Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Ongoing Harm: Female Genital Mutilation in Liberia

Ongoing Harm, Female Genital Mutilation in LiberiaLiberia is one of three West African countries that has not yet made female genital mutation (FGM) illegal. FGM refers to the partial or complete removal of external female genitalia or other harm to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Considered a violation of the human rights of girls and women by U.N. Women Liberia, FGM has no health benefits and is extremely harmful.

Legal Activism

In 2018, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia signed the Domestic Violence bill, an executive order that banned FGM performed on girls younger than 18 years old, but the criminalization of FGM was limited to one year and expired in February 2019. The executive order did little to address the part community leaders play in perpetrating this crime. It also failed to change the immense social pressure placed on girls to undergo these treatments. For these reasons, female genital mutilation in Libera continues to be an issue.

International Pressure

The United Nations has been active in its role of fighting to end FGM globally. Due to the lack of policy regarding female genital mutilation in Liberia, Marie Goreth Nizigama, of U.N. Women Liberia, said, “50% of women and girls aged between 15-49 years” have been mutilated. On the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, Chief Zanzan Karwo who is the leader of Liberia’s National Traditional Council expressed frustration, rebuking international groups that have sought to abolish female genital mutilation in Liberia. He believes that FGM prepares young women to become good wives. Despite pushback, the pressure to end female genital mutilation in Liberia continues. Williametta E. Saydee Tarr, the gender, children and social protection minister in Liberia, claims that plans are being pursued to make FGM permanently illegal.

Cultural Progress

One of the most important aspects in fighting female genital mutilation both in Liberia and globally is engaging cultural leaders and communities in ending the tradition. If cultural attitudes toward FGM fail to change, then progressing human rights for girls and women will significantly decline. As a result of seemingly insurmountable cultural and financial pressures, girls and women willingly subject themselves to mutilation; therefore, even criminalization of FGM cannot end the mutilation without traditions and perspectives changing as well.

Liberia’s fight to end FGM is not restricted to policymaking and criminalization. Yatta Fahnbulleh, owner of a large bush school in Tienii that performed FGM on more than 200 girls, decided to end her engagement in FGM despite its financial benefits. In 2019, Spotlight Initiative aided in the startup of the Alternate Economic Livelihood program. This program provides resources and education to former practitioners. This way they can generate a source of income after losing their livelihood. Providing access to education and financial alternatives is essential in garnering the support of communities who depend on the practice for survival.

Looking Ahead

It is vital that the United Nations continues to place pressure on Liberia despite leaders expressing attachment to the practice. female genital mutilation endangers women and often causes lifelong sustained harm so, the pressure is appropriate and necessary. Alongside the international attention to criminalize FGM, efforts to engage leaders in ending devastating practices are of the utmost importance. The willingness of people like Yatta Fahnbulleh to close her school gives hope that people are willing to end female genital mutilation with proper education, tools and resources to survive.

– Hannah Brock
Photo: Flickr

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Women in Science and Global Development

Women in ScienceGender equality is vital for alleviating global poverty. Women represent 70% of the world’s most poverty-stricken people. Consequently, women need more opportunities in the job market and increased access to health and education resources in order to truly thrive. Uplifting and empowering women all over the world will lead to greater progress with global poverty reduction efforts. In particular, women in science have the potential to ignite impactful breakthroughs.

Society, Culture and Bias

Women’s empowerment starts with the foundation of education. Research shows that, as it stands, only 30% of the world’s researchers are women. One can explain this by cultural beliefs and social norms inhibiting women from pursuing a scientific education and career.

The gender gap in science underscores a societal bias. Furthermore, because the majority of researchers are men, research is less likely to head in the direction of improving the struggles and concerns that women face. Providing more opportunities in science and technology for women would help promote technological breakthroughs and progress for the betterment of both genders.

Women in Science

Data shows that although the share of women in science differs according to specific countries, women have experienced global underrepresentation in scientific and technological fields. For instance, in 2016, women represented 55% of all researchers in Tunisia, the highest rate in Africa. Alternatively, women comprised only 5% of all researchers in Chad.

According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), the average share of women researchers in Africa was 24.8% in 2016. This is approximately 4% lower than the already low international average of 28%.

Gender Equality and Development

For decades, the U.N. has supported gender equality and women’s empowerment. For instance, it adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1979, a landmark agreement putting women at the center of human rights issues and global development.

Gender equality also plays a crucial role in global development. Women’s empowerment is part of the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals adopted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals represent a global partnership aiming to end poverty, promote education and health, reduce inequalities and more.

The U.N. gender equality goal (SDG 5) focuses on various targets such as ending discrimination against women, preventing the violent treatment and exploitation of women and ending child marriage and female genital mutilation. Target 5.5. entails ensuring “Women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.” This target definitely extends to the scientific arena where women’s participation would mean scientific breakthroughs geared toward improving the struggles of women.

What is the OWSD?

The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is a program unit of UNESCO. This program unit has been supporting women scientists in developing countries since 1987. Supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the “OWSD provides research training, career development and networking opportunities for women scientists throughout the developing world.” Since 1988, more than 470 women in developing countries have received fellowships and more than 270 have graduated. The OWSD grants fellowships in various fields such as biology, agriculture, medicine, engineering and physical sciences.

The main goal of the OWSD is to encourage and support women’s roles in technological and scientific fields as well as in leadership. In doing so, the organization underlines the importance of the representation of women in scientific and technological progress in developing countries. The OWSD also emphasizes the need for collaboration between women scientists to build a global network to continue assisting women in science.

The Role of Women

Women’s empowerment represents a key part of reducing global poverty and can also positively impact global peace. Women’s empowerment links to a country’s prosperity. Countries that offer women equal employment opportunities also have lower poverty rates and a higher GDP. Women also play a significant role in the success and development of children. Research shows that women are likely to invest 90% of their income into the household. Income would go toward securing the basic needs of the family, enrolling children in school and investing in healthcare.

Gender equality promotes social and economic developments. In turn, a strong and durable economy can help build peaceful societies. As Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. Women executive director, stated in 2013, “There can be no peace, no progress as long as there is discrimination and violence against women.”

Women’s Empowerment for Global Development

According to the OWSD, in many developing countries women make up the majority of caregivers and agricultural workers.”If women are included as both participants in scientific research and as the beneficiaries of scientific research” the results will be highly impactful. By giving women consideration, resources and agency, the OWSD contributes to significant progress in developing countries. The organization not only contributes to scientific and technological progress but also endorses gender equality and fundamental human rights all around the world.

– Soizic Lecocq
Photo: Flickr

How the Argentine Debt Agreement Helps

Argentine Debt AgreementArgentina has been facing a long-lasting economic crisis, further amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Close to half of the population lived in poverty in the second quarter of 2020, reaching an all-time high during the months of mandatory lockdowns. Due to the pandemic, the country also experienced a loss of 3.5 million jobs and unemployment rose to 13.1% in the second quarter since the closures hit small businesses hard. As a result, the impact of COVID-19 significantly hurt the domestic market. The Argentine debt agreement hopes to improve the financial crisis in Argentina.

The Argentine Debt Agreement

To help Argentina with its growing financial crisis, the Ad Hoc Group, Argentina Creditor Committee and the Exchange Bondholder Group have come to an agreement that will provide Argentina with financial relief in terms of its national debt. This relief is a major advancement in expanding Argentina’s access to international capital markets. The agreement lays the foundation for future sustainable fiscal policies that support the economy. Moreover, the debt agreement entails a lift of sovereign bonds by an average of 8.7%. Ultimately, Argentina is actively working toward providing sufficient cash flow within the economy to address rising economic concerns. This agreement also allows Argentina to avoid “protracted and costly legal proceedings with bondholders.”

Restructuring the Economy

The three creditor groups developed the debt agreement to restructure $65 billion worth of accumulated Argentinian debt. The creditors involved will receive 55 cents on the U.S. dollar. Originally, the president of Argentina, Alberto Fernandez, desired to pursue 39 cents. The Argentine debt agreement covers 20% of the public debt of Argentina, which amounts to $323 billion. This presents only a partial solution to Argentina’s financial crisis but will certainly help the country move toward economic stability.

If Argentina defaults on the debt, there are possible consequences. By defaulting, creditors will not be eager to invest in Argentina. Diminishing debt through repayment shows commitment but will lead to less investment in the domestic development of the country through social programs, pension benefits, unemployment packages and more. However, the agreement is a step toward solving the rest of the economic dilemma. It utilizes the restructuring method, which provides Argentina with a long-term plan for rebuilding the economy.

Moreover, the agreement modifies the dates of payment for certain bonds. The modification that will be implemented “will improve the value of the proposal for creditors.” Multifarious investors are interested in the profit restructuring will produce and are betting on a boost in the economy.

Negotiating Future Monetary Policies

Argentina’s debt restructuring does not end there. Argentina and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will discuss Argentina’s plans on refinancing its $45 billion debt to the IMF. The focus will mostly be on loans maturing between 2021 and 2024. During this period, the International Monetary Fund will hold Argentina accountable for certain economic obligations. This accountability entails that Argentina must utilize “credible economic data” as proof of Argentina’s economic recovery path.

The Road Ahead

Debt relief is an effective solution to addressing Argentina’s financial crisis and rebuilding a resilient economy. Negotiations with creditors involve the nation requesting reasonable interest rates from now on, which will allow Argentina to truly stabilize. The agreement is very desirable as Argentina is also navigating the added impacts of COVID-19. In general, this revamped economic plan will not solely benefit Argentina but also the international financial system. By setting new precedents, Argentina can effectively re-enter the global market, ultimately contributing to global economic growth as a result.

– Lauren Tabor
Photo: Flickr

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Examining Human Trafficking in Costa Rica

Human Trafficking in Costa Rica
Known as one of the ultimate vacation destinations, Costa Rica is a place of beautiful scenery, tourist hotspots and lively culture. However, Costa Rica needs to address human trafficking. Human trafficking in Costa Rica is one of the only areas in which the country falls short in comparison to its Central American neighbors. When it comes to GDP, level of happiness, human development and corruption, Costa Rica performs quite well. Here is some insight into human trafficking in Costa Rica and why it is so prevalent.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 aids the U.S. government’s anti-trafficking efforts by providing the implements necessary to monitor and combat trafficking across the world and in the United States. The amended act authorized the establishment of The President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF) as well as the Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP).

Every year, the Secretary of State submits a TIP report ranking a list of countries requiring special scrutiny. The Secretary of State ranks each country or territory in one out of four tiers.

  • Tier 1: Countries and territories that have governments that fully comply with the TVPAs minimum standards.
  • Tier 2: Countries and territories that have governments that do not fully comply with the TVPAs minimum standards, but are taking significant steps to meet the requirements.
  • Tier 2 Watchlist: Countries and territories that are in Tier 2 and are increasing in the estimated number of trafficking victims without taking proportional actions or the country or territory’s government and failing to provide sufficient evidence of increasing efforts in combating human trafficking from the previous year.
  • Tier 3: Countries and territories that possess governments that do not fully comply with TVPAs minimum standards and are not making any efforts to do so.

The Situation in Costa Rica

In 2020, Costa Rica was in Tier 2 under the TVPA. If human trafficking in Costa Rica does not show increasing progress over the next few years, it could fall to Tier 3. Not only does Tier 3 mean international disrepute, but it has serious economic consequences in regards to foreign assistance. Efforts to decrease human trafficking in Costa Rica include:

  • Increasing victim identification.
  • Investigating and convicting more traffickers.
  • Making human trafficking cases among its top priorities.
  • Using a larger percentage of its anti-trafficking budget.

Prioritized Recommendations for the Costa Rican Government

Although these steps by the Costa Rican government are significant, the country is falling short in some areas. The TIP report for Costa Rica includes “Prioritized Recommendations.” Here are some recommendations that Costa Rica could undertake:

  • Increase anti-trafficking training for police, prosecutors and judges.
  • Intensify investigation efforts to prosecute trafficking offenses.
  • Fund and implement a judicial action plan for investigations and prosecutions.
  • Coordinate with civil society to increase victim identification.
  • Reduce the number of trafficking cases that are experiencing a backlog in the judicial system.
  • Strengthen efforts to convict child sex tourists.

Factors of Human Trafficking in Costa Rica

Due to a lack of resources and job opportunities, systematic inequality and poverty most frequently link to human trafficking. Even though Costa Rica is among the least poor countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, it has not seen much economic growth since 2010, and about 21% of its population lives in poverty.

Another factor contributing to human trafficking in Costa Rica is its prostitution laws. Although the facilitation and promotion of prostitution are illegal, the act of prostitution is not a crime. This makes Costa Rica reputable as a sex tourism destination. It is the number one destination in Central America for sex tourism. The legality of prostitution makes corruption easy in regards to trafficking minors as well as making sex establishments more accessible.

Behind drugs, human trafficking is the second-most profitable illegal industry. According to The International Labor Organization (ILO), profits from human trafficking are around $150 billion annually. The high earnings of the industry are another factor that promotes human trafficking in Costa Rica.

There are also cultural factors that affect human trafficking in Costa Rica. For instance, Costa Rica has a strong presence of masculinity. As a result, many men in Costa Rica view women as sexual objects. Factors such as traditional gender views, sexual harassment and domestic violence strengthen the systematic inequality in Costa Rica and put women at more risk for exploitation.

Taking Action

Multiple institutions are coordinating together to prevent human trafficking in Costa Rica. The National Coalition against Illicit Smuggling and Trafficking of Migrants (CONATT) coordinates short and long-term assistance to trafficking victims in the form of shelter, food and medical care. Chaired by Migration Authority, CONATT comprises 22 public institutions, key NGOs and international organizations. They meet periodically to review progression in areas such as research, prevention, protection and prosecution. They take action to raise awareness via workshops, fairs, advertisements and training on how to identify and prevent trafficking. As these preventative measures continue, Costa Rica could be on its way to Tier 1 placement under the TVPA.

– Addison Franklin
Photo: Flickr

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The Artisan Nation and Female Empowerment in India

Female Empowerment in India
Danielle Chiel is an Australian philanthropist who founded The Artisan Nation in 2020. This is the second organization that Chiel has founded. Additionally, she strives to improve female empowerment in India. Chiel started knitting at the age of 10. She realized that she could teach her craft to women and subsequently help improve their lives.

The Artisan Nation

The Artisan Nation is an organization working in India. This organization defines itself as a “nation that is not bound by geography, language or culture.” Rather, it is one that is united “by passion, creativity and talent.” Furthermore, the Artisan Nation has one unifying goal to increase the health and wellness of women and people in the villages the organization works in. It accomplishes this in four ways:

  1. Providing face masks for the women and their families.
  2. Delivering fresh drinking water to villages.
  3. Helping the villages receive more balanced foods in local stores.
  4. Offering medical assistance such as workouts, dietitians, psychologists and blood tests.

The Artisan Nation also strives to establish financial independence for women by providing consistent work, smartphones, lessons on how to use the phones and financial literacy courses.

The organization currently supports five villages in Southern India. However, Chiel hopes to reach more in the future. Each village needs $10,000 to support the workers and provide “balanced” lives for everyone in the village. While companies can get involved by cooperating as members of the Artisan Nation, Chiel encourages individuals to get involved as well. Donating just $10 can help fund a village.

KOCO

Chiel first created the organization Knit One Change One (KOCO) to improve female empowerment in India. It employs women in Tamil Nadu, India and provides them with classes in English, mathematics and knitting. These women hand-knit garments for 12 brands from various countries around the world. Since these jobs offer full-time employment, KOCO gives these women the opportunity to be financially independent and support their families. KOCO employed 200 women in 2019, but Chiel hopes that the organization will eventually employ 40,000 women.

Qiaoxifu in China

While Chiel fosters female empowerment in India and poverty reduction with her programs, other initiatives are using textile work to do the same. China’s program called Qiaoxifu has employed over 120,000 impoverished women in the textile, tourism and e-commerce sectors. In one sewing factory in the Henan Province, the workers make about $440 a month. Whether it is in Chiel’s organizations or the Qiaoxifu program, these initiatives help women become more financially independent, empowered and able to support their families.

– Sophie Shippe
Photo: Flickr

Nonprofit Organizations that Celebrities Founded

5 Nonprofit Organizations Founded By Celebrities
Movie stars, singers, athletes and comedians spend a large portion of their time entertaining people, giving interviews and writing autographs. On top of that, many celebrities participate in charity events like fundraisers or benefit concerts, some even going as far as to create their own organizations to give back to those in need. Here are some nonprofit organizations that celebrities founded to benefit the world’s most vulnerable.

Charlize Theron – The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project

Charlize Theron is a famous Hollywood actress and U.N. messenger of peace who cares about charity. She has especially been working hard to fight AIDS in Africa. While the disease continues to be an immense issue throughout the entire continent, it remains the most prevalent in South Africa, which is Theron’s home country. She established The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) in 2007. The organization aims to raise awareness of the disease and contribute to its prevention. CTAOP especially focuses on younger people and collaborates with local programs to inform and support the youth in Africa. Furthermore, CTAOP partners with several companies and nonprofit organizations to successfully provide preventative means and guidance to South Africans.

