Archive for category: Politics

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A Shift Toward Ethics: UN Involvement in the DRC

U.N. Involvement in the DRCThe Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a Central African country with beautiful landscapes and lush green mountains. The nation is dense with natural resources like cobalt, a highly sought-after resource in today’s economy because it is used in batteries of electric vehicles. The DRC is currently the world’s largest supplier of cobalt. Despite this, the DRC is still considered a less-developed country. This untapped resource potential should mean the DRC is the richest country in the world, but that has not been the case. The mining, export, and production processes are plagued by smuggling, corruption, child labor and armed group conflicts. The United Nations (U.N.) involvement in the DRC cobalt production becomes vital to transform the current climate. The focus is on using the demand for this dense natural resource for sustainable economic development and growth, instead of perpetuating armed violence, forced coercion and child labor.

The United Nations has committed to multiple panels, forums, and invested resources in programs focused on responsible mining practices and ethical working conditions. Such programs include the United Nations Guiding Principles to Guide Global Energy Transition (UNGPGET). The U.N. notes that without proper management, increasing demand for critical minerals risks perpetuating commodity dependence, which is the current reality for people in the DRC. Fortunately, there are other programs that focus on concrete steps for the Democratic Republic of the Congo to follow.

Are UN Programs Doing Enough?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s poverty rate increased from 69.9% in 2012 to 78.9% in 2020, according to World Bank data. This indicates a country in need of aid. The U.N. Secretary-General’s Initiative on Critical Energy Transition Minerals is a task force involving the DRC, launched in 2025 that focuses on five pillars to implement the UNGPGET principles. These pillars include value addition, traceability, a global mining legacy fund, artisanal and small-scale mining, as well as circularity and material efficiency. The Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) also works with the DRC to promote sustainable economic growth while promoting ethical practices for the extraction and production of cobalt. Their programs in the DRC include collecting risk data to fund improvements in artisanal and small-scale mining sites (ASM). They also fund vocational training for at-risk youth as an alternative to working in the mines. The programs funded by the RMI are important to promoting economic growth and development by providing alternatives to mining, like education. Collective action is crucial in cases like the DRC involving unethical treatment, corruption and natural resource dependency. Programs with RMI support U.N. involvement in DRC cobalt production, making it as safe and ethical as possible.

Working Toward Standards of Human Rights

Due diligence processes have become important in bringing about a shift toward ethical mining practices. One of the biggest mines operating in the famous “Copperbelt” of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Kisanfu mines, has set forth a clear due diligence standard. Guidelines include no toleration of torture, cruel or inhumane and degrading treatment, forced or compulsory labor and the “worst” forms of child labor. These standards set forth clear treatment expectations, with violations resulting in suspension or discontinuation of engagement. The other major mine in the Copperbelt is the Tenke Fungurume mine. This mine does not set forth clear standards but has contributed to sustainable growth and development in four areas: education and capacity building, access to savings and credit, construction of production and conservation infrastructure and agriculture.

DRC Enacts Cobalt Export Ban

Earlier this year, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s government enacted a ban on exporting cobalt in hopes of retaining more value from these minerals in the form of sustainable economic growth and development. This is not the first ban on cobalt exports; the DRC enacted multiple bans in 2013, 2019 and 2023. Christian-Gerand Neema, a mining analyst for China-Global South Project, expects this ban to have little effect on the DRC economy because “the majority of Congo’s cobalt and copper is already refined domestically.”

Looking Ahead

While the U.N.’s involvement in DRC cobalt production is a good start and their programs lay out important guidelines, countries involved in armed conflicts from coups or violence from governments tend not to follow these guidelines until sanctions are placed upon them by international organizations. This is where the Due Diligence Standards are beneficial. However, there is an obvious need for more. While these programs and standards aim to stop unethical or inhumane treatment in the mines or mining communities, violence and armed conflict remain prevalent. Major sanctions placed upon the DRC by external actors with capital could leverage this position.

– Lily K Gibson

Lily is based in Bristol, CT, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Two Early Signs of Andy Burnham’s Foreign Aid Policy

Burnham's Foreign Aid PolicyFollowing the abrupt end to Keir Starmer’s leadership, Andy Burnham took office as the new leader of the Labour Party and the new prime minister of the United Kingdom (UK) on July 20, 2026. Yet following both UK and global cuts to international development aid, Burnham’s foreign aid policy will face increased scrutiny as global poverty worsens.

As a result of continuous cuts to Official Development Aid (ODA) since 2019, along with the broader global picture with the shutdown of the United States Agency for International Development USAID, global poverty is worsening. From 2019 to 2023, UK aid for education fell by 58% and nutrition by 73%, and if the trend of cuts continues, by 2028, child-focused aid could decrease by more than £600 million. However, Burnham has shown early signs of refocusing on aid as a government priority in his initial days of appointing ministers.

Ed Miliband

Burnham appointed Ed Miliband as foreign secretary, making him head of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and a central figure in Burnham’s foreign aid policy. While his role as foreign secretary is significant regarding global poverty, leading the UK’s response to the 826 million living below $3 a day, Burnham has also given him a greater global role as UK governor to the World Bank. This significant diplomatic role in a leading global partnership fighting poverty signals a prioritization of international development within Miliband’s FCDO. This is a positive sign following the recent cut of almost 40% to the ODA budget in February 2025 under Starmer’s leadership.

On his appointment as UK governor to the World Bank, Miliband affirmed the FCDO’s refocus, stating, “International development is not an add-on to British foreign policy – it is central to it.” He added, “I want to send an unambiguous signal that this government is serious about its global leadership on development and climate.” With a plummet in international aid that could cause a child under five to die every 40 seconds by 2030, Miliband’s new role and his claimed commitment to the cause seem to be an important milestone in the recovery of the UK’s ODA to begin damage limitation to the world’s most vulnerable.

Kirsty McNeill

Within the FCDO, Burnham appointed Scottish Labour member of parliament (MP) for Midlothian, Kirsty McNeill, as minister of development. This role affords her responsibility for Africa, development and humanitarian aid, international finance, climate and energy security. Therefore, her role and appointment are key to Burnham’s foreign aid policy overall. What is particularly significant about McNeill’s appointment is her wealth of experience, implying that she will bring her expert focus on UK development to the job. Most significantly, she was an executive director at Save the Children, a global charity working in 92 countries that has helped 37.8 million children around the world. Her expertise and personal career in the field of overseas aid and poverty reduction imply again that Burnham’s government intends to reprioritize development and does not just view it as a secondary concern within UK foreign policy, suggesting further cuts to the department are unlikely.

Looking Forward

Overall, some of Burnham’s first decisions as prime minister imply that his foreign aid policy will be an important part of his government. While cabinet appointments alone are not enough to guarantee a full commitment from Burnham to recover the ODA budget and fight global poverty, it can still be a sign of new priorities. In a time of growing global need for governments to focus on the lives of those most vulnerable around the world, these appointments of aid-focused politicians are promising of what is to come under the new prime minister.

– Amy Carpenter

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

Photo: Flickr

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The Loss of Language in Pakistan

Language in PakistanThe loss of language in Pakistan is not a new issue. Although Urdu is the national language, Dawn reports that the government has delegated it to the middle and lower classes — effectively leaving a whole generation out of policymaking. This creates a social divide and fosters a sense of alienation among people of the same country. This alienation increases when locals cannot read English signs or names, with literacy rates at only 63%. This loss not only creates problems for the future but also erases years of knowledge within local languages. Balochi, spoken in the largest province of Pakistan, remains endangered despite government efforts such as hosting television shows like PTV Bolan. Balochi has a long history and has shaped the province’s culture immensely. According to Baloch commentators, the province’s neglect stems in part from this erasure, with the government largely overlooking infrastructure and education.

Underrepresentation of the Endangered Languages

This lack of representation separates the province from the rest of the country and leads to increased poverty for locals excluded from lawmaking — a process that remains mostly in English and Urdu at higher levels. Some Baloch commentators describe this as a deliberate erasure of Balochi identity that makes it difficult for people to embrace their Pakistani identity.

Global growth drives language loss in Pakistan for the same reasons languages go extinct worldwide, though the effect is more damaging in a developing country than in most wealthier ones. Roughly 51% of the population cannot speak English, and those who do often do not excel in Urdu, which the education system teaches “like a foreign language.” Balochistan has a multidimensional poverty rate of about 71%, higher than any other province, and has the fewest English speakers, alongside a literacy rate of only 49%. Infrastructure development lags as locals remain largely absent from the governmental system.

Missed Opportunities for the Underprivileged

According to a case study of English and career opportunities at Jazz Digital House Multan, employers consider English an important asset during hiring. However, English is primarily a language of high society, leaving 51% of the underprivileged population at a disadvantage. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has around 24 minority languages, and when they are ignored, students cannot receive proper education. Call centers have increased their exports by 19% year over year, according to State Bank of Pakistan data, and have become an important job source. Most call centers communicate in English, creating a barrier for those seeking jobs that do not require advanced degrees. Other workplaces also use English as the recognized professional language, limiting native speakers to minimal job options. The Diplomat argues that in a poorly governed country with high illiteracy, expecting people to communicate in “a dissimilar language” is an extreme burden.

Loss of Culture and Identity

Much as Persian gave way to English during the British colonial era, there has been a similar loss of culture and identity among young Pakistanis today. Dawn emphasizes the importance of diversity, arguing that even amid global efforts to build a unified culture and language, preserving local vernaculars remains essential. Such preservation could help counter the country’s stunted growth and the loss of community identity and richness.

Future Prospects

Some efforts have been made to conserve local languages. The previous prime minister directed officials to deliver their speeches in Urdu at national and international forums. Institutes such as Idara-e-Taaleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) have collaborated with the People’s Action for Learning (PAL) Network to preserve local languages and document cultural artifacts, balancing preservation with global growth. Together, they have established 60 libraries with 200 publications, often in seven different languages, and research on Wakhi, Khowar, Saraiki and Dhatki found that each has its own script. Although Pakistan is undergoing a language tragedy, the government and native people may be able to minimize this loss through collaboration. Many artisans and local businesses rely on their mother tongue; if policymakers safeguard the rights of these languages and integrate them into modern society, many people may move from marginal jobs into a more secure market, eventually helping reduce global poverty.

– Eshal Fatima

Eshal is based in Lahore, Pakistan and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Elderly Poverty in El Salvador after Bukele

Elderly poverty in El SalvadorEl Salvador is a small country in Latin America that has recently experienced major political and economic changes under its president, Nayib Bukele, who came into office in 2019. Winning nearly 85% of the vote in a February 2024 reelection, made possible after El Salvador’s Supreme Court set aside the constitutional ban on consecutive terms, Bukele has become a symbol of prosperity and stability to many Salvadorans.

However, many Salvadorans have faced economic challenges since Bukele’s presidency. A cab driver in San Salvador told The Borgen Project, “The majority of people do not agree with how the economy is,” attributing this to poor financial education. In a growing economy such as El Salvador’s, elderly people often struggle to find resources, and elderly poverty in El Salvador after Bukele is a complex issue.

El Salvador’s pension system allows many privileged elderly individuals to have more financial stability, and those with pensions experience fewer challenges. An elderly woman with a pension told The Borgen Project, “I do not go out much and I do not talk to anybody and I get money from my pension. There are no changes.” In December 2022, El Salvador’s congress approved pension system reforms to raise the minimum monthly pension and cap maximum payouts, though pension analysts have since described the reform’s long-term sustainability prospects as mixed, and for those who do not have this opportunity, a quickly changing economy can present real obstacles.

Elderly Economic Struggles Under Bukele

Extreme poverty in El Salvador reached 9.6% of the population in 2025, up from 5.5% five years earlier — the third consecutive year of increases, despite the safety the new government provides. Bukele’s interest in luxury creates issues for elderly people who are less mobile because many areas face gentrification in favor of increasing tourism in El Salvador. For those who live by selling goods at the market or by farming and who are not mobile over long distances, gentrification is a serious problem.

The goals of advancement and modernization displace many individuals in El Salvador, including those who have lived in certain areas for long periods of time. Centro Histórico in San Salvador, in particular, struggles with this. Elderly people in the area lose important resources in their communities, and moving can be difficult for disabled individuals, leading them to fall deeper into poverty. The loss of resources is a significant factor in elderly poverty in El Salvador after Bukele.

Healthcare System

El Salvador has a state-sponsored healthcare system that many elderly people use for care. Alfonso, an elderly man who sells fruit for a living, said that he receives care from the hospital and has gone multiple times to get medicine for his arthritis.

Healthcare in El Salvador is free under the Ministry of Health, which provides public services to approximately 70% of the population, primarily those without formal employment. Since Bukele’s presidency, healthcare, including geriatric care, has developed technology such as “Doctor SV,” a new mobile app that allows users to have 24/7 medical assistance. Elderly individuals in poverty in El Salvador who may not have private doctors can contact doctors through this system to seek support. “Doctor SV” remains a vital support system and effort to increase access and eliminate elderly poverty in El Salvador after Bukele.

Elderly Poverty and Extortion From Gangs

Street vending is a common source of income in El Salvador for people of all ages, but it is especially convenient for elderly individuals who need income and prefer more informal work.

However, gangs in El Salvador have historically targeted vulnerable people and forced them to pay taxes to use roads or allow their stores to stay open. Alfonso said that Bukele’s presidency improved his life “because we do not have to pay the daily rent,” which he clarified to be extortion from gangs. Police data showed a 54% reduction in extortion complaints in 2023 compared to the previous year, and the removal of the gang tax is a major improvement in elderly poverty in El Salvador after Bukele. Since Alfonso has arthritis and his children do not provide support, his vending business is the only way he can make money. This is the reality for many elderly individuals.

The reduction of extortion in El Salvador allows elderly individuals to sell goods without daily intimidation and, in doing so, prevents them from facing severe economic challenges. Victoria is an elderly woman who sells fruit in San Salvador, and she told The Borgen Project, “Before Nayib, they [the gangs] made me pay the tax and wanted to force me to leave my house, but now I feel safer selling my goods.”

Organizations That Are Helping

  • SimplyHelp: SimplyHelp is a nonprofit that provides housing assistance to elderly people. They built their first women-only shelter in 2003 and one for men in 2004. In 2010, they built a shelter for both men and women that houses 36 people. SimplyHelp provides healthy meals, showers, entertainment, healthcare and funeral services for all residents at no cost to them or their families.
  • FUSATE: The Salvadoran Foundation for Elderly People is a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to elderly people in poverty. They provide not only housing, but also health, education and nutrition programs to ensure that elderly people are able to maintain their health and happiness in a safe environment.

Conclusion

Elderly poverty in El Salvador after Bukele is an important issue, and the new government system has the potential to create more communal medical or food programs to provide care for elderly people and assistance to their families to specifically prevent and reduce poverty in the elderly population.

– Amber Mantiply

Amber is based in Silver Spring, MD, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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The Influence of German Aid to Ukraine

German Aid to UkraineSince Feb. 24, 2022, Ukraine has been at war with Russia. Constant bombing has destroyed housing and infrastructure, rapidly changing the economic makeup of the nation and exposing vast amounts of the population to the consequences of extreme poverty. This past winter, Ukraine’s weather reached dangerously low temperatures from which the destroyed heating infrastructure could offer no escape. However, the introduction of emergency heating points, funded by German aid to Ukraine, helped relieve death tolls from extreme temperatures.

In 2024, Annalena Baerbock, then Germany’s federal minister for foreign affairs, pledged €100 million to Ukraine in response to increased Russian attacks on heating infrastructure. Germany, one of the world’s largest donors of humanitarian aid, used this fund to provide heating points with food, water and the opportunity to get warm to more than 86,000 people living in Ukraine’s Kyiv region. Germany’s efforts to keep Ukrainian people warm this past winter demonstrate the life-saving impact that humanitarian aid can have, especially in times of crisis.

War-Induced Poverty

Since 2021, the poverty rate in Ukraine has risen from 20.6% to 35.5% in 2023. Due to the ongoing war, exact poverty data is hard to collect, but recent estimates suggest that 34.5% of Ukraine exists in poverty, while 51.6% suffer severe material and social deprivation. These statistics worsen depending on the region, with areas most affected by the war showing rates of 62% and primarily unaffected regions showing 23.4%. Thus, in addition to facing increasing poverty rates, Ukrainian people are facing the worst income inequality gap in years. Ukrainians impacted by the war suffer destroyed infrastructure, homes, loss of family and friends and dwindling resources. This humanitarian crisis, which has displaced millions and inflicted nationwide poverty, has stagnated the economy of Ukraine, making prospects of recovery slower and endangering the lives of millions of Ukrainians.

German Aid to Ukraine

In the face of devastating conflict, international aid has greatly benefited Ukraine, especially as the nation enters its fifth year of war. In December 2025, the European Union agreed to loan Ukraine €90 billion to help maintain the economy, defend against Russia and provide humanitarian aid for those forced into impoverished and deadly conditions. Additionally, Germany’s federal government has provided €43.3 billion in civilian aid and €57.6 billion for military aid to the Ukrainian government, alongside other donations throughout the last five years.

The German federal government outlines what this government-provided aid accomplishes on its website. German aid to Ukraine has gone toward constructing and replacing electrical and heating systems, power plants and nuclear power plants to both maintain safe infrastructure and help stimulate the economy and renewable energy sector during the war. Additionally, German aid to Ukraine goes toward providing medical care, food, clean water and refugee assistance. Approximately a million Ukrainian refugees have sought refuge in Germany, where the German government provides them with access to vocational language courses, training and integration programs, job assistance centers and immediate access to the labor market. These programs have assisted more than 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees, helped train 27,000 Ukrainian soldiers and helped more than 86,000 people survive an extremely cold winter without infrastructure.

Final Thoughts

Germany’s efforts as one of the world’s largest donors of humanitarian aid help protect the most vulnerable populations. Ukrainian people suffer significantly increased levels of poverty due to the ongoing war, but German aid helps alleviate some of these consequences and prevents unnecessary deaths in vulnerable communities. From mobile heating centers to efforts to reconstruct electrical and heating infrastructure and the welcoming of refugees, Germany’s government-initiated aid to Ukraine has played a substantial role in protecting those in need.

– Aubrey Wallen

Aubrey is based in Alexandria, VA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Women’s Political Power in the Solomon Islands

Women’s Political Power in the Solomon IslandsIn 46 years of independence, the Solomon Islands’ 50-seat national parliament has been home to exactly six women. Not six at a time. In total. The 2024 general election saw 20 women stand as candidates out of a field of 334. Just three won. One Honiara-based organization seeks to increase women’s political power in the Solomon Islands by teaching women the mechanics of the system directly, seat by seat, workshop by workshop. The goal is simple to state and hard to achieve: convert silence into ballots.

Empowering Women Politically

Vois Blong Mere Solomon (VBMS), led by Director Josephine Teakeni, has spent years running workshops aimed at closing the gender gap in parliament. Partnering with the government’s Civic Education Unit and United Nations (UN) Women, VBMS trains women in the fundamentals of democracy, governance and elections. This includes a practice parliament where dozens of women from across the country’s provinces gather in Honiara to role-play the institution most of them have never seen a woman sit in. Participants learn what it means to vote, engage with local government or one day stand as a candidate, giving them the knowledge to participate in political life on their own terms.

Beyond Women’s Political Power in the Solomon Islands

The stakes extend beyond representation alone. A 2025 World Bank report found that around 35% of Solomon Islanders were multidimensionally poor as of 2019, a rate higher than any other Pacific Island country. UN Women projects that by 2030, women and children will make up 69% of those living in extreme poverty in the country. Evidence shows that in developing countries, increases in female political representation have produced measurably better provision of public goods, particularly in education and health. In a country where poverty is both extreme and gendered, who sits in parliament is not an abstract question.

Structural and Cultural Barriers

VBMS works against structural and cultural barriers. The Solomon Islands uses a first-past-the-post electoral system, seen as one of the toughest formats for women to break into worldwide. A push for reserved parliamentary seats for women, one per province plus one for Honiara, was floated in 2008 but has never passed Cabinet and has stalled since.

Cost is another barrier. Campaigning in a country spread across more than 900 islands is expensive, and candidates without existing financial networks or party backing often struggle to reach voters. VBMS workshops address this by building a base of politically literate women who understand not just how to vote but how campaigns, funding and party structures work long before they need to use that knowledge.

Extending the Mission

The mission extends beyond formal politics. VBMS has also addressed gender-based violence, producing a video documentary “Breaking the Culture of Silence,” which gave women a public platform to speak about traditionally undiscussed experiences. VBMS has positioned itself as a bridge, connecting international frameworks like UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security to the realities of daily life in Solomon Islands communities.

VBMS’s approach reflects a broader theory of change taking hold in the Pacific: political representation cannot be legislated into existence from above if the underlying knowledge and confidence to participate are not first built from below. In a country where women have long been civically present but politically absent, teaching the mechanics of power may be the first real step toward sharing it.

– Alana Breslin

Alana is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Cockroach Janta Party and Poverty in India

Cockroach Janta PartyThe Indian government has recently faced protests from the newly formed Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led movement that started as an “online joke.”

When the chief justice of India, Surya Kant, stated that the nation’s “unemployed youth” were similar to “parasites” and “cockroaches,” Abhijeet Dipke, the founder, took to social media, writing, “What if all cockroaches come together?” Kant later said he had been misquoted and that his criticism targeted people using fraudulent credentials rather than young people generally.

Many people responded to the comment. The party’s Instagram page gained around 10 million followers within four days. The Cockroach Janta Party formed in May 2026.

India’s Youth Unemployment and Education System

Around 65% of India’s population is below 35 and about 40% of India’s graduates under 25 are unemployed – the urban youth unemployment rate is currently at 14%.

While high school and college enrollment has increased and gender and caste gaps have decreased, the last half decade has not generated salaried jobs in adequate numbers, meaning there are many young, educated people in the labor market but not enough jobs to support them. As the BBC notes, India has expanded education but has “not yet aligned these gains with the creation of productive, well-paying jobs.”

According to Generation India, high levels of youth unemployment can “lead to increased poverty, social unrest, and a greater burden on public resources.” The organization also describes a phenomenon called scarring, in which long periods of unemployment early in a person’s career make it harder to find work later and can lower lifetime earnings.

India’s education system is also extremely competitive. Over 2 million students sat for the 2026 National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) – India’s medical exam, for only 130,000 places. Exam leakages required many students to re-take the grueling exams, and these leakages have been connected to dozens of suicide cases in the past few years. Leaks have affected other exams as well. The Cockroach Janta Party is now demanding accountability from the government for the leakages and has called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Government Responses to CJP Protests

JP Nadda, the Health Minister, met with leaders of CJP on 20 July 2026. According to the spokesperson for CJP, Saurav Das, the “10-minute meeting with Nadda ended with” the commitment that the government would investigate the issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the current prime minister of India, called for creating a secure “public examination system”. According to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, the government took action and arrested 13 people for the exam leakages. Modi also stated that the government had carried out re-examinations successfully.

According to Rijiju, the prime minister stated that everyone should collaborate to ensure that “strict steps are taken, those guilty are punished, and a foolproof system is created” to avoid compromising the future of young people. Some critics have alleged the movement may be linked to opposition parties, citing Dipke’s past association with the Aam Aadmi Party.

When a BBC reporter asked a woman in India why the leakage of the exams was “so upsetting,” she explained that it feels “brutal” when a student succeeds on one exam only to learn it is not the one being counted. The government says an improved, secure system could reduce stress for youth and prevent people from getting an unfair advantage from leakages.

Jobs and Poverty Reduction

The protests have advocated for reform and increased awareness of the significant problems young people in India face, from education to unemployment.

With a majority of India’s population at a young age, the government has an incentive to take action. If India’s government improves the job market after these protests, supporters say it could help lift people out of poverty.

India’s extreme poverty rate has decreased to 5.3% between 2022 and 2023; however, this could be further improved. According to the International Labour Organization, “gainful employment is still the most reliable way of escaping poverty.” Job creation gives people skills, dignity and long-term income while strengthening local economies, and expanding job opportunities and improving working conditions can help reduce poverty.

Looking Forward

The Cockroach Janta Party has advocated for youth unemployment, calling on the government to alleviate the issue, and if the government can improve the future of jobs in India for youth. It has the potential to lift many people out of poverty.

– Sahana Sundar

Sahana is based in Singapore and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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The Fight to End Child Marriage in Niger

Child marriage in NigerChild marriage in Niger has the highest rates in the world, with 76% of girls married before age 18 and 28% married before age 15. According to Girls Not Brides’ atlas, the percentage of girls married before 18 in central and western Africa is 32%, less than half of Niger’s rate. These numbers increase within rural and low-income communities and regions, such as the Maradi Region, where the child marriage rate is as high as 89%. Poverty often forces women to marry young, as they cannot rely on their own income. It also leads parents to marry off their daughters for financial gain.

Traditional and religious Nigerien values encourage high rates of child marriage by prioritizing marriage and childbearing over education and careers for women. These traditions often involve arranged marriages where young girls may not be aware of discussions, as well as polygamous marriages where men marry girls as additional wives to have someone younger, attractive and obedient.

What Needs to Change

Currently, the minimum marriage age for boys in Niger is 18. However, for girls, it is 15, making child marriage fully legal without exceptions. Under customary law, girls can marry even younger. While this is being revised so that children cannot marry under the legal age, leaders supporting religious and cultural traditions have slowed the process.

Beyond legal factors, child marriage is driven by high poverty and low education rates, especially for girls. In Niger, 44% of the population lives in extreme poverty, many of whom are children. Additionally, only 66% of Nigerien girls enroll in primary school, and a mere 17% complete secondary school.

Efforts to End Child Marriage

The Nigerien government has made multiple claims and demonstrations to show involvement in the fight to end child marriage. In 2017, President Issoufou Mahamadou stated that child marriage would no longer be tolerated, though a bill to raise the minimum age for girls is still under debate. Niger has committed to ending child marriage by 2030 as part of target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and has co-sponsored two resolutions to end child marriage, one in 2015 and another at the 2018 United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly.

Niger is a focus country of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage. The program has provided more than 19,500 girls with life-skills training, supported the education of 3,000 girls and educated more than 94,800 boys and girls on girls’ rights and gender equality. This training and education provide girls with knowledge on reproductive health and financial literacy, reducing reliance on parents or husbands.

Various charities, such as Girls Not Brides, also work against child marriage. The organization has 31 members working in Niger. The country is part of a Girls Not Brides national coalition advocating for better strategies and law implementation. Save the Children has also worked in the country since 2005 to end child marriage by alleviating poverty and food insecurity. Last year, it helped more than 490,000 children through health care, education, financial aid and protection from harm.

Looking Ahead

While child marriage in Niger may not end by 2030, having this and other resolutions in place shows increased awareness of the problem. With the help of UNICEF and various charities, child marriage may eventually become a thing of the past in the country.

– Ally Jones

Ally is based in Bethany, OK, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Efforts to Alleviate Roma Poverty in Spain

Roma Poverty in SpainSpain is home to 750,000 Roma people, who form the country’s largest ethnic minority. More than 80% of Spanish Roma live in poverty, making them one of the country’s most marginalized groups.

Due to centuries of discrimination and exclusion, Spain’s Roma population remains disadvantaged in education, employment, living conditions and health outcomes.

Though many challenges remain, the national government of Spain has made numerous efforts to alleviate poverty among Roma in Spain. Roma-led nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), such as the Fundación Secretariado Gitano, also work to achieve full social inclusion and equality for Roma people in Spain.

History of the Roma in Spain

The Roma are an ethnic group with origins in northwest India. Their presence in the Iberian Peninsula was first documented in 1425. Throughout their centuries-long history in Spain, Roma people have been continually marginalized, whether through social exclusion or forced assimilation.

The Spanish state enacted a series of decrees in the mid-16th century, forcing Roma people to abandon their traditional lifestyle, language, dress and trades. Thousands of Roma were incarcerated by the Spanish monarchy during the “Great Gypsy Round-Up” in 1749 and confined to forced labor or institutions. Spain’s Second Republic passed the Vagrancy and Delinquency Act in 1933. The Franco dictatorship later expanded that law and used it to systematically target Roma communities.

Current Challenges

Due to centuries of discrimination and marginalization, Roma communities are some of the most vulnerable in Spain. The European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) reports that 80% of Roma people live in poverty, and 18% live in extreme poverty. The child poverty rate for Roma in Spain was 89% in 2022.

Structural poverty affects Roma communities due to a lack of protection of social and economic rights. Equal access to education and employment remains out of reach for many.

  • Education: A 63% failure rate for compulsory education among Roma youth was recorded in 2023, compared to 4% for the general population. This is partly caused by decades of exclusion and a resulting distrust of the school system. Schools also remain highly segregated, with most Roma children attending predominantly Roma schools.
  • Employment: The unemployment rate for the Roma population in Spain is 52%, over three times the national average, according to the Fundación Secretariado Gitano. This rate is even higher for Roma women, at 84%. Of those who are employed, most have unstable, unsalaried forms of work, such as street trading, seasonal agriculture and construction.
  • Housing: Many Roma live in impoverished neighborhoods outside of Spain’s major cities. Poor conditions, overcrowding and a constant threat of eviction are major issues there. A 2022 FRA report found that 64% of Roma in Spain live in inadequate housing, and most live in segregated, majority-Roma communities.
  • Health: Roma people in Spain have a life expectancy 10 years lower than the national average, due to discrimination in health care. A 2025 study published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Disparities also found higher rates of anxiety, depression and substance abuse among Roma people in Spain than in the general population.
  • Discrimination and Social Exclusion: Roma people in Spain continue to experience blatant forms of discrimination and “antigypsyism.” The Spanish national dictionary still defines the Spanish word for a Roma person, “Gitano,” as “swindler.” The persistence of harmful stereotypes and misinformation about Roma people perpetuates harmful attitudes toward Roma communities in Spain.

National Efforts for Roma Inclusion

The Spanish national government has made great strides toward Roma inclusion over the past quarter-century. Spain instituted the State Council of the Roma People in 2005, an advisory body that facilitates collaboration between Roma organizations and state officials to promote equal opportunities for Roma people.

The Spanish government formed the Institute of Roma Culture in 2007 to promote and recognize Roma contributions to the country’s culture and history. The 2012-20 National Strategy for the Social Inclusion of Roma followed. It was the first long-term policy instituted by the Spanish state to address the inequalities faced by Roma people in Spain, and it achieved moderate success.

The National Strategy for Roma Equality, Inclusion and Participation 2021-30 builds upon those earlier efforts to promote equality and alleviate poverty. It includes programs aimed at specific goals: eradicating illiteracy among Roma populations, reducing job insecurity and promoting knowledge of Roma history and culture.

The Fundación Secretariado Gitano

The Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) is an NGO based in Madrid. It works to alleviate poverty and defend the rights of Roma people in Spain. Through its Promociona Program, FSG provides support and guidance to 5,000 Roma students each year. In 2024, 90% of Promociona participants who graduated from secondary school went on to pursue post-compulsory studies.

FSG’s Acceder vocational training program facilitates Roma integration into the labor market. In 2024, 4,544 Roma people found a job with the support of Acceder. Also in 2024, FSG assisted 1,888 families in accessing decent housing. FSG additionally handles anti-Roma discrimination cases. Its Calí Program for the Equality of Roma Women promotes gender equality and combats gender-based violence.

Looking Ahead

Spain marks the 600-year anniversary of the arrival of Roma people this year. The national government declared 2025 the Year of the Roma in Spain to celebrate that legacy and acknowledge the injustices Roma communities have faced. This sentiment offers hope for the empowerment of Roma communities following centuries of exclusion.

– India Kaz

India is based in Seattle, WA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Palestine Solidarity Campaign Making a Difference

Palestine Solidarity CampaignMore than 70,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza alone since 2023, the majority of them civilians. For more than eight decades, conflict has persisted over the Palestinian territory; however, the situation drastically escalated in 2023 after a Hamas attack on Israel. In addition, Israel has established a blockade around Palestine, severely limiting access to food, water and humanitarian aid. Continued warfare has also cost the lives of countless Palestinian children; every hour, a Palestinian child loses their life. The vast scale of the conflict is overwhelming, and in the West, many feel helpless. Yet, organizations such as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign are providing avenues for British civilians to contribute toward ending the conflict.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Established in 1982, Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) is Britain’s largest Palestinian rights group, with nearly 70 branches across the United Kingdom (U.K.). According to PSC, it identifies as “not a charity but a political campaign” and advocates to end the violence in Palestine and restore human rights to its people. Supported by donations, the group lobbies MPs, challenges bills in Parliament and organizes large protests and meetings. Donations also help the group function as a business, as it was incorporated in 2004. Public donations fund its staff, office, technology and equipment, which are vital to the group’s work. However, PSC does not accept donations from political parties, governments or businesses.

Buy for Palestine

PSC members devote their time to advocacy; however, the group acknowledges that the average citizen may not have the time, experience or resources to volunteer. Therefore, PSC offers a quick and easy way to support their campaign via their website shop. With a minimum price of £2.50, there is a wide variety of items to choose from.

Many of the available accessories display a watermelon symbolizing Palestine, as it contains the colors of the Palestinian flag: black, red and green. All profit from purchasing one of these items goes directly to PSC and funds its advocacy campaign.

PSC also sells a type of scarf known as a keffiyeh. While these scarves are a Palestinian custom, due to the conflict they are now largely manufactured in India and China. PSC supports the Hirbawi family, a Palestinian family that makes and sells keffiyehs, and their products are available via the PSC shop, creating a way for people not actively involved in advocacy to support Palestinian lives during this difficult time.

What Difference Does a Donation Make?

Forty-four years of advocacy conducted by PSC has resulted in significant change toward a better future for Palestinians, such as successfully getting the U.K. to acknowledge Palestine. PSC contributed to this change by sending approximately 57,000 emails to MPs urging support. This resulted in the U.K.’s most attended backbench vote of all time in 2014, and PSC continues to strive for more.

As part of the multi-civil-society movement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, which began in 2005 and is also referred to as the “Don’t Buy Apartheid” movement, PSC helped convince Britain’s seventh-largest retailer, John Lewis, to discontinue the sale of SodaStream, a product PSC said was manufactured in “illegal Israeli settlements.” This boycott limits the financial support Israel receives from the U.K. that could potentially fund more warfare against Palestinian civilians.

This movement was also responsible for PSC’s successful campaign to remove Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation’s (HSBC’s) investment in Elbit Systems, the biggest provider of weapons in Israel, in 2018. Additionally, PSC organized a protest against violence in Palestine with nearly 150,000 people in attendance and made Palestine the most prominent diplomatic concern during the 2015 general election by sending more than 36,000 awareness emails to members of Parliament and receiving more than 1,000 replies.

Conclusion

PSC has shown determination, education and devotion to make a difference. Its online shop offers the average British citizen another way to support the campaign.

– Lisa Jane Bryant

Lisa is based in Glasgow, Scotland and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr