Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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New Cancer Therapies Bring Ray of Hope 

Cancer TherapiesIn 2020, the estimated number of cancer cases of all sexes and ages was 19,292,789 and the number of cancer-related deaths was approximately 10 million. Data suggests that about 400,000 children procure cancer on an annual basis. This goes to show that cancer is still a leading global health problem that has an economic cost of trillions of dollars. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 30-50% of cancers can be prevented simply by early detection, correct diagnosis and avoiding risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, UV radiation and more. Although basic cancer treatments such as radiotherapy and surgery exist, recent advancements show that a number of new cancer therapies developed can significantly increase the survival rate of patients.

A Panacea for Rectal Cancer

On June 5, The New York Times published a piece about a small clinical trial conducted at New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In this trial, 18 patients with stage three rectal cancer were given a drug called Dostarlimab “every three weeks for six months.” Dostarlimab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor. This means that the drug itself does not attack the cancer cells. Dostarlimab instead exposes the cells and allows the patient’s immune system to then “identify and destroy them.”

All 18 patients were miraculously cured of their cancer, leaving no trace of tumors to be found in any physical examinations or body scans. Scientist Dr. Luis A. Diaz Jr stated that “I believe this is the first time this has happened in the history of cancer,” in regards to this study.

The reason why this experiment is so revolutionary in the field of cancer research is because of its implications. According to Dr.Hanna Sanoff of the University of North Carolina’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, rectal cancer patients traditionally have to bear severe consequences after surgeries or chemotherapy.

Sanoff stated in an NPR news interview, “I have had patients who, after their rectal cancer, have barely left the house for years – and in a couple of cases, even decades – because of the consequences of incontinence and the shame that’s associated with this.”

Side Effects and Effectiveness of Dostarlimab

In contrast, this new cancer immunotherapy didn’t bring with it any significant clinical complications for patients. The side effects, if any, were sparse and less in intensity.

However, this study has proven to be useful for only a “subset of patients” who have a specific gene mutation known as mismatch repair gene deficiency. About 5% of cancer patients have such gene abnormalities and they are the ones who will respond well to the Dostarlimab drug.

To gauge the true effectiveness of this research study, a more broad and diverse sample needs to be experimented upon. Nonetheless, this is a hopeful beginning that shows that cancer therapies can cure cancer for good.

New Drugs Synthesized treat Hard-to-Cure Breast Cancers

A new study published on July 5 in the New England Journal of Medicine focused on treating cancer patients with low levels of HER2, a protein “which is a common villain in breast and other cancers.”

Previously, it was found that drugs attacking HER2 only worked for patients who had high levels of the protein. However, 80–85% of breast cancer patients have low levels of HER2 (“a condition known as HER2-low”), making the usage of these drugs unhelpful.

In this clinical trial, 557 patients with HER2-low metastatic breast cancer were divided randomly into two groups. Two-thirds of patients were intravenously injected with a drug called trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) every three weeks. The rest received standard chemotherapy.

The results showed that patients who had taken T-DXd “survived for a median of 23.4 months overall, while those in the chemotherapy group survived for a median of 16.8 months.” The unique thing about T-DXd is that it contains an antibody attached to a chemotherapy drug. When T-DXd finds a cancer cell with HER2 on it, “the chemotherapy drug separates from the antibody and kills the cell.”

The Impact of T-DXd and Foundation of ERX-41

Breast cancer specialist Jane Meisel, M.D. of Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute, who was not part of the study, believes that the findings will “change how metastatic HER2-low breast cancer is treated, and are ‘a huge win for [the] patients.’”

In another experiment published on June 9,  UT Dallas associate professor Dr. Jung-Mo Ahn synthesized a new compound called  ERX-41, which helped in destroying tumor cells in the breast. This compound proved especially effective in treating patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and is novel because traditionally, there have been “few treatment options for patients with TNBC.”  ERX-41 also proved to be helpful in treating pancreatic, ovarian and brain cancers.

A New WHO Initiative

On June 4, WHO announced its collaboration with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO). The primary goal of this partnership is to reduce inequalities and improve the quality of cancer care, both globally and locally. The emphasis is on low-income countries where “comprehensive treatment” is found in less than 15% of places.

Through innovation, network-building and pooling of resources and tools, the WHO and ASCO will lift the cancer burden on many patients and provide them with effective treatment.

A Look Ahead

Much progress has been made in developing new cancer therapies that would have been unfathomable even a few years back. The road ahead is long and yet there is light at the end of the tunnel.

–Anushka Raychaudhuri
Photo: Unsplash

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The Fight Against Period Poverty in Botswana

Period Poverty in BotswanaPeriod poverty is a global socio-economic issue that girls and women face due to the unaffordability of menstrual products and inaccessibility of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities. To address period poverty in Botswana, the nation passed a motion in 2017 to supply free menstrual products to girls in both public and private schools. This will allow girls to continue their education amid their menstrual cycles.

Period Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

Because menstruation is a taboo topic in conservative communities and countries, many girls lack education on proper menstrual health and management. As a result of a lack of education and inability to access menstrual products, girls resort to dangerous substitutes, such as rags, wool and paper, that can lead to both short and long-term negative health consequences. In 2019, the World Bank noted that just 27% of people in sub-Saharan Africa had access to basic forms of sanitation, a factor that exacerbates difficulties in maintaining menstrual hygiene. Furthermore, due to a lack of access to WASH facilities, girls and women in sub-Saharan Africa are more susceptible to reproductive diseases.

Education is a fundamental right and a way out of poverty, yet, according to UNESCO, in 2014, due to period poverty, 10% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa missed school while menstruating. Furthermore, some girls lose 20% of their education, increasing the chances of girls dropping out of school entirely. The Botswana parliament’s motion for free period products to be available in schools highlights the importance of fighting period poverty to move closer to ending global poverty.

Cultural Issues

Due to menstrual taboos and stigmas, girls feel ashamed of their periods and miss school because of misinformation. When girls miss out on school, entire communities area are affected as the girl loses the ability to better the local area through the knowledge and skills gained through education. In Botswana, “religious beliefs, cultural practices and social myths” make discussing menstruation with adults difficult for young girls. As a result, girls do not know how to properly manage their menstruation. When girls do not feel shame about a natural biological process such as menstruation, these girls are empowered socially, physically, and ultimately, economically.

The Economics of Period Poverty

Sub-Saharan Africa has an extreme poverty rate of about 40% without much change from 1990 to 2018.  In Botswana specifically, according to the World Bank, the poverty rate reached 60% by April 2021 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These figures highlight the financial struggle of a vast amount of regional populations, a situation that makes purchasing period products understandably difficult. Period poverty in Botswana is partially a consequence of the high volume of impoverished residents that cannot afford basic necessities.

Solutions

The Botswana government is combating period poverty in Botswana with nationwide legal policies to provide all girls, both in public and private school institutions, with free period products. Through programs and legislation that allows open conversations and access to sanitary products, girls in Botswana are one step closer to breaking free from cycles of poverty.

– Ann Shick
Photo: Flickr

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USAID’s Response to the Record-Breaking Drought in Africa 

Drought in AfricaThe Horn of Africa is suffering from its worst drought in 40 years, a crisis that has killed millions of livestock and plunged millions of people into food insecurity. In response to this historic drought in Africa, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has pledged almost $1.3 billion in assistance to the regions hardest hit by the drought.

A Record-Breaking Drought

The past four rainy seasons in the Horn of Africa—a region which includes Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya—have seen below-average rainfall. The most recent rainy season, from March to May 2022, was the area’s driest rainy season in 70 years. The U.N. expects that the upcoming rainy season from October to December 2022 will also be dry.

This unprecedented drought has had dire consequences for those living in the Horn of Africa:

  • As of July 2022, the U.N. estimated that 18.6 million people in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya are facing food insecurity due to the drought and this figure could rise to 20 million by September.
  • The International Rescue Committee warns that 3 million people are at risk of starving to death in the region.
  • 7.1 million children are acutely malnourished, with 2.1 million children falling in the category of acutely malnourished.
  • More than 11.6 million people lack access to sufficient water for drinking, cooking and cleaning.
  • An estimated 7 million livestock have died and an additional at 22 million are at risk of dying due to the drought.

Immediate Impacts of the Drought

In addition to the immediate impacts on food and water insecurity, the Horn of Africa’s drought has impacted the lives of those living there in more indirect ways. With more than 1.1 million people displaced as a consequence of the drought and women and girls traveling as much as three times as long as they did before to find water, the Horn of Africa has seen an increase in gender-based violence and school drop-out rates.

Approximately 15 million children in the region are now out of school and an additional 3.32 million children across the region are at risk of dropping out because of the drought. The drought has also had negative impacts on hygiene practices. As drinking water has become scarcer, people have started to ration their water, using more water for drinking and cooking and less for hygiene. Consequently, the drought has put people at a higher risk for infection and water-borne diseases.

While the drought on its own has had disastrous effects, Russia’s war on Ukraine has compounded the crisis the Horn of Africa is experiencing. Regionally, 84% of wheat is imported, and 90% of that imported wheat comes from Russia and Ukraine. Due to the combined effects of smaller harvests and war-induced inflation, the cost of food has risen 66% in Ethiopia and 36% in Somalia.

The United States Offers Help

In July 2022, USAID announced an additional $1.18 billion in aid for countries hardest hit by this historic drought. This brings the total U.S. assistance for the crisis up to $1.86 billion in 2022 alone — the greatest contribution of any single country.

The most recent round of funding will go towards measures that will provide immediate assistance to those suffering the consequences of the drought as well as efforts to help the Horn of Africa build resistance against potential future droughts. Funding will support the delivery of emergency food supplies including a grain called shogun, split peas and vegetable oil. To help the high number of children suffering from malnutrition as a result of the drought, USAID will help screen communities for malnutrition in children and provide nutritional supplements for those found to be most at risk.

USAID also plans to use a portion of the funds to help farmers by providing medical services and food to animals as well as working with agricultural communities to develop more drought-resistant farming techniques. Addressing some of the secondary consequences of the drought, USAID will also direct funds toward disease prevention and gender-based violence reduction efforts.

A Look Ahead

While this unprecedented drought has been devastating for the Horn of Africa, the U.N. estimated in July that an additional $1.8 billion in aid was required to address the crisis. The recent announcement by USAID in July covers almost two-thirds of this requirement and has the potential to help the millions who have suffered the dire consequences of the drought in Africa.

– Anna Inghram
Photo: Flickr

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New National Health Care Insurance in South Africa

New National Health Care InsuranceIn South Africa, there have been unequal opportunities regarding health care and its access. Since the apartheid, many black Africans have been unable to access private health care or health care facilities. Based on a 2020 study specifically, out of 80% of Black Africans in South Africa, only 8.1% had access to private medical insurance in 2013.  However, the government passed a new National Health Care Insurance bill in South Africa to be established by 2026 to address the inequalities and health care disparities.

What is the New National Health Care Insurance?

The new National Health Care Insurance in South Africa aims to ensure every citizen has access to health care services in the private and public spheres. Employers and workers would both contribute to funding the insurance. The current public health care system would provide the resources needed for the new health care system including doctors and clinics. All private medical aids and hospitals would be removed and the government would reform the public health care infrastructure. The South African National Department of Health would be responsible for hiring the leadership to conduct the insurance and additional positions would be created to ensure the process runs smoothly. It will be implemented in phases with phase one consisting of the following:

  • strengthening the current health care systems
  • establishing the National Health Care Insurance legislation
  • building the foundational institutions for the insurance to be implemented
  • include personal health care services for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly and those with disabilities

Controversy Among the Citizens

Some citizens are hesitant about the new National Health Care Insurance in South Africa. The PwC, a firm that offers business advising services, conducted a survey where 31 chief officers from South African medical organizations were asked questions about the new insurance system.  The survey showed that only 50% of the officers thought the insurance would be successful in addressing the concerns with the current health care system. Some topics that the officers were especially concerned about were:

  • the type of coverage and benefits that will be available to the public
  • the structure of the government
  • corruption and if that will affect the new insurance
  • how many health care workers the infrastructure can hold
  • how public insurance will affect the private sector

Other controversy surrounds the infringement on South Africa’s Bill of Rights. The bill would require the citizens to have National Health Care Insurance regardless of their desire to have it. With this insurance, citizens could not obtain other private health care insurance, which the Board of Healthcare Funders of South Africa says is a violation of Section 27 of the South African Bill of Rights.

A Look Ahead

The new National Health Care Insurance in South Africa can help ensure all citizens have equal access to affordable health care. While there are many benefits to the insurance, citizens are still skeptical about if it will meet their needs. Time will tell if there will be a difference in how many people can access health care in South Africa and if the health care disparities from the current health care system will disappear.

– Janae O’Connell

Photo: Wikimedia

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Rebuilding Health Care in Liberia

Health Care in LiberiaLiberia has had a long relationship with poverty, with 50.9% of the population living below the national poverty line in 2016. This figure was predicted to increase in 2021 by The World Bank. Due to the heavy burden of poverty, many children deal with malnutrition. The civil war in Liberia during the 1990s, as well as the Ebola outbreak in 2014, have had significant impacts on overall life, including health care in Liberia.

Malnutrition

Widespread poverty in Liberia has had far-reaching impacts on citizens’ lives. Apart from an inadequate health care infrastructure in Liberia, poverty also directly impacts the health of citizens in the form of malnutrition. The effects of malnutrition are far-reaching, especially for children. An estimated 32% of children younger than the age of 5 suffer stunting due to malnutrition.

Malnutrition also increases the risk of death and infections. Additionally, malnutrition can negatively affect a child’s brain function. The struggle stems from more than just a lack of food, but a lack of funds to afford foods with the proper nutrients. As of 2017, 69% of children under the age of 5 in Liberia are anemic.

Malnutrition has an adverse effect on economic efficiency, human capital and national development, according to USAID. Furthermore, the lack of resources such as clean water and proper sanitation increases the risk of stunting.

Partners in Rebuilding Health Care

The interconnectedness of the world means quick patterns of disease spread, which can lead to global health crises, as with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, impoverished countries, such as Liberia, have fragile health systems that are not well-equipped to properly manage such disease outbreaks.

Partners in Health (PIH) came to the country’s aid back in 2014 when the Ebola outbreak posed a massive threat to West Africans. Partners in Health continued to aid health care in Liberia, by strengthening the pre-existing health care facilities and infrastructure.

The organization’s aid has contributed to positive health impacts in Liberia. For instance, people dying from tuberculosis decreased from 15% to 0% after PIH support began in 2014. Also, mental health patients in Partners in Health supported facilities went up 30%. The organization has also helped train communities on health-promoting practices and provided training to health care professionals as well.

The world is more interconnected than ever, which means that countries are more able to help one another and collaborate to combat global poverty.

– Kelsey Jensen
Photo: Flickr

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Reducing Energy Insecurity in Greenland

Energy Insecurity in GreenlandHome to roughly 600 residents, Qaanaaq is the northernmost town in Greenland. With Arctic landscapes and high fuel costs, native residents have expressed concerns over their inability to continue spending on fossil fuels. As the community looks for new solutions to address the threat of energy insecurity in Greenland, renewable energy is offering promising prospects.

Fossil Fuels in the Arctic

Resources for fuel have been an ongoing issue for those in Greenland, but for communities like Qaanaaq, being so far north presents unique challenges. Traditionally, people in Greenland use fossil fuels more commonly because they are easier to transport across long distances. However, since Qaanaaq is not accessible by road, the ice-breaking ship brings all fuel, which is not always a reliable nor successful mode of transportation. According to Nature, in 2019, ice conditions were such that the ship carrying fuel was unable to deliver essential fuel sources to the community and the shipment was eventually flown in.

The cost of these delivery systems is significant and accounts for the high prices of local fuels. As sub-zero temperatures are frequent, heating costs for residents are reaching all-time highs–even as the government of Greenland offers heavy subsidization for these fuels, Nature reports.

With 80 remote communities in Greenland relying on diesel fuel for electric power, energy insecurity in Greenland is becoming more of an issue each year.

Sled Dogs and Energy Insecurity

The cost of fuel has led to a series of issues–each causing a domino effect for the community. Recent climatic and environmental changes have threatened Indigenous practices, as locals in Qaanaaq have seen their traditions not only fade, but their livelihoods threatened. As energy insecurity in Greenland increases, hunters and fishermen have struggled to feed their sled dogs, resulting in a decline of traditional hunting and fishing practices.

Additionally, as fossil fuel prices climb, many have recently resorted to leaving their hometown as a direct result of the subsequent financial and mental strains. With life-long residents leaving the area–taking with them Indigenous knowledge–this threatens both culture and tradition.

Power from Natural Resources

Concerns have not gone unnoticed by locals and scholars alike. Mary Albert, a snow physicist at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, has championed the beginning of energy change for the Qaanaaq community, according to Nature. By partnering with native residents and hunters like Toku Oshima, goals of limiting dependency on fossil fuels and using locally generated resources in the area are becoming a reality.

With the fishing and hunting community’s needs at the forefront, Albert and her team started building sustainable technology solutions in April 2020 to help the Qaanaaq community transition to a renewable energy source that can be easily maintained by the community.

Unlike other renewables, which can require heavy maintenance which Qaanaaq struggles to provide, the team is working on their project directly with residents of the town to provide a system that is both affordable and easily serviceable within the harsh arctic environment. The project aims to use waste heat from diesel generators to generate power, which would otherwise have been wasted, according to WWF Report.

Funding from the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society has provided the team with the funding necessary to travel to Qaanaaq and understand their specific needs.

Success in the North

Notably, renewable energy solutions are not new to Greenland. The community of Uummannaq has the highest northernmost solar panels in the country. Nukissiorfiit, a government-owned energy company, completed the solar cells’ installation in 2020.

Since then, 71% of the energy it produced is with the help of renewables through solar cells, wind power and hydropower.

Similarly, the town of Ilulissat, Greenland, boasts 95% green energy, as hydropower dominates productivity and has replaced a major heritage diesel power plant, according to Visit Greenland. These hydropower projects are able to use meltwater coming from permafrost layers and glaciers, accessing turbines as deep as 200 meters below the surface.

These communities stand as exemplars of the possibilities that await Qaanaaq if they can continue forward with securing renewable energy as their primary energy source.

A Green Future

As many address the concerns of energy insecurity in Greenland, it is clear that the future of Greenland’s energy is shifting towards renewables. By harnessing the resources and power of the Arctic, the goal of the government-owned energy company, Nukissiorfiit, is to produce 100% green energy products throughout Greenland by the year 2030, according to Visit Greenland.

– Michelle Collingridge
Photo: Flickr

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Hungary’s Foreign Aid

Hungary’s Foreign AidAccording to the World Economic Forum data, the top 10 countries that give the most foreign aid are Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Ireland, Norway, Canada, Japan, Finland, the United States and Japan respectively. Also, it is impressive to see that the foreign aid contribution of many European Union (EU) countries is in the top 30 list. As a geographically and politically crucial country in the EU, Hungary is on that list. Here is some information about Hungary’s foreign aid.

Showing Ambition

As an EU country, Hungary ranks sixteenth among Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members for the official development assistance (ODA)/gross national income (GDI) ratio in 2021, according to World Economic Forum. Hungary provided $455 million of ODA in 2021. It is 0.29% of Hungary’s GNI. It may sound lower compared to others in the region like Switzerland which provided $3.9 billion in 2021, with 0.51% of GNI, however, Hungary shows its ambition to invest more in foreign aid continuously with different types of programs and strategies. Numbers are also positive for Hungary’s foreign aid investing ambition. While in 2010, Hungary provided approximately $109 million of ODA, in 2021, it provided $455 million. How did Hungary increase its ODA this much in a decade? Several programs and strategies below are the answer to the increase in Hungary’s foreign aid.

