Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Technological Innovations and Diseases in Africa

Technological InnovationsCurrently, diseases such as HIV, malaria, meningitis and tuberculosis are among the top causes of death in Africa. In the U.S., these diseases are not within the leading 15 causes of death. Therefore, it is crucial to develop technological innovations to improve Africa’s ability to test and treat diseases to allow for safe, sustainable and prosperous economic growth to occur.

The prevention and treatment of deadly diseases provide a long list of benefits to countries and their citizens. For example, research has found that the decrease in child death slows population growth and reduces the average family size. This reduction in family size allows parents to spend their resources on their community or their family rather than on medical supplies or more family members.

Malaria Disease Tracing

CEO Dr. Eddy Agbo and his team at Fyodor Biotechnologies developed the Urine Test for Malaria (UMT). UMT was the first malaria test not to require blood. Therefore, a specialist is not needed to administer a blood test, process the blood, or dispose of emergency equipment. Patients can conduct the test themselves and receive results in less than half an hour.

UMT’s convenience has revolutionized the ability to test and trace malaria accurately. Since the introduction of UMT, regions in Africa have experienced dramatic decreases in malaria death rates. Before the UMT, it was also common for specialists in Africa to associate fevers with malaria. This association would lead to a large number of falsely diagnosed patients and, therefore, improper medical treatments. These incorrect treatments lead to other illnesses and more death.

Fyodor Biotechnologies focuses primarily on developing new technologies to solve global issues. The company will continue designing and manufacturing technological innovations to improve Africa’s ability to test and treat diseases.

HIV Testing

The convenience of self-testing reveals to improve disease tracing, disease prevention, appropriate medical treatments and reduce the amount of death. Members of Unitaid recognize the benefits of self-testing and have established the Self Testing Africa initiative (STAR).

The STAR initiative collects data regarding how to distribute HIV self-testing kits to various populations effectively. Over 80 countries have adopted HIV self-testing policies since the establishment of the enterprise. The World Health Organization believes that the STAR initiative contributed immensely to providing more opportunities for individuals to trace, treat and prevent the spread of HIV.

Plant-Based Malaria Medication

Dr. Valentin Agon developed an anti-malaria medication that virtually eliminates the disease found in the patient’s blood. The name of the drug is Api-Palu. Api-Palu originates from a plant extract and is considerably less expensive than other malaria medications. People hail this drug due its harmless effects on the human body. As a result, it is trendy in several markets. Dr. Agon hopes to have the drug available to every country in Africa. In 2016, Dr. Valentin Agon won 100,000 U.S. dollars for his creation. Dr. Agon plans to use this money to further aid in the fight against malaria.

Throughout the world, organizations aim to develop technological innovations to improve Africa’s ability to test and treat diseases. As companies push to provide large-scale availability for disease testing, disease treatment and prevention, it is vital to continue to raise awareness for this cause. Eliminating deadly diseases has a profound impact on poverty, education, population and economic growth.

– John Brinkman
Photo: Flickr

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Steps to Improve Women’s Rights in South Africa

Women’s Rights in South Africa
Despite recent groundbreaking laws and activists campaigning for women’s rights in South Africa, many women still live in fear of harm. Especially because of COVID-19, gender-based violence has grown heavily, as women must live with their abusers at home while services to assist these survivors are being put on hold. Out of this persistent injustice, however, new steps have emerged for women’s rights.

Violence Against Women in South Africa

In addition to COVID-19’s devastation, the death toll of women by violent criminals has risen. In response, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa proposed to make public the national register of offenders convicted of violence against women. This new step for women’s rights in South Africa will help ensure that apprehended criminals will not continue to murder and rape.

In an interview with The Borgen Project, Mowbray resident Aimee Sawyer, a domestic abuse survivor, spoke about how even in high school, she walked in fear to school every day, recalling a vivid memory when a builder shouted to her, “Hey girl come here so I can kiss your white ass.”’ Ever since she could remember, there was always a new story about horrific acts of violence against women. “Today,” she said, “it was a story about a woman who was shot and killed by her husband who followed her into a police station. He shot her as she was laying a charge of domestic violence against him.”

The Gender Wage Gap

The gender wage gap, estimated to be between 15%-17%, is also a concern for women’s rights in South Africa. A South African woman would need to work two months more than a man to earn an equivalent salary to what he would earn in a year. However, some progress has occurred through The Employment Equity Act, which promotes equality and fair treatment in the workplace, no matter race, gender or marital status. More recently, The Equal Pay International Coalition and The Equal Pay Platform of Champions aim to combat the gap through activism and representation.