Shakira – The Barefoot Foundation

The Barefoot Foundation is one of many nonprofit organizations that celebrities founded. Famous pop star Shakira has shown the impact nonprofit organizations can have. As such, she created the Barefoot Foundation in 1997. The organization acknowledges the importance of education and provides organizational and financial support to assure that children can go to school. In addition, the Barefoot Foundation also partners with the Pies Descalzos Foundation, an organization from Colombia that shares the same mission.

The Pies Descalzos Foundation opened its fifth Colombian school in 2009 to provide education, advice and general support in life to 1,800 students in the country. In 2010, Shakira promised that the Barefoot Foundation would build a school in Haiti and assured that the children attending the school would be able to obtain their academic and basic life needs.

Rihanna – The Clara Lionel Foundation

Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) in 2012. Its name is a homage to her grandparents Clara and Lionel. The organization’s goal is to provide education and guidance to children and teenagers all over the world. The approach of Rihanna’s nonprofit organization is to tackle problems on both a local and global level. She wishes to raise awareness of several kinds of issues that the world’s youth is facing. Moreover, CLF is working closely with government organizations and companies to be more efficient and help as many people as possible. The organization has successfully established programs to provide basic education in places like Malawi, Senegal and Barbados. Furthermore, it provides a scholarship program to support students in their pursuit of higher education.

Bono – ONE and RED

ONE and RED are two nonprofit organizations that Bono created. The lead singer of the Irish band U2 has put a lot of effort into his charity work over the years. He has specifically focused on tackling important issues in Africa. ONE’s mission is to completely eradicate extreme global poverty and improve the lives of the poor. Bono’s lobbying efforts and the organization’s financial support have established programs. These programs aim to prevent the deaths of millions of people.

RED is a sister organization to ONE. It aims to spread awareness about AIDS and has successfully raised around $650 million to treat the disease in Africa. On top of that, Bono also co-founded The Rise Fund, a financial program that focuses on supporting progress for social and environmental matters.

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore – Thorn

Actress Demi Moore and actor Ashton Kutcher founded Thorn together in 2012. The couple’s goal was to fight against child sex trafficking. A documentary about the issue in Cambodia motivated them to create Thorn. Thorn’s approach is to develop technologies for free and share them with law enforcement and federal agencies in order to save children. The use of technology against child sex traffickers has proven to be very successful since the organization’s establishment. Moreover, Thorn’s technologies helped identify 5,894 kids who were victims of the crime in 2017. Moreover, Thorn rescued more than 10,000 children rescued one year later.

These organizations that celebrities founded have shown vigor in countering numerous challenges from AIDS to providing child sex trafficking. The endeavors of the prominent celebrities above have led to improvements in the lives of many across the globe.

– Bianca Adelman
Photo: Flickr

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Celebrities Working With UNICEF

Celebrities Working With UNICEF
The United Nations created the United Nations International Emergency Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in December 1946. It helped children in countries that WW2 impacted. In 1950, UNICEF began advocating for both children’s and women’s rights. It also works toward the protection, safety and health of developing countries. In 1953, UNICEF shortened its name to The United Nations Children’s Fund. UNICEF works in over 190 countries to provide vaccines, safe water, sanitation, education and skill-building. UNICEF has a program for celebrities and public figures called UNICEF Ambassadors. Ambassadors use their fame and platform to fundraise and raise awareness for children’s rights and advocacy. Each ambassador has its own motive and mission. Here are five celebrities working with UNICEF.

Selena Gomez

American actress and singer Selena Gomez began working with UNICEF in 2009. Gomez started as a “trick or treat UNICEF” nation’s spokesperson in 2010, helping raise $4 million. In 2011, Gomez took part in UNICEF’s 12 Days for UNICEF. This was a blog campaign focused on “the gift of giving back.” Its goal was to raise funds and awareness about the objectives of UNICEF. She also joined UNICEF’s Tap Project by bottling tap water from her home. Additionally, she posted public service announcements on social media for UNICEF’s clean water program.

Gomez took to Facebook and Twitter to promote “Sound The Alarm” in 2012. “Sound The Alarm” is an international campaign that raised funds for the child nutrition crisis in the Sahel Region of Africa. Later that year, she learned about the importance of social media in mobilizing and educating young people and made a public service announcement encouraging everyone to donate $10 via text to the emergency relief efforts campaign for the Sahel Region of Africa. Gomez also worked with and supported George Harrison’s FUND for UNICEF month of giving in 2011, held a charity concert benefiting UNICEF that raised over $200,000 in 2012 and visited Chile, Gana and Nepal with UNICEF.

