Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Higher Education in China

Higher Education in China
On May 27, 2021, an intense debate on the distribution of educational resources and inequality in the accessibility of higher education in China took over China’s social media platforms. A young woman who graduated from the Affiliated High School of Peking University, one of the most advanced and highly ranked high schools in China’s political center, Beijing, posted a video that sparked this debate.

A Viral Video Highlights Inequality

The video showcases the daily routine of the female student studying in the Affiliated High School of Peking University, including creative and engaging syllabuses and various afterschool activities. The video highlighted “the unequal distribution of educational resources in China,” and combined with the fact that the students from this high school usually obtain access to good quality higher education after graduating, had triggered many negative responses and social discontent from people living in other regions of China.

The fact that Beijing students can get placements at universities much more easily than the majority of other Chinese people is unacceptable to many. The higher education priority enjoyed by first-tier Chinese cities reveals the deeper societal inequalities that China, at large, grapples with.

3 Facts About Higher Education in China

  1. Most Chinese universities allocate their undergraduate places by region and usually assign a significantly higher quota to their own region and do not take into account different provincial population densities. In 2016, Peking University, located in Beijing, gave 22 places to Beijing students in the digital information department, but only two places to Tianjin students and three places to Henan students for the same course. It is worth noting that Henan province has a population of about 99.4 million in comparison to Beijing, which has about 21.5 million, and Tianjin, which has about 15.6 million.
  2. There is a considerable quantity and quality difference in higher education in China between different cities and provinces. Qinghai, a remote province in China, had only 12 colleges and universities in 2021. In contrast, Beijing had 92 in the same year. Since the mid-1990s, China has developed “the “211” project and the more recent “985” project for transforming universities. The “985” project aimed to establish “world-class universities in the 21st century.” The “211” project aimed to strengthen higher education institutions in the 21st century. However, 12 out of 29 of the “985” universities and 36 out of 116 of the “211” universities are located in Beijing and Shanghai, the two most developed cities in China.
  3. In China, students in different regions write different papers in the National College Entrance Examinations and the difficulty of those papers is not the same. In fact, Beijing’s entrance exam is one of the easiest and Jiangsu Province has the most difficult exam.

All the facts above represent visible inequalities in access to higher education in China. Students in first-tier cities, such as Shanghai and Beijing, certainly enjoy easier access and better quality of higher education than students in other regions. Additionally, high school students from these areas receive the highest quality of secondary education as well.

High school life in China varies tremendously. When most high school students in Beijing could enjoy extra-curricular activities alongside their hard work, a six-episode documentary released in 2015 called “Gao Kao (The College Entrance Exam)” revealed the tough academic work and tension and fatigue of students living in relatively remote areas. These less privileged students may spend all their free time studying but still may not get access to the same higher education institutions as students in big cities.

Solutions to Higher Education Inequalities

Due to the widespread realization of inequality in accessing higher education in China, the Chinese government has proposed multiple solutions.

China has launched a special program for colleges and universities to provide opportunities for intelligent students in rural areas to access top universities more easily. The policies included an independent registration path for those outstanding rural students and lower grade requirements, aiming to help large numbers of students living in remote areas attain access to quality higher education.

According to China’s Ministry of Education (MOE), “Full implementation of reforms in higher education examinations and enrollment systems have led to greater equity in China’s college admission processes with more reasonable procedures which prioritize student merits more than ever.” In 2017, 30 provinces in China implemented preferential policies for students from rural migrant families to write the National College Entrance Examinations in the areas they reside in, leading to a 25% increase in the application rate in comparison to 2016. The MOE says that, due to “targeted national, local and higher education institution (HEI) programs, a total of 100,000 rural and underprivileged students were admitted to HEIs” in 2017, up 9.3% from 2016.

Although inequalities in the Chinese education system are deeply rooted, increased equity policies and the continued commitment of the Chinese government can improve access to quality higher education in China for all, especially students in smaller cities outside of Beijing and Shanghai.

– Ella Li
Photo: Flickr

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Ending Human Trafficking in Slovakia

Human Trafficking in Slovakia
In its Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) 2021, the U.S. Department of State ranks Slovakia as a Tier 2 country in terms of human trafficking eradication efforts. This ranking means Slovakia does not completely meet the minimum requirements for combating trafficking set within the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) but is taking significant steps to comply. From 2013 to 2018, Slovakia had fully met the minimum standards of the TVPA, but dropped to Tier 2 status in 2019, a status that Slovakia carried through to 2021. The TIP highlights progress toward ending human trafficking in Slovakia.

Updates on Human Trafficking in Slovakia

The Slovakian government discovered 61 victims in 2020: 34 women and 27 men. Children accounted for about 15 of the victims and all but one of the victims were Slovak nationals. The government identified the vast majority of Slovak victims, 65%, in foreign countries, as traffickers transported many abroad.

Citing “investigating more trafficking cases and increasing the percentage of traffickers that received significant prison terms,” the report asserts that the Slovakian government has made significant efforts to curb human trafficking in Slovakia. That being said, Slovakia “did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas.”

Courts convicted fewer traffickers in 2020 than in 2019 — nine in comparison to 11 in 2019. Considering that, 66% of those convicted in 2020 received significant prison sentences as compared to 45% in 2019. The United States Department of State reported that there is a lack of protection for victims and a dearth of proper training for border officials on how to properly identify and assist potential trafficking victims.

As a result of its findings, the 2021 TIP report presents a list of suggestions to accelerate Slovakia’s efforts against trafficking. Among them are the recommendations that judges and prosecutors receive training on victim-centered approaches. Slovakia must also “[sensitize] judges to the severity of trafficking crimes and the full range of penalties available.” Additionally, Slovakia must amend “public awareness campaigns to portray human trafficking in a more realistic manner” and update laws to ensure that victims of trafficking do not face punishment, among several other recommendations.

Other Improvements

The Ministry of the Interior coordinates national efforts against human trafficking in Slovakia. The U.S. Department of State found that the Ministry of the Interior’s Crime Prevention Department successfully coordinated policy, created anti-trafficking programs, organized training for pertinent officials and coordinated awareness campaigns.

The Slovakian government launched “extensive trafficking prevention and public awareness campaigns” in 2020. It transitioned from in-person campaigns to virtual campaigns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Trafficking in Persons report cites these campaigns as significant improvements on the part of the government.

Education by IOM

In addition to the efforts of the Slovakian government, independent efforts also aim to assist in curbing human trafficking in Slovakia. The IOM Slovakia took a more direct approach to resolving the educational gap regarding human trafficking in Slovakia. Specifically, in September 2021, the IOM Slovakia provided training to 56 professionals in Bratislava and Piešťany on the prevention of human trafficking. Between 2003 and 2021, IOM Slovakia performed 148 specialized training sessions for 2,648 professionals in the anti-human trafficking sector. These training sessions present recent updates on human trafficking trends and provide practical knowledge as well as resources for advancing anti-human trafficking efforts.

The IOM Slovakia ran the operated the Slovakian National Helpline for Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings from July 1, 2008, to December 15, 2014. In September 2018, Caritas Slovakia took over the running of the helpline. However, the IOM Slovakia still continues to run a helpline to provide information to safeguard against trafficking.

As the 2021 TIP report lays out, there is room for improvement in terms of Slovakia’s efforts to reduce human trafficking within its borders. However, the combined efforts of the Slovakian government and independent organizations like the IOM, by providing resources for those at risk and conducting ongoing training for professionals in the human trafficking prevention sector, can intercept potential cases of human trafficking and assist existing victims of trafficking.

– Eleanor Corbin
Photo: Flickr

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Gentrification in South Africa: A Remnant of Apartheid

Gentrification in South Africa
Cape Town, South Africa, is a booming city with ocean views and surrounding mountains that attract many visitors, developers and wealthy foreigners each year. As a result, gentrification in South Africa is becoming a serious issue that is increasing the barriers that low-income black and mixed-race residents face. Hotels, shops and luxury apartments are taking over predominantly mixed-race neighborhoods and threatening the livelihoods of many longtime residents as wealthier white people replace these communities. As a result, many low-income Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) residents are facing eviction. Due to the influx of these wealthy investors, real estate prices have skyrocketed, pushing low-income residents into townships or underdeveloped informal settlements.