Poverty and Women’s Rights

Poverty is another factor nullifying women’s rights in South Africa. Female-headed households are vastly poorer than male-headed households. Additionally, every two out of five urban dwellers are poor in comparison to four out of every five in rural areas. One reason for this is social discrimination. Women are poorer due to less paid work, education and owning less poverty. But recently, women have resumed political leadership roles, advancing legislation that promotes gender equality, such as equal land rights and reproductive rights to women. The African Growth and Opportunity Act, now extended to 2025, is a prime example of how the U.S. is aiding South Africa by improving trade and creating a free-market relationship.

South Africa is combating gender-based violence, according to the many relief systems implemented. “I think the law says that women and men have equal rights, but sadly, for many citizens, that is not the case,” Aimee Sawyer said. Nevertheless, gender equality, while still far off, is not unattainable.

 – Shelby Gruber
Photo: Flickr

5 Reasons Healthcare in Croatia is Commendable

Healthcare in Croatia
Croatia is a southern European country on the coastlines of the Adriatic Sea and to the east of Italy. From 2012-2020, Croatia created a National Health Care Strategy policy to reform healthcare and close the gap on the inequalities that its citizens faced. The policy covered standardization, availability, connection and improving overall care. The country just gained and declared independence in 1992, but healthcare in Croatia has developed quickly and ranked highly. Here are five reasons why healthcare in Croatia is so commendable.

5 Reasons Healthcare in Croatia is Commendable

  1. Croatia provides healthcare to nationals and longterm visitors. The state provides access to healthcare in Croatia and everyone pays into what the country calls HZZO. HZZO is a mandatory country-wide health insurance system. Funding comes from two fronts that cover general healthcare. Payments to HZZO are calculated based on yearly income and are paid monthly by an individual or by a family through the employers. The Ministry of Health of Croatia also budgets the system. Visitors who stay three months or more must register and contribute to the health insurance plan.
  2. Croatia grants low cost, high-quality medical care. With Croatian government assistance and affordable living, physicians can offer a high standard of care. The quality of services provided at a lower rate has attracted many foreigners seeking medical treatment to travel to Croatia for those procedures. Competitively, reports have stated that renowned medical care costs 70% less than other leading countries. Former famous visitors for healthcare in Croatia include Russian Chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov and numerous athletes.
  3. Healthcare is available to everyone. As residents pay for mandatory health insurance, there are options to get supplemental health insurance for extra care. Both the Ministry of Health and local town or city governance owns Croatia’s hospitals. Private care is optional but links to existing medical establishments. Issues with lack of insurance or care are not prevalent as the state covers those unable to pay into the insurance.
  4. Polyclinics exist throughout Croatia. Under the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT), healthcare in Croatia meets international standards, reporting sufficiently stocked medical hospitals throughout the country. Pharmacies, clinics and even dental have emerged in every town, with rural areas having similar access.
  5. Croatia has exhibited state of the art medical research. Croatia has shown advances in medical research in both its past and present. In the 1980s, its pharmaceutical industry developed drugs like the antibiotic Azithromycin, which people in the country commonly used. In recent headlines, a new incision-less Gamma Knife emerged in the University Hospital Center Zagreb for radiation therapy on brain aberrations like tumors. Croatia also implemented new technologies in dentistry, while other countries are behind. Paying into a national healthcare system has its advantages, as Croatia has its citizens pay by their ability and receiving commendable levels of care based on specialized needs. As a leader for new medical technologies and devices, healthcare in Croatia has a record of excelling, even at international standards.

Tick-borne Encephalitis

Northeastern parts of Croatia contain tick-borne encephalitis or TBE, which is prevalent from March through November. This illness comes of Ixodes ticks, which transmit the disease. Humans will show symptoms within one to two weeks, with flu-like reactions, meningitis and brain swelling in the first phase. The second phase involves injury to the central nervous system resulting in seizures, paralysis and many other neurological complications.

Vaccines and boosters for both adults and children are available, as the TBE is endemic to Croatia. Prevention information and availability have become key to dropping reported numbers for annual reported cases. Between 1999 and 2009, Croatia had up to 44 reported annual cases, while that number dropped to 20 from 2006-2011.

