Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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How COVID-19 Technology in Pakistan Accelerated Progress

COVID-19 Technology in PakistanFor Pakistan, COVID-19 became an incubator for innovation. The country adopted global practices through digital transformations to sustain governance and daily operations during the lockdown. These practices, such as hybrid and remote work, soon became a permanent part of the professional culture, bridging the gap created by reduced resources across multiple sectors.

Initially, the COVID-19 outbreak led to severe economic deterioration for Pakistan. For example, an overall decline in economic parameters such as GDP growth, unemployment rate, inflation, per capita income, debt, tax collection, poverty and trade (imports/exports). These disruptions were major challenges to its economic activities. The result was that during the fiscal year 2020, for only the second time in Pakistan’s history after 1951–1952, the country recorded a negative GDP growth rate of −0.4%.

Initial Challenges Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic

The primary challenges caused by COVID-19 in Pakistan were rising unemployment and poverty. The pandemic caused nearly three million people to lose their jobs, leading to a sharp increase in the unemployment rate, which reached 9.56% in the 2020 fiscal year. Global trade disruptions also hit the country hard.

In 2020, exports fell by 6.36% to $22 billion, while imports declined by 8.56% to $45 billion. Meanwhile, pressure on debt servicing intensified as total debt rose from $95.2 billion in 2018 to $112.8 billion in 2020. This pushed Pakistan further into a debt trap, forcing it to borrow new loans to repay old ones.

Innovation in COVID-19 Technology in Pakistan

Despite the initial setbacks, Pakistan showed resilience by adopting global best practices that fueled digital transformation. The COVID-19 pandemic became a turning point for digital progress in Pakistan, especially in the work and education sectors. The introduction of hybrid work models and remote employment systems reshaped professional environments, including public and private institutions.

Organizations increasingly use digital tools, online platforms and cloud-based communication systems to maintain productivity and ensure operational continuity. According to a report, the pandemic significantly boosted digital payments in Pakistan as citizens reduced their use of physical cash to minimize health risks.

The introduction of COVID-19 technology in Pakistan improved efficiency. It helped conserve vital resources such as time, paper and energy by reducing physical commuting and manual workflows. It also accelerated the adoption of online education, pushing schools and universities to embrace digital learning platforms to maintain academic progress.

According to the World Bank, Pakistan responded swiftly by launching the federal TeleSchool program for students nationwide and the Taleem Ghar initiative for learners in Punjab. These e-learning programs in Pakistan ensured continued access to education during lockdowns, demonstrating how technology bridged learning gaps and supported the country’s broader digital transformation.

Economic Adaptation Through COVID-19 Technology in Pakistan

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan saw a shift toward digital transformation, as technology became the only possible adaptation for individuals and institutions. The pandemic caused a shift toward remote work, freelancing and digital entrepreneurship, helping sustain livelihoods in widespread economic uncertainty.

According to The Dayspring, “Pakistan’s freelancing economy surged by 22% amid COVID-19.” Payoneer also reported the country’s overall freelancing revenue growth from 47% to 69% during the pandemic. Government initiatives such as Punjab’s e-Rozgaar program also played a significant role.

This program empowered youth to earn through online platforms, providing training and access to freelance marketplaces. As INP-WealthPK highlighted, Pakistan witnessed a record 47% growth in freelancing earnings in 2021, with women making up 52% of total graduates and contributing around half of the total earnings. This marked a significant step toward digital inclusion and women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan’s gig economy.

Similarly, the Ministry of IT’s DigiSkills program, a national-level training initiative, has trained more than 1.28 million individuals in freelancing, enabling them to generate sustainable incomes from home. Federal Minister Syed Amin Ul Haque emphasized the goal of expanding female participation in the program from 23% to 33%, reflecting the government’s vision for inclusive digital growth.

Furthermore, the private sector quickly adapted to the new normal of remote work and virtual collaboration. Many companies eliminated mandatory office attendance, providing employees with the necessary resources such as computers, internet connectivity and secure data access to work efficiently from home.

Technology in Public Services and Broader Social Impact

Sehat Kahani emerged as one of Pakistan’s leading examples of digital health care innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. The platform provided telemedicine services through its mobile app, including free online consultations and e-prescriptions. It helped thousands of patients in remote and low-income areas.

According to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Sehat Kahani’s expansion during the pandemic demonstrated how digital health services in Pakistan can bridge access gaps and empower women doctors to serve communities from home. In the education sector, digital transformations in Pakistan helped sustain learning during lockdowns. The government launched several e-learning programs, ensuring continued education through televised and online lessons.

The World Bank reported that these programs successfully reached millions of students. A report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) further highlighted the broader social impact of digitalization. It revealed that districts showing stronger digital transformation also ranked higher in human development outcomes.

All these studies highlight how Pakistan’s growing investment in digital public services, from telehealth to education, has strengthened national resilience and paved the way for inclusive growth.

Conclusion

All these digital transformations from remote work and freelancing to telemedicine and online education helped Pakistan rebuild its economy and move toward sustainable growth. By 2023, Pakistan’s GDP growth rate recovered to around 3.04%, reflecting how the nation’s digital adaptation turned adversity into opportunity. This evolution shows that when a crisis is met with innovation, collaboration and the right technological tools, it can become a catalyst for development rather than decline.

– Sidra Tahir

Sidra is based in Rawalpindi, Pakistan and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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AI health chatbots: Reaching Rural Patients in India

AI health chatbotsIn rural India, accessing health care often means a difficult journey. Only 10% of rural residents have access to health care within a 10-kilometer radius, while 90% must travel to different locations for specialized treatment. This distance translates to lost wages, transportation costs and delayed treatment that can turn minor ailments into life-threatening emergencies.

The health care gap in rural India is severe. Rural areas have a doctor-to-patient ratio of 1:11,082, nearly 11 times worse than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 1:1,000 recommendation. Meanwhile, 71% of India’s population lives in rural areas, but only one-third of physicians practice there.

As of 2025, a technological revolution is bringing medical expertise directly to India’s villages. AI health chatbots developed by Indian startups are transforming smartphones into medical lifelines, offering instant guidance to millions.

Empowering Community Health Workers

ASHABot leads this transformation. Developed by Khushi Baby in partnership with Microsoft Research India, this WhatsApp-based AI chatbot empowers India’s ASHA workers—community health volunteers serving as the backbone of rural health care. The goal is to reach all 1 million ASHAs across the country, who collectively serve 800 million to 900 million people in rural India.

Launched in early 2024, the platform uses GPT-4 technology to provide multilingual support in Hindi, English and Hinglish. When an ASHA worker encounters a question about childhood immunization, breastfeeding or pregnancy complications, she can ask ASHABot through voice notes and receive evidence-based answers within seconds. The system draws from around 40 curated documents, including India’s public health manuals and UNICEF guidelines. The voice note capability also allows ASHAs to play responses aloud for patients who cannot read.

Since early 2024, more than 24,000 messages have been sent through ASHABot, and 869 ASHAs have been onboarded. Currently operating only in the Udaipur district, Rajasthan, the tool represents a pilot that Khushi Baby plans to scale nationwide.

ASHABot builds on Khushi Baby’s decade of work. The organization’s broader Community Health Integrated Platform, used by more than 75,000 community health workers across 48,000 villages, has tracked the health of more than 50 million people. In randomized controlled trials involving 3,200 mothers, the digital health intervention showed a 12% improvement in complete infant immunization.

Making Health Care Affordable

In Odisha and Chhattisgarh, CureBay has established more than 150 e-clinics across 32 districts. The organization focuses on areas where approximately 65,000 people within a 10-kilometer radius lack access to health care.

CureBay’s innovation lies in its affordability. For ₹599 annually—less than ₹2 per day—members receive free doctor consultations and 15% discounts on medicines. For individuals covered under government schemes or insurance, CureBay provides financial support with a daily allowance of ₹1,000 for each day of hospitalization, up to a maximum of 30 days. This membership model helps eliminate catastrophic health expenses that push millions of Indians into poverty each year.

The platform combines AI-powered diagnostic tools with human expertise. AI analyzes symptoms and medical images, providing preliminary assessments during teleconsultations with doctors. CE- and FDA-approved devices conduct diagnostic tests at the e-clinics.

Since 2021, CureBay has served 550,000 unique patients. The organization employs more than 1,000 Swasthya Mitras, community health workers, creating local jobs while expanding access. Around 90,000 people actively subscribe to preventive health programs, with a renewal rate exceeding 60%, showing sustained engagement.

In May 2025, CureBay raised $21 million in Series B funding led by Bertelsmann India Investments, Elevar Equity and British International Investment. Total funding reached about $37 million, with a post-money valuation of around $75 million.

Addressing Mental Health

Mental health remains deeply stigmatized in rural India, yet stress, anxiety and depression affect millions. Wysa, a Bengaluru-based startup, created an AI chatbot that provides mental health support through evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy techniques.

Wysa launched its Hindi version in April 2024, making mental health resources accessible to Hindi-speaking rural populations. The app is available on smartphones and WhatsApp. The Hindi pilot showed strong engagement, with 80% of users returning for multiple sessions.

Clinical studies demonstrate Wysa’s effectiveness. Users experience an average 31% reduction in moderate anxiety symptoms and a 40% reduction in moderate depression symptoms, according to a study by U.K. health insurer Vitality involving 60,000 members. The platform has facilitated more than 550 million conversations across 65 countries, reaching 7 million users worldwide.

Wysa’s basic version is free, making mental health support accessible to those who cannot afford traditional therapy.

The Digital Foundation

This transformation builds on India’s expanding digital infrastructure. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission generated 442 million digital health accounts and linked 293 million health records. Out of 597,000 villages, 572,000 now have mobile or network connectivity, enabling digital health services.

With more than 425 million rural smartphone users and 504 million rural internet users projected by 2025, the foundation exists to scale these solutions nationwide. Rural internet users are growing at a rate of 26%, projected to exceed urban users for the first time.

The Future of AI Health Chatbots

AI health chatbots are not replacing doctors. Instead, they extend medical expertise to villages that never had access. They turn the 100-kilometer barrier into zero distance and transform smartphones into tools for health equity. For rural India, the future of health care has arrived, one conversation at a time.

– Jawad Noori

Jawad is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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How Christmas Shopping is Relieving Poverty

Christmas Shopping Is Relieving PovertyChristmas is famously known as the time for giving and generosity, with more than 40% of people admitting they are more likely to donate to charity at Christmas time. The season is also the busiest time of year for shopping, with Christmas supermarket sales hitting a record $17.36 billion in December 2024.

This correlation provides opportunities for charitable organizations to partner with supermarkets and popular outlets of Christmas spending. Here are a few examples of how Christmas shopping is relieving poverty:

One for One Schemes

These schemes, whereby an organization also does charitable work for every Christmas shopping item purchased, are highly effective at relieving poverty. This incentive encourages people to buy from these companies, especially during gift-giving seasons. The IKEA Foundation has run a particularly successful initiative called Soft Toys for Education throughout the Christmas period since 2003. It partners with UNICEF and Save the Children, two of the largest global organizations supporting children in poverty.

In this scheme, for every soft toy or children’s book purchased from the participating IKEA stores, the company donates $1.34 to education programs run by the partnered organizations. This is an excellent example of how Christmas shopping relieves poverty. This collaboration makes use of the spike in sales IKEA sees over Christmas.

It provides an additional incentive to buy typical Christmas presents like books and toys. Since starting this program, the IKEA Foundation has donated more than $50 million, which has helped support more than 11 million children.

Second-Hand Shopping

Due to factors such as rising cost-of-living, sustainability and environmental care, second-hand shopping is on the rise. Charity shops, such as OXFAM’s, see increased sales around Christmas, rising more than 40% the week before Christmas in 2022. These organizations rely on money spent in their shops to finance overseas programs and humanitarian work. Their shops sell ideal gifts or household items for Christmas, such as clothes, books, toys, decorations and furniture, for a fraction of the price they’d be sold for as new.

This makes second-hand shops an ideal and accessible option for Christmas shopping. The money raised from these will be spent on providing lifesaving emergency aid, supporting long-term projects to improve the quality of life and campaigning to address inequality. This means there is a significant moral incentive to buy second-hand materials.

Lush’s Charitable Efforts

Lush, a company well known for its charitable efforts and advocacy for human rights and environmental care, is one of the most ethical businesses demonstrating how Christmas shopping relieves poverty. Its sales rose significantly during this period, reaching more $40 million in December 2022.

One of the many charitable schemes Lush runs is called Charity Pot, the name of a moisturizing product that raises money for charity with every sale. All proceeds from Charity Pot products go to the Charity Pot Fund, which is then distributed as grants to nonprofit organizations. The Charity Pot has been sold in 42 countries, raising more than $65 million, which has been allocated to a wide range of causes.

These include more than 150 peace-building and anti-war initiatives, more than 800 campaigns supporting migrants and refugees and more than 250 projects supporting Indigenous peoples. These grants prioritize causes that aim to create sustainable and long-term systemic change.

The participating organizations are spread across the globe and are predominantly run by volunteers, making these grants incredibly impactful for their causes.

Checkout Donations

One of the easiest ways millions of people can help combat poverty during Christmas is by using the charity donation option at tills. Many shops reinforce this option or allocate the proceeds to specific charities over the holidays. It’s a convenient choice for most consumers, as the donation amount is usually just a few cents to round the total to the nearest dollar, often preventing unwanted change.

This method has proven to be an incredibly effective way of raising money for charity. For example, customers of The Body Shop have raised more than $460,000 for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) through donations at both online and in-store checkouts. These donations have supported the organization’s mission to save lives and build better futures for millions forced to flee their homes.

Final Remarks

There are many ways in which partnerships between charities and retailers are helping people in need, most of which involve schemes for donations. These rise around Christmas time due to the massive number of people participating in shopping and the emotional elements of Christmas that make people likely to feel generous. There is a large market for charity at this time of year, one that helps people immensely globally.

– Abigail Gadsden

Abigail is based in Kent, UK and focuses on Good News and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Digital Sovereignty in Africa

Digital Sovereignty in AfricaNew inventions within the 21st century have pushed the world into the digital age. Access to technological devices, the internet and social media offers a new set of information for those privileged enough to have it. First-world countries generally control the data centers that power the exchange of information within their territories. This is through tech giants like Google and Microsoft that have asserted their dominance in internet web browsers. Up until now, however, the African continent has been forced to depend on the data centers and internet protocols outside of its borders to send messages between itself. On September 1, 2025, the African continent introduced its own Continental Internet Exchange (CIX), a game-changer towards its digital sovereignty in Africa.

Essentially, if someone sends a message from Lagos to Kenya, the processing would take place in the European continent or in the United States before it returns to the African continent. This would cause high bandwidth costs and the possibility of outside access to personal or government information. The continent’s yearly expense on outside digital services topped $50 billion because of this. The Continental Internal Exchange offers data centers and local search engines for use across the 54 nations within Africa. This implementation could potentially halve the continent’s expense on digital devices, which could offer more finances to benefit people in poverty or in digital blackout areas.

Rural Challenges

More than 200 million people have switched to using CIX within the first three days of its launch. In addition, Cape Town, Nairobi and Lagos are the current early data center locations with coverage across the continent expected by 2027, according to Eurweb. There are some challenges to be met with, however. Rural areas in Central Africa are facing gaps in coverage and high expenses to have access to data in general.

According to the United Nations, 23 of the 28 countries that live in extreme poverty are in the African continent. In addition, the rate of poverty in rural areas within the African continent is 17.2%. There are gaps in coverage within rural areas because of the lack of infrastructure available. In addition, people in poverty do not have the finances to pay monthly fees for data coverage and internet access. On the continent, people in urban areas are 36% more likely to have access to regular internet. Poverty also largely affects internet access. Only 28% of people who live in extreme poverty are able to access the internet.

Extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa is meant to remain in the double digits by 2030. Poverty has an impact on digital accessibility and media literacy. New skills that have impacts in the digital age are not accessible to people in Africa due to the lack of mobile and internet access. A large factor in decreased internet access is education and age as well. According to Afrobarometer in 2021, 81% of people with little to no education in 34 countries in Africa did not use the internet frequently. This is lower for people with higher education, as 17% did not use the internet frequently.

Outreach International

One organization that aims to repair internet access in Africa is Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA). PDAA is an organization that aims to achieve 1 billion Africans having internet access by 2030. They work with nonprofits, policymakers, and global organizations to create plans and initiatives that introduce access to the internet in areas of limited connectivity and lower internet costs for users. Its overall aim through this organization is to improve digital skills and media literacy across the continent’s 54 countries. The organization’s leadership team consists of policymakers within Africa and business leaders dedicated to the cause. Its website also highlights positive stories in relation to internet access from other news organizations, such as Brookings and Business Insider Africa.

The Future of Digital Sovereignty in Africa

The CIX offers digital sovereignty in Africa. It provides data centers and local search engines within its borders to lower bandwidth costs and decrease dependence on foreign digital devices. With the potential for halving these expenses, there is an opportunity for African countries to reinvest in their digital infrastructure. There stands to be challenges to reach populations in rural areas, for example. What was once necessary to spend on foreign digital services can help establish data centers within these rural areas, widen internet access and provide technological devices to households.

– Nickaylia Anderson

Nickaylia is based in Bronx, NY, USA and focuses on Good News, Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Cannabis Transforms Poverty in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Poverty in Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesIn 2018, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines decriminalized possessing up to two ounces of marijuana and Parliament passed laws to establish a medical cannabis industry. Vincentians use and appreciate the medicinal properties of cannabis, as well as the pivotal role it can play in reducing poverty in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. In 2024, 18% of Vincentian adults were unemployed; youth were twice as likely as adults to be unemployed.

Additionally, the country’s volcano (La Soufrière) erupted in 2021. Coupled with the then-recent COVID-19 pandemic, the country faced huge economic setbacks. Whereas before the pandemic, only 4% of children in Saint Vincent were below the poverty line, this has now risen to 18%. Therefore, due to the industry’s up-and-coming market, utilizing cannabis in Saint Vincent is key to recovering the economy and securing jobs for unemployed young people.

Boosting the Economy

Ironically, it is the volcanic soil that makes cannabis in Saint Vincent high-grade and fast-producing. As a result, cannabis became an instrumental trading tool during the country’s recovery from the volcanic eruption. More recently, Saint Vincent has reported more than EC$60 million (slightly above $22 million) in private investment in its cannabis industry.

Beyond just trading, the small country is also now gaining an international reputation for its high-quality marijuana. In October 2025, Saint Vincent will host the annual CannaBliss festival for the second time. This is a four-day event that attracts customers from around the globe and dually acts as a chance for networking among the medicinal cannabis industry.

Not only does this boost Saint Vincent’s tourism industry, but it is also a chance for the country to share its culture with the world. The festival will feature reggae singers with international fame. However, it will also be a chance for local Vincentian singers to display their talent!

Medicinal Benefits

Due to cannabis’s unique medicinal uses, the drug is experiencing increasing demand worldwide, with the medicinal cannabis market expected to reach $58 billion in sales by 2028.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) currently uses Epidiolex, which contains cannabidiol, to treat seizures. It also uses Marinol and Syndros, which contain Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), for therapeutic purposes such as treating nausea associated with cancer chemotherapy and anorexia related to weight loss in AIDS patients. The USFDA continues to research additional medical applications of cannabinoids.

Meanwhile, the cannabis market is expanding globally. The U.K., Canada and several European countries have, for the first time, approved a plant-derived cannabinoid drug (Sativex) for medical use.

Supports Cultural Practices

Emerging in ’30s Jamaica, the religion Rastafari celebrates marijuana as a gift from God. Rastas believe in peace and living organically; they often adjust their language to avoid negative terms, oppose violence and oppressive systems such as capitalism and are typically vegetarian. Rastas use marijuana ritually to help enlighten their minds; before smoking the plant, they pray to Jah (God) or to Haile Selassie I.

Moreover, supporting Rastas means supporting local farmers. Since decriminalizing cannabis in Saint Vincent, farmers can now obtain a subsidized licence to grow marijuana and companies must buy 10% of their plants from traditional agriculturalists. Before this, it was difficult for Rastas to make a living.

Farmer Bobbis Matthews said to the Guardian, “It was hard! At least three times a year, U.S. helicopters would come and tear down the crop. In those days, it felt like you couldn’t even say the word marijuana because just to say marijuana, you could get arrested.” “We had a song called ‘Helicopter.’ It was about the panic and franticness whenever you hear the sound of the helicopter,” he continued.

Now, local farmers can live and celebrate their culture legally. The growing industry has created 2,500 more jobs for a country with low employment rates. Saint Vincent has also provided additional training in best cultivation practices to support the market and farmers further.

Final Comments

Overall, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines demonstrates how cannabis can be used ethically. The country is utilizing the plant for its medicinal benefits and its significance to the religious community. Marijuana’s rapidly growing market is also helping to reduce poverty in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines by increasing employment rates and expanding trading opportunities. This, in turn, is building a fast-growing industry that will play a pivotal role in the country’s future.

– Lysia Wright

Lysia is based in Derby, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Evaluating the Success of UK Rail for Ukraine

U.K. Rail for UkraineBy 2022, Ukraine impressively boasted Europe’s fourth-largest network of railways. Ukrainian Railways (UZ), aligning with the national government, contributed a staggering 2.34% of the national GDP and employed around 270,000 citizens who worked along its expansive and well-connected routes. The socioeconomic success of UZ showcased by these figures, highlights the importance of infrastructure to a territorially large nation in need of interconnectedness.

When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the progress of UZ came to an abrupt halt. Russian attacks destroyed border railway crossings, forced thousands of staff to mobilize for war and damaged train tracks caught in the crossfire. International eyes were on Ukraine, with the United Kingdom (U.K.) playing a role in the humanitarian effort to rescue Ukraine’s railways.

U.K. Rail for Ukraine

Rebuilding infrastructure in times of military crisis became an essential way for humanitarian aid to enter Ukraine. With Ukrainian airspace closed to non-combatant aircraft, moving aid, resources and people relied on train networks throughout Europe. Established in 2023, U.K. Network Rail and partners created U.K. Rail for Ukraine, a cohesive partnership that supplied repair parts for UZ networks.

U.K. Rail for Ukraine supplied the Ukrainian front line with eight railway bridges and 30 bridge support towers later that year. The response was quick, direct and efficient in the wake of the devastating violence that intensified in 2022.

Covering the Distance: European Partnerships

For U.K. Rail for Ukraine to transport large infrastructural supports into Eastern Europe, the wider network of European railway systems played a major role in covering the distance. Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German national rail operator, transported the goods to Poland. The train carried the livery #WeStandWithUkraine, highlighting a collective European sense of solidarity with the Ukrainians suffering.

Poland also made a significant contribution to supporting its neighboring Ukraine. Polish (PKP) cargo trains carried humanitarian aid from across Europe, making up a large share of the 1,600 aid vehicles reported by Ukrainian Railways. U.K. donors sent 7,500 food parcels, which were packaged and later distributed among Ukrainian rail workers. The main partners behind this donation were the U.K.-based companies Arriva Trains and First Rail. Both recognized the importance of Ukrainian railroads in transporting lifesaving packages to those most in need. In addition, U.K. rail businesses raised £65,000 to fund protective armor for frontline drivers.

Driving Away from Danger and Toward Safety

Beginning in Poland, many Ukrainian refugees took the long journey into mainland Europe by train. By March 2022, more than 1,000 Polish State Railway services operated to transport refugees. Having already undergone an arduous journey, displaced migrants arriving in the U.K. received special privileges for rail travel across the country. The Rail Delivery Group introduced a scheme in 2022 that granted Ukrainian refugees free travel on British transport services, including National Rail and the London Underground.

Outlook for 2025

Transportation during the Russo-Ukrainian War has remained vital. U.K. Rail for Ukraine continues to provide infrastructural support from a humanitarian standpoint, with railways serving as the primary channel for aid packages reaching soldiers and civilians on the front line. Looking forward, the extensive repair work needed on UZ railways in a post-conflict world will require the same level of foreign support and commitment to rebuild a once very successful rail system.

By 2025, 223,000 Ukrainian people had arrived in the U.K. The well-connected structure of European railroads allowed the safe transfer of refugees across borders. Those who completed their journey to the U.K. continue to benefit from measures that preserve their right to free travel.

Looking Ahead

The partnerships forged between the U.K., Europe and Ukraine show that railways can do more than move people and goods; they can carry hope and resilience through the hardest of times.

