Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Electrification and Energy Expansion in Laos

Electrification and Energy Expansion
Laos, which many know as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, sharing borders with Thailand, China, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. While Laos is one of the most impoverished countries in the region, its economy has significantly increased in the last 20 years, so much so that, in 2011, the World Bank upgraded the Lao PDR to lower-middle-income status. However, in terms of energy, not all citizens have access to electricity. The country has had difficulty expanding the energy sector due to factors such as “inaccessible terrain,” unexploded ordinances spread throughout the country, especially throughout rural areas, with some of those areas being more difficult to reach and some provinces having low economic growth compared to others. While expansion in the energy sector proves difficult, the Lao PDR has made a commitment to electrification and energy expansion in Laos to allow all its citizens to have access to electricity, especially as various organizations offer suggestions and plans for Laos to reach its energy goals.

The Current Situation

While the use of hydropower has helped Laos electrify the nation, increasing electrification rates from 15% in 1995 to 90% in 2019, around 5% of citizens still do not have access due to remote terrain locations that makes grid expansion difficult. Around 80.3% of rural areas and 97.4% of urban areas have access to electricity as of 2018. In response, the Lao PDR has an overall goal of enabling electricity access for a minimum of 98% of the overall population by 2030.

Observations and Recommendations by Organizations

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), “in 2019, 80% of all [Laos’] electricity generation came from hydropower.” The CSIS recommends that the nation diversify its energy mix “beyond hydropower,” suggesting that Laos expands into non-hydro renewable energy due to its geographic advantage “for solar photovoltaic, wind and biomass energy” and especially as prices in the sector have diminished over the years.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recognizes that Laos has the potential to develop solar power, especially when many parts of the country are exposed to direct sunlight during the dry season. This would potentially “increase the share of non-hydro renewable energies to 30% of total consumption by 2025.” More than 18,657 households have access to small solar power systems as of 2017 and the Lao PDR has started several larger projects to expand access to solar power systems.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in partnership with USAID suggests that electrification and energy expansion in Laos through alternative renewable energies can help the country reach its import demands, which would allow Laos to rely less on other countries for electricity. By expanding in renewable energy sources, Laos can “increase electricity exports to regional neighbors to become the ‘battery’ of Southeast Asia” while also meeting domestic demands.

Plans for Electrification and Energy Expansion in Laos

In Laos, around 50 dams underwent construction as of 2020, a process that will allow more access to electricity for citizens. However, while hydropower from dams will provide more access to electricity, this strategy proves controversial, especially with environmental concerns and communities relying on rivers such as the Mekong to live.

In the search for alternative solutions, Laos is in negotiation with the Thai company Impact Energy Asia to build a 600-megawatt wind farm and have it complete by 2023. By developing the energy sector to become “affordable, inclusive and sustainable” while focusing on socio-economic development, the country can move toward achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

USAID programs such as the LUNA II Project, implemented from March 2014 through September 2018, help to “promote more sustainable economic policies and a more balanced energy sector” in Laos. The project largely focuses on establishing “trade liberalization” for Lao and “trade capacity building” in both public and private sectors, which will allow improvement of trade and investment. This should allow Laos to expand into alternative, sustainable and renewable energy sources.

Looking Forward

While Laos has made improvements in access to electricity and other resources for the citizenry, this work has not yet reached completion. Fortunately, through suggestions from various organizations and their data collection, Laos is able to offer plans to reach more Laotians. The country stepping up to reach its goals for electrification and energy expansion in Laos will allow the nation to achieve its 2030 energy goals.

– Jerrett Phinney
Photo: Flickr

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Unveiling Italy’s Stimulus Package

Italy’s Stimulus
On May 1, Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi announced the approval of the new economic stimulus package dedicated to minimizing the impact of the war in Ukraine on Italian citizens and workers. Italy has a heavy reliance on many imported Russian goods. Of all the European Union nations, Italy will likely face the worst economic growth and supply chain issues the country has seen for decades.

The Economic Difficulties Causing the Need for Italy’s Stimulus Package

Italy’s stimulus package comes to lessen the impact of the war in Ukraine. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) makes economic growth predictions annually. After the beginning of the war, the EIU changed its forecasts. The original projection for Italy’s economy was a growth rate of 4.4% but decreased to 3.4% within three months. Due to the investments and changes Italy must make over the next few months to support its economy and citizens the stimulus package will be necessary to aid future economic growth and security.

