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Helping the Deaf Community in Pakistan

5 Organizations Helping the Deaf Community in Pakistan Estimates put the deaf population in Pakistan at around 10 million people. Unfortunately, these 10 million Pakistanis face several barriers in society, starting at an early age. Less than 5% of deaf children, especially girls, attend school in Pakistan, leading to widespread illiteracy and ultimately, high unemployment rates among the deaf youth.

The following is an overview of five organizations dedicated to helping the deaf community in Pakistan overcome obstacles that contribute to their poverty. Ayesha Raza, whose parents and brothers are deaf, remarked in 2022 that “the majority of the deaf youth is unemployed in Pakistan, and they face issues like language barriers, inequality and discrimination.”

5 Organizations Helping the Deaf Community in Pakistan

  1. Pakistan Association of the Deaf. Founded in 1987 and based in Karachi, Pakistan, the Pakistan Association of the Deaf strives to promote the welfare of the deaf community in Pakistan. It affiliates with the World Federation of the Deaf and networks with 12 deaf associations across Pakistan. The organization’s current initiatives include advocacy for the deaf, interpreter services, a women’s empowerment program, sports activities for the deaf, Pakistani Sign Language education and a “Needy Deaf Child Sponsorship” program. This sponsorship program allows donors to support one or more deaf children by providing essential school supplies.
  2. Deaf Reach. Founded in 1998 and with its headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan, Deaf Reach is a sub-organization of the Family Educational Services Foundation. Deaf Reach particularly serves the deaf community in Pakistan’s Sindh and Punjab provinces. Every year, more than 1,500 deaf students receive education through Deaf Reach’s schools. Deaf Reach also ensures this education is accessible to those experiencing financial difficulties, as they use a “pay-as-you-can-afford” method. The curriculum at these schools encompasses core subjects, academic literacy and vocational training, with a focus on information technology (IT) skills. Pakistani Sign Language is the primary language of instruction, with a strong emphasis on helping students develop language and literacy skills in Pakistani Sign Language, Urdu and English. Besides serving a large number of students annually, Deaf Reach also trains about 150 teachers each year in the best practices of deaf education.
  3. DeafTawk. Based in Islamabad, Pakistan, DeafTawk is a multinational organization that serves deaf communities in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Denmark and Puerto Rico by bridging communication gaps between the hearing and deaf communities. Since launching its mobile app in 2018, DeafTawk has connected deaf individuals with qualified interpreters for real-time interpreting services. DeafTawk takes pride in having uplifted deaf Pakistanis by providing them with essential communication tools for success. The organization’s team, already well-connected with the deaf community in Pakistan, has forged partnerships with major Pakistani corporations and development companies through its services.
  4. ConnectHear. Growing up as the interpreter for her deaf parents, Azima Dhanjee understood firsthand the opportunities her parents missed when she wasn’t available. Drawing on her experiences, Dhanjee founded ConnectHear in 2017 to increase the number of interpreters available to the deaf community in Pakistan. Based in Karachi, ConnectHear focuses on training Pakistani Sign Language interpreters and connecting organizations across Pakistan with both virtual and in-person interpreters. The mission of ConnectHear and its team is to broaden accessibility for deaf Pakistanis and make Pakistan more inclusive for the deaf community. ConnectHear emphasizes that access to interpreters and thus to communication, enables deaf Pakistanis to achieve true independence.
  5. Pakistan Ear Foundation. Based in Lahore, Pakistan, the Pakistan Ear Foundation actively supports the deaf community with a focus on enhancing ear and hearing care across the country. This support includes offering early detection services, increasing education and awareness about deafness and hearing loss, facilitating communication services and making hearing aids and cochlear implants more accessible to those who qualify and desire them. Additionally, the Foundation engages in political advocacy to promote better policies for the deaf community and works to improve education for deaf and hard-of-hearing Pakistanis.

Looking Ahead

The deaf community in Pakistan continues to face many challenges related to discrimination and lack of access to resources compared to their hearing counterparts. However, these five organizations have made great progress toward promoting equitable access for deaf Pakistanis in the future.

– Natalie Coyne
Photo: Flickr

Poverty Reduction in Pakistan

Poverty Reduction in PakistanPakistan is a country known for its poverty. Pakistan’s poverty rate has gone from 34.2% to 39.4%, with around 95 million Pakistanis in poverty. However, there have been plans and systems being actively implemented to improve the country for the better. This article will focus on some of the strategies for poverty reduction in Pakistan.

Basic Amenities

The root of many problems of poverty-stricken families is the lack of basic amenities. Many Pakistanis do not have access to essential equipment. For example, 79 million people don’t have a toilet. Access to basic amenities has been getting worse, with disasters such as the flood leaving 10 million people without water. This lack of clean water and proper toilets can be dangerous, as it causes diarrhea, which has led to the death of 19,400 children under the age of 5. 

Pakistan has made some investments in this area, as solving this issue can be a big step for poverty reduction in Pakistan. For example, the World Bank contributed $442 million to help 16 districts in Punjab by improving access to clean water. This program was estimated to help around 2,000 villages, totaling 6 million people. These are small steps for establishing a healthy society. 

General Education

Even if a family has access to clean resources, they may not have guaranteed education. The income of many Pakistanis has prevented them from sending their children to school. This has led to 22.8 million children not attending school. Education is a vital part of Pakistan, as it ensures jobs and careers for those who are knowledgeable in certain careers. Because there are not enough children in school, most industries in Pakistan are unemployed, causing a low output rate of certain companies. In 2023, it was found that Pakistan’s industrial production had decreased by 14.55%. 

Increasing education in Pakistan could be beneficial in increasing productivity in various industries. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in particular has done a lot. Not only have they built/repaired 1,600 schools in Pakistan, but they have also improved oral reading fluency for 26% of young students. This improvement in education can help students use their knowledge to create better opportunities for themselves and their families. 

Infrastructure

The third issue to address is Pakistan’s infrastructure. Infrastructure has always been a goal for Pakistan, but they have always been held back. The country has nearly 70% of its financial resources going towards paying off its debt, which has come from previous ventures in investing in agriculture. Thankfully, there are multiple projects in the works to ensure an improvement in the infrastructure. 

For example, in terms of energy, Pakistan has made it financially attractive to switch to solar, with net metering, feed-in tariffs and tax incentives. By 2030, the government plans for solar and wind energy to make up around 30% of Pakistan’s overall energy. If Pakistan’s efforts in this area are an indication of their performance in other infrastructure fields, then they should be on a good path. 

A Look Ahead

Pakistan may be a far way from ridding itself of poverty, but it has the potential to change itself. As long as poverty reduction in Pakistan remains a steady goal, the country has a chance to improve the lives of its people for the better.

–Uzair Khan
Photo: Wikimedia

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Addressing the Mediterranean Migration Crisis

Mediterranean Migration CrisisThe migrant boat shipwreck occurring in Italy on February 26, 2023, serves as a reminder that stronger action is necessary to address the Mediterranean migration crisis. Thousands of migrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea by boat with the hope of a better future. However, the Mediterranean is a deadly route for migrants, with more than 26,000 people missing or dead since 2014.

The EU’s response to the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean has been criticized for falling short in addressing and collaborating on the issue. Numbers of experts posit that the prioritization of borders over human lives is an uncomfortable truth that must be confronted as the deadly waters continue to claim the lives of those seeking a future free from poverty, war and violence.

Migrant Boat Shipwreck in Italy

The migrant boat shipwreck in Italy led to at least 63 confirmed deaths, including women and children. The migrants had hoped to land near Crotone in search of a new life free from poverty. About 200 migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Iran boarded the boat, which had set out from Izmir, Turkey a few days before the shipwreck.

Due to high poverty rates and extreme living conditions in countries like Afghanistan, people are seeking better opportunities through migration. The economic collapse in Afghanistan, worsened by the Taliban’s seizure of power and international donors suspending non-humanitarian funding has created a humanitarian crisis. As of mid-2021, the U.N. Refugee Agency reported that 2.7 million Afghans were displaced across borders worldwide. 

The loss of lives in this incident serves as a reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.

Recent data shows a noteworthy surge in migrant arrivals in Italy compared to the same months in 2021-2022, with the figures tripling. While the peak of the migrant crisis in the EU was witnessed between 2014-2017, this year has seen a steep increase in arrivals, with Ivorians, Guineans, and Bangladeshis being the most represented nationalities.

Many migrants originate from countries with high poverty rates, including Cote d’Ivoire, which experienced a 6.7% rise in GDP in 2022, yet more than 11% of its population lived below the international poverty line. Similarly, extreme weather events and other factors have led to 35 million people continuing to live below the poverty line, as per recent reports.

Taking Action to Resolve the Mediterranean Migration Crisis

The Global Route-Based Migration Programme, initiated by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 2021, aims to improve the safety and dignity of people on the move, including migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and other displaced individuals, along land and sea-based migration routes in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and the Americas.

The program seeks to support 4.7 million people on the move and people in host communities annually by utilizing the expertise and reach of 57 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide. It is a tool that can be used to address the migration crisis and improve coordination and collaboration among organizations and governments, while also enhancing support and access to essential needs such as food, water, shelter, information and health care.

The Path Forward

Addressing the root causes of migration and providing support to those in need requires a collaborative effort. In a bilateral meeting on the aftermath of the migrant boat shipwreck in Italy, during a March 2023 EU summit in Brussels, French President Macron and Italian Prime Minister Meloni discussed the need for a common European solution to manage migration and aid those in need. While migration policy has been a point of tension between the two countries in the past, this meeting signifies a step toward finding common ground and working together to address the complex challenges of migration in Europe.

– Elena Maria Puri
Photo: Flickr

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Mental Health in Pakistan

In developing countries like Pakistan, a nation that has faced violence, economic and political instability since its birth in 1947, mental health is a highly consequential yet invisible issue. Pakistan has one of the highest mental illness rates in the world — A 2016 article by DAWN says around 50 million Pakistanis suffer from mental issues. Pakistan also has a staggeringly low number of psychiatrists — a 2020 article published by The Lancet Psychiatry says Pakistan’s population stands at more than 200 million people yet the nation has fewer than 500 psychiatrists. A 2015 article by Inamullah Ansari says Pakistan has four psychiatric hospitals available to the whole country. This makes it especially hard for those who need help to find it, a problem only exacerbated in rural areas where there is only one psychiatrist per million people. For these reasons, improving mental health in Pakistan is imperative.

Mental Health Stigma in Pakistan

The topic of mental health in Pakistan carries a stigma, which deters people from seeking professional help. Many believe that mental health issues stem from “supernatural forces,” and as such, psychiatric patients seek help from religious healers. This is due to limited educational awareness of mental health conditions and minimal access to mental health professionals.

Mental Health Among Pakistani Women

Pakistani women face significant societal stigmas and gender biases, which marginalize women and serve as stressors exacerbating mental health issues among women. In Pakistan, violence against women is rife as society considers violence “one of the acceptable means whereby men exercise their culturally constructed right to control women.”

It is common for many Pakistani families to celebrate the birth of a boy but mourn the birth of a girl. Child brides, dowries and exchange marriages are common, especially in rural areas. And often, early marriage results in abuse, violence, and in extreme circumstances, some marriages lead to honor killings and acid burns. Marital violence is concerningly common in Pakistan. A United Nations study found that a staggering 90% of Pakistani women surveyed suffered mental and verbal abuse from their spouses and 50% of women endured physical abuse.

Societal Stigma

Divorce in Pakistan also carries a tremendous stigma. Many women are afraid to leave their husbands simply due to social stigma, fearing their friends and families will cut them off. This stigma often traps women in a cycle of abuse. Around 70% of abused women have never opened up to anyone about their abuse, says a 2004 study by Unaiza Niaz.

This constant abuse puts women at high risk for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and even suicide. Marital abuse also puts children at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, substance abuse and poor school performance. Children younger than 12 with abusive parents are up to seven times more likely to endure emotional, behavioral and learning difficulties, says the same study.

Several studies and surveys have shown that women, especially married women who have faced violence, are exponentially more likely to seek psychiatric care than men. Due to the gender-specific issues Pakistani women endure, promoting mental health in Pakistan, especially for women, is imperative.

Fighting for Change

Although the situation seems grim, many organizations and individuals are fighting to bring awareness and increase psychiatric care for those who need it the most.

Dr. Alaptagin Khan is working to raise awareness of mental health in Pakistan and established the Childhood Trauma Research Center in Peshawar in 2018 at Lady Reading Hospital, with the support of the Neurocare Foundation. This center collects data, hosts workshops and seminars and works to bring awareness to childhood trauma. The center aimed to collect data from 2,500 participants by December 2020. The data “will allow health professionals to assess the true disease burden of mental health disorders associated with childhood trauma in Pakistan.”

The Pakistan Psychiatric Society, founded in 1972, is the largest professional psychiatric membership organization in Pakistan. It represents more than 400 psychiatrists and continually advocates for a better system to combat mental health in Pakistan. It publishes scientific journals and magazines on mental health awareness and provides training for psychiatrists.

BasicNeeds Pakistan, started in 2011, is a nonprofit organization that “works to improve the lives of people living with mental illness and/or epilepsy in Pakistan.” It provides mental health training for community volunteers, brings awareness to mental illnesses and common symptoms and debunks myths or stigma. In addition, in 2016, it started the Centre for Women’s Enterprise and Development, which aims to create job opportunities for women suffering from mental illnesses. As of 2016, BasicNeeds Pakistan has provided support to 16,703 people who faced mental health issues or knew someone who did.

Looking Ahead

Mental health in Pakistan is a dire issue, one that political turmoil and instability continue to perpetuate. It is also one that women are at the forefront of, contributing to the oppressive standards of women’s living. It is an epidemic that continues to grow, affecting the entire population’s well-being and must be addressed for Pakistan to improve as a country.

– Padma Balaji
Photo: WikiCommons

How Heritage Preservation Reduces Poverty

How Heritage Preservation Reduces PovertyCultural heritage preservation means keeping the artifacts and traditions of a community intact against factors trying to change them or wear them away. Some common examples are restoring historical buildings, passing on an ancient craft or recording traditional tales. Cultural heritage is crucial for communities. It gives them a way to look back on their history in a way that informs their present-day identity. It also provides the communities with new chances to thrive.

Many people behind cultural conservation programs prioritize staying local and helping their communities as much as possible. Often, people living in poverty or those on the outskirts of society are the ones first offered these opportunities. In this sense, heritage preservation reduces poverty and helps communities by giving people employment and education.

Heritage Tourism

Cultural heritage preservation encourages as well as utilizes tourism. Heritage Tourism is one of the major ways preserving cultural heritage can reduce poverty in a community. It often boosts a community’s economy and can become one of its major industries. Many tourists visit cultural sites and partake in culturally-enriching activities while traveling and tend to stay longer at these places.

As tourism increases, so do jobs for local community members directly involved in tourist activities (such as museum guides or re-enactors) and those not associated with tourism (such as the food industry or local shops). Employers can then afford to pay their employees more as they receive more and more business. People also become encouraged to start their own businesses or move their businesses to these small communities upon seeing the economy emerge and grow. A Pakistan-based study published in February 2020 shows that increases in tourism noticeably improve a community overall. A 1% increase in tourism can enhance the GPD by 0.051%, agricultural development by 0.26%, direct foreign investment by nearly 2.65% and potentially decrease poverty by 0.51%.

Examples of Cultural Heritage Preservation

An example of a cultural heritage preservation project that has greatly helped a small, rural community is the Rural Revitalization Drama Festival. It occurs in Shixia Village in China and showcases traditional Chinese Opera. Though Shixia was an impoverished village in 2010, the tourism created by the festival has provided more jobs. It has created more opportunities for extra income, encouraged people who previously left the village to return and urged people to start businesses there. The festival has also highlighted other cultural treasures in the area that promoted even more preservation projects and tourism. By 2019, they were able to purchase the technology needed to process their own millet crops; whereas, they previously had to outsource production to other places.

These disciplines and practices are culturally important, but they also give many people the chances of employment and education. For example, in the Philippines, Escuela Taller has created education programs in different traditional disciplines, such as carpentry and metalwork. In Peru, local women were trained in creating traditional textiles in order to support themselves and their families. This project was created by Centro de Textiles Tradicionale del Cusco in 1996 with the support of JoinTrafalgar and the TreadRight Foundation.

How Heritage Preservation Reduces Poverty

Cultural heritage preservation reduces poverty and helps communities by passing down ancient, artisan crafts to new generations. Preserving cultural heritage is a way of declaring to others that the people and the communities housing these museums, historical buildings and traditions are important and worth protecting. With people empathizing with a community, it can encourage them to fight against the destruction of land or buildings. It can inspire people to donate and even start charities and nonprofits. Preserving cultural heritage reduces poverty by promoting the visibility and the empowerment of communities. It can at first seem to only be about showcasing a country’s history but it runs deeper. Cultural heritage preservation gives modern people a chance at a prosperous future.

– Mikayla Burton

Photo: Flickr

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Government-Approved Hemp Production in Pakistan

Hemp production in PakistanIn September 2020, the Pakistani Government approved industrial hemp production, legalizing hemp and allowing hemp farming in agricultural sectors. Hemp is a type of cannabis plant, used commonly for medicinal purposes due to its cannabidiol (CBD) concentration. Considering the many benefits of hemp production, this landmark decision brings exciting possibilities for many areas in Pakistan. Since the economy of Pakistan has been long in need of a boost, the new approved hemp production and legalization is said to bring economic benefits to the country.

The Economic Benefits of Hemp Production

Officials in Pakistan’s government encouraged hemp legalization and production in efforts to relieve fiscal deficits and Pakistan’s struggling economy. Considering the industrial hemp market is worth about $25 billion globally, Pakistan’s science and technology minister, Fawad Chaudhry, says Pakistan is aiming for a profit of $1 billion over the next three years by joining the global hemp market. Exports in hemp can target CBD oils and cannabis-based products and can be a sustainable cotton replacement during slowdowns within the cotton industry.

A Sustainable Replacement for Cotton

Hemp production in Pakistan is most exciting to the workforce, especially for farmers participating in hemp markets and those working within the cotton industry. Cultivating hemp will create more jobs for the small-scale farmers responsible, but more importantly, become a sustainable replacement for cotton in Pakistan’s markets. As the fourth biggest cotton producer in the world, Pakistan’s cotton production has been declining due to climate change, water scarcity, locust attacks and industrial imbalances such as declining prices and low-grade seeds. The hemp plant’s stalk has strong properties of cellulose-rich fiber which is an effective ingredient in the making of paper, rope, construction and reinforcement materials, due to its strong fiber components. Hemp, therefore, makes for a worthy sustainable replacement to cotton.

Hemp Research Possibilities

For researchers, hemp production in Pakistan is exciting for many reasons. With the new hemp legalization, hemp research is no longer taboo, according to Muhammed A. Qayyum, an advisor in the Pakistani government and the director of Medics Laboratories. With this new allowance, researchers can delve into more potential applications of hemp in medicine and more.

Medicinal Properties of Hemp

Advocates have listed numerous medicinal properties to hemp, more specifically, the chemical cannabidiol (CBD) within the plant. Cannabis is seen as medically beneficial as the cannabinoid compound is said to relieve pain and regulate appetite, mood, memory inflammation, insulin sensitivity and metabolism. Hemp is also a valuable food supplement, incorporated in gluten-free products to increase nutritional value from hemp’s high levels of fiber and proteins.

The Potential of the Hemp Industry in Pakistan

With this new federal approval, Pakistan can enter global markets as a new exporter of CBD with the ability to generate millions of revenue similar to China, the United States and India. Hemp production in Pakistan opens up a wide range of possibilities but also brings thousands of jobs across multiple fields such as farm work, production, marketing, transportation, research and medicine. As a flexible crop, the hemp market can address several demands, from textiles, clothing, home furnishing and industrial oils to cosmetics, food and medicine.  Holding an overall market value of more than $340 billion and 263 million cannabis consumers worldwide, Pakistan’s economy can shift dramatically with the newly approved hemp production.

– Linda Chong
Photo: Flickr

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CARE: Increasing Access to Education in Pakistan

CARE, Increasing Access to Education in PakistanAlthough schooling is compulsory in Pakistan for kids aged 5 to 16, it is not as accessible as it could be. Nearly 22.7 million children are unable to access education in Pakistan. Girls are excluded from school at even higher rates than boys. According to Human Rights Watch, 31% of girls are not able to go to primary school compared to 21% of boys.

Barriers to Education

There are several factors that make education inaccessible for children, especially for girls. The first factor is a lack of funding. Education is underfunded in Pakistan. Only 2.8% of its GDP is spent on education, which is underperforming relative to the 4% that the United Nations recommends.

Lack of funding means that there is an unfortunate shortfall of schools and not everyone can attend, decreasing access to education in Pakistan. This issue is especially pertinent in rural areas. In Pakistan’s rural areas, schools are fewer and farther between. This makes it much harder for students to get an education, especially since private schools tend to operate in urban centers.

The second barrier to education in Pakistan is social norms. Some people in Pakistan do not believe that girls should receive an education. Particularly in more conservative communities, female students can face backlash for continuing their education. Girls also tend to be married younger, and thus have to prioritize their new families above their education. This keeps girls from attending school at higher rates relative to boys.

The third obstacle to access to education in Pakistan is instability. Given the relatively unstable nature of the Pakistani government, extremist groups have been able to launch attacks on schools, specifically against girls. This deters girls from attending school since they fear for their lives. It also creates a vicious cycle of instability, where violence hurts economic output, which in turn hurts the government’s ability to fund education.

CARE Foundation: Improving Access to Education

Fortunately, humanitarian organizations are seeking to rectify these barriers to education in Pakistan. One such organization is the CARE Foundation. The Foundation seeks to improve access to education through three key programs.

The first program concentrates on building public-private partnerships. In order to improve the educational system, CARE partners with existing public schools to rebuild infrastructures, improve curriculums and make educational resources more accessible. This program also helps build necessary infrastructure investments and rebuild existing crumbling infrastructure.

Thus far, CARE has adopted 683 government-run schools across Pakistan to improve their efficacy. In adopting schools, the organization has been able to improve its function. Enrollment in CARE’s schools has gone up 400% and a 10% decrease in dropouts. Creating public schools, which are free, is crucial in ensuring students can access education in Pakistan.

The second and third programs focus on building new schools and scholarship programs. CARE is heavily involved in the construction of new schools, where the organization can apply its unique approach to training teachers and administrators. Then, CARE helps teach the government curriculum in order to help students with the existing government tests. CARE has founded and built 33 schools that are now operational and teaching students.

Although enrollment in higher education is rising, only 15% of eligible Pakistanis are enrolled in universities. However, CARE is trying to help resolve this problem through scholarship programs. Picking eligible and high performing students, CARE offers scholarships for students to attend institutes for higher education. Its focus is on students studying medicine, commerce and engineering.

With these efforts and its three key programs, CARE is working to ensure that every student in Pakistan has access to education. While there are many barriers to education in Pakistan to overcome, the government and humanitarian organizations like CARE Foundation are increasing access to education in Pakistan, increasing youth’s opportunities and job prospects.

– Thomas Gill
Photo: Flickr 

Pakistan and India: The Battle for Rice Exports

rice exportsPakistan and India are battling a rice war, as India is attempting to gain exclusive branding rights to export basmati rice to the EU. India’s trademark “geographic indication” for basmati rice has received approval from the EU and Pakistan has three months to respond to this claim or it will not be able to export basmati rice to the EU. Further implications of expanding geographic indication could compromise other markets for Pakistan, yet its response so far has been slow and inconsistent. The EU’s decision on basmati rice exports will influence each country’s economy, and with hundreds of millions of impoverished people between the two, there is much at stake.

The Value of Rice in Pakistan and India

The basmati rice industry is one that Pakistan heavily contributes to and relies on. Pakistan contributes to 35% of global basmati rice exports and its trade to the EU has grown from 120,000 tons in 2017 to 300,000 tons in 2019. A whole 40% of Pakistan’s workers work in agriculture, with rice accounting for 20% of agricultural land.

India exported 4.4 million tons of basmati rice between 2019 and 2020, which made up 65% of global basmati rice exports.

Rice Yield Challenges

Despite rice production increasing due to new practices, rice yields in both Pakistan and India are lower than the global average. Growing challenges such as drastic climate change can negatively influence annual rice production. Experts conclude that improving irrigation facilities and increasing the use of new technology will allow the countries to effectively expand their rice yields.

Population Growth & Economic Contraction

Already the fifth most populous nation in the world, projections have determined that Pakistan will grow from 220 million to 345 million by 2045. As its population continues to grow, its economy must grow at least 7% to prevent unemployment. However, in 2019, the economy contracted from 5.5% to 1.9% and the COVID-19 crisis further exacerbated this shrinkage. Unemployment has increased each year since 2014 and currently sits between 4% and 5%. It is imperative that Pakistan jumpstarts its economy or unemployment and poverty will spread.

Poverty in South Asia

Pakistan made great strides in reducing poverty in the early 2000s but has since stalled under more recent governments. By 2015, roughly one in four people, or 50 million Pakistanis, lived under the poverty line. Furthermore, there remains little opportunity for economic improvement.

India also has few opportunities for the poor to improve their lives as it placed 76 out of 82 countries in terms of social mobility. The lack of social mobility means that most people who are born poor will die poor, with minimal chances to jump to a higher social class. India also suffers from severe social inequality and a lack of growth in rural areas. A whole 364 million out of 1.3 billion, or 28% of the world’s poor live in India. However, globalization has allowed India to bring 270 million people out of poverty between 2005 and 2015. Consequently, since 1990, the life expectancy has increased by 11 years, schooling years have increased by three years and India has increased its human development index to above the medium average.

Malnutrition Causes Infant Mortality

Pakistan has an alarmingly high infant mortality rate of 55 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is twice that of India’s. A multitude of factors causes this, most notably, the malnutrition of mothers and their infants. Although wheat and rice are produced in abundant quantities, 44% of children under 5 suffer from stunted growth due to malnutrition. The problem is not whether food is available but it is that food is not accessible for the poor.

Rice as a Key Export

In Pakistan, rice provides value both nutritionally and economically. Rice accounts for 1.4% of the GDP and the traditional basmati rice makes up 0.6% of the GDP. However, most rice is sold as an export and is not used to feed hungry mouths domestically. In 2019, Pakistan exported $2.17 billion worth of rice, of which $790 million was basmati, a 25% increase from 2018.

A whole 90% of the rice grown in India is consumed domestically. Boasting the second-largest population in the world of 1.3 billion people, India accounts for 22% of global rice production but has many more people to feed than Pakistan. India is projected to produce 120 million tons of rice between 2020 and 2021.

Basmati rice exports generate massive profit for each country, If one country were to gain an advantage over the market, it would create enormous value for the winner and dire consequences for the loser. The winner would stand to gain economically and competitively as a result of increased production and profits. Additionally, increased demand for agricultural workers and production in rural areas would create revenue in historically impoverished areas.

– Adrian Rufo
Photo: Flickr

Combating Period Poverty in Pakistan

Combatting Period Poverty in PakistanPakistan, a country in South Asia, has the world’s fifth-largest population and spans more than 800,000 square kilometers. Pakistan has a long history of period poverty, stemming from its patriarchal hierarchy. Periods are shameful in Pakistan and often result in the ostracization of women in Pakistan.

Period Poverty in Pakistan

Period poverty is a severe issue around the world and is especially prevalent in Pakistan. A large part of the problem exists as a result of the many taboos that surround menstruation. In Pakistan, menstruation is seen as making women impure and dirty.

As a result, Pakistan’s culture as related to periods has prevented the population from educating women on menstruation and proper hygiene. As such, period poverty in Pakistan extends beyond just the financial discrepancies that hinder women from having access to proper menstrual products and extends into a “social period poverty” wherein women are deprived of education about menstruation.

Misinformation of Menstruation and Hygiene Practices

U-Report found that 49% of young women in Pakistan have little to no knowledge of periods before their first period. Likely, more than 20% of young women will only learn about menstruation in schools.

The myths that exist around menstruation actively disempower women. Part of the issue is that menstruation can often be a sign of good health in women. Menstruation taboos prevent women from realizing underlying symptoms of health conditions.

Period poverty in Pakistan also results in misinformation about menstruation. Part of this is because information about menstruation is often kept away from women. After all, it is believed withholding information preserves women’s chastity. This incorrect premise often results in unhygienic and dangerous practices for women. Many women use rags and share these rags and menstrual clothes with family members. Sharing of these rags can increase the risk of urinary infections and other health conditions.

Innovative Programs Fighting Period Poverty

Recently, many people have taken the initiative to work toward mitigating period poverty in Pakistan. One such tool has been apps like Girlythings, an app that allows women with disabilities to get period products delivered straight to their door. Their products include an “urgent kit,” which contains essentials such as disposable underwear, pads and bloodstain remover.

Another such tool to fight period poverty in Pakistan has been initiatives like the Menstrual Hygiene Innovation Challenge. This project, launched by UNICEF WASH and U-Report, plans to encourage young men and women to pitch their projects to educate their local communities on menstruation. One such project taken on by this challenge was a three-hour live chat. During this live chat, around 2500 people asked questions about menstruation. This live chat not only began to break down the taboos that surround openly discussing menstruation but also increases everyone’s knowledge and understanding of menstrual health.

Period poverty is a prevalent problem in Pakistan. Affecting women from both a financial and a societal point of view, people must begin to change the conversation around periods to ensure that all women in Pakistan can access menstruation information and menstrual products. However, by harnessing technology and taking initiatives, citizens all around Pakistan can work toward mitigating period poverty.

– Anushka Somani
Photo: Flickr

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3 Organizations Addressing Diabetes in Pakistan

Diabetes in Pakistan

In 2019, Pakistan ranked sixth globally for the prevalence of diabetes. The recent increase in the prevalence of diabetes in Pakistan is associated with lifestyle changes. Citizens have been adapting their diets due to the industrialization and economic development within the country.

Diabetes in Pakistan

Obesity increases the likelihood of developing diabetes. Experts at the Pakistan Diabetes Leadership Forum in 2014 cited dietary changes that include consuming more saturated fats and less fiber as a cause of increased obesity and diabetes. Physical inactivity associated with economic changes in the country also contributes to the increased pervasiveness of diabetes. These diabetic risk factors decrease both insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.

Estimates believe that more than 6.7 million people in Pakistan have diabetes, which equates to 7.6% of the overall population. Despite its prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes in Pakistan is still limited. Only half of the estimated cases have been formally diagnosed and half of those diagnosed receive treatment. Recognizing the need for better, more accessible treatment options, organizations are combatting diabetes in Pakistan.

Diabetic’s Institute of Pakistan

Diabetic’s Institute of Pakistan (DIP) was founded in 1996. It has become the “leading organization for diabetes management, treatment, education and counseling” in the country. DIP focuses on three main aspects of fighting diabetes: prevention, treatment and management. To date, DIP has helped more than 100,000 patients.

The facility runs a diabetes awareness program and publishes educational materials in both English and Urdu. DIP also provides counseling and consultation services. The organization focuses heavily on psychological services due to its belief in emotional strength and the importance of “hope and happiness” for successful prevention and treatment of diabetes. Mental health services include an all-day helpline and counseling services that deal with stress and anger management. More traditional counseling is also available through DIP.

World Diabetes Foundation Project WDF15-947

The World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) started Project WDF15-947 to make diabetes treatment more widely accessible, especially focused on helping low-income individuals and areas. WDF supports three treatment clinics in Islamabad and Rawalpindi through training and education initiatives.

Between 2015 and 2018, WDF trained more than 300 nurses, doctors and paramedics in proper prevention, diagnostic and treatment practices in order to better serve the needs of the communities. In the same three years, nearly 13,000 screening tests were conducted. Individuals diagnosed with diabetes were referred to diabetes specialists for proper treatment. WDF also undertook an awareness campaign that included billboards, media programs for both TV and newspapers and the distribution of educational materials about diabetes in Pakistan.

The Diabetes Centre

The Diabetes Centre (TDC) is a nonprofit organization in Islamabad. It aims to improve access to diagnostic screenings and treatment for diabetes in Pakistan by providing these services for free to low-income individuals. The organization has 12 clinics that respond to specific complications of the disease, such as kidney, cardiac and eye care facilities. Since 2014, TDC treated almost 112,000 patients, of which only around 30% had to pay for treatment.

Diabetes in Pakistan remains an issue with low awareness and limited access to diagnosis and treatment services. However, these three organizations as well as many others, are working to increase educational initiatives and make treatments more accessible to combat diabetes.

– Sydney Leiter
Photo: Flickr