– Ash Fowkes-Gajan

Ash is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Labor Reforms and Poverty Reduction in Mexico

Poverty Reduction in MexicoSince 2012, Mexico has enacted a series of major labor reforms that have created a sustained reduction in poverty. Subsequent labor reforms between 2018 and 2022 have lifted millions out of poverty. According to a World Bank report that cites figures from the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL), from 2016 to 2022, poverty in Mexico declined from 43.2% to 36.3%. Over the same period, the share of people living in monetary poverty, based on the national poverty line, dropped from 50.8% to 43.5%. Extreme monetary poverty also decreased, falling from 14.9% to 12.1%.

These changes were largely due to labor reforms in Mexico such as raising the minimum wage, ending exploitative outsourcing practices and strengthening labor protections. This shows that strong and sustainable structural labor reforms can reduce poverty and ensure significant improvement in the incomes and social rights of the Mexican people.

Labor Reforms and Poverty Reduction in Mexico

The most significant labor reform in Mexico was raising the minimum wage. According to a paper in the Journal of Development Studies, which explores the effect of minimum wage on poverty levels in Mexico, the first real increase was in 2019. That year, it rose by 16% across the country, except in municipalities near the U.S.–Mexico border, where it jumped by 100%.

Between 2019 and 2022, Mexico substantially increased the national minimum wage by 65% in real terms. According to a recent study by Mexico’s National Minimum Wage Commission, these wage policies directly and indirectly impacted poverty reduction. The researchers found that for every 10% increase in the minimum wage, multidimensional poverty fell by approximately 3.6%. Overall, the study estimates that 4.1 million people—out of a total 5.1 million who exited poverty—did so specifically because of the minimum wage increases, accounting for a 23.7% reduction in national poverty during this period.

Outsourcing Employment

Crucially, the wage hikes boosted labor income without causing significant job losses, reinforcing the policy’s role as a key driver of poverty reduction rather than economic disruption. The second major labor reform was the ban on exploitative outsourcing practices, significantly reducing poverty and strengthening labor rights in Mexico. Enacted in 2021, the ban led to a 73% drop in outsourcing and a surge in direct hiring. Average annual wages rose by 10% in the first year, while the wage gap relative to productivity narrowed by 27%.

Insourced workers saw salaries jump by 87%, social security and benefits rise by 30% and profit sharing grew by 62%, directly improving living standards. Importantly, these gains occurred without reducing employment or output, showing that the reform strengthened worker rights while protecting jobs. Workers who had faced the most exploitation benefited the most, demonstrating the reform’s effectiveness in improving wages and livelihoods across Mexico’s labor force.

Governance and Implementation

The Mexican government enforced the outsourcing ban through a comprehensive regulatory framework. Companies providing specialized services had to register in a public registry, proving compliance with tax and social security obligations, sharing profits with workers and renewing their registration every three years. Enforcement grew stricter: employers and staffing agencies became responsible for payroll taxes and social security for subcontracted workers, inspections were mandatory and firms faced larger penalties for violations.

To close loopholes, the reform aligned multiple existing laws and fostered coordination between government departments. Previously, outsourced workers had to be transferred to direct employment within a three-month, government-monitored period, ensuring compliance and protecting labor rights. These measures ensured compliance with the law and helped sustain the new labor protections. They also led to a significant drop in exploitation and improved working conditions nationwide.

Conclusion

Mexico’s experience shows that structural labor reforms, combined with strong governance and effective implementation, can transform poverty and inequality. The government created a labor market that supports social and economic inclusion by prioritizing worker rights and enforcing compliance. These achievements confirm that ambitious, well-enforced reforms can produce tangible, lasting improvements in the lives of millions, setting an example for other countries seeking to reduce poverty through labor policy.

– Akash Ramaswamy

Akash is based in Ontario, Canada and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Maternal Mortality in the KP Region

Maternal Mortality in the KP RegionConditional cash transfers (CCTs) are a common tool used by governments to alleviate poverty. It involves direct cash transfers to individuals or households to help families manage expenses. In exchange for these grants, there are stipulations of required health check-ups or testing, educational enrollment or other factors that can broadly reduce poverty and improve standards of living.

Based on current evidence, CCTs are most effective in health care-related initiatives, often improving health outcomes and encouraging increased utilization of health care offerings. The studies that provide this evidence also note that despite the clear positive impact, the efficacy of these initiatives remains ill-defined. This is due to disparate health care systems and the quality of services offered between the countries and communities where CCTs have been implemented.

Maternal Mortality in the KP Region

In Pakistan and in South Asia generally, the maternal mortality rate is significantly high. Although there has been a significant drop in the maternal mortality rate of around 60% between 2000 and 2017, the region still accounts for around 20% of maternal deaths worldwide. The 2006-07 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey was the first effort to collect information on maternal mortality in the country.

The survey revealed that during those years, there were 276 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in Pakistan. In 2007-08, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) region, the maternal mortality rate was 275 deaths for every 100,000 live births in the region. These numbers indicated severe deficiencies in the delivery of adequate health care to expectant mothers, which the local governments of Pakistan sought to address.

The Chief Minister’s Special Initiatives

In the KP region of Pakistan, the Chief Minister’s Special Initiatives are a set of poverty alleviation measures created by the local government. These initiatives aim to improve living standards by offering financial incentives to individuals who take advantage of local services focused on education, employment and health outcomes.