Russia originally supplied around 40% of Italy’s gas supply. Italy is determined to lessen its dependence on Russian gas and had been looking to do so before the conflict, but the war has sped up the need for change. Italy is hoping to increase its reliance on Algeria for its gas supply. Still, additional factors are at play with the deal Italy and Algeria have struck. According to Politico, Algeria needs to update its infrastructure for the gas industry, as investments in that sector have been lacking. The need for gas most likely means Italy must be the primary investor in the industry to receive the amount of gas necessary to support the country’s needs.

One of the other sectors that the lack of Russian support will hit the hardest is the tourism industry. Italy’s tourism industry, which like that of most nations experienced a decline in tourist numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic, will not recover to its original numbers without the assistance of Russian tourists. Overall, Russian tourists are only a small percentage of Italy’s tourists, about 1.5%. However, their economic impact is still significant because of how much they spend. Russian tourists spend almost €1 billion in Italy in 2019, La Prensa Latina reports. Countless other Italian industries and business sectors will suffer due to Russia’s actions in Ukraine and the domino effect it has had on economies worldwide. Italian citizens will be incredibly grateful for the government’s quick moves to draft the stimulus package.

How is it Different from Past Stimulus Packages?

This new stimulus package is not Italy’s first. The government sent out the last of Italy’s most recent stimulus packages in March 2021 for €32 billion. Around €11 billion in that package went to companies that lost at least 30% of their income in 2020. Eight billion euros of the stimulus was for fighting poverty and supporting employment and those in unemployment too. The COVID-19 stimulus package allocated €900 million for seasonal workers and €5 billion for purchasing vaccines and unexpected additional health care costs.

Prime Minister Draghi said this about Italy’s stimulus package in 2021, “This decree is a significant and very coherent response to poverty and businesses, it is a partial response, but it is the maximum that we have been able to do,” Euronews reports. Italian absolute poverty decreased from 7.7% in 2020 to 7.5% in 2021, showing a positive trend and the overarching benefits of Italy’s stimulus packages.

Overall, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy spent more than €200 billion to counteract economic damages. Thankfully, by the end of 2021, Italy’s economy grew by 6.5%, having recovered from the worst of the financial crises that the pandemic initiated. Italy’s stimulus package in 2022 provides hope and expectations for a similar recovery despite the difficulties.

What Will This Stimulus Package Do for Italy?

Italy’s stimulus package in response to the war in Ukraine has various components, including individual bonuses of €200 to middle and low-income families. The package secures bank loans too and directs funds at supporting families struggling with the cost of living as prices skyrocket. One of the most burdensome costs internationally is the cost of gas. The Italian government extended the cut on rising gas prices. The prices cannot increase an additional 25 cents per liter (0.25 gallons) of gas until at least July 8, 2022, when the government hopes to have the rising prices under control.

Rising prices dramatically changed Italians’ ability to purchase construction materials. Thus, the Italian government is setting aside €3 billion to help the construction companies immediately battle these prices. According to Reuters, Italy’s stimulus package sets aside an additional €400,000 in grants and funding for guarantees on bank loans and grants for all types of firms and companies impacted by the sanctions on Russian companies and products.

The funding for most of Italy’s stimulus package comes from newly created taxes on energy companies. The taxes ensure that the burden of significantly increased prices does not fall on the individuals who have been struggling since the COVID-19 pandemic.

– Clara Mulvihill
Photo: Flickr

Fighting Corruption in Laos to Benefit its Citizens

Corruption in Laos
Laos, or Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is one of the poorest countries in the region. However, its economy has significantly increased in the last 20 years. While it continues working to improve economically, Laos faces a large amount of corruption, ranking 128 out of 180 in the Corruption Perceptions Index in 2021. With the problem still being prevalent, the Lao people suffer the consequences of corrupt officials, creating a lack of confidence in the Lao government. Citizens also suffer from corrupt police officers, who often will detain, bribe and intimidate people. Thankfully, the Lao PDR works to combat corruption by improving the State Inspection Authority’s practice of investigations, doing United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Reviews and Lao officials having in-person training with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to investigate finances and firings of corrupt state officials and authorities.

How Does Corruption Affect the Poor?

With the World Bank’s goal to end extreme poverty by 2030, it has stated that corruption is a major challenge to overcome all around the world. Corruption disproportionately affects the poor in terms of price gouging and reducing access to social services such as “health, education and justice.” Because corruption is still prevalent, there is a disconnect between the citizens and their trust in government, continuing to perpetuate “discontent that leads to fragility, violent extremism and conflict,” according to the World Bank. This makes poor peoples’ lives more difficult when a country’s government does not invest in its “human capital.”

What is Happening in Laos?

Laos is still developing as a country, resulting in many weak laws and authorities neglecting enforcement. A 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Laos, that the U.S. Department of State conducted, reported officers practicing arbitrary arrests due to a “provision of the law that permits warrantless arrests in urgent cases,” which makes it easier and allows officers to continue to extort people for bribes or as a tactic for intimidation. Employers fired more than 1,300 low-ranking police officers nationwide from their jobs after they took bribes from drug traffickers and motorists in 2016 under then Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulthin. The results of doing this may help impoverished Lao citizens from intimidation by cops all around the country and partially eliminate corruption in Laos.

The State Inspection Authority reported that the Lao government lost funding for multiple types of currency equaling around $732 million since 2016 due to corruption. Inspectors found that Lao state officials and company executives were misusing funds for various state projects. They also found that road and bridge construction projects as a major activity for graft. Embezzlement lessened the funding going directly to these projects. Because of this, the optimal level of implementation of projects for construction and better roads is not possible, which makes transportation and quality of living difficult for Laos’ citizens.

Companies are at higher risk of facing corruption in Laos when acquiring permits, especially as the regulations implemented in Laos are “often vague and conflicting,” resulting in legislation not being well implemented and enforced under the law. Bribery and incentivizing undocumented extra payments can be more common for public utilities, especially when government officials have low wages.

Solutions

The State Inspection Authority continues to investigate targets as well as state investment programs to account for losses from corruption. Over a span of five years from 2016 to 2020, it had prosecuted 140 employees involved in government, state-owned enterprises and private companies. The office of the President is now directly supervising the State Inspection Authority to effectively investigate government performance and civil servants. There also was a State Inspectors Authority Inspectors Anti-Corruption workshop that took place in February 2022. It focused on “the general definition of anti-corruption, forms and gift of corruption, laundering proceeds of corruption and anti-corruption lessons learned in Laos,” allowing participants to understand their role in fighting corruption in Laos.

The Lao PDR is moving forward to attempt to fight corruption, doing two complete cycles of its UNCAC Review addressing issues such as technical capacity-building needs to investigate finances. The UNODC held in-person training on anti-corruption and financial investigations, even bringing officials from seven different provinces in Laos. Doing this allows authorities to learn how to do financial investigations through online and offline sources, making it easier to expose corruption and hold both public officials and private companies accountable.

Moving Forward

While corruption in Laos is still prominent, the Lao PDR has been working to combat the issue. As Laos continues its fight, the country can invest in its “human capital” to improve its people’s quality of life, as well as make the Lao people more confident in their government. As long as there are continuous efforts to eliminate corruption in Laos, the Lao people will be further away from facing poverty in the future.

– Jerrett Phinney
Photo: Flickr

Uncovering Myanmar’s Gemstone Industry

Myanmar’s Gemstone IndustryMyanmar, previously known as Burma, is a country flourishing in high-quality gemstones and other precious stones that bring a rise in income to the nation. Despite the quantity and quality of stones naturally produced, corruption and mismanagement in Myanmar’s mining industry as well as a weak political system lead to the ongoing cycle of both environmental and economic deterioration, also known as the “resource curse.” Myanmar’s gemstone industry has caused instability and conflict rather than improving the quality of life for citizens and providing additional employment to the country. This is also the main reason Myanmar remains economically underdeveloped.

Myanmar’s Deadly Landslides

On February 28, 2022, a landslide from mines in Myanmar’s town of Hpakant buried dozens of scavengers and miners in search of jade stones. Some official media sources confirmed two deaths, while aid workers and residents claimed a minimum of 23 deaths that day and an additional 80 missing individuals. This is an additional indication of the obstructive corruption occurring in the country.

Myanmar’s Current Poverty Conditions

In 2021, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) predicted that by 2022, 48.2% of Myanmar’s population could end up living in poverty compared to 24.8% living in poverty in 2017. Those living in poverty survive on 1,590 kyats daily, which is equivalent to $1 per day. Because Myanmar is a resource-rich nation, the country has significant potential for reducing poverty rates throughout the nation, yet, only a few individuals share in the revenue that comes from Myanmar’s gemstone industry. Locals do not benefit from the wealth the gemstones bring to the country.

Corruption in the Gemstone Mining Industry

Corruption is rife in Myanmar’s gemstone mining industry. Mining companies must pay a permit fee to the Mynamar mining industry to secure a mining permit. However, these figures are undisclosed and companies have to sign confidentiality agreements with authorities that must not be revealed to others. Failure to provide illicit payments to the ministry and local authorities can lead to delays in permits. Although the laws remain, all mining licenses in the township of Hpakant expired in 2019 and 2020, but mining still continues.

Gemstones Galore

Hpakant, a town rich in many types of gemstones and precious stones, contributes to Myanmar’s gemstone industry the most. In these mines quartz, jade, amber, chrysoberyl, sapphire, moonstone, topaz, diamonds, tourmaline, peridot, garnet and ruby are a few of the many types of stones that miners can find.

However, many ethnic minority groups have to compete with Myanmar’s armed government to proceed to mine. This means resources fall into the hands of only a select few, increasing both inequality and poverty across the nation.

Global Economic Assistance

Myanmar is struggling with a severe economic downturn as more than 20 million people, in 2021, endured poverty. The United Nations has about 2,500 people working in Myanmar to provide those in poverty with assistance. About 1.7 million people received cash and food aid from the U.N. in 2021. But, even the U.N. is facing monetary shortfalls and is having trouble reaching those who need assistance as permission is necessary to travel to certain areas. The U.N. describes this permission process as “long, lengthy and bureaucratic.”

Establishing Change

Certain human rights activists are asserting that many major jewelers should not proceed in buying gems from Myanmar as a way of applying “pressure on Myanmar’s military leaders by limiting profits from the country’s lucrative mining industry.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks introduced the Burma Act of 2021, which forbids any imports of Myanmar’s gemstones to the U.S. Popular jewelry companies such as Tiffany & Co., Harry Winston, Kay Jewelers, Jared and Zales have also declared that they will not purchase any gemstones sourced from Myanmar. The House of Representatives passed the Burma Act of 2021 on April 6, 2022.

Since 2015, more than 500 deaths have come about through landslides in Myanmar, with many of these landslides stemming from mines.

The attempt to call on the international community to halt purchases of gemstones from Myanmar is a step in the right direction as it limits the profit that the Myanmar government yields. With the help of the U.S. Congress and various human rights activists, Burmese people may look to a brighter future.

– Christina Papas
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Ukrainians Lack Clean Water Amid Conflict

Ukrainians Lack Clean Water
As the war in Ukraine has heightened, citizens have faced devastation as more than 1.4 million Ukrainians lacked clean water as of April 2022 — a consequence of the recent Russian invasion. Additionally, 4.6 million people further east of the country only have “limited access” to clean water. The most significant reason for the lack of water is the damage to water infrastructure as a result of the conflict. In just the eastern region of Ukraine, civilians noted a minimum of “20 separate incidents of damage to water infrastructure” to date. On April 25, 2022, Serhiy Hadai, the governor of Luhansk, a city in eastern Ukraine, stated that multiple water pumps and electricity plants are under attack.

Water Shortage Looms

Water is an essential human need and many other regions that also rely on aid for clean water, food and medicine are under stress as organizations are redirecting much aid to address the consequences of the conflict in Ukraine. Companies that supply aid warn that water shortages are a major cause of concern because a lack of access to clean water holds immense health risks, specifically for the elderly and children.

A spike in “transmission of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, polio, hepatitis A and diarrhea” can occur as Ukrainians lack clean water. Under international law and the Geneva Convention, the treaty that governs global armed conflicts, specifically “targeting water and food supplies” is illegal.

On March 16, 2022, a Russian-led attack on a theater in Mariupol led to the deaths of a minimum of 300 people and Russian forces are blocking much-needed humanitarian assistance from entering the devastated city. The city of Mariupol is also facing a tragic shortage in food and medical supplies as the damage continues to mount.

WASH Cluster Assists Ukrainian Communities

WASH Cluster, a group of 32 international organizations that the United Nations Children’s Fund leads is working to assist communities in Ukraine by supplying water and providing water treatment chemicals, supplies of bottled water and generators. The WASH Cluster has predicted that about 4.5 million people are at risk of losing access to water supplies due to the ongoing war.

President Biden Provides Aid

On March 24, 2022, President Biden ordered the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) to shift focus to assist in alleviating the damages in Ukraine as Ukrainians lack clean water and face other critical shortages.  Accordingly, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) “will open a CFC special solicitation” to assist victims of the war with securing their basic needs.

Purifying Water Filters

Some survivors in the city of Mariupol are resorting to melting snow and collecting rainwater for drinking purposes. Most people have no access to tap water or bottled water, and in fact, residents, consider these a luxury right now. In March 2022, Doc Hendley from the nonprofit Wine to Water sent “12,000 water filters to Ukraine and border areas in Poland and Romania where refugees” are seeking solace. These filters have a lifespan of more than 10 years and have the ability to purify more than 2.4 million gallons of water a day. The filter’s design and size are ideal for times of crisis as the filter is compact enough to fit into an individual’s pocket.

Hope Amid Chaos

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, many people fear the longevity of future hostilities. Water is not just an essential human need but is also a human right, and currently, more than 6 million Ukrainians lack clean water to some extent. Through international aid, Ukrainians are able to meet their basic needs, providing hope to Ukrainians for a brighter tomorrow amid a tragic period of conflict and violence that will eventually become a part of world history.

– Christina Papas
Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Political Participation in Egypt

Women’s Political Participation in Egypt
Although the advancement of women’s rights in Egypt has faced barriers in the past, change is on the horizon. The World Economic Forum’s 2021 Global Gender Gap Report notes progress in terms of gender equality. In particular, Egypt has made advancements for women in politics. A closer look at the country’s policies and culture around women’s political participation in Egypt will show how Egypt has garnered such success and point to the areas still in need of improvement.

Electoral Quota System in Egypt

Women in Egypt gained suffrage and the right to run for election with the 1956 Constitution. Before the 1979 elections, Egypt implemented a quota of 30 seats (9% of total seats in the People’s Assembly) reserved for women. In 1984, 36 women held seats. Eventually, arguments arose against the quota and Egypt repealed it in 1987, leading to the decline of female representation down to just nine women out of the 454 members of the People’s Assembly (2%) from 2005 to 2010. Over the next few years, Egypt reinstated the quota system and repealed it again. In 2014, Egypt implemented a new quota system, which includes non-gender-related quotas.

In 2019, Egypt amended the constitution to reserve at least 25% of seats in parliament for women, leading to a dramatic rise in women’s political participation in Egypt. Women hold 162 seats in the new parliamentary term (2016-2021), making up 27% of parliament, marking the first time this percentage surpassed 15%. As a consequence, “Egypt now ranks 67th in the world for women’s representation.”

According to the Global Gender Gap Report of 2021, Egypt is one of three MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) countries that closed its Political Empowerment Gap between 20% and 22.7%, with all other countries at 15.1% or lower.

Voting Registration

Egypt now automatically registers voters once they turn 18, which has increased women’s voting turnout. Although voter registration is about even now, there remain certain barriers that women voters face before turning in their ballots. Egypt requires “a valid digital passport, a valid ID card, or an invalid ID card that bears a valid identification number.”

Although this seems protocol for most countries, women in Egypt face cultural challenges when presented with such requirements. Women are more unlikely to possess a valid ID card, and if they do have one, their husbands often hold onto the cards, which may prevent a woman from voting without her husband’s permission. In order to ensure women’s political participation in Egypt, Egypt must address these barriers.

UN Empowers Egyptian Women

Clearly, women are making great advances in the political realm in Egypt. Now, the challenge is to ensure women’s representation goes beyond tokenism. The quota system Egypt implemented will increase numbers, but ensuring women’s voices receive support goes beyond the election.

U.N. Women Egypt works to address all areas that impact women’s lives in Egypt. Past initiatives have dealt with educational opportunities, economic empowerment, violence against women and political participation. One example of U.N. Women Egypt’s advocacy for women’s political participation in Egypt is its work with the National Council for Women (NCW) and partners to issue ID cards for women. The cards have stamps with the slogan “Your ID, Your Right.”

Again, alongside the NCW, U.N. Women Egypt helped encourage women in 27 governorates to “vote and/or run for candidacy at the municipal level,” reaching 35,000 women. As time passes, the number of women in political representation continues to increase.

Despite cultural difficulties, Egypt is making obvious efforts to include women in its policymaking. As the nation’s efforts continue and women also rise up in the government, Egypt will move toward gender equality in its politics.

– Rachael So
Photo: Flickr

Sustainable Agriculture in Tanzania

Agriculture in Tanzania
USAID is working jointly with the Tanzanian government to reduce poverty and improve nutrition, especially in the agricultural sector. The Feed the Future initiative and the Tanzanian government provide targeted investments focused on developing the private sector. In turn, these investments will contribute to the long-term sustainability of programs that reduce poverty and improve nutrition. In practice, these investments assist small-holder farmers employed in agriculture in Tanzania to increase their production and be more competitive in the production and marketing of their products. These efforts have consequently increased farmers’ access to markets because of a greater ability to construct rural feeder roads.

Although problems remain, there are sure signs of progress for this U.S. and Tanzania partnership. Among these returns on investment, participating farmers have seen their productivity of rice per acre close to doubling and now “at least 450,000 people have benefited from the Feed the Future value chain interventions,” according to USAID. Another promising partnership addressing the sustainability of agriculture in the country is Tanzania’s own, Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania.

Tanzania’s Circumstances in Numbers

According to USAID Feed the Future report from November 2019, the United Republic of Tanzania is one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa. Success in economic growth aside, more than 49% of the population suffers from extreme poverty, living on less than $1.90 per day. Furthermore, more than 34% of children younger than the age of 5 suffer from stunting and about 45% of women of reproductive age are anemic. Much of Tanzania’s public health and economic woes are in part attributable to the agricultural sector, a sector that employs 75% of the population and provides about a third of GDP.

Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT)

Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT), a member of the umbrella organization International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM Organics International), is a solutions-based organization that combines education, marketing, research and networking to improve agriculture in the country. SAT alleviates food insecurity, poverty and malnutrition by addressing unsustainable farming practices through educating, marketing, researching and networking in Tanzania.

This combination of tactics has resulted in small-holder farmers across Tanzania seeing significant benefits. The benefits these expertise programs have brought to Tanzania include an average 38% increase in participating farmers’ income and an increase in production reported by 66% of facilitated farmers, according to SAT. The health benefits for Tanzanians entail near-zero exposure to environmental toxins because farmers avoid the use of chemicals and 76% of facilitated farmers reported a more balanced diet.

Both of these developments have had a positive impact on public health in the country. As for gains in sustainability, after SAT programs assist farmers, such as the organization’s soil management programs, facilitated farmers saw their agricultural water consumption reduced by 59%, SAT reports. In total, SAT programs have promoted progress in attaining a more profitable, healthier and sustainable Tanzanian agriculture.

SAT has been a monumental partner in Tanzanian agriculture, hence the organization’s acceptance of the “One World Award” in February 2022, an award given to those organizations and people who make the world a better place. SAT has made leaps in progress in Tanzania getting closer to reaching the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but the ambitions of IFOAM extend to the rest of the world.

Exporting SAT’s Success

IFOAM, a coalition of successful organizations such as SAT, operates on the international level promoting organic agriculture in pursuit of the U.N. SDGs that aim for zero hunger (SDG 2), good health and well-being (SDG 3) and responsible production and consumption (SDG 12). Organic agriculture can aid in achieving SDG 2 for zero hunger because it increases and stabilizes yields.

This, in turn, saves money that would otherwise go toward chemical treatment. SDG 3 for good health and well-being is on its way to success since farmers, after learning from said programs, are ceasing to use polluting synthetic chemicals on crops, which, in turn, reduces the harmful effects of chemical exposure on people. Furthermore, SDG 12 for responsible production and consumption is closer to success because these programs consolidate value chains, easing the ability of local economies to procure food.

Organizations such as SAT have proven instrumental for Tanzania, creating long-term sustainable development in the country’s agriculture. Exporting such success is a task for far larger organizations, such as IFOAM. The path toward attaining the U.N. SDGs will require the continued commitment of governments, the private sector and local partners and NGOs like SAT and IFOAM. Going forward, the combined efforts of organizations such as SAT and IFOAM stand as promising signs of progress toward reducing global poverty and a more sustainable world.

– Chester Lankford
Photo: Flickr

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5 Facts About Japan’s Foster Care System

Japan’s Foster Care System
In Japan, about 45,000 children cannot be raised by their biological parents because of varying reasons including abuse, illness and economic hardship. According to the U.N.’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, children “should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.” In many ways, Japan falls behind other countries in their efforts to support its children that are removed from their birth parents. Here are five facts about Japan’s foster care system.

5 Facts About Japan’s Foster Care System

  1. Foster Families Adopt Only 12% of Children: An overwhelming number of Japanese children not living with their biological parents are in orphanages. The U.N.’s Convention states that if biological parents cannot raise their child, the most desirable placement would be with a blood relative or very close individual to the family. After that, the next best would be with a family through adoption. Foster care is a temporary solution for children to live in a family home while a permanent solution is unavailable. Japan only places approximately 500 children with families per year through adoption. For comparison, the United States places more than 50,000 children and the U.K. places more than 4,500 children. Alongside low adoption rates, the number of foster families is also too low. At 12% of children in foster care, Japan trails far behind other countries. For example, Australia is at 93.5% and the United States at 77%.
  2. Orphanages are Too Large: Ideally, orphanages can remain small to emulate a family home situation. Japan’s large orphanages, on the other hand, have triggered  U.N. warnings. Even with enough staff on rotating shifts to provide one-to-one interaction, the care would not allow the children to develop appropriate attachments. Furthermore, Japan ranks the lowest among developed countries for their staff-to-child ratio in orphanages. This should be about 1 to 1.3, according to Japan Children Support Association. Japan hopes to solve this problem by increasing the use of its foster care system.
  3. Reports of Child Abuse Have Increased: Child abuse reports have been on an upward trend in Japan. According to Japan Children Support Association, reports exceeded 130,000 in 2017. By 2020, this number grew to 205,029. The number of psychological abuse cases was 121,325 and the number of physical abuse cases was 50,033. Some experts may say that the effects of COVID-19 may have increased this number, but there is no doubt that the number continues to rise.
  4. There is Abuse Within Foster Families: A 2014 Human Rights Watch report about Japan’s alternative care for children signifies the abuse that lies within Japan’s foster care system and other places within Japan’s alternative care. In 2011, there were 193 cases of child abuse in alternative care institutions. Of those that the government found valid, 13% were in foster care or foster families.
  5. There are People Trying to Help: The Nippon Foundation is a private, nonprofit that Ryoichi Sasakawa established in 1962 to increase social innovation and reduce the number of social burdens that Japan faces. One of their projects is the Happy Yurikago Project. It aims to promote awareness of the programs and institutions that surround children in alternative care and to promote such programs as far as they help children grow up in healthy environments. To do so, the project declared April 4 as Adopted Children’s Day. Its goal is to increase awareness of adoption options.

Concluding Thoughts

All children deserve to grow up in families that love and support them. Japan clearly has ways to go to provide such environments for children that cannot live with their biological parents. Despite a lack of ability to care for such children, there are solutions that Japan is working toward. Continuing to support Japan’s foster care system will ease the burden on orphanages and provide better care for the children.

– Rachael So
Photo: Unsplash

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Hospitals Empower Women Amid Conflict

Hospitals Empower Women Amid ConflictAmid ongoing crises around the world, hospitals help women deliver babies and maintain good reproductive and sexual health. Supporting hospitals in conflict-ridden countries empowers women and can drastically reduce maternal mortality rates. In Afghanistan, maternal mortality rates have reduced by more than 50% in the past 20 years due to advancements in public health infrastructure. Hospitals empower women amid conflict by providing lifesaving support to new mothers and women of all ages.

Conflict-Ridden Areas

Hospitals and clinics in conflict zones save lives every day, in areas ranging from maternal care to helping the sick and wounded. When conflict strikes, though, medical care facilities experience difficulties procuring medicine, equipment and supplies. The hospitals and clinics may also struggle to maintain a steady supply of fuel and heating. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) often help hospitals and clinics in conflict-ridden areas obtain supplies.

In 2021, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provided two hospitals in Afghanistan with emergency kits containing medicine and equipment to support the “reproductive, maternal and newborn health needs” of more than 300,000 people. In combination with NGO efforts, governmental investments in hospitals and other public health infrastructure are necessary to ensure adequate medical care in conflict zones, especially for women. Well-funded hospitals empower women amid conflict by safeguarding their reproductive health and ensuring safe deliveries.

Health Care for Women

Conflict zones make it difficult for women, children and newborns to access health care. For example, the war in Yemen has prevented many women and children with health emergencies from accessing medical facilities. Limited access to medical care for the Yemeni people has led to an increase in deaths, leaving pregnant women, newborns and children the most vulnerable.

Developing countries are unlikely to have enough fully functioning hospitals to support everyone’s medical needs, especially in times of conflict. Many patients in conflict zones must travel through dangerous sites to receive medical attention from a hospital. Such endeavors are particularly dangerous for pregnant women and women traveling with young children. High-functioning, accessible hospitals are highly beneficial to public health and safety in times of conflict, especially for women and newborns.

Improving Health Care in Conflict Zones

Improvements to health care in conflict zones may involve public and private coordination, addressing context-specific needs and developing sustainable responses to medical emergencies. Public and private coordination efforts may include governmental bodies, humanitarian organizations and other global public health actors including the World Health Organization.

When public and private actors collaborate, the efforts can provide optimized health care to those in need. Context-specific health care initiatives tailor medical care and responses to the most common or urgent needs of a community. Such initiatives involve speaking with local actors and communities to gauge their medical needs. States can improve health care sustainability in conflict zones by improving existing health systems, securing funding and prioritizing the treatment of chronic illnesses.

Robust medical systems are necessary to promote health, safety and peace in conflict-ridden areas. Access to health care is particularly important for pregnant women and newborns as these are highly vulnerable groups in conflict zones. Hospitals empower women amid conflict by providing access to maternal and reproductive health care, which saves lives and ensures safe pregnancies.

– Cleo Hudson
Photo: Flickr

5 Facts About Workers’ Rights In Southeast Asia

Workers' Rights In Southeast Asia
Labor laws exist to empower and protect workers’ rights. The rights of employees hold their employers accountable for their well-being in the workplace. Commonly, large corporations take advantage of the world’s poor, knowing they can subject these people to dire working conditions and insufficient wages that threaten the health and safety of workers. Not to mention, these insufficient wages keep individuals in the control of poverty, indefinitely. The U.N. has stated that in Southeast Asia specifically, promising developments have occurred in the area of workers’ rights since March 2021. However, social divides, COVID-19, long-lasting systemic customs and the exploitation of the poor, still hinder the development of workers’ rights in the region. In the hopes of raising awareness, here are five facts about workers’ rights in Southeast Asia.

5 Facts About Workers’ Rights in Southeast Asia

  1. Labor Laws Enforcement in Southeast Asia Needs Improvement: The Second U.N. South Asia Forum on Business and Human Rights took place in March 2021 and it involved 89 countries and 1,500 participants, according to OHCHR. Its purpose was to evaluate the problems and prosperities of workers’ rights in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. This forum resulted in the conclusion that the enforcement of labor laws in Southeast Asia needs improvement. There are plans to discuss country-specific issues and progress for the 2022 forum.
  2. The COVID-19 Pandemic Expedited the Regression of Secure Jobs in Southeast Asia: While a lack of workers’ rights is prominent, the pandemic has caused the existence of work itself to dwindle. The pandemic pushed 4.7 million people in Southeast Asia into poverty due to the disappearance of 9.3 million jobs. This has caused a sense of desperation and willingness for Southeast Asian workers to subject themselves to substandard working conditions, as work has become a scarcity in the aftermath of the pandemic.
  3. Workers Frequently Experience Unequal and Discriminatory Treatment: In the “Access to justice for migrant workers in Southeast Asia” report, findings concluded that while 20.2 million workers in Southeast Asia have access to labor rights, “they frequently experience unequal and discriminatory treatment in practice.” The report explains this problem occurs primarily due to unsuccessful procedures in resolving worker complaints in Southeast Asia, which allows for these workplace abuses to happen.
  4. Modern Slavery: According to a Global Slavery Index report in 2016, Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei and Thailand are a part of the top 10 Asian countries with the highest number of people in working conditions of extreme exploitation. The numbers equated to about 2.5 million Southeast Asians “being caught up in the grip of modern slavery,” according to a PLoS Med article.
  5. Workers’ Complaints Need Fair and Responsive Solutions: The “Access to justice for migrant workers in Southeast Asia” report has analyzed Southeast Asian workers’ complaints from Migrant Worker Resource Centers from 2011 to 2015. The analysis of more than 1,000 cases across five countries revealed the most extensive compilation of Southeast Asian worker complaint data. The substantial analysis has revealed that progress in justice has increased, but prominent challenges in fair and responsive solutions persist.

Looking Ahead

Worker’s rights are essential to the eradication of poverty. It is substandard working conditions and wages that keep individuals in an ongoing loop of poverty. When people are provided with the necessary working accommodations, they are more likely to afford more, in turn, becoming customers of places they usually wouldn’t like niche small businesses that are especially healthy for the economy. Drawing attention to issues surrounding workers’ rights in places such as Southeast Asia is especially important to show all the efforts they are making.

– Madeline Ehlert
Photo: Piqsels