The Hungary Helps Program

The Hungarian Government launched the Hungary Helps program in 2017 to provide aid for global disasters (natural or human-made) and to eliminate the main reasons for forced migration. For this program, Hungary prepares and manages international humanitarian aid projects with the help of religious organizations and charities by targeting the most vulnerable people under various collaborations. Up to now, more than 250,000 people stay in their countries instead of migrating illegally, which may cause security or health risks, according to the Hungarian Government. With this result, this program is highly influential such that there is a recommendation for the United States Government to take a similar approach to the illegal migration problem at the borders in the media.

COVID-19 Response

For the COVID-19 Response, Hungary provided $24 million only in 2020. This amount represents 10.6% of the total gross bilateral ODA, according to OECD. Hungary provided 20 medical ventilators and 20,000 masks to the Republic of Lebanon in 2021 and assisted countries like Serbia, Slovenia and North Macedonia with 600,000 masks and 30,000 items of protective clothing. Additionally, Hungary provided help to African and Asian countries in accordance with the EU Policy.

Ukraine Humanitarian Aid

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Hungary provided 200 ventilators, 250 patient monitors, 25 central monitors and 100 infusion pumps and blood bags to Ukraine. Also, the government announced it would provide health care to all Ukrainian refugees who stay there for a long time, and this healthcare will be at the same level as Hungarians. Additionally, the government made another shipment of humanitarian aid, including clamps, scissors, instrument trays, infusion sets, bandages, surgical gloves and medicines to Ukraine in March 2022.

Africa Strategy of Hungary

In 2013, Hungary announced this strategy in the Official Gazette and launched the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship program that promotes the study of foreign students in Hungary for higher education. It is because the Hungarian Government believes that education ties foreign people to Hungarian culture forever and that when they return to their countries, they protect these ties by engaging in economic activities with Hungary. Under this strategy, for the 2015-2016 Academic Year, Hungary signed bilateral agreements with Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria and Tunisia and offered scholarship quotas. In the beginning, 38% of the quota was filled. But in 2020, this increased to 195%. Hungary also signed agreements with South Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and Cape Verde, in the meantime.

International Development Cooperation Strategy (2020 – 2025)

Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade previously announced the International Development Cooperation Strategy from 2020 to 2025. Hungary would like to increase its effects on the international arena as a country and address the challenges of the global community. With this strategy, Hungary hopes to provide help where it is needed most and aims to solve the main reasons for migration.

All in all, although Hungary’s foreign aid looks limited at first sight, its investment in foreign aid increases each year determinately in accordance with its goals.

– Irem Aksoy
Photo: Flickr

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Human Trafficking in Oman

Human Trafficking in OmanHuman trafficking rates have grown significantly in the last decade. While rising global trends persist amid the COVID-19 pandemic, countries like Oman steadily reinforce its policies to combat human trafficking in Oman.

The Human Trafficking Epidemic

According to the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), human trafficking is defined as the “recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit.”

The involuntary movement of people occurs internationally and affects men, women and children. Human trafficking varies in scope and degree regarding its victims’ characteristics. The data shows most women and girls are sex trafficked; most men and boys are labor trafficked. Perpetrators include organized crime groups or individuals acting of their accord. UNODC highlights immigrants and the unemployed as more susceptible to trafficking, with the COVID-19 crisis likely to “expose more people to the risk of trafficking.”

Oman’s Policies on Human Trafficking

According to the U.S. Department of State, Oman ranks at “Tier Two,” indicating a country that lacks to meet the Trafficking Victim Protection Act’s basic requirements but shows substantial effort to meet those standards. Some areas where Oman struggled to fight against human trafficking include failing to prosecute, investigate or convict supposed traffickers. But, while there have been shortcomings, there have been great strides in tackling human trafficking in Oman.