For example, grants were provided to female students above grade 5 to encourage them to continue their education. Stipends were also offered to young people enrolled in government-sponsored vocational training programs. These incentives were significant because they represented key examples of CCTs used as a poverty alleviation tool in Pakistan.

In 2014, recognizing the urgent need to address maternal mortality rates and in line with a national push to improve health care for mothers and children, the government of KP launched the Chief Minister’s Special Initiative for Mother and Child Health. This conditional cash transfer program provides fixed cash stipends to marginalized mothers for attending prenatal checkups, delivering safely and completing postnatal visits.

A 2024 study evaluating the program found a substantial increase in the total number of health-seeking hospital visits, indicating that the intervention successfully achieved its intended behavioral change. Additionally, the cash incentives improved household purchasing power and supported the incomes of vulnerable families. The findings provided strong evidence for expanding the use of other CCT programs in Pakistan.

Maternal Mortality Declines in KP

In the years that followed, the maternal mortality rate declined significantly. The 2019 Pakistan Maternal Mortality Survey collected updated national and regional data, showing trends since the 2007 survey. Nationally, maternal deaths fell from 276 to 186 per 100,000 live births.

In the KP region, the figure dropped from 275 to 165, representing a slightly higher percentage reduction than the national average. This suggests that local initiatives and conditions, including the CCT programs, may have contributed to reducing maternal mortality rates.

Final Remarks

The conditional cash transfers program in the KP region has already shown promising results for improving maternal health outcomes and alleviating poverty. It could be a model for the rest of Pakistan to follow and bring down its alarming maternal mortality rates.

– Nikhil N Kumar

Nikhil is based in Lexington, MA, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Dependency on Foreign Health Care Workers in Ireland

Health Care Workers in IrelandIreland has long been a source of high net emigration, with an estimated 10 million emigrants leaving the western European island since 1800. However, the past two decades have seen an unprecedented increase in the number of foreign health care workers in Ireland. The Irish health care system has experienced notable growing pains in its attempts to retain domestically-trained doctors, who often follow a decades-long trend of looking abroad to Australia, Canada and the U.K. for hire.

As Irish doctors continue to move abroad, internationally trained medics bridge the gap. Here is a look at the path ahead as Ireland copes with shortages in professional health care and works toward a more accommodating workplace for Irish doctors.

Brain Drain: Doctors Leave Ireland Behind

A telltale shift in the Irish health care industry came in the late ’90s, when rapid economic growth and demand for nursing services outpaced Ireland’s supply of workers. Since 2000, Irish doctors, most of whom depart from Ireland during or after their training, have remained similarly scarce. This period of economic expansion marked an inflection point in Irish health care, where Ireland’s historical role as a major exporter of Irish nurses reversed.

Ireland’s trend in poor doctor retention seems to mirror a similar trend affecting northern and western Europe as a whole.

Unstable Working Conditions Disillusion Doctors

Most doctors born and trained in Ireland intend to work domestically. Yet, various factors keep these workers looking for work abroad. Notably, a 2018 survey of Irish training doctors found that only 45% intended to find work domestically, hinting at an underlying push factor in the Irish medical field. A 2021 study accredits Ireland’s exodus of domestically-trained doctors to short staffing and poor training, which catalyze stressful conditions in the workplace.

The fulfillment that Irish doctors don’t find in their work environment at home, they pursue abroad. About 72% of emigrant Irish doctors prefer employment in the U.K., Canada and Australia. Naturally, international recruitment programs call on foreign-trained health care workers to compensate for Irish staffing shortages.

Foreign health care workers in Ireland must bridge the gap that Irish emigrant doctors leave behind. Nevertheless, recent assessments of Ireland’s health care system indicate that this international recruitment practice is neither sustainable for foreign-trained workers nor the communities they serve.

Challenges for Foreign Health Care Workers in Ireland

A 2025 World Health Organization study assessing nine European countries (including Ireland) found that the number of foreign-trained nurses increased 67% in these regions from 2014 to 2023 alone. Higher wages and more benefits than are available in a foreign health care worker’s home country incentivize such high immigration trends. However, a significant disconnect exists between foreign workers’ expectations and the working conditions they receive upon arrival in Ireland, perpetuating brain waste in the Irish medical field.

This occurs as foreign doctors trained in a specific setting are assigned arbitrarily to any position lacking staff, thus depriving both their origin country and their receiving country of their talent. A study interviewed foreign health care workers in Ireland and found such instances of dissonance between the position to which individuals apply and the actual role to which they are called. Due to the costly financial and emotional investment of choosing to migrate, many cannot withdraw their commitment in pursuit of a better opportunity.

Thus, many foreign doctors bear the brunt of the poor working conditions that prompt Irish-trained doctors to go abroad.

Local Implications of Sending and Receiving Health Care Workers

Local communities, either on the sending or receiving end of foreign doctors, become more vulnerable as professional health care access is redistributed across international borders. Subsequently, Ireland’s understaffed health care force leaves marginalized and low-income communities, domestic and abroad, under strain. In attempts to compensate through international recruitment, the community in Ireland outsources for doctors and the spread is thin.

