Archive for category: Homelessness

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5 Facts About Homelessness in Turkmenistan

Homelessness in TurkmenistanTurkmenistan is a secretive and self-contained nation. Most data about poverty and homelessness in the country is out-of-date. According to Knoema, the most recent data available is from 1998 and puts the poverty rate in Turkmenistan at 51.4%. Despite this lack of information, satellite images have provided the outside world with an image of Turkmenistan’s epidemic of homelessness. Here are five facts about increasing homelessness in Turkmenistan.

5 Facts About Increasing Homelessness in Turkmenistan

  1. Turkmenistan is an upper-middle-class income country, as classified in 2012. Turkmenistan is predicted to have the fourth-largest oil reserves in the world, with about 10% of the global total. Despite this, the public sector dominates the economy and enforces tight administrative controls on all private-sector businesses. Because of this, the few employed people face low wages and long hours. In addition, in the private sector, it is nearly impossible to find success. This makes the economy vulnerable to corruption.
  2. Homelessness disproportionately affects single mothers. While there used to be a cultural stigma surrounding divorce, it has become increasingly common for husbands to leave their wives and families without providing funds, food or shelter for the families.
  3. The government perpetuates much of the homelessness in Turkmenistan. For example, for the past several decades, forced demolitions and mass evictions have been common phenomena in Turkmenistan. These rapidly escalated since 2015 in preparation for the Fifth Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games. The government forcibly evicted homeowners without appropriate compensation and demolished extensions to homes in an effort to standardize and “beautify” homes in the country. Because Turkmenistan is such a secretive nation, it is difficult to say just how many people have been forcibly evicted from their homes by the government. Through satellite imagery, Amnesty International estimates that 50,000 or more people have lost their homes in this beautification effort.
  4. Low wages also play a key role in homelessness in Turkmenistan. The lack of jobs, increasing food prices and plummeting wages have exacerbated homelessness. As a result, many citizens turn to begging and scavenging in the trash.
  5. The government of Turkmenistan systematically denies citizens the freedom of religion and self-expression. Because of this, victims of government-manufactured homelessness have no legal recourse to the injustices committed against them. Governing authorities are prone to using threats and force against any opposition.

Because Turkmenistan is so isolated, spreading awareness of homelessness in the country is the first step to solving the issue. For example, human rights organizations such as The Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights (TIHR) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have been raising awareness of the mass demolitions on behalf of the government since 2017. They have publicly condemned the government’s actions. Additionally, the United States has been providing aid to Turkmenistan since 1992. Aid from the United States supports programs that improve social services, improve access to information and increase the development of markets and agriculture.

– Caroline Warrick-Schkolnik
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Homelessness in Paraguay

Homelessness in ParaguayParaguay has undoubtedly experienced economic growth in the 21st century, resulting in an average GDP increase of 4% in recent years. Living conditions have generally improved in the past two decades, with a rising middle class and enhanced means of access to safe drinking water, especially within historically marginalized rural areas. Nevertheless, poverty and income inequality have remained serious obstacles to welfare in Paraguay, as made evident by a consistently high GINI coefficient above 45 and a deep rural-urban economic gap. Although the country has seen undeniable economic growth, homelessness in Paraguay remains a problem.

While it is estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a GDP decline of 1.2% in 2020, Paraguay is expected to shortly return to its pattern of economic growth. This is particularly given to the country’s low case and death rates compared to fellow Latin American countries. Even so, the national poverty rate is expected to worsen due to the country’s vulnerability to the global economy and to the COVID-19 induced recession. A poverty rate exceeding 24% will exacerbate housing insecurity and homelessness in Paraguay.

Homelessness in Paraguay

A concrete estimate of Paraguay’s homeless population does not exist due to factors ranging from the individuals’ mobility to simply the lack of research efforts conducted to establish this figure. However, the Inter-American Development Bank approximates that 43% of Paraguayan families live in inadequate housing. While many of these families may own a physical home, these spaces often lack proper sanitary conditions, access to technology and space.

Flooding has been a major issue over the past decade resulting in the displacement of tens of thousands, particularly affecting impoverished citizens living by the Paraguay River near the national capital, Asunción. In 2015 alone, 50,000 Paraguayans were dislocated from their homes as a result of a disastrous flood. The inadequate assistance from the government has resulted in large protests stemming from affected populations. Housing insecurity, as a consequence of floods and various land ownership issues, has resulted in protestors occupating Asunción’s main square to demand that the government address Paraguay’s housing crisis.

The government’s corruption has indeed resulted in the removal of vulnerable families from their homes. Moreover, according to Habitat For Humanity, 1.1 million houses are needed in Paraguay to harbor those who flood into cities from rural regions— an estimate which only continues to rise. Low-income Paraguayans are desperate for improved housing security.

Civil Society Projects Addressing Paraguay’s Housing Insecurity

Due to the lack of action by state actors, various NGOs and grassroots organizations have taken it upon themselves to address homelessness in Paraguay and the country’s root causes of poverty. Here are just a few of the efforts being done to confront the crisis.

Habitat for Humanity has constructed and repaired homes for low-income families at low and affordable rates. Offering this assistance has helped address the issue of a lack of and/or unsafe housing in urban areas. Such initiative has provided homes for over 4,500 families over the past 22 years.

Fundación Paraguay is an enterprise partnered with the Homeless World Cup that incentivizes schooling as well as provides assistance to schools with predominantly low-income student populations. The organization’s entrepreneurial education program has helped over 100,000 marginalized children and women, providing them with a knowledge base critical for their own socio-economic growth and housing security.

Conclusion

Unsafe housing and homelessness remain a major problem in Paraguay as a result of natural disasters, increasing urbanization, corruption and exacerbated poverty due to COVID-19. Non-state actors have played a major role in providing technical support and housing aid to marginalized populations. However, building improved government response to floodings and overpopulation is imperative for improved living conditions.

– Breana Stanski
Photo: Flickr

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7 Facts About Homelessness In Bolivia

Homelessness in Bolivia
Bolivia is a country located in South America. It borders Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Peru and Argentina, and has no access to the oceans surrounding South America. About half of the land in this country is occupied by the Andes Mountains and consists of dry land. Typically, people overlook Bolivia in comparison to more popular countries in South America like Chile, Peru and Brazil. Bolivia is most recognized for its breathtaking sand flats, however, homelessness in Bolivia is rampant. Few acknowledge that more than 35% of Bolivia’s population lives in poverty and over 6% deal with unemployment.

7 Facts About Homelessness in Bolivia

  1. Child homelessness in Bolivia is concerning. Every year, about 800,000 children in Bolivia are abandoned, neglected and left homeless. These kids turn to crime and child labor opportunities just to earn some money to keep them alive. Even as countries worldwide try to end child labor, it is still legal for children as young as 10 years old to work in Bolivia. An estimated 850,000 Bolivian children work selling food and clothes at outdoor markets, mining silver or harvesting sugar cane. These children are either living in extreme poverty, are homeless or both.
  2. Life expectancy links to homelessness in Bolivia. The life expectancy in Bolivia is about 70 years. This number is remarkably low. The average global life expectancy is about 72.6 years. That means that Bolivians are dying much earlier than the majority of the world. This may link closely to the poverty rate and the amount of homelessness in the country, as many of these people do not have access to clean water, sanitation and nutritious food. They are malnourished and do not have the resources to receive medical attention, which results in their shortened life.
  3. Bolivia’s landslide increased the already large population of homeless people in the country. On Apr. 30, 2019, a massive landslide hit Bolivia’s capital. This landslide destroyed 66 houses and over 85 families were left homeless. The government promised these families that they would provide them shelter, but many still reside in tents. So far, little has been done to help these people, which is extremely troubling given that Bolivia is particularly vulnerable to natural hazards like droughts, earthquakes, floods, landslides and volcanoes.
  4. Homeless Bolivians turn to drugs. In most situations, when people live in extreme poverty or live without shelter, they turn to violence, and Bolivia is no exception. These people sleep on the street and steal money to buy food. They lead a lonely life so they look to alcohol and drugs to ease their pain. They get high on cheap drugs such as paco, a cocaine base and glue.
  5. Bolivian women living on the streets endure extreme violence. Bolivian women suffer from violence and assault in general, but being homeless and vulnerable makes it much easier for predators to attack. In 2018, 76 cases of femicide occurred from January to August, and 128 cases occurred in the whole year. This means that 128 innocent women were killed just because they were female. Latin American countries hold the highest rates of femicide in the world, and women on the streets are especially at risk.
  6. Homeless shelters and services attempt to help Bolivians living on the streets. About 58% of Bolivian families live in inadequate living conditions and do not have access to basic sanitation. The government plans to build 25,000 houses every year for the next ten years but so far, there has been no headway on this mission. Homeless shelters that are already in effect, however, offer a home to children and services that they cannot find on the street, such as sanitation and access to water.
  7. Bolivia’s government is making strides and attempts to reduce the number of people living in poverty and without shelter. The AIF, Arco Iris Foundation, is operating under the core goal of fighting poor and homeless children. The main way they try to help these children is by giving them leadership roles in the community. By being in these roles, the children receive social and financial assistance, training and support to lift them and their families out of poverty.

Despite being a beautiful country, homelessness in Bolivia is widespread and contributes to issues such as poor sanitation and water quality. More has to be done in this country and the region it is located in to help save people living in poverty and on the streets. Bolivia has a long way to go before everyone — males, females, children, homeless and people living in poverty — can be truly safe and lead a good life.

– Kate Estevez
Photo: Flickr

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London’s Double-Decker Buses Aid the Homeless

Buses Aid the Homeless
In London, a nonprofit called Buses4Homeless is making good use out of decommissioned double-decker buses by turning them into mobile homeless shelters. These innovative buses aid the homeless, working towards ending homelessness in London and protecting vulnerable communities.

The Harsh Reality: Homelessness in London

Following the economic crisis that the global COVID-19 outbreak caused, the number of homeless people in London may rise. Even before the outbreak, however, homelessness in London has been an ever-growing problem. Since 2010, the number of homeless people in the major U.K. city has grown by 141%.

A rising homeless population comes with a plethora of related social problems. For instance, “rough sleepers,” or people who sleep on the street, are more likely to be victims of violence and suffer from mental health issues. Though the city government has social programs that aim to end homelessness, only 13% of London residents think that these programs are sufficient. Consequently, a few Londoners including Dan Atkins, founder of Buses4Homeless, are taking matters into their own hands and creating innovative solutions to homelessness.

Turning an Idea Into Action

Dan Atkins came up with the idea for Buses4Homeless in 2018 after he found that a friend had spent a night rough sleeping in the luggage bay of a coach bus. His idea was simple: refurbish buses into mobile homes that can function as social housing. Since then, his idea has grown into a successful nonprofit that serves as “a low-cost, holistic solution to homelessness.”

The nonprofit’s method is simple and sustainable. Buses4Homeless buys decommissioned double-decker buses and upcycles them into four types of mobile homeless shelters that travel through London: buses for eating, sleeping, learning and relaxing. The troupe of buses aid the homeless by working in tandem as a three-month program to secure housing and employment for each member. Importantly, the nonprofit strongly believes in taking a rehabilitative approach to end homelessness; the nonprofit provides job training and mental health services to members of the program to prevent suffering from the long-term consequences of chronic homelessness.

A Mobile Approach to Ending Homelessness

Buses4Homeless is unique in its ability to travel. The buses aid the homeless by being where people need them and going to places to benefit members of the program. In an interview with Reuters, Jonathan Pfahl, a training leader and mentor for the nonprofit, stated that “the genius thing with a bus is that we can take it wherever it’s needed … so park it in front of a job center, for example.”

The nonprofit’s innovative approach to ending homelessness has already motivated other passionate U.K. citizens to follow suit. Helping Open People’s Eyes, known as HOPE, has been working to end homelessness in Wales for years, but Buses4Homeless recently gave them the idea to purchase and transform a bus into a mobile homeless shelter. Now HOPE is almost done refurbishing their bus and looking forward to getting it on the streets of Wales.

Nonprofits like Buses4Homeless and HOPE are reimagining solutions to homelessness by transforming unused buses into mobile homeless shelters and rehabilitation centers. Their mobility allows them to be more adaptable and able to reach more people in need. Buses4Homeless has only been operating for two years, but its impact has been immense. Founder Dan Atkins hopes that the nonprofit will grow to a national and possibly international level in the future.

– Courtney Bergsieker
Photo: Unsplash

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Homelessness in Honduras on the Rise

Homelessness in Honduras
“Shelter in place,” “stay at home” and “safer at home,” are just a few of the phrases the world has repeatedly heard over the past few months during the COVID-19 pandemic. These phrases act as a form of protection during this unprecedented time. However, around the world, not everyone can follow these guidelines because they may not have four walls to call home. During the first month of the virus’ presence in Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras, at least “three dozen informal economy workers” lost their homes. Men, women and children who once had an apartment now sleep in an underpass. In 2018, 48.3% of Honduras lived in poverty.

Background

Unfortunately, an underpass doesn’t shield those living in a city with one of the highest murder rates in the world.” Kids, old people, women sleep here where it’s dangerous…the people on the streets are not animals,” reports an MSN article. San Pedro Sula ranks higher than Tegucigalpa in terms of murders per capita with 47 murders per 100,000 citizens. A large percentage of this violence is a result of gang-related activity. In March of this year, the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory ranked Honduras at Level 3, warning American citizens to reconsider travel plans to the country due to the high rate of crime. Since the country has a substantially high murder rate, homelessness in Honduras poses a number of threats.

In regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, Honduras’ government has taken steps to aid the country’s citizens. Food and personal-protection equipment has been delivered to around 3.2 million Hondurans. The homeless, however, cannot receive these door-to-door staples because they do not have doors to knock upon. Therefore, the homeless population is swept under the rug, forgotten.

Lack of Resources

Another issue weighs heavily upon the homeless population: a lack of resources. One U.S.-based NGO that is working to abet the homeless situation for the next generation of Hondurans is El Rancho Ebenezer. This Christian-based organization serves as a home for orphaned and homeless children between the ages of birth to 18 who cannot be adopted due to a lack of proper documentation. During the day, the younger children attend a bilingual school onsite while the older children venture out to the neighboring public school. In the afternoon, they return to their home on the ranch where they live with in-house counselors and two mentor parents.

Kimberly Solórzano of El Rancho Ebenezer spoke with The Borgen Project about homelessness in Honduras. In regard to homeless care centers, she said, “Most of the NGOs here are directed towards education, children’s centers, things like that…So as far as homeless adults, there is definitely, absolutely nothing done by the government.” Therefore, the cyclical nature of poverty remains unabated.

Corruption

Within this cycle lies corruption. Across the country, Hondurans find shelter on property that is not their own. These so-called “squatters” build shacks or homes out of anything they can find. Discarded metal, wooden planks and weathered mattresses become a safe haven to squatters. According to Solórzano, urban slum areas are often controlled by gangs or slum lords who have no actual legal authority over the land where squatters reside but charge the squatters a monetary fee in order to reap a substantial profit. With a fragile police force, this type of gang activity often goes unnoticed. If it happens to come across the hands of an officer, the overburdened judicial system most likely will not be able to bring the case to court. As of April 2020, Honduras’ judicial system had 180,000 cases that have yet to be processed, resulting in new cases being virtually impossible to resolve. Sadly, there is little being done to control gang violence, further increasing homelessness in Honduras.

This issue takes its toll in different ways. For mothers who beg and carry their babies on their hips all day, their children do not learn to walk or develop properly. Older kids and teenagers often turn to glue to soothe hunger pains. Young men can find financial stability and familial security in a life of crime. Although homelessness in Honduras looks substantially different for each person, there is one certainty — the United States can help make a difference. This has been made evident through the work of El Rancho Ebenezer and countless NGOs in Honduras with American ties. The stars and stripes continue to show that their resources stretch beyond the American border.

–  Chatham Kennedy
Photo: Flickr

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Homelessness in Jordan

Homelessness in JordanHomelessness is a major issue that almost all countries face around the world. There are many explanations for high rates of homelessness, such as mental health, addiction, unemployment, previous imprisonment and more. However, Jordan presents some of the lowest rates of homelessness across the entire world. In fact, homelessness in Jordan ceases to exist.

In 2017, the Ministry of Social Development in Jordan only reported sixteen cases of homelessness from 2000-2017. The vast majority of these cases (15/16) were accredited to mental health problems, and the sixteenth case consisted of a man who was unemployed and had recently lost his family.

Additionally, all sixteen of these individuals were taken care of and are no longer homeless. The Ministry of Social Development worked to place these citizens in mental health facilities or reconnect them with family members who can help them.

Reasons Why Jordan Has Low Rate of Homelessness

One of the main explanations for a low rate of homelessness in Jordan is its collectivist, tribal culture. A study conducted by Joshua Ahearn reveals that the Jordanian government is not responsible for solving issues of homelessness and instead, homelessness is remedied by family and community members.

Ahearn discusses how Jordanian tribal culture prioritizes taking care of family and members of a neighborhood regardless of an individual’s situation. For example, community members place shame on families who struggle with addiction. As a result, families take it upon themselves to help their own who may be struggling and bring them out of homelessness. Communities, or “tribal members” as Ahearn calls them are rather large so there are always people with resources that are willing to help.

How Jordanians View Homeless Individuals

Additionally, Ahearn created a survey in order to observe how citizens treat homeless people in their neighborhood, another part of Jordan, or even a non-Jordanian homeless citizen. This study showed that the vast majority of people take action rather than just passing by a struggling individual.

For instance, the findings explained that when approaching a homeless person in their neighborhood, citizens are “extremely likely to give money or engage in other actions such as informing the public or inviting them into their home.” Furthermore, for citizens outside of their community or non-Jordanian citizens, people are more likely to call a social service organization to get help or assistance. The Ministry of Social Development is the main organization that directly helps these individuals escape homelessness rather quickly, largely by contacting family members or a mental health facility.

Impact of Collectivist Culture on Homelessness Rates

Overall, homelessness in Jordan does not exist consistently. The main reason for the lack of homelessness can be traced to the strong tribal and community ties that are present throughout Jordan. Citizens work together to eradicate all causes of homelessness and as a result, the government does not need to combat homelessness with structural programs; in fact, government interference and other organizations have “no impact” on homelessness rates.

This approach would be rather difficult to implement in other countries since Jordan’s lack of homelessness is rooted in cultural values and community which could clash with existing values and priorities of other countries. In particular, a study conducted in the United States and South Korea compared the impact of a collectivist (South Korea) and individualist (United States) culture on homelessness. This study revealed that South Korea’s collectivist culture instilled a reliance on peers and family members for overcoming homelessness and strategies for helping themselves. Contrarily, United States citizens utilized social services and other organizations more than friends and family.

As a result, collectivist cultures, such as Africa and Asia, can learn from Jordan and South Korea when working to reduce their homeless populations. While all collectivist cultures may not be identical to Jordan in their lack of homelessness, investing in and encouraging neighborhoods and communities to help their own can yield positive results and less homelessness.

How Adopting a Jordanian Approach to Homelessness Can Help

Furthermore, many governments still have a Ministry of Social Development or an organization like it that can provide more services to those who require additional resources. Therefore, if governments and NGOs want and need to become involved in reducing homelessness, increasing support to these organizations can be beneficial. Then, governments can encourage reaching out to service groups like the Ministry of Social Development when they see a neighbor or friend in need if they do not have the ability to care for the homeless on their own.

This strategy can also be utilized by more individual, “Western cultures” like the United States. It is unlikely that the approach to homelessness in Jordan would carry over into these cultures. Instead, individualist countries can pump money and resources into their version of the Ministry and Social Development and teach citizens to request aid when they come across a homeless citizen. However, this approach would require breaking the stigma associated with homelessness and the “laziness” that many individualist cultures attribute to this way of life. But the Jordanian method can be altered to fit the needs of each culture in order to see a decrease in homelessness.

– Sophia McWilliams
Photo: Pixabay

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5 Facts About Child Homelessness in Dominican Republic

Homelessness in Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is known for its beautiful beaches, exquisite cuisine and all-inclusive resorts. Tourists can expect to witness beautiful sunsets and take amazing pictures during their stay. What tourists don’t see, however, is the crime, poverty and extreme homelessness in the Dominican Republic — a dark side to this island that must be brought to light.

5 Facts About Homelessness in the Dominican Republic

  1. Many homeless children are subject to violence and abuse. A homeless shelter in Santo Domingo named Niños Del Camino serves children from impoverished families. As of 2009, 77% of these children have experienced domestic violence. Children without a home are left unprotected and subject to abuse from people on the street, in a shelter or anywhere they can find a home.
  2. A significant percentage of children are homeless and need help. The Dominican National Council for Children and Adolescents serves about 19,000 children, out of the 4.7 million children that live in the Dominican Republic. Close to 600,000 children under age 15 lack parental care, and over 1 million children live in poverty. This means that far too many children in the Dominican Republic are homeless, and countless more are suffering from extreme poverty.
  3. Homeless children are referred to as “palomos.” The term comes from the Spanish word for dove, but it also refers to pests and nuisances. This name indicates how little homeless children mean to their country, and how desperately they must fend for themselves on the streets of the Dominican Republic.
  4. Street kids become desperate and turn to crime. When children are abandoned with nowhere to go, it makes sense that they turn to a life of crime. According to AmeriHand, “The longer they stay in the street, the more likely they are to start using and selling drugs, then escalate to armed robbery or other violent crime.” These kids have nothing to lose, so they do whatever they can to earn some money and get off the street.
  5. The National Council for Children and Adolescents is here to help the homeless children of the Dominican Republic. This organization aims to guarantee “the fundamental rights of children and adolescents and [promote] their development,” which includes helping them get off the street and back into their homes. The Council works with the government to increase the accountability of the government for vulnerable children in the Dominican Republic.

Palomos lead a life of sadness and poverty. These children get through difficult times by finding companions on the streets and sticking together. Most of children on the street are homeless for one of two reasons: either they were kicked out or abandoned by their family, or they left on their own accord after enduring horrible circumstances at home. While some children return home, others remain on the streets, subjected to the natural elements, abuse, muggings and other misfortunes. The Dominican Republic must do better for its homeless population, especially its children.

– Kate Estevez
Photo: Flickr

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Homelessness in North Korea

Ways to Improve Intergenerational Poverty
What little we know about the true conditions of poverty in North Korea, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, is shocking. We hear stories of famine, starvation and an abundance of human rights violations. The true number of those who are homeless is currently unknown due to the secretiveness of the state. However, stories from defectors have researched international ears. High levels of tuberculosis and typhoid are rampant and due to restrictions of food into northern provinces, the situation there is more extreme. However, there are organizations fighting to reach those experiencing homelessness in North Korea and lift them out of poverty.

How North Korea Works

North Korea is known to be a hollow country. The capital city of Pyongyang shows lavish skyscrapers and hotels which are all empty. They are merely a front and not representational of the poverty in the interior. The communist party holds such a grip on the population that there is no freedom for the individual, not even the freedom of your own thought. Thus, those who defy this notion are punished severely. This makes North Korea considered to be one of the biggest human rights abusers on our planet.

Poverty and Homelessness in North Korea

Despite the lack of poverty seen from the surface, go further to the interior and poverty starts to become apparent. The country has suffered for decades from food shortages and famine. In recent years, the sanctions on North Korea are impacting individual households. More people are forced to abandon their elderly or young family members because they have no means to support them. In recent years, the number of homeless people has been decreasing due to the government rounding up these individuals. Where they are sent to is unknown.

Kot-jebi

Homelessness in North Korea affects children as well. The word “Kot-jebi” is Korean for “flowering sparrow” which refers to homeless child beggars who wander the streets outside the capital city of Pyongyang. The reason for their life on the streets varies from the death of the family to the inability for their parents or guardians to care for them and are thus abandoned. Many of them succumb to preventable deaths such as hunger, tuberculosis or typhoid. Usually, you need approval from the government to travel throughout the country, but these children do so at their own leisure, alleviating them from the usual conformity of the North Korean society. These children often steal their own food, skip school and suffer various types of abuses. North Korea offers no national averages on these homeless children and often denies their existence.

Elderly Beggars

In recent years, a new phenomenon of elderly beggars has started popping up. These are elderly individuals who are abandoned by their families or have no children to rely upon and are left homeless. Often times, they are seen as an extra mouth to feed much like the children and are cast out. However, these individuals are usually able to find some work as house servants.

Hope for the Health of Homeless Individuals

Non-governmental organizations (NGO) and institutions desiring to enter North Korea have a difficult time penetrating the government’s watchful eye. The Korean International Foundation for Health and Development has partnered with North Korea to give humanitarian aid to impoverished individuals. Although NGOs have struggled to gain access to the ground in North Korea, the Korean International Foundation for Health and Development was able to work with the North Korean government to deliver relief supplies. This institution specializes in maternal and reproductive health as well as child health in developing countries, primarily North Korea. While the government continues to deny issues surrounding homelessness in North Korea, the existence of those experiencing homelessness and living in poverty cannot be denied. We must continue to support institutions and NGOs such as the Korean International Foundation for Health and Development to deliver aid and relief to those in need in North Korea.

– Kassi Bourne
Photo: Flickr

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Homelessness in the Syrian Arab Republic

Homelessness in the Syrian Arab Republic
The Syrian Arab Republic, also known as Syria, is a Middle Eastern country with a population of more than 17 million people. In addition to facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the country is in the midst of a civil war. Civilian populations are the victims of war crimes, chemical weapons, displacement and deprivation of basic necessities each and every day. This article aims to break down the causes and effects of homelessness in the Syrian Arab Republic.

How the Crisis Began

In hopes of improving democracy, the Syrian population began to protest in 2011. Instead of listening to their concerns, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad worked to silence them. A civil war began as a result.

Russia and Iran support President Bashar al-Assad, opposing the Syrian Democratic Forces, which includes Turkey as well as Western and Gulf countries. These foreign nations have partnered with an oppressed indigenous group, the Kurds, to inhibit the efforts of Bashar al-Assad and his allies. While Turkey supports the Syrian rebels, the nation also feels threatened by the Kurds’ desire to be independent. To make matters worse, terrorist organizations like ISIS and Al-Qaeda have flourished amid this instability. The United States has withdrawn from the region under the Trump administration, but many countries are still involved.

4 Facts about Homelessness in the Syrian Arab Republic

  1. Internal displacement: According to the United Nations, more than 6.5 million people are internationally displaced within Syria. In 2018, CNN reported that 180,000 children had to leave their homes in as little as three weeks. While many were fleeing violence, others had no choice but to sell essential belongings like furniture — and eventually their homes — to afford basic necessities. Many Syrians, including 35-year-old Awad Abu Abdu, feel robbed and exploited of their life earnings as they received far less than what their properties were worth.
  2. Relocation: As a result of the violence, up to 4.5 million Syrians have been forced to relocate to areas where it is too difficult to receive aid. This is partly because Russians have blocked humanitarian assistance in areas controlled by the Syrian government, as this aid was provided against the will of their close ally, President Bashar al-Assad. The United Nations also reports that 70% of Syrians do not have access to clean water due to collapsed infrastructure. Another 9 million do not have enough food, including 1 million who are on the brink of starvation. Many Syrians relocated closer to the Turkish border, hoping to receive aid and escape the violence. However, as of July 2020, Russia and China successfully convinced the United Nations Security Council to close one of the two crossings from Turkey to Syria, arguing that only one was necessary to provide aid to Syrians. This has put a tremendous strain on resources.
  3. Combatting homelessness: The United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) is currently working with 15 governmental and non-governmental organizations to reduce homelessness in Syria. In 2018, UNHCR was able to provide 456,986 Syrians with shelter assistance, including 108,790 who were in need of emergency shelter assistance. UNHCR also provided 8,425 Syrians with shelter kits and 6,085 with tents. Additionally, the organization rehabilitated 2,586 emergency rooms and upgraded 6,697 homes to make them livable again.
  4. Other successful aid: As of June 2020, the European Union and the United Kingdom, along with several other countries, have pledged $7.7 billion to combat the worsening humanitarian crises in Syria and to support neighboring countries who are struggling to help the 5 million refugees who have fled to their countries. This is significant progress toward the $10 billion that the U.N. said is needed to combat the crisis. The fact that so many countries are willing to provide aid suggests that there may be hope for Syria.

Despite these pledges to help, however, poverty, displacement and homelessness in the Syrian Arab Republic remain severe. Efforts to address the crisis are still deeply underfunded, and more action needs to be taken. Please contact local representatives and find out how to support poverty-reduction organizations to help.

– Rida Memon
Photo: Flickr

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Key Facts About Homelessness in Colombia

Homelessness in ColombiaColombia, a country in the north-central region of South America, sits in an ideal position to expand both its economy and the wellbeing of its citizens. As one of South America’s premier exporters of a wide array of goods, including energy and cut flowers, the country has a relatively favorable economic outlook. However, this country, of just under 50 million people, faces serious economic hurdles as well. Rampant poverty hampers the lower classes, limiting Colombia’s ability to develop and industrialize.

Poverty in Colombia

About 34% of Colombians live in “poor conditions.” This number is especially stark because Colombia is home to massive wealth inequality. Many of the richest members of Colombian society own disproportionate amounts of wealth.

Internal conflict has worsened conditions for people in Colombia. For more than 50 years, Colombia has experienced relatively severe internal conflicts, most of which originated from drug trafficking that swept the nation in the 1970s and 80s. This led to many people migrating into urban slums, where homelessness was rampant. More than 5.7 million people have been displaced due to the ongoing violence present in the country. As a result of this conflict and the frequent migration of communities, living conditions in settled areas have been notoriously bad. Homelessness in Colombia has affected 662,146 families, and more than 3.8 million families do not have “adequate” housing.

Organizations Are Working to Help

Organizations like Habitat for Humanity have tried to make a dent in these high rates of homelessness in Colombia, pledging support to hundreds of thousands of families in need. While helping to build up neighborhoods, Habitat for Humanity has also worked with Colombians to instill technical skills for construction and to build better community infrastructure. In addition, the organization is helping to provide financial education and making targeted investments in communities.

Another organization, called the Homeless World Cup Foundation, is combating homelessness in Colombia through athletics. The foundation’s mission is to provide access to soccer in some of the poorest communities in the country — not only bringing social cohesion and opportunity to disadvantaged communities but also creating new avenues for players to pursue careers in sports and other fields. The organization has touched the lives of more than 20,000 children and their families.

Tackling Homelessness in an Emerging Economy

Colombia is recognized as one of the world’s “emerging economies.” While homelessness in Colombia is a dire problem, the economic outlook for Colombia is relatively positive — with a consistent 3% expected economic growth for the first half of the 20th century. Through proper planning and prudent public policy, Colombian leaders can use this economic growth to tackle homelessness in Colombia and improve the lives of citizens in need.

– Zak Schneider
Photo: Pixabay