Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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5 Facts About the UAE’s Foreign Aid

The UAE’s Foreign AidMany know the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as one of the richest countries in the world, thanks to its abundant reserves of oil and natural gas. One of its most popular cities, Dubai, is home to some of the world’s most extravagant and expensive buildings, while artificial islands shaped like palm trees dot its coast. Putting its riches to a good cause, the UAE’s foreign aid program is remarkably well-funded and successful.

5 Facts About the UAE’s Foreign Aid

  1. The UAE’s foreign aid program is one of the largest in the world. In 1970, the U.N. first agreed on its percentage target for official development aid (ODA): 0.7% of gross national income (GNI). Since 1970, growing numbers of developed countries have officially committed to this target. However, most fail to meet it each year. For example, the United States, while the biggest donor in terms of dollar amount, only donated 0.17% of its GNI in 2020, making it one of the lowest contributors in terms of the U.N. ODA agreement. In contrast, since 2013, the UAE has remained one of the highest-ranking ODA donors and has consistently surpassed the 0.7% of GNI target. In 2018, the UAE devoted 0.93% of its GNI to foreign aid.
  2. The UAE’s foreign aid program was private until 2009. Surprisingly, the UAE’s very public devotion to foreign aid only began around a decade ago when it began to submit detailed foreign aid data to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Since then, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with the president and prime minister, have been very vocal and open about foreign aid. This openness has led some to suspect that the UAE intends to improve its global image through its interest in foreign aid.
  3. Most of the UAE’s foreign aid goes to other Middle Eastern and Arab countries. While the UAE has sent foreign aid to hundreds of nations in total, the majority of its foreign aid goes to nearby countries. The UAE makes significant donations to developmental projects and humanitarian aid in countries experiencing violence and natural disasters. In 2015, the majority of the UAE’s humanitarian aid went to refugees in Syria, Yemen and Iraq. These countries, along with Egypt, Jordan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, are consistent recipients of UAE aid. In 2019, UAE foreign aid dropped below the 0.7% of GNI target for the first time since 2012. The preliminary data for 2020 shows foreign aid accounting for 0.48% of the UAE’s GNI. These lower levels of aid may be due to the UAE’s need to devote resources to the fight against COVID-19 within its own borders. The vast majority of the UAE’s aid in 2020 went toward COVID-19 related medical and food aid. In total, 47 countries around the world received COVID-19 aid from the UAE in 2020.
  4. The UAE’s foreign aid likely has some political motivation. After 2013, the UAE’s foreign aid portfolio became less diverse and more focused on a small selection of countries. The UAE claims that its aid “has only humanitarian objectives.” However, there are often clear correlations between the UAE’s political interests and its top aid recipients. For example, in 2013, the UAE’s foreign aid to Egypt massively increased. The country likely increased it in order to support the military coup in Egypt at the time. Additionally, despite Yemen’s pressing need for aid, it did not receive significant aid from the UAE until 2015.
  5. The UAE’s foreign aid officially goes toward “reducing poverty and improving quality of life.” Despite the UAE’s somewhat political motivations, its foreign aid program is both impactful and extensive. Among its top goals for foreign aid, the UAE lists “humanitarian assistance, elimination of poverty, support for children, transportation, infrastructure, government support and empowerment of women.” Much of the country’s foreign aid goes to development projects aimed at long-lasting infrastructure improvements in countries such as Egypt and Afghanistan. It also goes toward aiding refugees in Syria and Yemen or to sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The UAE hosts several large charity aid programs such as the Emirates Airlines Foundation, which has supported various humanitarian aid projects in 18 countries for nearly two decades. One of these projects include the Emirates Friendship Hospital Ship, a mobile hospital currently located in Bangladesh. The vessel provides mobile medical assistance to those in need.

Looking Ahead

Given its clear commitment to increasing levels of valuable foreign aid, the UAE continues as one of the world leaders in aid. Wealthier countries of the world need to follow suit and contribute more to helping struggling nations around the world.

– Anneke Taylor
Photo: Flickr

The Need for COVID-19 Vaccinations in Haiti

COVID-19 vaccinations in HaitiHaiti faces a surge in COVID-19 cases, while also being the only COVAX member in the Americas to not commence administering vaccines. Despite reporting low infection rates at the start of the pandemic, Haitian hospitals are now overwhelmed with an influx of patients. With a deficit of resources and infected patients being turned away, there is a desperate need for the commencement of COVID-19 vaccinations in Haiti.

Haiti Before the Surge

Haiti confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 19, 2020. The country immediately implemented a complete shutdown by way of closing schools, quarantining visitors and prohibiting public gatherings. Officials also advised that citizens wear masks. By June 2020, the country reported 2,500 COVID-19 cases, leaving Haiti at a relatively low number of reported cases compared to other countries. However, experts have argued that the number of reported cases in Haiti falls substantially lower than the actual number of existing cases due to an overwhelming lack of testing resources and facilities.

Widespread misinformation about COVID-19 leaves many Haitians unwilling to get tested and unwilling to follow precautionary measures. With Haiti largely left to its own devices in handling COVID-19, certain factors, including the inadequate medical care system and high poverty rates, make it difficult for infected patients to receive or afford proper medical care.

Poverty also leads to overcrowded districts and the inability to buy face masks, while poor sanitation increases the spread of disease. Even before experiencing the largest spike of cases since the start of COVID-19, Haiti proved extremely vulnerable to COVID-19. In 2018, Haiti declared its goal of achieving universal healthcare coverage by 2030. However, as the “most impoverished country in the western hemisphere,” the road to achieving universal healthcare contains several obstacles.

The Spike of COVID-19 cases

On June 25, 2021, Haiti reported upward of 18,000 cumulative cases and more than 400 cumulative deaths, with nearly 2,300 of the cases occurring in the span of just a month. The Associated Press reports that the government declared a health emergency on May 24, 2021, by imposing a curfew and compelling people to take preventative safety measures. However, many people are unable to avoid large crowds in marketplaces or on public transportation while others simply cannot afford face masks.

The recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Haiti can be largely attributed to more people getting tested and seeking treatment. Additionally, other variants of COVID-19 could be to blame. Due to the seemingly low number of reported cases earlier in the year, authorities reduced the number of beds allocated for COVID-19 patients. With the rise in cases, hospitals are now at capacity, having to turn patients away.

The Need for COVID-19 Vaccines

Although vaccinating citizens would aid in fighting the pandemic, officials have yet to start COVID-19 vaccinations in Haiti. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) announced an aid plan to facilitate vaccine delivery to Haiti. This first shipment will contain the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine procured through COVAX, a global vaccine initiative that ensures vaccine equity by securing COVID-19 vaccines for low-income countries. PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne asserts that the global community needs to help strengthen Haiti’s response to COVID-19, unifying despite political differences to make COVID-19 treatment a top priority.

As of June 9, 2021, Haiti had still not received any vaccines. The country was supposed to receive more than 750,000 doses of AstraZeneca in May 2021, but the delivery was “delayed due to the government’s concern over possible clotting as a side effect and a lack of infrastructure to keep the vaccines properly refrigerated.”

Doctors express concerns that even if the doses do arrive, there will be challenges in the vaccination rollout. Young adults, who largely ignore government mandates, comprise much of the population. Additionally, gang violence makes it difficult for people to safely venture to clinics and health centers. Nevertheless, officials hope that any delay with COVID-19 vaccinations in Haiti will cease.

Domestic and Global Solutions

As residents await the launch of COVID-19 vaccinations in Haiti, grassroots organizations aid in the fight against the pandemic. Heart to Heart International, an organization dedicated to improving global healthcare, directs community health workers to teach market vendors and the surrounding community in Haiti about preventative techniques, hygienic practices and the detection of COVID-related symptoms.

GlobalGiving is a nonprofit platform that connects other nonprofits to donors. Through GlobalGiving, Economic Stimulus Projects for Work and Action (ESPWA) looked to raise more than $5,000 for the COVID-19 response in Haiti. Through the first phase of its initiative, the organization has supported 19 communities with more than 40,000 residents by providing seeds to local farmers to sustain agriculture and by supporting a microloan program to assist small businesses. ESPWA also supported the creation of a soapmaking business to generate sustainable income and promote hygiene.

On July 14, 2021, Haiti received 500,000 COVID-19 vaccines from the United States. With more powerful countries reaching out a helping hand, the campaign for COVID-19 vaccinations in Haiti can begin with a higher chance of success.

– Cory Utsey
Photo: Unsplash

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Tajikistan’s Response to COVID-19

Tajikistan’s Response to COVID-19In February 2020, many countries arranged a summit to discuss how they would assist countries with weaker health care systems due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tajikistan’s response to COVID-19 was one of the topics at the summit.

Tajikistan, a small country in Central Asia, is regarded by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most impoverished countries. Primarily private out-of-pocket deals run the country’s health care system. According to the WHO, this process undermines the system’s ability to grow in equity, efficiency and quality.

Combating COVID-19

Tajikistan was one of the first countries to receive COVID-19 support. In April 2020,  the World Bank provided emergency relief to Tajikistan, along with aid from various other countries. The World Bank said that it is a continuous goal to strengthen Tajikistan’s response to COVID-19 by improving its health care system.

On June 7, 2020, Tajikistan received emergency medical teams (EMTs) and mobile laboratories from Poland, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. After this support, the country began to see an increase in COVID-19 contact tracing, testing and optimization of patient care. The EMTs gave Tajikistani health care workers advice on how to handle severe COVID-19 cases.

Tajikistan enacted a national COVID-19 laboratory upscale plan, and with help from international aid, the Tajikistan government established a Public Emergency Operations Center. On July 22, 2020, Russian lab experts arrived in the Central Asian country to help strengthen its data management system. Now, Tajikistan is seeing an increase in testing and staff capacity.

In addition, USAID donated $7.17 million to the Tajikistan government. Tajikistan used the funding to support migrants that traveled into the country. The country is also buying new, life-saving equipment and medical supplies. In April 2020, the USAID and other American organizations sent 58,620 kilograms of food to more than 100 health and social welfare institutions. These donations totaled approximately $171,000.

Further, the World Bank allocated $11.3 million to a grant for the Tajikistan Emergency COVID-19 Project. The project works to improve healthcare for Tajikistan’s citizens, sending funds to impoverished households and informing the public on COVID-19 safety measures.

Hope for Tajikistan

The Intensive Care Unit in Varzob, Tajikistan, was one of 10 hospitals chosen for refurbishment with funding from the World Bank. The hospital received upgraded medical equipment and supplies to strengthen Tajikistan’s response to COVID-19. The Tajikistan hospital can now serve all district citizens instead of only private out-of-pocket citizens.

Several hospitals throughout Tajikistan received batches of medical equipment. Donations included 68 ICU ventilators, 68 ICU beds with patient monitors and 400,000 pieces of personal protective equipment.

According to the World Bank, 41% of Tajikistani households reported that they had to reduce food consumption, while 20% of families could not afford health care. With international funds, the Tajikistan government sent out one-time cash payments of 500 somonis to approximately 65,000 low-income families with children less than three years old.

In February 2021, Tajikistan received a grant for COVID-19 vaccines and to increase the oxygen supply in 15 of the country’s hospitals. Most of the funding went to Tajikistani patients suffering from COVID-19 to receive top-of-the-line care. Subsequently, the remaining grant money provided one-time cash assistance to an additional 70,000 poor households.

Future of Tajikistan

On June 16, 2021, the Asian Development Bank approved a grant of $25 million to strengthening Tajikistan’s response to COVID-19. This grant helped the country procure COVID-19 vaccines and improve its vaccination system. On the same date, Tajikistan created a goal to vaccinate about 62% of its population. This grant is one of many that allowed the country to strengthen its supply of medical equipment and care for the maximum number of high-risk COVID-19 patients.

As of July 9, 2021, Tajikistan has vaccinated 1.2% of the population, administering 223,648 doses. With help from international aid, the country is giving out approximately 9,273 doses each day. It will take more than 200 days to vaccinate 10% of the population, but Tajikistan is steadily recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

– Rachel Schilke
Photo: Flickr

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COVID-19 and Conflict in Myanmar

COVID-19 and Conflict in Myanmar
As new variants of COVID-19 spread across the world, outbreaks in Southeast Asia are particularly severe. Myanmar shares a 990-mile border with India, the origin of the highly transmissible Delta variant. The Delta variant is largely responsible for the most recent rapid outbreak in Myanmar, with new cases rising from 72 on June 2, 2021, to more than 2,000 on July 1, 2021. Myanmar’s rising case numbers come soon after the military coup that occurred in February 2021. The last five months since then have been rife with civil strife as the military responds with violence to any protests for the return of democratic leadership. COVID-19 and conflict in Myanmar pose significant challenges to the struggling country and further imperil Myanmar’s most vulnerable.

The Coup

On February 1, 2021, the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s military, seized control of the government in a bloodless coup. The Tatmadaw disabled communication channels and raided the houses of government officials, putting some 400 members of parliament under house arrest. The members of parliament largely belonged to the National League of Democracy (NLD), Myanmar’s ruling party led by President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

NLD leaders have been charged with corruption and engaging in electoral fraud. Over the course of the five months since the coup, Burmese citizens have engaged in constant protest against the military regime. While the protests have largely taken the form of peaceful marches and street barricades, the military has often responded with live ammunition. In areas where protesters have been more aggressive toward security forces, the Tatmadaw has answered with destructive and indiscriminate airstrikes. Burmese civil society has mobilized in support of democracy but communication blackouts are a core piece of the Tatmadaw’s strategy to suppress information and frustrate organizations.

COVID-19 and Conflict in Myanmar

Many blame the Tatmadaw for the recent COVID-19 outbreak. The country’s previous outbreak that began in September 2020 was just winding down when the coup took place a few months later. While the first few months of military rule saw no rise in COVID-19 cases, it appears that the abandonment of the NLD’s policies of testing, lockdowns and vaccination has produced the country’s fastest rise in cases to date.

Myanmar’s healthcare infrastructure struggled with the first wave and the second wave is already exerting even more acute pressure on Myanmar’s health systems. Furthermore, healthcare workers, as well as workers in many other sectors of the economy, are also protesting the coup. Vaccinations are proceeding at a sluggish rate as international organizations, notably COVAX, have delayed shipments of the vaccine to the military regime, which many have accused of prioritizing shots for its soldiers over the elderly.

Humanitarian Assistance

The combination of post-coup conflict and the rapid outbreak have further endangered those living on the margins of Burmese society. According to the latest available estimates, Myanmar’s poverty rate stands at 25% as of 2017 — a rate that the United Nations Development Programme thinks could double by 2022 if left unaddressed.

The military coup has put the international community in a difficult position. In response to the coup, in February 2021, President Biden announced his decision to redirect $42.4 million of aid to Myanmar “away from work that would have benefited the Government of Burma.” Biden said that “Rather than supporting the military, we will redirect these funds to support and strengthen civil society.”

While the international community refuses to prop up the military regime with economic assistance and sanctions relief, there is no doubt an urgent necessity to provide relief for the impoverished caught between COVID-19 and conflict in Myanmar. NGOs have come together to call for an end to the fighting in order to deliver assistance to those in need.

Doctors Without Borders

Doctors Without Borders issued a statement that it would “continue to deliver impartial medical care to the most vulnerable to the best of [its]capacity while access and circumstances still allow for the provision of care.” Even though “staff movements [are] restricted” its programs are still operational. The organization emphasizes that it is “ready to adapt [its] medical humanitarian response as needed.” Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the organization is assisting with COVID-19 screening, testing and monitoring while treating infected patients. Doctors Without Borders also “continues to share COVID-19 prevention and health promotion messages” in Myanmar and educates communities on handwashing and mask-wearing.

Donors and organizations must try to find ways to deliver relief that circumvents the military. International humanitarian assistance in Myanmar is necessary now more than ever as Myanmar’s most vulnerable people find themselves between a pandemic and civil strife.

– Will Pease
Photo: Flickr

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The Bosnia and Herzegovina Vaccine Rollout

Bosnia and Herzegovina Vaccine Rollout
The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been quite profound. The country has been experiencing a severe recession, the worst in 25 years. Due to government borrowing in an effort to ease the strains stemming from the crisis, the national debt has soared. As a result, the Bosnia and Herzegovina vaccine rollout has been slow because its government has been unable to afford vaccines.

However, due to Russia, China and Europe providing donations, the country has received a large number of vaccines. On top of this, overseas organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have been continuing to advocate for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most vulnerable citizens.

The Lack of Purchase

In stark contrast to neighboring Serbia’s successful vaccine rollout, Bosnia and Herzegovina has not bought a single vaccine. Due to a disorganized government and the impact of a steep recession, the country has been relying on donations. The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina has prevented the nation from organizing a rollout of its own, thus endangering its citizens.

Pilgrimage to Serbia

Because of the slow vaccine rollout in Bosnia and Herzegovina, many Bosnians have migrated to neighboring Serbia, which has had an exponentially more successful vaccine rollout, to receive their vaccine. This is particularly striking because of the tensions between the two countries. The Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is well-known for downplaying the Srebrenica genocide, which took place in 1995. This was during the Yugoslavian wars of independence and took the lives of many Bosnian Muslims.

Donations are Keeping the Country Afloat

Because of the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the country has been relying on large donations from countries that are further into their vaccine rollout than Bosnia and Herzegovina. After initial donations from Russia and China, the E.U. provided vaccines to Bosnia and Herzegovina. This also included Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia, with 651,000 doses of BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine in April 2021. In June 2021, Austria committed to donating 1 million doses of mainly AstraZeneca vaccine to the Western Bulkan bloc.

The UNHCR Advocate for the Vaccination of Asylum Seekers

While the Bosnian government is reluctant to vaccinate its population of refugees and asylum seekers, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continues to advocate for the vaccination of those within the country without international protection. Previous successes have been seen in Serbia where the UNHCR has managed to vaccinate a large number of refugees, with 53 having their vaccine on the first day of operations.

The Future

Despite the crushing impact that the recession has had on the vaccine rollout, with international collaboration the future is looking brighter for the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. With organizations such as UNHCR advocating for the nation’s most vulnerable, few will slip through the cracks in the vaccine initiative.

– Augustus Bambridge-Sutton
Photo: Flickr

A Look at Elderly Poverty in Latvia

Elderly Poverty in LatviaMany know Latvia, a small country in Eastern Europe that Lithuania and Estonia border, for its seaside capital city and rich cultural heritage. Following its swift recovery after the 2008 financial crisis, the country’s elderly population overshadowed Latvia’s strong economy. Brought on by a declining working-age labor force, the rate of elderly poverty in Latvia remains a point of concern.

The Vulnerability of the Elderly

In 2015, the World Bank unveiled a report titled “The Active Aging Challenge for Longer Working Lives in Latvia,” which presents data on the status of elderly poverty in the country. In coordination with the Latvian government, the project set out to discover how to develop a strategy to promote “longer working lives” while emphasizing the need to make better use of the existing workforce.

The results point to shrinking younger generations as the main contributor to elderly poverty over declining life expectancy rates. The report highlights two key risk factors that are causing the working population to dwindle: emigration and low fertility rates. An overall population decline of 0.5% each year is due to emigration siphoning workers out of the country.

However, low birth rates fail to provide the backup labor necessary to keep the economy stable. By 2035, this trend predicts that working-age populations will decrease by 23%. Furthermore, a report that the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published determined that those in the 65 and older age group will increase in number by 50%, catapulting the elderly poverty rate in Latvia to double the average in comparison to other EU countries.

Lack of Safety Nets and Workforce Integration

The Latvian pension system is one of the problems which inherently stands in the way of solving elderly poverty in Latvia. Back in 1996, the government introduced the NDC scheme, or in other words, the pay-as-you-go system. This allowed individuals to make contributions to their retirement fund as they wanted. However, with the elderly population on the rise, it has become evident that those who made low contributions find themselves with very little to support themselves on.

Women in the 75 and older age group made the smallest contributions. The poverty rate of Latvia remains the highest across OECD countries. Additionally, the country has the lowest level of income among older people of OECD countries. Those who choose to remain employed find that only 40% of Latvian companies provide any training. This makes integration into the workforce much harder. Latvia has the highest proportion of people in the European Union with healthcare and education inequalities. This is due to a lack of training by firms and workers.

Lending a Helping Hand

The Riga Acting Seniors Alliance (RASA) aims to support Latvian individuals older than the age of 50 who are at risk of elderly poverty and help reintegrate them into society. Most notably, it connects seniors to others who share the same interests.

Caritas Latvia is another group that targets lonely seniors, the unemployed and people in poverty. It implements home visits, food and clothing drives, crisis centers and other volunteer work to help people in need. Caritas has pointed out that it will not be able to complete its work until spending on social protection increases to include the elderly at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

Looking Forward

The country’s government recognizes the problem of elderly poverty in Latvia and has incorporated elderly poverty reform into its legislative goals. A survey that the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) conducted in 2019 found a 0.4% decrease in populations at risk of poverty in comparison to a similar study in 2017. This drop was due to the rise in the minimum wage, changes to the income tax application and increased social benefit offerings such as pension plans. The changes signal a promising start to resolve Latvia’s core socioeconomic issues as well as a commitment to achieving progress.

– Nicole Yaroslavsky
Photo: Flickr

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Human Trafficking in Somalia

Human Trafficking in SomaliaHuman trafficking is the illegal transport and use of coercion or fraud to exploit people. Usually, this involves traffickers using the victims for labor or services. Trafficking occurs globally and each country varies in its intersections of trafficking and its measures to counteract it. In Somalia, human trafficking has become a pressing issue.

Facts About Somalia

  • Somaliland is a self-declared independent country in northwestern former Somalia.
  • Puntland is an autonomous region to the east of Somaliland striving to be part of a federal Somalia.
  • Much of the remaining southern portion of Somalia is engaged in a civil war. This has been ongoing for the past three decades, leaving the population vulnerable and displaced.
  • Al-Shabaab is a terrorist group that controls rural areas in southern Somalia, where it collects taxes, attacks schools, infiltrates mosques and forces victims into trafficking.

Human Trafficking in Somalia

Specific data is difficult to obtain and verify, especially about the trafficking routes traffickers use in Somalia. In general, trafficking routes go from Southern Somalia to Somaliland or Puntland. If Somalia is not the final destination, victims then travel to Yemen or Kenya to reach northern destinations.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs), ethnic minorities and children are the most at risk for becoming victims of trafficking in Somalia. There were an estimated 2.6 million IDPs in 2019. Poverty creates economic and familial pressure to seek employment, usually in the form of labor. Traffickers lure victims with jobs or transport them for free before demanding payment at the destination. Traffickers recruit women and children to work as domestic laborers or in the sex slave trade. Thus, networks of traffickers grow in complexity as they use social media and travel agencies to recruit young and vulnerable victims.

Al-Shabaab plays an important role in southern Somalia, where the group forces victims into serving in al-Shabaab’s military or marrying al-Shabaab militants. People living in the regions under al-Shabaab’s control are at an even greater risk of becoming victims of trafficking. One of the biggest concerns relating to al-Shabaab is the use of child soldiers. Other actors, such as the Somali National Army or clan militias, have also recruited children to join the cause.

Government Actions

Although the government has taken action to address crime in general, it has taken minimal actions against human trafficking in Somalia. Law enforcement lacks adequate staff and training, preventing a greater response to protect victims. While there are laws that criminalize labor trafficking and slavery, there is not enough response at the ground level to prevent trafficking. In 2017, Somaliland drafted a human trafficking law, but it did not pass. However, Puntland ratified a framework that prohibited trafficking in the same year.

Somalia does not pool statistics on trafficking between federal and regional governments and organizations, therefore, it is difficult to create programs and laws to effectively prevent human trafficking and support victims. Meanwhile, NGOs offer the most support for victims by taking steps to identify victims and supporting them after their trafficking experience. Victims receive care through the Migration Response Center. Preventative measures vary widely between areas of Somalia, depending on the available resources.

One NGO is Action Africa Help International (AAH-I). It is an African-led organization working to improve community well-being and access to healthcare and education. Some of its current projects include distributing relief supplies and providing vocational and business training. In addition, AAH-I is educating women and youth in self-reliant income strategies.

Raising Awareness About Human Trafficking in Somalia

The Federal Government of Somalia recently held campaigns and events to raise awareness about trafficking. It also “finalized a national employment policy to guide the creation of jobs and a draft national labor code on responsible labor practices, to include the prohibition of forced labor.” For instance, the United Nations, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development held training workshops for officers and soldiers, providing education on “child rights and child protection.”

Human trafficking in Somalia is a significant issue, with many factors playing into it. However, the aid of the country’s government, the Migration Response Center and Action Africa Help International should all help reduce human trafficking in Somalia going forward.

– Madeleine Proffer
Photo: Flickr

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in the Palestinian Territories

The Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in the Palestinian Territories
The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in the Palestinian territories has been extensive. COVID-19 devastated the previously struggling economies of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In the last quarter of 2019, the Gaza Strip had a 43% unemployment rate while the West Bank had a 14% unemployment rate. Moreover, the recent conflict between Hamas and Israel, lasting from May 10, 2021, to May 21, 2021, further disrupted the Palestinian economy.

COVID-19 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

In March 2020, the Palestinian Authority (PA) identified the first cases of coronavirus in the Palestinian territories. Surges in cases since August 2020 have resulted in intermittent lockdowns and stressed an already burdened Palestinian healthcare system. The Palestinian healthcare system’s already limited capacity and dearth of specialized medical care workers means the Palestinian territories have an insufficient ability to handle large influxes of COVID-19 patients. Also, Israeli-implemented movement restrictions between the Palestinian territories and Israel have constrained Palestinian efforts to combat COVID-19 by delaying the Palestinian territories’ acquisition of necessary medical equipment.

As of June 2, 2021, the vaccination campaign across the Palestinian territories has vaccinated 344,260 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip or 7% of the population. Thus far, COVAX has heavily supported the Palestinian vaccination effort and aims to vaccinate 20% of the Palestinian population.

State of the Palestinian Economy

Coronavirus-induced social distancing and lockdown measures have further weakened the fragile Palestinian economy. Even before COVID-19, political instability, periods of violence and Israeli restrictions on human and material movement in and out of the Gaza Strip were already causing a state of humanitarian emergency in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, the PA’s suspension of coordination with Israel between May 2020 and November 2020 intensified the impact of COVID-19 on poverty. The suspension led Israel to suspend tax transfers to the PA, which account for the majority of the PA’s budget.

Due to the health and socioeconomic crisis, the Gaza Strip’s unemployment rate jumped to 49% by the end of 2020. Likewise, the pandemic has caused wages to decline by 50% or more in nearly 40% of West Bank households. In the West Bank, the pandemic and tax revenue crisis caused the PA, the territory’s largest employer, to cut its staff’s pay in half.

The pandemic also intensified Gazan food insecurity. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported that “food expenditure declined in 40% of surveyed households in Gaza once lockdowns went into effect.” As of early 2021, 68% of Gazans were food insecure.

Altogether, the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in the Palestinian territories has been drastic as experts project the pandemic will push many households below the poverty line. Specifically, estimates indicated the proportion of Gazan households living in poverty would jump from 53% in 2019 to 64% by the end of 2020 and the proportion of West Bank households living in poverty would rise from 14% to 30% in the same period.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The May 2021 conflict between Israel and Hamas worsened already dire living conditions in the Gaza Strip and may increase COVID-19 cases in the territory. The conflict damaged 57 Gazan educational facilities and 29 Gazan health facilities. Moreover, the conflict damaged the Gaza Strip’s water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, which serves 1.2 million people.

When the conflict caused the number of Gazan internally displaced persons to temporarily spike to 77,000, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) raised concern that the displacement may spread COVID-19. Following the conflict, positive cases in the Gaza Strip increased and now account for 84% of all COVID-19 cases in the Palestinian territories.

Renewal of US Aid to the Palestinian Territories

The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in the Palestinian territories has been stark. However, the Biden administration recently ended a nearly three-year U.S. hiatus on aid to Palestinians. On April 7, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an aid pledge promising $275 million. The pledge dedicates $150 million to fund UNRWA, which serves nearly six million Palestinians across the Middle East.

The Biden administration earmarked another $15 million to aid the Palestinian response to COVID-19 and provide food assistance. Furthermore, the aid plan will provide the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) with $75 million to fund economic and development assistance projects and $10 million to fund peace-building programs. USAID will use more than half of the $75 million to improve access to water and sanitation and upgrade Palestinian infrastructure.

During Secretary Blinken’s visit to Ramallah, he announced another $112 million of aid to Palestinians. Specifically, the U.S. will provide another $32 million to fund UNRWA. The pledge will also provide another $75 million in economic and development assistance to Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and $5.5 million in immediate assistance to the Gaza Strip. During the visit, Secretary Blinken also outlined the United States’s goal to procure 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccines for Palestinians.

Future Outlook

While the U.S. only recently announced its Palestinian territories aid plan, the pledge will contribute to combating COVID-19 and provides a hopeful outlook for reversing the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in the Palestinian territories. Additionally, international efforts to procure vaccines and support COVAX have the potential to increase Palestinian access to COVID-19 vaccinations.

– Zachary Fesen
Photo: Flickr

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5 Ways Morocco’s Economy is Recovering

Morocco's EconomyPreviously, a myriad of tourists had visited Morocco to explore its diverse culture, food, landscapes, history and people. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation has faced a devastating economic crisis. Without its regular influx of tourists or traveling diaspora, Morocco is in the depths of a recession for the first time since 1995. The government is working to ensure that Morocco’s economy can recover from the pandemic.

5 Ways Morocco’s Economy is Recovering

  1. The Mohammed VI Investment Fund: In November 2020, King Mohammed VI established a $1.6 billion economic plan to revive Morocco’s economy due to the economic crisis that the COVID-19 pandemic brought on. Shortly afterward, the International Finance Corporation, as part of the World Bank Group, officially announced its support for the Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance’s efforts to boost the country’s economy.
  2. Moroccan Transportation Companies Decrease Prices: In June 2021, King Mohammed VI announced that all transportation companies must make tickets more affordable for Moroccans living abroad. The announcement targeted airlines such as Royal Air Maroc, which dropped flight ticket prices by more than 50% globally. Within a few days of the announcement, flights were being booked much faster than before. During the first week of discounted airline ticket prices, 195,547 people traveled to Morocco.
  3. Other Discounts for Tourists: Airline discounts are not the only thing Morocco’s economy is relying on to attract travelers. All forms of transportation in Morocco, from car rentals to train and bus tickets, have decreased in price. Additionally, 30% of hotel prices have decreased.
  4. More Visitors: International travel restrictions drastically affected tourism, causing a 78% deficit in the sector’s revenue in the first quarter of 2021. In response, the Moroccan government established a new economic plan that specifically targeted revenue from tourism. Now, tourism is surging more than it ever has since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, 12 million tourists visited Morocco, half of whom were Moroccans living abroad. From June to September 2021, Morocco will see 72% of the visitors it saw in the same period in 2019, or around 3.5 million travelers.
  5. Rapid Tourism Sector Rebound: Morocco’s tourism sector suffered a loss of $7.2 billion in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic hit small businesses and tourism hotspots hard, especially during national lockdowns. However, these businesses are benefiting from the country’s new economic plan. Travel reopenings are also catalyzing Morocco’s economic recovery.

Laudable Economic Growth

Despite the effects of COVID-19 on Morocco’s economy, the World Bank ranked it 53rd out of 190 countries for ease of doing business in 2020, reflecting its laudable economic achievements within merely a decade. With King Mohammed VI’s plan in place, the country’s setbacks hardly seem significant. The restoration of Morocco’s economy is underway and the country’s effervescent tourism sector is back on the rise.

– Nora Zaim-Sassi
Photo: Flickr

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Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Sri Lanka

COVID-19 On Poverty In Sri Lanka
The COVID-19 pandemic has had countless effects on every aspect of life. However, it has particularly affected the economy and poverty levels. The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sri Lanka has halted significant poverty reduction progress due to how the pandemic has affected work stability and household income.

The Severity of the Pandemic

In May and June 2020, Sri Lanka faced increasing COVID-19 rates. The country is currently reporting about 1,282 new cases each day with the peak occurring on May 25, 2021. Sri Lanka remains on the lower end of the proportion of the South Asian population infected. However, the extremely low vaccine rate makes the situation dire. The country has administered approximately 5.3 million vaccine doses so far.

The Unstable Situation for Workers

The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sri Lanka is clearly visible in the labor market and job stability. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sri Lanka had made significant progress in reducing poverty. However, a majority of workers still work in agriculture and service with low incomes and poor job quality.  About 70% of these jobs fall in the informal sector, a sector vulnerable to job losses and wage cuts.

Increased unemployment along with low wages and little opportunity to save put workers in a tough situation when the pandemic began. Even workers who had formal employment still clearly felt the effects of the pandemic. For instance, certain export industries struggled due to decreased demand and restrictions on travel.

However, the pandemic caused these groups of people to lose their stable wages and fall below the poverty line, contributing to an increase in overall poverty. The unemployment rate overall rose by about 0.6% from 2019 to 2020. However, this figure may not take into account the workers with part-time employment or informal jobs. The increase in poverty rate is dramatic, going from 9.2% to 11.7% from 2019 to 2020 based on the $3.20 poverty line.

Effects on Households

The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sri Lanka and the ensuing instability in the labor market has had significant effects on households and forced many to adjust their lives. In just the first few months of the pandemic in 2020, nearly 40% of households had lost all of their income and 93% faced some consequences from the pandemic.

Sri Lankans are still feeling the effects of the initial economic shock. Because of reduced income, families have to find alternative ways to meet their basic needs. For many, food insecurity is now a prominent issue. As a result, many people have cut back on food consumption. To save on costs, households may consume less nutritious food, which could adversely impact the health of people, especially children.

The Government Assists

When there is a crisis as widespread and impactful as the current pandemic, governments will often take action to mitigate the effects on people. It is impossible to fully negate the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Sri Lanka. However, some of the programs may help reduce the impact and prevent the complete collapse of the economy.

Using welfare programs that had already been in place, such as the Samurdhi program, the Sri Lankan government was able to lessen the blow to people who lost part of or all of their income. During the first wave, the government gave five million families a payment of Rs 10,000. During the second wave, it gave 1.4 million families Rs 5,000.

Along with these payments, the government also instituted programs to help with employment and training for public sector jobs to help keep people employed with a stable income. Other organizations such as the World Food Programme and CARE have also been working in Sri Lanka to ensure food security.

As more Sri Lankans receive vaccines and cases decrease, Sri Lankans will hopefully be able to return to their normal lives. Being back at work with a stable income will have an immense impact on the livelihoods of millions and government programs will help restore the economy. Sri Lanka had already been making progress in lowering poverty and will hopefully get back on track after the pandemic ends.

– Ritika Manathara
Photo: Flickr