Amelie Zibler

Amelie Zibler is just one of the many celebrities working with UNICEF. Zibler is famous for being a social media influencer on Tik Tok and Instagram and is a UNICEF Young Ambassador. Christina Zibler introduced Amelie, her daughter, to the NGO. Christina Zibler is a UNICEF Ambassador and CEO of “Jouer Cosmetics.” She uses her platform to raise awareness of current events and Middle Eastern politics. Zibler is just beginning her work with UNICEF.

Orlando Bloom

Orlando Bloom’s involvement with UNICEF dates back to 2007. He became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2009 when Bloom became highly involved with UNICEF. Bloom traveled to Mozambique with UNICEF in 2019 to meet with kids who experienced displacement from Cyclone Idai.

In 2018, Bloom traveled to Bangladesh with UNICEF to film the Netflix series “Tales by Light,” a documentary following children working in slums. Boko Haram violence forced hundreds of thousands of children out of their homes. Bloom traveled to South East Niger in 2017 to meet with the children. In 2016, Bloom went with UNICEF to Ukraine to increase awareness about the global education crisis for children in emergencies. Bloom also went with UNICEF to Jordan to meet with Syrian refugees in 2014. Additionally, Bloom traveled to Nepal in 2007 and 2008 to view water and sanitation projects.

Sofia Carson

UNICEF recently announced its newest national ambassador, Sofia Carson, in October 2020. Carson is a singer, activist and actress. She has worked with UNICEF since 2017. She specifically focuses on girls’ empowerment and protection by using her social media platform. Her platform educates her followers and spreads awareness regarding protecting young women. In 2019, Carson urged Congress to pass the Keeping Girls in School Act, which passed in The House of Representatives in 2020. Carson traveled with UNICEF to Recife, Brazil in 2019 to meet with teenagers and children to see UNICEF’s work, mission and dedication in person.

BTS

Korean boy band BTS and its label Big Hit Entertainment partnered with UNICEF in 2017 by creating the LOVE MYSELF campaign. The campaign aimed to end global sexual, domestic and school violence for children and teenagers. BTS also created a LOVE MYSELF fundraiser that raised $2.9 million in addition to putting out a song called “Answer: Love Myself.” BTS continues to spread the message of sharing love and making the world a better and safer place for all children and teenagers. In March 2021, BTS renewed its “Love Myself” campaign with UNICEF and donated $1 million to continue to end global violence and promote self-love.

Celebrities and public figures have raised millions of dollars for UNICEF. They used their large social media platforms to raise awareness. Besides these five, there are many more celebrities working with UNICEF.

– Lauren Peacock
Photo: Flickr

An Update on COVID-19 Research in South America

COVID-19 Research in South America
Innovations for Poverty Action is a nonprofit research and policy organization that is working to establish research projects that address inequalities and discover global poverty solutions across 22 countries. The nonprofit organization continues to work with 830 research projects in eight areas: education, financial inclusion, health, peace and recovery, social protection, agriculture, governance and other enterprises. Today, the IPA continues to perform important research projects to present high-quality evidence to policymakers by analyzing results from studies focusing on the impact of financial education in various countries. This extends to COVID-19 research in South America.

IPA Colombia

IPA Colombia has conducted research addressing topics ranging from early childhood development and education to financial inclusion and gender-based violence. From June to August 2020, four researchers partnered with the IPA, Fundación Capital and The Family Compensation Fund of Antioquia to measure the impact of a COVID-19 WhatsApp intervention program on financial health, women’s empowerment and intimate partner violence of low-income individuals in Antioquia. The program originated from a Fundación Capital, IPA and Colombian government partnership that implemented a LISTA financial education program and survey for cash transfer beneficiaries from 2015 to 2016. Following COVID-19, a WhatsApp intervention program emerged and the IPA evaluated 1,549 women and 784 men in a treatment or control study. The interactive WhatsApp treatment program provided communication services, psychosocial support and a financial education program for participants from June to July 2020.

IPA Colombia and Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) Partnerships

The IADB partnered with IPA Colombia to start a Special Permit of Permanence for the Administrative Registry of Venezuelan migrants (PEP-RAMV) research study in September 2020. The PEP-RAMV permit program became open to census registered Venezuelan migrants for two-year temporary work and residence permits starting in July 2018. Researchers compared 4,000 registered or undocumented migrant homes through research, telephone surveys and 42 interviews to help policymakers understand how the permit impacts migrant healthcare and employment as information to base new Colombia migration policies.

The IPA partnered with two IADB researchers in a COVID-19 mitigation strategy compliance evaluation with 1,300 university students in Bogota as a strategy to support Colombia. The researchers partnered with the IPA and Rosario University to inform students about the participant and public benefits of following COVID-19 mitigation policies or controlled classical music treatment. Moreover, the researchers requested to send a participant opinion survey on COVID-19 mitigation strategy compliance to help determine whether COVID-19 mitigation policies should reduce.

IPA Paraguay

For several years, the IPA has worked on research-based projects in Paraguay addressing education and pension programs. From May to July 2020, IPA researchers conducted telephone surveys with 2,035 women entrepreneurs in rural Paraguay to determine whether microfinance loans for the self-employed can help businesses and households build resilience to overcome the impact of COVID-19.  The IPA telephone surveys asked the entrepreneurs interested in microloans about the impact of COVID-19 on their farms or businesses.

UCONN Agricultural and Resource Economics Professor and IPA Researcher, Nathan Fiala, has worked with a Paraguay microfinance organization since 2018. Fiala told The Borgen Project that a 2019 baseline survey addressed women “who have expressed interest in receiving a microloan” before they accessed loans from the Paraguay microfinance organization in 2019. According to Fiala, the IPA joined the project because the microfinance “research that exists out there is not of good quality and we’re trying to improve on the quality of that research” by 2022. Recently, Fiala found that the Paraguay microfinance organization is “expanding certain programming and doing more close work” with the women entrepreneurs based on participant needs.

IPA COVID-19 Response

In 2020, the IPA started the Research for Effective COVID-19 Responses (RECOVR) program with multiple partner agencies. The initial inter-agency funded RECOVR survey occurred between May and July 2020 in 10 countries while subsequent surveys were conducted between July and December 2020. The initial survey asked participants about the impact of COVID-19, while subsequent surveys focused on child welfare and domestic violence in August and November 2020 as a strategy to support Colombia.

A Look Ahead: COVID-19 Research in South America

The IPA partnered with the National Planning Department (DNP) of Colombia to observe the impact of the VAT Compensation in a telephone survey for 1,730 beneficiaries and 1,732 non-beneficiary households from June to November 2020. The DNP managed the 75,000 Colombian peso cash transfers before the Department of Social Prosperity took over management to reach 1 million social welfare beneficiary households every five to eight weeks starting on March 31, 2020. The survey found that VAT Compensation beneficiaries were more likely to support COVID-19 precautions than non-beneficiaries.

The IPA has developed 80 COVID-19 response evaluations and an International Growth Centre support partnership for COVID-19 Economic Impact surveys. The surveys helped increase COVID-19 research in South America and inform policymakers about how to regulate COVID-19 policies. Fiala continues to analyze the importance of microfinance loans in rural Paraguay. As the IPA continues to analyze results on the PEP-RAMV study, Colombia began to initiate a 10-year Temporary Statute of Protection for Venezuelan Migrants (TSPV) for approximately 1.7 million Venezuelan migrants in February 2021 as a strategy to support Colombia.

– Evan Winslow
Photo: Flickr

Refugee Sanitation Safety for Girls and Women

Refugee sanitationIn 2019, Refugees International investigated the circumstances of displaced people in several countries to better report on their circumstances. The organization concluded that women and girls in refugee camps face distinct challenges that make them a vulnerable population. It specifically noted that girls and women are at risk of assault and violence when using sanitation facilities within the camps. The fear of visiting a restroom is a fear Rep. Grace Meng considered unacceptable, and therefore, she introduced the Refugee Sanitation Facility Safety Act in 2019. Unfortunately, the bill did not become law so Rep. Meng reintroduced it in 2021 with the hope that it will finally become law.

Life as a Girl in a Refugee Camp

The refugee crisis across the world has displaced more than 17 million girls. These girls have fled from their homes in an effort to escape violence, poverty, hunger and other oppressive forces. Human traffickers prey on girls and force them into child labor and sex trafficking. Families in poverty often have to prioritize short-term well-being over the long-term, meaning child marriage is an all too frequent occurrence. The well-being of women and girls is often underprioritized despite the fact that girls and women play a large role in global poverty reduction efforts and global development as a whole. For this reason, women need to be protected, especially women who are susceptible to increased vulnerabilities, such as girls and women in refugee camps.