Poverty and Healthcare

Even with advancements in healthcare in Croatia, there is poverty, social exclusion and large disparities among citizens. Poverty areas affect citizens with different socioeconomic statuses, located east and southeast of the country which have been primarily affected form the 1990 Homeland War. To change the poverty affected and at-risk communities, Croatia has agreed to the Europe 2020 strategy to curtail inadequacies that its citizens face.

All permanent residents pay into the Croatian health insurance fund. Those who are unable to pay can still receive healthcare if they are do not have employment, are students or are asylum seekers.

Croatia has shown how government policies can go a long way when agendas receive support from both the public and its leaders. Healthcare in Croatia may serve as a role model for all others to follow suit in more ways than one.

– Loan Tran
Photo: Flickr

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Shining a Spotlight on Restore Haiti

Restore Haiti
Restore Haiti aims to reduce global poverty through a child sponsorship program and relationship building in regions of Haiti. This nonprofit organization founded and formed through friendship continues to change communities through relationships.

How it Started

In 1997, Restore Haiti founder Philip Peters went on a mission trip to Jamaica. There he met Gerald Lafleur, a student on the island. They quickly became friends over the trip and the two stayed in touch through letters. In 2004, Peters took a team of 12 to visit Lafleur. There, Lafleur shared his vision to help his homeland of Haiti with Peters. The two wasted no time and a year later Peters took a team of six to visit a local community in Haiti. “After seeing the need, I knew that the little that I had and the resources that I had were something I could use, and a long-term commitment was birthed,” said Peters. With the help of mentors and the local church, Peters gathered clothes and shoes to donate to the community.

“I want[ed] to live life with them,” said Peters. “When I saw the look in their eyes, I knew a relationship was starting to develop and I wondered what could happen as those relationships went deeper and deeper.” Go deeper the organization did, as Peters and Theresa Swain, Restore Haiti’s Executive Director, partnered with others in the U.S. and Haiti to create a child sponsorship program.

Morne Oge

Restore Haiti serves in three main locations, Morne Oge, Matador and Carrefour. All three communities operate five days a week providing education and hot meals for students through the child sponsorship program. In the Morne Oge region, where the nonprofit originated, it partners with Restoration Ministries to provide food, education and medical care to those in the sponsorship program. In addition, this program equips over 700 elementary, secondary and university/trade school students with sponsorship for their education. A medical clinic within walking distance from the feeding program gives students access to health care. The Restore Center located a short distance away in downtown Jacmel houses a computer lab for both students and staff.

The Matador Region

The nonprofit’s work in the Matador region, located on the outskirts of Jacmel a few miles from Morne Oge, serves 240 children who attend elementary school. These students suffered malnutrition and the community had no funds to pay teachers. In 2016, Restore Haiti extended scholarship opportunities to students in this region to help cover tuition to keep the school open. The nonprofit also extends hot meals and medical care to students in this region.

Carrefour

Restore Haiti’s location in Carrefour near Port-Au-Prince provides education and food for the children in this region. Additionally, this region focuses on mentorships with students, life skills training and character building. “In Carrefour, they are receiving English lessons and art classes at this time,” Juli Wendt, the Director of International Service for Restore Haiti, told The Borgen Project. In an area where most youth join gangs or live troubled lives, providing food, education and life skills gives the necessary foundation for change in this community. According to the Overseas Security Advisory Counsel’s Haiti 2019 Crime & Safety Report, gang on gang violence has risen along with homicides, which totaled 757 in the Port-au-Prince region approximately four miles from Carrefour.

Reynold Yordy, President of Restore Haiti, reported that “[The people of Haiti] need a hand up, not necessarily a handout. That is what I am excited to see us do as an organization…having people mentor someone.” With a dedication to see relationships built and mentorship continue, Restore Haiti changes the community.

Restore Haiti’s Accomplishments

Restore Haiti has several accomplishments. Along with a child sponsorship program, the nonprofit focuses on disaster relief providing water and re-establishing agriculture for local farms. In addition, Restore Haiti provides supplies and tuition for 60 schools, drills wells for clean water and prepares students for universities and trade schools.

Restore Haiti employs over 50 Haitians who serve over 1,000 students in these three communities. Juli Wendt told The Borgen Project that “38 students have graduated with the majority being female, 30 girls and eight males. We motivated the girls more to succeed as they were the most vulnerable group and it clearly paid off.” An education impacts earnings, childbearing, population growth, health, nutrition, well-being and personal decision making for girls according to a Global Partnership Study.

