passionate about improving their countries and moving away from their colonial past. Secretary Blinken’s trip to African countries illustrated the desire of African countries to help their own people live better lives without a major power such as the U.S. or China dictating them. In other words, African countries believe that tackling poverty requires a vibrant civil society that democratic values powers.

Democratic Economic Assistance Improves Lives

Economic development is the most important goal for African countries considering the daily struggles of their own citizens. Thus, it comes as no surprise that African countries value economic aid from developed countries. However, the terms and conditions of the economic aid that developed countries hand down vary. According to the Council on Foreign Relationships (CFR), Chinese economic aid “sans the moral scrutiny and rigorous conditionalities associated with American assistance.” This opens the door to corrupt practices such as debt traps that hurt the average citizen in Africa.

The U.S. does not “direct state funds to roads and other projects” which could make countries vulnerable to debt, The Washington Post reported. U.S. economic assistance encourages strong civil societies to tackle poverty in Africa.

Security from a Democratic vs. Autocratic Ally

African countries such as Sudan and Mali have experienced violence that resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians. That is why African countries continuously seek security assistance from major countries such as the U.S. or Russia. However, countries define security differently from one another given how they implement it domestically.

For example, Russia provides security through the Wagner Group, a private group that deploys mercenaries that embolden repressive autocrats in return for “precious minerals like gold.” As a result, the Wagner Group committed “civilian killings” and launched “social media disinformation campaigns” which caused instability.

On the other hand, throughout Secretary Blinken’s tour in Africa, the White House emphasized “African contributions and leadership” in tackling security issues, paving the way for strong civil societies to tackle poverty in Africa.

Assistance with Governance

Some African countries have experienced turbulent coups that caused instability. Thus, countries such as Libya often request assistance with governance from other countries for stability. The issue of governance in Africa is delicate, however, with citizens in the region wanting to choose their own government without major powers dictating how they should rule. According to The New York Times, Russia, through the Wagner Group “props up autocrats,” such as General Mohamed Hamdan of Sudan in return for money and minerals that belong to the citizens.

According to The White House, the U.S. approach to helping African countries govern is by “backing civil society” and “centering the voices of women and youth” in determining the politics of their country. Thus, more democratic governance could make it easier for strong civil societies to tackle poverty in Africa.

The U.S. is far from perfect in terms of its foreign policy and aid to developing countries. However, Africans may finally get the chance to rebuild their countries and take control of their future after many decades of colonialism followed by turmoil after independence. U.S. policy favors civil societies which are the key to reducing poverty, empowering women and increasing the quality of life. Secretary Blinken’s tour reminded the world that “most Africans remain drawn to western values” and “the allure of the U.S. economic model,” The Washington Post reported.

– Abdullah Dowaihy
Photo: Flickr

Fragility and Rule of Law in Belize

Rule of Law in Belize
When one hears the words “Central American prison,” the picture that may come to mind is an overcrowded and unforgiving facility, containing some of the world’s most hardened gang members and violent criminals. However, since it took over operations in 2002, the nonprofit Kolbe Foundation has aimed to quash this cliché by running the Belize Central Prison on a faith-based system that prioritizes inmate rehabilitation, thus improving the rule of law in Belize. In the “Hattieville Ramada,” as locals have nicknamed it, inmates receive an education, as well as vocational training in woodwork, agriculture, welding and construction.

Private Prison with a Positive Mission

Although the Kolbe Foundation privately owns the Belize Central Prison, the nonprofit does not gain any financial reward for its operations. This is a stark contrast to many American prisons, which government agencies contract out to private organizations that stand to make a profit from the number of inmates housed.

Before the Kolbe Foundation took over, the Belize Central Prison did not have a sewer system. It only contained 300 beds, even though there were 900 inmates. Since the Kolbe Foundation took over, recidivism rates have fallen significantly, with only 10% of inmates reoffending five years after release. Along with the lower recidivism rates, Belize’s overall homicide rates have dropped from 42.55 to 29.06 per 100,000 inhabitants.              

Although the Belize Central Prison has made several strides since its 2002 change of ownership, the Belizean Criminal justice system has fallen short in many areas. For example, more than one-third of the inmates in Belize Central Prison are in pre-trial detention, still waiting for the government to charge them with a crime formally and showing the fragility of the rule of law in Belize. According to the U.S. Department of State, corruption and a lack of resources have hampered many of Belize’s counter-narcotics attempts. This lack of resources adversely affects Belize’s fragility and the rule of law, which one can see in its criminal justice system’s inability to prosecute defendants speedily.                                                                         

Even though the inter-governmental Caribbean Community has hailed it as the “model” Central American prison, the U.S. State Department has cited “harsh conditions” and “inadequate sanitation procedures” that contributed to overcrowding issues.                                                                            

Compared to the conditions of other Central American correctional facilities, the Belize Central Prison has experienced many improvements regarding prisoner rehabilitation and crime reduction. On average, the Belize Central Prison only spends $7 per day on each inmate. The average American inmate costs upwards of $100 per day. Despite this significant gap in spending, the Belize Central Prison has still experienced relative success in outcomes after release, such as the integration of prisoners back into society through vocational training and low recidivism rates.

The Necessity of Improvements

The lack of funding is still apparent in many aspects of prison conditions, such as cell ventilation and overcrowding, which has caused sanitary issues. Due to its proximity between South American drug suppliers and Mexico’s southern border, gang violence from the narcotics trade is prevalent in Belize. However, the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has attempted to prevent future gang violence in Belize by increasing policing efforts and educating youth in areas with gang activity. By improving the fragility and the rule of law in Belize, international aid can resolve a vital cause of global poverty and violence.

– Salvatore Brancato
Photo: Flickr

Period Poverty in Switzerland

Period Poverty in Switzerland
Women have been getting their periods from the beginning of time. The first mass-produced commercial menstrual products emerged in 1897. On average, people with access to these menstrual products use 17,000 tampons in their life. Now, there are a plethora of menstrual products to choose from. Unfortunately, even with the availability of these products, there is immense period poverty, which refers to the inability of a menstruating person to access or afford products for their cycle. In Switzerland, 8.5% of the population faces income poverty which likely has an impact on women’s ability to menstruate hygienically. Switzerland has made considerable strides in an attempt to nullify the discrepancies between genders. However, this has not been entirely successful. Here is some information about period poverty in Switzerland and what measures are in place to eliminate it.

The Reason for the Problem

Period poverty in Switzerland is a problem that some parts of the country have attempted to address. However, it has become increasingly difficult for the youths to access these products due to inflation and taxes. With 50.4% of the population of Switzerland being female, they are part of the more than 500 million women worldwide who are deprived of menstrual products. The average woman bleeds for a total of 3,500 days or 10 years of her life. When living below the poverty line, it is often difficult to obtain menstrual products. About 10% of Switzerland’s youth fall below the poverty line as of 2019. However, specific statistics are not available regarding the number of people that period poverty affects in Switzerland.

All over, this deprivation curbs these people’s potential as they cannot step out of their house to work or study for fear of random pain in different parts of their body along, fear of staining their clothes or even just keeping their hygiene. This has a significant impact on the productivity of these women and their contribution to the world economy and each individual’s life. Lack of hygiene and loss of blood and tissues make a woman prone to multiple bacterial issues. The disparity between the two groups is unnecessary and dispels the disadvantaged group of a fundamental human right.

The Reason for the Prevalence of Period Poverty in Switzerland

The Swiss government started a campaign in 2021 to try and solve the problem of period poverty by making pads and tampons available for free in public schools and colleges. However, this did not work very well as, despite the free products, they were not in stock and available at all times within the schools and colleges. Often, the schools and colleges did not advertise their availability, and the school’s menstruating counterparts did not know they had a right to access these products. The lack of appropriate advertisement for the campaign failed to raise awareness about the unsaid taboo still prevalent in this small European country.

One might think that period products should not be so expensive since they are necessary for the normal bodily function of menstruation. However, it is more expensive to menstruate than it is to take a performance-enhancing tablet like Viagra since the Swiss Government imposed a value-added tax (VAT) rate of 7.7% on feminine hygiene products.

Poverty is an issue in nearly one in five Swiss households and about 10% of the youth below the age of 20 fall under the poverty line. On any given day, 300 million women and girls worldwide will be menstruating, indicating that period poverty is likely a challenge that requires resolution not only in Switzerland but also globally.

Solutions

Apart from the Swiss Government’s individualistic contribution to eradicating the problem in the country, the World Bank has made an effort to collectively end the stigmatization of menstruation worldwide by introducing the annual Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28. The end of stigmatization means that soon people will be able to talk about periods and issues like period poverty without experiencing shame.

Additionally, the City of Geneva introduced a pilot project wherein the municipality of the city has put up vending machines in economically challenged suburbs where youth are most likely to congregate. These machines contain sanitary and period-related products with organic cotton sanitary towels. Geneva has installed more than 53 machines as of September 2021. The aim was to break the taboo surrounding periods and make periods open to conversation. The products available within the machines are at subsidized prices, making them more affordable.

Another contributor to this is entrepreneurs Alexandra Wheeler and Eléonore Arnaud, who opened a boutique in Toulouse, Switzerland, called Rañute, which is all about destigmatizing periods. Wheeler and Arnaud open up conversations and stock products ranging from herbal teas to help with period pain as well as reusable panties and cups. It is not just a safe space for women but also young girls. It also provides a space for fathers and those in transition phases, such as menopause, who are eager to learn. Recently, the boutique has expanded to have online stores for its products to make them more readily available throughout France and Switzerland.

While more work is essential in terms of raising awareness, removing the stigma around menstruation and period poverty and making sanitary products freely available, Switzerland is on a solid path to do so. Hopefully, with continued work, period poverty in Switzerland will disappear entirely.

– Zyra Irani
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Fighting HIV/AIDS in Sudan

HIV/AIDS in Sudan
The global epidemic of HIV/AIDS began in 1981 and continues as a severe global issue today, especially in developing countries. Citizens of developing countries are at higher risk of contracting HIV due to factors such as having a weak immune system from prior infections, lack of accessible health care and inadequate preventative education. According to a 2020 UNAIDS report, in Sudan, a developing country of 11.19 million, 0.2% of people aged 15-49 are HIV positive, based on 2019 estimates. Not only is the number significantly lower than in Sudan’s neighboring countries such as Kenya (4.2%), Malawi (8.1%), Zambia (11.1%) and South Sudan (2.3%) but the percentage of people with HIV in Sudan is lower than the global average, which stands at 0.7% as of 2021. Not only is this a significant success for HIV news but this statistic breaks stereotypes about HIV in developing countries as well as overall rates of HIV/AIDS in Sudan are generally low.

Sudan’s Culture and HIV Prevalence

Sudan’s 0.2% HIV prevalence rating gives the country a “low epidemic” classification. Within the geographical region, Sudan’s most commonly practiced religion is Muslim, with 91% of the population practicing the religion. The Muslim religion follows the ideology of the absence of sex until marriage. Islamic teachings also prohibit homosexuality, adultery and intoxicants.

A 2004 study by Peter Gray researched HIV prevalence among different religions and Islam proved to have a negative correlation with HIV prevalence. However, despite these stringent rules, HIV still has some prevalence in Muslim-dominated countries such as Sudan. Muslim leaders initially did not see HIV as an issue in their countries, believing that the rules of their culture made it a non-issue.

In some ways, the conservative attitudes of Muslim societies have created additional barriers to addressing the HIV crisis due to prejudices and stigma, leading to a lack of awareness. Fortunately, over the past decade, more Muslim-dominated countries are acknowledging the prevalence of HIV/AIDS within their borders and are taking steps to increase awareness, preventative care and treatment. This is the case regarding Sudan as well.

The Fight Against HIV/AIDS in Sudan

By the latter part of 2016, Sudan decided to adopt the World Health Organization (WHO) “treat-all policy.” According to WHO, this policy means providing each and every person enduring HIV with “lifelong [antiretroviral treatment], including children, adolescents, adults and pregnant and breastfeeding women, regardless of clinical status or CD4 cell count.” The treat-all policy focuses on treating HIV as early as possible rather than waiting for its progression. This treat-all policy is associated with decreased mortality and transmission rates.

The Correlation Between HIV and Poverty

HIV/AIDS and poverty have several links. For instance:

  • Patients with HIV may find that their condition can get in the way of keeping a steady job, thus affecting a country’s employment levels. Research shows that unemployment among individuals living with HIV/AIDS stands between 45% and 65%.
  • People from lower social classes “have delayed treatment initiation relative to more affluent patients, reducing their chances of survival,” said the American Psychological Association.
  • Those living with HIV in lower social classes face higher mortality rates.

Despite being a developing country, Sudan still has a generally low HIV rate. This not only breaks stereotypes but also shows strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Sudan.

– Luke Sherrill
Photo: Flickr

Automated Agriculture in Thailand

Automated Agriculture in Thailand
Agriculture is an essential component of Thailand’s economy. It supplies employment and economic security to millions of people. Yet, agriculture is currently on a sharp decline. As one of the largest rice exporters, Thailand has responded by becoming the first country to adopt smart agriculture. Automated agriculture in Thailand shows promise, but perils have tempered this promise. Should it succeed, this technology may prove essential in solving global food scarcity.

Food Security Issues

Internal issues trigger the dwindling agricultural sector in Thailand. For one, farmers are aging at an unprecedented rate. This casts a bleak shadow on the future of agricultural sustainability and could decrease investment. Furthermore, according to Bangkok Post, that aging could decrease food output and production.

Making matters worse: farm sizes are decreasing. One of the reasons could be unproductive outcomes and diminishing farming houses. Finally, there is a massive labor shortage in the current agricultural landscape. Overall, these challenges translate to less food for Thailand and the rest of the world.

Most salient in South Asia is the searing droughts. In 2020, the most severe drought in 40 years hit Thailand, hitting the agricultural sector hard. Rice and sugar production plummeted, prompting global food supply complications. Put simply: the dangerously low water levels were not enough to supplement the agricultural industry. By one measure, these severe droughts even led to a nearly 5% decrease in agricultural economic growth. As these droughts worsen yearly, Thailand had to look for more sustainable and resource-efficient farming methods.

While these complications threaten the global food supply, the demand for food only rises. With the global population expected to reach 9.8 billion people by 2050, the global food requirement is also expected to increase by 98% by 2050. Thus, Thailand is fighting an uphill battle against food insecurity, with internal and external forces endangering agriculture.

Promise of Automation

Recently, the Thai government declared a commitment to turning Thailand into a high-tech agricultural hub. It offered an array of incentives to companies that set up such technologies to increase efficiency. This flood of agricultural technology could help increase food yields while increasing efficiency.

For instance, it could decrease land and water use while using automated agriculture to increase the pace of production. Other technologies detect nutrients in the ground to target the most productive places to plant and fertilize.

Betagro, for example, has developed a smart farming project that experiments with robotics and drone technology to automate farming. These technologies deeply depend on sensors, which, combined with machine learning, can facilitate near fool-proof automation. This also offers the potential to slash costs while increasing food output. Meanwhile, Food Innopolis conducts research for innovating agricultural sustainability in Thailand. As of 2018, 35 businesses and counting have also created an innovation hub dedicated to automating agriculture, CNBC reported.

Perils of Automation

While automated agriculture in Thailand could revolutionize food, it may well come with costly consequences. First, like all automated technology, these practices could eventually lead to dire job displacement. However, automated agriculture and humans can and often must work in tandem. Such technologies could also degrade essential components of ecosystems due to their invasive nature. Malfunctions could also damage soil and leach water, harming both human and animal health.

Global Future

If automated agriculture in Thailand increases food and, in particular, rice production, future populations can avoid a detrimental famine. As Thailand becomes the first to build a high-tech agricultural kitchen, other countries will likely follow. It serves as a model for modernizing food in a sustainable setting.

– Ashwin Telang
Photo: Flickr

,

Community Gardens in Rio de Janeiro Tackle Hunger

Community Gardens in Rio de Janeiro
Millions of Brazilians go hungry annually and many are often uncertain about what to do. However, now, an ambitious project to create the world’s largest urban garden has provided a solution. These sets of community gardens in Rio de Janeiro are providing food and income for the poor populations in many favelas across Rio de Janeiro and expectations are that they will feed roughly 50,000 families annually, starting in 2024, as well as provide jobs for many of them.

The Hunger Crisis

As of June 2022, the Brazilian Network for Research on Food Security reported that “[more] than half the country – 125.2 million people – suffers food insecurity of some kind,” a figure that was a 7.2% increase from the 2020 report. These numbers have now led to them calling the current hunger crisis a “historic setback” and attributing it to “the ongoing dismantling of social policies, the worsening of the economic crisis, the increase in social inequalities [and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic].”

In fact, citizens in the “Auxilio Brazil” program, which provides citizens with funds to help them, have struggled due to inflation. Researchers also found that more than half of households and 27.4 million people in urban areas are experiencing food insecurity. Now, the Latin American giant, which “once led the global fight against hunger,” is once again fighting hunger and poverty with a new, innovative project. In the words of Julio Cesar Barros, one of the project’s leaders, the project’s main goal is to “stop organic food from just being for the elite” and provide both food and jobs to those who most need it across Rio’s favelas.

The Community Gardens in Rio de Janeiro

The first garden began in 2013 on a portion of land in the Manguinhos favela known then as “crackolandia” because of a drug addiction problem in the area. That was the origin, and today, it is well established and has respect from the entire neighborhood. As of 2022, the garden provides food to roughly “800 families a month with produce that is pesticide free and affordable,” according to France24. It also provides jobs for many citizens and has even allowed some of them to leave a life of crime in exchange for one as gardeners.

The Manguinhos garden is “one of 56” community gardens in Rio de Janeiro that launched in 2006, and it has received international praise through the “Milan Urban Food Policy Pact as one of the best such systems in the world.” It is part of an initiative by the city’s government to offer “employment and affordable food” to its most deprived neighborhoods. It is roughly “the size of four football fields” and produces “2.5 tons of yuca, carrots, onions, cabbage and other vegetables” monthly. Much like the Manguinhos garden, a garden near the Cajueiro favela is being built that is already the size of a football field and expectations are that it will expand to 10 times that size by the end of 2022 and many more are emerging or expanding across Rio.

The Impact

Half of the produce from these community gardens in Rio de Janeiro is going to the residents of the favelas and the gardens are selling the other half at a fair price, with the gardeners splitting the revenue. The gardens project is now becoming “an important lifeline at a time when many are struggling to survive.” It is also allowing citizens to work in an environment that benefits them physically and emotionally.

One gardener from the garden near Cajueiro said that “It has brought me such joy to come here and be part of this – to do what I love, which is to work with the soil, to plant. It’s been a really special opportunity for me.” Another gardener, from the Manguinhos garden, told France24 that the garden has “changed everything for [her],” including the way she lived and ate. Additionally, a second gardener from Manguinhos, who had a complicated past, said that working in the garden was a kind of “therapy” for him, and added that he felt proud of his work because it helped him provide his daughter with “good, healthy food.”

Looking Ahead

Now, the city government is attempting to expand these community gardens in Rio de Janeiro across the entire city to provide more people with food and jobs. It has announced plans to expand a garden in the Parque de Madureira area and make it quadruple the size of the Manguinhos garden, which would make it the world’s largest urban garden. Additionally, due to the high quality of the products, which are pesticide-free and affordable, “health-oriented restaurants in Rio” have begun buying their produce from these community gardens. This is a great indicator of the project’s growth and its potential integration into Rio’s city life. However, for now, the project should continue growing and keep battling hunger and poverty through jobs and healthy food to help many more families in the years to come.

－Marcela Agreda L.
Photo: Flickr