Refugee women and girls who move around alone are separated from the protection of a larger group, leaving them even more vulnerable to attacks from men within the camps. Many camps have arisen quickly and without much regard for the safety of women because of the urgency of the situation of displaced people. Without measures protecting women and girls in camps, victims often find themselves alone and secluded as they make the trip to access food, water and sanitation. These areas are prime areas for attacks and need extra protection to ensure potential victims are safe.

The Bill’s History

Rep. Meng first introduced the Refugee Sanitation Facility Safety Act in 2019 in the 116th Congress. Even though the House of Representatives passed the bill, clearing it for introduction in the Senate, the bill did not make it further. The 117th Congress convened on January 3, 2021, and Rep. Meng reintroduced the bill on February 18, 2021. Assuming it passes both the House and the Senate, it will go on to President Biden who will choose whether or not to sign it into law.

Creating Change

The Refugee Sanitation Facility Safety Act ensures ensure women and girls in refugee camps are able to utilize bathrooms without fear of attack. A starting point for this would be gender-separate bathrooms and well-lit pathways and infrastructure within refugee camps. Devon Cone of Refugees International emphasizes that “Displaced women and girls often live in precarious circumstances and are frequently at risk of experiencing gender-based violence. Women and girls should be able to access sanitation facilities in a safe and dignified manner and this legislation is an important step forward.” With extra measures for safety around sanitation facilities, camps would be a safer place for women and girls.

– Holly Dorman
Photo: Flickr

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The Nazarene Fund’s Rescue Stories

Rescue Stories from the Nazarene Fund
The Nazarene Fund is an organization that focuses on rescuing people in captivity. This includes victims of sex slavery, the labor trade, organ harvesting and trafficking. The Nazarene Fund trains operators to lead these missions. These operators travel to the Middle East, Africa, Haiti and other regions of the world to rescue people. Here are some of The Nazarene Fund’s rescue stories.

Sonia’s Story

ISIS captured Sonia and her entire family when she was only 4 years old. Her family lived in Wardya, a village in Sinjar. ISIS abducted them from their home in 2014. Sonia became separated from her siblings. Later, traffickers imprisoned her in Mosul. Additionally, a family bought Sonia in Mosul nine months later. This family treated her as a slave during the five years they held her captive. The family and Sonia disappeared after ISIS’s defeat in Mosul. Thus, the Nazarene Fund launched a search mission for Sonia. Eventually, the organization found her in an orphanage in Mosul and reunited her with her already rescued family.

Halima’s Story

The second of The Nazarene Fund’s rescue stories has to do with Halima, a 22-year-old Yazidi woman. Traffickers abducted Halima in Turkey. She spent six years in captivity until The Nazarene Fund rescued her in July 2020. ISIS fighters kidnapped Halima and 18 relatives from her village in northern Iraq. Halima was only 16 years old. She was then enslaved and suffered from violence, abuse and exploitation for five years. ISIS made its last territorial stand in Baghuz, Syria in 2019. Moreover, Halima resided there along with other Yazidi women and children. Later, traffickers planned to sell her as a slave or harvest her organs. Fortunately, The Nazarene Fund intervened and reunited her with her family.

Mayada’s Story

Mayada Abo Chehwan is a 50-year-old Syrian woman born in the District of Hama. Her husband is a pharmacist and she has two daughters. However, everything changed when ISIS attacked. Bombs destroyed Mayada’s home and her husband’s pharmacy. As a result, they fled their home and sold their belongings to survive. The family spent months in neighboring towns and in Lebanon. They eventually returned home. However, the shelling of the town forced the family to flee again. Thus, they sought refuge in Iraq.

One of her daughters was diagnosed with diabetes and the other with severe anxiety. Meanwhile, her husband became partially paralyzed from heart disease. The daughters experienced sexual harassment and threats that others would sell them sex slavery while they searched for jobs. Mayada was becoming desperate. Thankfully, The Nazarene Fund operatives successfully relocated the family to housing in a safe area and provided them with the care and assistance they needed. The Nazarene Fund operatives continue to support the family and are helping them immigrate to Australia.

These are just a few of The Nazarene Fund’s rescue stories. The organization strives to help people who are in desperate need of assistance. Its goal is to rescue people who cannot help themselves and assist them in maintaining a safe, healthy life.

– Marcella Teresi
Photo: Flickr