This cultural shift also comes from the students giving back. For instance, Larry John, a graduate of the Restore Haiti program, got to attend school and university through the sponsorship program. “We children [had] a place every day to go to school, reduc[ing] the consequences we have here in Haiti,” he said. Reducing those consequences by providing students with education and food gives them an opportunity to live life. Now he works for Restore Haiti as a photographer in the program and lives the life he dreamed. “The program gave me a monthly salary which allowed me to get married,” he said. In addition to having a life of his own, he gets to give back hope to his community.

The Future for Restore Haiti

In an interview with The Borgen Project, Philip Peters said that “As Restore Haiti has been in existence for 15 years, we…started with wanting to see [kids] eat, have access to medical care and go to school. As those students have grown up, it is our desire to continue to offer [them] opportunities for life. That could be enrolling in university, pinpointing skills and having them get a job, get married and build a life of their own.” When asked how Restore Haiti can help graduates and the community going forward, Peters said that “With the program, we currently offer over 50 jobs, from medical staff, cooks, teachers and now creating photography, video and social media teams. We are committed to dream, find jobs, opportunities and team up with people to help us provide jobs as we see more and more [students] move into adulthood.”

– Danielle Beatty
Photo: Flickr

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6 Facts about Women’s Rights in Bangladesh

Women's Rights in Bangladesh
Since achieving independence in 1971, Bangladesh has lifted 15 million citizens out of poverty and made great strides in tackling food insecurity. However, while its government has been tirelessly working to develop economically, it has also been fighting another battle for women’s rights in Bangladesh.

Despite a patriarchal social framework, Bengali women have held the right to vote since 1947, and the country elected its first female Prime Minister in 1991. Women fought for their country in Bangladesh’s Liberation War, and the constitution that the country subsequently adopted promised equal opportunities for women in all areas. The following six facts about women’s rights in Bangladesh explain how the country has tried to uphold that promise, and what challenges remain.

6 Facts About Women’s Rights in Bangladesh

  1. The government has enacted numerous policies over the past decade focused on women’s rights in Bangladesh. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs has increased allowances for widows, eased the burden on lactating mothers in urban areas and provided job training in fields such as agriculture and electronics. The National Women Development Policy of 2011 aimed to establish equal rights for men and women but also included specific goals such as assistance for female entrepreneurs. To oversee the implementation of the development policy, the government formed a 50-member National Women and Child Development Council chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina has also vocally supported women’s empowerment in global forums such as the UN.
  2. Men still dominate the country’s political system. With Hasina leading the country since 2009 and the main opposition party also being led by a woman, Bangladesh might appear to be a model for women’s empowerment in politics. However, out of 350 seats in the Bangladeshi parliament, only 22 currently belong to directly elected female legislators while 50 are reserved for women who are not directly elected. Female politicians and activists have described a culture of exclusion within the two main political parties, reinforced by male politicians who view their female colleagues as inferior. Still, the proportion of women in parliament has continued to rise over the past decade and women hold seats in 12,000 local political offices.
  3. Maternal mortality has dropped 60% since 2000. This drop has been the result of effective investments in prenatal care. The Government and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, has provided critical support by coordinating midwife training programs. Trained midwives alleviate a major risk factor for maternal mortality, which is a lack of healthcare access for pregnant women. More than half of Bengali women opt to give birth at home, but the proportion of births in which trained health personnel are present has been growing and now makes up more than half.
  4. Violence against women and child marriage remain major problems. Two out of three married women in Bangladesh have experienced domestic violence at some point in their lifetime. Religious law dictates customs such as marriage and cements discrimination against women. Almost 60% of girls are married before their 18th birthday, and their husbands’ families may abandon them if they are unable to bear children. Grassroots and international NGOs have attempted to change this status quo; for example, Girls Not Brides Bangladesh is a partnership of 25 organizations that lobbies the government and promotes advocacy. The government has answered by passing the Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection Act in 2010 and the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 2017, but the results of these efforts have yet to materialize.
  5. Civil society organizations have played a key role in improving women’s rights in Bangladesh. An example of a nonprofit that is supporting Bengali women is the South Murapa Underprivileged Women’s Cooperative Society. This organization provides medical care to women in Cox’s Bazar district. The group’s chairperson, Kulsuma Begum, escaped an abusive husband at the age of 16 and immediately set out to help pregnant women in disaster zones. Apart from domestic organizations like Begum’s, international charities such as Save the Children have made large gains in infant health and early childhood education.
  6. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities. An interagency evaluation by UN Women identified several factors that could erode women’s rights in Bangladesh due to the pandemic, including lack of healthcare access, unequal care work burden and a lack of decision-making power in the pandemic response. Experts also documented a rise in gender-based violence during the initial shutdown, fueling a spike in calls to national trauma hotlines. Luckily, local organizations on the ground have organized cash-for-work activities for women, such as mask making.

The Road Ahead

In the months to come, the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to present challenges for Bangladesh, especially the country’s women. However, Bengali women have long borne the brunt of their country’s struggles while still relentlessly pushing for change. Hopefully, their resilience will ultimately shine through.

 – Jack Silvers
Photo: Flickr

Healthcare in Estonia: A Healthcare System in Progress

Healthcare in Estonia
Estonia is a small country in eastern Europe. Estonia is a former USSR state that gained independence in 1991. As a part of the USSR, Estonia had to rebuild the entire country, including the healthcare system. Healthcare in Estonia has improved since its independence. Though Estonia has come a long way in advancing the quality of its healthcare system, the newly independent country still has a long way to go.

Issues with the Current System

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Estonia is behind in many aspects of the healthcare system in comparison to the European Union counterparts. Estonia spends almost half of the money on healthcare per capita in comparison to the average in other European Union countries. Estonia’s life expectancy is 2.5 years less than the European average. Also, Estonia has a 13% rate of unmet medical needs while the European average is under 3%.

The lack of adequate healthcare funding causes Estonia to have a shortage of nurses, doctors and enough infrastructure to care for patients. The number of doctors and nurses in Estonia decreases every year because they do not get paid enough. According to Politico, Estonia has lost 141.6 doctors and nurses per 100,000 people between 1998 and 2016, the highest percentage in Europe. With a decreasing number of healthcare professionals, a future where citizens cannot receive the care they need seems imminent.

Another issue troubling the healthcare system of Estonia is the unhealthy habits of Estonia’s citizens. Estonia has a sizeable amount of people who are current smokers, alcohol consumers and overweight or obese. According to WHO, 24% of adults in Estonia smoke daily, 23% binge drink and 20% are obese. With the immense number of people with unhealthy habits and a progressing healthcare system, Estonia struggles to adequately care for the large number of people who develop chronic diseases.

Last, Estonia has one of the highest rates of those without long-term health insurance coverage in the European Union. Because so many people in Estonia do not have long-term health insurance, uninsured people do not get the healthcare they need to prevent and treat diseases.

Estonia’s healthcare system impacts the impoverished significantly more than its upper classes. According to WHO, the percentage of low-income Estonians who are in good health is 34% while the middle class is 51% and the high class is 75%. Also, low-income and educated individuals are more likely to binge drink, over twice as likely to smoke and almost 30% more likely to be obese. Lastly, the lowest education and income group in Estonia is about 50% more likely to have chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma and 40% more likely to have hypertension.

Positive Change

Though there are many issues facing healthcare in Estonia, promising developments in the system have been reported. Estonia recently approved a National Health Plan to run from the years 2020 to 2030. The overall goal of this plan is to improve life expectancy and quality of life. The National Health Plan is to implement three plans to improve the quality of healthcare, promote healthy choices and create a healthy environment.

The Estonian government also approved a bill to increase healthcare spending by 180 million euros on top of the normal funding. The government stated that the additional money will “improve the accessibility of healthcare services and the consistency and quality of care.”

With the implementation of a good deal of new legislation in Estonia, healthcare in Estonia has a promising future.

– Hannah Drzewiecki
Photo: Flickr
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COVID-19 Strategies in Large Institutions Can Help Developing Countries

COVID-19 in large institutionsColleges quickly closed upon news of widespread COVID-19 infections in the U.S. Now, they must decide when to reopen. Many universities and colleges, as summer headlines extensively covered, guaranteed their reopening in the fall. However, in order to reopen universities, administrators needed to develop plans to slow the spread. They needed much more than just a simple fix: U.S. universities and colleges required comprehensive strategies that covered every detail of managing the spread of COVID-19. Many universities, such as those listed below, planned to reopen and thus began developing new strategies to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in large institutions.

Colleges With Plans to Reopen

In fact, 65% of colleges communicated an intention to reopen as of late June, including:

  • Tulane University
  • University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
  • The University of Maryland
  • Brown University
  • Lynchburg University
  • The University of California System
  • Michigan State
  • Drexel University
  • Liberty University
  • Rice University

The first on the list, Tulane University, serves as an interesting case study in the question of reopening. According to data collected by Tulane University’s student publication, The Hullabaloo, 43% of students wanted to go forward with an online semester.

Then why reopen? Of course, reopening means that the school is able to cash in on large tuition bills. But what else does reopening accomplish? The surprising answer is that it may spur innovative solutions for minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in large institutions while remaining open.

New Strategies for Minimizing COVID-19 in Large Institutions

Besides Tulane University, schools across the country now have to envision what campus life will look like until a reliable COVID-19 vaccine comes out. Innovations vary from perfecting existing traffic patterns to coming up with new public health diagnostics. After analyzing various university plans, some of the most innovative strategies to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in large institutions include:

  • Testing the sewage containers of large dorms for COVID-19 (as fecal tests are the earliest-result diagnostic tool)
  • Building COVID-19 architecture such as industrial buildings with sanitizing capacities built into their HVAC systems
  • Rotating COVID-19 testing in a set population
  • Requiring morning symptom check-ins via a website or app
  • Testing surfaces, air particles and air vents (since these areas can be swabbed every day, multiple times a day)
  • Offering hybrid classes, which use video conferencing software such as Zoom or pre-recorded lectures for all possible needs while retaining in-person components like labs
  • Controlling all foot traffic patterns
  • Providing personal protective gear
  • Creating new forms to report institutions’ failure to comply with university, city, state or federal regulations
  • Instituting repercussions for those responsible for “super-spreader” events
  • Graduate student research using the university data on COVID-19
  • Instituting stricter shut-down policies in colder regions

By late August, six of the eight colleges listed above decided to limit or cancel in-person offerings entirely. That does not mean that the tools they developed, listed above, were for nothing. Their failed attempts to reopen provided millions of dollars for creating new plans and technology for reopening such large institutions.

How These Strategies Can Help Developing Countries

What do these advancements have to do with fighting global poverty? If both small and large advances are included, there are actually many innovations originating in universities that could translate to the spheres of developing countries to lessen the risk of COVID-19 in these areas.

In fact, university campuses echo the high-density spheres of low-income urban centers across the world. So, if universities are formulating plans for how to reopen this type of institution, countries that must stay open to keep their economies from failing can implement other COVID-19-reducing tools. They would not have to rely solely on the complete lockdowns that European welfare states pulled off early on. Because complete lockdown necessitates almost all citizens have homes, savings and a consistent food source, it is best to offer other tools to limit the spread.

To test new COVID-19 strategies on citizens of developing countries, especially those without healthcare and below the poverty rate, would cause mass death. However, implementing new strategies for fighting COVID-19 in large institutions in which the population is required to have health insurance and most do not fall into at-risk age groups is a much safer equation.

Funding These Innovations

You might be wondering how these countries will be able to afford to implement these precautions. Implementing all of the above innovations would be costly, but over $35 billion has been given to developing countries for just that purpose. USAID, partnering with the State Department, has provided $1.5 billion in COVID-19 relief aid. Private American groups also outsource COVID-19 aid. This number totals somewhere around $20.5 billion according to USAID tracking.

The World Bank Group’s fast-track financing program approved $14 billion to aid countries struggling to fight COVID-19. Nate Rawlings, the Middle East correspondent for the World Bank, detailed the history of this large relief package: “In March, the World Bank’s Board of Directors approved a package of fast-track financing to assist countries in their efforts to prevent, detect and respond to the rapid spread of COVID-19. The Bank organized and approved the fast track facility to quickly get resources to countries dealing with a fast-moving, global public health crisis.” The term “resources,” as used by Rawlings, can be defined as the implementation of the new innovations universities tested and found effective, such as COVID-19 architecture, fecal testing and surface testing. With these new tools, developing countries can remain open while still minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in large institutions, urban spaces and more.

– Rory Davis
Photo: Flickr

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Hunger in Montserrat After Eruption of Soufrière Hills Volcano

Hunger in Montserrat
Montserrat is a self-governing, British Overseas Territory located in the Eastern Caribbean. It is a relatively small island made mostly of mountains and volcanic beaches. In 1995, Montserrat faced catastrophe as the Soufrière Hills Volcano erupted. This article will provide a brief account of how hunger in Montserrat (among other factors) after the eruption of the volcano increased.

Disaster Strikes

The eruption resulted in a mass evacuation of the island — leaving only 30% of the original population behind. This natural disaster has had lasting effects on the island’s resources and economy. However, perhaps the largest impact was increasing hunger in Montserrat, of course, due to the volcanic eruption.

The volcanic deposits from the Soufrière Hills Volcano severely damaged a majority of the territory’s farmland. In this way, the eruption destroyed much of Montserrat’s agricultural sector. Land that was not damaged by the eruption was placed in the exclusion zone. This, in turn, proved to make food and resources inaccessible and scarce for those remaining on the island. Notably, since the eruption occurred, most food in Montserrat comes from overseas imports rather than the territory’s domestic agriculture.

Lasting Impacts on Hunger Issues

In 2012, a Country Poverty Assessment found that 36% of Montserrat’s population was impoverished. Since most food in Montserrat enters the country from abroad, many families are unable to afford weekly food costs. Children under 15 years of age experience this at high rates and unfortunately make up 33% of the territory’s population that is food insecure.

Hunger in Montserrat after the volcanic eruption of 1995 increased. However, the lack of school-based food programs exacerbates the problem. With poverty largely affecting children under age 15, this lack of support only fuels food insecurity issues. A study of primary school students from 2016 revealed that financially insufficient families could not send their children to school with food.

Helping Hands

Since the natural disaster in 1995, Montserrat has made progress in fighting hunger. Importantly, this progress in fighting hunger comes in conjuncture with assistance from the U.K. as well as other countries. Foreign aid has massively contributed to decreasing poverty and hunger in Montserrat. As a result, Montserrat currently ranks as an upper-middle-class country. Aid also comes from organizations, and not just the U.K., helping Montserrat achieve new levels of economic stability. For example, the Montserrat Foundation focuses on distributing money and resources to local individuals on the island. Furthermore, the foundation distributes this aid (money and other resources) to organizations within the island territory to create economic opportunities and growth for the community. As a promising show, after receiving foreign aid, the country’s GDP experienced a 1.5% increase.

From Natural Disaster to Natural Resource

In 2014, the Government of Montserrat brought attention to the use of Soufrière Hills as a geothermal power source. The proper development of geothermal power holds the potential to be a massive turning point in Montserrat’s future. Notably, the Department of International Development has also invested in the project.

Montserrat is simply another example of how foreign aid can effectively create a promising future for a once troubled community. Out of natural disaster and tragedy, the island territory suffered higher rates of hunger and poverty, yet through foreign aid efforts, it is beginning to improve.

– Adelle Tippetts
Photo: Flickr

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The Economy and Women’s Rights in South Korea 

Women’s Rights in South Korea
Historically, women’s rights in South Korea have had limitations and have handicapped the country’s progression. In all realms of society – socially, politically, economically and culturally – women have ranked lower and had fewer rights than their male counterparts. However, there are significant advancements in improving the status of women in South Korea. Specifically, efforts in closing the country’s gender gap could allow for the economy to flourish, and in return, lower overall poverty rates.

Gender Inequality in South Korea

Traditionally, South Korea previously used Confucianism to rule its moral codes and societal structure. For women, these codes determined that they should be obedient to the men in their lives – fathers, husbands and sons. Until the 21st century, men had the title of the head of the household for their families, which reinforced the deep inequality between South Korean men and women. For women, the continuation of familial lines was the primary societal expectation. These historical-cultural expectations set precedence regarding women’s rights in South Korea in modern times.

In 2005, South Korea’s Constitutional Court made the decision to officially retire the tradition of “hoju,” which placed the man at the head of the household. The abolishment of this system had intentions of uplifting South Korean women by improving their daily lives and shows the country heading towards a more inclusive society. In modern-day South Korea, men and women now have equal rights, and furthermore, female employment rates have risen to over 52% since 2018. These significant improvements in women’s rights in South Korea have the potential to create a future with a flourishing economy.

Despite best efforts, South Korea still continues to rank towards the bottom for economic opportunities for women. South Korea ranks at 115 for the country’s economic gender gap, ranks at 124 for economic participation and female opportunity and has the largest pay gap among OECD countries. In addition, South Korean’s working population has started declining and expectations have determined that birthrates will begin to decrease by 2028. A simple, straightforward solution to these issues would be a higher integration of women in the workplace. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an increase in female labor would also increase South Korea’s GDP by 7%, a substantial amount. So, the question is, what is South Korea doing to support female involvement in the workplace?

Solutions

In a 2015 interview, Kim Hee-Jung, the minister of gender equality and family, discussed the ways South Korea is attempting to close its gender gap. Kim Hee-Jung first corrected a common misconception that people have in regard to increasing women’s opportunities by stating an increase in opportunities for women does not decrease men’s opportunities. She proved her point by stating that “the statistics show that in OECD countries with high rates of female economic participation, birthrates and economic growth rates tend also to be higher.” Furthermore, there are policies to aid in creating a sustainable work-life balance for both South Korean men and women. For example, the government initiated the “two-track support for paternity leave,” where men will receive their entire month’s salary if they decide to take paternity leave after their wives have. Kim Hee-Jung ended the interview on a promising note for the future of female power in South Korea’s economy.

Overall, women’s rights in South Korea have greatly improved in this past century. Although South Korea began by placing social expectations and limitations on its women, it has made great efforts in changing these traditional roles. For the South Korean economy to truly thrive, others must continue to recognize and reduce inequality in the workplace. With this acknowledgment, South Korea has the ability to uplift its women in order to enhance its entire economy.

– Bolorzul Dorjsuren
Photo: Flickr

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Tourism and the Backwaters of Kerala

The Backwaters of Kerala
The backwaters of Kerala in India are a maze of lakes, streams and lagoons with a unique ecosystem. Over the years, a variety of challenges have affected the backwaters and threatened the ecosystem, such as contamination from pesticides that farmers use in paddy fields, dumping of chemical emissions from factories and sewage from cities, unregulated sand dredging for construction, and in recent decades, the tourism boom that has worsened water pollution.

Tourism and Pollution

Over 15 million tourists visited Kerala in 2017. Backwater cruises in houseboats, called Kettuvallams, are a popular tourist activity. A reported 70% of households along the Alleppey backwaters are involved in providing tourist services in one form or another.

The popularity of the backwaters as a tourist experience led to a surge in the number of houseboats. More than 1,000 houseboats operate on the backwaters, far beyond capacity, and a large number are not registered. A houseboat can produce up to 1,000 liters of waste a day. Due to lax regulations, most of the houseboats discharge sewage directly into the waters. Emissions and oil leakages from the houseboats and dumping of plastics and other inorganic waste have further contaminated the backwaters.

Effects on the Lives of the Local People

Pollution from sewage dumping, salinization of the water, sand dredging and other such disruptions have affected the lives of the locals in the backwaters of Kerala in many ways. Much of their traditions and cultural practices connect to the waterways. The backwaters are their primary water source, which they use for cooking, drinking, bathing, etc. But due to oil leakages, the water has a glossy residue and tastes like oil, making it dangerous to consume. Polluted waters also affect paddy fields that run alongside the backwaters. The contaminated water reportedly causes illnesses such as skin diseases. And there have been reports of tourist houseboats invading the privacy of the residents.

Additionally, over 1.5 million residents depend on Vembanad Lake for their livelihoods, and the ecological decline is a cause of great concern. Fisherfolks experience the most effects as several fish species have declined in large numbers or disappeared entirely.

Remedial Measures and Challenges

State and District pollution control authorities have set up Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) for proper treatment and disposal of sewage and created regulations to ensure compliance and identify unregistered houseboats. However, these efforts are not without setbacks. A Sewage Treatment Plant set up specifically for houseboats had to shut down due to operational problems, and dumping of sewage into the backwaters continued. Despite these challenges, the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) emphasized the need for more STP’s and an enforcement wing to monitor the houseboats.

Local residents and organizations such as the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), have also taken steps to control pollution and restore the ecosystem. Every year in May, ATREE organizes the Vembanad Fish Count to document fish species and numbers and evaluate the water quality. Fishermen in Muhamma village, with the guidance of ATREE, have created fish sanctuaries to increase the number of fish. An anti-plastic straw campaign and workshops to spread awareness among women in Muhamma village about the advantages of reusable menstrual products also emerged. And more recently, solar-powered boats and non-motorized canoes are gaining popularity among tourists.

While the tourism boom has certainly benefited the State and created a reliable income source for many locals, preserving the backwaters of Kerala and its ecology is of utmost importance. Initiatives by residents, organizations and advocacy groups who have recognized the need for action and policy have helped spread awareness. And while much work needs to still occur, efforts to contain pollution and reverse the ill effects have intensified.

– Amy Olassa
Photo: Flickr