Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

UNICEF’s Work in Senegal to Provide Menstrual Supplies

UNICEF’s work in Senegal
In countries where people heavily stigmatize menstruation, many girls and young women have to resort to excluding themselves from many activities—including their own education. This is the case for many girls and young women in the West African country of Senegal. As one young Senegalese woman, Nogaye, explained to UNICEF: “Without feminine hygiene products, many girls skip school while on their periods. That means they miss up to a week of school every month, so they start to fall behind and eventually drop out.” This is why UNICEF is currently teaming up with many of these young women and various Senegalese NGOs in an initiative that is working to address this problem. There are several things to know regarding this initiative and UNICEF’s work in Senegal.

The Stigma

Menstruation is a part of stigma and misunderstanding in Senegalese society. As U.N. Women stated, “Menstruation is a taboo subject in a Senegalese society strongly marked by beliefs, myths, religious and community prohibitions, which affects the management of menstrual hygiene.”

While Senegalese women have good general knowledge about menstruation, such as “the normal duration of menstruation, the length of the menstrual cycle and the consequences of poor menstrual hygiene on health,” support and understanding from society and consequently access to supplies, are quite sparse, U.N. Women reports. This is one major reason many girls and young women, at the start of their period, exclude themselves from any school or social-related activities.

UNICEF’s Work in Senegal

UNICEF, however, is currently teaming up with young women in Senegal to “[explore] new and creative ways to locally produce menstrual supply kits” so that girls do not have to miss out on their education.

One particularly promising route that UNICEF is taking so far is supporting the creation of reusable sanitary cloth pads for girls and women of underserved communities. By partnering with local NGOs, UNICEF is working to train young women, including young men, in how to create these safe and affordable pads as well as other menstrual hygiene products, as it reported on its website.

As one young Senegalese trainee, Ndela, explained to UNICEF, “The training included sessions on how to sew sanitary pads and hygienic sanitary materials in line with the approved and labeled standards, using locally sourced fabric, coupled with sessions on building entrepreneurial skills.” During the training, the women produced a total of 20,900 pads, which they will later distribute to the schools across the region.

Thus, this initiative is going beyond immediate support for the girls and women of Senegal. However, the creation of these products is also helping Senegalese youth to become more self-sufficient and secure in their future. “Supported by UNICEF, this initiative aims not only to provide schoolgirls with sanitary pads but also to empower the young beneficiaries of the training to sustain their activities,” UNICEF reported on its website.

Other impactful solutions by UNICEF include the creation and distribution of “dignity kits” which contain, among other supplies, these handmade, reusable pads. Additionally, ensuring access to clean water, latrines and other sanitary materials to manage menstruation more comfortably and safely is another major focus of UNICEF’s work in Senegal.

Looking Forward

With the most recent data from UNESCO showing the literacy rate for Senegalese females aged 15 years and older to be at 39.8%— compared to the male literacy rate for the same age group being 64.8%— there quickly becomes apparent the presence of barriers to education for females. The importance of making access to education easier for the girls and young women of Senegal, then, is critical.

By providing period education, supplies and support, the education and social lives of many girls and women of Senegal do not have to stop for up to one week per month. By making education accessible and comfortable, young girls and women could look toward a better future.

As Kelly Ann Naylor, the UNICEF Director of Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH), does well to point out while discussing the lack of period support around the world, “Investment in menstrual hygiene management will benefit girls today, the women they will become tomorrow, and the next generation.”

UNICEF’s work in Senegal should become the norm if the girls and young women of the world’s developing nations are to pursue their education and social lives without impediment.

– Riley Wooldridge
Photo: Flickr

A Digital Economy for Mongolia

Digital Economy in Mongolia
Mongolia is a country in East Asia that borders China and Russia. As the country continues to progress, the public has an increased desire for information and communication technologies that must be met. Known as the world’s most heavily populated country, technologies are needed, especially in Mongolian rural areas, in order to improve education. Fortunately, on June 6, 2022, Mongolia made a significant effort to address its technological challenges by accepting International Development Association (IDA) credit with the intention of creating a more digital economy for Mongolia.

The Implementation

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved a $40.7 million International Development Association (IDA) credit in order to help Mongolia increase digital skills and training as well as improve online public services. This will help make technology more common in Mongolia. According to Andrei Mikhnev, World Bank Country Manager for Mongolia, the Mongolian youth will develop more skills this way and become more familiar with the technology. It will improve their knowledge and help them become eligible for a wider range of jobs. In addition to this, women, people with disabilities and people living in rural areas will be able to access basic digital services, explained Mikhnev.

Mongolia is preparing to build a strong digital economy. This includes more Mongolians having better access to the internet. According to World Bank, as of 2020, 63% of Mongolians use the internet.

A more digital economy ties into a better economy, with access to internet services, faster productivity for businesses and the opportunity for online education. This project aims to assist in the development of a more digital economy for Mongolia as well as to provide new opportunities for Mongolia’s development.

According to the World Bank, the project will help 13,000 civilians improve their digital skills. In addition to this, it will “create 3,000 new digital jobs for youth and women and help digitalize 2,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve their competitiveness and resilience in the global economy.”

More Digital Economy for Mongolia

A more digital economy for Mongolia means a better way of life. A better digital economy could bring more online educational opportunities. It is essential that homes have electricity and internet in order for Mongolians to proceed with education at home. However, as of 2020, 18.4% of Mongolian homes had limited access to energy.

Having a broader range of educational opportunities could help create more jobs and increase the possibility of income. In addition, according to World Bank, this “will assist the government in adopting an integrated, whole-of-government approach for its online public services and digital investments.”

The effect that the Mongolian economy has on Mongolians has led to protests, with the youth arguing that parliament does not do its job in ensuring that the economy is suitable for a comfortable life. According to Jacobin, “Mongolians’ anger at the state stems from an overwhelming sense that politicians live in their own bubbles, isolated from the lives of ordinary people.”

Mongolia’s plan stands as an indicator of the progression of a digital-savvy economy. According to the Mongolia Sustainable Development Vision 2030, Mongolia’s goal is to provide internet coverage to 70% of the population by 2020, 90% of the population by 2025 and 95% of the population by 2030. Mongolia’s progress could help create a more digital economy, helping its inhabitants live an easier lifestyle.

 – Frema Mensah
Photo: Flickr

Organic Farming in India Reduces Poverty

Organic Farming in India
Organic farming, an environmentally-friendly agricultural process, steers away from the use of chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides by replacing them with pest controls made from animal, human and plant residues. The main goal of organic farming is to protect the environment while producing high-quality, organic products. Organic farming in India has brought several benefits to India that had a declined growth of the economy even before the pandemic.

The Impact of Organic Farming in India

Organic farming in India has improved the quality of products and food safety by eliminating chemical pesticides that are bad for health. Due to the shortage of vaccines during the pandemic in 2020, people started to realize the importance of immunity and health and prioritize high-quality food; this has resulted in an increase in domestic demand for organic products in India.

As the number of COVID-19 cases in 2021 became twice as worse than it was in 2020 in India, the production and market for organic products were growing. According to a 2021 Foreign Agriculture Service report, there was a 36% growth in organic crop production from 2020-2021 compared to its production from 2019-2020. According to a CUTS International survey, during the pandemic in 2020, data showed that more than 91% of organic product sellers and 89% of consumers agreed that “there has been a substantial rise in both sale and consumption of organic products during the pandemic.”

Organic farming in India also brings an additional source of income due to the high demand for exporting organic products. India exports a wide variety of organic products such as oilseeds, dry fruits, cereals, coffee and tea to 58 countries including Australia, the United States, Canada, Switzerland, the European Union, the UAE and more.

The demand for exports of organic products in India is growing rapidly. According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, “the country’s exports of organic food products rose by 51% year-on-year to $1 billion (Rs 7,078 crore) in 2020-21,” The Economic Times reported.

The organic product export realization achieved $1,040.95 million during the same period. In terms of export value realization, oilseeds (9%) were in second place following soya meal (57%), cereals and millets (7%) and tea and coffee (6%).

Responding to the Growth of Organic Farming in India

To facilitate the growth of organic farming in India, the country came up with two major ways: creating online organic product shops and providing organic farming programs.

  1. The Organic E-commerce Platform. The Jaivik Kheti, India’s online organic product shop, assists farmers to sell their organic products globally by linking them with retail as well as bulk buyers. As of July 26, 2022, the Jaivik Kheti platform has 609,144 registered farmers, 18,326 local groups, 89 input suppliers, 8,098 buyers and 123,971 organic products.
  2. The Organic Farming Program. Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCDNER) is one of the farming programs in India to help farmers adopt organic farming in the North Eastern region of the country. Implemented in 2015, its goal is to empower 30,000 to 50,000 farmers by creating 100 farmer producer companies (FPCs). According to the Press Information Bureau Government of India Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, “Under MOVCDNER, the FPCs get access to shared infrastructure including collection centers, custom hiring centers, processing infrastructure and packhouses, allowing them to add value to their produce and market them well.”

Organic farming in India is essential to the substantial growth of domestic and export demand for its organic products. This environment-friendly, sustainable farming process is a profitable business that helps to strengthen India’s economy.

– Jiaying Guo
Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Children’s Mental Health in Lebanon

Children’s Mental Health in Lebanon
The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the ongoing civil unrest and the economic crisis in Lebanon have negatively impacted children’s mental health in Lebanon. Amid several crises, Lebanon is noting higher rates of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, among the nation’s children.

Overview of Children’s Health in Lebanon

A 2022 Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents in Lebanon Study (PALS) study found that 32.7% out of 1,517 children and adolescents in Lebanon screened positive for at least one psychiatric disorder. However, only 5% of these children sought professional mental health help.

The high prevalence of psychiatric symptoms in Lebanese children and adolescents alerted the need for adequate mental health prevention programs. In 2022, approximately one in five aged between 15-24 reported that they have depression.

Political Crisis in Lebanon

On October 17, 2019, Lebanese launched mass anti-government protests in a response to new tax measures and corruption. During the protests, businesses and banks closed causing a financial crisis. These mass protests impacted the families in Lebanon financially, pulling many children out of private schools.

News Medical has found that education impacts the mental health outcome of children. In fact, “Higher levels of education have been associated with better mental health.” Low levels of education are linked to “a lack of sense of control and resilience,” which puts an individual at a higher risk of depression.

Economic Crisis in Lebanon

According to the World Bank, Lebanon is “facing one of the world’s worst economic and financial crises,” the United States Institute of Peace reported. According to the statistics in 2021 from the World Bank, Lebanon’s economy has decreased by 58.1% since 2019 and the national GDP declined by 10.5% in 2021.

In fact, Lebanon’s contraction was the largest contraction out of 193 countries. Besides the impact of the pandemic, the blast in the Port of Beirut aggravated the economic crisis in Lebanon. On August 4, 2020, the Port of Beirut exploded resulting in many casualties, injuries and massive destruction. The explosion at Beirut’s port killed at least 218 people and wounded 7,000 people.

Economic fallout in the aftermath of the Beirut explosion along with the COVID-19 has put the families and children in danger of poverty and food insecurity. In 2021, the World Food Program (WFP) reported that 6.7 million Lebanese and the entire Syrian refugee population of 1.5 million are living in severe poverty.

Looking at the correlation between the economic situation and the child’s mental health according to the research article published in Health Economics, children’s mental health outcomes worsen as the economy weakens.

Environmental factors such as food insecurity and poverty because of the economic meltdown had a direct impact on the well-being of Lebanese families leading to the poor mental state of children in Lebanon.

COVID-19 in Lebanon

In January 2021, due to a massive resurgence of new cases of COVID-19, the government ordered a strict lockdown. This caused many citizens to feel isolated and disconnected due to a lack of socialization and confinement within homes. It adversely impacted the mental health of citizens, who, as a result, struggled with stress, anxiety, depression and more.

Improving Mental Health in Lebanon

The United Nations in Lebanon worked in conjunction with the National Mental Health Programme in the Ministry of Public Health to create “a mental health and psychological support action plan as part of the national response to the COVID-19 outbreak.”

As part of the plan, the U.N. and its partners raised awareness of ways to manage stress and mental health by sharing psychosocial support kits for children in hospitals and providing remote community-based mental health support kits to 5,975 children and parents, UNICEF reported.

In 2020, UNICEF Representative Yukie Mokuo said that “50% of mental disorders start before the age of 14 and 75% by the mid-20s.” The U.N. also launched the campaign in 2020 under the name of “How Are you Doing in Corona Times?” targeting to raise awareness and identify mental health status specifically among the youth population, according to UNICEF.

The other environmental contributing factors that impact children’s mental health are under control by international efforts. In 2022, on March 23, USAID provided nearly $64 million in humanitarian assistance in a response to Lebanon’s economic detraction and food insecurity. The United States government has contributed nearly $510 million in assistance to Lebanon since October 2020.

Lebanon’s progressive approaches to raising awareness of children’s mental health with national efforts along with the help of international aid show positive prospect for the future of child mental health conditions. Considering the future of children’s mental health in Lebanon, the nation should prioritize implementing initiatives and adequate policies to promote positive mental health among children in Lebanon.

– Youngwook Chun
Photo: Unsplash

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Vulcan Augmetics Offers Prosthetics in Vietnam

Prosthetics in Vietnam
Though the Vietnam War ended 47 years ago, buried in Vietnamese soil, thousands of unexploded land mines, grenades and cluster bombs continue to injure or kill people. There are 100,000 amputees requiring prosthetics in Vietnam and about 80% are from landmines. Till today, 2,000 people are stepping on live landmines every year. In 2018, two expatriates founded Vulcan Augmetics, a social enterprise startup that utilized 3D printing and injection molding to create customizable and upgradable prosthetics. Its goal is to support amputees in developing countries and lower the cost of prosthetics.

Affordable Price

In developed nations, most amputees have access to social assistance and medical insurance covered by the legislation. In contrast, 95% of amputees in Vietnam have to support their own lives, with unemployment high up to 70%.

Rafael Masters and Akshay Sharma founded Vulcan Augmetics in 2018. One of their inspirations to start the company Vulcan Augmetics is to subsidize Vietnamese amputees with accessibility to high-functioning prosthetics when they lack quality insurance coverage.

Vulcan Augmetics combines traditional metal frames with plastic parts made through 3D printing. The innovation in filled materials controls prices of prosthetics at $1,100, making them more affordable than most prosthetic arms that cost $2,600 on average, explained Masters to KrASIA.

Sustainable Design

Another advantage of Vulcan Augmetics is to give amputees a say in developing artificial limbs, augmenting them to meet their own needs.

Rather than offering traditional fixed prosthetics, the company designed and produced flexible components for modifying and upgrading. Vulcan’s prosthetics plug and click together like Lego pieces, enabling rearrangement to suit the daily demands of a given occupation or task, according to KrASIA.

For the base model, there is also an adjustable mechanical device inside the hand with multiple functions, providing users the ability to do daily chores, said Masters to KrASIA. Going through the cheap and efficient entry-level ones, customers can upgrade to advanced models for more possibilities in life and work.

Broad Market

Till 2021, Vulcan has partnered with 17 major hospitals and clinics with orthotic and prosthetics services in Vietnam, offering new prosthetics to 32 people in need. It targets to have at least 50 users per month in 2022 and aggrandize its business to other regions in Southeast Asia, according to Youth Colab.

Positioning itself as a social enterprise, Vulcan Augmetics lists prices and detailed product information upfront on its website, so potential buyers can know what options are available no matter where they are.

For startups aiming to break down barriers to artificial limbs worldwide, this decentralized approach helps place the customer at the forefront. People no longer have to approach hospitals and clinics to find a prosthetic, but getting to see product options and collaborate in building prosthetics online without geographic hurdles.

Vulcan Augmetics plans to develop product lines for people with paralysis or weak muscles, and those without disabilities want to be more durable and flexible in special physical activities. For a long-term goal, the company wishes to serve 38 million disabled people globally in addition to providing prosthetics in Vietnam, according to KrASIA.

– Shiyu Pan
Photo: Unsplash

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Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Spain

Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Spain
There is no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused mayhem across the globe over the past few years and the virus, alongside its health, social and economic implications, has effectively left no corner of the world untouched. Even wealthier nations within Europe, like Spain, have had their fair share of setbacks thanks to the pandemic. Thankfully, however, this nation has been blessed with an equipped and responsive government as well as various charitable corporations and NGOs, who have made it their mission to see the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Spain be negligible.

Early Action

Much like other affluent countries, Spain implemented a Royal Decree-Law 11/2020 at the beginning of the pandemic to counteract the widespread loss of both jobs and income. This was most certainly a vital measure when considering the following.

In 2020, the unemployment rate shot up to 16.5% as a consequence of government lockdowns. Contrast this rate with the 14% seen at the beginning of the year. It quickly became evident that over a million Spaniards were at risk of no longer being able to afford essentials like housing, food and other things of the sort. In other words, the potential impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Spain was a huge concern.

The nation was reporting more than 8,000 new COVID-19 cases a day at the beginning of the pandemic and thus the Spanish congress understood that they could not carry on business as usual and that they needed to restrict societal mobility via the closing of non-essential stores and businesses, halting commerce and slashing over 600,000 jobs.

Regarding the Royal Decree, officials took it one step further, going as far as to pause rent payments for the financially vulnerable so that there would be no immense backlog of fees at the conclusion of the eviction suspension.

This bold step caused evictions to decrease by 90% in the second quarter of 2020. Another noteworthy form of aid was the introduction of Universal Basic Income (UBI) for the nation’s most impoverished, an unprecedented move not attempted in any other region of the world. Nearly a million qualified for payments that equated to about €1,015.

Supplementary income had benefited roughly 22% of the Spanish population during the virus’ initial wave, helping keep families fed and stable in a time full of such great instability.

The Private Sector

The public response was not the only combatant to the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Spain that deserves praise. Private industry also stepped up in the wake of Spain’s Coronavirus crisis, with numerous companies and organizations making it their priority to keep communities both secure and safe during a moment of impending doom.

CAF, for instance, a popular development bank in Latin America, decided to donate $600,000 to Spain and its neighbor Portugal to assist them in their fight against COVID-19 and its ramifications. Consequently, about 25,000 Spanish families gained access to medical supplies that were otherwise out of reach.

Closer to home, big corporate names like Siegwerk donated to established and dependable charities like Banco de Alimentos and Caritas, which have a long track record of helping ease the hunger of countless Spaniards. Thanks to donations like these, Caritas was able to assist many vulnerable people and families in obtaining their basic necessities like shelter and food.

What Does This Mean for the Rest of the World?

The innovative and generous government response to the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Spain as well as the sympathetic actions of large corporations leaves the world with a lot to be hopeful for. Despite the complete shuttering of the economy, the amount of Spaniards at risk of poverty only increased from 20.7% in January 2020 to 21% in December 2020, making it appear as though the COVID-19 catastrophe never actually happened. The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Spain was fairly minimal because officials were able to put their constituents first and profit-driven companies were able to overlook their finances for the general welfare. Given such dynamics, it seems the ideals of humanity are no longer too far out of reach.

No one in Spain would be willing to proclaim COVID-19 a blessing with its toll on the economy and human life, but as the old saying goes: “when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade” and that is precisely what this European nation has accomplished.

– Jacob Lawhern
Photo: Flickr

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After War, Truce in Yemen Offers Hope

Truce in Yemen
After more than seven years of war and what the United Nations described as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” a truce in Yemen offered respite to the millions affected by the conflict in April.

Yemen’s Civil War and its Effects

The roots of Yemen’s civil war extend back to 2012 when Yemen’s president stepped down due to the Arab Spring. The former president and his supporters joined forces with the Houthi rebels, a Shiite Muslim resistance group supported by Iran. The Houthi rebels attacked the Yemeni government in 2014, seizing Yemen’s capital. As a result of the Houthi’s assault, the new president fled to Saudi Arabia and a Saudi-led collation began military operations against the Houthi rebels. Both the Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition have continued to attack each other for the past seven years and attempts by the United States and the U.N. to facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the conflict have proven largely unsuccessful.

The civil war in Yemen has had severe consequences for the Yemeni people. In 2021, the U.N. estimated that the death toll of Yemen’s civil war was approaching 377,000. The U.N. estimated that 60% of the deaths were the result of indirect effects of the war, such as lack of access to water, food or medical resources. The U.N. estimated that 70% of those who had died as a result of the conflict were children. In 2021, U.N. approximations showed that one Yemeni child died every nine minutes because of the war.

In addition to killing the Yemeni people, Yemen’s war has forced millions into extreme poverty and led to increased malnutrition. Due to the war, 15.6 million Yemeni people have fallen into extreme poverty and the number of malnourished people has more than doubled. The U.N. estimated that the war can cause an additional 8.6 million Yemeni people to become malnourished, including 1.6 million children by 2030.

Yemen’s Truce

After almost eight years of violence, on April 1, the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels signed on to a U.N.-brokered truce, that went into effect on April 2. The truce included an agreement to cease offensive military operations, an end to the Houthi blockade of fuel ships and the reopening of the government-controlled commercial airport in Yemen’s capital city, Sana’a. While the original truce was to expire on June 2, the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels agreed to extend the truce an additional two months until August 2.

As of July, the truce has resulted in more than a dozen commercial flights departing from the Sana’a commercial airport and more than 20 fuel ships entering Yemen’s Hudaydah port. Before the implementation of the truce in Yemen, the Yemeni government had not allowed commercial flights from the Sana’a airport for nearly six years.

In addition to reopening Hudaydah port to fuel shipments and reopening Sana’a airport to commercial flights, the truce has helped reduce violence between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels. By the end of April, the U.N. reported that airstrikes and drone and missile attacks had come to a complete halt. Before the treaty, the Saudi-led coalition engaged in more than 40 airstrikes a week on average and the Houthi rebels engaged in an average of four drone and missile strikes a week. Alongside the reduction in violence, the U.N. report on the first two months of the treaty found that those two months had the lowest fatality levels in Yemen since 2015. Fatalities due to civilian targeting had decreased by 50%.

Looking Ahead

Despite the success of the truce in Yemen, its implementation has met some challenges. The truce included an agreement to reopen streets in the Houthi-controlled city, Taiz, a goal that the warring parties have made little progress toward. Both sides have reported violations of the agreement to cease offensive military operations. Even taking the roadblocks into account, this truce represents an unprecedented step toward peace for Yemen.

– Anna Inghram
Photo: Flickr

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Safari Doctors Improves Health Care in Rural Kenya

Safari Doctors Improves Health Care
Umra Omar launched the Safari Doctors social enterprise in 2015 as an innovative health care solution for communities living in the 65 remote islands of Kenya’s Lamu County. The unconventional medical practice provides monthly mobile clinics to isolated villages via boat, making it an essential service to the region’s 3,000 residents. Safari Doctors improves health care in rural Kenya by leveraging the organizational mobility of its’ clinic.

Right, Not a Privilege

Safari Doctors serves marginalized indigenous communities living in remote regions of the Lamu County archipelago. A lack of health care infrastructure in the region makes it incredibly difficult for residents in remote villages to access emergency medical services. Many of these villages are an eight-hour boat ride from the mainland hospital, with travel costs reaching $300 for a one-way ticket, according to World Economic Forum.

With 34.3% of Kenyans living below the poverty line as of 2021, such travel costs constitute a significant strain on the impoverished rural residents of Lamu County. Safari Doctors improves health care in rural Kenyan communities by eradicating these travel costs and optimizing health care accessibility.

In order to address the need for health care services, Safari Doctors provides valuable primary care services such as routine checkups, immunizations, family planning, gynecology services and dental care, World Economic Forum reported. These health maintenance services are crucial preventative measures, warding off preventable diseases and minimizing health emergencies.

Safari Doctors was also integral to mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic, treating more than 4,000 people between March 2020 and June 2020. The Safari Doctors continues to provide COVID-19 testing services as well as vaccines.

In 2018, Safari Doctors launched the Safari Vets program, providing free veterinary services to Lamu’s remote villages. The Safari Vets program follows a holistic One Health philosophy, acknowledging that human health is directly related to the health of animals and the environment more broadly.

Community Outreach and Local Development

In addition to medical services, Safari Doctors has implemented multiple local programs aimed at bolstering community outreach and health care development. Safari Doctors established The Youth Health Ambassadors program in 2018 with the goal of engaging young people in Lamu’s marginalized communities. The Youth Health Ambassadors program trains Lamu’s youth to be health leaders in their communities.

Program participants receive first-aid training and education on issues related to reproductive health and hygiene practices. The program provides young Lamu-county residents with the opportunity to become licensed “Community Health Workers.” As Community Health Workers, individuals expand Safari Doctor’s outreach by conducting monthly household visits in their community and collecting valuable health data. Safari Doctors improves health care in remote Kenya while empowering Lamu’s youth to take community development into their own hands.

Additionally, Safari Doctors initiated an Indigenous Voices civic education program, which includes 58 representatives from 138 of Kenya’s indigenous women’s groups. The program aims to enable women to “engage in County health budget processes, inform policy and advocate for improved health service delivery.”

A Mobile Health Care Revolution

The Safari Doctors enterprise started on the conviction that mobile health care solutions are essential to bolstering Kenya’s health care infrastructure. According to World Economic Forum, 72% of Kenya’s population lives in rural areas with limited access to health care services. Safari Doctors improves health care in rural Kenya by implementing a mobile, community-driven model, making it an excellent example of how a mobile health service system can effectively tend to the needs of the community.

The issue of equitable health care access is not unique to Kenya, as seen in a 2018 study that found that 29% of the population of sub-Sahara Africa lives more than two hours from a hospital, World Economic Forum reported. Discussions on mobile health care solutions for remote African communities are emerging as a viable mechanism for transforming Africa’s health infrastructure.

In addition to the emergence of mobile medical practices such as Safari Doctors, many nations have begun exploring how drones can improve the public health of their populations. Rwanda was the first to implement a medical drone system in 2016 after partnering with the U.S.-based drone startup, Zipline.

Rwanda uses Zipline’s drones to streamline blood deliveries and send vital medicines to rural health centers. Zipline’s success in Rwanda encouraged Ghana to do the same in 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Zipline allowed both countries to distribute personal protective equipment, respirators, oxygen and vaccines to rural communities.

Safari Doctors is a testament to the importance of mobile health care solutions in the world’s most remote regions. Safari Doctors is proof that technological development paired with community-driven solutions provides a promising avenue for improving health care access in marginalized communities around the globe.

– Mollie Lund
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

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The Efforts of USAID Programs in Vietnam

USAID Programs in Vietnam
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) began its relationship with Vietnam in 1989 with programs assisting disabled persons and has expanded its influence on Vietnamese society and its markets. The foreign aid agency primarily focuses on Vietnam’s economic productivity, education systems, health and environment, amongst other pressing issues.

Fostering Economic Growth

USAID programs offer support by improving the business ventures of Vietnamese enterprises and governance capacity. USAID programs are aiming to increase Vietnam’s economy to an upper-middle-income status by 2035 through efforts to increase productivity and competition amongst small businesses, address economic policies and emphasize sustainability.

Existing programs promote global trade and international commerce by stimulating competition in private sectors and developing leadership and management skills for provincial leaders. USAID programs in Vietnam create a further expanding market with small and medium businesses that cooperate with global supply chains. Boosting Vietnam’s trade reach beyond localities creates a more inclusive, productive and accessible market for vulnerable populations.

Efforts to increase sustainability go hand-in-hand with USAID’s environmental protection programs. Shifting reliance on renewable energy sources has been a goal of USAID in partnership with Vietnam Urban Energy Security (VUES) to stimulate investments and commercialization. The focus on sustainability and economic growth aims to provide opportunities for vulnerable populations in poverty to gain access to business ventures that can bring social mobility and stability.

Health and COVID-19 Recovery

USAID invested more than $1 billion in Vietnamese health assistance programs to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and zoonotic diseases in the past 20 years. Global health security projects aim to train health workers, monitor possible health threats from animals and/or contagions and prepare appropriate responses to public health emergencies that may arise in the future. For example, the One Health Workforce project will provide training at universities for almost 1,700 students in various health care disciplines – not only enhancing the job force with academic opportunities and skills for the next generation but also improving the health security of the country.

Vietnam has also received $23.4 million in COVID-19 assistance including vaccine doses, ventilators, emergency response systems and health facilities. USAID’s MOMENTUM project addressed low immunization rates and a lack of accessibility to COVID-19 vaccine doses in provinces without properly trained medical health professionals and resources due to geographic and socio-economic barriers.

In the first six months of its implementation, the program trained almost 4,000 staff members and placed 716 mobile vaccination sites in mountainous provinces that otherwise experienced neglect in terms of health security amid the pandemic.

Higher Education System Modernization

One step USAID programs in Vietnam are taking to provide access to knowledge and skills required for socio-economic prosperity is focusing on improving academic opportunities. USAID recognizes that in order to improve Vietnam’s status from its current standing as a lower-middle income country, the labor force would benefit from modernization and advancement in skills to keep up with an ever-changing job market.

The government is appropriating funds and creating partnerships between Vietnamese universities and American higher education institutions like Indiana University to improve academic quality, research and innovation in the Southeast Asian country. American universities will give nearly 150,000 Vietnamese students the opportunity to pursue academic endeavors that reflect the future of the job market through academic partnerships and socio-economic growth within the country.

USAID programs in Vietnam have reflected the strengthening relationship between the United States and Vietnamese governments with financial investments and support that could benefit the economy on local and international levels. Economic support, educational advancements and emergency relief that the U.S. provided could allow Vietnam to eventually become an independent and thriving country.

– Nethya Samarakkodige
Photo: Pixabay

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Women’s Rights in Malta: A Push for Political Power

Women’s Rights in Malta
Malta — the EU’s smallest country by area — is hard to spot on a map, but its women’s rights activists are robust. Malta is the EU’s most densely populated country and has some of the highest rates of voter turnout in free elections in the world. The island’s more than 440,000 residents have a long history of advocating for change on the streets, behind desks and at the polls. In recent decades, women and their male allies focused on progressing women’s rights in Malta.

Defining Women’s Rights on a Global Scale

Women’s rights look different in each country. However, in general, those are the rights that aim to promote the legal and social equity and equality of all genders. As part of its commitment to advancing global gender equality using foreign policy, the U.S. Department of State identified four key policy priorities for empowering women across the globe: peace and security, economic empowerment, gender-based violence and adolescent girls.

Women in Government

Women in Malta have won an increasing number of seats in Parliament and the Cabinet through the years, but achieving peace and security is a ways away. In 2014, women in Malta made up just 13% of Parliament, the lowest share of women in a European national parliament. This is far from the representation that advocates for women’s rights in Malta want, but it is a small improvement.

Women have been running for government seats in Malta for the last 70 years, but their election success rate — even with its variation — has remained low. The country’s biggest weakness in its 2021 Gender Equality Index score was gender in politics. But, its strong economy, health care and workforce ultimately earned the country a score of 65 out of 100 — just three points below the EU.

Economics

Over the last decade, Malta has prioritized empowering women in economics. The country ranked 84th in last year’s Global Gender Gap Index, jumping six rankings from the year prior. However, women in the country are still tasked with vast amounts of unpaid domestic work which widens the economic gender gap and contributed to 45% of women working full time compared to 67% of men in 2021. According to the U.N. Women, women and girls spent 18.8% of their time doing unpaid work in 2021 compared to 7% spent by men and close to twice as many women are experiencing severe food insecurity.

Domestic Violence

With rising rates, women’s rights advocates consider domestic violence to be a gender-based violence crisis on the island. According to the 2014 Global Database on Violence Against Women, 15% of women have experienced violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime and 4% have experienced violence in the last year. Across the globe, rates of domestic violence against women skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Malta has not collected concrete data on gender-based violence since 2014 and government officials are worried the country could be facing concerningly high rates.

Birth Rate

Malta has a high adolescent birth rate. According to the World Bank, about 12 teenage girls gave birth per 1,000 — the highest adolescent birth rate in Southern Europe. Teenage girls with newborns experience immense difficulties pursuing education and employment. However, the Maltese government and women political leaders have tried to combat these hurdles. In 2013, the country introduced the Government’s Electoral Manifesto, which promised the Free Childcare Scheme. The program provides government-paid childcare to parents pursuing employment or education.

The Movement’s Political History

Since the country’s first election in 1947, women have fought hard for seats in government so they can advance policies and laws that promote women’s rights in Malta. In 2021, Malta’s Parliament brought a gender balance mechanism into law that adds more seats to the House if one gender wins less than 40% of seats. In 2014, women in government also achieved state-paid childcare and currently, all pregnant women receive cash benefits.

Looking Ahead

Currently, married fathers of newborns are only eligible for one day of parental leave in Malta. Predominantly young men and new fathers are advocating for parental leave so they can support mothers with unpaid domestic work at home. This could ultimately decrease the gender gap and strengthen women’s rights in Malta. With a petition to implement paternity and parental leave currently sitting in Parliament, the issue is expected to gain popularity in the coming years.

The leading non-governmental organization dedicated to progressing women’s rights in Malta is the Women’s Rights Foundation. By providing one of the first helplines for women and victims of gender-based violence to call, the organization is able to inform, educate and empower women concerning their legal rights. The group also advocates for policy and law reforms that protect women’s rights and bring an end to all violence against women and girls. The organization has repeatedly filed judicial letters on behalf of hundreds of women in an effort to make legal and political changes on the island.

There is little to no data on violence against women in the country, but these numbers are vital for women’s rights in Malta. In 2020, the U.N. had less than half of data on women than the amount it considers to be essential to closing gender gaps in the country. The U.N., the European Institute for Gender Equality and other organizations are making data collection in Malta a priority to ensure women’s rights moving forward.

– Delaney Murray
Photo: Flickr