Foreign health care workers in Ireland become more vulnerable to poverty as they pay the exorbitant costs associated with migration. Consequently, individuals seeking health care may not have the financial means to compete for a spot in their health care provider’s overbooked schedule. Ireland has introduced noteworthy doctor retention programs, seeking to break this cycle, with varying results.

The Path Forward for Strong Doctor Retention in Ireland

To promote universal access to quality health care, Ireland has to sustain an equitable, stress-reduced working environment for its domestically trained doctors. A shift away from brain drain in Irish health care is an uphill battle. This is largely due to systematic flaws such as hostility from or poor connections with mentors and coworkers, which weakens a newly trained doctor’s support system.

Noteworthy doctor retention efforts began in 2015, when Ireland’s Strategic Review of Medical Training and Career Structures oversaw adjusted working conditions and training opportunities for doctors training domestically. However, a 2021 study revisiting the success of these doctor retention programs found them ineffective and out of proportion to the problem’s scale. Going forward, it will take increased investment in strong mentorship for Irish training doctors and more compatible training programs to see the Irish health care industry draw a greater appeal to its workers.

Fortunately, a successful doctor retention policy, such as Romania’s, provides a hopeful template as Ireland pursues an equitable health care system benefitting workers and patients alike.

– Isla Hansen

Isla is based in Spokane, WA, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Chichen Itza: Reducing Poverty in Mexico

Reducing Poverty in MexicoChichen Itza is a pre-Hispanic Mayan archaeological site in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. It preserves the rich history of the Mayan civilization through its remarkable stone monuments and artistry, created by the Maya and Toltec tribes. Dating back to around 415–455 A.D., Chichen Itza is recognized globally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Beyond its historical value, it plays a crucial modern role in reducing poverty, driving economic growth and globalizing Mexico, particularly within the Yucatán region.

Economic Benefits and Poverty Reduction

Millions of tourists visit Chichen Itza annually, generating substantial income for local communities and Mexico’s national economy. In 2023, with the reopening of previously restricted areas for archaeological research, the site saw a 12% increase in visitors, totaling more than a million tourists. This influx supports Mexico’s post-pandemic recovery and strengthens the tourism industry.

The constant flow of visitors creates steady employment in hospitality, transportation, food services and local craft markets. These jobs provide sustainable income opportunities for families, helping reduce poverty and improve living standards in nearby communities. In addition to visiting the archaeological site, many tour operators now offer full-day excursions that include nearby destinations such as Valladolid, a colonial city in the Yucatán Peninsula.

These tours also feature visits to cenotes and natural sinkholes where visitors can swim and enjoy lunch prepared by local families. These tours promote small businesses, local restaurants and artisan markets, ensuring that tourism revenue is distributed more evenly across the region. Local guides who lead these trips share cultural knowledge and Mayan traditions, creating meaningful exchanges between visitors and residents while strengthening community identity and heritage.

Through these combined tourism experiences, Chichen Itza attracts international visitors and stimulates a regional economic ecosystem that uplifts surrounding towns and rural populations.

Cultural Preservation and Local Empowerment

Despite its benefits, Chichen Itza’s global popularity also presents challenges. Much of the site’s revenue flows to the federal government rather than Mayan communities. Additionally, some Indigenous residents have faced displacement due to tourism development. However, many have adapted by creating independent income sources, selling handmade crafts, guiding tours and educating visitors about their heritage.

Mayan artisans and entrepreneurs preserve their cultural legacy and promote national pride through these efforts. Visitors, in turn, gain a deeper understanding of Mexico’s Indigenous history, fostering global respect and cultural appreciation. Integrating traditional Mayan cuisine, language and artistry into tourism experiences has also helped safeguard intangible heritage while creating new forms of economic empowerment.

Regional Development and Sustainability

The success of Chichen Itza has also inspired infrastructure projects like the Tren Maya, a new railway system designed to improve accessibility across the Yucatán Peninsula. This initiative aims to manage overcrowding, boost tourism and expand economic opportunities for nearby towns.

Importantly, the Tren Maya project emphasizes sustainability. Its eco-friendly design reduces carbon emissions and supports environmentally responsible tourism, aligning economic development with long-term environmental goals. It enhances regional mobility by connecting cities like Cancún, Tulum, Mérida and Valladolid. It increases visitor flow to the peninsula’s local businesses, artisans and cultural centers.

Conclusion

Chichen Itza’s continued global appeal demonstrates how cultural heritage and tourism can drive economic resilience. By generating jobs, supporting local entrepreneurship and inspiring sustainable development, this ancient site contributes directly to reducing poverty in Mexico. Through guided tours that extend to surrounding cities and cenotes, tourism revenue reaches even more communities, strengthening the Yucatán Peninsula’s economy and preserving its cultural heritage.

Chichen Itza stands as both a monument to the country’s past and a catalyst for its future prosperity.

– Miranda Yacynych

Miranda is based in Pittsburgh, PA, USA and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels