Tag Archive for: Europe

Posts

Employment Reform Among Causes of Poverty in Germany

Cause of Poverty in GermanyOn March 14, 2003, then-German chancellor Gerhard Schröder announced Agenda 2010, a series of reforms executed by the German government. More than 10 years later Agenda 2010 is seen as one of the leading causes of poverty in Germany.

Agenda 2010 was created to accelerate economic growth, create jobs and ultimately reduce unemployment. Current data on Germany may seem to support the claim that Agenda 2010 has worked well and that perhaps isn’t one of the causes of poverty in Germany. The bureau of labor statistics sites a continual drop in unemployment, reaching a low of 3.9 percent in April 2017, and World Bank figures show a gross domestic product of $3.467 trillion for Germany in 2016.

The way Agenda 2010 achieved those results was by creating a new, flexible, exclusively part-time employment structure. The motivation was that an employed citizen was better than an unemployed one. To create this new type of temporary work, Agenda 2010 deregulated to encourage employers to hire part-time workers.

Agenda 2010 focused on getting the unemployed back to work. It also created what is known in Germany as the mini-job, a part-time employment that pays 450 euros a month tax-free. As the data shows, employers hired, and the unemployment rate dropped, but this system has caused poverty in Germany to reach its highest since reunification.

German news site DW reported a German study that classified 12.5 million Germans as poor. The poor are classified in Germany by earning less than 60 percent of the median household income, which for a single household is around 900 euros a month. Although Germans are employed, those employed in mini-jobs earn 450 euros, half of the median household income of a single household.

The Federal Agency of Statistics for Labor in Germany cites 7.5 million Germans working mini-jobs and two million Germans working two jobs. The causes of poverty in Germany can be directly linked to Agenda 2010, which created more employment opportunity while also creating a new working poor. During an interview with Euronews, Dierk Hirschel, chief economist of Verdi, spoke on the issue, “The problem we face in Germany is that one in five workers are paid less than ten euros an hour, they are the “working poor.”

– Yosef Flowers

Photo: Google

The High Cost of Living in Finland

Cost of Living in FinlandFinland is a Scandinavian country with a population of 5.5 million people. While known for its excellence in education and civil liberties, Finland also has a high cost of living. Near the end of the twentieth century, Finland was announced the world’s most expensive country. Fortunately, the situation has improved. Prices and the cost of living in Finland have decreased since the turn of the century.

According to calculations by the Global Property Guide, a bundle of goods and services costing one dollar in the U.S. would cost $1.03 in Finland. While this is lower than the U.K. and other Scandinavian countries, it is higher than most countries in the European continent.

While housing is usually reasonably priced, certain items drive up the cost of living in Finland. The country has a state-run monopoly on alcoholic beverages, which helps keep prices at 172 percent of the European average. Other items are similarly pricey. Food tends to cost 120 percent of the European average, which is due in part to a significant value-added tax. The average cost of a Coke or Pepsi is $2.44, while the average McDonald’s combo meal is $8.18. A gallon of milk costs about $4.10.

Finns bring home slightly more money in their paychecks than workers in the U.S. The average monthly salary in Finland is about $3,854, while the average monthly salary in the United States is $3,769.

As in most countries, the cost of living varies depending on where you live. The cost of living in the capital of Finland, Helsinki, is significantly more expensive than living in the rural areas. Housing prices in Helsinki are double the prices in the rest of Finland.

While Finns benefit from higher wages and quality education, the cost of living remains higher than in the U.S. or most European countries. Finns don’t seem to mind, though, seeing as Finland was recently ranked the fifth happiest country in the world.

– Brock Hall

,

Agricultural Solutions to Poverty in Moldova

Poverty in Moldova
Over the past decade, Moldova had remarkable progress in the form of economic growth, the reduction of poverty and greater shared prosperity. However, poverty in Moldova is at one of the highest rates in Europe.

The World Bank reports that Moldova’s economy had rapid growth over the past decade, with an average growth rate of 5% per year. In addition, the poverty rate dropped from 60% to 27% between 2000 and 2004 and reached 11.4% in 2014. While impressive, these data points fail to demonstrate the instability caused by the very factors that spawned this progress.

Economic growth was largely driven by an increase in private consumption. However, this does not necessarily signal that Moldova’s economic situation improved, as this growth is primarily funded by remittances. In 2014 remittances accounted for 26 percent of Moldova’s GDP and were received by more than 25% of households. The decline in employment from 55% in 2000 to 40% in 2014 further demonstrates that while Moldovans may have more money and are actively participating in the economy, the past decade’s growth was not spurred by internal progress.

Any steps taken to create such progress face significant obstacles due to spatial and cross-group inequalities as access to assets, services and economic opportunities varies greatly across the population. The lack of progress toward expanding economic opportunities within Moldova pushed many to leave the country. The lack of employment opportunities was particularly damaging to rural areas, where the slow-growing farming industry remains the primary sector. Limited access to markets and non-farm jobs fostered a system where residents of rural areas are persistently poorer.

Declining fertility and the increasing emigration of the young population left the state with a rapidly aging population and a shrinking workforce. This means that pensions, which were a significant generator of income growth over the past decade, are no longer a viable tool for lifting households from poverty.

Rural areas are home to most of the poorest 40% of Moldova’s population. Residents of these areas have significantly less education and typically have inadequate access to healthcare. Even when health services are physically accessible, many lack insurance and either refuse to pay for care or are driven further into poverty in Moldova by high out-of-pocket costs.

Many believe that the 2014 association agreement with the European Union, which opened up trade opportunities, will stimulate Moldova’s domestic economy in preparation for greater dependency on exports. However, this fails to account for the significance of Moldova’s small scale farming sector which, by design, does not have access to the same opportunities as industrial farms.

Recommendations for leveling these inequalities and avoiding economic stagnation include strengthening the domestic labor market, addressing corruption in the business environment and improving the government’s social assistance scheme. Perhaps most important is the advice of Alex Kremer, World Bank Country Manager for Moldova, who urges that “enhancing the livelihoods of small farmers is paramount” for Moldova to foster internal economic progress.

Given the persistent spatial inequalities in living conditions and the fact that agriculture accounts for such a large portion of employment, it is important to note that the causes of poverty in Moldova remain much the same as they were a decade ago. To eradicate them once and for all, Moldova must invest in its human capital by improving living conditions across the rural-urban divide and foster quality education and healthcare services.

– Alena Zafonte

Photo: Flickr

,

10 Facts About Refugees in Liechtenstein

Refugees in Liechtenstein
Located in Central Europe, nestled between Switzerland and Austria, lies the Principality of Liechtenstein. With only 62 square miles of territory and fewer than 38,000 citizens, one might assume that the country would refuse refugees, but this is not the case. Liechtenstein has willingly taken part in helping those fleeing from war-torn and oppressive regions. Here is what you need to know about refugees in Liechtenstein:

  1. World Data has reported that, in 2016, refugees sent a total of 52 asylum applications to Liechtenstein. A total of 39 decisions were reached.
  2. In 2016, 28% of all decisions reached were positive.
  3. As of 2015, the principality already accepted six refugee families from Syria, a sum of 23 persons.
  4. In 2014, Liechtenstein spent roughly $25 million on International Refugee and Migration Assistance and Development Cooperation, as well as Emergency and Reconstruction Assistance. In 2015, such expenditures were expected to increase significantly.
  5. Lichtenstein declared a willingness to participate in the EU relocation programs, not out of obligation, but out of its humanitarian tradition.
  6. The crown prince of Liechtenstein stated that, although they are willing to accept refugees, the principality must also “protect its culture.”
  7. Ambassador Fritsche of Liechtenstein stated that its small municipality is probably not a target for refugees because the country is not well-known. He theorized that this might be because Liechtenstein is not a full EU member.
  8. In 2015, it was made clear that if the principality did not allow refugees in Liechtenstein, the state would be booted out of the Dublin agreement, a cornerstone of asylum laws in the EU.
  9. Liechtenstein acceded to the Geneva Convention of 1951 and the Protocol of 1967, the world’s more recognized laws on refugees.
  10. Liechtenstein’s government protects against the expulsion of refugees in cases where their “lives or freedom” might be threatened.

Although Liechtenstein is a relatively small principality, their willingness to host refugees sets a clear example for nations around the world. Today, refugees in Liechtenstein are adjusting to a new way of life in a foreign land. In the future, perhaps they will come to call the country home.

– Shannon Golden
Photo: Flickr

,

The Struggle for Human Rights in Belarus

Human Rights in Belarus
Belarus, formerly a part of the Soviet Union, has dealt with external and internal oppression for decades. Alexander Lukashenko has been the president for 23 years and has held a tight grip on the country. Widely regarded as Europe’s last dictatorship, the government maintains power through intimidating those who would oppose them. Lukashenko controls a police force that is still referred to as the KGB, and political freedoms are stifled. Human rights in Belarus are often oppressed by the totalitarian government.

Activists working for human rights in Belarus are often arrested on baseless charges, and journalists endure oppressive sanctions and harassment. It is illegal to join an organization that is not formally registered with the government, and it is very difficult for groups not associated with the government to receive permission to register.

Last year, the European Union removed the sanctions meant to improve human rights in Belarus because Lukashenko released several prisoners who had been held unjustly. In October, Belarus created a plan to reduce human rights violations, but many critics say it is not specific enough to adequately improve the situation.

In March 2017, the police arrested almost 1,000 people who were peacefully protesting a law that taxes every citizen not working full-time. The suppression of this protest stands out as the worst human rights violation since the unjust election in 2010.

Belarus has also reinstated the death penalty and has executed several people without permission from the U.N. Human Rights Council. The next time the council meets, the country will endure a thorough evaluation and the U.N. will likely decide to take action to intervene on behalf of human rights in Belarus.

The EU has stated that it will not continue to support Belarus if the country continues to violate human rights. This move is meant to force Belarus to improve conditions, as its economy is largely dependent on imports from other countries.

Belarus does not meet the standards of human rights required for European countries by the U.N., but the events of the past couple years have shone a spotlight on the government’s misdemeanors. This spotlight has renewed the EU and U.N. focus on improving human rights in Belarus, and their work should improve conditions in the next decade.

– Julia Mccartney

,

Nine Important Facts to Know About Belarusian Refugees

10 Facts About Belarussian Refugees
World War I was a massive turning point in the history of Belarus. Affecting the local economy, the war caused massive migration and displacement. Throughout the almost-century since then, the collapse of the Russian Empire, revolutions, various occupations and wars, Belarus has struggled to establish itself as an independent state. Belarus’s independence has been recognized globally since 1991.

Today, the country’s population is 84% Belarusian, 8.3% Russian, 3% Polish and 1.7% Ukrainian. Other ethnic groups in Belarus include Tatars, Jews and Roma. Over three million Belarusians live outside the country, most of them in Russia, Ukraine, Canada and the United States.

Here are 9 facts about Belarusian refugees:

  1. There were several waves of Belarusian refugees into the U.S. The first was before the Russian Revolution, then between 1919 and 1939 from West Belarus, then from the late 1940 to the early 1950s (after World War II), with the most recent wave of refugees coming after the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s.
  2. On March 28, 1928, 104 families moved to Birobidzhan from Belarus. The city in Siberia, near the Chinese border, became an administrative center of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast by a decision of the Communist Party.
  3. In the post-World War II period, from 1948 to the early 1950s, about 50,000 Belarusians fled to the U.S. Most of them left states all over Europe for political reasons.
  4. The largest concentrations of Belarusian Americans are in the metropolitan New York area, New Jersey, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Detroit.
  5. More than 340 Belarusian refugees resettled in Minnesota during the years 2003-2015.
  6. According to data made available to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) by asylum countries, the number of Belarusian refugees seeking asylum in 29 of the most industrialized countries in the world has increased dramatically since 2000. The number of cases of Belarusian refugees and asylum-seekers has grown from 3,291 in 2000 to 6,480 in 2010, peaking in 2006 at 11,062.
  7. Volha Charnysh, a Ph.D. candidate in Government at Harvard University and executive editor of the Belarus Digest, found that more people from Belarus seek asylum elsewhere than people from Kyrgyzstan or Russia when taking differences in population size into account.
  8. In her article “Belarus Produces More Refugees Than It Saves” published in 2014, Charnish explained that many Belarusians obtain refugees status or seek asylum for political and social reasons, as political activists are often encouraged to go into exile.
  9. The Chernobyl disaster changed Belarusian migration patterns in the 1980s. Following the accident, where a majority of the nuclear fallout landed in Belarus, many Belarusian natives resettled internationally.

Belarusian refugees are resettling in the EU, the U.S., Australia, Canada and Russia. The latest wave of refugees consists mostly of professionals – software and other engineers, scientists, students and athletes.

– Yana Emets

Photo: Flickr

,

Healthcare Addresses Some Common Diseases in Denmark

Common Diseases in Denmark
Denmark is one of the smaller countries in Europe and has a very good healthcare system. Some of the common diseases in Denmark are also some of the deadliest. However, with the system and care in place, there has been a decline in many of the major diseases that strike the country.

Denmark possesses one of the better healthcare systems in the world, ranked 34 out of 191 countries, according to the World Health Organization. Denmark provides universal healthcare access to all citizens in the country. The government and those within the system promote the availability and it is financed by a national health tax that is set at 8%.

The life expectancy in Denmark is about 85 years for females and about 80 years for males. Both of these numbers have risen over the last few years and slowly improved that has seen a rise along with Denmark’s health system. Both ranks in the higher end of the worldwide life expectancy rankings, yet this is still behind some of the other European nations. The rise is still a testament to the fantastic health services that are available to the people of Denmark.

The majority of common diseases in Denmark are noncommunicable and are mostly heart diseases and different types of cancers. The only major communicable disease in Denmark is a lower respiratory infection.

The various types of cancer are one of the common diseases around the world and also one of the most common diseases in Denmark. Denmark was named the cancer capital of the world. There are lifestyle factors that affect the numbers and inflate the number of cases each year and the country still has one of the highest cancer rates around the world. The high rates can be tied to smoking and other lifestyle habits that are not healthy and can contribute to the onset of the disease. There are scientists that estimate nearly one-third of most of the cancers can be prevented by eliminating these risks.

Heart disease is the leading disease in Denmark. However, in recent years there was a significant fall in its occurrence. In 2014, there was a 70% decline in Danes who died from heart disease. There is not another state in the EU that recorded that big a drop off in mortality rates for cardiovascular disease.

The most common diseases in Denmark include some of the most common around the world. It is a great healthcare system that helps the Danes through the diseases and on to a healthier life.

– Brendin Axtman

Photo: Flickr

Why Is Croatia Poor?

Why Is Croatia Poor
Croatia is one of the more economically unstable European Union countries, with 19.5% of its population falling below the poverty line. There are many regional disparities within Croatia, with some areas making efforts towards industrializing while others have done little to no effort. In order to improve the situation in the future, a question must be answered: why is Croatia so poor?

Many of the highest rates of poverty are found in small towns and settlements in the east and southeast regions of Croatia, along the country’s border with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. These areas were the most profoundly affected by the Homeland War of the 1990s and failed to recover afterward.

Croatian poverty is often attributed to the fallout after Croatia gained independence in 1991 and moved to a free-market system. During this transition, there was very little progress made towards the privatization of industries, and some faith was lost when the government appointed political favorites to influential positions.

Many groups that depended on the government, including pensioners and previously middle-class people, suffered greatly because of the changing economic system and the impact of the war. The U.N. Development Program’s 1999 Human Development Program reported that, in 1997, the average pension was less than half of the average salary.  On top of this, many pension payments were often months late. Currently, the pension system is becoming increasingly overburdened as the ratio of pensioners to workers increases.

To reduce its poverty rate and answer the question “why is Croatia poor?”, Croatia is taking part in the Europe 2020 Strategy.  This strategy was developed to lessen the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion by 2020. This goal will require the development and successful implementation of policies and programs that specifically target people who risk falling below the poverty line.

Croatia has also developed “The Strategy for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion in the Republic of Croatia 2014-2020,” which seeks to identify population groups that are extremely vulnerable to poverty and social discrimination. These groups are usually made up of older people, single-parent families, lower educated individuals, disabled people, war veterans and victims of war and ethnic minorities such as Roma and Serbs.

By creating more social programs to support these groups and strengthening inter-European trade, Croatia can hopefully reduce its poverty rate and expand its economy.

– Saru Duckworth

Photo: Pixabay

,

Human Rights in Belgium

Human Rights in Belgium
Human rights can be defined as things that all people are entitled to. This, of course, includes the people of Belgium, a small country in Western Europe with a population of about 11.5 million. Belgium is a monarchy in which the King plays a largely symbolic role. In reality, a parliamentary democracy primarily governs the nation. While they are protected in some regards, human rights in Belgium are not where they could be.

Human rights in Belgium are not evenly granted. According to the U.S. Department of State’s 2016 report, “The main human rights problem was heightened hostility and discrimination against racial and religious minorities in employment, housing, and societal attitudes.” These prejudices are not simply the continuation of outdated ideas. Recent events have emboldened them.

Following terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, Muslims and Jewish human rights in Belgium were threatened. The previously mentioned report by the U.S. Department of State said that Muslim women were especially affected by the restrictions put in place by the government. Additionally, “Anti-Semitic incidents occurred in schools, the media, and elsewhere in society.” This elucidates an important concept about how events and circumstances that may seem isolated are often connected in some way.

On July 10, the European Court of Human Rights made an important decision on one of the issues relating to Muslim women’s human rights in Belgium. The court ruled that banning full-face veils is not a violation of human rights law. The case was brought to the court by two Muslim women who argue that the ban violates their rights, both as private citizens and as members of a religious faith.

There is clearly room for improvement when it comes to human rights in Belgium. However, a well-rounded assessment of the situation shows that the country does not completely fail in this regard either.

With regard to respect for the integrity of the person, Belgium does well. It’s one blemish, according to The State Department’s report, is that there is room for improvement when it comes to prison and detention center conditions.

Another area in which Belgium thrives is regarding freedom of speech and expression. Belgians’ free speech and the free press is protected by the nation’s constitution and law. The nation has also made considerable efforts to quell dangerous rhetoric, as the 1995 Belgian Holocaust Denial Bill elucidates. According to Revolvy, it is illegal in Belgium to challenge the existence of or justify the Holocaust. The bill passed the Chamber of Representatives without a single “no” vote, demonstrating Belgium’s willingness to combat hate speech.

Human rights in Belgium are not perfectly protected. However, that does not mean that the country is not succeeding on many of these fronts and working to improve others.

– Adam Braunstein

Photo: Google

,

Hunger in Luxembourg: A Nutritional Issue

Hunger in Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a small country that shares borders with Belgium, France and Germany. It is also well-known for its efforts not only to solve hunger in Luxembourg, but also around the globe. An economic rise and an increased standard of living have made hunger in Luxembourg rare; however, it has also led to nutritional issues, such as obesity.

Since 2006, Luxembourg has been one of the World Food Programme’s (WFP) most important donors in the fight against global hunger. With a significant total donation of 9.6 million euros for that year, Luxembourg had also announced a 2.6 million euro donation to fund school meals for 100,000 children in Sahel region in Africa.

In 2008, approximately 490,000 individuals lived in Luxembourg. It was estimated that 60.6% of the adult population older than 20, was overweight. The prevalence prediction for 2020 has estimated that 22% of the male population and 23% of the female population will be obese.

Obesity has been defined as “an adult having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater to or equal to 30.0.” BMI can be calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height squared in meters. A BMI below 18.5 is defined as underweight, while a BMI between 18.5 and 25 is in the normal range.

This shows that although Luxembourg has taken action against hunger, it has not yet taken action against obesity.

By 2011, only five percent of the population was undernourished, but by 2014, Luxembourg was ranked ninth out of 16 countries where 23% or more of the population is obese.

This rate is lower than that of the U.S. The U.S. has officially been named the most obese country, with 35% of its population being overweight. It is predicted that by 2020, two out of every three countries will struggle with an increase in obesity, not malnutrition.

Luxembourg has been noted to consume fewer fruits and vegetables in a day than most European countries. This shows that the nutrition problem is not hunger in Luxembourg, but rather overeating and an unhealthy diet.

The OECD reported that in 2014, only 50% of adults in Luxembourg consumed fruits and vegetables daily compared to 62% and 57%, respectively, for fruits and vegetables on average in 28 EU countries.

The goal is to implement awareness campaigns to improve nutrition habits and physical activity within children while strengthening the regulations of food advertising. Luxembourg continues to make progress in nutrition labeling to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages in hopes of a nutritional change in people’s daily lives.

While Luxembourg continues to help eliminate world hunger, it is slowly taking steps to tackle its domestic obesity problem. By putting a focus on healthy nutrition, there is hope to reduce the obesity rate within Luxembourg and create a healthier future.

– Stefanie Podosek

Photo: Pixabay