To further develop victim detection and identify possible trafficking situations, the Omani Ministry of Labor and Royal Omani Police created counter-trafficking units. The units investigated over 20,000 labor disputes and monitored and inspected 312 recruiting agencies for possible trafficking scenarios, the U.S. Department of State reports.

Omani authorities also designated approximately $4.6 million in victim shelters and services such as legal support, rehabilitation, medical care and many others. In addition to the victim shelters, the Omani ministry implemented a labor law to better protect the rights of domestic and migrant workers to mitigate abusive labor relationships and boost victims to protective services.

Continuing The Fight Against Human Trafficking

In December 2020, Oman’s Foreign Affairs Ministry hosted a conference to acquire feedback on the National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking and evaluate Oman’s effectiveness in combating trafficking. Currently, Oman endorses the National Action Plan. It recognizes the issue of human trafficking and the severe repercussions trafficking has on the marginalized members of society; while stressing the importance of government(s) cooperation in fostering and enhancing anti-trafficking programs.

The Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to finance an expert advisor on international human trafficking and aids multi-national bodies in investigating, proposing new legislation and advancing data collection strategies.

Omanis have also begun to sponsor and host more national campaigns to inform the public about human trafficking in Oman, according to the U.S. Department of State. The campaign instructs its participants on how to correctly identify cases of human trafficking and how to report these crimes to both the authorities and hotline service.

During the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report, the Sultanate of Oman disclosed its recognition of 29 female victims. This is an improvement from the previous year, where the Sultanate discovered only 25 victims, the U.S. Department of State reports. Out of the 29 victims, the trafficking hotline recovered three. Additionally, in June 2022, in cooperation with INTERPOL, Omani authorities successfully rescued six human trafficking victims.

The Omani Centre for Human Rights (formerly the Omani Monitor for Human Rights) is at the forefront of the observance and reporting of human rights matters, including human trafficking in Oman. Its primary objective is to record cases of violation and raise awareness in all public sectors through its team of researchers in the field. The organization coordinates with international bodies such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters without Borders, MENA Rights Group and others, to mobilize international conferences on human rights.

While there is much work to be done, Oman is one of several countries gallantly stepping into the arena of combating human trafficking. The nation continues to revise, enhance and adopt new strategies to its policies to fight against human trafficking in Oman.

– Ricardo Silva
Photo: Flickr

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Poverty in the United Kingdom

POVERTY IN THE UNITED KINGDOMThe United Kingdom has a population of approximately 68 million people, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet and live in poverty. As of the parliament’s most recent studies in 2022, nearly one in five people live in poverty in the United Kingdom.

The Issue of Poverty

The issue of poverty has been a problem that has long plagued the United Kingdom. Many of these issues can be attributed to a decade of public service cuts. This has pushed many families to the brink of poverty and many others into poverty.

As of 2021, the poverty rate among working households is as high as it has ever been in Britain. Due to steadily increasing property prices, private sector rent hikes and record childcare costs, working families are adopting unhealthy lifestyles and using high-cost credit to pay off debts.

Right Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, a member of IPPR’s welfare state advisory panel states that these families “are trying as hard as they can but still finding it impossible to feed their families and provide a safe roof over their heads,” the Big Issue reports.

Many of these factors are financially related, such as spiraling housing costs among low-income households, as well as low wages and modest pay rises, according to The Guardian. Other factors are systemically based, such as a constant lack of flexible as well as affordable childcare and a social security system that has proven unable to keep up with rising rental costs. Families who are unable to buy a home have to rent from private landlords. These systemic issues affect them the worst due to a benefits system that rewards landlords as opposed to its citizens.

The Impact on Children

According to The Children Society of the United Kingdom, 4.3 million children live in poverty in the United Kingdom, as of 2021. These children are less likely to have a strong support system around them, due to their guardians devoting their energy to surviving with the few resources they have. This could put these children at an increased risk of homelessness, addiction and exploitation by criminal gangs, according to the Big Issue.

Solutions

Most experts agree that the key to reducing the poverty rate in the United Kingdom is reforming the welfare system. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) feels that “without long-term reforms, the government will face a perpetual choice between paying constantly rising social security bills or allowing the number of working families in poverty to increase unchecked, as is currently the case,” the Big Issue reports.

Thankfully, there are numerous organizations that are hard at work to ensure that the cycle of poverty in the United Kingdom comes to an end. The organization at the forefront of that fight is Oxfam. Since its establishment in 1942 it has been committed to “a kinder, fairer world – a world less divided by borders, money, race or gender” said Oxfam’s CEO Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah.

In the year 2021 alone, Oxfam assisted 12.8 million people who were at risk or facing poverty. With these far-reaching efforts in the face of such daunting statistics and the continued fight of the British people, the future of the United Kingdom appears much brighter than in recent memory.

– Austin Hughes
Photo: Flickr

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Girls Not Brides is Working to End Child Marriage

Girls Not Brides Girls Not Brides is an international nonprofit that works to end child marriage around the world. The organization is an initiative founded in 2011 by The Elders, a group of senior statesmen and human rights advocates brought together in 2007 by Nelson Mandela. Girls Not Brides has been working for over a decade to bring the issue of child marriage to the forefront of the government’s attention.

What is Child Marriage?

The term ‘child marriage’ refers to any formal or informal union between a child under the age of 18, and an adult or another child. According to the Girls Not Brides Atlas, the three countries with the highest rates of child marriage as of 2020 are Niger, Central African Republic and Chad. Currently, one in five girls worldwide are married before they are 18, which is a decrease from 10 years ago when one in four girls were victims of the practice. Despite this reduction, the practice still remains very prevalent in certain places. Child marriage can be the result of grave gender inequality, as the frequency of the tradition amongst boys is one sixth of that amongst girls.

Child marriage is also largely driven by poverty, as girls can pose as financial burdens to their families and are married to help relieve fiscal pressure. Girls believe that marriage is the key to securing their futures and sometimes drop out of school before they receive secondary education and begin their lives as wives. In some communities, marriage at a younger age can mean a lower expense. It is customary in different cultures for the girl’s family to ask for money in exchange for their daughter’s hand in marriage. Younger brides tend to go for higher rates, which serves as an incentive for impoverished families to sell their daughters as soon as they can.

The Dangers of Child Marriage

The practice of child marriage has devastating effects on the girls who fall victim. Girls married under the age of 15 are 50% more likely to suffer from domestic violence than those married at a later age. Child marriage can result in girls having sex before they are emotionally and physically ready and is a key driver of adolescent pregnancy, which carries its own health risks. When a girl enters a marriage, she is usually expected to drop out of school and tend to the home and eventually, the children.

If and when girls are ready to return to school, they are faced with barriers such as household responsibilities and a lack of educational and social preparation. In fact, school closures due to the pandemic have exposed 10 million more girls to child marriage as isolation and rising financial instability have driven families to turn to child marriage in order to cope with the economic challenges that came with COVID-19.

How Girls Not Brides is Working to End Child Marriage

Girls Not Brides is working to end child marriage in a multitude of ways. Not only does it work to prevent child marriage, but it also amplifies the voices of current and potential victims. Girls Not Brides strives to bring awareness to the problem by encouraging informed discussions about the topic on local, national, and international levels. As of 2020, Girls Not Brides is made up of more than 1,500 members from 104 countries around the world and has advocated across multiple platforms and top-tier media outlets.

Girls Not Brides offers in-person and online workshops in order to enlighten people on child marriage and educate them in ways they can help. It also mobilizes various political and financial supporters to help further its cause.

A Look Ahead

The nonprofit comprises of 1,400 civil society organizations around the world and works with a range of stakeholders and partners to ensure that its message is being heard. Girls Not Brides is working to end child marriage so that girls everywhere can grow up to reach their full potential, and is bringing light to an issue that is often overlooked but extremely important.

–Ava Lombardi 
Photo: Flickr