Segregated Townships

During apartheid, the government racially segregated townships and reserved these areas for non-white residents only. Following the end of apartheid in 1994, the elite white population took ownership of “land and other assets” left to them by the apartheid government, thus retaining their power in the nation. This demonstrated the apartheid government’s resistance to a potential loss of international investors in that the Black population continued to be sequestered into townships with little resources or agency and foreign investors continued purchasing the power of the state.

As gentrification in South Africa continues, the remnants of apartheid remain with many BIPOC South Africans living in townships. The government builds these townships on the edge of cities, creating long, expensive work commutes for their low-income residents who do not legally own the township land, thus perpetuating a cycle of poverty. As U.S. News states of advocates in the field, “Gentrification, they argue, is draining the color from one of the so-called rainbow nation’s most prominent cities.”

The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP)

Following apartheid, the implementation of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) resulted in the establishment of more than 3.6 million new homes throughout the nation, offered for free to those with an income of less than 3,500 rand (about $218) per month. Despite this progress, in reality, the RDP is strengthening the remaining apartheid systems by continuing to push poor residents into settlements at the edges of cities, thus allowing for increased gentrification in South Africa. Oftentimes, after obtaining an RDP house after a 10-15 year waiting period, RDP house recipients will illegally sell the house for about one-third of the price the government paid to construct it. In the yard of the property, individuals choose to build shacks to live in and run businesses using the money from the RDP house sales.

The Statistics

  • The barriers that exist for low-income BIPOC residents are particularly evident in the workforce and in access to resources. As The New York Times states, “During apartheid, Black education had been a consignment to permanent poverty. The Bantu educational system had been set up to churn out vast numbers of low-skilled, low-wage Black workers to feed into mining operations.” A significant barrier that Black residents face is the lack of access to capital needed to start a business.
  • In 2017, The New York Times reported an unemployment rate of about 28% in South Africa.
  • The same New York Times report states that less than 50% of the employable population in South Africa is officially employed.
  • The report continues to state that about 10% of the South African population owns 90% of the nation’s wealth, with white people accounting for a majority of this 10%, indicating deep wealth disparities among South Africa’s residents.
  • About 80% of South Africa’s populace, mostly Black, “owns nothing at all.”

Recent Progress

On March 24, 2022, the legislature passed the Township Economic Development Bill in the Gauteng province of South Africa. This bill introduces measures that will increase economic opportunities for those living in townships, lessen the class divide and promote more supplier development and active enterprise. Instead of acting as just reserves for unemployed individuals, townships will actively employ job-creating activities with the support of this bill.

Parks Tau, Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, has stated that the Township Economic Development Bill is a “developmental legislative framework that addresses economic, geographical and social inequalities” by way of “bringing Gauteng townships closer to mainstream economic opportunities.”

Looking Ahead

Many people living in townships in South Africa inherited the burden of the inequalities that existed in the apartheid system. Gentrification in South Africa reinforces the remnants of apartheid by pushing out low-income BIPOC residents into townships. By introducing legislation to protect these neighborhoods, South Africa can lessen the socioeconomic divide.

– Kimberly Calugaru
Photo: Flickr

MobileAid in Togo is Reimagining Poverty Reduction

MobileAid in Togo
MobileAid in Togo, also known as the Novissi initiative, is reimaging poverty reduction. A transnational collaboration brought this technology to Togo during the pandemic, and MobileAid in Togo is making such a difference that it could be a model for other countries.

The Problem

The COVID-19 pandemic was disastrous for Togo’s economy. Even prior to the pandemic, more than half of the country’s population lived in poverty. The government of Togo wanted to provide support to its neediest citizens, but conducting door-to-door surveys to do this was not effective and not safe healthwise during the pandemic. Even targeting the poorest cantons (counties) reached only a third of the neediest.

The Transnational Solution

The government of Togo and the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at Berkeley University as well as the non-profit organization GiveDirectly worked together to create an efficient system to prioritize aid to those living on less than $1.25 per day. Through international collaboration, the team developed a program using satellite imagery, as well as cellphone metadata to reliably detect levels of wealth to target the neediest Togolese.

CEGA calls the concept, “MobileAid,” and in Togo it is also known as Novissi. Novissi translates to “solidarity” in the indigenous Ewe language.

GiveDirectly is an NGO that organizes mutual aid programs in the United States and around the globe. Its mission statement states, “We believe people living in poverty deserve the dignity to choose for themselves how best to improve their lives – cash enables that choice.”

How MobileAid/Novissi Works

The MobleAid/Novissi program uses ariel imaging to create ‘poverty maps,’ using indicators such as roofing material, the density of houses and the quality of road infrastructure. AI algorithms utilize phone records to identify those living in extreme poverty.

Recipients are invited to self-enroll in the program to receive direct cash payments through their mobile phones. In Togo, 85% of households have access to a cellphone. The MobileAid format provides recipients with aid rapidly and seamlessly. This includes poor rural recipients in need of aid who often fall through the cracks of other state social protection programs. Women receive larger payments due to their status as caretakers.

The Results

In the first three months online, the government of Togo distributed $22 million to 600,000 people. One recipient in Togo reported using aid for food, his children’s school fees and his business which was struggling due to the pandemic. After the initial launch, GiveDirectly pledged another $10 million to the initiative spread amongst 138,000 recipients.

Cina Lawson, Togolese Minister of Digital Economy and Transformation welcomed the innovative program, saying that “We have an institute of statistics that can make a survey on the ground … but we need a quick and effective way to have a poverty map.” She appreciated that Novissi increased the scope of those reached.

Recently, CEGA and GiveDirectly received a $1.2 million grant from the Inclusive Growth and Recovery Challenge. Lauren Russel, CEGA director of operations said that “The grant should allow for the project to be scaled and evaluated even further, with the hope that the methods might be well-suited for adoption by other low- and middle-income countries.”

Other Challenges

Vaccine inequality is extending the personal and economic suffering of COVID-19 in the Global South. Mobile technology can provide aid to countries that the pandemic hit hard. This infrastructure is necessary for future relief, with looming economic hardship not far out of sight. Togolese registered for vaccines through mobile technology.

Many countries in the Global South are suffering from the disproportionate effects of increased environmental challenges. Togo’s economy relies on rainfed agricultural and livestock production. According to World Bank, Togo ranks 135 out of 181 countries at risk of climate abnormalities. Nearly 5 million people live in Togo’s rural areas and are severely susceptible to droughts, floods as well as other environmental disasters. Togolese farmers endure the double burden of pandemics and rapid global heating. Mobile technology could potentially support these farmers through climate emergencies.

Looking Forward

Transnational collaboration and innovation are expanding the possibilities of aid in Togo. With colleagues from Berkeley to Lomé, the MobileAid initiative is tackling poverty reduction and empowering Togolese citizens through direct action. Funding these social innovative programs is critical for expanding the impact and scope of aid distribution. Vaccine inequality and global heating will exacerbate human and economic casualties. MobileAid is a strong new tool for fighting poverty and protecting the world’s most vulnerable populations against future global disasters.

– Samson Heyer
Photo: Flickr

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Hope of Toys

Hope of ToysSmall towns do not often get credits for great deeds, but some of the best things in life come from the most unexpected places. This is the case for the Happy Factory which began in the small town of Cedar City, Utah. What started out as a hobby for the founders after retirement has grown to help children in poverty, children dealing with sickness and children living in the midst of violence. These toys have brought happiness to many when everything else seems so dark. The hope of toys could mean all the world to every child they reach.

About the Founders

Charles and Donna Cooley retired from Southern Utah University in 1995, where Donna worked as the head cashier at the university and Charles worked in the sports department. After retiring Charles took up woodwork, making animal cut-outs which were donated to Primary Children’s Medical Center after Donna painted them.

The couple saw the hope of toys for the children who received them and felt so much happiness. The Cooleys knew they had to continue their work. The hobby became a full-time project and job. The happiness that the Cooley’s toys brought to children inspired the name, “Happy Factory.” Charles Cooley died in 2011, but Donna and thousands of volunteers continue this work today.

Making Happy

From its humble beginnings, the Happy Factory has grown immensely. The motto of the founders is “We may not be able to make a toy for every child in the world that needs one-but we’re going to try.” And their efforts have made a sizable impact in the world.

All of the organization’s work that goes into creating the toys is done by volunteers and the wood that is used to make them is donated and repurposed. The toy donations have expanded from the original local hospital. Since 1995, over 1.5 million toys went to different organizations and countries all over the world. In 2017 they made donations to the ravaged communities of Iraq and Afghanistan with help from the U.S. military.

This is all help to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Humanitarian Services (LDS Humanitarian Services). The Happy Project was able to go worldwide via the LDS Humanitarian Services as they provide relief efforts in areas hit by natural disasters.

Making an Impact

The charity has also moved towards making steam shovels, which have been sent far and wide, according to its website. The conception of this came when the Happy Factory’s owners visited a hospital in Salt Lake City. The hospital needed to acquire specialty wooden items that would help children dealing with bone, muscle and joint difficulties. The physical therapist at the hospital called Charles and when asked about it he promptly asked for plans.

These toys have made a particular impact on disabled children. They have stimulated the children to do things they thought were previously impossible. In some places, this is the only form of therapy available for children. Since their introduction to Happy Factory’s production line over 2,610 of these steam shovel toys have been delivered all over the world.

This organization is giving the hope of toys and making an impact in the lives of children, but also in the hands that take the time to make the toys, as well as the people that deliver them. Every helping hand and penny makes a difference. In the words of Robert Workman, a man who helped inspire Happy Factory, “One toy makes a drop in the bucket and it’s a pretty big drop for the child that gets it.”

– Kelsey Jensen
Photo: Flickr

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 Feed Our World Provides Food to Children Globally

Food to Children
Hunger causes half of all children under the age of five to lose their lives every year, according to Penny Appeal U.S.A. Childhood hunger is an ongoing issue that millions of children experience and the issue is only worsening. Thankfully, there are organizations like Penny Appeal U.S.A. that fight childhood hunger and work to save these starving children. Its Feed Our World program provides food to children globally in more than 30 countries all over the world.

The Issue of Child Hunger

More than 3 million children die per year due to hunger and that number is only rising as factors like COVID-19 and changing weather interfere. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools closed in 199 countries, which left 370 million children facing the impact of hunger. Approximately 50% of deaths among children under the age of five are due to hunger as 45 million children are currently suffering from malnutrition every year. It is notable to add that extreme hunger affects more females than males as 60% of the people in the world facing extreme hunger are women and young girls. The WFP also states that the “Inequality from early marriage and young motherhood to cultural barriers and lack of education means girls are much more likely to be malnourished, causing immediate and long-term health problems.”

Millions of children are suffering because they are unable to get access to food and the issue is only worsening. Poverty is the root cause of child hunger, families can’t even meet basic needs to survive and they must decide whether they want food or a roof to sleep under. Other factors like infectious diseases, environmental conditions and raised prices all contribute to more and more families struggling to obtain food for their children. It is safe to say that child hunger is still a detrimental issue worldwide as the Feed Our World program provides food to children globally.

Penny Appeal USA’s Feed Our World Program

Penny Appeal U.S.A. is an organization that dedicates its efforts to making communities more prosperous and sustainable. The organization states that its mission is “communities working together, supporting one another, leaving need and poverty behind for good.” Feed Our World is one of the many programs that Penny U.S.A. offers that is working to provide nutritious meals to children in countries suffering from childhood hunger. A few of the 30 countries the program works in are Afghanistan, Uganda, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa, Syria, Yemen and Zimbabwe. In West Bank, Palestine, the program provided approximately 395,800 meals to more than 6,050 people. In 2021, more than 30,800 people received meals in 16 different countries. Along with distributing meals to various countries, essential ingredients like oils, flour, rice and dates go to communities as well.

The Feed Our World program is not the only program through this organization benefiting the world. There are numerous programs through Penny Appeal USA including Education First, Emergency Response, Heal Humanity, Income Generation and Religious Giving. The Thirst Relief program is granting safe drinking water to communities through building wells, hand pumps and water centers. Orphan Kind is a program assisting orphaned children around the world by providing shelter, health care, food and emotional and psychological support. The Feed Our World program provides food to children globally while the organization is also making a difference in a variety of areas to support people in need throughout the world.

Childhood hunger is a detrimental and long-lasting issue, but Penny Appeal U.S.A.’s Feed Our World program provides food to children globally, as well as provides other necessary resources to communities all around the globe to alleviate countries suffering from poverty.

– Dylan Olive
Photo: Flickr

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Violence Against Women in Assam

Violence Against Women in Assam
Many women in India experience violence at home, at work and even in public areas. With the helping hands of U.N. Women, men and women in the rural areas of Assam State in India are working together to address and prevent cases of “violence against women, youth and children.” In January 2017, U.N. Women supported the formation of women’s empowerment groups, called Jugnu Clubs, across tea estates in Assam with the aim of preventing violence against women in Assam. The Jugnu Clubs form part of a broader U.N. Women prevention of violence initiative in rural Assam.

Violence on Assam’s Tea Estates

About 6 million people in Assam State work in Assam’s “65 tea estates and 100,000 small gardens.” Their work contributes to more than 50% of India’s tea and about 13% of the world’s tea. Women stand as 50% of the labor force at Assam’s tea estate and often work as tea pluckers. These women face violence in all areas of their lives — in the workplace, in the home environment and in public spaces. In fact, in 2015, Assam noted 11,225 cases of abuse against women by their spouses or family members. Alcohol abuse by males played a role in many of these cases of violence.

Creating Safe Work Environments

The Jugnu Clubs “help make agricultural work safe and equal for all women and girls” working as tea pluckers or factory workers on the tea estates. The Jugnu Clubs are especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic as cases of gender-based violence rose across the world due to lockdowns and stay-at-home orders.

In the broader U.N. Women prevention of violence initiative, “tea estate managers, welfare officers, workers and Jugnu Club members received training [on] India’s Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, women’s rights and the legal obligations around domestic violence and child labor.”

The training sessions utilized user-friendly and relatable education methods. U.N. Women found that 95% of participants did not have knowledge of the existing legislation that protects against gender-based violence and other violations against women. After the training sessions, about 80% of participants said the training gave them a better understanding of the legislation.

The members of the Jugnu Clubs who participated in this training are now aware of all their rights and are more vocal about their needs. As a result of this empowerment, “women have demanded streetlights be placed in dark public areas and safe transport to work, including two buses to ferry women from nearby villages to the tea gardens.” Now, Jugnu Club members even develop recommendations for safeguarding women who work on Assam’s tea plantations.

Educating Communities

Under the broader U.N. Women prevention of violence initiative, “raising awareness about how to prevent and respond to violence against women, youth, and children extended beyond the tea estate setting to the wider rural community,” including education facilities. Through mass gender equality campaigns “using community-led performing arts and crafts, such as interactive theatre shows, dance and music,” U.N. Women reached more than 6,000 people living in the community. Furthermore, 371 children took part in anti-violence early intervention initiatives.

Looking Ahead

In conclusion, the broader U.N. Women prevention of violence initiative and the Jugnu Clubs serve as beacons of hope for women in Assam. As of June 3, 2022, U.N. Women’s prevention of violence initiative in Assam has touched 15,000 lives. The ongoing work of U.N. Women brings hope that violence against women in Assam will reduce.

– Alexis King
Photo: Flickr

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5 Facts About Human Trafficking in Iceland

Human Trafficking in Iceland
Despite being ranked the third happiest country in the world, human trafficking in Iceland has been a prevalent issue for the past decade. The U.S. Department of State categorizes the severity of human trafficking in a country based on the actions the country takes to combat the issue. Tier 1 is the best, tier 2 shows a major problem within the country with some improvements made by the government and tier 3 cites the country as completely inefficient in stopping trafficking. Iceland is ranked as a tier 2 country.

Recent Government Progress

The Government of Iceland is making significant progress in fighting human trafficking by identifying victims and cases and creating a centralized information base. Despite these measures, the government did not meet the minimum standards for being a tier 1 country due to prosecutions in which traffickers obtained charges under non-trafficking statutes and therefore did not face their full punishment. 

In 2020, police investigated 22 cases of human trafficking in Iceland, a stark contrast to the five investigations in 2019. In the same year, Iceland adopted a plan of action focused on preventing human trafficking by providing services for victims and increasing funding for police departments. The plan is gaining more funding each year, some of which goes to educational campaigns informing the public about trafficking scenarios and how to stay out of them.

Targets of Trafficking

According to the 2021 report on human trafficking in Iceland, many cases involve the use of female tourists for prostitution. This pattern continues as women living in Iceland for temporary work are at risk of becoming trafficking victims for the purpose of labor. Traffickers will pay women in their home countries to work in Iceland for 183 days to avoid taxes. In addition to prostitution, the labor can involve various hands-on jobs that are worth a salary far more than what the traffickers pay.

Many trafficking cases in Iceland happen in “champagne clubs” in the country’s capital, Reykjavik. In 2010, in an effort to fight human trafficking, the Icelandic government banned strip clubs unless police strictly supervised them. Despite this change, prostitution is still rampant throughout the clubs. The women not only work in prostitution within these facilities but they also work at busy hotels filled with tourists so that they can lead foreigners to the club to become trafficking victims themselves. In 2021, the government identified eight sex trafficking cases that it determined to be from “champagne clubs.”

Women’s Safe Shelter

Created in 1982, the Women’s Safe Shelter, located in Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, provides a home to women escaping violence within their lives. Women’s Shelter Alliance, an NGO, runs this home which receives about 73.400.000 ISK ($667,270) from the government and donors.

Recently, a second Women’s Safe Shelter underwent establishment in Akureyri, a city in Northern Iceland. In these homes, consultants and psychologists support the women, and the women receive encouragement to stay as long as they need. The shelter supports women escaping from sex and labor trafficking, as well as other forms of violence such as domestic abuse and rape. To ensure their well-being, women can bring their children to the home with them and receive housing and meals.

Future Action

Even though the country has received admiration for its high levels of social progress and happiness, human trafficking in Iceland is still a major issue that leaves many people, especially women, lost and vulnerable. Though progress is evident through the work of NGOs such as the Women’s Shelter Alliance and the national plan of action, Iceland can do more to support its people by creating stricter laws, adequate sentencing and more victim services.

– Yashavi Upasani
Photo: Flickr

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4 Facts About Women’s Rights in Germany

Women’s Rights in Germany
Germany is one of the world’s most developed countries. In 2017, it placed fourth in the world in terms of nominal GDP and has the largest economy in the European Union. Germany’s Grundgesetz (Basic Law) declares that “women and men are equal and that the state has to promote substantive, de facto, gender equality.” Yet, Germany lags behind in making gender equality a reality. There are several important facts to know about women’s rights in Germany.

4 Facts About Women’s Rights in Germany

  1. Gender Pay Gap. The “difference in average gross hourly earnings between men and women,” also known as the gender pay gap, stood at 18% in 2020 in Germany. In comparison with the EU average of 13%, Germany places among the most unequal countries in the EU. Experts attribute the gender pay gap to differing career path choices, with females typically taking on lower-paying jobs. Further, persisting traditional gender roles in German society mean women work fewer hours in order to manage “childcare and housekeeping responsibilities.”
  2. Women’s Quota. As Germany’s previous chancellor Angela Merkel illustrated with her doctoral degree in quantum chemistry, many German women have higher education qualifications. Yet, far fewer women occupy executive-level jobs in comparison to men. Despite an upward trend in recent years, women on supervisory boards remain a clear minority with 33% in Germany’s major companies in 2018. Building off of the “30[%]voluntary quota for supervisory boards introduced in 2015,” in June 2021, Germany introduced a draft law “to impose gender mandatory quotas at its largest listed companies.” The quota specifies that “boards of German listed companies with more than three members” must have at least one female member. Furthermore, “Companies in which the federal government has a majority stake will also have a mandatory quota of 30[%]of female board members.” Nationally and internationally, people view this policy as a milestone for women in management and a message of equality in society and the workplace.
  3. STEM. In 2015, in the field of non-academic research in Germany, women accounted for just 35.4% of scientific staff members — “the second-lowest figure in the EU,” after France. According to many female scientists, these figures stem from a lack of state support, such as too few childcare facilities, as well as blatant sexism and ignorance of women’s rights in Germany “by superiors who favor men.” Komm mach MINT is “a nationwide network of women in [STEM]” that aims to encourage young women to consider careers in STEM and thereby increase female representation in STEM professions in Germany. The network came about in 2008 and receives annual support of €3.2 million from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
  4. Domestic Violence. According to a survey that the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) conducted, “every fourth woman in Germany has experienced domestic violence at least once in her life.” In 2002, Germany put into law the Protection Against Violence Act, allowing the “police to take immediate and pre-judicial measures to protect” women from their perpetrators. Further, the national Hilfetelefon “Gewalt gegen Frauen” (Violence against Women helpline), established in 2013, offers 24/7 support to support women affected by violence. In 2021, the hotline had about 81,600 callers and managed to help and support about 29,500 violence-affected people.

Looking Ahead

While gender quality oftentimes appears as an arduous issue to tackle, Germany is taking the right steps with national legislation for female representation in supervisory positions, initiatives to connect young women with STEM careers and providing national and immediate support for female victims of domestic violence. Should these policies live up to their potential, improved rights for women in Germany would manifest in an increase in GDP from €1.95 trillion to €3.15 trillion by 2050.

– Pauline Lützenkirchen
Photo: Unsplash

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Child Poverty in Iran

Child Poverty in IranChild poverty in Iran runs rampant among young residents. In 2020, 50% of Iran’s population lived under the poverty line. The effects of poverty on children are dire and 9 million Iranian families currently struggle amid poverty, but organizations are stepping in to assist.

Contributors to Child Poverty in Iran

Families cannot earn enough money because of gender discrimination, unemployment and other factors. Only men can work well-paying jobs because of the large pay gap. In 2021, the Global Gender Report stated that women earn 19% of the wages a man earns for the same job.

With the significant differences in pay between men and women, women are often unable to help support their families. Additionally, the unemployment rate among men and women is very high. According to the World Bank, the unemployment rate for women was 16.1% and for men was 7.8%.

Along with the unemployment rate and gender discrimination, the cost of basic needs is high, so the majority of families’ wages go toward securing this. In Iran, high inflation rates directly impact the cost of food and groceries, making it difficult to afford basic essentials. In 2019, 33% of underprivileged communities’ income was allocated for food.

Poverty forces many children to make money for their families, but their wages are unlivable. Garbage collecting, run by the municipality contractors, is one of the main jobs children work to earn a living. In 2020, however, children made only 6% of the profits of garbage collectors. Of the children in the workforce, 60% are their families’ only source of income. Working to support their families has an impact on a child’s education. In 2017, “37% of Iranian students drop out before getting their diplomas.”

Impact on Iranian Children

The vast number of contributors to child poverty in Iran has destroyed the quality of life for children.

Food is all too often a scarcity among these children. They are unable to eat the minimum caloric intake, and numbers have only increased since the pandemic. According to the Global Hunger Index, in 2020, one out of three children were undernourished which can leave to a multitude of health complications, including children’s growth stunting.

Child marriage and trafficking are common in Iranian society. For little money, families sell their children, mostly girls, into marriage. In the summer of 2020, according to the Statistic Center of Iran, 9,058 girls were married before the age of 15. In some cases, child spouses run away from home or attempt suicide because of their treatment during their marriage.

Hope for the Future

The government and other organizations are working to stop child poverty in Iran. In 2020, the Guardian Council, the body in charge of approving legislation passed by the Parliament, approved a Child and Adolescent Protection Bill. The bill was later passed, inflicting penalties on people who prevent children from attending school or putting children in unsafe environments With this law, children in Iran are protected from various circumstances that could potentially be a danger to them and instead, can go to school to get an education

Organizations like Relief International work globally to dissolve poverty. Relief International was established in 1958 with its work in Iran beginning in 1990 after a large-scale earthquake in the country. Currently, Relief International works primarily to aid Afghan refugees in Iran while also mobilizing resources if a countrywide emergency occurs.

Recently, in 2021, because of Relief International, 22,000 people were taught hygienic practices, 3,500 families received cash support and thousands more received health care, education and other services. This is just one of the many organizations and institutions working to end poverty in Iran by providing support to those who reside there.

According to UNICEF, as of 2020, the mortality rate for Iranian children under 5 is 12.9%. Iranian children face increased risks of death due to a lack of food and basic needs. However, the Iranian government and other organizations are working to put an end to poverty.

– Janae O’Connell
Photo: Flickr